Castries cruise port, Saint Lucia
Britain and France exchanged this island fourteen times, which is why the towns are French and the law is English. The Pitons, two volcanic spires rising straight out of the sea down the west coast, are the World Heritage site, and there is a drive-in volcano near them at Soufriere.
Worth knowing. Fewer than two hundred thousand people live here and two of them have won Nobel Prizes: Derek Walcott for literature and Arthur Lewis for economics. No country on earth has a better rate.
What to do in Castries for free
Which berth you get decides the morning here. La Place Carenage puts the market three minutes away, and it is a working market rather than a rack of souvenirs; Pointe Seraphine is across the water, so it is twenty minutes round the harbour or a water taxi over. Derek Walcott Square and the cathedral beside it are a few minutes on from the market, and the cathedral is painted inside from floor to ceiling. Vigie beach is about a mile and a half round the point.
What costs money
The ship's own excursions usually cost more than booking the same trip yourself. Two things come with the price. The ship waits for its own excursions and does not wait for you. And if the port is missed, P&O refunds its own without you asking. A trip you booked yourself is a claim on your travel insurance, so check what your policy covers. The ship sells its own trips to all of these, and the desk is open on board if you would rather do it that way. That advice points at links I am paid for, so weigh it accordingly.
I get a small commission if you book through these links. It costs you nothing extra.
Soufriere. An hour and a quarter each way down the coast by road, or the same journey by boat, which is the version worth paying for. The sulphur springs and a waterfall are usually on the same trip, and each charges its own way in.
Pigeon Island. Twenty minutes north at Rodney Bay: a headland tied to the shore by a causeway, with two ruined forts on it and a beach on either side.
Which ship calls at Castries, and when
Every call here between 15 August and 28 November 2026, with the hours ashore P&O published. These times are a guide, not a promise: the captain gives the real ones the day before.
| Ship | Sails | Day | Ashore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arvia | 23 October 2026, 14 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 23 October 2026, 15 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 23 October 2026, 22 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 6 November 2026, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 7 November 2026, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 14 November 2026, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 20 November 2026, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 21 November 2026, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 28 November 2026, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 4 December 2026, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 5 December 2026, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 12 December 2026, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 18 December 2026, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 19 December 2026, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 26 December 2026, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 1 January 2027, 14 nights | Day 13 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 2 January 2027, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 4 January 2027, 35 nights | Day 19 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 9 January 2027, 14 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 15 January 2027, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 16 January 2027, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 23 January 2027, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 29 January 2027, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 30 January 2027, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 6 February 2027, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 12 February 2027, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 13 February 2027, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 20 February 2027, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 26 February 2027, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 27 February 2027, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 6 March 2027, 22 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 22 October 2027, 14 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 22 October 2027, 15 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 22 October 2027, 17 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 22 October 2027, 22 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 5 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 6 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 13 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 8 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 12 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 12 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 13 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 13 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 6 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 15 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 9 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 19 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 20 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 4 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 20 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 13 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 22 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 26 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 13 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 27 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 12 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 27 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 6 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 29 November 2027, 14 nights | Day 10 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 3 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 4 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 5 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 4 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 13 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 6 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 10 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 12 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 11 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 11 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 6 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 13 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 9 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 17 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 18 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 4 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 18 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 10 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 20 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 8 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 24 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 13 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 25 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 12 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 25 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 3 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 27 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 10 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 31 December 2027, 14 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 1 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 5 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 1 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 13 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 3 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 7 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 8 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 13 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 8 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 6 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 10 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 14 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 14 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 15 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 6 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 15 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 13 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 17 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 21 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 13 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 22 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 12 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 22 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 6 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 24 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 10 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 28 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 29 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 5 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 29 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 10 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 31 January 2028, 14 nights | Day 8 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 4 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 12 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 5 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 5 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 3 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 7 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 9 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 11 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 12 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 12 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 4 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 12 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 14 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 9 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 18 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 13 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 19 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 12 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 19 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 4 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 21 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 10 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 25 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 26 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 5 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 26 February 2028, 14 nights | Day 10 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 28 February 2028, 27 nights | Day 8 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 3 March 2028, 14 nights | Day 12 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 4 March 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 4 March 2028, 22 nights | Day 3 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 6 March 2028, 26 nights | Day 9 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 11 March 2028, 21 nights | Day 4 | 07:00 to 18:00 |
How long you get ashore in Castries
The published times give you between about 10 and 11 hours alongside, depending on the sailing. Take off the time it takes a few thousand people to get off, and the time you need to be back on board before the ship leaves, and that is your day. P&O give the real hours the day before, and the all-aboard time is earlier than the departure time.
The other stops on these cruises
Every one of these is on at least one of the sailings that calls at Castries.
- AntiguaNelson's Dockyard at English Harbour is a working Georgian naval yard that never fell down: Horatio Nelson was based here from 1784, hated it, and called it a vile hole.
- BasseterreSt Kitts was England's first colony in the Caribbean, in 1624, and the French took the other end of the island the same decade.
- BridgetownEnglish from 1627 and never changed hands, which is why the island kept its parliament, its cricket and its place names.
- CuracaoWillemstad is a Dutch town built in the tropics and painted every colour there is, and the whole of it is a World Heritage site.
- DominicaThe Nature Island, and the mountains are the reason: rainforest over most of it, and Morne Trois Pitons inland, a World Heritage site with the second largest hot lake in the world steaming in the middle of it.
- Fort de FranceIn May 1902 Mount Pelee destroyed Saint-Pierre, then the island's main city, killing about thirty thousand people in minutes; a prisoner in a thick-walled cell was among the very few to live.
- Gran CanariaColumbus put in at Las Palmas in 1492 to mend a rudder on his way west, and the house he is said to have stayed in is now a museum about him.
- GrenadaSt George's sits inside a drowned volcanic crater, which is what makes the harbour that shape.
- La CorunaThe Spanish Armada sailed from this harbour in 1588, and it is still guarded by the Tower of Hercules, a Roman lighthouse from about the year 100 which has never stopped working: the oldest one on earth still doing its job.
- OranjestadDutch since 1636 and dry as a bone.
- St MaartenThe island has been split between the Dutch and the French since the Treaty of Concordia in 1648, which makes it the smallest piece of land in the world shared by two nations, and there is no border to speak of.
- TenerifeMount Teide stands 3,715 metres over the island, the highest point in Spain and, measured from its base on the sea floor, the third largest volcano on earth.
- TortolaRoad Town has been the seat of these islands since the British took them from the Dutch in 1672.
Money and language in Saint Lucia
East Caribbean dollar (XCD, $). Fixed at 2.70 to the US dollar, and US dollars are taken. Ask which dollar a price means. Onboard is always charged in sterling, so this only matters ashore.
English.
Free, and it works with no internet. Give it the dates you sail and it works out your own stops and saves the street map for each one. It shows you round the ship too.
All the ports written up so far, the things to do before you sail, or the ship pages for Iona and Arvia.