Which Caribbean cruise ports are worth visiting? — featuring Zach the Traveling Man

0:00 Not all Caribbean ports are created equal.  Some are absolute paradise, while others, well,   let's just say I'd be fine if I never stepped foot  there again. In this video, I'm ranking Caribbean   ports from worst to best based on my own cruise  experience. Now, of course, this list is totally  

0:17 subjective based on my experience, and I know  plenty of you are going to disagree with me on a   number of these, but that's the fun of it, right?  So, make sure that you drop your own rankings in   the comments below as we go because I guarantee  there's going to be some big debate on this  

0:32 one. Hello everyone, my name is Zach. I am the  traveling man and this is my ranking of Caribbean   ports from worst to best. And kicking things off  at number 16 is Freeport in the Bahamas. Now,   Freeport has its charms if you plan an excursion,  but right at the pier, it's one of the most  

0:50 underwhelming ports out there. You step off the  ship and instead of palm trees and turquoise   water, you're looking at a shipping yard and some  warehouses and you really have to hop in a taxi   or book an excursion to really get away from there  and to any beach worth visiting on the island and  

1:08 by then you're spending a lot of your port day  just traveling. It's quite a ways to get to some   of the really good beaches on Grand Bahama. So for  me, if you don't have a tour lined up, Freeport is   almost like a wasted stop. Now coming in at number  15, we have somewhere very close to Freeport  

1:24 because we have Nassau also in the Bahamas. Now  this is probably the most controversial pick in   the entire list because almost every cruiser has  been to Nassau at some point and some love it,   some hate it. And here's my take though. Nassau  is busy. It's chaotic and it's just full of people  

1:43 that are trying to sell you something from the  very second you get off the ship until the moment   that you leave. But there are some highlights  about Nassau. I'm talking about places like the   Atlantis Resort, Junkanoo Beach, the nearby beach.  You can actually walk to Junkanoo Beach from the  

1:58 cruiseport. Uh, and it's it's a free beach that  you can go to. And speaking of the cruiseport,   it's a brand new cruise terminal there with a lot  of upgrades, but the overall vibe in Nassau can   feel somewhat exhausting. I think of Nassau as one  of those ride of passage ports because everyone  

2:15 should experience Nassau at least once, but for  most cruisers, it's not a favorite. But be honest,   how do you feel about Nassau? Do you love it or  do you hate it? Now, number 14 goes to Oo Rios,   Jamaica. And let me be clear, the excursions  that are available in Oo Rios are incredible.  

2:34 And a lot of people go there just for them. I'm  talking about places like Dun's River Falls,   the Blue Hole, River Tubing. Those are some of the  best adventure excursions in the entire Caribbean,   hands down. But the port area itself  is tough. It can feel overwhelming,   and the aggressive taxi drivers and tour sellers  right outside of the gates make a lot of cruisers  

2:55 a little bit uncomfortable. This is just one of  those places where you absolutely need to have   a plane if you're going there. If you've got an  excursion booked, you're probably going to love Oo   Rios. But if not, it's a port that can leave a bad  taste in your mouth. And speaking of excursions,  

3:10 I did want to mention that I've partnered on  many of my videos with Shore Excursions Group.   Shore Excursions Group makes it so simple to book  your next shore excursion for your next cruise.   You just visit their website. You can actually  select the name of your cruise ship, the date that  

3:25 you're sailing. It'll import every single one of  your ports and you can just click view excursion   and go and look at all the excursions available  for each port of call. They make it so easy. Uh   I trust them so much. I've used them all around  the world and they are incredible. They're always  

3:41 going to get you back to the ship on time. They  promise you that. They even put money on it. Now,   this video isn't sponsored or anything, but I do  have a link down below. It is an affiliate link,   so I do make a little bit of money, get a little  bit of kickback. So, if you want to support me,  

3:53 you can book through that link. It's down in the  description below. Go check out Short Excursions   Group for your next cruise, though. I promise I  would not be telling you about them if I didn't   love them. And I was using Shore Excursions  Group long before I was doing YouTube. So,  

4:05 go check them out for your next cruise excursion.  And now coming in at number 13 is Cosmemell,   Mexico. Now, Cosmemell is one of the most popular  cruise ports in the entire world, and for good   reason. There is a lot to do in Cosmemell. I'm  talking about snorkeling in crystal clear waters.  

