Our 4 Day Cruise to the Bahamas

As I write this, it's 46 degrees and raining in Nashville, and I was here just two short days ago.

This is depressing.

It really was a fun little cruise with friends. Two different stops in the Bahamas & one day at sea. We ate a lot of food and soaked up the sun!

before snorkeling at Paradise Cove Beach Resort in Freeport, Bahamas

the snorkeling was amazing!

Halloween on board!

Morticia & Gomez Adams for Halloween :)

at the front of the ship in Nassau, Bahamas

Junkanoo Beach in Nassau

with the girls in Nassau

with Matt in Nassau

I personally prefer the Eastern Caribbean cruise route, but we had a good time in the Bahamas. Here are a few tips of what to do on a cruise to the beautiful Bahamas!

In Nassau

• Avoid the "Straw Market". It's chock full of tourist-trap garbage you can find on any island. Here's a list of souvenirs to avoid.
• You can walk (about 1 mile) to Junkanoo beach where you can lay out for free, or rent chairs and ship cocktails.
• Try the conch here. Everyone says it's the best place in the tropics!

In Freeport

• Take a cab to Paradise Cove Beach Resort and go snorkeling. The reef is amazing & there are so many gorgeous fish!
• One of the local beers is SANDS & it is brewed in Freeport! You can do a brewery tour or just sip this fresh brew on the beach. 

My packing list worked out great! I could have brought even less, because nothing had to be re-worn except my travel clothes to and from the cruise. Matt and I packed all of our clothes in this Dakine suitcase below. It worked out really well!

It's back to reality, and now I'm putting all my efforts into planning Italy! I can't wait!
xo

Have you been on a cruise? Here are a few other cruise posts you might enjoy if you're planning one:

• Cruise packing list for men & women
• What to wear on your cruise
• 10 things to know about your cruise

10 Things You Should Know About Your Cruise

Cruises are a really simple way to go on vacation. They require almost no thought to plan and book - it's awesome.

Here are 10 things you should know about cruises that will help you pack well and save money. Who doesn't love that? 

Packing

• Leave Your Towel at Home
• There will be beach towels in your stateroom (make sure you bring them back, you'll be charged otherwise) and additional towels on the pool deck. Leave the bulk at home! Check out my packing list for women & men to keep your luggage light.
• You Don't Need a Passport
• If you're a US citizen & don't have a passport for some reason (why don't you have one?! Go apply today!), you can bring other documentation to board the ship. 
• The easiest is a birth certificate + photo ID, but learn more here.
• You Have to "Check" Your Luggage
• Your suitcase will be scanned through and delivered to your room by the cruise staff. This can take hours, leaving you without your bags until after dinner. 
• Pack a small "personal item" (a beach tote for me, a backpack for Matt) to get you through the day. 
• Bathing suit, sunscreen, sunglasses, make up, any medications, and a change of clothes for dinner - just incase your bag is the last one to be delivered or ends up in the wrong room.

Food & Beverage

all the desserts.

• There Are Some Free Drinks
• While cruise lines make most of their money off drink sales, there are definitely ways to get around it. All cruise lines offer free water, coffee & juices throughout the day for you to sip on.
• BYO
• All cruise ships allow you to bring 1 bottle of wine or champagne per passenger (up to 2 per stateroom) to drink at your own leisure - for free. Sorry for the beer & liquid lovers, but YAY for the winos! Lucky for me, Matt doesn't drink wine so it looks like I'll have 2 bottles all to myself :)
• If you bring your bottle to dinner, there will likely be a corking fee. Check with your cruise line to be sure, but it will end up being more affordable regardless.
• Some cruise lines (like Carnival) allow you to bring a certain amount of non-alcoholic drinks. Check with your cruise line before bringing a 12 pack of Sprite.
• Duty Free Liquor
• Yay! Tax free booze! Sounds like a great idea for the rest of your cruise. However, you'll be forced to hand it over to the cruise staff until you're back on US soil.  
• 90% of the Food is Free
• The buffet, formal breakfast/lunch/dinner, room service and all snacks (pizza, ice cream, burgers) are free.
• There are some options you can pay for, such as specialty coffee or an exclusive restaurant.
• Consider the Late Dinner Option
• Most cruise lines have an early & late dinner (6 or 8pm)
• Our upcoming cruise has 2 ports, they go until 5pm & 7pm. 
• Rushing back to get ready for a formal dinner is no fun. We'll have a snack if necessary & take our time in the Bahamas!

