La Romana is a city on the Dominican Republic’s Caribbean coast and a gateway to nearby resort areas. Overlooking the Chavón River, Altos de Chavón is a re-created 16th-century Mediterranean village with artists’ workshops. An obelisk painted with colorful images of local life stands in the city center. South of the city is Catalina Island, with beaches, coral reefs and the wrecked ship of pirate William Kidd.

The island of Barbados was discovered by the Portuguese in 1536, but throughout its colonial history, which ended with the Declaration of Independence in 1966, Barbados was under British sovereignty. This is strongly reflected in the old capital of Bridgetown which has a decidedly English character; so much so that there is even a miniature of London’s Trafalgar Square, complete with a statue of Lord Nelson. The city is small and there are many excellent walking tours

Thanks in large part to its French and West Indian influences, Martinique, a lush mountainous island in the Lesser Antilles with its dormant Mount Pelée volcano in the backdrop, exudes a cosmopolitan flair with a sophisticated culinary and cultural scene that draws travellers not only to its natural wonders, beautiful bays and beaches, but also to its heart at Fort-de-France, the capital. While French is the official language, most islanders also speak Antillean Creole. As part of the European Union, the island uses the euro as its currency.

When you arrive on an MSC Caribbean and Antilles cruise in Fort-de-France, you immediately notice the island’s steep hills, colourful colonial architecture, ornate balconies and tropical flowers. Book an MSC excursion to the Balata Cathedral, a miniature replica of the Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre, Paris, which offers a spectacular view of Fort-de-France and the bay.

Before Martinique came to be known by its current name, it was once called Madinina, the island of flowers. At Balata Botanical Gardens, discover 300 types of palm trees, take in views from the garden’s suspension bridge and enjoy the tropical flowers in bloom across 16 acres of lush landscape.

Or try the island’s best rum distilleries. MSC excursions will take you to the Depaz Distillery, in business since 1651, or the St. James Rum Distillery & Museum, where you will learn about the process of making rum and taste the traditional Rhum Agricole, made by using freshly squeezed sugarcane juice rather than the conventional molasses.

Afterwards, visit the ruins of the theatre in St. Pierre, the former cultural capital of Martinique that was tragically destroyed by the 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée. The modern-day town of St. Pierre is France’s 101st “City of Art and History.”

When you arrive on an MSC Caribbean and Antilles cruise in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, you will discover a French gem in the Southern Caribbean, or as native islanders called it, “Karukera,” the “island of beautiful waters.” Guadeloupe’s Creole culture and cuisine are a melange of many influences, including French, African, Indian and East Asian.

Take a scenic MSC excursion to the Guadeloupe National Park, designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Located in the south of Basse-Terre, the park has one of the most beautiful forests in the Caribbean and the highest peak on the island, the Soufrière volcano. Make your way to the three gorgeous waterfalls of Carbet on the lower slopes of La Soufrière. The second waterfall, about 360 feet in height, can be admired from a suspended bridge. Beautiful as they are, the waterfalls are among the most visited sites on Guadeloupe.

The Valombreuse botanical garden is a must-see for those who love gardens, and with 500 species in its collection, not many other gardens in the world can claim to be its equal. Tucked in between the mountains and the sea, it is a riot of tropical plants and flowers and home to many birds, including flower-loving hummingbirds and peacocks.

Head along the southern coast of Grande Terre on a sightseeing MSC excursion to St. Anne, a lovely fishing village with seafront promenade, then continue to visit the much-photographed Pointe des Châteaux, an incredible rock formation sculpted by the wind, followed by a stop in Morne-à-L’Eau, a town noted for its artistic cemetery with black-and-white checkerboard tombs.

You can also slip away on a catamaran on another excursion from Pointe-à-Pitre to the uninhabited islet of Gosier, a tiny gem calling out to you with its lush foliage, white sandy shores, a charming diminutive lighthouse and the intense blue of the sea.

Road Town, located on Tortola, is the capital of the British Virgin Islands. It is situated on the horseshoe-shaped Road Harbour in the centre of the island’s south coast. The town’s population is about 9,400 (as of 2004).

The name is derived from the nautical term “the roads”, a place less sheltered than a harbour but which ships can easily get to. A 67-acre (27 ha) area called Wickhams Cay was reclaimed from the sea and is the centre of tourism. The oldest building in Road Town, the old HM Prison on Main Street, dates from the 1840s.

The town is one of the principal centres for bareboating (self-hire yacht chartering) in the Caribbean. Road Town is the headquarters of Tortola Marine Management, located in the Road Reef Marina, and The Moorings, which are two of the main charter boat companies operating out of Road Town/Road Harbor.

La Romana is a city on the Dominican Republic’s Caribbean coast and a gateway to nearby resort areas. Overlooking the Chavón River, Altos de Chavón is a re-created 16th-century Mediterranean village with artists’ workshops. An obelisk painted with colorful images of local life stands in the city center. South of the city is Catalina Island, with beaches, coral reefs and the wrecked ship of pirate William Kidd.