On a Cruise, when you stop into a city, like Nassau, is the food still included on the ship?

Question

I know when you are cruising it is. Is it when you get off to go into the city, can you go back to the port and eat on the ship and get off? How does that work? I have never been on a cruise, I want to go on Soverign of the Seas with Royal Carribean? What should I expect, how is the trip? What extra expenses should we expect? We are going to Cococay and Nassua- what is there to see?

Answer 1

You can get on and off as many times as you feel like before the ship leaves port.  You should make absolutely sure that you are on the boat well before it is time to leave.

If you are shopping in Nassau and get hungry, you can eat in Nassau on your own dime, or go back to the boat, grab a snack, and then head back out.  Of course the time it takes to get from the boat to the city would likely make this unpractical.  People usually make one go of it, but if you have time, you can come and go as much as you'd like.

And food-wise, you are in for a treat.  The food is plentiful, and delicious.  Most cruise lines have food available the entire trip.  20-24 hours a day, buffet-style.  The actual meals at dinner are excellent.  You can order things like leg of lamb, or lobster, steak, and all sorts of delicacies.  Every night they have a different menu, and each menu has about 5 different main courses to choose from.  But any time during the day, if you get hungry, you can grab some fruit, or a light meal, or whatever you want.

Its alot like a Golden Corral, or a Western Sizzler during the day, and like a 5-star restaurant at night.

Answer 2

You can eat 24/7 on that ship.Have Fun!! You can't gamble when the ship is at port.

Answer 3

All of your food aboard the ship is included.  The service in the specialty dining room is extra, of course.

If you go to Nassau and get off the ship, you can return to the ship for lunch instead of buying it ashore.  The same goes for dinner if the ship leaves the port late.

Coco Cay is the private island and is a lot of fun.  There is food ashore which is included in your fare.  Nassau is fun, too, but has lots of people asking for money.  Be careful of your wallet and purse as there is streetcrime.  The beaches are very nice but once again, watch for theft.

Answer 4

when ur in nassua take a taxi to atlantis it is a resort that is gorgous. they have casinos bars water slides it is about 10 bucks each way.

Answer 5

Food is included in the ship only

Restaurants in the cities want to get paid for food you eat.

No freebees

Answer 6

usually there is a light lunch onboard ("light" is pretty relative - it's just not steak and lobster) and yes, basic food on board is always free (some ships have exclusive restraunts with cover charges).

The only things you pay for on the ship are drinks (other than water, milk, juice, coffee), the casino (duh), exclusive restraunts, excursions (investigate prices before you leave), and TIPS (you need to tip everybody on the last day -- it is like $15-20 per person per day in recommended tips) and anything you do onshore (taxis, restraunts, souveniers, etc).

I could give suggestions forever on what is fun about cruising and why, but I'll spare the details -- food and on board shows are the best parts of the cruise (much like Las Vegas). a lot of people enjoy the casino on board as well.

as far as what you can do at port, you can get on and off the ship however many times you would like to throughout the day - you just need to go through security checks every time.  if you want to do an excursion in the morning, come back for lunch and go to the market in the afternoon - feel free (most people do this)

I took a similar cruise a couple of years ago and it was my least favorite cruise of my 4 cruises (but still a fun vacation).

I personally prefer a longer cruise for a first cruise - by the time you get used to cruising on a 3 day cruise, you are back home.

as far as the ports you are visiting, here are my opinions:

Cococay is just an island created by Royal Carribean, so it is just very fake and cruise ship oriented. That doesn't mean you can't have fun though!

They have a lot of activities crammed into a little island.  There is a nice cove to swim in if you don't want to spend any money and just want to sit on the beach.  right outside that cove, you can go snorkeling (take your own snorkel stuff and it is a free excursion too!)  

Don't expect too much from this island, as it is just an excursion island. Take advantage of the beach and take a walk around the island.  this is one of the only places you won't have to worry about crime / beggers / peddlers / drug sales / etc as the employees all leave each day and there are no locals.

My husband and I were really disappointed with Nassau.  There is poverty and hatred ALL OVER the place (the poverty is a common theme in the carribean, but the local people we met were downright mean).

We went on a relatively fun excursion that was a driving tour around the city and visits to several historical sights.  The highlights of the tour were the "zoo" and a visit to a historical fort.

Hope this helps prepare you for what to expect!

my cruising tips:

1. go on excursions! they are expensive, but really make the trip worthwhile.  you're in a different country, be a tourist!

2. don't skip any meals.  the food is extraordinary and the service is world class.

3. go to the shows and some of the activities on board. you are paying for them anyway and it is a pretty cool way to wind down after dinner.

4. have an open mind and be ready to change plans on the fly when situations change (weather, activities etc)

5. HAVE A BLAST!

Answer 7

i have never tried it. but i think as long as you are still there you are probably aloud 2 get on and off the ship as u Please

hope i helped ya

Answer 8

Yes.  I always go back to the ship for lunch.  The food is better, and you know what you are getting.  I do not like Nassau.  The people are pushy, and I saw a lot of class struggle.  Our tour guide spent our whole trip complaing about the high rollers at his island.  I have not been to Cococay, but I have friends who have told me it is great, and they put on a big barbecue for the guests while they are there.

Answer 9

hey tracey coco cay is off the chain get ready to party i recently started working over there and when the freedom came in a few days ago with about 4000 people the cay was rocking i never saw so many people having fun all at one time if you want more info on coco cay emial would be glad to share photos with you

Answer 10

Yes, you can go back to the ship as many times as you want and yes the meals are always free as if you were at sea.

