Recently, I was lucky enough to be gifted a Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas for a graduation present. For weeks, my fiance and I were so excited dreaming of all the fun excursions that we could do once we reach our destinations (Freeport and Nassau in the Bahamas). When the weekend approached, we realized that we just didn't have a lot of money to spend; and if we did spend the money we had, we wouldn't be able to pay our bills when we returned. There was some crying and pouting (mostly on my behalf, rather than his), until we came to the conclusion that we could have fun without spending an "arm and a leg." We ended up spending some money on alcohol, but didn't do any excursions or pay for any unnecessary trips. We simply enjoyed the cruise and explored the ports. We had a blast, even without spending hundreds of dollars to see Atlantis or swim with dolphins.
Here are some fun (and free!) ideas to do if you're lucky enough to go on a cruise!
ON THE SHIP---
1. Eat and eat a lot!
The great thing about cruises is that they are mostly all-inclusive, and food is one of the many things included. They have tons of different types of food at different times of day. There is the formal dining room that you can eat in for dinner, but there are multiple offerings during the day. Our ship had burgers, tacos and burritos, a deli bar and pizza. They also had a cafeteria that had different offerings each day such as a Mongolian Wok bar and (my personal favorite) a "Chocolate Extravaganza" featuring over 50 food items containing or dipped in chocolate. All those options are not even counting room service and their breakfast bar which had literally every breakfast item you can imagine. You can never go hungry on a cruise; food is served 24 hours a day. If you've got nothing to do, give a new food option a try!
2. Watch movies.
When you feel like kicking back in your cabin, your cruise should offer movies on the television. My cruise had two movies playing on repeat each day. They also had the "Seaside Theatre," which was arguably mine and my fiance's favorite aspect of the cruise. Each evening, they played movies on the big projector screen over the pool. We didn't watch all of them, but we watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Jurassic World and Mockingjay. Other selections they played included Daddy's Home, Deadpool and a kid's night featuring Kung-Fu Panda 2. Honestly sitting out on the Lido Deck, under the stars, watching movies was so romantic (and not just because we got engaged right after one!) It was such a great atmosphere and they even brought out blankets and popcorn! (Told you that you'd never go hungry!)
3. Participate in activities.
One of the many great things about cruises is that they keep you entertained, no matter what age you are. Each night, they give you a daily agenda with activities to take place on the ship the next day. All day from about 6am-3am, they had activities going on. Morning yoga, trivia, comedy shows, sports competitions and pool parties were some of the more popular choices. All of those items are included for free once you get on the ship. You could keep your whole day on the ship busy simply by participating in their activities and maybe even winning a prize!
4. Lounge by the pool.
What's the point of going on vacation if you're not going to relax a little? The beauty of a cruise is that there are infinite places on the ship to relax; there are literally lounge chairs everywhere-around each of several pools, up on each deck, by the indoor pool and in the adults area. We spent time each day just laying out on the lounge chairs or in one of the hammocks, reading a book or (most often) taking a nap! Laying out a looking at the ocean all around you is so relaxing and peaceful. It's truly a chance to clear your mind and get away from the chaos of everyday life.
5. Play some sports.
Our cruise ship had so many different sports and activities to participate in. The courts were open all the time, and then at specific times during the cruise, they hosted competitions of varying activities. My ship had a mini golf course, volleyball court, basketball court and cornhole toss. There was a pretty reasonable amount of space, to where several groups could play on each court at a time. They also had a track to run on and, of course, a gym.
6. People watch.
You don't realize how many people will be on the boat with you until you're all crowded in the hallway for the safety briefing before you set sail! There are thousands of people, from passengers and crew. What was interesting is even leaving from somewhere generic like Port Canaveral, there were people from all over the world and different walks of life. Ages ranged from babies to elderly in their 90s! All different cultures and races mixed and mingled. It's truly a melting pot of people; you can enjoy a lot of time just simply watching how people interact, seeing how they have fun and getting to know new people from all over.
7. Water activities
What would be the fun of a cruise without the water? Of course, there are several pools, both indoor and outdoor on cruises, but there are also several hot tubs. Our ship had four hot tubs, two in the "adults only" area. With all the pools and hot tubs, there was always space somewhere to hop in and cool off (or warm up!). Most ships also have a water slide or two; these are FUN! They may look small, but our water slide ended up being quite fast with several twists and turns. It was a lot of fun and a great way to cool off without having to get completely wet in the pool.
ON THE SHORE ---
8. Beach
Wherever you go in the world, you can find a free beach if you look hard enough. My fiance and I did research before our cruise on things that we could do for cheap in The Bahamas. We found two beaches, one in Freeport and one in Nassau, that were both free of charge to the public. The Bahamas has beaches that are so beautiful. The water is clear; the sand is soft. In Freeport, we visited the Port Lucaya marketplace which had a free beach right next to it. In Nassau, we visited the Junkanoo Beach which was within walking distance from the cruise port. Both beaches were free; we just splurged and rented some lounge chairs! When in paradise...relax on the beach (for FREE!).
9. Explore.
One of the most underrated things in our current world is just putting the phone away and wandering around an unknown area. My fiance and I had no set plans when we got off the cruise ship at our ports, and it felt oddly liberating! We simply followed the crowd out to the main streets and took a walk up and around. Cruises often visit ports that have a lot of "touristy" things near them, so there was never a shortage of things to look at or do. The people in the Bahamas (especially Freeport) were so nice and friendly. There was always the possibility to talk to the locals or see something new that you may not get to experience at home. My fiance ran into a gentlemen with an iguana in Freeport and enjoyed getting the chance to hold it--not my idea of a fun time but it was exciting for him!
*The Bahamas, most specifically Nassau, has a very high crime rate against tourists. We didn't have any problems, but it is a very crowded place so I understand how these things occur. Exploring is fun, but stick to main streets and populated areas. Be smart and don't lose your mind in the excitement of being on vacation!*
10. Window shop.
The Bahamas is famous for many of their handmade items, including the famous straw market in Nassau. We spent a lot of time just walking up and down streets, poking our heads into little shops. We enjoyed getting to see a different way of life, where things are not so industrialized. Our favorite window shopping experience was a gentlemen who was painting canvas on the beach. He was painting generic things like sunsets or beaches, but also had unique items such as cross-shaped canvas with quotes from the bible and superheroes. It was so interesting to see this man making these items right there on the beach and then selling them. We bought a cross canvas for my sister that he had painted only an hour before and it was still wet! The locals are all very pushy about wanting you to buy things from them (after all, tourism is their main industry), but if you say "no" firmly, they do get the hint. To save money, you could spend hours window shopping to see all the arts and crafts that are available.
Use up all your money on buying a cruise? You spent your money on the right vacation because you can do ALL these things for FREE! On a cruise, you only have to spend money if you want to. Don't get bummed because you don't have money to blow; get excited...you're going on a cruise!!
