Cruising to the Bahamas next month. Anything I should do?

[BmorePat87]

Hey folks, the wife and I are traveling to the Bahamas via Carnival next month for our honeymoon and I've never been on a cruise before.

Anything I need to do/bring either before or during to make it a great cruise?

Also, anyone have any must do's in Nassau? Planning on learning some history while I am there.

Thanks!

[Tiger Teeth]

Watch out for pirates!

[SunsetBengal]

Avoid the Dominican Republic?

[HarleyDog]

Drink.

[SunsetBengal]

(07-27-2019, 08:11 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: Drink.

Only on the ship.  Drinking at any of the ports of call could be a serious health risk.  I've read a few articles in the past year or two, talking about "tainted" liquor with cleaning chemicals, etc. in it being sold to resorts at bargain prices, and tourists coming down with strange illnesses from it.

[HarleyDog]

(07-27-2019, 01:32 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Only on the ship.  Drinking at any of the ports of call could be a serious health risk.  I've read a few articles in the past year or two, talking about "tainted" liquor with cleaning chemicals, etc. in it being sold to resorts at bargain prices, and tourists coming down with strange illnesses from it.

Ok. Only drink from a can? I could do that.

[Goalpost]

Cruises are nice in that most everything is included with it. The pool, the shows, the food, the room cleaning/bed linens etc. Ships have casinos, if you like, you will need money for that. Drinks, you generally run a tab, as they collect your credit card up front, you will need one, and they total it at the end of the cruise. You will need tip money at the end also...for servers and the room cleaners, generally an envelope left. I have been on about 5 cruises from Bermuda to Cozumel Mexico and never had a bad one. I would say most activities on the island are boat friendly from. They know you are coming and things are close by when you port. There are pamphlets on the boat, and you can do sign up tours, but we basically would leave the boat and find a local, who can provide transportation to places. They have knowledge of things to see at a reasonable price and you are not out there on really a schedule. Make sure you get back to the ship though. When they leave, they leave. There is usually a formal night for 1 dinner so consider that clothing wise. The water is awesome, blue, you can jet ski, scuba, parasail, zip line, beach it...plenty to do....er at least that was the Goalpost type of itinerary.

Oh..and prepare yourself for a muster...it's a requirement on the 1st day

[BmorePat87]

(07-27-2019, 05:10 AM)Tiger Teeth Wrote: Watch out for pirates!

There's actually a pirate museum at one of the ports, but I think it's for kids.

(07-27-2019, 07:38 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Avoid the Dominican Republic?

Yea, I actively was avoiding any and all cruises that stopped there.

(07-27-2019, 08:11 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: Drink.

I might grab some gin or rum, but I opted out of the $50 a day drink package.

(07-27-2019, 01:32 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Only on the ship.  Drinking at any of the ports of call could be a serious health risk.  I've read a few articles in the past year or two, talking about "tainted" liquor with cleaning chemicals, etc. in it being sold to resorts at bargain prices, and tourists coming down with strange illnesses from it.

Yea, I've been following those stories. Scary shit. I'm gonna check out the John Watling's distillery and buy a bottle there so I know it's safe and direct from the source.

(07-27-2019, 02:26 PM)Goalpost Wrote: Cruises are nice in that most everything is included with it.  The pool, the shows, the food, the room cleaning/bed linens etc.  Ships have casinos, if you like, you will need money for that.  Drinks, you generally run a tab, as they collect your credit card up front, you will need one, and they total it at the end of the cruise.  You will need tip money at the end also...for servers and the room cleaners, generally an envelope left.  I have been on about 5 cruises from Bermuda to Cozumel Mexico and never had a bad one.  I would say most activities on the island are boat friendly from.  They know you are coming and things are close by when you port.  There are pamphlets on the boat, and you can do sign up tours, but we basically would leave the boat and find a local, who can provide transportation to places.  They have knowledge of things to see at a reasonable price and you are not out there on really a schedule.  Make sure you get back to the ship though.  When they leave, they leave.  There is usually a formal night for 1 dinner so consider that clothing wise.  The water is awesome, blue, you can jet ski, scuba, parasail, zip line, beach it...plenty to do....er at least that was the Goalpost type of itinerary.

Oh..and prepare yourself for a muster...it's a requirement on the 1st day

Great info, thanks! I'll probably spend a lot of that first night at the casino.

[Bengalzona]

(07-27-2019, 02:26 PM)Goalpost Wrote: Cruises are nice in that most everything is included with it.  The pool, the shows, the food, the room cleaning/bed linens etc.  Ships have casinos, if you like, you will need money for that.  Drinks, you generally run a tab, as they collect your credit card up front, you will need one, and they total it at the end of the cruise.  You will need tip money at the end also...for servers and the room cleaners, generally an envelope left.  I have been on about 5 cruises from Bermuda to Cozumel Mexico and never had a bad one.  I would say most activities on the island are boat friendly from.  They know you are coming and things are close by when you port.  There are pamphlets on the boat, and you can do sign up tours, but we basically would leave the boat and find a local, who can provide transportation to places.  They have knowledge of things to see at a reasonable price and you are not out there on really a schedule.  Make sure you get back to the ship though.  When they leave, they leave.  There is usually a formal night for 1 dinner so consider that clothing wise.  The water is awesome, blue, you can jet ski, scuba, parasail, zip line, beach it...plenty to do....er at least that was the Goalpost type of itinerary.

Oh..and prepare yourself for a muster...it's a requirement on the 1st day

^This. Especially the "get back to the boat" part!

[Goalpost]

(07-28-2019, 11:23 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Great info, thanks! I'll probably spend a lot of that first night at the casino.

These ships are really well made and maintained.  Heck, they price out at the cost of a new ball park, if not more.  Have a good time.

[Benton]

Talk to people.

I'm a bit of an introvert, but the nice thing about cruises is meeting people you'll never see again.

Book your excursions through the cruise. You'll pay a little more but they know when you're leaving and get you back on the boat in time.

[grampahol]

JUMP! then learn how to swim safely a few hundred miles in shark infested waters.. 

[McC]

Don't go to Nassau unfunky, whatever you do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L762HQ-ha7I

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

If you scuba dive, go. If not, snorkel. Warm water, good visibility, lots of interesting stuff to see.