Planning a Bahama cruise for your family? Want to make sure you have a great experience?
Few things beat the pure exhilaration of going on a cruise. However, there are a lot of things to think about when planning your cruise to make sure it goes smoothly and that you have the most enjoyable time possible.
Below we’ll look at 8 essential tips for planning the best Bahama cruise for your family.
1. Choose the Best Bahama Cruise Line
When planning your Bahama cruise, the first thing you’ll want to do is pick what cruise lines to the Bahamas you want to use. There are a lot of different choices available.
Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean all serve the Bahamas and offer some great voyages that are likely to meet your needs and will offer a great experience. Celebrity Cruise Line is also a great choice for a luxury experience.
All of the lines offer different things so it’s important to compare your options thoroughly before making your choice.
2. Decide on the Length of Your Trip
You should also decide how long you want your trip to be. Many of the major cruise lines offer some great packages ranging from 3 to 7 days. In some cases, cruise lines will even offer shorter 2-night cruises as well, although these tend to be less common.
Most of these cruises will be departing from Florida in either Miami or Port Canaveral. Some of the cruises with a longer length will depart from cities in other states as well such as New Orleans, New York, or Baltimore.
3. Know What to Pack
It’s important to give your packing list a good deal of thought before you leave home.
The weather is warm and nice so you’ll want to pack nice and comfortable lightweight and light-colored clothing. You’ll, of course, want to bring at least one swimsuit.
You’ll also probably want to bring some sunscreen, a great pair of shoes for walking, and a tote bag for shopping.
You’ll also need some official documents as well. You’ll be entering a different country on your trip so you’ll need to make sure to pack your passport and proof of citizenship for re-entering the United States.
5. Get Ready for Some Great Photos
The Bahamas are filled with some great spots for photos. Make sure you remember to bring your camera for the trip.
Whether you’re standing on one of the many beautiful beaches or in the sunny and quaint town streets, there are plenty of spots that are worthy of a great family photo. Even on the pier in Nassau, for example, you can get some great photos of your ship, your family, and the great and colorful shops around the pier.
Make sure you’re prepared for taking some photos while on your trip and you’ll be sure to have some great ones to look back on for years to come.
4. Plan Your Daily Activities well
There’s a lot to see and do in the many ports of the Bahamas, so you’ll want to think carefully beforehand about where you want to place your time.
Depending on which ports your cruise will be stopping in you’ll want to consider what you want to do when you’re there. Nassau and Freeport are visited by just about every Bahama cruise and you’ll have multiple choices of activities to do while there.
You’ll likely want to visit the area beaches when you’re in port. However, you may also want to check out other sights as well such as the Port Lucaya marketplace, the Isle of Capri Casino, or the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island.
Check Prices for a Bahamas Cruise
6. Prepare to Negotiate
When you’re in the Bahamas you should know that negotiating on prices is common practice for just about everything.
Prices can be pretty high in the Bahamas at times. You’ll want to negotiate down when possible. Although, don’t worry. The shops will still be making plenty of money anyway.
You need to learn the art of haggling and be ready to use your skills when you’re mingling with the street vendors, browsing the shops, or purchasing an island tour.
In Nassau and in other areas in the Bahamas it’s totally fine to talk with the vendors or shop owners and negotiate better prices for what you want. Don’t be afraid to try to get some great deals. The worse that can happen is that they’ll say “No”.
7. Stay Safe
You’ll want to do a little research on the areas and ports you’ll be visiting. While tourists seldom have serious trouble when in port during a Bahama cruise, crime does happen.
Most of this is in the form of petty theft and pickpockets, so you’ll want to keep your eyes out and take a few precautions to make sure you don’t lose any of your valuables. Be sure to avoid traveling alone and be careful and particularly cautious around non-populated areas off the typical tourist path.
Related: 6 Ways to Protect Your Cruise Ship Luggage
Additionally, while you may be tempted to rent a scooter while in the Bahamas, it’s a good idea to reconsider. Scooter accidents are often the cause of injuries for cruise-goers so it may be a good idea to find another way to get around instead.
8. Consider Staying Onboard
While there is plenty to do in the Bahamas when you leave the ship, don’t be afraid to stay onboard some nights. Anybody who don’t go ashore when in port can get some great deals and still have some great experiences.
Port-day specials can be particularly great and can allow you to get some great deals on dining and other activities. You may be able to get a 25% discount on a spa day or a massage, for example.
If you’re interested in making your money go a long way, you may just want to plan it out to stay on board for some of your time in port.
Also Read: Ways To Enjoy Freeport, Bahamas During Your Cruise
Final Thoughts
With a little bit of planning and preparation beforehand you may just find that you have a cruise to the Bahamas that is better than you ever imagined. Be sure to keep the above tips in mind if you want to have a great chance of planning the best Bahama cruise for your family.
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