South Florida ports host a winter armada of cruise ships

It's bonanza time for South Floridians looking for a cruise this winter. From weekends in the Caribbean to world tours, more ships are sailing to more destinations from Port Everglades and the Port of Miami than ever before -- and it's all come to a peak this season.

• It's a buyer's market for cruise passengers
• Silversea's newest ship's a true classic

THE CARIBBEAN

It's a buyer's market for cruise passengers

The sun and sand can wait -- it's shopping that reigns as the No. 1 one activity for cruise passengers touring the Caribbean. Call on Antigua and you'll find fine English linens competing with local pottery for your attention. Dock at St. Barts and it's hard to turn down the locally-made skin products and latest haute couture from France. And there are few shopping districts more pleasurable for strolling than historic San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Fortaleza Street has specialty shops that carry caretas, papier-mché Carnival masks with demonic horns and wild expressions.

• South Florida ports host a winter armada of cruise ships
• Silversea's newest ship's a true classic

Shopping beyond St. Thomas and St. Maarten

While St. Thomas and St. Maarten/St. Martin possess the greatest concentration of duty-free shops, if they're not on your itinerary, don't despair. Other islands with plentiful shopping opportunities include Grand Cayman, Aruba, Cozumel and Nassau in the Bahamas. But if you're looking for authenticity, you'll want to steer away from the big port towns.

• South Florida ports host a winter armada of cruise ships
• It's a buyer's market for cruise passengers

SHORE EXCURSIONS

Let's abandon ship and get out there

From zipping around on an ATV in Mexico to zip lining through the treetops in Honduras, shore excursions can make cruising an adventure.

• South Florida ports host a winter armada of cruise ships
• It's a buyer's market for cruise passengers