4:22 You can visit ancient Mayan ruins, or you can just  spend the day at one of the many, many beach clubs   that are available on Cosml. Now, personally,  I love the all-inclusive beach club, beach   day options that are available here. I'm talking  about Mr. Sanchos and a few others that I've been  

4:37 to. They're a ton of fun, and you really can't go  wrong with the unlimited food that's offered, the   unlimited drinks, and the beach time. But here's  the catch. If you do not book something in Cosml,   the port itself is basically just shops, bars, and  people trying to sell you trinkets. It's basically  

4:54 like every other cruise port that you're going to  go to. So, don't get me wrong, I enjoy Cosmemell,   but it's just not a port I would want to just  wing it in. You want to make a plan there,   and you want to make sure that you know ahead  of time what you're going to do so that you can  

5:07 make the most of your time in Cosmo, Mexico.  Now, we're not going to go far for number 12   because we're going to go actually just down the  coast a little bit to Costamaya, Mexico. Now,   Costamaya is similar to Cosmemell in some ways.  It's very much a cruise-built destination. It's  

5:21 just for cruise ships. In fact, you get off the  ship there, walk down the pier, and it's just   uh that's it. That like it's a little village  there that was built for cruise ships. But it does   have some really cool things to offer right there  in the port. And one that I always recommend to  

5:35 people is the Mayan healing ritual where you can  get a massage and just experience a bit of local   culture without even leaving the terminal area.  And it's really cool all the different steps that   you go through in that healing ritual. I really  enjoy that. And beyond that, there are excursions  

5:50 to Mayan ruins and beach club that make Costamaya  worth a visit. It's not the most authentic port.   I have to admit it's very commercial there,  but it's definitely fun if you know where to   go. And if you really want to go to Costamaya  and experience this, you better go soon because  

6:06 Royal Caribbean has actually bought the port and  they're going to develop that into their perfect   day Mexico. So go there quickly if you want to go  visit Costamaya cuz it won't be around forever.   Now number 11 is Rowatan, Honduras. And Rowitan is  a beautiful island with lush greenery and some of  

6:22 the best snorkeling and diving that you're going  to find anywhere in the Caribbean. And if you're   into marine life, you'll absolutely love it. But  Rowitan can feel a little rough around the edges   if you don't stick with structured excursions  or beach clubs. The areas near the ports,  

6:36 like Mahogany Bay, are nice but very curated,  while the rest of the island can feel a little   less polished. Now, I think Rowaton is one of  those ports where the experience really just   depends on what you do. It can be unforgettable  or it can fall flat. And I know Roaton is another  

6:53 one where people have very, very controversial and  decisive opinions. So, let me know what you think   about Roaton down in the comments as well. Coming  in at number 10 is Puerto Plat in the Dominican   Republic. Now, this is a port that has come quite  a long way in recent years with nearby Amber Cove  

7:10 and Tano Bay. The cruise terminal themselves are  the destinations here. They have pools and shops   and restaurants right at the dock. You don't even  have to leave the port to have a fun day, which is   actually a big upgrade compared to some of the  other stops on this list. And in fact, at Teno  

7:26 Bay, I've not done it yet, but I've been there a  couple times, but they have that lazy river there   that actually looks pretty awesome. So, if you're  going to go there to Tano Bay, I highly recommend   that you try out that lazy river cuz it looks  really, really cool. But the real gems here at  

7:39 Porto Plata are actually outside of the port. The  cable car ride up to Mount Isabel, the waterfalls,   the historic streets of downtown Porerto Plata.  It's still developing as a cruise destination,   but I think it's quickly becoming a favorite  for many cruisers because there just are so  

7:56 many things to do there. Now, coming in at number  nine is Grand Turk, Turks and Caos. Now, honestly,   this might be the easiest port day that you're  ever going to have because you're going to get off   the ship and within steps, literal steps, it's not  a long pier at all. You're standing on a gorgeous  

