This spring break, my friends and I took the Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas! Although I am a confident traveler with lot’s of experience, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous as a first time cruiser. I had so many questions that I decided to write them down, and answer them once I get back from my trip!
Do You Need A Passport?
Not always! Our Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas did not require a passport. This is possible on a “closed loop cruise” where the cruise departs from and finishes at a U.S port. My friend didn’t have a passport and she just needed to have her birth certificate. This is super helpful for first time cruisers who want to explore.
Should You Bring Cash?
Not really. It is nice to have cash to tip when you are at the ports, but you don’t need it. Many restaurants and excursions take credit card. If you are buying from street vendors though, you will want cash. You don’t need it at all on the cruise.
What Size Should Your Luggage Be?
For a five day cruise, you should be able to pack everything in a carryon suitcase. You can have larger luggage, but it is much harder to store in your small cabin. I also brought a back pack along with me for my day of embarkment needs.
What is The Process of Boarding The Boat?
The process of boarding the boat is organized, but odd. We got dropped off in this large empty parking lot and walked up to what looked like a warehouse. We put our checked luggage on carts and then left them with the attendees in the parking lot. Then we walked through a line holding our boarding pass and passport. Our pass was scanned a couple times as we walked through a windy path around the building until we ended up at the check in point. This is where a desk agent would scan our passport, take our pictures, and formally check us in. From there, we sat in the rows of blue chairs that looked like a chaotic DMV until our boarding group was called. Once your group was called, you headed towards security. Lastly, you make your way up the ramp to the boat. You can do whatever you want when you arrive on to the boat, but it is recommended that you go to your muster station for a security briefing. The briefing is extremely short, with only 20 people in the room at a time.
What is Security Like?
It was similar to TSA in that you had to empty your water bottles, but different because you could keep everything else in your bag and keep your shoes and jackets on. It was much quicker than TSA at airports, and there is no fast pass.
How Long Are You At Each Port?
This may differ from cruise to cruise but we were at port from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. My friends and I spent about 4-5 hours off the boat and came back for meals or to simply get out of the hot sun.
Do You Need To Book An Excursion To Go To The Beach?
No! When you book your cruise you are offered to book excursions to go along with it. You do not need to do these!! Some excursions are $100 to have a beach chair and umbrella set up that you absolutely do not need. You can simply walk to the beach and lay out on your cruise provided towel. Sure, it is not as glamorous but it saves $100.
We booked a catamaran and snorkeling excursion for our day in Nassau and loved it.
Do You Need To Pack Snacks or Can You Get Food At All Hours?
I recommend bringing at least one snack. I brought breakfast bars that came in handy when I was starving at port but didn’t want to buy food, or late at night. Our cruise only had one food vendor open during the late hours which was a pizza place.
Is The Boat Rocky?
YES! Ugh. The first day was rocky particularly because my group had three first time cruisers who weren’t used to it. You feel the waves more on the lower decks and on the front and back ends of the boat. We always felt it when we were at the dining hall. Our second sea day we were smooth sailing and didn’t notice it as much. However, on the last sea day we were miserable. There were 10 foot swells causing the boat to rock so much they had to close the pools. The upper deck was soaked in pool water from all of the splashing. Even the entertainment felt unable to do their regular dance routine and sat on stools to sing instead. Two of my friends vomited but I just felt very dizzy with a terrible headache. We found that Advil, motion sickness stickers and oddly enough, alcohol distracted us from the dizziness.
Do You Need Special Plugs For Outlets?
Nope! The outlets were standard US type B outlets. There were only about 4 of them so if everyone needs to charge their phone, their camera, and use hair products, I recommend bringing a power strip.
Is The Food Good?
Yeah, I think so! It was much better than I had expected. I really enjoyed the burger and taco places by the pool deck for lunch. The dinner was okay, we found that the appetizers were much better than the entrees so we just ordered a bunch of those instead. For an all inclusive food concept- it was pretty great.
Is The Drink Package Worth It?
Depends on if you are all about the convenience or not. If you don’t mind bringing your own wine and maybe even sneaking in some liquor, don’t buy the package. I saved almost $150 by not getting the drink package. I still ordered all of the fun daiquiris my heart desired and did not feel deprived at all. If doing that is too much hassle to you and you’d rather just spend the extra $100 for convenience, go for it! If you are a heavy drinker you will definitely want it. I do not think that the soda drink package is worth it at all. You can still have water, coffee and lemonade for free so why spend money on juices and sodas? For five days, you can go without it.
Does The Boat Feel Claustrophobic / Crowded For A First Time Cruiser?
Kind of. We were on a really small boat so the main deck was super crowded and there were only two tiny pools for people to dip their toes into. There were not enough pool chairs for every passenger which became a problem on the sea days when there was nothing else to do but lay out. My friend who was not a first time cruiser says most newer boats have much more space. I definitely felt very overwhelmed by all the people in the tight space on the first day.
There are absolutely places for you to go to have more peace and quiet, we were just always in the popular areas. The comedy show was always crowded and we could barely get a seat or even see the comedian. The hallways, dining rooms and bars didn’t feel tight, but the absence of natural lighting bothered me.
I had an incredible time on my Carnival Cruise for spring break, however I don’t think I will be cruising again for a while. The activities, views, and food were great. The people were even better. I just don’t think it is my kind of vacation. But for the price, I’m glad we went and made the most of our trip. Read more about the trip pricing here.
