How many of us think about a cruise vacation when we are planning for a short weekend getaway? Most of us come with the preconceived idea that a cruise vacation lasts for days, if not weeks. A short weekend would definitely not be enough time to embark on this adventure. Right?
Wrong!
Nowadays all major cruise lines offer weekend cruise vacations, that last for not more than 3 nights and 2 days – perfect for a long weekend. If you are lucky enough to live by a coastal area like the Port of Palm Beach, Florida, then you can even holiday in the Bahamas on your weekend!
A weekend cruise works better than a longer cruise vacation in many ways but that really depends on what you are looking for from your vacation. Longer cruises are more popular among the elderly, who can afford to take off for days and just enjoy themselves. However, with the advent of a more family-friendly style of cruising, many Bahama cruise packages offer the chance to take off for a weekend and come back in time to your daily life without a hiccup.
Planning, planning, planning! That’s the most important factor to keep in mind when deciding to book your cruise to the Grand Bahama Island for a weekend. Although weekend getaways are mostly impromptu, a cruise vacation will require a lot more planning into it. In fact, these weekend getaways on the ocean are perfect for your bachelor or bachelorette parties.
Despite what you might assume, a weekend is still plenty of time to have a lot of fun on board and get the complete cruising experience. You can hit the casinos for a few hours in the early evening, then spend some time at the bar and restaurants to indulge in some delicious snacks and drinks and then relax by the deck of the ship and just take it all in. You can go for a fancy dinner later in the night, wake up the next morning and start your day with a soothing massage at the ship spa. Every moment of your vacation can be full of fun activities and memorable moments.
Take a quick look at some travel tips that will help you get the most out of your weekend cruise.
Create a routine and stick to it.
You might not have enough time to indulge in every possible activity. So get the list of all the activities that you can do on board and start making a list of your priorities.
Strategize your sleep.
You might not get a lot of sleep in between different activities on board, be prepared for that. Short power naps can help recharge your batteries and keep you going throughout the weekend. Getting some shut-eye between events or taking a quick nap on the deck while soaking the sun can do the trick.
Start early, stop late.
Generally cruise ships all depart from the dock late during the afternoon. However, boarding starts quite early during the day. For such short cruises, it is advisable to arrive early morning and start experiencing everything that your cruise ship has to offer. Debarking a little later can also give you more time on board, especially with less co-passengers around.
Be smart about your carry-on pack.
You might not get access to your check-in luggage immediately when you board. To make sure that you don’t sit around for your stuff, make sure that you pack all the essentials like swimming costumes, few light clothing and basic necessities in your carry-on luggage. That will save you time and let you join the fun immediately after boarding.