8:12 beach. I'm talking about stunning beach with some  of the softest sand and the most crystal clear   water. And there's also a giant Margaritavville  right there. And they have a huge pool right at   the dock. And there's plenty of places where you  can grab a drink or just lounge by the water. And  

8:27 that Margaritaville pool, by the way, I have to  say that's for anybody to use. Anybody can pull   up there and just get in that pool. You don't have  to be uh a customer of Margaritavville to be able   to get in the pool or enjoy the amenities  that are there at the pool. But otherwise,  

8:40 for the most part, Grand Turk is not the most  adventurous port. There's not a ton to do beyond   that immediate area, the Margaritaville or the  beach right there. But sometimes simplicity is   perfect for me. Grand Turk is the ultimate relax  and recharge stop. And that's why I put it higher  

8:57 than Puerto Plata on the list. Would you rather  have a packed excursion day where you're busy   uh getting on buses, going from here to there and  sightseeing, or just walk off of the ship and into   the sand like you can at Grand Turk? And anytime  Grand Turk is on the itinerary for any cruise, I  

9:13 get excited. It's truly one of my favorite places  in the Caribbean. Now, at number eight, we have   another one of my favorites. That's Biminy in the  Bahamas. Now, Biminy is a very, very small island,   but it's absolutely beautiful, and it's actually  not that far from Florida at all. It's just about  

9:28 50 mi east of Miami, but the water here is some  of the clearest that you'll ever see in your life,   and the beaches are just incredible. Now, Resorts  World has built up the port area quite a bit. So,   you've got a tram that's going to take you  right to a resort style complex complete  

9:44 with pools and restaurants and shops. And if  you're with Virgin Voyages, this is often your   beach club stop and you're going to stop there  on every single Virgin Voyage because again,   this is their beach club. This is where they're  going to have a big party day. But that beach  

9:58 club is just stunning. I love to spend time there.  And if you're not going there on Virgin Voyages,   it's still accessible to you. You do have to  buy a day pass. And last time I was there,   they did tell me you do need to buy that day pass  through your shore excursions of the cruise line.  

10:12 So go to the shore excursions desk or book it  before the cruise. get that day passed so that   you can go to the Resorts World Beach Club. But  if you're going to on Virgin Voyages, you don't   have to worry about that. Everybody's admitted  on Virgin Voyages. But the one downside is that  

10:25 Biminy can feel limited if you're looking for  adventure because there's just not a lot. Again,   it's a very small island. It's more of a laid-back  beach day than a port with tons and tons and tons   of excursions. But still, I think it offers one of  the most relaxing stops in the Bahamas, and it's  

10:40 one of my favorite places to go in the Bahamas.  One of my favorite things to do there that I did,   well, one time when I went there was to rent a  golf cart. You're going to see those golf carts.   You get on that tram to go around the island.  You're going to see those golf carts everywhere.  

10:52 They're renting them out. You can rent one of  those golf carts and go just have the day. And I   think they're north of $100 now for the day rental  of the golf cart. But you don't even have to plan   that out ahead of time. You can just get off the  ship, take the tram, you'll see the golf carts,  

11:06 go and see how much it is, rent one, and enjoy  your day. Now, number seven goes to San Juan,   Puerto Rico. And this one's a gem if you love  history and culture because Old San Juan,   which is where your ship is going to port if San  Juan's on your itinerary. It's like stepping into  

11:21 another world. It's got very colorful buildings.  It's got cobblestone streets. It's got Spanish   forts. I mean, what else could you ask for?  There's just so much to explore on foot. And the   food scene here is outstanding. In fact, it's the  birthplace of the pina colada. What's not to love,  

11:39 right? It's not really a beach day kind of port,  but that's okay. It doesn't need to be because San   Juan gives you something different and it's always  a highlight for me when I see it on an itinerary.   I will book a cruise just because San Juan is  on an itinerary. I love to just get off there  

11:54 in Old San Juan. I have a path that I normally  walk. There's a cat sanctuary there where they   rescue cats and I like to go see the little cats  and pet them. Walk up to the forts. Uh there's   even a Walgreens right across from the port area.  So maybe you need medication or you need just  

12:08 essentials for your trip. It's a good place to do  it there. Because San Juan is part of the United   States, you can actually use for most mobile  carriers and you should check with your mobile   carrier before you go. But you should be able  to take your cell phone off airplane mode and  

