Carnival Sunshine - January 15, 2024

Perhaps no other city in America has enjoyed as much celebrity as Charleston, South Carolina. Named after King Charles of England, Charleston was not only the "Holy City," but also a city steeped in history and romance. Charleston's energy and vitality is virtually palpable, and the arts, food, culture, gentility and variety of Charleston are unsurpassed on the East coast.

Charlotte Amalie, is the capital of the United States Virgin Islands and the most popular cruise port in the Caribbean. Named for a Danish Queen, the city features pastel houses that are heavily sprinkled against a background of emerald hills. Colorful sloops dock along the waterfront, and a few steps back, down alleyways lined with old Danish warehouse buildings, is a world-famous shopping center.

An island under two flags, St. Martin/St. Maarten is French and Dutch. Philipsburg is on the Dutch side and famous for its duty-free emporia and casinos. A short drive will bring you to Marigot, a charming French Colonial outpost featuring shops filled with French fashions and imported Gallic goodies, as well as beautiful beaches.

This fertile isle is a land of rain forests, tropical flowers, and abundant sugar cane. After a stroll around the charming colonial streets and shops of the capital, Basseterre, tour the island or visit Brimstone Hill Fort, an impressive construction that is one of the wonders of the Caribbean world.

Intricate history and endless fun in the sun are just part of the magic of St. Croix. The largest of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix boasts everything from rolling sugar plantations to rainforest hiking expeditions. Frederiksted is best known as the site of spellbinding Buck Island National Park, where you can take a guided underwater tour of brilliantly colored coral reefs and exotic sea life.

The fortress of El Morro guards the harbor against long-gone Sir Francis Drake and his British privateers. The colorful streets of Old San Juan retain the Latin flavor of its seafaring past, when this was the heart of the Spanish Main. Sample the fiery rum made here, or indulge in an icy treat made from fresh tropical fruit and enjoy the Caribbean atmosphere.

Perhaps no other city in America has enjoyed as much celebrity as Charleston, South Carolina. Named after King Charles of England, Charleston was not only the "Holy City," but also a city steeped in history and romance. Charleston's energy and vitality is virtually palpable, and the arts, food, culture, gentility and variety of Charleston are unsurpassed on the East coast.