14 Night Cruise sailing from Bridgetown roundtrip aboard Ventura.

Ventura is the superliner designed for Britain. Inspirational throughout, she displays over 7,000 specially commissioned artworks plus many pieces created by eminent British designer Nick Munro. Even her staterooms have a stylish look and feel.

Fun and innovative, Ventura is the perfect cruise ship for families, couples and those new to cruising. Her many unique features means she offers fantastic choice. Including a contemporary circus school. Scalextric at Sea. An endless pool. A sensational Latin American showlounge. And a cool jazz bar with floor to ceiling video screens displaying real-time footage of the world's most iconic cities.

When it comes to dining, the choice continues. Ventura has three restaurants serving up exquisite five course menus. The flavours of the Pacific-rim in East, where you can watch your food being cooked. A Spanish tapas bar modelled on the famous Ramblas in Barcelona. A fine dining venue created by Marco Pierre White. And a relaxed family restaurant.

About the Cruise:

Make a date with Ventura in Barbados for this sun-soaked 14-night cruise around the islands of the Caribbean.

You'll have time to get acquainted with your ship and your fellow passengers before arriving in historic Antigua. St. Maarten, the island with a dual personality follows, that's half French and half Dutch; St Vincent with its beautiful botanical gardens and 1,200 metre high volcano - La Soufricre; and Grenada, the 'Spice Island' complete your island-hop.

Back to Barbados and on to archetypal St Kitts with its Brimstone Hill fortress. Serene Tortola is known as the 'undiscovered' island and is followed by lush Dominica. Ventura then heads for St. Lucia with its majestic twin peaks that rise dramatically towards the cloudless sky,

Your final return to Barbados marks the end of your Caribbean adventure. And you can fly home to recount your tales of lush landscapes, lively markets, exuberant locals, historical sites, fascinating marine life and natural wonders including reefs, waterfalls and tropical gardens. It's the perfect winter escape.

About Antigua
With over 365 beaches, there is a slice of white sand heaven for every day of the year - even a leap year - on the idyllic Caribbean holiday island Antigua, which played host to Admiral Horatio Nelson's fleet in the late 1700's. Nelson's Dockyard now bustles with crew and passengers from yachts and cruise ships sailing these waters for pleasure rather than for King and Country.
The main port, St John's, is also the capital and a vibrant hub for shopping as well as being within easy range of some of the best beaches - at Fort James, Deep Bay, Galley Bay and Hawksbill. Almost perfect weather conditions and low humidity, due to the warm prevailing trade winds, allows Antigua to boast of being the sunniest of the Eastern Caribbean islands with the lowest annual rainfall. It is also the largest of the English-speaking Leeward Islands although it is only 14 miles long and 11 miles wide. Still, with a population of less than 70,000, this means there are lots of wide open spaces - especially on those gorgeous beaches.

About St. Maarten
Half French and half Dutch, St. Martin/Sint Maarten is one of the Caribbean's most diverse and interesting islands.
Ships dock at the Dutch capital Philipsburg, a delightful warren of narrow streets called steegjies, where you will find interesting shops and leafy courtyard cafes. Start your exploration at Wathey Square, which is home to a fine collection of traditional West Indian 'gingerbread' houses as well as a colourful market.
If you would prefer to enjoy a little French 'je ne sais quoi', take an island tour to the pretty French capital Marigot, worth visiting for its colourful markets, lovely cafe-lined waterfront and the chic boutiques of Marina Port La Royale, where you can pick up unusual jewellery and leather goods. Or spend your day on a catamaran trip from Philipsburg for fabulous deep-sea snorkelling with lunch.

About St. Kitts
If you have ever dreamt of the classic Caribbean island, chances are it looked a lot like St. Kitts. You will recognise that mixture of deserted beaches, sleepy villages, lush rainforest greenery and sugarcane fields and maybe even the mini-mountain range with a dormant volcano in its midst.
Yet the first thing you will see when the ship docks is pretty much brand new: St. Kitts cruise terminal and marina complex - a collection of shops, bars, restaurants and gardens. Once through that, though, you can explore the back streets and impressively restored Georgian buildings of the capital, Basseterre.
Independent since 1983, St. Kitts covers just 65 square miles but has its own World Heritage site: Brimstone Hill fortress. Another option for St. Kitts cruise visitors is the 45-minute ferry to sister island Nevis.

About St. Lucia
St Lucia has a fascinating if bloody history with the French and British spending years fighting over it. One look at this luscious island will show you why.
Cloaked in verdant rainforests, its skyline dominated by the dramatic twin peaks of Les Pitons and its gardens a riot of hibiscus and bougainvillea; St. Lucia is the epitome of a Caribbean paradise.
Here you can watch parrots and hummingbirds skim through the trees, bask on beautiful beaches, visit charming fishing villages, view stunning volcanic scenery and glory in the Caribbean's best botanical gardens.
If it is your first visit, an island tour to the dramatic Soufriere volcano will show you the island's full beauty. Boat trips to spot dolphin and whales are also available, as are biking, jeep and hiking tours of the rainforest. But do leave time to explore the shops of Castries, where you can pick up bread, wine and even ketchup made from bananas.