Highlights of the Bahamas

Cococay (Royal Caribbean | Celebrity Cruises Private Island)

With all of the cruises we've taken, March 2016 was the first time we visited a cruise line's private island. It was a blast! A perfect family spot, there were exclusive cabanas, water sports, snorkeling spots, a huge inflatable water park, delicious food and drinks and so much more. Read all about Cococay in my featured blog post although note that the island has been completely revamped and it's FABULOUS! Although my tips and tricks still apply to give you ideas of what to expect if you've never visited a cruise line's private island before.

Right below our aft cabin, we saw the crew stocking tenders to deliver fresh food and supplies before the guests went over to the island.

From our aft cabin, we saw crew loading tenders with fresh food & supplies for guests on the island.

To visit Cococay, you have to take tenders from the ship. It takes a bit longer to get to the fun, but it's worth it to see the gorgeous views of your ship.

Admire your ship from the island.

The water and terrain of Cococay is gorgeous.

These were the old water sports and even now kids of all ages have a fantastic time.

If you choose not to buy a pass for yourself to visit the Aqua Park (located right off the beach in the water) you can easily see the kids and there is a lifeguard stationed at all times.

The water is amazingly clear and there are lots of fish swimming around! Bring or rent snorkel gear and you can see small reefs and fish right off the shoreline.

Princess Cay (Princess Cruises Private Island)

If you are cruising to Princess Cays, Princess Cruises private island, one "excursion" that I highly recommend is a bungalow for the day. They are on the beach with availability of lounge chairs, have an inside area with a dining table and fan, include butler service to bring your family a wonderful lunch and drinks, and just look how cute they are! The island itself is kept extremely clean and everyone is very friendly. With lots of activities to do, don't miss getting off the ship to explore your own private island.

Nassau, Bahamas

Beautiful scenery and a hopping town. Lots of shopping is right off of the port, or take an excursion over to the Atlantis, the most popular resort in the Bahamas. You can swim with the dolphins, enjoy water sports, or just take in the sun on their beautiful beaches. However, I'd recommend to purchase this excursion ahead of time through the ship. They will provide you with a colored wristband that is required when you are a guest on the Atlantis property. If you choose to visit Atlantis on your own, go to the Discover Atlantis desk in Coral Towers to purchase your day pass. But arrive early because they only have a limited number of day passes available daily.

I always recommend reaching out to Nassau Paradise Island Tourism ahead of time for suggestions of activities you might want to do, as well as popular restaurants and hotels on the island.