The picturesque islands of The Bahamas are among the many world’s mostly visited cruise ports. A neighbor to the US, the proximity and great thing about The Bahamas makes the nation a sexy vacation spot for cruise ships, and also you’ll discover almost each Royal Caribbean ship providing cruises to this island nation.
Whether or not you’re planning your first cruise or are a seasoned cruiser, there’s a fairly large likelihood you’ll be crusing to The Bahamas at one level or one other. Figuring out the ins and outs of what it’s wish to cruise in The Bahamas, from understanding the place you’ll go to to figuring out what to pack, may also help make your cruise expertise the most effective it may be.
Let’s take an in-depth have a look at every thing it’s essential to know earlier than reserving a cruise to The Bahamas.
On this information:
A serious purpose to go on a Bahamas cruise is to benefit from the nation’s world-class seashores. Turquoise waters, gentle sand, and superb snorkeling can be found at any cruise port in The Bahamas. Whether or not you select to lounge on a seashore chair, get pleasure from a day go at a resort, e-book a catamaran tour, or snorkel at a shipwreck, you’ll discover loads of crystal-clear seashores to find.
The proximity of The Bahamas to Florida means you’ll be able to attain the islands on even the shortest of itineraries. Weekend cruises to The Bahamas are extraordinarily standard for that reason, permitting for a fast getaway to chill out and unwind.
As well as, visiting the Bahamas means tasting scrumptious native delicacies, equivalent to conch fritters and rum cake, and observing native tradition.
Plus, cruises to The Bahamas are supplied on almost all Royal Caribbean cruise ships and on itineraries as quick as two nights to 9 nights or longer! Due to this, you’ll see an enormous vary in cruise fares, so that you’ll be capable to discover the proper cruise for any price range.
Good Day at CocoCay
Good Day at CocoCay is Royal Caribbean’s personal island in The Bahamas, and it’s a favourite port for a lot of cruisers. The island is full of actions for all pursuits, from the tallest waterslide in North America to the most important freshwater pool within the Caribbean.
Good Day at CocoCay has three important seashores: Chill Island, Harbor Seaside, and South Seaside. These seashores are free for all company to get pleasure from and are lined with complimentary seashore chairs and umbrellas.
Company trying to splurge should buy a day go to the Coco Seaside Membership, an unique, personal seashore membership with an infinity pool, overwater cabanas, and an upscale Mediterranean-inspired restaurant.
A serious perk of cruising to Good Day at CocoCay is that the island presents greater than sufficient to do (and eat!) with out spending something further. In the event you’re on a price range, Good Day at CocoCay makes for an inexpensive but extremely enjoyable day in port.
Our Good Day at CocoCay ideas:
Nassau
Nassau is likely one of the world’s busiest cruise ship ports. Situated on New Windfall Island, Nassau is the capital of The Bahamas and is thought for its upscale resorts and plethora of seashores.
Most passengers visiting Nassau will go for a seashore day. There are a number of seashores situated inside strolling distance from port, essentially the most simply accessible being Junkanoo Seaside.
Many guests to Nassau take a taxi to Paradise Island, the place they’ll discover the well-known Atlantis Resort and pristine Cabbage Seaside. Day journeys to close by islands, equivalent to Blue Lagoon and Pearl Island, will also be nice choices when spending the day in Nassau.
Nassau additionally presents loads of historical past to find, too, with historic forts, monuments, and museums showcasing the island’s historical past.
Associated: Greatest issues to do in Nassau on a cruise
Grand Bahama Island (Freeport)
Grand Bahama is essentially the most northwestern island in The Bahamas, situated solely 64 miles from Palm Seaside, Florida. Cruises on Grand Bahama dock within the metropolis of Freeport, the second largest metropolis in The Bahamas with a inhabitants of round 24,000 individuals.
Like different Bahamas cruise ports, most passengers will spend the day on Grand Bahama Island on the seashore. Seashores are situated outdoors the port space, so an tour or taxi trip is important to achieve the island’s finest seashores.
Nature lovers can get pleasure from a tour of Lucayan Nationwide Park, the place they’ll kayak via mangroves and study concerning the park’s numerous ecosystem and geology. Excursions of downtown Freeport are additionally accessible, which deliver passengers to native markets and close by seashores.
Different passengers could favor to easily discover the port space, the place there are many meals, drink, and buying alternatives.
Bimini
Bimini is the closest island in The Bahamas to the US, situated round 50 miles from Miami, and contains two important islands: North Bimini and South Bimini. The cruise port is on North Bimini, which is house to seashores, resorts, eating places, and native retailers within the island’s important city of Alice City.
Whereas Bimini will not be the most typical port cease on Royal Caribbean Bahamas itineraries, it presents a low-key, stress-free getaway for guests trying to sunbathe, snorkel, or trip a golf cart across the island.
Well-liked shore excursions in Bimini embody snorkeling on the SS. Sapona, one of many Caribbean’s most well-known shipwrecks, spending the day at a seashore resort, and tasting native delicacies.
Shorter cruises
In the event you’re trying to find a brief getaway, you’ll discover a number of Royal Caribbean ships providing 3 and 4-night cruises to The Bahamas. These itineraries go to each Good Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas, and are supplied on Voyager or Freedom Class cruise ships.
These itineraries occur weekly (Monday-Friday for 4-night cruises and Friday-Monday for 3-night cruises) and are supplied mostly on Independence of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, and Liberty of the Seas.
Southeast coast cruises
You don’t need to fly to Florida in an effort to cruise to The Bahamas. A number of Royal Caribbean ships sail from the ports of Cape Liberty and Baltimore to The Bahamas.
Most cruises departing from the northeast will cease at a number of ports alongside the southeast coast of the US earlier than visiting The Bahamas, equivalent to Charleston, South Carolina and Orlando, Florida. These itineraries are typically 7 or 8 nights.
