#GrandBahamaIsland

[johnmasseyjr]

Stepped off the ship in Freeport today (something I rarely do), and took a lovely walk. #margaritaville #margaritavilleatsea #paradise #bahamas #grandbahamaisland (at Bahamas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgZxNGOAcxB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tripononline]

Best Restaurants and Beach Cafes on Grand Bahama Island

[kimensign]

Just LOVE these two, Scuba Dick and Noreen !! I am not sure how many miles I have traveled with them now, or how many countries we have seen together, or how many dives we descended on in the last 7 years ... but I know 1 thing, it will NEVER be enough. It didn't take long for me to realize the 2 of them had to slow down in order for me to keep up, and even as I say that I know it's a HUGE understatement. I often think about when I first moved to 201 North Linden in Normal to attend ISU in 1994, and only lived 3 blocks north of Wild Country, how much more my life would have been enriched just by walking in the store then vs 2014, 20 years later. How many more adventures we could have gone on... how many more stories we could have told. My point is, if there is something in life that you want to experience, something you are passionate about, PLEASE don't put it off. Find the time, find the money, find the way. Make whatever IT is a priority. I hear so many people say, "when I retire I'm going to...", "when the kids are out of the house ...", "when I ...", or "someday...".Trust me when I say, if you wait until then you will never have enough time to do everything you put off !! There are so many beautiful people in the world, experiences, countries, and cultures to explore ... I knew all of this before Covid, but talk about throwing a few exclamation points on it after !! These 2 have set the bar so high I KNOW it's unattainable, but I'm going to try my damnedest to try!! #freeport #VisitGBI #flyaway #grandbahamaisland #itsbetterinthebahamas #wildcountry #midwestdivingspecialists #diveGBI #GBIAmbassador (at Freeport, Bahamas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRtpzA6FJpH/?utm_medium=tumblr

[openairplaces]

Vitamin Sea Always and Forever ➰ || vía @nayyirah.waheed #nayyirahwaheed #word #art #openairplaces #unique #vacationrentals #oapexperiences #oaptravels #bayfield_wi #grandbahamaisland #traveller #wanderlust_tribe #travelwithme #travelexpert #followyourdreams #liveauthentic #explore #discover #connect #effortless #travelexperiences #womentravel #womentravelsolo #beachlife #vitaminsea #siren

[docoolthings-blog1]

Bahamas Cruise 2014

You know those little boxes you find in random places that you fill out a slip and put it in the box for “a chance to win a Bahama cruise”. Well, i got one. I have a feeling many people win those things. I was super resistant to believe the people who called me but i gave in and accepted the cruise anyway. You have to pay the taxes and it ended up being about 50 dollars. The cruise line was called Royal Bahama Cruise Line, which i had never heard of and if you google it there are tons of people saying they got scammed after winning a cruise with them. So i was super scared it would be a scam but i decided to pay the 50 and take my chances. Turns out its not at all a scam! The cruise line however is very small. It doesnt compare at all to Carnival but it was only 50 bucks so i count it as a win. It was my first ever cruise so i was pretty excited. It was for two people and so i decided to take my trusty travel partner, Dad. Of course when you take a trip with dad it becomes a big ole shindig. The catch to winning a cruise is that you are supposed to go to a condo presentation where they try to get you to buy a condo in the city your cruise is at. So here is the trick. Since i was only 19 i couldnt attend the presentation anyway. Since i was just bringing my dad, and not my mom as well, they said he didnt have to either. So we got out of the presentation, thankfully. 

On our way down to Fort Lauderdale we made a couple of stops. We are big Florida Gators fans, so my dad surprised me with a visit to Gainesville where we were able to go into the stadium. It was an awesome experience for a Gator fan. We bought loads of stuff from the campus store and even went to the stadium ticket office where we bought tickets to a couple of games for the next season. 

Next, we drove all the way down to Key Largo, just so we would be able to say we had been to the Keys. There is NOTHING there like we had expected. It is not touristy at all. We did however find a little restaurant on the beach and watched the sunset in Key Largo, something to cross off the bucketlist. If you want to visit the Keys, go down to Key West, i have heard its the best. I have a fear of bridges to Key Largo is the farthest i was willing to go.

After Key Largo, we drove back up to Miami to stay a night. I had never been to Miami and was super excited to experience it. Unfortunately, we got there pretty late and did not have a chance to do much. We drove through the strip and everything looked like a blast. Now that i am old enough for the clubs, i definitely plan on going back. The next morning we spent a little time on the Miami beach and headed for the cruise port. 

