Cruising's Best

SHOPPING
Set Sale Many of the world’s ports are paradise for shoppers.

By Heidi Sarna

Every port under the sun hawks T-shirts, shot glasses, and key chains, but for serious shoppers who seek more, head for ports like Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for beautiful handmade lacquer trays and coasters; in Indian ports, gold and silver jewelry and textiles are tantalizing; while in Bali, gorgeous beach clothes and linen tempt visitors in the shops of the Seminyak neighborhood.

Itineraries that include Venice provide easy access to stunning hand-blown Murano glass in bright colors and creative shapes, and head to Sicily for rustic hand-painted pottery. Ports in Egypt boast gold cartouche pendants that spell out your name in hieroglyphics, while sensible and sturdy clothes fill the shelves of the L.L. Bean Factory Outlet in Freeport, Maine.

And of course, from Port Canaveral, mouse ears, princess crowns, and a million other Disney souvenirs await just down the road in Orlando. And the list goes on. Here are the highlights of 10 top shopping ports around the world.

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Known as the Caribbean’s number one duty-free paradise, Americans can take home a whopping $1,600 worth of tax-free stuff (it’s typically $400 on other Caribbean islands) and often save in the neighborhood of 25 percent compared to the U.S. mainland on jewelry, watches, porcelain, crystal, perfume, and clothing.

In Charlotte Amalie, head for Main Street (or Dronningens Gade, the old Danish name), Back Street (Vimmelskaft), Waterfront Highway (Kyst Vejen), and the Havensight mall at the cruise ship docks.

The most popular outposts include Boolchand’s for electronics, cameras, watches, and jewelry; Diamonds International for, well, diamonds, as well as tanzanite gems and emeralds; and Little Switzerland for crystal including Orrefors, Waterford, and Baccarat as well as china, watches, and jewelry.

For local art and more atmosphere, cab it to Tillett Gardens on Route 38 east of Charlotte Amalie for locally made paintings, silk-screened fabrics, pottery, prints, maps, and jewelry.