Imagine waking every morning on a different island. The balmy weather remains the same, but the scenery, culture and attractions change each day.

This is what my family and I experienced during our recent Caribbean cruise. Over the course of two weeks, we sailed on Princess Cruise's Sea Princess across the southern Caribbean.

With 12 ports of call, we had ample options for onshore adventures and spent only two days in transit.

Our time aboard, however, sped by, for a plenitude of activities took place around the clock on the Sea Princess. Two main dining rooms and a specialty steakhouse were complemented by a pizzeria, ice cream bar, grill, patisserie, high tea service, a 24-hour buffet, and room service. The pasta, fish and souffles were especially outstanding. To counter the weight gain, the Sea Princess has several pools and a gym, plus areas for shuffleboard, table tennis and practicing golf.

Many passengers, however, choose relaxing over exercising, and thus were found sunbathing, in the spa or hot tubs, browsing the boutiques and impressive art collection, or taking enrichment classes on everything from digital photography to pottery. Evening entertainment was plentiful, from live music and shows to lounging in the casino and bars. A giant screen on the top deck portrayed Princess' signature Movies under the Stars. Escaping comfortably spacious but compact staterooms, kids and teenagers had their own youth center, the Fun Zone, which came complete with everything from colored chalk to Guitar Hero.

With 1,950 passengers plus service-oriented crew members, the Sea Princess was sailing 100 percent full during our voyage. Many guests were retirees from the United Kingdom, causing one passenger to exclaim to us halfway through the cruise, "You're the first Americans I've met onboard!"

While the ship was a delightfully convenient and comfortable way to travel, the most memorable aspects, as with any cruise, were the ports of call. Here are highlights of our Grand Caribbean Islander itinerary:

Dominica: Winding our way along the shoreline of this mountainous island, we headed out to Champagne Reef, where snorkeling takes place among bubbles created by volcanic activity. Seahorses can be spotted farther north. Dominica is also home to Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We skip the hike through the literally Boiling Lake and aptly named Valley of Desolation, opting instead to view the twin Trafalgar Falls.

Antigua: During the Napoleonic Wars, the British Fleet called English Harbour home and today Nelson's Dockyard National Park, named for Admiral Horatio Nelson, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We toured restored buildings and perused the museum's exhibits. Ascending nearby Shirley Heights, named for General Thomas Shirley, we were greeted with outstanding views of the harbor.

St. Maarten: Though this island covers only 37 square miles, it contains two sovereign states, St. Maarten (Dutch) and St. Martin (French). The more upscale St. Martin is famous throughout the Caribbean for its fine cuisine. From its capitol, Marigot, it took us less than half an hour via ferry to reach the neighboring island of Anguilla. The latter's long stretches of quiet beaches attract guests to exclusive resorts such as the award-winning Cap Juluca, where a five-bedroom villa costs up to $9,995 per night.

Tortola: The British Virgin Islands are a haven for yachting, water sports or simply lolling on one of the white sandy beaches. Among the most popular are Cane Garden Bay and the one we visited, Brewer's Bay. Nearby Virgin Gorda, accessible by a short ferry ride, is home to the unusual boulder-strewn beach known as the Baths.

Samana: Located on the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic, Samana is continuing to develop into a tourist area. Beaches and water activities are the main attractions, although the promenade along the water is also ideal for a stroll.

Montego Bay: Located on the northwest coast of Jamaica, MoBay, as the locals call it, has plenty of attractions nearby, including the famous Doctor's Cave Beach, rafting on the Great River, and mansions such as Rose Hall. We opted for the less-frequented Rocklands Feeding Station, where hummingbirds and finches fed out of our hands. Later, we were amused to read about the human watering holes in MoBay, which include Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville and the Jamaica Bobsled Bar.

Curacao: Causing me to constantly reach for my camera, the lovely capitol of Willemstad has an unusual rotating pontoon bridge named for Queen Emma, brightly colored buildings nestled along the water, and a floating market where boats from places like Columbia and Venezuela hawk seafood and produce.

Bonaire: Snorkeling and diving are excellent here, as the Bonaire National Marine Park extends around the entire island. Our fellow passengers spotted sea snakes and an octopus, while we listened to parrotfish munching on coral. Traveling south, we spotted flamingos in varying shades of pink on our way to the dramatic salt pans and their snow-like hills of salt.

Isla Margarita: Part of Venezuela, this island is a good place to purchase freshwater pearls or jewelry made with Murano-like glass. On the horizon beyond the dazzling white beaches we espyed the South American mainland.

Grenada: Picturesque yet rugged St. George's, with its churches, forts, and other historic buildings perched on steep hillsides overlooking the sea, is the country's capital. The views are impressive, but required us to maneuver steep stairs and areas without sidewalks. Nutmeg, cloves, ginger and cinnamon are among the many spices grown on Grenada, and we purchased some as omiyage.

Trinidad: Steel band festivals are held here yearly, and lively music greeted us at the port. This isle houses the world-renowned Maracas Beach as well as the Asa Wright Nature Center, a haven for birdwatchers.

Barbados: The starting and ending point for our cruise, Barbados is flanked by both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The island is home to historic churches, lighthouses, and the requisite distilleries ("Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum").

Many of these isles are within a day's sail of one other, and each sports dazzling coastlines edged with blue ripples and laced with arching palms. Yet each archipelago has its own distinct heritage, look and charms. Some are mountainous, others flat; some urban, others bucolic; some reminiscent of Europe, others of South America. Beyond the beaches are whole archipelagos waiting to be explored, and that is why each day of the cruise we looked forward to our next port of call, and were a bit wistful when our fortnight of Caribbean adventures came to an end.