Our first destination on this trip was South Florida since we flew into
Ft. Lauderdale. We explored the Everglades the day after arriving
in Florida. We took an Airboat tour of the Everglades at Sawgrass
Recreation Area.
We saw wild gators on the airboat tour of the Everglades. The
boat came up right next to them too! I just kept hearing John
Anderson's song, "Seminole Wind" in my head as we made our way through
the swamplands.
Here is a picture of me boarding the Carnival Imagination ship at the
Port of Miami. My friends are behind me in the picture.
My friends and family are enjoying lunch at the Lido Deck of the
Carnival ship after we embarked onboard. Carnival gave out free
champagne to welcome everyone onboard the boat.
The ship had some cool waterslides.
My mother is pictured with my brother and I on the deck of the
ship. Downtown Miami is behind us.
Here is a shot of Nassau as we made our way into port. Atlantis is in the background.
We bought daypasses for the British Colonial Hilton Resort in Nassau. We had full access to the facilities including the private beach, kayaks, snorkeling gear, and pool. In addition, we got food and beverage credit too.
Here is an old cannon at the British Colonial Hilton Resort.
I like lighthouses so I had to photograph this one in Nassau.
I am chilling on one of the outdoor beds at the British Colonial Hilton Resort. These beds were really nice. One can take in the views of the pool and ocean amidst the warm breezes.
My brother and I are enjoying the private beach at the resort.
I am kayaking off in the distance.
I am snorkling in this photo. The water temperature was around 75-77. It was cooler than Cozumel, but once one gets used to it, it was fine.
Here are some transparent color fishes in the clear water.
Here is a view of the private beach and pool area from the Executive Lounge at the British Colonial Hilton Resort. Since I am a Hilton Honors Diamond member, I got access to the Executive Lounge for myself and my guests.
My mother and I are shown at High Tea in the Executive Lounge at the British Colonial Hilton Resort. The pastries were great, but there were no cucumber sandwiches :(
This is our ship while docked in Nassau.
This is one of the two naval ships in the Bahamian Navy. HMBS stands for Her Majesty's Bahamian Ship. The Bahamas was a British Crown Colony until 1973. Today, they are part of the Commonwealth, and they recognize the British monarch as their Chief of State. They have a parliament with a prime minister who is the head of the government.
We took a buggy ride around Nassau.
I had three lobsters on the formal night of our cruise!
I am enjoying a glass of wine with my dinner during the formal dinner night of our cruise.
My brother and I are partying it up at Club Space on New Year's Eve in Miami!
My mother did not understand the concept of the quiet room at the Delta Sky Club at FLL (Fort Lauderdale Airport). I was just catching up on sleep and enjoying the complimentary snacks and alcohol.
The Delta Sky Club at Atlanta Concourse A (Gate 17) was much nicer than FLL since Atlanta is a hub for Delta. I was trying to get my brother into whiskeys and scotches just like I am.
My family and a few
friends decided to go on a cruise to the Bahamas right after Christmas
in 2012. We flew into South Florida, and then we explored the
Everglades on the first day along with Fort Lauderdale Beach.
Afterwards, we took our three day cruise to Nassau. We took the
Carnival Imagination from the Port of Miami. Our ship departed at
4:00 PM on Friday, December 28th, and we arrived into Nassau at 10:00
AM on the 29th. After arriving in Nassau, we explored the
parliament area before going off to the British Colonial Hilton Resort
where we had day passes to enjoy their facilities including the private
beach, pool, and outdoor beds. Since I am a Hilton Honors Diamond
member, we also got access to the Executive Lounge where High Tea was
served. After snorkeling and kayaking, we took a buggy ride
around Nassau before returning to the ship for the formal night dinner
which included lobster. We went back out to party in Nassau after
dinner. My friends, brother, and I found a nice club called
Sharkee's by the water. Out of weird coincidence, I actually meet
a young lady from the Sacramento area there too. We danced the
night away as I enjoyed my usual drink of choice, Jamesons &
Gingerale, before we returned to the ship. The young lady I met
was a little strange since she was a "cutter," but she was cute.
We had a full day at sea before returning to Miami. After getting
back to Miami, we had some authentic Cuban food at Versailles before
visiting South Beach. That night, my brother, friend, and I rang
in the New Year at Club Space, a popular Miami Club. The next
day, we flew back to Las Vegas after spending a lot of time just
chilling at the Delta Sky Clubs in Ft. Lauderdale and Atlanta since we
had a decent layover.