Caribbean cruises: Majestic ships on the horizon

Riding the waves

Lovers of the rolling waves have several new options to explore in the Caribbean: on Jumeirah’s sleek Maltese Falcon; in one of the stately Royal Caribbean cruise boats; on Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady; or on Cunard’s recently refreshed Queen Elizabeth.

Downton Abbey’s Lord Grantham had to move from the palace to the dower house in the grand finale of the television series. In real life, actor Hugh Bonneville has been enjoying a different environment — the high seas. Last November, he was the Insight Speaker on a 12-day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean on the recently refreshed Queen Elizabeth . The cruise included sojourns on Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Marteen, and Tortola. For the first time in Cunard’s history, the Queen Elizabeth homeported in Miami, bringing its renowned White Star Service to the region for a two-season residency of nine- to 21-night itineraries. Accommodating 2081 guests, the ship now features Karibe, a new restaurant highlighting Caribbean coastal cuisines; “The Whispering Hour,” a happy hour involving Whispering Angel wines from the d’Esclans estate in Provence; and the Abbey Road Listening Lounge, where guests can listen to recordings of the Beatles and of other legendary artists.

Enjoying utmost privacy, a total of 12 guests can now sail the high seas on the Maltese Falcon . The ship took its inaugural voyage under the Jumeirah Privé banner in December 2025. The six-cabin luxury yacht operates summer itineraries in the Mediterranean and winter routes in the Caribbean, calling at Antigua, the Bahamas, Saint Martin, and St. Barts. Guests were able to experience the famed St. Barts New Year’s Eve celebrations. On board, a skilled wellness masseuse and a chef who has trained under a 3-star Jumeirah master add to the indulgent experience.

After years of delays, Virgin Voyages’ fourth ship, Brilliant Lady , finally set sail in September 2025 from its new home port in Miami. Accommodating 2,762 passengers, the Brilliant Lady features boutique-style bars and lounges and unique entertainment options such as Murder in the Manor, a 1980s-styled murder mystery that blends cabaret, humor and theatrical flair. Inspired by sister ship Resilient Lady — which won the 2025 USA Today Best Cruise Ship Dining Award — Brilliant Lady features Razzle Dazzle, an eatery specializing in Spanish food and bottomless brunch. At night, this venue transforms into Rojo, an elevated Spanish dining experience.

Looking ahead, Royal Caribbean has big plans for the region in 2027-28: 13 of its ships will steer to an increased number of beach destinations from homeports in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, New Orleans, San Juan, Cartagena, and Colón. Passengers may choose from three to nine-night itineraries through the Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean. Ships will call at the newly opened Beach Club at Paradise Island with two white-sand beaches, three pools, ten bars, DJ beats, a cabana with its own water slide, and Floating Flamingo, the world’s largest swim-up bar.

All these developments in the cruise industry will bolster the already thriving cruise tourism in the region, with Barbados, Turks & Caicos, Grenada, Martinique, and the Bahamas seeing a double-digit rise in passenger visits of up to 34.8%.