Well, at this moment I'm still sorting out the 115 pics from our Dec. 5-8 Cruise to Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas. It's my 2nd trip there this year and I cry when I come back to United States Indiana cold and boring weather. When all your town has is a reservoir just 7 miles from your house that's overrun with weeds because the city is too broke to cut its own grass, don't take too much for a sistah to want to book a flight to anywhere with a shoreline and miles and miles of sands and smiles.
But because I can go on forever and probably tick off some folks who never cruised because they just never thought about it much, here's a hint:
MORE FUN IN THE SUN WHEN THERE'S MORE THAN JUST ONE!!! Yes yes yes...I'm ready for a writers GROUP cruise. Honest to goodness it's cheaper than staying at a Holiday Inn, no joke. By the time you figure food, entertainment, parking, private butler service, 24/7 room service and buffets to boot you can't BEAT the economy of a cruise.
To get professional about this again, here's a neat article from a cruise junkie at About.com's Linda Paull Garrison. Linda is the About.com Guide to Cruises. Her contact link is here if you ever want to ask her something about cruising, but hey, ain't I a travel agent? Ask me, because most travel agents never get to travel much.
"Nada-zilch" is the case with this writer/travel agent hybrid! And, if you always wanted to be a travel writer, let's hatch a few articles together and get on Larry King Live. Personally, travel writing is more interesting than listening to Joe The Plumber softly promote his book. . . (no offense Joe...you need to join YTB! Make more friends that way. . . )
Oh well, He'r'r'r're's Linda! Personally I love how she tells the story about her own experience. And she, like me, is a flat out Sea Chick! The article text was taken from her cruise blog under "Nassau." I'm putting her link in because Linda does such a GREAT job on history!
(You Go Sea Chick!)
(The following article by Linda is found under Carribean Cruises and Ports of Call at the About.com website.)
Nassau or the Bahamas is the introductory destination that many cruisers experience on their first cruise. Three or four-day cruises leave from Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, or Port Canaveral and sail the short distance to Nassau or to Freeport in the Bahamas, giving first-time passengers a taste of cruising.
I went on my first cruise in 1967, with a group from my high school senior class. About 90 of us rode a bus from our south Georgia homes to Miami and then did a three day cruise to Nassau. (Over 40 years later, my heart goes out to all the adults who were on that cruise ship with us!) I remember marveling at the spectacular colors of the Atlantic Ocean, the fantastic beaches, and the sights and sounds of the city. It was my first trip outside of the United States (other than to Canada), and I have been hooked on international travel since then.
The Bahamas are only 50 miles from the United States. There are actually over 700 islands in the Bahamian archipelago stretching over 100,000 square miles of sea from the eastern coast of Florida to the northern coast of Cuba and Haiti. The islands derive their name from the Spanish baja mar, which means shallows. Of the hundreds of islands in the group, less than 50 are inhabited, and cruise ships usually visit only two ports--either Nassau or Freeport.
Thousands of cruisers are in Nassau every weekend. The day we were there on the Regent Seven Seas Mariner, 4 other large cruise ships were docked. We had sailed in the evening from Ft. Lauderdale, and when I awoke in the early dawn, I peeked out the balcony door to see the giant mega-resort Atlantis looming over Paradise Island across the bay.
Nassau is a perfect combination of British heritage and colonialism along with modern resorts and picturesque beaches. Nassau is located on the island of New Providence, which is about 21 miles long and 7 miles wide. The city is compact and can be explored easily on foot in a few hours. Cruise ships dock at piers on the north side of the island, a 10 minute walk from the center of the city. The modern pier, known as Prince George Wharf, is only one block from famous Bay Street, the main shopping street of Nassau. When your cruise ship docks, you will find plenty of taxis waiting to take you around the island.
