Bahamas are not in the Caribbean, as you say, and I don't lump them together. They are not as warm at the height of the winter either, but still pretty nice, if one is escaping frozen winters. As I say that, the Bahamas also stretch across a lot of latitude, so northern and southern island in the chain can have measurable differences.

How about Turks and Caicos?

 

Lucayan archipelago...caribe or not

Less than 20 miles between bahamas and cuba

 

It doesn't seem so by this definition, but perhaps there are others?
The Caribbean Sea is bordered by Venezuela, Colombia and Panama to the south, Central American countries (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize) on the west; with the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico) on the north and the Lesser Antilles on the east.

 

Perhaps one could distinguish between the term "Caribbean" being a tropical reference, as opposed to the geographic reference of being contained within the Caribbean Sea. The Bahamas are distinctly outside the Caribbean Sea, but share Caribbean tropical traits. Same for Turks and Caicos.

 

Freeport and Northern Bahamas are less tropical than Miami or Key West.

Mark

 

Semantics. Some people even include Bermuda when they talk about "Caribbean." Obviously a strict interpretation of the term would limit it to islands that border on the Caribbean Sea. But then, every single day we see people using terms in this forum that are incorrect based on a strict interpretation.

 

Who cares? What's in a name anyway... borders are imaginary really. I think of "the Carribean" as the Windward and Leeward ISLANDS and it extends (IN MY MIND) to HAITI) these are for the most part volcanic islands. Bahama Islands are flat shallow surrounded by reefs.

 

I'm sure it's just a conversation starter, not a serious analysis by the OP. Border are man made, for sure. However, communication can be important. If I said Westchester County was in Connecticut, I'm sure there would be swift correction.

In your mind, what do you consider Cuba, Jamaica and the Caymans, if you stop at Haiti?

 

A while ago, a similar question was posed. MarkJ was adamant that the Caribbean nations consisted mostly of the Eastern Caribe islands (including PR and DR), with Jamaica and a few others thrown in. His point was that the rest of the countries bordering the Caribbean Sea were parts of South and Central America. He had a point, but not one I totally agreed with, since I had a broader view of "Caribbean".

However, I don't think either of us considered Bahamas or Bermuda as part of the "Caribbean".

It is semantics, and not really important outside of treaties and other political things. Do any of the "Caribbean cruise" ship itineraries include Bahamas and Bermuda as stops?

Mark

 

I think in terms of weather systems as that’s what’s important for sailors. That being the case the Bahamas are definitely not part of the Caribbean. Just like the northwest coast of Florida, coast of Louisiana, and Texas have different weather than most of GOMEX.

 

I think American use the term "tropics" for the south Pacific islands and the "Caribbean" for for the tropical climates south and east of Florida and include Bermuda... so it's a "weather thing".

 

Tropics have a pretty tight definition. It's every where between 23°26′11.9″ North and 23°26′11.9″ South.

Pretty sure the Carribean is defined by geography, as being the land and islands that border the Carribean sea including Cuba, but also including places like Eastern Panama.

To me the Bahamas and Bermuda are in the Atlantic Ocean, but I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over it if some one called them the Carribean.

 

Tropics, bikinis, palm trees, umbrella drinks...all the same thing

 

Ironically, maybe, is there are multiple tropical glaciers.

The pic below is the ice field on Cayambe, Ecuador.

 

Truly don’t get including Bermuda. The Bermuda races are in June. Often it’s cold. Occasionally stormy. Have had on full foulies, fleece and gloves for that race on occasion. Truly not tropical. Also its just halfway to the eastern Caribbean. The weather even in season is totally different as well. You can be ghosting for days around it. Nothing like the trades exist. Nor is it effected by the WAVES that sit on the northern edge of the Caribbean. A wholly different world.