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Peregrine Travel Centre

Christmas & New Year in British Virgin Islands & the Grenadines

Christmas & New Year in British Virgin Islands & the Grenadines

From EUR €7,695

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Description

The magical Maravillas caves
The Spanish name for this natural structure – Cuevas de Maravillas – means “Cave of Wonders”, and for good reason: Visitors to this incredible underground world cannot help but be amazed. With stunning lighting and echoes of cathedral architecture, the ceilings are lined with huge stalactites, while stalagmites protrude from the ground like Gothic pinnacles, and pre-Columbian Taino Indian ritual murals adorn the walls.

The British Virgin Islands – a sailor’s paradise
With more than 60 islands and reefs (of which just 16 are inhabited), the British Virgin Islands are a real dream destination. Fans of sailing from all around the world are drawn to their idyllic and tropically warm waters, and the quaint beach bars bring together everyone from luxury yacht owners to solo sailors. It is so easy to get used to the carefree lifestyle, and with your feet in the sand as you gaze out over green hills and the tranquil sea, you will soon forget about the stresses of everyday life back home.

Luxury in a relaxed atmosphere on St Barths
Known for attracting a certain class of visitor, St Barthé- lemy has been a top holiday destination for the rich and famous from around the world ever since billionaire David Rockefeller discovered the island back in the 1960s. St Barths is all about quality not quantity, so you are more likely to brush shoulders with Hollywood stars than with tourists on its 22 white sandy beaches. In the capital Gustavia, houses with red roofs nestled into the green hills look just like rows of spectators in an amphitheatre, transforming the idyllic port into an impressive stage. As you walk along the luxurious promenade, you will be sure to pass by some spectacular yachts.

French style on the ÎIes des Saintes
The ÎIes des Saintes give such a welcoming first impression, though the historical Fort Napoléon that towers over the main island is a reminder of less peaceful times. This small town’s promenade is perfect for taking a stroll, and the savoir-vivre of life here unfolds against a backdrop of the glowing pastel colours of the Caribbean.

Stunning islands: St Lucia and Dominica
Although St Lucia is not considered a saint by everyone, the island is certainly the true queen of this idyllic
realm. Even from a distance, its twin volcanic peaks, the Pitons, proffer a regal greeting to the approaching Sea Cloud. And once we have docked, the island welcomes us with its lush tropical scenery. Dominica, unofficially dubbed “Nature Island”, is proud of its unspoilt scenery. One of its national parks is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A delight for all the senses: Grenada, the island of spice
There is a reason why nutmeg is immortalised on this country’s national flag. Since colonial times, nutmeg – along with cloves, cinnamon and ginger – has been one of the island’s most important exports. If the aromatic fragrance of the tropics were to have a name, it would have to be “Grenada”.

Snorkellers’ paradise in the Tobago Cays
For many, life under water is a fascinating world – one that becomes even more magical the closer you get. The Tobago Cays’ Horseshoe Reef is such a place. This horseshoe-shaped coral reef encloses four small islands that glow in rich shades of green. The sea, in contrast, embraces turquoise, emerald and every shade of blue.

A lecturer accompanies the trip
A lecturer will accompany this trip to deliver interesting and informative talks on a range of specialist subjects.