The great thing about the small cruise line is that it was super easy getting on the boat. Pull up and valet park, go sign in, take a few pics, and youre on the boat! The cabins were not any smaller than Carnival but the boat itself was much smaller. You can feel the waves a bit more than with a big boat but was not bad at all. The cabin tenants were amazing and did an awesome job making sure we were comfortable and had what we needed. Everyone who worked on the boat were so nice. Of course, every cruise i have been on i have had excellent customer service. 

The cruise lasted just 3 days and stopped for one day on Grand Bahama Island, which is not a popular stop. HUGE TIP - ** If you are going to Grand Bahama Island, MAKE SURE YOU BOOK AN EXCURSION with the cruise line. There is NOTHING at the port, you have to travel quite a ways to get to the beach. Luckily, we had booked an excursion to go snorkeling. However, because of “weather conditions” our excursion was cancelled but we were able to trade it in for a beach excursion. So when we ported on the island we got on a bus that took us to the beach at a hotel. Side note: i have heard of people winning trips to the Bahamas and they put you in this hotel we went to, and i have heard TERRIBLE things about it. If you take a trip to the Bahamas and are staying in a hotel, go to a more popular island with nicer options. Grand Bahama is best for stopping on a cruise and just spending the day at the beach. 

While on the beach we lucked out and a snorkeling company was walking around taking people out who wanted to snorkel so we did that and were able to snorkel anyway. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life. The water is literally crystal clear and youre able to take a waterproof camera and take perfect pictures under the water. A boat takes you out to another boat sitting far enough out to where you can swim with barely any waves. We jumped off the boat with our gear on and open our eyes and we are in the middles of a swarm of beautiful fish. I will never forget that moment. Fun fact: there was a  Barracuda sitting under the boat we were swimming around, super creepy. He just sat there watching us swim around and all the captain had to say about it was “oh he is there all the time.” Not super safe but a great experience. Also, the shark excursion was maybe 200 ft from out snorkel excursion, never did see a shark thank goodness. We did see beautiful fish, a turtle, and awesome coral.

Before we got back on the bus and headed for the boat, we did a little shopping i the straw shacks. They are everywhere in the Bahamas, on every island. They are very annoying. The people try very hard to pressure you into buying and they are known for dangerous situations going down. If you decided to shop in the straw shacks, be prepared and dont spend much time there.

Back on the boat we just cruised around for a day until we ported back in Fort Lauderdale. We headed home to Nashville. 

This cruise was a GREAT learning experience for super cheap. I think the cruises themselves are cheap on this line anyway. I recommend taking a short and simple cruise for your first time. You are able to see how you react to being on the cruise and on the water for that long. Sea sickness has not been a problem for me so far, but it is definitely something you want to know about yourself before taking a long cruise. I use the sea sick patches you get prescribed from the doctor, and have had great luck with them. However, on my cruise in Europe this past year, i did not use one and was completely fine. 

So all in all the Royal Bahama Cruise line is not that bad. They only go to Grand Bahama Island which doesnt have much, so do an excursion through the cruise line. If you happen to enter to win a cruise this is probably the line they will give you just because is small and not nearly as expensive as the big lines but you get what you pay for. Also be sure to question the people who call you. I lucked out and it didnt end up being a scam, but it does happen. It is definitely not as grand as the other lines. A three day cheap cruise is perfect for first time cruisers to test it out and see if they like it. Be ready though, because from experience , cruises become VERY addicting. 

Trust me, more cruise blogs to come,

XOXO

CarlyDoesCoolThings

Pics Below

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[7seasjewelry]

At the "Tiger Beach" in the Bahamas 😍 . 📸 by @jim_abernethy . . . . . . . . . . #bahama #bahamas #bahamamama #nassaubahamas #bahamabreeze #itsbetterinthebahamas #thebahamas #bahamas🇧🇸 #exumabahamas #freeportbahamas #bahamaslife #bahamasphotographer #bahamaswedding #bahamas🌴 #biminibahamas #bahamas2018 #grandbahamaisland #tigershark #tigersharks #sandtigershark #tigersharktattoo #shark #sharks #sharkweek #sharktooth #savesharks #sharktattoo #sharklove #sharkdive #lovesharks https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwmqi9bBS1v/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=hi8wa8vqgj13

[cantwaittomissthatone]

Weekend Plans // #🎫 . . . #FLIFFonlocation #GrandBahamaisland #15movies #2Days #ticket #005 #reelfun #puntastic #motion_pictures #instaindie (at Pelican Bay Hotel) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvDoksPnZqD/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18hzatditdf70

[knitgalivey]

