How to make a superyacht cruise in the Caribbean the experience of a lifetime.

July 2025

Mix it up – beach paradise, action-packed adventure, duty-free shopping.

Be daring – explore coral reefs, swim with turtles, and hike in emerald rainforests.

Speak to the experts – drop anchor in the most coveted marinas and let the locals guide you.

Superyacht owners, captains, and charterers planning to cruise the Caribbean this season face a wonderful dilemma.

With over 7000 wonderful islands to explore, many of the world’s best beaches, amazing marine life, watersports, and varied cultural festivals, planning where best to go is no easy task.

How do you create a standout itinerary that will wow your guests? How do you decide which islands to include?

The Caribbean is immensely popular as a cruise destination, but also hugely diverse. It’s important to plan carefully to get the most out of your experience.

Dazzling beaches, rich marine life, and lush mountains

The joy of cruising the Caribbean is each island archipelago is irresistible. If you’re navigating southeast from Miami, your first stop will likely be the pristine and exclusive Lucayan Archipelago (The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos), renowned for dazzling beaches and spectacular coral reefs.

Continue southeast and you’ll find the Leeward Islands, a gorgeous arc of islands stretching from the Virgin Islands east of Puerto Rico to Guadeloupe and its dependencies. With diverse influences, including U.S., British and Dutch, the Leewards are popular for duty-free shopping, watersports, and cultural festivals.

Adventure further southeast and you’ll discover the dramatic, less developed Windward Islands, arcing from Dominica to Grenada, with lush mountain scenery, beautiful waterfalls, and greater French influence.

The must-see islands

Everyone will have their favourite ‘go to’ destination in the Caribbean, but four islands you really shouldn’t miss are:

Providenciales in Turks and Caicos
St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI)
St. Maarten
St. Lucia

All four destinations are extraordinary, with exquisite scenery, stunning beaches, and feel-good vibes. And all four are home to exclusive IGY luxury marinas equipped to cater to the largest superyachts, and providing white glove service to make your stay memorable.

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
For the ultimate in crystal-clear waters, white powdery beaches, and rich marine life, head to Providenciales in Turks and Caicos.

A stunning archipelago consisting of eight main islands and hundreds of named islands and cays, Turks and Caicos boasts no VAT or charter tax for foreign yacht charters. This is not just a place to unwind and laze the day away. There’s plenty of action to be had, with world-class golf courses, scuba diving, kite surfing, deep-sea fishing, and some of the best whale watching opportunities in the Caribbean.

At the eastern tip of ‘Provo’ lies Blue Haven Marina, an IGY luxury marina destination with an infinity pool, spa, private beach, and resort amenities. Perfectly located in a sheltered bay, the marina provides first-class facilities and services and is the ideal point to start cruising idyllic islands like Ambergris Cay or the world’s best beach at Grace Bay (Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards).

St. Thomas, USVI
Southeast of Providenciales, stop off at St. Thomas, USVI, a stunning, mountainous island with fabulous sportfishing, watersports and diving. Having fun is big on the agenda here. Swim with sea turtles, take a Skyride, enjoy duty-free shopping (U.S. travellers can bring back up to $1,600 worth of goods tax-free), or go on a sportfishing tour and celebrate your catch at one of the waterfront restaurants or bars. As part of the USVIs, there are varied, beautiful islands on your doorstep. Cruise over to St John to explore over three dozen hiking trails or drop anchor at St Croix to wander through historical towns seemingly untouched since the 18th or 19th century.

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to marinas in St. Thomas. Go to IGY’s Yacht Haven Grande, the luxurious four-time winner of superyacht marina of the year, if you want five-star service close to great shopping, cuisine and nightlife in historic Charlotte Amalie. For a more laid-back experience, head over to IGY’s American Yacht Harbor on the east of the island for access to superb sportfishing, marine adventures and a friendly, lowkey vibe.

St. Maarten
An intriguing island of two halves, with Sint Maarten on the Dutch side and Saint Martin on the French side. This is not only a beautiful destination rich in history and culture, but completely duty-free and tax-free, a unique status in the Caribbean. With no VAT or local sales tax applied at the point of sale, consumers can make big savings here compared to the U.S. and Europe.

With hidden beaches and hills perfect for hiking, biking, and kayaking, St. Maarten has plenty to occupy you in the daytime. When night falls, head for the bars, casinos and nightclubs. You won’t get bored here.

Drop anchor at IGY’s Simpson Bay, a luxury marina ideally situated inside Simpson Bay Bridge, with a new state-of-the-art guest reception building that includes a gym, rooftop pool and BBQ area. IGY also offers Yacht Club Isle de Sol, an ISPS-compliant marina that features the amazing crew restaurant Anchor Bar & Grill, plus tennis and pickleball courts, gym, and swimming pool – located in exceptional, secure and private surroundings.

St Lucia
An explorer’s paradise, the mountainous island of St. Lucia in the centre of the Windward Islands is fantastic for thrill-seekers and food lovers. Dominated by the Majestic Pitons, two spikes of volcanic rock, St. Lucia has a lot to offer for a small island – dramatic scenery, spectacular beaches, two national parks, exceptional Creole cuisine, deep-sea charter, hiking, climbing, and more.

Wherever you go, you’ll find rich fauna and flora, and wonderful food. Time your visit to coincide with one of the many festivals, such as Creole Day, Arts and Heritage Month, or the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.

Nestled on the north side of the island, IGY’s Rodney Bay Marina is the ideal port of call. Calm and serene, with a full-service boatyard, the luxury marina is superbly equipped and features duty-free retail, wines and spirits, and numerous waterside cafes, bars, and restaurants.

Customise your Itinerary with the experts

To get a real taste of the Caribbean, speak with locals and discover more about hidden places, island delicacies, and fun activities.

The beauty of using an IGY marina as a base for your adventure is you are guaranteed support from a team of local experts to help you create customised itineraries for your guests.

All you need to do now is plan your route, reserve your berth at your preferred destinations, and let your journey unfold. You can reserve your berth with IGY here: Reserve a Slip.

But don’t forget – the most covered marinas are sought after for a reason, so book well in advance, especially during peak season.

Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.