12:21 use your cellular data and cellular service in  San Juan. So there are so many pluses about it   and I'm telling you if you've never been  to San Juan before and you enjoy cruises,   I don't know what you're waiting for because San  Juan is amazing. But you got to promise me when  

12:34 you go that you'll get off the ship and walk  around Old San Juan because it's truly a sight   to behold. Some very interesting architecture,  very Spanish city. I love it and I can't rave   about San Juan enough. Now coming in at number  six is not far from San Juan. It's St. Thomas in  

12:48 the US Virgin Islands. St. Thomas has some of the  most famous beaches in the entire world. Not even   just the Caribbean, the entire world. I'm talking  about places like Megan's Bay and Sapphire Beach.   It's also known for its duty-free shopping. So,  if you're looking for jewelry or liquor deals,  

13:05 then this is the place for you. And I love that  St. Thomas is easy to explore independently.   You can hop in a taxi and you can be at a  beautiful beach in no time. You can take a bus   uh up to the mountaintop, which is where they have  their famous banana dairy. People go up there to  

13:19 get that. There are just so many things to do.  You can take the cable car, which is right near   uh the port area in the downtown area there in St.  Thomas, right near Regal Port. uh the cable car to   the top of the mountain and get some pictures of  your ship. I actually just love pulling into the  

13:32 harbor there in St. Thomas and see all the little  boats that are anchored there. It is one of those   ports that really delivers a classic Caribbean  experience and I promise you're going to love it   every single time. Coming in at number five is St.  Martin or St. Martin depending on which side of  

13:48 the island you're on. And that's because half of  the island is Dutch and the other half is French.   Now, this port is legendary because of Maho Beach,  which is where the planes are going to land just   feet above your head. And I've done this a number  of times. I actually love it. It's so thrilling.  

14:02 I love airplanes anyways and cruises, of course,  and beaches. But you can stand right on that beach   and watch the planes come in or go up to the  fence and fill the jet blast as they take off.   But beyond that, St. Martin is gorgeous with a  fascinating blend of Dutch and French culture,  

14:19 amazing beaches, and great shopping. It's a  port that has just a little bit of everything,   which makes it one of the most well-rounded  destinations in the entire Caribbean. And   coming in at number four is Curacisowl. This  is one of the most colorful and charming ports   that you can visit in the entire world pretty  much, not just the Caribbean, but the world.  

14:38 The Dutch Caribbean architecture along with the  waterfront and Willmstad is just postcard perfect.   It's also a very walkable city, which I love.  You can explore on foot. You can get right off   the ship and walk to the downtown area and just  take in a lot of culture and still have time for  

14:55 a snorkeling excursion later if that's something  that you're into. And Curacal definitely feels   like it has a little bit more authenticity than  some of the other heavily touristed ports. And   that's what makes it so special. You go deep down  into the Caribbean and you're not getting as many  

15:10 cruise ships visiting down there. So, it doesn't  feel much like a tourist trap as somewhere like   a Nassau or a Cosmo. And at number three, we're  going to talk about Curacas sister, Bonire. Now,   Bonire is not as flashy as say Kiraasau or even  Aruba, but it's an absolute paradise for divers  

15:27 and snorkelers. The reefs here are worldrenown,  and the island has this quiet, laid-back vibe that   really sets it apart. And it's not going to give  you the big resort style experience, but if you're   into nature and the underwater world, then Bonire  is unbeatable. When I was there just about a year  

15:45 ago, actually, I enjoyed taking a tour all the way  around the island. They have the flamingos here,   the pink flamingos all around the island. So, if  you want to see them, they're all over. I mean,   they were I couldn't believe how many we saw.  We saw the first group and I thought, "Cool,  

15:57 we got to see some." And then we just kept seeing  them all day long. And then they also have the   salt fields there because they produce a lot  of salt, like rock salt, table salt there in   Bonire and the process is amazing. and they get it  right out of the sea actually and then put it out,  

16:10 put that sea water out into these fields and  then just dry it and bake it in the sun until   all the water evaporates out and you're left with  the salt. It's really cool and you got to go to   Bonire and see it. Now, coming in at number two,  it it may be very controversial that I put this at  