Associated: Information to cruises from New York
Miscellaneous itineraries
Exterior of quick getaways and cruises from the northeast, you’ll discover a wide range of different itineraries visiting The Bahamas, mostly with a cease at Good Day at CocoCay.
Each Western and Jap Caribbean cruises usually embody a go to to The Bahamas together with stops in ports like Cozumel, Roatan, San Juan, St. Maarten, and Labadee.
Climate
Whereas The Bahamas is a year-round cruising vacation spot, it’s essential to do not forget that The Bahamas is situated a lot additional north than Caribbean cruise ports like Labadee and St. Thomas. The truth is, The Bahamas will not be technically even situated inside the Caribbean! Due to this, the islands could be vulnerable to extra temperature fluctuation than extra southerly islands.
That being stated, you’ll greater than doubtless encounter snug temperatures at any time of yr on a Bahamas cruise. Drier climate could be anticipated between November and April, with the rainiest months between June and September.
Hurricane season formally runs from June 1 to November 30, with the very best likelihood of storms between August and September. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t essentially keep away from reserving a cruise throughout hurricane season. Cruise ships won’t sail via a hurricane. As an alternative, itineraries will likely be adjusted to keep away from the storm.
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December and January can often encounter colder temperatures resulting from the opportunity of a chilly entrance bringing uneven seas, robust winds, and temperatures within the 60s or low 70s.
Whereas there’s no excellent time to cruise The Bahamas when it comes to climate, the months of March, April, Could, and November can see snug temperatures with much less likelihood of rain.
Crowds
The Bahamas is a well-liked vacationer vacation spot at any time of the yr, and you may normally count on a number of ships in port on any given day. Nassau alone can accommodate as much as 7 cruise ships at one time!
The busiest occasions to cruise The Bahamas coincide with the varsity vacation calendar, so count on extra crowds onboard and in port throughout spring break, summer season, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, in addition to throughout 3-day weekends all year long.
Moreover, for those who’re selecting between a 3-night weekend cruise to The Bahamas and a 4-night cruise through the week, you’ll usually discover that the weekend cruises are a lot busier. Not solely can there be the next capability onboard, however weekend cruises usually have extra of a celebration ambiance in comparison with a relaxed vibe through the week.
Associated: I attempted my first 3-night weekend cruise, right here’s the way it went
Because of the proximity of The Bahamas to Florida, you’ll see numerous Royal Caribbean ships crusing to the islands year-round. The truth is, you’ll be able to presently e-book itineraries to The Bahamas on 21 Royal Caribbean ships (out of the fleet’s 26 ships!)
Subsequently, when planning a Bahamas cruise, you’ve almost infinite potentialities when selecting a cruise ship. In case you are on the lookout for the most recent and biggest ship Royal Caribbean presents, you’ll be able to go to The Bahamas on an Oasis or Quantum Class cruise ship. In the event you’d favor a extra laid-back vacation, you’ll discover even the smallest Royal Caribbean cruise ships visiting The Bahamas.
Associated: 8 inquiries to ask your self earlier than selecting a cruise ship
Probably the greatest elements of cruising to The Bahamas is that you may usually discover incredible offers, particularly on shorter cruises. It’s not unusual to seek out 3 or 4-night Bahamas cruises for as little as $575 for two adults in an inside room, together with all taxes and charges.
Weeklong cruises usually run round $1500-1700 whole for two adults in an inside cabin on newer Royal Caribbean ships, whereas you’ll be able to generally discover costs as little as $1000-1200 for 7-night Bahamas cruises on older ships.
As a result of there are such a lot of ships crusing to The Bahamas at any given time, you may even discover low-cost last-minute reductions accessible on sailings departing within the subsequent few days or even weeks.
Exterior of cruise fare, you’ll additionally wish to price range for gratuities in addition to any cruise add-ons you propose to buy, equivalent to shore excursions, beverage packages, and eating packages.
Cruise add-on recommendation:
Packing for The Bahamas normally means packing light-weight, breathable clothes excellent for a heat day on the seashore or sunny day onboard. A swimsuit is a should in addition to sundresses, shorts, and t-shirts. It might probably get extraordinarily heat in the summertime months, so packing breathable, extra loosely-fitting clothes is advisable.
In the event you’re visiting The Bahamas within the winter, it’s a good suggestion to pack a light-weight jacket and a pair of denims. Whilst you’ll most definitely encounter favorable temperatures, there could be occasional chilly fronts resulting in temperatures round 70°F. This will really feel chilly when at sea or close to the seashore, so packing layers could be useful.
For a extra in-depth have a look at what to pack (together with a packing record!) learn our information on what to pack for a Bahamas cruise.
What foreign money ought to I exploit in The Bahamas?
The official foreign money of The Bahamas is the Bahamian Greenback, and the change charge between USD and Bahamian Greenback is 1:1. There’s no have to take out Bahamian {Dollars} forward of time, as you can also make purchases in USD (though you may obtain change again in Bahamian {Dollars}).
Do I have to buy shore excursions on a Bahamas cruise?
Like in all different cruise ports, it’s not essential to e-book a shore tour. Nonetheless, we suggest having a normal plan on your day in port earlier than getting off the ship.
Ports like Nassau and Freeport aren’t the most effective ports for merely strolling off the ship with no plan, as it may be complicated to determine the place to go and what to do. Doing analysis beforehand on what actions can be found in port may also help you higher plan your day.
There are, nevertheless, many shore excursions accessible in Bahamas cruise ports. These normally contain visiting a seashore, resort, snorkeling, island hopping, and so forth. You may e-book shore excursions via Royal Caribbean, which are typically dearer but supply extra safety, or via an unbiased supplier.
