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Though the Caribbean region has not been hit that hard by the world crisis –tourist arrivals have dipped ro ughly 3 percent so far this year– islands like St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Thomas and the Bahamas, with heavy dependence on the North American outbound markets, have slumped dramatically, with cruises chipping in the largest chunk of visitors to those territories.

Blessed with God-sent nature and geographical location, the Caribbean islands are among the world’s finest travel destinations. They all boast tantalizing, sought-after allures: sunshine all year round, beaches of turquoise crystal-clear waters, powder-thin white sands, water sports, luxurious huge resorts and small hotels. However, each and every one of them showcases singularities that keep the invitation open.

Their cultures, histories, languages and colonial architecture bring back memories of Spain, England, France or the Netherlands. The colorful clothes they wear or the way their houses are decorated, the traditions, the cuisine and a whole lot more are the only differences that tell the tiny Caribbean islands apart. Beyond the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles (Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Jamaica), stand the Lesser Antilles, made up of Turks & Caicos, the Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinica, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire, in addition to the Cayman Islands. Barbados, the easternmost Caribbean and the most British-like of all that shares a passion for cricket and tea, combines cozy hotels on the west side with the quasi-untapped east coast. St. Martin, near Puerto Rico and hemmed in by forts, holds classic regattas and features a reserve of marine life visited every year by spawning whales and dolphins. The Dutch Caribbean, close to Venezuela, consists of miniscule yet well-known territories like Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire. Willemstad, the latter’s capital of pastel colors, resembles a small-scale replica of Amsterdam, famous for the light forms in the Blue Room underwater cave that make water take in a variety of odd hues. And Bonaire is by far one of the world’s scuba diving meccas. The list goes on with Anguilla and its array of small beach hotels and villas; the Cayman Islands, where by law all buildings cannot stand taller than the coconut palm trees. Antigua & Barbuda offers a blend of development, wild nature and unspoiled beaches, famous for its super-exclusive lodgings; the Turks & Caicos, a group of forty islets and keys inhabited by some 30,000 people, is quite a paradise of open spaces with one island reserved just for the iguanas. Guadeloupe, for its part, is a conjunction of modern cities and lavish nature, with two main islands –Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre– divided by a river and deep jungles that are home to the raccoon. Trinidad & Tobago is the land of carnivals and calypso that harbors several natural havens and singular places like the Pitch Lake, and holds nautical and fishing tournaments, like the Game Fishing. Yet any savvy traveler must get his ducks in a row to visit all these tiny Caribbean islands due to a lack of sufficient airlift. So, there’s no better option than cruises, featuring an assortment of routes, itineraries, schedules and trips to choose from, from 5-day to 25-day sailings. As you enjoy the comfort these luxurious floating hotels have to offer, you’ll have the chance to make stopovers in a variety of seaports and inhabited natural paradises, let alone to live the adventure of coming down to land and take a firsthand look at lifestyle on these islands. Most cruises depart from the U.S., especially out of Miami and Key West, though there are others that make transatlantic voyages. Many companies like Costa, Pullmantur, MSC, NCL, Carnival, RCCL, Celebrity and Festival provide long lists of possible itineraries. All you need to do is make a pick and set out to live unforgettable days on the tiny Caribbean islands.