Ultimate Southern Caribbean Cruise on Board the Celebrity Beyond

Me and my husband began this trip by flying into Fort Lauderdale. We stayed at the Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale. This hotel is in a great location, conveniently located within walking distance to many bars, restaurants and stores. The room was spacious and clean. The hotel also provided transport directly to the cruise port for $8 per person, which was very convenient and affordable.

The morning of the cruise's debarkation, we took the shuttle to the port. On arrival, we were met by friendly staff who took our bags and guided us to the check-in area inside. It only took about 10 minutes to board the ship, which was great, as we were so eager to get back on board. The ship is so beautiful and modern. I was so excited to see crew members from our last trip that had made a lasting impression on us. We were allowed to go to our room right away, which was an inside stateroom. I know that these types of rooms aren’t for everyone, but we were so content on our first cruise in the same type of room we decided to spend the extra money on an excursion. I also feel that it motivates me to get out and about the ship. The room is spacious, has lots of storage and is the perfect layout for two.

Over the next few days at sea, we enjoyed all of the amenities of the ship, including the pool, gym, casino, on-board entertainment and so much more. Celebrity is big on using their app to keep track of the daily activities going on that day. It is so convenient and easy to use, I never miss anything I was interested in attending.

On this trip we stopped at five ports: Philipsburg St. Maarten, Castries St. Lucia, Bridgetown Barbados, St.Johns Antigua, Basseterre St.Kitts. This was our first time in the Caribbean, but we absolutely fell in love. Every stop was breathtaking and had something different to offer. We did a total of four excursions - three through Celebrity and one through Viator. Through Celebrity, we went horseback riding, zip-lining and hiking in the Piton mountains. I booked an ATV excursion through Viator, and it was our favorite of them all! The group was only six people, which made for such an intimate and fun experience in St.Kitts. We also did an onboard tour of the “behind the scenes” where we got to see the bridge, meet captain Kate and her cat bug, see the kitchens, crew living quarters and more. It was so impressive to get an inside look of how the whole operation runs.

We chose not to spend the money on any specialty dining on this trip, as we did go to all of the specialty restaurants on our last trip. They were all good and I would say absolutely worth going to once, but me and my husband were very pleased with the main dining and buffet options so we chose to stick to just those this time with no regrets.

We had the absolute best time on this cruise. The staff could not be more kind. Our stateroom attendant went above and beyond for us everyday with special chocolates, wine and notes left for us at turn-down service. We will be sailing Celebrity for life.

I would recommend a celebrity cruise for adults of all ages who are not bringing their children. Although they do allow kids and have a kids club, everything on board is catered towards adults. It truly seems that everyone on board here has the same common goal, have a good time. I know that seems obvious, but I have never been on a vacation before the Beyond with such a welcoming group of people of all ages. The ship is so easy to navigate and the crew could not be more attentive. I could not recommend this company enough.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Southern Caribbean. In need of further inspiration? Check out Stephanie Stevenson’s guide, Unlocking the Caribbean's Best-Kept Secrets: A 5-Day Retreat to Saint Kitts and Nevis.