Why Montserrat is this year’s hottest Caribbean cruise destination

By Elissa Garay

After years of limited access due to volcanic activity, the island paradise of Montserrat is now accessible to cruisers.

If you love everything about the concept of a Caribbean cruise—except the hordes of people packed into the ports—we’ve got the island destination for you. Make way for Montserrat, a serene isle in the British West Indies which although small in size (measuring just 10 miles long by 7 miles wide), really packs a punch thanks to secluded beaches and off-the-beaten-path ecotourism offerings. So just why is such a wow-factor locale devoid of the cruise-going masses? They don’t call it the “Pompeii of the Caribbean” for nothing—volcanic activity here back in the mid-1990s coated parts of the island in layers of ash, knocking it largely off the cruise circuit for the last 20 years.

That all changed in December, when luxe small-ship cruise line Windstar Cruises recognized the resiliency and perseverance of the islanders (there are only around 5,000 of them) and Montserrat’s real tourism potential, and began running regularly scheduled sailings to the island. Prior to that, only a handful of small cruise lines had sporadically called on the isle over the years.

Here are some of the must-see sights and activities to scope out in port. Just go now, before everybody else does: It’s only a matter of time before more cruise lines—and the tourists they carry—discover the Caribbean’s rising phoenix.

THE VOLCANO

This Pompeii-in-the-tropics presents otherworldly landscapes that are both beautiful and haunting to behold. When the cataclysmic Soufrière Hills volcano erupted in 1995—and a second time in 1997—a trail of devastation was left in its wake along the southern half of the island, as pyroclastic flows, ash falls, and mud drifts engulfed the capital, Plymouth, as well as other towns and nature areas (much of which is now designated as a restricted-access “exclusion zone” for the safety of all). Two-thirds of Montserrat’s residents left the island for good, and its tourism economy came to a standstill. Today, the brooding volcano presents a new allure for visitors in the form of eco-tourism. While access to the volcano itself is strictly forbidden for obvious reasons, aspiring volcanologists can get a good look at Soufrière Hills via vantage points like the Montserrat Volcano Observatory and the Jack Boy Hill Viewing Facility.

THE BEACHES

Of course, it wouldn’t be the Caribbean without beaches, and Montserrat delivers its own twist on the experience, courtesy of its wonderfully secluded volcanic black sand beaches, like the cliff-backed Woodlands Beach. For traditional swaths of white sand, make way for Rendezvous Beach which is an ideal launching point to explore the surrounding coral reefs, or for convenience, stick to the crescent of Little Bay Beach, with its calm waters—it’s just a short stroll from the dock where you’ll be dropped off.

THE NATURE

In stark contrast to the southern volcanic-scarred landscapes, the island’s north is lush and verdant, characterized by the emerald hills, where hiking, mountain biking, and birdwatching beckon. Hike (or bike) trails through the pristine Centre Hills tropical rain forest, where birdwatchers can catch a glimpse of the 30-plus avian residents, including the island’s rarely spotted national bird, the Montserrat oriole. Divers and snorkelers, meanwhile, can explore volcanic-born underwater rock formations, and see a wide variety of colorful coral, reef fish, sponges, and other occasional visitors like stingrays, eagle rays, and nurse sharks.

THE MYSTIQUE

Montserrat has a flavor all its own. For one, the island is home to some pretty strange endemic animals, like the mountain chicken (think: huge frog); the half-snake, half-lizard galliwasp; and the yellow-shouldered volcano bat. Other island oddities include its ties to Ireland—it’s sometimes dubbed the “Emerald Isle of the Caribbean” for its rolling green hills and its 17th-century Irish-colonist history. Come around St. Patrick’s Day in March for a week-long celebration; it’s the only country outside of Ireland to celebrate the day as a national holiday. Finally, there’s Montserrat’s surprising rock-star-imbued history: Beatles producer George Martin ran a recording studio on the island from the late ’70s through late ’80s that brought in the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Wonder.

THE CRUISES

There are no leviathan cruise ships calling on Montserrat presently, and the list of cruise lines sailing there currently is (for now) quite short. Windstar launched its Montserrat-inclusive “San Juan & the Virgin Islands” itineraries in December 2015; their 2016/2017 season will resume from December through April. The weekly seven-night voyages aboard the all-suite 212-passenger Star Legend yacht call at the small, but rapidly growing, harbor of Little Bay, where the ship tenders guests for a full day ashore. Sign up for one of four ship-sponsored excursions, including ATV outings on black-sand beaches and the popular “Buried City Tour” that covers an overview of the island’s volcanic landscapes and lost settlements. Guests will also get to explore Puerto Rico, St. Barts, St. Maarten, and the British Virgin Islands en route. On board, take advantage of the complimentary water sports platform, equipped with stand-up paddle boards, water skis, snorkeling equipment, kayaks, and more.

SeaDream Yacht Club also has seven-night Caribbean itineraries scheduled that include a stop at Little Bay in December 2016, sailing round-trip from Saint Martin on the 112-passenger SeaDream I, and in March 2017 from St. Thomas to St. Maarten, on SeaDream II—the 2017 sailing also incorporates a unique overnight stay, affording guests the chance to sample Montserrat’s nightlife.

IMAGE: Courtesy Windstar Montserrat’s Soufrière Hills volcano.

For more on this story go to: http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2016-07-07/why-montserrat-is-this-years-hottest-caribbean-cruise-destination