Discovering the Popular Royal Caribbean Itinerary: Bahamas & Caribbean

Bahamas & Perfect Day Itinerary

The 3-4 night version of this itinerary is a popular one offered by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) because of its affordability. The ship class can vary and is most commonly serviced by RCCL’s smaller class of ships, Voyager Class and below. Check out the RCCL Fleet Guide for distinctions between these ships. It’s helpful for cruisers to review the class and details of the ship before booking, as features and amenities can vary widely between them.

3-4 Night Itinerary

Day #1: Embarkation. This itinerary typically sails from Port Miami, Port Everglades, Port Tampa Bay, or Port Canaveral.
Day #2: Perfect Day at CocoCay, which is RCCL’s private island in the Bahamas
Day #3: Nassau, Bahamas, although some itineraries port in Bimini instead
Day #4: Disembarkation
The 4-night option also includes a sea day.

The “Perfect Day Getaway” itinerary is similar to the above but includes only one port stop, Perfect Day at CoCo Cay. The “Bahamas Getaway” itinerary ports only in Nassau. There is also a “Key West & Bahamas” option that either adds Key West or substitutes it for one of the others. The lengthier itineraries add on multiple other ports, may include additional sea days, and are offered from more departing ports, such as the Port of Baltimore and Cape Liberty. The longer itineraries may sail on a larger class of ship, even the occasional Oasis or Quantum class.

This is a great option for budget-conscious travelers, cruisers looking for a short getaway, or newer cruisers who are still figuring out this mode of travel as a “starter cruise” option.

Eastern Caribbean Itinerary

The Caribbean is vast and diverse, so many cruise lines break out their itineraries into “Eastern Caribbean,” “Western Caribbean,” and sometimes “Southern Caribbean.” Royal Caribbean‘s Eastern Caribbean itineraries tend to stop at island ports closer to the open Atlantic, most commonly include the following:

• Nassau, Bahamas
• Perfect Day at CocoCay, which is RCCL’s private island in the Bahamas
• Labadee, which is RCCL’s private “island” in Haiti
• Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US. Virgin Islands

Royal Caribbean offers short 2-5 night Eastern Caribbean itineraries, but there are also longer choices, up to as many as 11 nights. These lengthier options generally call on these additional ports:

• Philipsburg, St. Maarten
• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
• St. John’s, Antigua
• Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis

Almost all of Royal Caribbean‘s Eastern Caribbean sailings depart from Florida ports, and the longer options sail from other East Coast ports, such as Cape Liberty. Symphony of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas are commonly used to service these itineraries, although other classes of ships sail this route, including Royal’s new Icon Class ship, Icon of the Seas.

Western Caribbean Itinerary

Western Caribbean cruises generally call on destinations closer to the mainland US and Mexico. Because of this, many of them sail out of Port of Galveston or Port NOLA, but are also common options out of the various Florida ports. Royal Caribbean‘s Western Caribbean itineraries can vary widely in length and class of ship and most commonly include:

• Cozumel, Mexico
• Roatan, Honduras
• Costa Maya, Mexico
• Progreso, Mexico
• Belize City, Belize

It’s not uncommon for Royal Caribbean to also call on Labadee, Puerto Plata, and Perfect Day on these sailings, and may also include these ports with their longer Western Caribbean itineraries:

• George Town, Grand Cayman
• Falmouth, Jamaica
• Colon, Panama
• Limon, Costa Rica

Various Royal Caribbean ships sail this route, including the line’s new Icon Class ship, Icon of the Seas.

Southern Caribbean Itinerary

Royal Caribbean‘s Southern Caribbean cruises generally sail from the Florida ports, are serviced by a variety of its class of ships, and include the same general ports of call as the Eastern Caribbean itinerary, but then head south to call on some additional ports. Because of this additional distance, Southern Caribbean sailings generally tend to be longer.

• Castries, St. Lucia
• St. George’s, Grenada
• Roseau, Dominica
• Bridgetown, Barbados
• Oranjestad, Aruba
• Willemstad, Curacao
• Kralendijk, Bonaire

Regardless of the specifics of the itinerary or even the specific cruise line, a Caribbean cruise is always great. Cruisers can enjoy stunning beaches, turquoise waters, vibrant culture, and diverse activities.