Island Paradise – Philipsburg & St. Thomas

About this cruise

You sail from Miami on January 10, 2027 and spend 7 nights visiting Philipsburg, St. Thomas and Puerto Plata (Amber Cove). It's a well-tested route and there's a reason people keep booking it. The first couple of days are at sea, which gives you time to settle in and get to know the ship before the ports begin. 3 countries (Sint Maarten, U.S. Virgin Islands and Dominican Republic) across the Caribbean, each with its own character. Most ports give you about 9 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, Celebrity Xcel launched in 2025, so everything on board is still new. You can tell. Hard to ask for much more than that, honestly.