The island-nation of St. Kitts and Nevis was a revelation. There are hardly any tourists, at least not in mid-July. The people are wonderful, and the scenery is resplendent. Added to this is the fact that really there is only one hotel, the St. Kitts Marriott Royal Beach Resort. The 380-or-so-room hotel sits on North Frigate Bay, the bony part of an island that is shaped like a chicken drumstick—although I thought I’d be creative and also suggest that it looks like an upside-down pregnant seahorse.

The other hotels on the island run to small plantation-style retreats and a number of non-chain properties. Nevis, which I’ll talk about more later, has the celebrated Four Seasons Resort, as well as the gorgeous Montpelier Plantation.... Read More

See also: Cayman Islands Part I – Island Dining and Cayman Brac Day Trip

After a memorable meal the previous evening, breakfast seemed unimportant until we arrived at the AAA Four Diamond The Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman for a magnificent buffet. The fresh juice bar offered everything from watermelon to classic orange juice. ... Read More

Safe, clean, tropical and welcoming are words the Cayman Islands bring to mind. With a high standard of living and prime Caribbean location, this British crown colony’s three islands make an ideal destination if you’re a traveler who likes to venture outside of the resort.

After a short from Miami on Cayman Airways (featuring complimentary rum punch), my group arrived on Grand Cayman, the largest island, quickly clearing customs and immigration. We stayed at the AAA Three Diamond Comfort Suites Seven Mile Beach, a quick drive from the airport, an excellent value and a minute’s walk from the hotel pool to the white sand of Seven Mile Beach. The staff went out of its way to be friendly and helpful. ... Read More

This week, I’ll be living a dream…or perhaps it would be more appropriate to say, sailing a Dream!
As an overly-zealous Disney fanatic who just happens to write for AAATravelViews in addition to my AAA day job, I’m fortunate to have been invited to be part of a truly magical adventure.  This week I’ll be part of a sneak-preview, three-day voyage of the Disney Dream, Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship. Please don’t hate me! After all, technically, I’ll be conducting research during my excursion ... Read More

 It’s the last day of a two night preview cruise aboard the worlds largest cruise ship, the Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s newest entry into the superlative sweepstakes and I’m having coffee in the Park Café. Unseen birds are singing somewhere in the trees and high above, the sky is turning bright with yet another Florida dawn. The setting is Central Park, one of the wow! places aboard this amazing ship.... Read More

We have recently returned to our second home of St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands.  First, an update on the island in general.  You may have heard news reports regarding significant flooding a few weeks ago on the island.  It is good to report that with the exception of some extra potholes in the roads, all is back to normal.  Of course, with all the precipitation the vegetation is at its best vibrant green. Within a few hours of our return, we were members of a beach wedding party and volunteers at a patrons event at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts.... Read More

Sitting up to my waist in the azure, cerulean and turquoise waters of Grenada’s Morne Rouge Beach, not another soul in sight, the edges of the bay arcing green and proud, I realized why until lately I had never been utterly enamored of the Caribbean: Many of its beaches are too straight in line and the countryside behind them lacked green and topography. St. Lucia bucks that trend, and Grenada completely destroys it.... Read More

 Martinique is one Caribbean island, one of the very few, that seemingly is neglected by American cruise ships and, thus, American cruisers. That is a shame, as it is an island with much to offer -- and French cuisine. Holland America visits with most frequency. Other cruise lines do come here, but it often is left out of Southern Caribbean itineraries. As with some of the Netherlands Antilles islands, one gets the sense that money flows in relatively freely from France, its European mother country, and that the locals do not need tourists as much as perhaps other Caribbean destinations do. Well, at least it will not be crowded.... Read More

The southern Caribbean island of Curaçao, poking out of the continental shelf of South America, 40 miles north of the coast of Venezuela, is part of the Netherlands Antilles, six West Indian specks that also include Aruba, Bonaire, St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius.

The island’s built-up area is in the middle, around capital Willemstad, and there can be traffic.  For peace, tranquility and flavor, head to its far southeastern and northwestern tips. ... Read More