‘A LOT OF PEOPLE catch the treasure bug," said a man who has roamed the Caribbean for nearly twenty years, poking through shipwrecks and Pirate caves. "And just about every island I know has its stories about lost treasure." Indeed, there is a possibility, no matter how remote, that you just might chance upon undiscovered riches in the Caribbean. Picture yourself on some secluded beach, Suddenly you see a glimmer in the water-a coral-encrusted coin baring the likeness of a long-forgotten sovereign, washed ashore by a recent storm, The copper may be no more than a hundred years old, but that doesn't matter. You've found your first Caribbean treasure and you want more. One of the most popular spots in the Caribbean for underwater adventure is the Virgin Islands-both the American and British halves-which offer a dozen fascinating spots within a short cruise of one another. In the secluded bays of St. John you can snorkel among agle rays, baby barracuda, delicate fan coral, and queen angelfish. On the outer edge of Salt Island you can poke through the submerged remains of the "Caribbean's Titanic"-a British steam­er called the RMS Rhone that went down in a hurricane in 1867 with the loss of more than three hundred lives. And over on cac­tus-studded Norman Island, you can explore underwater caves that inspired the definitive book on pirates and plunder- Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Scholars believe that Stevenson based his fictional tale on a real-life pirate adventure that took place in 1750. When a Spanish galleon wrecked on the Carolina coast, two American sea captains-under the ruse of aiding the Spaniards- absconded with most of the gold. Seeking shelter in the Virgin Islands, the Americans were swindled by a certain Captain Norman, who buried the loot on a desert island that now bears his name, Norman and the Carolina captains were later caught by vengeful Spaniards, but it appears they walked the plank without spilling the beans on the treasure's exact location. Let us help you pick your preference on any of the many Caribbean cruises offered by Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, Costa and Holland America! Now is the time to book your Caribbean cruise!