5. Northern Dominican Republic

In November 2015, the Carnival Corporation opened a new cruise port called Amber Cove on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. This marked the first time in nearly 30 years that a major cruise line called on this part of the Caribbean island. In the 25-acre Amber Cove there is a town square plus markets, bars, restaurants, and a pool with private cabanas for rent. Yet while the new port was designed to keep cruisers busy, docking here opens the whole Puerto Plata region up for exploring, from beaches and golf courses to tours of rum factories and the 16th century Spanish Fort San Felipe. Carnival calls here year-round, and other lines including Princess and Holland America visit, too. And when it's not in Cuba, Fathom's Adonia will also call at Amber Cove for voluntourism shore excursions (including water filtration, forest reclamation, and education projects).