Help with last-minute Bahamian cruise

[travelvr]

Howdy! So my family snagged a last minute Disney Cruise - 4 night Bahamian to Nassau, castaway day and 1 day at sea on the Dream. We’ve never done a cruise to the Bahamas before, so I need your input please!

1) What is the dress code on the ship? Are shorts ok? What about for rotational dinner? Does it get cold inside the ship?

2) What to do in Nassau? Ship is docked from 9:30-5ish. Will we have time for Aquaventure? (Considering time to get there, waiting in lines for rides). What’s the most cost-effective way to do this? We are a party of 7.

3) If the older folks don’t want to do Aquaventure but want to see the aquarium, what’s the best way to plan this?

4) Are sightseeing excursions worth it? Some people say they prefer to stay on the ship on Nassau day.

5) How many bathing suits to bring? How do people get them dry to be ready for the next day? What about all that sand from the beach?

6) How do you get the most out of the cruise, seeing as there are so many things to do?

7) What are must-brings other than sunscreen and water bottles?

Thanks in advance!

 

[lilmc]

I get cold often on the ship, but still somehow forgot my hoodie. Love my new DCL hoodie

Disney doesn’t really enforce dress codes except in Palo and Remy. You’ll see everything from dressy, themed family outfits, to totally casual.

I never bring a water bottle as there is a easy drink station and don’t need more stuff to carry, but I am in the minority.

We bring 2-3 bathing suits per person. And clothes pin to hang dry when we inevitably run out of hanging space in the shower.

Pick up a Navigator for the an excellent overview of the daily schedule of activities from Guest Services everyday, but also download the app prior to embarkation, it has more details.

 

[Quellman]

I bring one bathing suit, because I don't spend all my time in the pool getting wet.

 

[SamFaniam]

1. Shorts are fine in all areas except the adult restaurants. The dining rooms, theatres, and lounges can be chilly.

2. Many people go to Atlantis, so yes you will have time, but it may be crowded. The most cost effective way is to book a room at the Comfort Suites, but if the cruise is close, this is probably not an option.

3. There is a tour at Atlantis that just includes the aquariums.

4. If you have never been to Nassau, then I would recommend at least getting off and exploring the area around the port.

5. Bring one for each day you plan to swim. The beach areas have showers where you can rinse off before getting back on the ship.

6. Use the Disney Cruise Line Blog to view recent Navigators and identify the activities that are of most interest to your group. https://disneycruiselineblog.com/personal-navigators/

7. Cash in small bills for tipping porters and room service. All other items on board will be charged to your account.

 

[ahen]

We did a very short notice cruise in February on the Dream. We stayed on board at Nassau, but we had been there before. I brought sundresses and shorts and wish I had brought 2 bathing suits, but we managed fine with a carry on each. We did do dinner at Palo one night and enjoyed it. We both loved Castaway Cay and it was super warm there even in February,

 

[pixiedustedme]

1. Cruise casual. Yes, shorts are fine and common onboard.

5. We take 1 bathing suit per person. Every shower/bathtub combo features a clothesline that you can pull out and across to the other end. You can hang your bathing suits to dry on that.

6. Only do the things that genuinely appeal to you, not someone else's list of must-do's. Allow yourself to relax and do nothing when the urge hits.

7. A passport. They sell water bottles onboard and you can also get water from the drink station on the pool deck.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Howdy! So my family snagged a last minute Disney Cruise - 4 night Bahamian to Nassau, castaway day and 1 day at sea on the Dream. We’ve never done a cruise to the Bahamas before, so I need your input please!

1) What is the dress code on the ship? Are shorts ok? What about for rotational dinner? Does it get cold inside the ship?The only "dress code" in the Main Dining Rooms is "no swimwear or tank tops for dinner". Palo & Remy do have a stricter dress code. I find interior temperatures onboard are often too cold for me. Having a sweater or wrap handy is a good idea.

2) What to do in Nassau? Ship is docked from 9:30-5ish. Will we have time for Aquaventure? (Considering time to get there, waiting in lines for rides). What’s the most cost-effective way to do this? We are a party of 7.

3) If the older folks don’t want to do Aquaventure but want to see the aquarium, what’s the best way to plan this?

4) Are sightseeing excursions worth it? Some people say they prefer to stay on the ship on Nassau day. We always take a basic "see the city" tour the first time we go to a new port.

5) How many bathing suits to bring? How do people get them dry to be ready for the next day? What about all that sand from the beach? You can use the dryers in the laundry rooms to dry your suit quickly, if you only bring one. I usually bring two, since they don't dry overnight for the most part when you hang them in the bathroom on the line there.

6) How do you get the most out of the cruise, seeing as there are so many things to do? #1 tip: Don't try to do everything, you can't. Check the daily Navigator for what activities appeal to you most, and do those (allowing plenty of "getting there" time between activities). We've been on 12 DCL cruises and still haven't done everything.

7) What are must-brings other than sunscreen and water bottles? ID documentation - passport is the ideal for US citizens, but if you don't have one, everyone needs a birth certificate, plus (for those 16 and over) a government-issued photo ID at the minimum.

Thanks in advance!

My answers in red.

 

[rere101399]

I guess I’m in the minority here but I pack 3 swim suits for DH and I and at least 4 each for the kids. We don’t want to wear wet suits, they don’t take up much room and we have them so why not. We get wet on at least two separate occasions a day, so it’s a minimum of two, but they are sometimes slightly damp still in the morning so a third is nice. Plus, with the kids you never know, they sometimes want to fit in a quick few runs down the Mickey slide or quick swim sesh between other things and I like to have more dry suits for them.

 

[Rob1872]

We bring one suit per person. Not a big deal if they are a little damp the next day; you are going to wear it into the water anyways.

With regards to the other questions, just search threads for "first time" topics. However, it is all a matter of opinion as to what is the "best" thing to do.