Trip Name
Christmas & New Year in British Virgin Islands & the Grenadines
Days
16
Overview
Vessel Type: Tall Ship (Sailing) Length: 109 metres Passenger Capacity: 64 Built / refurbished: 1931 / 2011 Sea Cloud is a ship with a soul, imbued by the original owners, Marjorie Merriweather Post and her husband E.F. Hutton in the 1930’s. The ship has played host to royalty, known service in wartime, and sailed the world over. She is a vessel of incomparable grace that harks back to the golden age of ship travel. Once you’ve been on Sea Cloud under full sail, you’ll begin your own love affair. Welcome aboard a legend Sea Cloud accommodates 58 guests in 28 outside cabins including two original owner’s suites that still feature original marble baths and fireplaces. At 360 feet she is an expansive ship with extensive public spaces on the top deck, where we luxuriate in deck chairs and watch the crew of 18 go aloft in the web of riggings to hand-set her 30 sails. Her dining room is hung with marine oil paintings of the period and accommodates all guests at once for a single seating. We’ll gather in the lounge each evening for Recap. Life aboard is a uniquely pleasing mix of elegance and informality—a return to the golden age of sailing in shorts and deck shoes. You’ll find all shipboard services impeccable.  Discover the romance of tall ship sailingExperience something many people don’t know exists in the 21st century—the romance of life under square sails. Discover the thrill of standing on deck as Sea Cloud gently glides through the water, her crew aloft in the riggings, running out and reefing sails. Settle in to your favorite areas on the top deck and bask in the incomparable experience of traveling aboard the finest tall ship to ever sail the seas. Lose yourself in an adventure that, in this day and age, is almost unimaginable. Please note deck and suite plans are indicative only and may vary slightly.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 Santo Domingo/Dom. Republic
On this island, which is part of Hispaniola, Columbus founded the first Spanish colony in America. Santo Domingo, the present capital of the Dominican Republic, is the first and oldest European-founded city in the New World. Old in the New World still means relatively young - it corresponds to Renaissance visions of the ideal and was the model for many cities in Latin America. A visit to the historic old city is like a journey through time. The splendid stone buildings are testament to the era of the colonial conquests and have been smartened up as World Heritage Sites under the protection of UNESCO.
Day 2 - Day 2 La Romana/Dom. Republic
During the sugar boom of the late 19th century, La Romana developed into a lively working-class city and eastern sugar centre. The third largest city in the Dominican Republic now has many faces. The streets are laid out in a grid formation with colourfully painted houses. Between these and the golf courses and luxury villas of the prominent Casa de Campo flows the Rio Dulce, which runs into the sea. Native Taino art plays a large role, both in the city's archaeological museum and in what is perhaps the country's most beautiful cave, Maravillas. This was a cult site for the native Taino people and lies 35 metres below ground. The numerous cave paintings are more than 1,000 years old and have been exceptionally well preserved.
Day 3 - Day 3 At sea
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Day 4 - Day 4 North Sound/Virgin Gorda
Explorers and privateers once used to cross swords in the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Nowadays the sea around the British Virgin Islands is one of the world's best sailing areas. Heavenly bays, gorgeous beaches, idyllic anchoring spots, smart yacht clubs and charming little beach bars make the island a popular haunt for sailors. On Virgin Gorda, once called "The Fat Virgin" by Columbus due to its shape, you can find "The Baths", one of nature's most beautiful oddities, in the National Park. Ground to a sphere and polished to a shine, the huge granite formations on the beach and in the water create a multi-branched labyrinth of giant boulders.
Day 5 - Day 5 North Sound/Virgin Gorda, Sail through the Sir Francis Drake Channel & White Bay/Jost van Dyke
The Sir Francis Drake Channel, where swords were once crossed, is now one of the most beautiful sailing spots. Jost van Dyke, the smallest of the main islands in the British Virgin Islands, is a mountainous volcanic object of beauty with fewer than 300 inhabitants. One of them, Foxy, has been mixing his cocktails since 1968 and the bar of the same name enjoys a legendary reputation as perhaps the most famous beach bar in the Lesser Antilles. The island's past is less reputable - it was named by a Dutch pirate. The island gives its most beautiful treasures to all who visit - fine sand, green palm trees, colourful beach bars and the luminous blue of the sea.
Day 6 - Days 6 - 7 Gustavia/St Barthélemy
St Barthélemy, affectionately known as St Barths by most, had already had many "owners" before the Lesser Antilles were acquired by France in 1877. When the first estate was acquired by the banker David Rockefeller in 1957, the island's future was finally sealed. It became a refuge for the international jet set and an elegant holiday paradise for many Hollywood stars. For over 40 years, St Barths has cultivated a luxurious lifestyle with a Caribbean laissez-faire approach. You can stroll through the charming main town of Gustavia, whose beautifully restored houses and colonial facades look out over the sea with its elegant superyachts, browse in the shops for precious items, or enjoy a sundowner in the picturesque harbour surrounded by clusters of high class bars and restaurants.
