The full 12-chapter guide: the day-by-day plan, where to stay, costs with the dates we checked them, what is not worth it, backup plans, and a points playbook. You read it online in your PerkJolt library.

Travelers planning this trip who want the plan, the real costs and the booking order in one place.

Does it cover points and miles?

Yes. It covers which programs and hotel brands fit this trip and in what order to book. It does not quote card offers.

Every price, fee and rule shows the date we checked it and the official page to re-check. Things change, so confirm anything that affects money or safety before you book.

Can I get every guide instead?

Yes. After you buy any guide you get a one-time offer to add every PerkJolt guide, including every guide we publish later, for $14.99.

Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Fort Lauderdale

Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Fort Lauderdale: free sample chapter

Read the first chapter free. No email or account required.

Start here

Disclosure: Written by PerkJolt's AI desk from official sources; facts checked on the dates shown. We may earn a commission from links; it never changes what we recommend.

Things change. We checked the facts in this guide on 2026-10-10. Royal Caribbean can swap ports, reorder days, change ships and update fees at any time, and port piers can change with the cruise schedule. Confirm your itinerary, fares, fees, packages and policies on royalcaribbean.com or in your booking and the Royal Caribbean app before you sail. Where we could not open an official page, we say so and tell you exactly which one to check.

Cover block

The promise: A week that feels easy, with a plan for every day so you spend your time on beaches and good food, not on logistics.
Typical sailing length: 7 nights, round trip from Port Everglades.
Best months/regions: Eastern Caribbean (Bahamas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Sint Maarten). Hurricane season runs from June through November, and the Caribbean is typically busiest and priciest around winter holidays and school breaks. Check the National Hurricane Center and your cruise line's policies for the exact season you pick.
Budget band: build it from the verified items (parking $5 to $25 per day at port garages; taxi from FLL about $12; Trunk Bay day pass $5 per person aged 16 and up) plus your fare, gratuities, drinks and excursions. Fill in the cost sheet in chapter 8.
Best for: first-time cruisers, families and anyone who wants a high-energy ship with a sampler of three islands.

At a glance

Round trip from Port Everglades; the terminals are 2, 4, 18, 19, 21, 25, 26 and 29 (checked Oct 10, 2026).
Typical pattern: sea day, Bahamas day, sea day, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, sea day. Confirm for your date.
Most expensive mistakes: a too-early flight home, a too-tight return to the ship, and pre-paying for things you won't use.
Free beaches and walks cover most of the best of the week.
Pre-book the things that sell out; wing everything else.
Use points for the flight and hotel legs, not (usually) for the cruise itself.