First time cruisers questions:Bahamas!?

Question

My husband and I are planning on taking a cruise in October to the Bahamas. We've never been before.

We're leaving from Port Canaveral , FL and going on a Royal Caribbean ship.

I was just wondering if anyone has any advice on what we should expect.

1.Will it still be warm in October?

2.Do we need a passport?What kind of identification do we need? I read the FAQ's on the site , but I didn't completely understand it (only 21 yrs.old;never vacationed much before w/o my parents.)

3.Any other advice on ANYTHING you deem useful!

THANKS!

Answer 1

The rules requiring a passport for everyone will change next summer.  Right now all you need is a certified copy of your birth certificate and a photo ID.  BUT, since you will not be cruising until October you have plenty of time to get  a passport.  You can go to the US passport office's web site:  http://travel.state.gov/passport/passpor...

and print the application form, one for you and one for your husband.  Then you will need two passport photos (get them from an AAA office or some travel agencies or Wal Mart will do them.  The fee for the passport is $100 per adult.  You will need to mail your application with the fee, your birth certificate, and photos to the passport office.  They will take about 4 to 6 weeks to send you your passport.  All of that process is explained on the web site.

The weather in October will be perfect, except that it will be the end of the hurricane season and so there may be a chance for bad weather.  If there is bad weather the cruise line will steer away from it and even change the cruise itinerary to stay away.  So don't worry about being on ship.  Otherwise the weather will be fine temperature wise.  We cruised out of Port Canaveral last December and had perfect weather for our whole cruise.  The weather was also perfect for the beaches at our port stops.

You can look at the features of your ship on this web link:  http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruis...

it helps to know what things will be available on your ship.

For the most part your cruise will be all inclusive. Let me explain.

Regardless of which cruise line you go on the things that are included are pretty much the same. The price of your cruise includes your cabin, all meals (including breakfast, lunch dinner, snacks and free room service)(you do pay to eat in the specialty restaurants), all shows and entertainment, and free use of all facilities on ship. The things that you will have to pay for are:

GRATUITIES: They will amount to about $10 per person in your cabin per day.  When you check in at the pier they will set up an on-board charge account for you to cover any and everything you may buy on ship. They will issue you a "cruise card" which will also serve as your room key and pass to get on and off the ship. At the end of the cruise they will add the gratuity to your tab and you can pay with a credit card or cash, your choice.  So your cruise will be essentially cashless while you are on the ship.

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND SOFT DRINKS: Coffee, tea, milk, juice, and lemonade and punch will be provided FREE but you must pay for soft drinks and alcoholic beverages and they will add a 15% gratuity to each drink and soft drink order.

PHOTOGRAPHS: Cruise lines will take plenty of photographs of you all over the ship, in the dining room, and as you exit the ship in ports. These will cost a lot, like $15 to $20 for most.

TOURS/EXCURSIONS: You are not required to book any tours and can get off and on in the ports as much as you want. But the cruise line will offer a lot of tours and these are expensive.

SOUVENIRS: Anything you buy on ship from a gift shop or duty free shop goes on your on board account. Things that you buy on shore you pay cash or credit card for.

CASINO: If you plan to gamble on ship you will need cash for that.

OTHER: most cruise lines have what they call "specialty" restaurants where there is a gratuity/service charge. All other food on board is free and its not really necessary to budget for food; you cannot eat all of the FREE FOOD that will be available.

SPA SERVICES: If you want/need to have your hair done, get a massage or wrap, or any services from the spa, you will have to pay for them. You can use the gym free but the spa stuff cost big bucks.

INTERNET SVCS: Ships now have internet cafe and some have WiFi but the there is a fee for internet access and it is very expensive (like about $50 to $60 an hour).

You cabin will likely have a minibar with soft drinks and munchies; you have to pay for them (but there is free room service 24/7).

I have been on about 20 cruises, many with Royal Caribbean, and here's what I suggest based on my experiences:

Always pack your passport and cruise documents in your carry on bag ONLY.

The dress on ship is casual all day until 6:00PM, so take:

-swim wear (at least 2),

-shorts, tank tops and "T's"

-sandals,

-beach shoes,

-your snorkel equipment if you have it,

-sun glasses and sun screen,

-lotions,

-a cap or big hat for the sun,

-a book if you are a reader,

-your music player,

-sneakers and clothes to workout in if you like to use the gym,

-good walking shoes,

-your camera, and

-other personal toiletries including tooth paste, mouth wash or lotions.

