Cruising on the Dream in 7 weeks and I lost my job..

[ThisFemmeKat]

Lost my job recently.. thank god the cruise is paid.. But now I fear that I have no idea what to do without any money.. luckily I dont drink so the bar tab will not be an issue.. I am stopping in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten over 7 days.. any advice or ideas what I can do when in port on no money.. or very very little... I am determined not to let this ruin my vacation..

[Noreno]

I'm sorry about your job lost. When i went to Nassu, i took a cab to the beach and relaxed there it was 4.00 for a cab

[Warm Breezes]

Lost my job recently.. thank god the cruise is paid.. But now I fear that I have no idea what to do without any money.. luckily I dont drink so the bar tab will not be an issue.. I am stopping in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten over 7 days.. any advice or ideas what I can do when in port on no money.. or very very little... I am determined not to let this ruin my vacation..

 

I'd go to the port boards and ask. There seem to be some nice walking self-tours in Nassau. We took a taxi to a beach in St. Maarten once, that was pretty inexpensive.

[firefly333]

Walk around the port and window shop and people watch. Stay on the ship and enjoy the pool when its not crowded.

 

We often will go into a port and only buy a $4 tee shirt, there is always a next time, and the same exact stuff will be for sale a year later at those ports.

 

Do a walking tour, google it.

[Carolin]

Sorry to hear about your job.

 

Nassau - $2 cab ride over to Atlantis and you can look around the property and see part of the aquarium. Its pretty cool. Then wander around the port area.

 

St. Thomas - Your docked next to the shopping area. You can also get a cheap cab to the otherside and window shop to your hearts content. For I think $18, you gain enterance into Blackbeards Castle. They have a fantastic pool there that you are welcome to use. I should have stayed there longer the last time I went.

 

St. Maarten - Easy walking distance to the shopping area for some window shopping and the beach.

[shortstop95]

Keep the faith and as you wrote- don't let this ruin your trip. You're going to be on absolutely beautiful and amazing ship and your ports of call are fantastic too- you will have a good time and have great memories!

[kml2000]

First - Have a GREAT cruise!

 

I see this as an opportunity to experience EVERYTHING offered on the ship. I have often said I could do a 7 day cruise to nowhere and think I would challenge myself to do that. I don't drink OR gamble so S&S is usually not an issue. I buy DD a coke card but that is usually the majority of my expense.

 

Have a GREAT time.......

[MacBrokefoot]

I lost my job the day before a cruise 3 years ago.

 

I still went on the cruise, I used the time to work on my resume, decide where I wanted to apply for jobs, what industries etc.. I then started talking with someone who happened to sit next to me on deck and saw me working on the resume. We started chatting and he basically asked me why aren't I starting my own business to do what I do rather then go work for someone else. Why? Never occurred to me in the hustle of getting laid off, packing for the trip an getting on the boat.

 

Long story short, he got my wheels turning, got off the ship did a little research, started my own business and here I am today, my own business, my own hours and managing to still maintain the standard of living I was used to.

 

Point is - go on the cruise, you never know what can happen. I would not be where I am today if that guy never started a conversation with me on my cruise.

[tiyana4]

I lost my job the day before a cruise 3 years ago.

 

I still went on the cruise, I used the time to work on my resume, decide where I wanted to apply for jobs, what industries etc.. I then started talking with someone who happened to sit next to me on deck and saw me working on the resume. We started chatting and he basically asked me why aren't I starting my own business to do what I do rather then go work for someone else. Why? Never occurred to me in the hustle of getting laid off, packing for the trip an getting on the boat.

 

Long story short, he got my wheels turning, got off the ship did a little research, started my own business and here I am today, my own business, my own hours and managing to still maintain the standard of living I was used to.

 

Point is - go on the cruise, you never know what can happen. I would not be where I am today if that guy never started a conversation with me on my cruise.

 

Wow! What a fantastic turn of events. Good for you.

 

To the OP - hopefully you will find something shortly after your return. In the meantime, have a great cruise.

[scperk]

St Maarteen has a water taxi that goes over to the downtown beach and shopping area...Buy a round trip ticket and just go over there....Dennis

[JonnyCruiser]

Nassau - $2 cab ride over to Atlantis and you can look around the property and see part of the aquarium. Its pretty cool. Then wander around the port area.

 

Actually, $4.00 per person for the first two passengers in a group; $3.00 per additional passenger.

 

Wife and I were there just last Thursday; those were the posted rates and those were the rates we were charged.

 

But all in all, I agree - you can enjoy Nassau without spending a dime if that is what you want to do.

[blindrid]

Lost my job recently.. thank god the cruise is paid.. But now I fear that I have no idea what to do without any money.. luckily I dont drink so the bar tab will not be an issue.. I am stopping in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten over 7 days.. any advice or ideas what I can do when in port on no money.. or very very little... I am determined not to let this ruin my vacation..

 

From experience, the time off and no work related stress will be one of the greatest things you will ever experience. Take advantage of it and know that all things work in the end.

 

Have fun and relax.

[morganboys]

If you take the #10 jitney in nassau you can ride as far as you want for like $1.50 pp each way. it will take you out to cable beach.