...On to the next adventure = #bahamasbound ! #grandbahamaisland #cruiselife #browngirlstravel #islandlife (at New York, New York)

[beingallelite]

chrisjerichofozzy- Stoked to announce the additions of @thebabyface_ricky_morton & #RobertGibson - the #RockNRollExpress, @sugardunkertonfasho aka #PineapplePete, comedian @cripplethreat8, @gunsnroses tribute @paradisekittyband and the return of #TeddyIrvine, @darknessradioshow and #TalkIsJericho to the #TripleWhammy @jericho_cruise headed from #Miami to the #grandbahamaisland next October! We are totally SOLD OUT, but you can sign up for the waiting list NOW at ChrisJerichocruise.com!

[theworldbyfaith]

Grand Bahama Island with Royal Caribbean - Where to Go: Taino Beach in Freeport

Grand Bahama Island with Royal Caribbean – Where to Go: Taino Beach in Freeport

Cruising from Baltimore with stops in Charleston and Orlando, we finally made it to the Bahamas via our Royal Caribbean cruise ship – the Grandeur of the Seas. Excited as I was to finally visit one of the Bahamian islands, Nassau was what I was looking forward to the most; but since our first stop was Freeport in Grand Bahama Island, I had no idea what to expect! The summary of our arrival…

[chicbahamasweddings]

Happy Monday from Grand Bahama Island, where we're taking a trip down memory lane to fawn over Crystal and Ryan's wedding photos! 📷 @robinshoots . . . . #chicbahamasweddings #destinationwedding #beachwedding #outdoorwedding #bahamaswedding #bahamas #bahamasbride #grandbahamaisland #weddingplanner #weddingplanning #weddingdesign #weddinginspiration #weddingseason #gettingmarried #heasked #shesaidyes #ido #futuremrs #bridetobe #engaged #weddinginspo #isaidyes #weddingday #weddingphotography #weddingideas #weddings #weddingdecor #weddingstyle #instawedding #weddingflowers (at Pelican Bay Hotel)

[adavis4611]

#Freeport #GrandBahamaIsland #BotanicalGarden (at The Garden of the Groves)

[openairplaces]

Step into Golden ISLAND STYLE light ✨ at our charming oceanfront cottages at DIAMONDS by the SEA, on Grand Bahama Island. This jewel toned cluster of cottages is the perfect friendcation destination! LINK IN BIO has details about our TOPAZ Cottage which is absolutely adorable. Message us for booking details and availability. ——— Photo by @jennajerickson for @openairplaces at Diamonds by the Sea on Grand Bahama Island 💎💎💎 ——— #openairplaces #uniqueplacestostay #diamondsbythesea #topazcottage #oceanfrontcottages #grandbahamaisland #bahamastravel #visitgrandbahamaisland #travelagent #islandlight #oceanviews #freeportbahamas #diamondrow (at Diamonds By The Sea) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrWOdVXnOci/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=isnjfrtvqj37

[gingerale87]

Take me back to the #Bahamas!!! 5 years ago since my first trip?! That's crazy!!! Ladies!!! Spring break and summer are just around the corner! 👙☀️🏝🏖 I'm looking for 4 more people to do a 12 week challenge for me 😍 Everyone's getting pumped for swimsuit season👙 workin' on their toned tummy💪🏻 Month 1: Detox/Cleanse to have more energy and empty all the junk & sludge from processed foods🍕 Month 2: Thermofit/Fat Fighters to burn calories and curb those cravings 👊🏻 Month 3: Wrap to tighten tone and firm that belly 🔥 Text "summer body" to 717•222•1662 to get your spot!! 💕 #wrapwiththejurellsisters #consistencyiskey #swimsuit #springbreak #summer #getready #discounts #iloveadeal #freeportbahamas #grandbahamaisland #vivawyndhamfortunabeach #palmtrees #myrelaxation #motivation #dogmom #vacations

[cantwaittomissthatone]

Encore Presentation // #🎭 . . . #saturdaynight #friendswithbenefits #parentaldiscretionadvised #outoftheashesentertainment #livetheatre #localtalent #GrandBahamaisland #funproduction #show_time #instacast (at Freeport Players' Guild / Regency Theatre) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuPoccBneOD/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1581bs97ayhih

[epicdiving]

Pucker up! 😘 #grouperkisses #kissingbooth #puckerup #smooches #tigerbeach #sharkdive #sharky #sharks #fridaymood #adventureculture #grandbahama #grandbahamaisland #finfriday #fridayiminlove #adventureculture #scubadiving #savesharks #savetheoceans #saveouroceans