Cruise Center Facilities - There is a Margaritaville Café, Behind the cafe is a giant amoeba-shaped swimming pool with swim up bar, slide, cabanas, and infinity edge view. It's open to the public and should be a great place to hang out with the younger kids, as its deepest depth is just three-and-a-half feet.

And what a beach, part of what makes Grand Turk so grand is that just a few hundred yards from shore the shallow continental shelf suddenly plunges 7,000 feet, and the coral reefs on this undersea wall, along with the pristine, healthy waters and great weather (cooled off by trade winds), make GT one of the top five diving destinations in the world. Passengers choosing to stick around the cruise center can get a taste of the underwater view just snorkeling around the existing beach--equipment to rent or buy will be available at the cruise center.

The half-mile long downtown area of Cockburn Town is charming--sleepy and quaint--with many Bermudan-influenced colonial buildings mixed with simple gift shops, guest houses, and a couple of laid back bars dotting the miles of public, powder-white sand beaches.

But really, any visitor to GT needs to take advantage of the great marine opportunities. To that end, there'll be shore excursions like semi-submarine, glass bottom kayaks & snorkeling, power snorkeling, helmet diving, deep water fishing, aquaboats, and a ride up to Gibb's Cay, where sting rays swim right up to the beach to be fed.

Tortola is an island you'll want to explore in a bathing suit and a sarong. The beaches are numerous, but if you must choose only one, make it Cane Garden Bay, snow-white and lapped by azure seas. Be sure to snorkel at "the Baths" on Virgin Gorda—a collection of boulders that nest in white sand and create an underwater labyrinth.

On an island under two flags, sample the Dutch treats of Philipsburg: chocolate, cheese, delftware. On the French side, linger over bouillabaisse and shop for Parisian perfumes. Join a sailboat race on a genuine America's Cup vessel, or scuba dive in glassy waters with fish of all hues.

If you've ever dreamed of making the first footprints on the beach of a truly secluded tropical island, you'll have your chance on Half Moon Cay, Holland America's own private island in the Bahamas. Swim, snorkel and sail till the beat of a steel-drum band summons you to the beach party and buffet. Cast off your everyday cares on sunswept beaches as you play the day away.