[CruisinManiac]

So sorry about your job loss. :( As others have said, there is plenty to do without spending much money. Personally, I'd walk around the port and do what you can for free, then i would go back to the ship and relax while everyone else is off on excursions. :)

 

I don't know if you have considered this or not, but I see you have another cruise booked for next year - Carnival Freedom Nov 5th, 2011. Think about cancelling and having a little extra spending money for this cruise. Then, if you get back on your feet, you can rebook another cruise.:)

 

 

Actually, $4.00 per person for the first two passengers in a group; $3.00 per additional passenger.

 

Wife and I were there just last Thursday; those were the posted rates and those were the rates we were charged.

 

But all in all, I agree - you can enjoy Nassau without spending a dime if that is what you want to do.

 

Was that a land taxi, or water taxi? Can you still see past of the aquarium for free?

 

If you take the #10 jitney in nassau you can ride as far as you want for like $1.50 pp each way. it will take you out to cable beach.

 

Where do you find the Jitney?

[JonnyCruiser]

Was that a land taxi, or water taxi? Can you still see past of the aquarium for free?

 

Land taxi from directly outside the pier to the Coral Towers building at Atlantis and returned from one of the other buildings.

 

As nearly as I can tell, you can see the entire property if you want to and could quite possibly use any of the many pools without getting busted. About the only place that anyone looks at your wristband (day pass) is when you try to use a water slide or the tube "Lazy River" (?) float attraction, or get towels / use a storage locker.

[bplazo]

I rarely spend money on the ship and in the ports it is nice just to go to a beach and relax. No need to spend a lot of money to have a good time. :)

 

Sorry about the job loss, I sure hope the economy starts improving.

[spunkanutter]

I hope you are still able to enjoy your cruise. Last year on my very first cruise, I left all my money at home. While I was a lot more sober than I'd planned to be it was still a great time. We got off in the ports and just walked around, and window shopped. One day we were only in port for like an hour and got back on the ship. We didn't realize how cool it would be to basically have the ship to ourselves!

[tikimon]

Sorry to hear about your job loss.

Don't let it get you down, keep the faith and things will turn your way ;)

 

 

There is one good way to look at it:

At least it happened now before the cruise and not while you were on it or right after.

At least you didn't have the chance to run up a huge SS acct not knowing how to pay it back.

[salty dingo]

Lost my job recently.. thank god the cruise is paid.. But now I fear that I have no idea what to do without any money.. luckily I dont drink so the bar tab will not be an issue.. I am stopping in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten over 7 days.. any advice or ideas what I can do when in port on no money.. or very very little... I am determined not to let this ruin my vacation..

Do some research and plan a walking tour of the ports. Most of them will have historic churches, museums, botanical gardens, and beaches all with little or no cost. You definitely do not have to pay for a tour to have good time, especially if you have never been to a port.

 

Onboard, it is very easy to avoid spending money. Don't go to the casino... that's a baaaaad place! That includes bingo. Ditto for any of the specialty restaurants - if you are on a tight budget and eat there you will kick yourself for doing so when you could have had a perfectly fine meal for free.

 

You will need to pay the gratuity and do have a few bucks to spare for room service, porter, and taxi tips.

 

You will be amazed at how little it costs if you just go into the cruise determined not to do the extra charge things that are available. Tune them out. They don't even exist now!

[balcony bound]

Here are some photos of the beach the other poster are talking about in Nassau - a $4 cab ride will get you there (next to the coral towers at atlantis)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Admission to the beach..... free! Enjoy

[Jan1031]

I do understand what your feeling, my daughters wedding is in 20 days on the Legend and we are going on the cruise and I also lost my job 8 weeks ago after 12 years and it's horrible however, I too am not going to let this

ruin my vacation or the wedding, we will be just find and I will keep you

in my thoughts and prayers you'll find a job soon.

[ThisFemmeKat]

you guys are awesome.. thanks for all the tips.. i think i am all set for nassau.. i am definitely gonna check out atlantis and look around then pobably hit the beach. on the other 2 ports (st. thomas and st. maarten) is there a particular beach or spot i should try to get to.. ?

[boaterette]

Sorry about this but I am going to be the naysayer in the group I guess. Since you don't cruise until November you can still get at least 50% of your cruise price back. If it were me and I had no job or money I would cancel and use the money to pay my bills. Cruising to me is a luxury and I put my bills and food above that.

[wonderfullife]

I say go and enjoy. Not just because I will be there too!! You can just wander around the port area and people watch if you want. It can be very entertaining. I think I will be window shopping and may get a few things for the people back home watching my daughter while I am in St Thomas. I don't have any plans for Nassau either. We will likely just wander about a bit. I heard that Tim will be doing a walking tour. Maybe you can join him. I think it is he, Rosy, and Annette.

 

Aleece

[scorp111]

you guys are awesome.. thanks for all the tips.. i think i am all set for nassau.. i am definitely gonna check out atlantis and look around then pobably hit the beach. on the other 2 ports (st. thomas and st. maarten) is there a particular beach or spot i should try to get to.. ?

 

For St. Maarten:

A cab to Maho Beach or to Orient Beach....

I love Marigot, but it is further so the cab would cost more.