Cruising To The Bahamas For The First Time, Everything You Should Know
By Me. - September 13, 2019
{ picture taken by me in Nassau, Bahamas 2019 }
I remember when I officially booked my first Cruise and I was so excited. I started joining Facebook Groups and quickly realized it was so much I had to learn.
To be clear whether you're a first time cruiser or experienced cruiser, this blog is for people who have never been to the Bahamas before. Not everyone's first Cruise is to the Bahamas, so I think this will help many people, especially coming from someone who went there for her first Cruise and learned quite a lot.
When I first arrived to the Bahamas I learned that most of the cash I took out for spending on the ship and off the ship should've been the other way around. I thought I was going to spend more on the ship than off the ship, and I was wrong. I actually spent less on the ship and more off the ship. It was so much I wanted to buy off the ship, that I now know to budget my money a little different when it comes down to spending money. There's plenty of shops, places to eat, and the taxi rides are pretty cheap. Most average around $4 per person to and from certain places.
Another thing is excursions, there will be last minute deals on excursions when you get to the port. Always remember though to book your excursion through the Cruise-line to be on the safe side. Which leads me into talking about the traffic.
The traffic in the Bahamas is very crazy. There are no stoplights around the Nassau Port and the cars will come flying around the corner without a care in the world, so be aware of your surroundings at all times. Let that be a reason you DO NOT book an outside excursion outside of the Cruise-line since anything can happen. Whether it's a problem with the vehicle or accident. The ship will not wait for you and have left many people behind.
Get off the ship as soon as they make the announcement that the ship been cleared to let everyone disembark. Getting off early is a must, since there's so much to do and see, but the time goes by so fast. Getting off the ship is an easy process. They just scan your sign and sail card and you're off. Now as a side note, I brought all of our important documents in a small tote bag that was waterproof. I noticed when we passed through customs, the people looked at our birth certificates and ID, not our sign and sail cards. So it's worth taking important documents, but make sure you have a secure place to store them while you're having fun. We took a small back pack with us and went to Junkanoo Beach.
Now, before I went on my first Cruise I asked everyone in a Facebook Group if there was any beach close by that was free. People proudly shared Junkanoo Beach and said it was a 15 minute walk. I was thrilled. However, the truth about the walking distance isn't true. Unless you're a speed walker. It took us and other people about 25+ minutes to get there. Not complaining, just saying.
{ picture taken by me in Nassau, Bahamas 2019 }
I even took a picture out of shock at how close the ships were, although we walked for what seemed to be forever. Not sure if this construction obstructed another way, but as you can see in the picture the ships are very close to the beach, Junkanoo Beach -- that is.
Junkanoo Beach is beautiful and the water is very clear. I even saw some Tropical Fish while swimming, and said to myself, "that's why some people had on snorkeling gear", so now I know to bring my own snorkeling set if I want to save some money. Not sure what all I would see, but I can't wait. Below is a picture of how the water was when I was there.
{ picture taken by me in Nassau, Bahamas 2019 }
The Bahamas is a beautiful place, but you must be careful just like you would be anywhere else. I stress being careful because you're in a new environment. So behave yourself, cover up at appropriate places, and avoid conflict. Once you're off the Ship there will be people trying to sell you stuff, and from stories I have heard, maybe even illegal stuff. Politely say no thank you and keep walking. Don't adventure too far, and keep track of "SHIP" time. It's always good to be back on the Ship 1-2 hours before it leaves. When shopping, put your cash away, don't flash it around. Last but not least, enjoy your vacation.
If I helped you in anykind of way let me know. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below.
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