Five More Cruise Ports I Want to Escape To - Part Two

I'm still shivering and trying to stay warm. If I could, I'd be on the first flight out and head south. At what age can one be a snowbird? Hopefully one day, I'll be the guy you get annoyed by as he posts non-stop about his travels. Until then, I'll be here in my corner desk recalling these memories to stay warm. 

On my last blog, I wrote about five cruise ports I enjoy. Here are my top five cruise ports I have fond memories of. All these are through our cruises over the past 15 years and all are in the Caribbean. But there are hundreds of available cruises around the world. Maybe that future Ron will get to highlight some of those ones eventually.

St. Maarten is another stop we have visited a couple of times. The skies were always blue and sun shining when we visited. The cruise port is a short walk or ferry ride to the main street of Philipsburg on the Dutch side. It was there I was manipulated into spending far too much on a shirt and shorts. But it's a fun walk through the central tourist area before or after heading on an excursion.

On our first visit in 2017, we took hippo boats out to a bay on the northwest French side of the island. Sailing through the waters along St. Maarten was soothing, with the cool air masking the sun's aggression. When we stopped at Happy Bay Beach, our group splashed around the water and swam to shore. St. Maarten is known for it's relaxed rules on public nudity, so there were naturalists enjoying the gorgeous day. Unfortunately, this excursion is no longer available through Carnival, but there's lots of options when booking your cruise.

On our next visit in 2022, I joined the naturalists and forced Phil to Orient Beach. The walk down to the nude part of the beach was a far walk from our drop point, but I encourage anyone interested to give it a try. It's not mandatory to strip down, but when in St. Maarten, why not? The sun was out and the water was cool. It's a satisfying feeling swimming in the buff - no annoying trunk fabric or chaffing after. Just don't sit in the sand without a towel between you and your cheeks.

Photos unavailable of Orient Beach, thankfully.

Cozumel, an island off the eastern coast of Mexico in the Caribbean Sea, is a major destination for vacationers. It is tied for the place we have visited the most on our cruises. Cozumel buzzes with excitement upon your arrival. The pier and port are filled with lots of shops, entertainment, bars and cab drivers offering cheap rides to major attractions. When we go to Cozumel, we organized excursions through Carnival.

Our first was for "The Amazing Cozumel Race." We are big reality television fans and a scavenger hunt provides a hyperactive way of seeing your host port. We were shuttled to downtown Cozumel with teams of two or more from our ship or others in port that day. We are given a clue and sent off to find our stops and tasks. Our team, the Canadudes, faired well against the others in diving to a sunken ship, sink a hole in one at the mini-golf course, and completing a traditional Mexican dance. Along the way, I ran into an air conditioner. Really wish there were cameras monitoring that. In the end, The Canadudes finished second and downed a couple of margaritas to celebrate.

We took the same excursion on our second and third cruise, both times with either side of the family. The excursion was a jetboat to an all-inclusive, private beach, Isla Pasion. This would be a spectacular reward on Survivor: take a thrilling ride over the Caribbean waters to a white sand beach, complete with hammocks, lounge chairs, open bar and full buffet. One visit was quieter than another, due the timing of our excursion. That time, we were given shot after shot of rum, playing in limbo contests and water balloon tosses, having impromptu dance parties on the beach. You could tire yourself out further with the water trampoline and inflatables, then relax in a water hammock as the tide came in.

Is Isla Pasion available for purchase? 

"Bonaire? Where's Bonaire?" 

The quiet, middle child of the ABC Islands - Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - is underrated and overlooked by the more popular book ends of this Dutch Antilles chain. I can't even chalk up Bonaire's ranking to recency bias (we visited in April 2025), but our day in Bonaire was the ultimate source of relaxation.

For this trip, we did not book any excursions. We went more "on the fly" with our visits. But we know in Bonaire where we wanted to go. The Chogogo Dive & Beach Resort is a newer resort by the cruise port. A short ten minute drive with local transportation takes you there. Why did we choose this? 

1. Chogogo opened in 2021, so it is relatively new. Marketing for the resort is low so not many people know about it.
2. The cost to visit was inexpensive to other day passes. For $25 USD, you get access to everything you'll read about below. Plus you receive $10 back to use towards food and beverage.
3. Pool and beach access, lounge chairs under palm canopies, small occupancy numbers, and a lazy river.

The lazy river clinched the deal. Fortunately, not many people knew of this resort and what is has to offer. We laid in the river and floated through the cool waters, only getting out to pee and refill our drinks. I had the best nap under a palm-thatched canopy, which most definitely was occupied by others hanging out in the pool. It was a tranquil day in a quiet nation - the way to disconnect and decompress from stress and franticness.

Check out the layout of the resort below.

Another location tied for the most ports we have visited, San Juan is a popular port for cruises. On our three trips to San Juan, we took in the cities and culture with the warmth Puerto Ricans share with those who visit. 

San Juan can be a port for relaxation, but it is also a city to explore. The ship docks in the old town and is accessible to attractions like Castillo San Felipe del Morro,  San Cristóbal Castle and  Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista. Excursions will take you to other parts of the island - food tours, historic walks, beach days, catamaran rides and snorkeling.

For us, we are drawn to one beach: Condado Beach. We have visited Condado a few times. It is a popular spot for locals and tourists, attached to a street full of shops, restaurants and bars. But the waves are massive and can be quite intimidating, but it is very refreshing. There is a lack of safety support should an issue come up, but just be smart about your depth into the waters. 

Ultimately, just pull out your towel, lay in the sun and do some good people watching. If you're lucky, you'll get a cab or Uber driver who will take your own tour at no extra cost. Learn about the celebrity culture that uses San Juan as their reprieve or the developments after hurricanes and tropical storms change the landscape.

Not to be a travel writing stereotype, but St. Thomas is just picturesque. When you sail up to the island and into the port, you see the hillside of the island with the houses dotted like a impeccably decorated cake. The cove has floating sailboats swaying on the rich azure waters. City life bustles along the shores. Before arriving, I watch the activity and anticipate our visits with every meter closer to shore. The island has provided us with many great experiences and memories.

Tree Limin Zip Lining offers superior views at the top of St. Thomas and has exhilarating ziplines and a swing for life that soars you through the jungle. At that view you also see Magen's Bay, which is pristine and calming when not overvisited. Charlotte Amalie, the country's capital, is alive with visitors and locals enjoying each other's company. We also ran an Amazing Race-style scavenger hunt there once, too. 

When I need to close my eyes and think of some place warm, St. Thomas immediately pops into my mind. I love sitting on a lounge chair, looking at the curb appeal this land has to offer. It's always sunny in St. Thomas.

What islands or ports did I miss? Do you have any favourite ports, piers or excursions?