Pronounced “an tee gah, accent on the “ee” (that’s the penultimate syllable, for you grammar geeks).

If Dominica has 365 rivers, Antigua boasts 365 beaches. It also has the best harbor in the Caribbean, bar none. Admiral Lord Nelson built a naval port there, and now it’s a World Heritage Site. It was restored about 20 years ago, and it’s the finest example of Georgian architecture in the Western Hemisphere (my opinion). The harbor reaches far into the island, and by way of an S-shaped channel, so it’s even safe during a hurricane, unlike the other ports in the Caribbean.

Sailors have a long tradition of music. One song has the chorus:

I’m marching inward from the shore
Over me shoulder I’m carryin’ an oar
When someone asks me “what’s that funny thing ya got?”
I know I’ll never go to sea no more no more.

All that to mention that the song mentions Lord Nelson in one of its verses (sorry—I don’t know the exact words). He has a cure for seasickness: “Sit underneath a tree.”

Nelson's bay seen from a home on one of the hillsides.

Have you ever sat underneath a tree in Antigua? Tell us about it in the comments.

Well, not exactly hidden, but it’s not part of the price you pay to get on the cruise.

Everyone knows that the cruise lines low-ball the fare (and some travel agents, especially, ahem, travel clubs, can discount them even more), for which you get the cabin, the food, the evening entertainment, and many activities. If that’s all you care to do, a cruise is a really, really  good deal. You can stay fairly busy and have a pretty good time without ever leaving the boat.

However, the cruise companies also offer shopping, gambling, and alcoholic beverages on board, and those aren’t free. Justifiably, perhaps—after all, people have so many individual preferences that it’s impossible to include these in a way that would please anyone, much less everyone.

Don’t drink? Gambling against your religion? You’re satisfied with your possessions? You’re still not out of danger. If you’re not into any of those vices, you probably want to do some sightseeing or have an adventure while you’re on shore, right?  After all, you won’t find much snorkeling in Kansas, or catamaran rides, or a Georgian naval base. If you have any intellectual curiosity or spirit of adventure, be prepared to go on a couple cruise-sponsored activities. Every port of call has something worth doing, and unless you speak the language fluently, and have local relatives, you’re ahead to stick with the planned itineraries. Prices range  from $35 to $100, and they have something to suit every taste. They’re worth it. Sign up for something at every port. The memories are worth far more than the cost of the excursion.

Replica of the original Endeavour—the space shuttle was named after this ship

Here’s a pic of the Georgian (architectural style) naval base, on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean. You can go on a really interesting tour of the place if your cruise ship stops at Antigua.