A FONDNESS FOR THE BAHAMAS
Fun, affordable Carnival Pride offers quintessential beach and sun itinerary
It might surprise you to learn that, for all of the expedition, river and luxury cruises I like to write about, one of my favourite cruise lines is Carnival Cruise Lines (carnival.com). I’ve just returned from a week in the Bahamas aboard the 2,124-guest Carnival Pride, and I was not disappointed. If anything, I came away with the impression that Carnival continues to enhance its cruises in ways I hadn’t expected.
Sailing out of Baltimore, Carnival Pride whisked me to the ports of Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; Freeport, Bahamas, and the private island, Half Moon Cay.
This is the quintessential beachand-sun itinerary, with crystal clear waters and sandy beaches in both Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay. Freeport’s more of a toss-up: I took in a brewery-and-citytour that was pleasant enough, but other guests were less than enamoured with our final, very industrial, port of call after having spent two days in paradise.
While many guests decided to lie on the beach and/or swim all day, others took excursions that ranged from horseback riding to Sea-Doo adventures. In Half Moon Cay, I enjoyed a great half-day cycling and hiking tour around the island.
With three ports of call, this itinerary also featured three days at sea: two on the way out and one on the return journey.
Adults have no shortage of ways to pass their fun days at sea, from wacky pool competitions to latenight movies and deck parties under the stars. There’s comedy at the Punchliner Comedy Club, Broadway-style shows in the three-storey show lounge, and trivia sessions in the coffee bar.
Carnival is big on live music, with terrific performers scattered throughout the ship each evening. Carnival also managed to whip up some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had at sea, courtesy of the Alchemy Bar on Deck 2.
If the adults are happy, so are the kids. Carnival partnered with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to create its Seuss-a-Palooza program, designed to encourage kids to read and to bring Theodor Geisel’s classics to life at sea. Kids can participate in a Cat in the Hat-themed parade, take part in Dr. Seuss storytime in the main show lounge, or indulge in a Green Eggs and Ham brunch.
If you’ve never been on Carnival before, Carnival Pride and her sisters (Carnival Miracle, Carnival Legend and Carnival Spirit) are great ships to try first. They carry fewer guests, but have an easy-to-navigate deck plan.
If you’ve got a free week, Carnival offers a fun, uncomplicated cruise experience at a price that doesn’t break the bank.