By Roddy Freeman

It still feels like winter in most of the U.S. Now through Spring is a terrific time to cruise the warm-weather islands of the Eastern Caribbean.

The Eastern Caribbean is my favorite part of the islands. The region offers a wide choice of ports-of-call. Plus there's a bonus. Lots of small, unknown islands populate the waters. In fact, not being able to see an island from the ship rarely happens.

The Eastern islands are less developed and commercialized than their Northern Caribbean brethren. Their topography is divided into mountainous rain forests and lush green valleys. Beaches are pristine white with coral reefs at their edge. Cascading rivers and turquoise blue sea comprise the waters inland and off the beach, respectively. The islands are mountainous and volcanic in origin. Some volcanoes still smolder to this day. The landscape is full of sharp contrasts, from ragged peaks with thick rain forests to flowing meadows and pastureland. The panoramic view as the ship approaches is breathtakingly beautiful.

The top 10 islands and their attributes are as follows:

Antigua - This island has some of the Caribbean's finest beaches, and lots of them. The weather is outstanding also, featuring low humidity and trade winds, making Antigua perfect for virtually any activity under the warm Caribbean sun.

Barbados - This British island has a refined ambiance. Barbados consists of rolling green hills and is fringed by coral reefs. The west coast has pearly white beaches and calm waters. The east side is more rugged and pounded by white surf from the Atlantic.

Dominica - Dominica is the island for spectacular natural scenery. Covered from end to end with towering volcanic mountains, the land rises sharply from the shore to peaks that reach almost 5,000 feet. The blue-green peaks are carpeted with rain forests and exotic vegetation, and host more than 135 species of birds. This is not the island for all-inclusive resorts or shopping.

Grenada - The Spice Island, as Grenada is known, has air filled with the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg. Bananas, ginger, vanilla and virtually every herb of the tropics are grown here. The mountain forests, kept lush green by cascading waterfalls, accommodate 450 species of flowering plants and 150 species of birds.

Guadeloupe - Guadeloupe is a study in contrasts. Its butterfly shape makes it almost two islands connected by a short land bridge, with Pointe-A Pitre, the center of commerce and main cruise port, barely east of the middle. Grand-Terre, the eastern wing, is a flat, dry limestone island, densely populated and highly developed. Basse-Terre, the western wing, is volcanic in origin with mountains rising to 5,000 feet. Most of Basse-Terre is a national park.

Martinique - Beauty is the sole common denominator across this seductive paradise. Martinique's three regions are apparently from different gene pools. Volcanic mountains, their peaks shrouded in clouds, are palpable in the northern sector. The central region is dotted by peaks and ridges that decline into meadows of grazing cattle and sugarcane fields. The southern end is flat, with parched lowland bordered by beaches.

St. Barthelemy (St. Barts) - Beauty and style are the signatures of this island, the smallest in the French West Indies. This paradise has green mountains and miniature valleys overlooking two dozen gorgeous beaches. The best hotels and restaurants tend to be fabulous but are very expensive.

St. Kitts-Nevis - Stunning and unspoiled are apt words to describe St. Kitts and Nevis. St. Kitts, the larger of the two, has volcanic mountains covered with rain forests at its core. Carefully manicured green hills lead down to grass that surrounds them. St. Kitts and Nevis are among the least expensive islands.

St. Lucia - Mostly Volcanic in origin, St. Lucia is the nature-lover's dream, a stupendous landscape of mountains with lush vegetation, and valleys covered by tropical fruits and flowers. The most-photographed images on the island are the two sharply-pointed Pitons, the taller of which provides guided tours. St. Lucia also offers white-sand beaches and excellent Creole cuisine.

St Vincent & the Grenadines - Though very different from each other in topography, St. Vincent and the Grenadines both have the ultimate in idyllic hideaways. St. Vincent is blanketed with mountains of deep green through which roads run, providing breathtaking views of tropical forests. The Grenadines, on the other hand, are 32 heavenly little isles ringed with immaculate beaches facing coral gardens.