Bahamas...Does ANYBODY have anything nice to say?

[BostonJess]

the booze cruise is always a hit in the Bahamas........and yes, the locals do harass you quite a bit......

[sea-cruise]

Hi Halos, It's been about 6 years since I've been to Nassau, so I don't know what it's like now. Wish there was a bigger timeframe between your Miracle and ours, so I'd have time to get the lowdown from you. As you know, you'll be debarking and we'll be embarking same day. I've been to 29 of the Islands and after awhile I started asking the cabin steward and waiter where the nice beaches are, what hotels allow you to use their pools, etc. I've always gotten good advice because they always use the facilities on their days off at certain ports. (One time they sent us to a hotel in Aruba, and the men in our group got into a game of water basketball with a group of Harley Distributors and THAT was a lot of laughs! Our guys got clawed, & bathing suits ripped off, and wondered if there was any such thing as a "foul" in that game! Heck, I didn't even mind the straw huts w/slats in the floor hanging over the ocean that were "restrooms" in the San Blas Islands in Panama, but YIKES...don't EVER swim in the water there...haha.
We actually enjoyed every island we ever went to, and brushed off anyone who offered drugs. The only places I won't go back to are the ports in South America and Israel because of the constant fighting and crime, but I know your friends will be too busy having a good time to nitpick. Life's an adventure right?

"Nothing should be more highly prized than the value of each day".... celebrating cruise #30 soon

[This message was edited by sea-cruise on 05-12-04 at 05:46 PM.]

[Joanportia]

I am not sure what your travel experience is. I did not read all the posts but I would say that in life it is best to experience things yourself. Research first and then experience. In this age of the internet; it can be a good and it can be a bad thing. Decide what makes you happiest and look for it. If you want to relax at a beach....do your research ... You know that life is like a box of chocolates etc...etc. Take all advice at face value and experience for yourself. You may fall in love with the Bahamas thousands of people have.

If you get to return to places as many do who become addicted to cruising or vacationing in the Caribbean then you may return to favorite spots or choose to seek out new experiences.

Some people like to watch movies over and over again or reread favoite books and others prefer to watch new movies or read new books. Traveling preferences are similar.

Hope this helps!

Joan

Sail on....

[img]url=http://www.animationlibrary.com/Animation11Food_and_Drinks/Cold_Beverages/Tropical_drink.gif[/img] [img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=800080&cdt=2004;10;17;16;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
"INSPIRATION"...Long Over Due......

[nursejewels]

Sgtmonz...she's a beaut! I loved her back in July '03, and I loved her more in April! I have no complaints! I am envious of you though...I wish I could win the lotto or something and go again! And watch out for the stingrays at Blue Lagoon...they "suck"...literally! And I had a big old hickey on my knee to proove it! But also a great story for the rest of the cruise! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
Julie

[nursejewels]

...not sure what we are doing in Freeport yet, and still clueless as to why Carnival spends a very long day in Port Canaveral and offers only one excursion...but I'm sure we'll find a beach there as well.
Halos...go to Cocoa Beach and hang out at The Pier...they have live music in one of the bars, a restaraunt, and a live band on the pier outside with cafe seating also. You can sit & eat & listen to music, and then go stroll the beach or walk to the huge RonJon beach store on the main strip just up the road. It's all about 7-10 minutes from the port.

[Triguy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> By all means visit the island but please don't just visit the tourist/port area and then pass judgement on the whole island or country.

Thanks for letting me vent my frustation at people who judge the whole barrel of apples by the rotten one lying on top.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Now this poster is sincere.

[img]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_2_117.gif[/img]

[writerbecky12]

To answer your question, YES! You bet I had a good time in the Bahamas.

We did the Dolphin Encounter at Blue Lagoon island and LOVED it! In fact, that's one of my favorite memories from my cruise.

And, I'll ditto one of the posters who said they've seen poverty in just about every port/island they've been to. I think Progreso was probably the worst...far worse than what I saw in the Bahamas. That's for sure.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=9400d3&cdt=2004;5;14;12;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
until grad school is over!


**************
Carnival Pride 6/2003
Girls Cruise - Paradise 1/18/2004!!!!

[halos]

I totally agree that you can't judge a whole barrel of apples by just the one bad one lying on top...heck, you can go to any small town, city, state in any country and have that experience....you can be in an amazing area, totally oblivious to anything other that the beauty that surrounds you...yet if you wander just a few miles in any direction, you could be in poverty stricken, drug manufacturing hell. This is true on islands AND in any city or town in the US or Europe as well.
As far as locals bothering me, I agree that it can be annoying...but for me at least, I know in my heart that I usually feel annoyed because seeing people in that condition...especially children, makes me uncomfortable with my 'wealth'. I know that my husband and I work hard for the things we have...no one ever gave us anything, but I still think that being born in the US, at the time I was born, in the area that I was born with the morals and standards passed down from me from the parents I was blessed to have been given...well, obviously I feel I have had a huge advantage.
So, when I see these people, children begging to stay alive, I try not to judge.

I believe in Miracles
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=000080&cdt=2004;6;19;16;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
MIRACLE JUNE 19, 2004
Calm Seas, Good Friends

[sgtmonz]

thanks julie... i'm really looking forward to seeing the ship... i've been on her 4 times before and have had a blast but it's about time that they did the refit... she was starting to show her age...

so... did you make up some good stories about how you got a hickey on your knee?

[kodiac]

Just a word of advise if you are going to Blue Lagoon...


Order room service and take it off the ship with you. The prices for food there are bad!

The excursion with the stingrays - awsome!

Kodiac [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Star Princess (Honeymoon Cruise 10/24/2004)
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2004;10;24;16;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
Carnival Inspiration 05/02/2004
Carnival Glory 10/11/2003
Carnival Legend 04/2003
Carnival Fascination 06/2002
Carnival Inspiration 11/2001
Majesty of the Seas 8/2000