/ / / / / /

Where to Go with Your Tax Refund: The Eastern Caribbean

March 5, 2013 at 9:27 PM | by | Comment (1)

Tax day is coming, and you're probably excited...but not because you look forward to sifting through receipts and credit card statements. You're excited because you're getting a fat refund. Probably. The economy may be on its way back up, but you should try to stretch that tax refund as far as you can...like with a little "you did a great job last year" trip—a Tax Refund Vacation.

Newsflash. This is actually the best time to take a Caribbean cruise. It's not the holidays (with their premium prices), nor is it hurricane season. A ship is not a Florida beach full of spring breakers, and the temperatures are just right for tanning and swimming without sweating your face off.

Our mind immediately jumps to the newest ship plying the waves, the Celebrity Reflection. We've been on it ourselves and we recently spotted it pulling into St. Maarten, another destination that's definitely tops for a Tax Refund Vacation.

Looking at upcoming departures, March through April, there's two different Eastern Caribbean Itineraries. Both include stops at St. Maarten (yay!) and San Juan, Puerto Rico, but they differ in offering either St. Kitts or St. Thomas.

The best price we found was a Verandah stateroom (trust us, you'll want to chill on your balcony) for $749 (per person, based on double occupancy) for the March 16 sailing. With taxes, the total comes to $1,681.48 for two people, total.

If your tax refund was extra hefty and you're intrigued by the Reflection's sweet suites, two travelers in a Sky Suite totals $3,098 while two in the fancy-pants Signature Suite is $7,998.

Aside from the real-grass Lawn Club, multiple restaurants (including one that specializes in lighter fare), and a massive atrium with an Apple tech lounge, the Reflection boasts a multi-million modern art collection with 6,059 original pieces from the likes of Jeff Koons, Anish Kapoor, Christo, Marina Abramovic, Richard Prince and Robert Rauschenberg. Get a little culture with that tan.


A regular verandah on the Reflection

BONUS FACT: The Reflection typically docks in St. Maarten on a Tuesday, which is one of the days the KLM 747 flies in over Maho Beach. You've gotta see that.

[Photos: Jaunted]

Comment (1)

Post a Comment

Return to » Where to Go with Your Tax Refund: The Eastern Caribbean


DID IT !

We booked a cruise on the Celebrity Reflection today. We can't wait to experience plane spotting on Maho Beach on St. Maarten. See ya at the Sunset Bar.
catawba57 on March 6, 2013 at 6:34 PM #Permalink

Return to » Where to Go with Your Tax Refund: The Eastern Caribbean

Join the conversation!

Not a member? .
Use of this Site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (effective 3/21/12) and Privacy Policy (effective 3/21/12). © Condé Nast. Your California Privacy Rights. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.
Ad Choices