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Cruise Region Guide

Caribbean & Mexico Cruise Regions

The Caribbean and Mexico cruise itineraries we plan: Eastern, Western, Southern, Mexican Riviera, and Baja.

About this guide

Caribbean and Mexico cruises run year-round, with the strongest weather window from roughly December through April and hurricane season peaking August through October. The itinerary groupings below — Eastern, Western, Southern, Mexican Riviera, and Baja — cover most of what sails out of U.S. ports, and the right pick usually comes down to flight time, the mix of beach vs. port days, and the ship itself.

Cruise regions

Caribbean & Mexico cruise regions.

Most Caribbean and Mexico cruises fall into one of these itinerary groupings.

Caribbean

Eastern Caribbean

Beach-first weeks out of Florida ports. Typical stops include San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and a private island day. Calm sailing, short flights, easy for first-time cruisers.

Caribbean

Western Caribbean

Big-ship itineraries with more shore variety — Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Roatán, Costa Maya. Snorkeling, Mayan ruins, and cenotes sit alongside the standard beach day.

Caribbean

Southern Caribbean

Longer sailings that reach the ABC islands and the Windwards — Aruba, Curaçao, Barbados, St. Lucia. Drier climate, deeper port days, usually a week-plus at sea.

Mexico

Mexican Riviera

West-coast sailings out of Los Angeles or San Diego to Cabo, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta. A short-hop option for travelers who'd rather not fly across the country to cruise.

Mexico

Baja Mexico

Three- to five-night getaways down the Baja peninsula. The shortest way to sample a cruise before committing to a full week — popular for weekend celebrations and first-timers.

Planning a Caribbean or Mexico cruise?

Tell us who's going and when — we'll match you to the itinerary and ship that fits.