First Cruise Help

[cruisertobe032007]

Hello,

My sister and I are taking our 2 teenage daughters (15 and 18) on a cruise - the first for us all. We are sailing on the Fantasy/Carnival in March/2006 for 4 days - stopping at Freeport (8AM - 3PM) and Nassau (full day). The only excursion we have booked is the Dolphin Swim in Nassau at 8:30AM - what else should we do with teens? Does anyone have a recent ship itinerary? Is Freeport icky like we have read? We are wanting any and all info... PLEASE!

Thank you.

[quiltingandcruising]

I don't know about a 4 day cruise as I have always cruise 7 days with the kids but I have found with my son he always found a group of kids and spent most of his time with then and even changed his/our plans so he could take a land tour with them. You might want to wait and see what happens - he always found a group within the first 24 hours

[cruisertobe032007]

Thanks. How old is your son? Did you do any excursions?

[Bonnie J.]

In Freeport you must take a cab into town. You can snorkle which is what the kids would love! Or go to beach and parasail. You should be able to do this own your own if you don't want ship's tour. But you have to watch the clock closely as the ship won't wait for you to get back unless you're on their tour.

In Nassau you dock right in town. The girls can get their hair braided as you get off ship. The swim with dolphins is on an island so you'll have a great ride there. They have snorkling there too and beaches. Go to the straw market at the port but NEVER pay their price. ALWAYS offer 1/2 of what they say. They expect you to bargain and laugh at people who don't!

When are you going? Remember these ports are off Miami so weather temps are usually similar to Miami's.

The girls will have a ball and you'll never see them!

[quiltingandcruising]

We have cruised twice with him when he was 16 and 17. We have always done the carbbean and I am not fimilar with the ports you are stopping at, but saying that he always ended up with girls at the beach and had a great time - I know not everyone agrees but we had long range walkie-talkies (had them due to my husband and son hunting) and I was on the ship and he was at the beach about 2-3 miles away and I could still check up on him. worked great and also when we let him stay out later we could always check up on him instead of wandering the ship looking for him if I needed him or he could let us know if he was running late or needed us - like the time he tripped down the steps and sprained his ankle. Just try not to overplan - I did that the first cruise and all my plans were changed - and it was alittle stressful for me - I have learn when traveling with teenagers to go with the flow.

 

Debbie

[RizzoLee]

Good point about the weather-I didn't even think about that one myself!

I was on the exact same cruise back in May, 2004. In my humble opinion, Freeport was a bit of a bore, when you pull into port you have a small straw market on one side of the ship and an industrial plant on the other. (That was my first port call on a cruise-not a good first impression!).

We ended up taking a taxi to the International Bazaar ($5 each) and spent about 2 hours shopping. You can also go to the Port Lucaya Marketplace as well, which is what I'm going to do for my Liberty cruise in January. There's also a beach excursion, but again, don't know how warm the weather will be.

I know people who loved Freeport though, so take everything a grain of salt. I suggest just doing an excursion though.

Nassau was fun though-Senor Frog's and Atlantis are incredible! I took one of the Highlights tours too... That was a good experience.

[cruisertobe032007]

Thanks for the replies. We are thinking about booking a Carnival excursion on Freeport, called "Tranquility" it includes beach, chair, and lunch for 5 hours.... We have been hearing of so many kidnappings that now we are getting a little worried - any troubles on the cruises???

[cruisertobe032007]

Thanks for the replies. We are thinking about booking a Carnival excursion on Freeport, called "Tranquility" it includes beach, chair, and lunch for 5 hours.... We have been hearing of so many kidnappings that now we are getting a little worried - any troubles on the cruises???

[celbercrz333]

We did Carnival Fascination from Miami to Nassau, except because of a hurricane, we never made it to Nassau. But what I've read here and since I have 2 daughters (22 and almost 19) I can tell you one thing that I know your daughters will do. Sunbathe. I read that the beach in front of Atlantis is public. While the grounds are restricted, the beach itself is public. There is supposed to be a way onto it from the road. Somewhere in these message boards you'll find it. Look under Bahamas in the destination section of these boards. I'm sure there is shopping in any port that a cruise ship goes to.

Good sailing and let us know how it went when you get back.

[RizzoLee]

Thanks for the replies. We are thinking about booking a Carnival excursion on Freeport, called "Tranquility" it includes beach, chair, and lunch for 5 hours.... We have been hearing of so many kidnappings that now we are getting a little worried - any troubles on the cruises???

 

I've never had a problem (knock on wood)-but these days, you never know, right? It's better to be safe than sorry-but at the same time, if you're too safe, you'll never leave the ship. :o I would personally do the Tranquility Shores Beach Break and not think twice. Conceal your money and ID well. Don't keep touching the place where you hid it-it's the first thing pickpockets look for (it helps when you work with a retired police sergeant, lol), and always keep with a crowd.

[wrp96]

Before you sign up for the Tranquility Shores Beach Break, search on the RCI board in regards to this excursion. Somebody posted pictures in the past week that they took when they did that excursion the previous week. The highlights, were the glass littering the beach, and the auto parts underwater. Apparently this isn't the safest excursion at the moment.

[RizzoLee]

Before you sign up for the Tranquility Shores Beach Break, search on the RCI board in regards to this excursion. Somebody posted pictures in the past week that they took when they did that excursion the previous week. The highlights, were the glass littering the beach, and the auto parts underwater. Apparently this isn't the safest excursion at the moment.

 

You've got to be kidding!!! They would allow tourists on the beach with that kind of garbage lying around? I was thinking along the lines of pick pockets, kidnappings, etc. etc. etc.... Not auto parts!

I was considering doing this one myself-not anymore! Thanks!

[wrp96]

Here's the thread with the pictures.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=256927

[cruisertobe032007]

Thanks - I am married to a police officer (but he is not going on cruise) and he too has told me to keep a good eye on valuables, money, and teens...