Star Collector: Caribbean Explorations

Pastel-colored buildings and shops filled with tempting souvenirs herald your arrival to bustling Philipsburg. Situated near the harbor on the Dutch side of St. Maarten, Philipsburg owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus in 1493. Today, celebrated Front Street is home to a number of local Creole restaurants as well as jewelry stores, stylish boutiques, and lively casinos for visitors seeking an upbeat island experience.

Affectionately known as St. Barts, the Caribbean's most chic island adds a French flair to Riviera-like beaches and duty-free boutiques. Walk past gingerbread cottages in search of celebrities, shop for designer fashions, or sip the island's signature ti punch as kite surfers fly by.

It's said that Antigua has 365 beaches - one for every day of the year. See how many you can discover as our stay in port stretches into the evening to accommodate them all. Watch the stars come out as darkness falls and imagine how residents of Andromeda must envy you.

With its protected shoreline, calm surf, spectacular coral reefs and sugar-soft beaches, Road Bay has become a destination for boaters, with its delightful restaurants, bars, and shops. Anguilla has some of the most beautiful sunsets and delicious rum punch to be found in the Caribbean.  It is also home to Cuban tree frogs, red-footed tortoise, green iguanas and five species of bats.  Worth checking out is Wallblake House, a heritage plantation house and museum said to be the oldest building on the island and located nearby.

Arrive at the boardwalk of Pusser's Landing and mingle with other yachtsmen in the utterly charming marina at Soper's Hole. Find a deserted stretch of beach to kick back and ponder this tiny port's rich heritage of romance, pirates, and adventure. An evening departure features a once-in-a-lifetime romantic sunset Sail Away.

For an island comprised of a mere eight square miles, it's amazing how much there is to do on Jost Van Dyke. Visit the national park on nearby Diamond Cay, snorkel among swaying sponges and angelfish at Sandy Spit, or pilot your own boat around Sir Francis  Drake Waterway. After all that, you'll be ready for an evening drink on the beach - where you can admire your Windstar ship aglow in the harbor.

For an island comprised of a mere eight square miles, it's amazing how much there is to do on Jost Van Dyke. Visit the national park on nearby Diamond Cay, snorkel among swaying sponges and angelfish at Sandy Spit, or pilot your own boat around Sir Francis  Drake Waterway. After all that, you'll be ready for an evening drink on the beach - where you can admire your Windstar ship aglow in the harbor.

Pastel-colored buildings and shops filled with tempting souvenirs herald your arrival to bustling Philipsburg. Situated near the harbor on the Dutch side of St. Maarten, Philipsburg owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus in 1493. Today, celebrated Front Street is home to a number of local Creole restaurants as well as jewelry stores, stylish boutiques, and lively casinos for visitors seeking an upbeat island experience.

Affectionately known as St. Barts, the Caribbean's most chic island adds a French flair to Riviera-like beaches and duty-free boutiques. Walk past gingerbread cottages in search of celebrities, shop for designer fashions, or sip the island's signature ti punch as kite surfers fly by.

Get ready for a full day with plenty to do. Snorkel alongside brilliant parrot fish in the bubbly waters of Champagne Beach. Take a break to enjoy more than 150 species of plants and brilliant red-necked Jaco parrots at the botanical gardens. If you're up for an optional hike, don't miss Boiling Lake and the Valley of Desolation at Dominica's Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mayreau is the smallest inhabited island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, covering just about 1.5 square miles with a population of only a few hundred people. Tucked between Union Island and the Tobago Cays in the southern Grenadines, it's known for its laid-back, off-the-grid charm—there are no airports, no banks, and only one small village (Old Wall) perched on a hillside.

This is the Caribbean as you've always imagined it, with yacht-filled harbors set against volcanic mountains and endless stretches of palm-fringed beach. The underwater world here attracted the likes of Jacques Cousteau, but even novice snorkelers will enjoy exploring these impossibly blue waters.

With Georgian architecture situated against an irresistible backdrop of emerald green hills, Basseterre is one of the loveliest of the Caribbean's small capitals. Beyond town, more than a quarter of St. Kitts has been set aside as Brimstone Hill Fortress national Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pastel-colored buildings and shops filled with tempting souvenirs herald your arrival to bustling Philipsburg. Situated near the harbor on the Dutch side of St. Maarten, Philipsburg owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus in 1493. Today, celebrated Front Street is home to a number of local Creole restaurants as well as jewelry stores, stylish boutiques, and lively casinos for visitors seeking an upbeat island experience.