16:25 number two, but I love it and this is my list  and number two goes to Perfect Day at Coco K,   which is Royal Caribbean's private island in the  Bahamas. This place is incredible if you love   that all-inclusive curated vibe. You've got water  parks, you've got the largest freshwater pool in  

16:42 the entire Caribbean. You've got multiple beaches  that you can just pull up to and just enjoy for   the day. And there's even an exclusive beach  club, actually a couple of beach club because   there's an adults only one and then also the Cocoa  Beach Club. And that's if you're into splurging  

16:57 and paying a little bit more for a little deluxe  experience. And I highly recommend the Cocoa Beach   Club if you've never done it before and want a  deluxe experience. But Coco K is clean, it's safe,   and it's built for cruisers. But, and this is  important to remember, some people find it too  

17:12 artificial, like you're at a theme park instead of  an island. And that's because everything has been   built up. It was built and produced by the cruise  line. I think it's fantastic for what it is,   but I know that that's very polarizing. So,  let me know here. I want to ask the question.  

17:26 Do you prefer private islands like Coco K or do  you like exploring real islands like Aruba and   Curacas and just having that cultured uh truly a  day in port experience? Let me know down in the   comments what you think. And finally, you might  be curious what my number one spot could be,  

17:43 or maybe you're already on to me based upon  some of these other things I've said, but the   number one spot on my list goes to Aruba. Aruba  to me is the crown jewel of the entire Caribbean.   And to me, it's the ultimate cruise port. It's  sunny and dry almost year round, which means  

18:00 you're almost guaranteed good weather. It really  doesn't rain there that much. It's actually a   desert island. It's a desert climate, which I  think is just so cool and one of the reasons I   find it so charming and love it so much. Aruba is  safe. It's easy to explore. And there's an endless  

18:16 list of things that you can do. There's stunning  beaches like Eagle and Palm. There is the desert   landscape that I mentioned with rock formations.  There's great night life if you're into that or if   your cruise might be doing an overnight there.  And there's just a welcoming local vibe. They  

18:30 call Aruba one happy island. And the people there  certainly are. They welcome you. They're some of   the nicest people in the entire Caribbean. And  Aruba has this balance of beauty, adventure,   and relaxation that makes it my absolute favorite  port in the Caribbean. I love visiting Aruba. It's  

18:46 kind of rare to visit Aruba on a Caribbean cruise  because you have to go on probably at least an   8-day cruise to get down there. It takes a while.  You're basically on the South American continent.   And of course, Aruba is neighbors with Bonire and  Curissowl, the ABC islands as they're called. And  

19:00 all of them made the top five on this list,  which I'm very proud of because I do love the   ABC islands. And that's it. That's my ranking of  Caribbean ports from worst to best. So, let me   know. Do you agree with me or am I way off base  here? I really want to know what your personal  

19:15 favorites are and your least favorites because I  know everybody's got an opinion on this one. And   this is one that I enjoy when I see people on  ships and meet people on cruise ships when I'm   cruising. We talk about our favorite port. So,  I'm glad I can get this video up and hopefully  

19:29 we'll get a conversation going in the comments  because I do enjoy hearing what other people   think. And maybe there's something that wasn't on  this list. Maybe you're like, "You didn't mention   this port or that port. I probably just haven't  been there." or maybe it's so long ago I forgot or  

19:41 haven't visited it enough to really formulate an  opinion. But these 16 are a good starting point.   I've certainly been to more than 16 islands in the  Caribbean. But let me know if I missed something,   what should be in here, where I should  visit next. And if you enjoyed this video,  

19:54 please go down below, give me a thumbs up. Also,  be sure to subscribe to the channel because I've   got plenty more cruise reviews, ranking, and tips  coming your way very, very soon. And if you're   planning a Caribbean cruise, make sure you check  out my other videos where I rank cruise lines.  

20:09 I rank the cruise ships. Recently, I even ranked  cruise line food from worst to best. Which cruise   lines have the worst food to which ones have the  best. So, make sure you go back and check that   out if that interests you. Thank you so much for  watching, and I'll see you on the next adventure.