We had mixed feelings about Nassau, which is probably why I wasn’t motivated to document our experience. It was crowded with tourists, the locals weren’t very nice or friendly, the main attractions weren’t at all impressive, things were overpriced, and the waters were too rough for a relaxing dip. Apparently, I’m not the only person who’s been disappointed by the port city. Many people who’ve been share my thoughts.
Still, I’m glad I came. It’s nice to visit and experience a destination at least once, even if it did disappoint. Here are some photos from my trip.
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Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, is definitely a paradise.
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Cruises aren’t our favorite way to travel, but after our wonderful experience aboard the Disney Dream, we cannot wait to do it again! Here are some of the photos from our cruise.
Pre-Cruise Stay at Disney World
Onboard the Disney Dream
Star Wars: Millenium Falcon
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
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The Disney Cruise Line takes the magical feeling of a Disney park and the sense of adventure you get from a cruise. The combination of these two makes the Disney Dream one of the best vacations you’ve ever taken. Here are some of the reasons why I loved the Disney Dream Cruise.
Vibe
Vibe Teen Club (Photo: Michelle Rae)
For me, the best part of the Disney Dream cruise is Vibe, the onboard teen club for ages 14 to 17. It’s the perfect place for teens like me to get away from their family and connect with other kids their age. Vibe has it’s own private deck with its own pool and lounging area, as well as deck games. The counselors are really cool and welcoming to everyone. Although our counsellors were technically our “chaperones,” it felt like they were just hanging out with us.
At the coffee bar, food and drinks such as chips and smoothies are served. There are a lot of things to do from watching movies to chatting with the counselors and playing foosball with them. Every so often, we would start playing a game that involved everyone, such as Crown the Couch Potato. To ensure that only teens can get in, you have to present a special Key to the World at the secret entrance.
Castaway Cay
Disney Dream from Castaway Cay (Photo: Michelle Rae)Castaway Cay (Photo: Michelle Rae)Beach on Castaway Cay (Photo: Michelle Rae)Castaway Cay (Photo: Michelle Rae)Bike Path on Castaway Cay (Photo: Michelle Rae)Tower on Castaway Cay (Photo: Michelle Rae)
Castaway Cay is Disney’s private island in the Bahamas that serves as a port for all of the Disney Cruise Line ships. Since it’s privately owned by Disney, it’s not crowded and you don’t have to wait in lines for long. The water is very clear and beautiful, which makes it very refreshing and a nice change from the pools on the ship. There’s a variety of activities from snorkeling to going down a water slide. I didn’t have time to visit it, but there’s a teen area called Hide Out for ages 14 to 17. My favorite activity is the Stingray Adventure where you get to learn about stingrays, feed them, and snorkel with them.
The Staff
The cast members were extremely friendly and made me feel like I was part of this huge Disney family. We got the same two servers who catered to our dinner needs every night. On the first night at dinner, I got extremely seasick and our servers checked up on me constantly, trying to help me feel better. Although I was okay for the rest of the trip, they continued to check on me and make sure that I wasn’t feeling sick. And the counselors at Vibe felt more like friends than chaperones. I was extremely sad to say goodbye to everyone.
The Food/Restaurants
Enchanted Garden (Photo: Michelle Rae)
For dinner each night, you rotate through one of three different restaurants – Animator’s Palate, Royal Palace, and Enchanted Garden each having their own theme and menu. The food options were a lot better than I expected and tasted AMAZING! My favorite restaurant is Animator’s Palate, which is designed like an animator’s studio and its walls are covered with sketches of beloved Disney characters. Although Animator’s Palate was my favorite restaurant, my favorite menu was Royal Palace’s french cuisine. I ordered the best duck I’ve ever tasted and I even got to try escargot.
The Shows
The entertainment was fantastic and made me feel like I was 6 years old again. In the Walt Disney Theater, there was a different show every night. I only had the chance to go to 2 out 3 of the shows, the Golden Mickeys and Disney’s Believe, both of which were very magical. My favorite was Disney’s Believe which got me to tear up at the end and made me never want to grow up. There are also shows and parties on the 11th deck each day, the first of which was the Sail Away Celebration. One of the deck parties, Pirates in the Caribbean, ended in an awesome fireworks display.
Deck 11 on Disney Dream (Photo: Michelle Rae)Caribbean view from Disney Dream (Photo: Michelle Rae)
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Visiting Nassau for a few hours during our very first Disney cruise, we got a fairly good glimpse of the vibrant Bahamian capital as well as a sampling of the good and the bad. Here are the things we love and the things we hate about the port city.
What We Love:
Conch fritters, jerk chicken and curry chicken | Photo: Michelle Rae
The Colors. The colonial houses and buildings that line Nassau’s streets all flaunt pastel pink, yellow, blue and green colors, making them simply adorable to look at!
The Food. We loved the food so much that we had to bring home some Bahamian spices with us. Try the conch fritters, jerk chicken and curry chicken with the Bahamian rice and plantains for a hearty meal, and get an afternoon boost with a cup of Bahamian coffee. The small restaurants at The Fish Fry serves authentic Bahamian cuisine while The Pasion Boutique sells terrific coffee beans.
The Pirates Museum. Sure, it’s a little cheesy and definitely touristy, but looking at the exhibits, learning about piracy and trying to guess the answers to the trivia questions was pretty fun and a good way to kill an hour.
The Beaches. Fine sand plus warm, blue waters equals best beach day ever. Just be careful as the waves can get pretty strong.
The Historic Buildings. Admittedly, the forts are small and not that impressive, but we love them just the same. They are, after all, a part of the city’s intriguing history. We adore the Queen’s Staircase too!
The Pirates Museum | Photo: Michelle Rae
What We Hate (Dislike, Really):
The People. We can honestly say that out of a few places we’ve visited in the Caribbean, the locals in Nassau are the least friendly and the most aggressive, especially when it comes to making a sale.
The Straw Market. There’s not much to it really. We did enjoy the little albeit overpriced toy turtles made from coconut husks.
The Tourist Area. Much like the Straw Market, there’s nothing special and authentic about the main commercial strip, despite the hundreds of tourists everyday it draws everyday. However, if you’re careful, you might find hidden gems that sell local products.
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stray with rae 