Day 7 - Day 8 At sea
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Day 8 - Day 9 Terre-de-Haut/Îles des Saintes
Îles des Saintes is a small archipelago which was disputed for a long time until it finally became French in 1816. In the charming main town of Terre-de-Haut, you can take a delightful stroll along the waterside promenade. Boutiques, cafés, bars and restaurants invite you to browse and spend some time here. The 'savoir vivre' takes place against a backdrop lit up in all the pastel shades of the Caribbean. Fort Napoleon is set high above the bay and your climb up to it is rewarded by a spectacular panoramic view. On the other side of the island, the Plage de Pompierre invites you to enjoy a dip in the sea and sunbathe on the beach.
Day 9 - Day 10 Cabrits/Dominica
Dominica, nicknamed the "Nature Isle" of the Caribbean, is one of the most untouched of the Windward Islands. It boasts some of the highest mountains in the Lesser Antilles, as well as many beautiful national parks. Its interior is characterised by thick virgin forest, where rivers plunge into the depths and tiny streams wind through the jungle. Two extinct volcanoes are at the centre of the Cabrits National Park and, recaptured by nature, the former strategically important Fort Stanley appears like a picturesque backdrop in the heart of the jungle.
Day 10 - Day 11 Port Elizabeth/Bequia
Bequia is actually the largest island in the Grenadines, but still small and tranquil at just 18 square kilometres (87 square miles) in size. Elegant sailing yachts sway in the natural shelter of Admiralty Bay, while in lovely Port Elizabeth, with its attractive beach bars, you are right in the heart of a lifestyle that likes to take things easy. You can find Princess Margaret Beach just nearby, named because it was once visited by the British royal. On the eastern coast you can find the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary which focuses on rearing and caring for endangered turtles.
Day 11 - Days 12 - 13 St George’s/Grenada
Beautiful beaches, aromatic spice plantations, dense rainforests, waterfalls and a volcano that has long been extinct, picturesquely towering over this stunningly beautiful island. For many people, Grenada is the incarnation of a tropical paradise and St George's the most beautiful little port in the Grenadines. All around the horseshoe-shaped bay there are numerous houses that remind you of colonial times. There is good reason why nutmeg is immortalised on the national flag. Alongside cloves, cinnamon and ginger, it is one of the island's biggest exports.
Day 12 - Day 14 Chatham Bay/Union Island
Right in the south of the Grenadines are Union Island and the Tobago Cays. Union Island was given the evocative name "the Tahiti of the West Indies" thanks to its volcanic silhouette. Four small uninhabited islands, surrounded by a protective horseshoe-shaped coral reef, form the Tobago Cays. The Horseshoe Reef holds the Atlantic swell at bay and its unique animal and plant life make it an ideal place for snorkelling. The lagoon between the islets shimmers in all shades from turquoise through to emerald green and invites you to take a dip at the fantastic beaches.
Day 13 - Day 15 Soufrière/St Lucia
Two famous volcanic cones are indisputably the emblem of St Lucia and have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Gros and Petit Piton tower over the southern, windward side of the island and, in Soufrière, seem close enough to touch. The volcanoes have in fact long been extinct, but the sulphur springs demonstrate the power of the earth's core and still bubble up. In the Botanical Gardens, natural abundance is combined with artistic arrangements to create a colourful tropical paradise. Some people claim that Josephine, who later became Napoleon's wife, used to bathe in the little pool in the garden.
Day 14 - Day 16 Bridgetown/Barbados
More than 300 years of British rule have left their mark. The whole of Bridgetown, Barbados' historic centre, with its colonial architecture surrounding Trafalgar Square, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gentle green hilly countryside and endless fields of sugar cane characterise the island's landscape. Old colonial houses are reminders of the high life of the plantation owners, while innumerable colourful chattel houses are evidence of their workers' "moveable property". The sweeping coastline is a picture postcard of fine sandy beaches and turquoise sea surrounded by colourful coral reefs.
Day 15 - Please Note:
Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
20-12-201904-01-2020EUR €7,695GTY Double Cabin
20-12-201904-01-2020EUR €8,795Category 5
20-12-201904-01-2020EUR €10,055Category 4
20-12-201904-01-2020EUR €11,155GTY Single Cabin
20-12-201904-01-2020EUR €11,695Category 3
20-12-201904-01-2020EUR €12,555Category 2
20-12-201904-01-2020EUR €13,185Category 1
20-12-201904-01-2020EUR €15,195Category C
20-12-201904-01-2020EUR €16,295Category B
20-12-201904-01-2020EUR €17,355Category A

Inclusions

    • The magical Maravillas caves
    • The British Virgin Islands – a sailor’s paradise
    • Luxury in a relaxed atmosphere on St Barths
    • French style on the ÎIes des Saintes
    • Stunning islands: St Lucia and Dominica
    • A delight for all the senses: Grenada, the island of spice
    • Snorkellers’ paradise in the Tobago Cays
    • A lecturer accompanies the trip

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