Back in March of this year, we received an e-mail alerting us that Norwegian Cruise Line was having a sale: you pay for two adults, and two other adults sail for free to the Bahamas out of Miami. The package also included two all you can drink packages. Like with any other sale, we shared it on social media. One of our followers and guest blogger, Milly, expressed wanting to take advantage of the sale and one other follower joined in. Since the sale was for 4, I also joined their package and added another friend to the trip.
Getting It Booked
The cruise was $264 per person for a 4 day sail to the Bahamas. The ship will be sailing out of Miami to the Grand Bahamas Island, Great Stirrup Cay, and Nassau. A cruise is a great option for those who want to visit more than one island in one trip without having to worry about booking additional accommodations and transportation.
The booking process was easy and straight to the point. We were able to book the package online by putting down a $200 deposit. When you book a cruise, the cruise line gives you a 3-4 month deadline to finish paying off the remainder of your trip. This is a great option for travelers because it gives you time to get your money together and pay off the trip in payments, it also allows groups to each make separate payments. It is important to note that any balance not paid off by the deadline will be charged to the card on file.
Since none of us are based out of Miami, we all had to book flights into Miami. Booking a flight in advance can sometimes mean you miss out on special sales. However, booking a flight in advance with a price you are comfortable with, gives you peace of mind. Our cruise is set to sail at 5pm so we booked early morning flights to give us plenty of “wiggle” room in case of flight delays, cancellations etc. It is extremely important you give yourself enough time because if you miss your cruise there isn’t another one you can catch, so plan accordingly!
What’s included & More
There’s a lot of hesitation from people when it comes to cruises. A lot of people fear getting sea sick, anxious or bored. I suggest you wipe from your mind any ideas you have of what a cruise is like, and instead go in one so you can have a change of heart. The majority of the time you’re on the ship, you won’t remember you are on it. Think of a cruise like you do of a resort, with all the amenities you can think of, except they are on a boat.
The ship will make a stop in each island in the itinerary for the day, at this time passengers have the option to disembark the boat and spend time on land. Passengers could book and pay for excursions and activities online before their trip.
While food is included with your package, alcoholic drinks and WiFi connection is not. You can pay as you go for drinks, or some cruise lines such as Norwegian, allow you to purchase an unlimited drink package. If you can’t live without wifi you will have to pay a steep price for it. I personally don’t mind a detox from technology so I’ll be passing up on data options.
Ready To Sail
With everything packed and ready to sail, we are just counting down the hours to the cruise. While this trip is exciting because I am touching down on new waters, it is also exciting to see how it plays out to have 4 strangers with a common love for travel, explore the Bahamas together. Stay tuned for our follow up!
Safe Travels