3 Day Cruise: Girls Trip to Key West & Bahamas
I recently got back from my first ever cruise experience. I was so excited to see what the hype was all about and I wasn’t disappointed. I had so much fun & plenty of opportunity to relax- exactly what I needed. The best part? I went on the cruise as a bachelorette trip to celebrate one of my oldest friends. I’ve been on quite a few bachelorette trips, but I loved cruise set up of having all expenses prepaid and then being able to visit multiple destinations all while sleeping in the same bed every night.
Although I was just along for the ride and not the planner of this trip, I wanted to share my experience and things I loved if you need any insight for an upcoming cruise, girls' trip, or bachelorette.
The Cruise Ship
For my first cruise, the bachelorette set sale out of Ft. Lauderdale for a three-day cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette. I have no comparison, but the ship had everything we could need and more. We had plenty of time to explore the plethora of food options, indoor/outdoor pool, and nighttime entertainment. I was also impressed by the size of our room which I shared with one of my best girlfriends. We stayed in a deluxe Veranda which had plenty of room with a small sitting area and two separate beds, but the best part was our balcony which felt almost as big as the indoor portion of our room!
Day 1: Arrival
Arriving all the way from Austin, I had to catch a flight to Flordia the night before the cruise departure to ensure I wouldn’t be caught in any delays. For price and a direct flight, I flew into Miami Airport. I spent the first night at Hyatt Place Miami Airport-East as an affordable option that was extremely close to the airport. The next morning myself and the other girls on the bachelorette enjoyed the free breakfast at the hotel and then shared an Uber to the cruise port in Fort Lauderdale. The ride was about 30 mintues.
Since we all had carry-on luggage, we were able to carry our bags with us onto the ship. The check in process was easy and quick. (Our bride is also an amazing travel agent, so she had handled all the pre-check in logistics). Despite being onboard before our rooms were ready, we were still able to access the suite which allowed us to drop off our bags and change into our swimsuits.
The first day we enjoyed the buffet lunch and spent some quality time hanging out by the pool with fun drinks in hand. (We had the Premium Drink package which I would highly recommend). The weather was amazing, and we set sail around 4pm.
That night we had dinner in the Main Dining Room where we were able to make a reservation for our entire group in advance. After dinner, we spent time exploring the different bars and areas on board. Our favorite (where we became regulars) was the martini bar. It was one of the best expresso martinis I ever had! We ended the night with a late-night comedy show.
Day 2: Key West
We began our second day bright and early, since the ship arrived in Key West before we even got out of bed. We all ate a quick breakfast at the buffet and then departed the ship into Key West. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to both depart and reenter the ship in the different ports- all we needed was our passport and room key!
Since being on a bachelorette, we spent our day in Key West bar hopping (which I’m not complaining about). We visited Hog’s Breath Saloon, Sloppy Joe’s and Pickles Pub. We had the best time, and I would love to go back and spend a longer period in Key West. We ended our day by visiting Kermit’s Key Lime Pie Shop for a frozen, chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick. This might have been my favorite part of the entire day!
After reboarding the ship, we got back into our swimsuits and took a little nap in the Solarium. Feeling refreshed, we got ready for another dinner in the Main Dining Room, but not before stopping by our favorite spot, the Martini Bar. The night ended with an unforgettable silent disco, which turned out to be the highlight of our entire trip.
Day 3: Pool Day
The next morning, our ship arrived in the Bahamas around 11 am. After a couple of eventful days, some of us decided to relax on the ship instead of exploring the Bahamas. However, those who ventured out had a fantastic time snorkeling at the public beach and shopping near the port.
I started my morning with a run on the treadmill at the ship's gym and then enjoyed breakfast outside on the terrace where we were able to watch the ship docking in the Bahamas. After breakfast, I spent the rest of the day doing my favorite thing, laying by the pool. Between reading my book, talking with my girlfriends and enjoying the pool entertainment, I was never bored. We ate a poolside lunch of burgers and fries. One of the highlights of the day was getting to enjoy the views of the Bahamas and crystal-clear water from the ship. We ended our afternoon with another nap in the Solarium.
For our final night we ate dinner at one of the specialty restaurants onboard, the Murano. It was definitely fancy - I enjoyed lobster prepared table-side! We had so many laughs at dinner. The experience lasted for hours, so exhausted and full and headed back to bed after dinner.
Day 4: Disembark the Ship/ Miami Beach
The next morning our ship arrived back in Ft. Lauderdale, and we had an early call to disembark the ship. One of my girlfriends and I had a late flight home (coupled with some flight delays) out of Miami Airport, so we decided to make the most of our day and took an Uber to Miami Beach for the day.
We enjoyed a slow brunch at Front Porch Café. After brunch, we found a place to store our luggage and took a long walk on the South Miami Beachwalk. Finally, we grabbed delicious sandwiches at La Sandwhicherie before heading the the airport.
All in all, it was one of the most memorable bachelorette parties I had ever been to. I loved that everything was included once we boarded the ship and that, despite being there with a large group, there was plenty of opportunity for everyone on the trip to spend time doing what they wanted to do. I officially loss of cruise virginity and am already thinking about when I can plan my next trip.
Hopefully your next cruise experience (whether it’s your first or 10th) is just as fun and memorable. Happy Sailing! Xxx, McKenzie