Cruise! Nassau, Bahamas (via Carnival Fascination sailing January 16th 2012)

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This entry is specific to Nassau. Key West blog is here: http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Keys/Key-West/blog-681995.html

Ship blog is here: http://www.travelblog.org/Oceans-and-Seas/Atlantic/blog-681988.html

Thursday we docked in Nassau Bahamas at noon. I played tour guide and showed Heather Fort Fincastle and the Queens staircase. The fort used to be free to tour, now it's $1 and they've added tourist info to it.
The queens staircase is impressive because it was carved and dug into the rocks by slaves without the modern machinery we take for granted ven.

From there we took a water taxi to Paradise Island to see Atlantis. There was a woman on the boat that was all shades of green. She made it, but we had our doubts she would! We learned the hard way to buy water before you go to the touristy island.. it was $9.95 for the big bottle and heather was desperate at that point. We also wandered around Atlantis to see the public portion of the facilities and the casino. Unfortunately they've closed off the lobby to non-guests and we couldn't walk up to the aquarium portion anymore.

After walking for what seemed like too long walking down the street and hanging two lefts, we found Cabbage beach which is accessible via an access path to the right of the RIU. The view is beautiful and MUCH prettier than Junkanoo beach which is close to port. There were more people at this beach too. The only disadvantage is all the vendors walking around, but it's worth the view! I purchased a coconut for drinks from a vendor stand - complete with bottle of rum.

We took a car taxi back and found a restroom in time for Heather. I have a feeling I know how she felt having been there when facilities weren't available when I was in Belize! Bahamanians drive very aggressively!

Dinner was at Hard Rock and we danced the rest of the evening at Señor Frogs. I didn't see many kids who would have been on the Semester at Sea boat we docked next to. There were a LOT of people from New Jersey - it turns out the other boat in port was Carnival Pride out of Baltimore. Mystery solved! I had a blast jumping around with everyone. They brought the party! :) As 9:30 approached, I sadly said my goodbyes to new friends and returned to the ship.

We were exhausted, but we did make it to the deck party that night for a little bit. By Thursday night we'd made friends all over the boat too, so it felt more like home. It's a good and bad thing, because it makes it that much harder to end the vacation that will soon be over!

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