Your cabin will have towels and soap provided, including pool and beach towels, and a hair dryer. It will also have a generic hair shampoo so you do not need to bring that unless you like a specific brand.

After 6:00 PM they request that you wear "sports or resort casual" attire. That's attire that you would expect a person to wear in a business office, (like a bank employee), shirt with a collar, slacks, skirt, blouse, etc. You can still wear shorts and swim wear in the pools and spas but not in public areas like dining rooms and restaurants, show rooms, bars, casino, etc. Don't over pack , take clothes that you can mix and match tops and bottoms and plan to wear each piece twice. Since you are going to the Caribbean you will likely be in shorts and/or swim wear most of every day so evening clothes don't usually get much wear.

Your cruise will have a formal night or two when you can wear your best stuff and get pictures taken, and maybe meet the ship’s Captain. The formal nights are REQUESTED not required attire. You will not be denied entry to the main dining room if you decide not to dress up, as long as you are at least sports casual. But most people do dress up. A gown or party dress for women and a suit or tux for men. Some people dress up both formal nights, some don't.

- Its best to pack using soft-sided luggage because with space limited in your cabin it fits under the beds better if its not hard sided luggage.

- Pack using the vacuum clothing bags (about $20 for 3 at Target) so that you can get more in your bag AND so that if the TSA at the airport opens your bag they can see what's inside without rummaging through your things.

-Take a small carry-on bag for the last night of the cruise. On the last evening you will be required to put your luggage outside your cabin by about 2:00 AM so that they can start taking it down to the lower deck for offloading the next morning. So you will need a small bag for your toiletries and your clothes that you sleep in.

- If you can take a six-pack of bottled water and soft drinks in your carry-on for your cabin. You will have to pay for both on the ship and its nice to have those handy in the cabin.

- If you are taking your cell phone, MP3 player or other item that needs to be plugged in take an extension cord as the plugs in the cabin are generally not in the best places and there are usually only one or two.

- Take a small bottle of hand sanitizer and/or hand-wipes. There are generally sanitizer dispensers at the entrances of restaurants, the buffets and dining room, but some times the are not there or not working. The sanitizer helps prevent the spread of the Norwalk Virus that sometimes occur on cruise ships.

-If you plan to get into the pools or hot tub as soon as you get on ship (they will be open), bring those clothes in your carry on bag; you other luggage may not get to your cabin until much later in the afternoon.

- Take a can of air freshener for your cabin bathroom. The bathrooms do not have exhaust fans.

- Take a few zip lock bags of various sizes; they always come in handy.

- Take some one dollar bills (also maybe a few $5's) for tipping the porters in the airport, at the pier (they do not work for the ship), and they will come in handy in port stops for buying small items in the markets and at vendor stands; especially bartering places.

That may be more than you wanted but you asked for advice.

Answer 2

Yes, it should still be warm in October.  It's a very beautiful time of year there.  You will not need a passport, but it is recommended.  I just applied for a passport and was told it's taking 1 to 4 weeks to receive new passports.  If you decide not to get a passport, then you will need your original/certified birth certificate as well as a picture government issued ID (Drivers License).  Have a great cruise!

Andrew

www.travelsbyandrew.com

Answer 3

1. its awesome in october, been a few times and the weather is alway great, you do run the risk of a hurricaine

2. as of now you do not need to have a passport unless you are flying out of the country. you will need your driver's license and birth certificate. i just got my passport and it took less than 2 weeks from the time i took it to the post offfice and when i got it back. go to the passport.gov and it tells you better what you need

3. save money on the transportation to and from the ship by using an outside transport company. our group has used this company and they were fantastic

http://www.abusytraveler.com/abt_reserva...

5. have a great time, dont forget to pack a power strip if you use alo of hair things and an alarm clock and watch, there are very few clocks on the ship

Answer 4

no passport as of now but regulations can change any time

doubele check with your cruiseline

you need..

1photo id

2marrige license

3original birth certificate

my suggestion is go ahead and get a passport but it may not arrive in time for your trip

Answer 5

It should be warm in october

That i know of, only St. Thomas requires that you have a passport and an inspection, but most cruise ships require you have a passport.

3. since your going to leave from canaveral, can you take a picture of the Disney Cruise Line for me? (if its there at the time)

have fun!

Answer 6

Be sure and take your marriage certificate, if you are "underage" for RCL cruises.  Check the age requirements - some lines are 25, some are 21.