Going On a cruise, Please help me!

Hi, LS -

I went on a cruise (my first one) with Norwegian last Fall to the Bahamas. It was out of NY, so we spent a good amount of time just sailing. When we got to the Bahamas, we spent one day on their private island (good snorkeling) and one day in Nassau. There were a number of things to do there - we decided to go snorkeling and then had some time for shopping at the straw market.

It was fun - my best friend and I went together to celebrate our birthdays - but I probably would not want to go on another one. I don't like crowds or having to stick to pre-defined schedules. But, I must say, the food was fantastic!

Sorry, I cant help you. I have never been on a cruise in my life

hi! well carnival is pretty good cruise line to go on. lots of fun. I'd love to help you with this but it would be easier if i knew which islands you are visiting in the bahamas. in general, shopping in straw markets and down the main street is fun. And the oceans are always beautiful so i would suggest snorkeling or a glass bottom boat trip. on some islands its not really necessary (and less expensive) to buy a shore excursion from carnival. you can just wander off safely with your travel buddies. The site i work for, cruisejungle.com, has alot of really helpful information on the subject. hope this helps

The Bahamas can be a lot of fun. Shopping, swimming, snorkeling are all great there. We went over to the casino for some night time fun and saw a show and had dinner. I've never been on Carnival, but my husband did on his very first cruise and had a great time. You'll really like this trip. You can get great buys on jewelry and perfume.

I went to the Bahamas as a kid...I was blown away by the things they made out of palm leaves. Go to the market near the docks, if they are still there...you will have a blast.

Also, a carriage ride is always fun too. We were in Nassua, and we saw alot of poverty, I gave the money to the little kids and the old ladies, they were very nice to us!!

Have fun and see the old fort too!!

MzKitty

Cruising is AWESOME!!!!! A bad day cruising is better than any great day at work!!!

Relax and enjoy! I have been on Carnival and would go again in a heartbeat. There is lots to do, read your cruise paper each evening to find out what is going on the next day. One site I found helpful is http://www.cruisecritics.com

I get too excited when thinking and talking about cruising to be of much help! I hope ya enjoy it half as much as I do!

I went on a 7 day Western Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Conquest out of Galveston, TX October 2006. The itinerary took me to Montego Bay, Jamaica; George Town, Crand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico. The ship is fantastic and huge (110,000 tons) with 14 passenger decks. The food was qwonderful, even the buffets and room service.

In Montego Bay, I did a horseback ride and swim west of the city and that was fantastic. The horses rode around an old plantation, up a mountain, and hback to the stables for a rest before riding them into the water for a swim. I strongly recommend not going to Margaritaville here because the food is bad - I had a super-greasy pizza. If you like rum or coffee, then Jamaica's your place. For rum, try Appleton Estates and Blue Mountain for coffee.

In George Town, I went snorkling and had a marvelous time looking down at the coral reef and tropical fish. There's a strong British influence too becuase the Caymans are a British dependency.

In Cozumel, I was going to go parasailing, but forgot that I was supposed to meet the guide at the Internatioonal Pier instead of Lobster Pier (Punta Langosta) where the ship docked. For a Mexican town, Cozumel's not bad at all - there aren't beggars, and the streets are clean. I wish it hadn't been so hot, however!

All in all, I highly recommend cruising on the Conquest. You can see a few of my photos on my page. If you'd like more, I'll send a link to an online gallery where I posted them.

There are lots of good options if you want to cruise to the Bahamas. Carnival Cruise Lines tends to have younger travelers than the other cruise lines. Are you planning to sail out of Miami? The reason I ask is that if you are from somewhere close to New York, there are some fun cruises to the Bahamas direct from NY City.

The Norwegian Spirit sails out of New York, which would be a really fun trip if you have time for a 6 night cruise.

If you are sailing out of one of the Florida port cities, I might recommend Royal Caribbean. Any of the major cruise lines will provide a great experience, but I think Royal Caribbean offers a slightly better overall travel experience.

Hiya LS, currently researching cruises for a present for the in-laws and came across this one http://www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk/royal-caribbean-cruises-monarch-of-the-seas-caribbean-8-nights-january-2010-0027834-holiday.php which looks really good. Is that the sort of cruise you were looking for?

I'm a bit confused by the law regarding travel when you're on a cruise. Typically you go to loads of countries... but do the usual immigration checks you get at airports apply? I was thinking about taking my wife on a cruise starting out in Miami and I understand they visit the US... but the US visa system looks as complicated as hell (34 types of visa??!)

Anyone got any info on that?