When you are in Nassau for the day, you can either take a shore excursion sponsored by the cruise ship, book an excursion on your own, or use the time to explore the city, the island or a beach. We used our half day in Nassau to take a boat to Sting Ray City, a small island near Nassau. There we snorkeled with a group of sting rays, petted them, and even fed them some squid, which they sucked out of a closed fist. Weird sensation! Other shore excursions including a tour of Nassau or the island, boat trips, snorkeling or diving, golf, swimming with dolphins, or exploring on a submarine. There is certainly something for everyone!
If you decide to not take an organized shore excursion, stop off at the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism near Rawson Square. They can help give you a really good sense of what to see and do in Nassau. You can't miss it--you will see it when you exit the cruise ship pier. They can provide maps, directions, and other information. If you are exploring the city on foot, it certainly helps to know what you are looking at!
Nassau is a wonderful place to visit for a short getaway cruise or as a port of call on a longer one. It's close to the U.S., but is "foreign" enough to be very interesting. Because of the thousands of visitors, there are many opportunities for activities, but the streets are often packed with tourists. All of the major cruise lines, along with many smaller ones and yacht charters, include Nassau as a port of call. I think you will enjoy the colonial history, the turquoise waters, and the many options for fun.
When we visited Nassau on the Regent Seven Seas Mariner, the ship was only in Nassau from early morning until 1:00 pm in the afternoon, so we didn't have time to do much. We took a three-hour shore excursion called, "Stingray City and Snorkeling". Ronnie and I both love snorkeling, and this trip to Blue Lagoon Island featured an opportunity to snorkel with many sea creatures, including some stingrays. The excursion was $32 per person in December 2001. Last December in Tahiti I had an opportunity to get "up close and personal" with some rays while snorkeling on Moorea, and snorkeled with sting rays at the famous sting ray city on Grand Cayman Island in the Caribbean.
Nassau -- Facts, Figures, and History
Nassau is the best-known city in the Bahamas, but can you name the island on which it is located? New Providence is the island home of Nassau, and it is located in the middle of the Bahamas archipelago of over 700 islands. These islands start within 50 miles of Miami and stretch hundreds of miles to the northern coasts of Haiti and Cuba. Only about 35 or so are populated, and Nassau, Freeport, and Paradise Island get most of the tourists. About two thirds of the population of about 260,000 live on New Providence.
Recorded Bahamian history starts with a date familiar to many of us--October 12, 1492. Christopher Columbus made landfall in the New World on an island in the Bahamas that he named San Salvador. Neither Columbus nor the explorers who followed him ever found gold or riches in the islands. European settlers first came to the Bahamas in 1648, but the late 17th century found the Bahamas full of pirates such as Edward Teach (Blackbeard) and Henry Morgan. The British managed to bring the islands under control by hanging many of the pirates, and the Bahamas became a colony of Great Britain in 1728. The islands are still part of the British Commonwealth of nations.
Since the Bahamas are so close to the United States, they have played an interesting role in the history of this country. In fact, the American captured Nassau and held it for two weeks during the Revolutionary War. The Bahamas also were involved with the United States during two storied eras of our past--gun-running during the War Between the States, and rum-running during Prohibition.
The relationship between the Bahamas and the United States may not be quite as exciting anymore, but Americans invade the islands each week via cruise ship or airplane bringing welcome tourism dollars into the Bahamian economy.
Exploring Nassau
Many tourists believe that Nassau is the best of both worlds. It is modern enough to have the tourism infrastructure work well, the economic conditions are better than much of the rest of the Caribbean, and nothing in the city is so "unfamiliar" to make less well-traveled tourists uncomfortable. At the same time, Nassau has just enough of the exotic side to make you realize you're not at home anymore. When you step off the ship and see the police, dressed in their "bobbie" uniforms and directing traffic that is driving on the left, you will immediately realize you've left home! The old colonial sites, the lilt of the British language influence, and the West Indian people and festivals help make Nassau a fascinating destination.