On Board 

• They WILL Leave You Behind
• Just like an airplane, you need to be on time. If the ship leaves at 5pm, be there by 4.30 just in case. 
• Also, even if you're traveling to a different time zone, your trip will always operate on "ship time" (the time zone you departed from).
• Tip At The End of Your Trip
• Your lovely wait staff & housekeeping staff will be some of the kindest & hardest working people you'll ever meet. Make sure you take care of them at the end! You can add this to your "tab" or leave cash.

Hope these tips were helpful. I know I wish I would have known about these before my first cruise! Do you have any others that I missed?

xo

Other Posts You Might Enjoy

Cruise Packing List for Women

Cruise Packing List for Men

How to Change your Name for Travel

How to Pack Light & Always Carry On

What to Pack for a Cruise

We are gearing up for a 4 day cruise for my friend Taylor's 30th birthday. I'm so excited! But after our cruise last year, I'm thinking about what to pack for this cruise (without overpacking).

Growing up, we went on cruises for several family vacations. I have to say, it really was the BEST vacation to me as a teenager. We had total freedom on the ship, tons of activities for our age group, and we got to island hop & tan. From my parents perspective, I understand why they chose cruises: they are crazy affordable (especially for Florida residents) and incredibly easy to plan. Think about it - you book one thing (the cruise) and you get to see several different countries. PLUS your lodging, food and entertainment is covered. It really couldn't be more simple.

In my adult life, I've been on two different cruises. One was a week after I graduated from college with these loves.

We were all so tan in 2008.

The second one was last year. We took a cruise with 4 other couples and it was a BLAST!

From my experience on cruises, you definitely need a wide variety of clothing as your activities are across the board!

• Formal dinners (cocktail dress, black tie)
• Casual dinners (sundress, business casual)
• At sea days (pool, relaxing, casino, shopping)
• Island hopping (hiking, tours, walking, beach, etc)
• Travel days (to and from the ship)

Last years' cruise was when I realized I was consistently overpacking. For 7 nights, I brought a HUGE suitcase that was packed to the brim. It was WAY TOO MUCH. I knew it had to change. 

For the last year, I've packed in nothing bigger than a carry on and it's completely changed how I travel.

Now that we're about a week out from the cruise, I'm thinking about what to pack and cringing about my huge suitcase last year! So here lies the question: what to pack for a cruise without bringing your entire closet? 

Here's what I'm thinking for inspiration....

Little Mistress strapless maxi dress, $105 / U Knits sleeveless dress / Topshop strappy black dress / Mela Loves London cocktail dress, $42 / H M shirts top, $24 / Abercrombie Fitch white racerback tank top / T By Alexander Wang linen tank top / VILA black jacket, $71 / Roxy swimsuit cover up / Distressed jeans, $42 / Current/Elliott shorts / American Eagle Outfitters wide cropped pants / Adidas clothing / We Are Handsome tankini swimsuit top, $130 / Melissa Odabash bandeau top, $140 / L Space lspace swimwear / Tory Burch suede shoes / Asics sports shoes, $240 / Metallic flat sandals / Beach Collection metallic bag, $32 / Michael Kors leather purse / Diamante necklace / Maya brenner jewelry / Alexis Bittar yellow gold earrings / Michael Stars fedora hat / Faliero Sarti scarve, $205 / D&G mirror sunglasses, $985 / LEATHER CLUTCH GOLD

Some power players on this packing list:

• Sandals that can be casual or dressy. They transition from the pool to casual dinners.
• Dresses that go from day to night. My little black dress and floral maxi can be dressed up with heels and a blazer or scarf. 
• Bathing suit cover ups that double as a dress. I can lounge by the pool and hop back inside without feeling awkward or under dressed.  Can also be worn on-island.
• Scarf & long sleeved shirt/cardigan. These ships are COLD. You might be in the sunshine during the day, but don't be fooled - dinner and a show will always be sub zero. 
• Swim suits that mix and match. I would never bring less than 2 suits on a tropical vacation (putting a cold, wet suit is the WORST). Choosing pieces that mix & match will give you options.

I'll be taking a slimmed down version of my Florida packing list & making sure every item can be worn two ways. I really want to pack light and get creative. It's the beach, after all - no reason to overpack! Packing carry on only for a cruise should be a simple.

With the temperatures dropping in Nashville I am looking forward to soaking up some sun. Our island stops are Nassau & Freeport - have you been there? Any must-see/must-do sights or activities in the Bahamas?

xo