We enjoyed Carnival Ecstasy from Charleston to the Bahamas. Immediately after booking, we booked Faster to the Fun in the Excursion options. It allowed us to smoothly enter to receive our room card and be among the first to board the ship. We were able to skip the customer service line and disembark extremely quickly by a special elevator instead of waiting in the wrap around lines that I am sure took hours to exit the ship at the end of the cruise.

We enjoyed snorkeling in Freeport (booked the excursion via viator.com) and it was amazing that we were shuttled in air conditioning with a group to the basically secluded Deadman's Reef, rented a locker, inexpensive chairs and umbrella, included lunch and rented snorkel gear and a yellow floaty. It was perfect to be on the beach relaxing one minute and to wade out to snorkel and return to the beach for the restroom any time that we wanted. There were two return shuttles and we did the earlier one. There were probably 20 guests on the beach that day. It was perfect and everyone was so nice. Ironically, we had dinner that night with folks we met earlier on the beach that had chairs and an umbrella next to us.

In the Bahamas, we grabbed a taxi at the Pier for the One and Only Ocean Club (exclusive hotel and a no-no to those "just visiting") and it was the most relaxing two hours of our life. Then we went to Atlantis (purchase tickets for the waterpark way ahead of time online through Atlantis' website, as they sell out - only so many sold for each date) and went down the slides surrounded by sharks. Saw a Bahamian kitty, many pools. Bring card and cash for a locker (they take one but not the other, I cannot remember which). Wear watershoes or your feet will burn and peel. Read more