Bahamas on a Budget: 3 Night Cruise Edition

Ever just need a short beach vacation but don’t want to pay the price of flying to an island, paying for a hotel room, and food and drink for just a long weekend? Well check this article out because a cruise may be the solution for you! Taking a 3 night cruise can get you to a beach on a budget. 

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Why a cruise vs a beach resort?

A vacation to a Caribbean island or a Florida beach can be pricey (especially if you’re not using a points credit card). Flights, a hotel room, plus resort food and drinks and you are looking at a costly vacation. A 2 or 3 night cruise can be a cheaper option to getting you a couple of days on a beach and it will include all of your food!

What cruise line should I choose for my 3 night cruise?

There are a handful of cruise lines that operate 3 night cruises out of Florida and all for a range of prices. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Disney, MSC to name a few. These options sail out of Miami, Port Canaveral (Orlando), and Fort Lauderdale giving you multiple options that you can choose from based on cost and how easy the port access for you.

Review of MSC 3 night cruise

Still reading? Awesome! The following is a review of the three night cruise my mom and I were able to take in the spring.

The MSC Meraviglia is the first (and only) MSC cruise that my mom and I have sailed on (and we have sailed on quite a few ships). 

The ship itself is pretty impressive and it had one of my favorite ship features – a shopping promenade. The staterooms were great and the food was also fantastic! My only major complaint on the ship is that you had to have a physical copy of all of your documents at check-in…come on MSC, its 2023. 

BUT best thing about this cruise (and the reason we chose this sailing) is the itinerary. 

Itinerary

Day 1: Port Canaveral (Orlando), FL

Day 2: Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

Day 3: Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

Day 4: Port Canaveral (Orlando), FL

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

When booking this short cruise, we really just wanted some beach time. We chose this itinerary because it parked and spent a full day and a half on MSCs private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, which is home to a handful of pristine, white sand beaches. 

If you want a bustling island full of history and culture, this is not the place for you. BUT, if you are looking to just get away from it all for a couple of days, then sign yourself up! Once an industrial site, MSC restored the island to its natural beauty.

This Bahamas island is exclusive to MSC ships and beaches, a spa, food, drinks, cabana rentals, and shopping. If you dont like the vibes of one beach, theres another just around the corner, even a lagoon.

We chose to spend most of our full day on the island on Bimini Beach. It is much quieter than other beaches that are closer to the ship dock. Not going to lie, it is a hike to get to this beach but it is worth it if you are looking for a great location to relax. 

Want more activity? MSC offers shore excursions on island that include kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, and jet skiing. 

The island provides food and drink locations all around the island. Food and basic drinks are included and your drink package that works on the ship will work on island as well. As a note: the island also offers exclusive restaurants and beach areas for their exclusive MSC Yacht Club guests. 

The pier sits a short distance from the main island activities, which allows for easy access on and off the ship.  After spending a day getting our tan on the beach, we went back to the ship to shower and go to the dining room for dinner. One cool thing about this itinerary, is that it docks on Ocean Cay overnight. Because of this, the crew puts on a great beachside party in the evening. The party is complete with fire pits and a lightshow from the lighthouse. 

Day two at Ocean Cay is a bit shorter as you leave around 2:00pm. But no fear, that is still plenty of time to further your tan or do some shopping. 

What to pack

For this 3 night cruise, all you need is a carry on suitcase and a maybe a backpack.

• Sunscreen (duh)
• Something nice for dinner: flowy dresses and skirts for the ladies / linen button ups or Caribbean shirts for the guys. You can get away with being pretty casual these days but I still like dress nice.
• Swimsuits and cover ups
• Athletic clothes and sneakers if you plan on working out

Also, check out my favorite packing tool!

Final thoughts

If you enjoy cruising and want an easy beach getaway, this would be a great option for you!

Many Caribbean frequent sailors are familiar with Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay. It is worth mentioning that this private island is vastly different and, in my opinion, superior. CocoCay, with its water park, may be a kids dream and it definitely has some great beaches. But Royal Caribbean has a habit of parking multiple mega ships on the beach at once, causing a busy island. 

Ocean Cay may not be a kid’s haven but it is the perfect island for a relaxing beach vacation that takes you away from it all. 

If you are looking for this kind of trip, make sure you consider it for your next short getaway.

If you would rather stay at a resort, make sure you check out: Bahamas on a Budget – Luxury Resort Edition

Need a travel agent?

Look no further.

Nancy James at Cruise Planners can set you up on a wonderful cruise. Reach out to her at 972-741-2458 or at cruisenjames@sbcglobal.net

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