The islands of the Bahamas[1] start off the coast of Florida and head southward above Cuba in a chain of hundreds of islands and cays with white sand beaches, surrounded by clear blue waters. The most visited spots include Grand Bahama and Nassau. Cruise prices vary depending on cruise line, length of trip and choice of stateroom.
Typical costs:
Three- or four-night Bahamas cruises from Florida cost about $170-$580 for an interior room, double occupancy, depending on the cruise line, destination, trip length, choice of stateroom and sailing date. Upgrade to an ocean view for $210-$1,180, balcony $325-$1,830 or suite $415-$1,450. The three-night trips typically occur Friday-Monday or Thursday-Sunday, while the four-night trips may span either a long weekend or from Sunday to Friday. The highest rates are typically found during Christmas, New Year's and summer months, while rates drop in the fall and late winter. For example, Carnival[2] offers a four-night winter trip including Freeport and Nassau beginning at $180 in an interior room, while Disney Cruise Lines has a four-night summer trip stopping in Nassau and Castaway Cay in a room with an ocean view for $1,180, per person, double occupancy.
Cruising the Bahamas for five to eight days cost about $300-$1,300 per person, double occupancy in an interior room, depending on sailing date, trip length and cruise line. The longer trips tend to be out of New York, New Jersey or Maryland and allow for two sailing days in each direction. Prices to upgrade to an ocean view are about $560-$1,500, balcony $760-$1,580 and suite $910-$4,800. Norweigan Cruise Lines[3] seven-night ports of call may include Nassau, Great Stirrup Cay and Orlando for about $500-$600 per person, double occupancy for an interior room, while Royal Caribbean[4] interior suites on seven-night cruises cost about $480-$880, depending on sailing date.
Most dining and onboard entertainment is included in the cost of the ticket.
Additional costs:
Alcoholic beverages are typically not included in the ticket price. Beer typically costs about $5-$7 each, wine $6-11 and cocktails $4-10. Purchases are tallied up and delivered to the stateroom at the last night of the cruise with a 15% gratuity included.
Tipping may be prepaid at a slight discount. Some cruise lines automatically bill the passenger's account for a set tip amount during the cruise, either daily or on the last day. Otherwise, tipping envelopes are either left in the stateroom during the last evening or may be picked up at the purser's desk. Expect to pay about $10-$12 per person, per day.
Shore excursions vary by activity level from swimming with dolphins $80-$250, snorkeling $30-$35 and kayaking $38-$60 to island tours and beach days at resort hotels like Atlantis[5] or private islands like the Blue Lagoon[6] $80 for adults and $46 for children.
Single cruisers typically pay supplemental fees of up to double on most cruise lines for a single occupancy cabin, or may choose to be assigned to another solo traveler.
Discounts:
Early booking[7] typically includes a discount of 10%-20% or about $80-$300, per person, depending on the selected cruise.
Shopping for a bahamas cruise:
Bahamas.com[8] offers a variety of cruise booking options.
Shipcruise.org[9] lists all cruise lines, annual itineraries and destinations.
Check CruiseCritic.com[10] for cruise line reviews and deals.
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