See full version: The Best Time to Take a Cruise Vacation to The Bahamas
You’ll love the fresh trade winds that give the islands an agreeable climate all year round. The weather can be compared to Miami, Florida, which means you’ll see mostly sunny days with some clouds. When the rains come, you’ll see squalls or thunderstorms that clear quickly.
Key West is the most southern island in the Florida Keys. But, if you didn’t know any better, you’d think you were still in The Bahamas. There’s a charming Caribbean feel to the island. Go parasailing, visit the homes of Hemingway and Audubon, or join the party on the beach or in one of the fisherman’s saloons. Your visit to the southern tip of the United States will be one you’ll always remember.
Choosing When to Book Your Cruise more
If sunshine and toasty temperatures are all-important for a Bahamian cruise, go ahead and take the plunge. In that case, the best month is August, when average high temperatures are 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Ships and ports may be crowded, but everyone will be in a holiday mood and enjoying the clear water and white sandy beaches of Nassau and Freeport. Note the wettest month of the year in the Bahamas is June, and hurricane season runs from June through November.
Despite the increasing numbers of children in year-round schools, the summer months continue to be the most popular time for families cruising the Bahamas. Another crunch time is any period that encompasses a holiday. Cruises at these times sell out early. If trying to avoid noisy ships and crowded ports, the best times for a Bahamas cruise might be between mid-April and mid-May, which is before hurricane season starts in June, and from just after Labor Day until mid-November. (Historically, August and September are the most active months of hurricane season.) more
Another way to save money on a Bahamas cruise is to find out if there's a home port close enough to drive to rather than fly. For example, Carnival Cruises offers four-, five- and six-night Bahamas cruises year-round from Charleston, South Carolina; Celebrity Cruises offers longer Bahamas cruises from Baltimore, Maryland.
If looking to take an inexpensive cruise to the Bahamas, again look to off-season times – late April, early May, September, October and early November – since many people are back to work and school and since rates are generally lower. If money is an issue, be sure to avoid holiday cruises and high-season cruises from December through February; these cost more.
Due to its pleasant year-round weather, the Islands of the Bahamas makes a great cruise destination almost any time. Just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, Bahamian ports such as Nassau and Freeport are included on many Caribbean cruises. The best month for a cruise depends on several factors, including who's going on the cruise, what the expectations are, how much weather affects the fun and what the budget looks like.
Seekers of rest and quiet pleasure should also avoid March; it's spring break time on cruise ships in the Caribbean, and one will find themselves rubbing elbows with rowdy youths. Also consider opting for a cruise on a more sophisticated line, such as Celebrity or Holland America, that is likely to have lots of well-traveled adults.
Given its Caribbean location, the Bahamas enjoy mild to hot weather throughout much of the year. January is usually the coldest month, with an average temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The summer months usually see the most rainfall, with July being the wettest month. Hurricane season runs each year from June 1 through Nov. 30, so be prepared for last-minute changes to your itinerary or even possible cancellations.
Choosing a Carnival cruise to the Bahamas starts with selecting a departure city. Carnival Cruise Line sails to the Bahamas from these cities in Florida: Miami, Jacksonville, Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale. Ships bound for the Bahamas also depart from Baltimore, Maryland, and Charleston, South Carolina. Sailings from Charleston range from four to seven days, and sailings from Baltimore are seven days long. For shorter cruises, consider departing from the Florida ports, which offer itineraries starting at just two days. more
A few vendors are right there as you disembark in Freeport, but the town doesn’t offer much to see and do unless you hire a driver or book a shore excursion. There are plenty of shore excursions to choose from, like sailing, beach getaways, Segway tours, scuba driving and snorkeling, and Jeep adventures. Shore excursions to Princess Cays, on the island of Eleuthera, and to Half Moon Cay range from a day at a beach resort to snorkeling and catamaran rides to dune buggy adventures. All shore excursions range from a couple of hours to all day.
When embarking on a Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas, passengers can choose itineraries featuring one, some or all of the cruise line’s regular ports in the Bahamas, which include the cities of Freeport and Nassau, as well as the cruise line’s private resorts of Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay. Nassau is the one port where many passengers head ashore immediately to find shopping and dining along the city’s 18th-century colonial streets. Enjoy the historic architecture and colorful buildings as you walk through town. Shore excursions are available with activities like animal encounters, city tours, sailing, snorkeling and visits to the nearby Atlantis Resort.
Carnival Cruise Line offers a variety of sailings to the Bahamas ranging from two to seven days from a number of ports. These include port calls of up to four destinations, along with a wealth of shore excursions that range from dolphin and stingray encounters to off-road adventures to city tours, and so much more. In fact, a Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas offers more than enough choices to plan your dream vacation.
Most of the time, passengers on cruises to the Bahamas enjoy warm temperatures and sunshine, so bring warm-weather clothing suitable for fun in the sun. Most cruise lines have a dress code, and at least one elegant evening is scheduled when you dine in the main dining room. Pack attire that adheres to the cruise's dress code: Think Sunday dress or business casual for most nights and suits and wedding-guest attire for elegant nights.
January is the beginning of the dry season, with very little rain in Nassau, the nation's primary cruise port. Outside of New Year's (the end of the local Junkanoo winter festival), the first few months of the year are relatively quiet, with children back in school.
Less than 200 miles off the coast of Miami is Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. Ubiquitous with cruising, the Bahamas offers up its tropical ports and private islands on short cruises or part of longer Caribbean itineraries, nearly year-round.
Deciding the best month to go to the Bahamas by cruise ship can be tough, due to its long cruise season. Vacationers might wonder: Will it be too crowded in the summer or rainy in the winter? When is the cheapest time to sail to the Bahamas?
If you're not interested in crowds, beware of spring breakers; they typically head out between March and April -- in droves -- in search of sun and fun.