Cruise or not cruise? 5 tips for the first time Cruiser

Cruise or not cruise? 5 tips for the first time Cruiser is a travel post from contributing author, Amy Lyle, who shares her tips and experiences that she and her family are cruising on the Bahamas on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines at Christmas.

Amy Lyle is an author and filmmaker who lives in Atlanta with four teenagers and three dogs.

Click here to buy Amy & # 39; s latest book about Amazon: We are all a mess, it's good!

We have two children in school and two in high school. During the vacation we decided to give the gift of an adventure - we went on a cruise to the Bahamas. We brought our ship from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

BOARDING CRUISE SHIP

Checking in seems similar to booking a rental car - you enter a huge, clean parking lot with staff who wave you to the right place. We then weave through various security checkpoints and photo booth options while listening to Caribbean music. You swing around, no different than the queue in an amusement park to board the eleven-story ship.

LET YOUR LEO DICAPRIO LET FANTASY

My only exposure to cruise ships was the movie Titanic. I had a similar experience in mind, complete with the wide, sweeping stairs, bronze angels and Turkish baths. I really expected it all: Celine Dion sings, gigantic suites and a violin band - all but my outfits (no corsets) and the sinking part. I was mistaken.

When we were aboard the ship, we were greeted by dozens of staff dressed in white oxfords with black vests and bows, but they did not offer us martinis and showed us to our passenger cabins, aggressively throwing everything from upgraded dinners, Marlboro cigarettes and all-can-drink packages. I felt harassed. However, in our escape from the hustlers, we went to explore the ship and found a theater, a large spa, and several bars. Things looked up.

Tip # 1 -

Read the material that the cruise measure sends you regarding the dress code. My husband and I were fine in dressed shorts on our (included with the ticket) sit-down dinners, but formal dinners are available and have dress requirements.

WHAT HAVE THE STATEROOMS IN THEM?

We had an outside room with a window. I thought it was the smallest room I had ever seen until our children brought us to their rooms, which were inside rooms with bunk beds. I had a flashback to my childhood when I heard my husband hear an expression that reflected my father's philosophy of travel: "You won't be in the room that much, so what difference does it make!" Each room had a small bathroom with a small sink, a small shower, and small soaps. It was fine. I enjoyed returning to a clean room every day where the staff would leave us funny towel mascots. My favorite was the elephant with googly eyes.

FOOD ON A CRUISE SHIP

Imagine that food is available 24 hours a day for 2,000 people. I can't even make my tripled green bean casserole recipe moist and crispy with the right amount at Thanksgiving, so I give the chefs a lot of praise. We were never hungry, every kitchen from around the world was offered at some point during our four-day trip, from grilled hamburgers to escargot. The children loved the availability of unlimited ice cream, which is offered at several locations on the ship. Their favorite meals were in their own cabins via room service (available for a return of $ 8.00 per room), because room service is something we would not normally allow in a hotel. "We are not Kennedy & # 39; s", we regularly remind them.

NAVIGATING EXCURSIONS

We landed in Nassau and were set up to make our first excursion - a tour of Atlantis Paradise Island. During our twenty-minute drive, I was surprised to see so many dilapidated and barbed wire wired accommodations en route to a resort with suites that cost $ 25,000 a night. The driver shared a bit about the history of the island. I will give you a short version. In 1670 a Britsh nobleman established the island. By the beginning of the 17th century it was occupied by the French or the Spaniards, but above all a home base for pirates. In 1718 the British regained control and yada, yada, yada, it became an independent commonwealth in 1973.

The visit was fun - a guide carried us through a mall / casino / bar / gift shop to various aquatic exhibitions with small sea turtles to giant groupers swimming in eight million gallons of water.

Tip # 2 -

If you want to explore Atlantis, do not book your trip via the cruise line. We learned this the hard way. A taxi van would have taken us all to the island for around $ 50. We paid $ 70 per person to take a tour that is FREE.

WHAT SHOULD DO IN NASSAU?

When we returned to Atlantis, we sauntered through the city. I was struck by how beautiful the people were, and I have high expectations of kindness, because I have lived in the beautiful state of Georgia for more than twenty years. Even street vendors who tried to convince you in their stores and restaurants were polite. "We just had lunch, but thank you," I told an islander who encouraged us to have dinner - he said, "I hope you join us later, enjoy this beautiful day," and I think he really meant.

My husband and son walked through the cigar and rumbal stores while my daughters and I searched the knock-off stores. They were overwhelmed by the looks of the most luxurious brands in the world and spent the money their grandparents had given them on "Chanel" bags and "Gucci" belts. Unfortunately, the stapled and not hand sewn items fell apart within the first week after returning home.

Tip # 3 -

You can negotiate with the sellers. By simply saying: "I'm going to see what the other stores charge", you get the upper hand with your offers. Many only take cash so plan accordingly.

MORE SHIPMENTS IN NASSAU

We only had a few hours to explore, if you have several days in Nassau you have plenty of options, including:

By land -

• Walking or bus trips: culinary, cultural, rum and historical
• Scooter, jeep, segway, golf cart or beach cart trips
• Make fritter

By sea -

• Sailing buoys
• Sub Bahama Adventure
• Snorkeling / diving / swimming
• Kayak
• Parasailing
• Jet ski
• Charter for private boats

Tip # 4 -

Bring your own snorkel gear and save the $ 40 / day rental rates.

CocoCay

Back on the ship we enjoyed dinner (the lobster was offered as a special, it was very good) and a comedy show. The next morning we visited CocoCay, the private island of Royal Caribean. A variety of activities were available to enjoy in the crystal clear waters, including renting dunes and kayaks to meet dolphins and diving adventures. Everyone who visited CocoCay had access to a Caribbean-style lunch with freshly roasted pork, local fish specialties and cocktails on the island.

Tip # 5 -

Book your Nassau trip in March or later for warmer water. Many people were swimming and diving, but the water was pretty cold.

A BUCKET LIST ITEM SHOULD CROSS AT LEAST ONE TIME IN YOUR LIFE

I had never been on a cruise ship or visited Nassau and enjoyed the experience. If I were to travel to the Bahamas again, I would choose a more remote island, such as Exuma, to relax. However, getting an almost all-inclusive vacation for less than $ 500 per person with such a wide variety of meals and activities plus the much needed sunshine to escape the winter blahs, I don't think my Christmas could have been nicer can be.

Amy Lyle is an author and filmmaker who lives in Atlanta with four teenagers and three dogs.

Click here to buy Amy & # 39; s latest book about Amazon: We are all a mess, it's good!

Click here to buy Amy & # 39; s first book (on Amazon): The Amy Binegar-Kimmes-Lyle Book of Failures

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