Answer 11

As long as you are passenger on a cruise ship you may go on and off, when in port, as often as you like and eating on board is always available to you. I have done a lot of RCL cruises and your extra expenses involve drinks, tips and excursions ( should you want to take them). I have included my tips for cruising on a budget in my booklet, "Jim's Guide to Cheap Travel in Europe- what a travel agent won't tell you." I do caricatures on cruise ships as part of the entertainment, thus my knowledge of cruising.

Answer 12

First let me tell you what to expect on a cruise.  The standard cabin that most people get (inside/outside/balcony) are generally between 175 and 200 Square feet, about the size of a 9 by 12 ft home bedroom (balconies are about 45 to 55 sq ft). Suites and penthouses can be between 350 and 1300 square feet. Each cabin has a two beds which can be made into a queen, a bathroom with a shower stall, a closet and some drawer space, a TV and telephone, a safe for valuables, and a life jacket for each passenger.

When you arrive at the port to check in you (each passenger) will receive a key card which will serve as your room key, charge card for anything you buy on ship (i.e.,drinks, souvenir) and its also your pass to get on and off ship in each port. When you first board the ship the security personnel will have you insert your key card into a scanner and then will take a photo of you that is included in the magnetic strip on the card.  Each time you get off ship you will need this key card and in some ports also a photo ID (passport or driver's license). This card allows them to keep an accurate track of all passengers entering and/or leaving the ship.  

Each day of your cruise you will receive in your cabin a "newsletter" listing the time, place and particulars of everything happening for you on ship. There are generally activities like demonstrations of ice carvings, napkin folding and towel folding, and cooking demonstrations.  Some ships may offer a galley (kitchen) tour or a tour of the bridge. There may be organized games and other activities around the pools. In the evenings there are generally shows, one show for those with an early dinner seating and another (same show) for those who eat late. There is always food available. Usually there is a place in ship where you can go get something. Or, you can always just pick up the phone in your cabin and order from the room service menu (food is free). If you want, you can order breakfast room service.

All ships, except Disney, have a casino with slots and table games. Ships have movie theaters, generally small but nice, and you can also see movies in your room. They have ATM’s and a purser’s desk where you can cash a check or exchange currency if you need to.  There is a tour and activities desk so you can schedule land tours and activities.

Ships have free morning exercise programs, stretching and walking, etc, and on some you can pay for other things like Spinning. All cruise ships have gyms so you can go workout, usually any time from 6:00 AM to late at night. There is usually a walking/running track on one of the decks also. Some ships leave the gym open all night. They call the gyms Spa because they do promote getting pampered with things like wraps and massages with aroma therapy. They will also generally have a beauty salon to do hair and nails.

There are always pools. Some ships have more than one and the newer ships generally have an indoor pool as well as outdoor ones and all of these have hot tubs. There is generally a basketball court on the top deck, a place for scuffle board, and a mini-golf course. The newer Royal Caribbean ships have a rock climbing wall and the newest one has a pool for water surfing.

There are places on ships to play cards and board games, and the cards and games are provided. If you want to just sit and read, there’s a library where you can bring your books or select one from the shelf.  Ships have internet cafes and some offer WIFI if you bring your prefer to use your computer in your cabin (some ships offer notebooks for rent).  There are cocktail lounges that feature a variety of music.  Some have a piano bar with jazz. There is usually a disco that starts after 10:00 PM each night and last until everyone leave.  On certain days ships will have special activities like a chocolate lovers buffet, or a midnight deck party .      

Some people worry about getting sea sick, but the ships being used these days have automated stabilizers which minimize the rocking.  The larger ships cut through the water so easy that you don’t even feel like you are moving.  When there is bad weather the cruise lines will steer around and away from it, sometimes changing the order of port stops.  Also, the ships generally move overnight and dock in the mornings so you don’t feel much movement. Consequently, your chances of getting sea sick are minimal.

When you go to Coco Cay the ship will have a beach party and bring food, which is free, from the ship. If you want you can go back to the ship and eat, choosing from a larger selection in the buffet or dining room.  Generally the Coco Cay beach party is hot dogs, hamburgers, maybe chicken, salads, cookies and stuff like that and they bring water, tea, and punch too.  On Coco Cay you swim, snorkel, and other water sports things, or just lay on the beach. They may have a  volley ball game and some other games like those on ship.

When you get to Nassua you can get off ship and then go back to eat. and then get off again.  They will tell you what time to be back and you can come and go as you wish until that time.

Review the listing of tours offered on your cruise and decide whether you want to pay for a tour or go on your own.  On most Caribbean islands you can get a taxi or tour in port for much less than the cruise ship tours.   HOWEVER, the one big advantage of going on ship sponsored tours is THE SHIP WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU if your ship sponsored tour is late getting back to the ship.  If you will be in a port for 12 to 16 hours you are probably safe to go on your own for most anything.  But if you are only there for six to eight hours you may want to stay close to the ship or go on the ship tours.

The hidden costs on a cruise are your tab after the cruise for drinks (alcoholic and sodas), tours, and gratuities.  Many ships now add the recommended gratuity to your on-board tab. The gratuity is about $10 to $12 per day per person. You can give more if you want. Tours can add hundreds to your final bill, depending upon how many stop the ship makes and what you want to do. Study the tours carefully; some places you may want to just go on your own.  

RC is a good cruise line and you will enjoy the cruise and ship.

Answer 13

If you eat at Johnny Rockets there is a $3.95 per person cover charge then order anything you want. If you get any thing from Freeze you have to pay for it too. Alcoholic drinks are $5.95 Non-Alcoholic version is $4.95. The Windjammer has very good food but you must try the Dining room too. Nassau is pretty poor there will be tour guides at the pier. I the best parts of the Island are near the pier or you can take a taxi. The tours are cheaper than what the cruise line offers but there really isn't much to see. Most of Nassau is a slum. The Atlantis Resort is a must see. Take a taxi to it and just wonder around they will let you know where you cant go.