Cruisin' the Caribbean

The excitement of Christmas is over, the New Year has come, and all there is to look forward to is more daylight, coming in increments of seconds each day -- is there any more reason to head to the Caribbean for a few weeks?

The Caribbean -- a series of islands in the Caribbean Sea --is one of the most popular vacation areas for Americans, and for the rest of the world.

There are a number of ways for Alaskans to experience the Caribbean, from cruises to direct-flight vacations, and it's hard to find someone who has returned from the area with a bad impression.

Many Alaskans choose Hawaii for warm-weather vacations because of its relative proximity. But going the extra distance to the Caribbean can be worth it.

Once in the Caribbean, people are amazed at the bright sun, the white sand and the electric blue water.

More than a million miles of sea are littered with hundreds of islands of all sizes, shapes and levels of sophistication. There is truly an island to suit everyone's tastes and desires. The Caribbean is the top warm weather destination in the world, because of its proximity to America, and because the weather rarely dips below 85 degrees, whether it be the dead of winter or the summer. During the warmer months, temperatures blaze to well over 100 degrees.

The many cruise ships that regularly frequent the Caribbean are a good way to see the area, without having to arrange island-hopping flights, hotels and trips. Many cruise lines visit a wide variety of Caribbean islands.

Many of the cruises leave from Miami on seven- or 10-day cruises, giving tourists the best opportunity to see several islands, as well as to enjoy a luxurious vacation in the process.

Whether it be the Bahamas or Jamaica or Cuba, the islands of the Caribbean present many different cultures. It is a melting pot, with more diverse cultures than anywhere else in the world.

Some islands still rely heavily on their British backgrounds, while others have forged their own identities.

By cruise ship, getting to the Caribbean is as easy as flying to Miami and embarking on a week-long vacation.

There are a number of travel agents in the Valley who specialize in cruise vacation packages.