There's something soothing about a ride on a railroad, which may be why trains are such a hit among cruise passengers. Every year, hundreds of thousands enjoy the scenic train ride in Skagway, Alaska. Lesser known, however, is the sightseeing railway on the island of St. Kitts. It's a refreshing change of pace from the adventurous and sometimes "extreme" shore excursions that have proliferated throughout the Caribbean, which often involve "zip lining" through a rain-forest canopy or "power-snorkeling" with a motorized propulsion unit a la James Bond.

Instead, the St. Kitts Scenic Railway offers a nostalgic and somewhat romantic way to tour the island and learn about Caribbean culture, history, and economy of yesteryear. Billed as "one of the most beautiful train rides in the world," the St. Kitts Railway was built between 1912 and 1926 to deliver sugar cane from the fields to the sugar mill in the capital city of Basseterre. Today, it's been re-invented as "a fascinating way to see the entire nation of St. Kitts," in the words of the operator, from a vantage point that is historically authentic yet modern, entertaining, and eminently comfortable.

Although located in the thick of the Eastern Caribbean, St. Kitts is a relatively undiscovered cruise destination. However, ship arrivals are on the rise. A new cruise pier at Port Zante in Basseterre, which opened in September, now allows the port to accommodate four megaships at a time.