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Watching the Atlantic surf crash down on the rugged east coast of this richly diverse island and, for a moment, you may feel you could be on the Cornish coast but the moment you hear the waves of gospel singing emanating from a tiny local church you realise you could not be anywhere else but Barbados.

Britannia’s boutique style cabins feature a large flat screen TV for films on demand, pamper packs from The White Company, bathrooms with glass shower screens and bespoke artworks from British artists. Our inside cabins are perfect for those who prefer to be out and about enjoying the ship.

The two sides of the city are divided by Santa Anna Bay, a narrow channel flanked by pastel-tinted, gabled houses and spanned by the spectacular swing-aside Queen Emma pontoon bridge. On one side you will find the 18th century Fort Amsterdam and Breederstraat, gateway to Willemstads main shopping and restaurant district where you can buy everything from Delft pottery to Italian silk ties, Japanese electrical goods, Indonesian batik clothing, locally-made black coral jewellery and, of course, the sapphire-blue liqueur to which Curaçao has given its name.

The island's capital - Kingstown - is a more lively place to explore, with pretty cobbled streets.

It is the perfect entrance to one of the Caribbean's most scenic islands. Only 12 miles by 21, it is awash with waterfalls, mountain valleys, rainforests, lakes and volcanic craters. The beaches are to die for, especially Grand Anse - a two-mile stretch of pure white sand just around the bay from St Georges. Grenada is also the island you can smell before you can see it. The 'Spice Island' grows more spices per square mile than anywhere else on the planet with nutmeg its signature seasoning. In fact, gentle haggling with spice vendors is part of the fun of cruising to this laid-back Caribbean island.

Cloaked in verdant rainforests, its skyline dominated by the dramatic twin peaks of Les Pitons and its gardens a riot of hibiscus and bougainvillea; St. Lucia is the epitome of a Caribbean paradise. Here you can watch parrots and hummingbirds skim through the trees, bask on beautiful beaches, visit charming fishing villages, view stunning volcanic scenery and glory in the Caribbean's best botanical gardens. If it is your first visit, an island tour to the dramatic Soufrire volcano will show you the island's full beauty. Boat trips to spot dolphin and whales are also available, as are biking, jeep and hiking tours of the rainforest. But do leave time to explore the shops of Castries, where you can pick up bread, wine and even ketchup made from bananas.

Britannia’s boutique style cabins feature a large flat screen TV for films on demand, pamper packs from The White Company, bathrooms with glass shower screens and bespoke artworks from British artists. Our inside cabins are perfect for those who prefer to be out and about enjoying the ship.

You will recognise that mixture of deserted beaches, sleepy villages, lush rainforest greenery and sugarcane fields and maybe even the mini-mountain range with a dormant volcano in its midst. Yet the first thing you will see when the ship docks is pretty much brand new: St. Kitts cruise terminal and marina complex - a collection of shops, bars, restaurants and gardens. Once through that, though, you can explore the back streets and impressively restored Georgian buildings of the capital, Basseterre. Independent since 1983, St. Kitts covers just 65 square miles but has its own World Heritage site: Brimstone Hill fortress.  Another option for St. Kitts cruise visitors is the 45-minute ferry to sister island Nevis.

Antigua played host to Admiral Horatio Nelson's fleet in the late 1700's. Nelson's Dockyard now bustles with crew and guests from yachts and cruise ships sailing these waters for pleasure rather than for King and Country. The main port, St John's, is also the capital and a vibrant hub for shopping as well as being within easy range of some of the best beaches - at Fort James, Deep Bay, Galley Bay and Hawksbill. Almost perfect weather conditions and low humidity, due to the warm prevailing trade winds, allows Antigua to boast of being the sunniest of the Eastern Caribbean islands with the lowest annual rainfall. It is also the largest of the English-speaking Leeward Islands although it is only 14 miles long and 11 miles wide. Still, with a population of less than 70,000, this means there are lots of wide open spaces - especially on those gorgeous beaches.

About St. Maarten. Half French and half Dutch, St. Martin/Sint Maarten is one of the Caribbean's most diverse and interesting islands. The Dutch capital Philipsburg is a delightful warren of narrow streets called steegjies. Here you will find interesting shops and leafy courtyard cafes. Start your exploration at Wathey Square, which is home to a colourful market. If you would prefer to enjoy a little French 'je ne sais quoi', take an island tour to the pretty French capital Marigot. It's worth visiting for its colourful markets, lovely cafe-lined waterfront and the chic boutiques of Marina Port La Royale, where you can pick up unusual jewellery and leather goods. Or spend your day on a catamaran trip from Philipsburg for fabulous deep-sea snorkelling with lunch.

Dining takes centre stage on board Britannia Enjoy three main restaurants offering a choice of Club Dining - the same table at the same time each evening - or Freedom Dining with no fixed seating or dining times.

There’s also the opportunity to visit the Select Dining venues of Sindhu, the first restaurant at sea from master of spices Atul Kochhar; Epicurean, where a sense of occasion is always on the menu; and The Glass House, a wine bar and restaurant created in partnership with award-winning wine guru Olly Smith.

Disembark your cruise ship.