Travel

 “Kare-uh-BEE-uhn” or “kuh-RIB-ee-n.” However you pronounce this exotic region of 7,000-plus islands, islets, reefs and cays, the sound of steel drums is equally soothing, and the ocean breezes are just as refreshing.

Unless, that is, your cruise vacation is being disturbed by a hurricane, which tends to bring steel drummers inside and light raingear outside. Hurricane season in these waters runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, so the odds of having your cruise affected by some sort of weather system are probably as good as gaining pounds from the non-stop grazing synonymous with cruising.

The blame for my Bermuda shorts fitting a tad more snug by the end of my family’s 7-day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean was all mine, but Mother Nature’s cooperation and Capt. William Kent’s navigational skills aboard the mammoth and magnificent Caribbean Princess were what minimized annoyances caused by a tropical depression that eventually turned into catastrophic Hurricane Dean. Save for a soaked sail away party and 1 night of sloshy slumber, it was smooth sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, destination St. Martin, St. Thomas and Princess’ private beach on Eleuthera in the Bahamas.

The most affordable cruises for families
For families able to spring for a cruise, Princess and Carnival are tops in my book.

It’s impossible for any cruise line to please everyone 100% of the time, especially with some 3,100 passengers aboard. But Princess came close. The youth program was superior over Carnival’s, and knowing that our boys were happy meant that mom and dad could enjoy guilt-free high tea at the Coral Dining Room and a lucky run at the impressive Grand Casino.

Except for the spotty supper staff in the Island Dining Room, the supposedly higher-end Sabatini’s Italian restaurant, a poor film selection for Movies Under the Stars and a child-unfriendly policy in the main theater that prohibits passengers under 16 from sitting in the first 3 rows “for their safety,” our 7-day stay on one of the world’s largest floating hotels was a titanic treat. (Sorry, poor word choice. Make that a colossal treat.)

St. Martin/St. Maarten
St. Martin is advertised by the local tourism council as the smallest island in the world shared by Norway and Sweden. So when the tourism bureau told us that the St. Maarten 12-Metre Challenge, in which normal folk get to race in an actual America’s Cup regatta, is the No. 1 shore excursion in the Caribbean, our guard was up.

So while mom shopped for jewelry, the boys and I grinded a winch, trimmed a sail and performed other duties as official crew members of the same Stars and Stripes yacht that carried Dennis Conner and his crew to victory. Though we lost to a Canadian-made craft with fellow Caribbean Princess passengers who excel in gloating, my boys and I can share the memory of this unforgettable experience.

The regatta is on the Dutch side, as is a wonderful beach-side restaurant in Philipsburg called Oualichi, which serves up curry chicken and other native dishes and a signature smoothie made of mango, strawberry, banana and coconut cream. Marigot, the main town on the French side, flaunts the cutest little streets you’ll ever want to explore, plus beaches that bow to the more liberal European culture. Ooh-la-la. My pubescent, all-American boys got a bonus that day.

St. Thomas
The appeal of this destination in the U.S. Virgin Islands must be based on its resort properties and popular Megan’s Bay Beach because, as a cruise port, it’s a bust. Dirty and depressed were the sights along the guided drive to Coral World, an ocean park located about 20 minutes from downtown Charlotte Amalie and the cruise ship pier.

Too bad that its top attraction, an opportunity to frolic with friendly sea lions in an above-ground outdoor pool, is situated in an employees-only area of the grounds. The 300- to 400-pound, bewhiskered lovers didn’t seem to mind the unsightly environs; they couldn’t have played nicer with my wife and boys, as dad snapped photos.

The lone, untainted highlight of our half-day visit was a refreshing dip in Megan’s Bay Beach, a picturesque spot familiar to those who watch the Travel Channel’s annual “best beaches” show.

Fort Lauderdale
Easily a destination in its own right, Fort Lauderdale, the original spring-break haven, has lots to see and do for families.

Home base was The Atlantic Hotel and Spa, the only oceanfront boutique hotel in Fort Lauderdale. Family-friendly, but not a good choice for the loud and rambunctious, this 4-diamond jewel of a property offers a swanky alternative to the touristy inns that dot Fort Lauderdale’s 23 alluring miles of beach. The Atlantic’s pool, which overlooks the ocean, is elegant, but not stuffy. The same can be said for the entire property, including the hotel’s signature restaurant, Trina, where Executive Chef Brian Kay – once an apprentice at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel – serves up a fair-priced kid’s menu.

Speaking of food, the fun and lively Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. had the best food and service among the half-dozen we’ve been to around the nation. Work off the coconut shrimp, Cajun shrimp and stuffed shrimp with a calorie-burning stroll along the adjacent beach.

Must-sees of the Fort Lauderdale area include Holiday Everglades Park, with an exciting and educational airboat tour through some of Florida’s critter-filled swampland (saw 7 gators in and out of the sawgrass). Awesome Butterfly World is the largest of its kind anywhere, with 6 aviaries housing thousands of butterflies and birds.

Worth skipping are Flamingo Gardens and its surprisingly dull 60-acre botanical gardens and wildlife sanctuary; Bonnet House, former estate of artist and local philanthropist Frederic Bartlett (charming house, but a snoozer for kids; much of the displayed artwork are reproductions); Boomers, a fun center ripe for a renovation; and Mai-Kai Restaurant, home of the lamest Polynesian show east of Hawaii and inferior food to match. Love the tiki kitch, though.

Regular contributor David Dickstein is the father of 2 boys, 11 and 13, and the husband of a schoolteacher.