If it's sunshine and beaches that you're after, island hopping around the Caribbean with Star Clippers is truly the perfect option. If you are seduced by the romance of the sea then Star Clippers really is a unique experience, whether you watch the expert crew working with the sails or sit back and enjoy the relaxation of travelling under sail on either the magnificent five-masted, 227-guest Royal Clipper, with an amazing 42 sails, or the four-masted Star Clipper and Star Flyer, carry 170 guests each.

Expect no enforced schedules, occasional local entertainment and easy-going informality, with leisurely days as you explore the Caribbean, and the chance to explore a whole host of islands (with all their variations) without having to pack and unpack each time you arrive at a new port of call.

Highlights on Star Clippers' Caribbean cruises, which depart between November and March, include calls in at islands such as unspoilt St Kitts and upmarket St Barts, as well as Jost Van Dyke's stunning beaches and the French charm of Martinique and Guadeloupe, and the rugged beauty, iconic Pitons and white-sand shores of St Lucia.