Nassau is stretched along the northern coast of New Providence. The city is compact and easy to leisurely explore on foot. As you stroll the city, absorb the colonial history and allow time to look for bargains in the shops and straw markets. Our ship, the Mariner, has a shore excursion ($32 per person) of Nassau and the famous Ardastra Gardens. This tour includes a walk down Bay Street to the Queen's Staircase and a visit to Fort Fincastle and Fort Charlotte before concluding at the Ardastra Gardens.
Outside of Nassau on New Providence Island
New Providence Island is only 21 miles long and 7 miles wide, so it is easy to see in a few hours via bus, car, or moped. Shore excursion tours often combine a tour of Nassau, some sightseeing, and time at the beach. If you have spent time in Nassau before, you might want to take an excursion outside the city. Our cruise on the Mariner included a glassbottom boat shore excursion ($24 per person) that tours Nassau Harbor and Paradise Island, allowing you time to see the historical sites from the water. In addition to the snorkeling with stingrays excursion that we did, a "dolphin encounter" shore excursion ($95 per person) allows swimmers an opportunity to view dolphins doing tricks while standing in the water with them. This trip is NOT a "swim with the dolphins" program, but might be fun for those who love these wonderful creatures.
Okay, that's the end of Linda's stuff. She also adds TEN Questions to ask yourself before you cruise. Created by Linda, and translated by yours truly...in a way those of you who know my writing will only be able to understand:
“Team Spectrum” family speak. . .
Linda's 10 questions every cruiser needs to ask.
These are great...and I had to ad lib a little. . .
TEN--Count Em'. . .TEN
Q1. Who is going…not thinking about going, but GOING?
Q2. How much after-your-paycheck-deductions moolah are you prepared to spend? With YTB whatever you spend, as a affiliate with your own booking site, 99.9999% of your travel is 100% tax deductible. For retail non-travel affiliates, a mainstream 4 day 3 night cruise to the Caribbean runs you about $80 per person per day on average, depending on how much you want to splurge. And this segways to the next question:
Q3. How long to you plan to be away from your bills, your dog, your cat, your plant, your boss?
Q4. What time of year do you want to go? (Antarctica in December is NOT a good idea!, leads to another segway for the next question:
Q5. Where have you always dreamed of going but were too scared to ask your boss for time off or else you would have gone there already? What is YOUR dream trip? Take along someone else who has the same dream trip. (If it’s your dream partner/significant other you want to cruise with you, dingdingdingdingdingding!!! DREAM COME TRUE!!!)
Q6. What types of things do you like to do? Study the shore excursions on your own or with your designated travel professional who knows from personal experience what to expect and what’s offered for all ages and abilities.
Q7. What type of cabin accommodations do you desire? Believe it or not, a family of four is more economical and comfortable with a suite. Kids love the ocean view cabins too!
Q8. When do you want to eat dinner? On some ships, this is anytime you select from a series of times…from early to late dinner hours. PLUS room service is 24/7 and typically free on most all fleets.
Q9. How will you get to your cruise ship? If you want an all in one convenience and don’t mind flying, book your flight tickets and your cruise tickets as a package deal. It’s best to arrive at least one day early to unwind, and make sure you don’t miss the boat if your flight happens to be delayed for some reason. And ALWAYS check 72 hours ahead of time to make sure that your flight has not changed. (Airlines can do some funny stuff!)
Q10: Do you wanna dress up or just chill casual? From tux and tails to sarong and bikini tops and bottoms…there’s a cruise ship for everyone…even you!
What are you waiting on? It’s tax deductible if you get your booking engine before it goes up by $250 more dollars by Coach Tomer’s birthday (Jan. 11, 2009). Go to the RTA who told you about YTB and get started. Even if you know us personally, if you were told about benefiting from YTB and that person is still active in their business, honor them…don’t backstab them by joining someone else’s team and they’ve given you back ground materials to become part of their team first.
YTB Travel Network International is built on a simple yet strong phrase:
Coach’s famous words: “If it ain’t true, don’t say it and if it ain’t right, don’t do it.” Flipped around they say the same thing!
