advice/activities for kids HMC/GT/Freeport

[lildolphin08]

We will be traveling soon on the carnival pride with a 2 year old and a 8 year old. we currently have the beach villa booked at HMC but would like to know the activities and or advice in HMC/GT/ and Freeport for kids. This will be our first time bringing the kids our last cruise was our first and wanted to explore how it was. any advice would be great. Thanks in advance!!

[crewsweeper]

Beach, beach, beach.

 

HMC is just beach. some water activity excursions but not a lot. Ditto GT. But there is the overpriced Margaritaville and it's pool. Outside of a trip to the lighthouse not much for kids other than beach.

 

Freeport isn't the world's greatest port of call either. So a nearby beach day there is the better activity for kids.

[livinthedream99]

For Freeport, check out Paradise Cove AKA. Dead Mans Reef. http://www.deadmansreef.com We went there the last time we were in Freeport. It was wonderful! The beach was gorgeous, and they served inexpensive drinks/food. We did the snorkeling package but they offer a beach only package as well for $32pp (includes trasportation). The owner Barry was very kind and helpful. Besides snorkeling, the kids found tiny hermit crabs on the beach, and played volleyball. If we ever travel to Freeport again, we will go back in a heartbeat!

[The Trooper]

Treat Freeport as a "Day at sea" so stay on the boat and enjoy a less crowded pool/waterslide Lido Deck. Going on the Valor in August and the 3 ports of call are HMC, Nassau and Freeport, we will probably not even leave the ship in Freeport.

[Sabalon]

Was coming here to recommend Dead Man's Reef as well. My daughters were 14 and 11 at the time and both enjoyed it. The oldest swam a lot and the youngest thought the water was too cold (February) and made friends and climbed on every rock there. Not that it was part of the admission, but we saw an octopus just hanging out near the shore which was neat.

 

Food was chicken, burger and hot dogs if I remember, but it was good and a fair price. They have a little gift shop, and everyone there was super nice. When my youngest didn't want to snorkel because the cold water, we rented a wet suit for her. She had it on for 10 minutes and said it was still too cold so they refunded the money for that.

[CorrieCJ]

Margaritaville food may be overpriced, as crewsweeper said. But the pool is free. You just walk over (maybe 10 minute walk from ship) and hop in. All you need is sunscreen :) Bring a few bottles of water and a box of cheerios from the ship for the kids to snack on, and you're good. The ship is only there for a few hours. The pool is huge and gorgeous. The beach is right there too.

[sme]

We rented a golf cart and just cruised the Island for a couple of hours. It was very interesting. You can find info on the golf carts on the Port of call board.

[cyntil8ing]

Oh, this brings back memories! My kid's first cruise was the same itinerary on the same ship when the Pride first came to Baltimore in 2009. They fell in love with cruising and now have been on over a dozen.

 

I know it's old, but here is a link to my photo review of that cruise. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1009766

 

We didn't get out of the water all day in Half Moon Cay. We brought along a couple of pails and shovels for them to play with. In Grand Turk, we rented a golf cart to explore. On our return a few years later, we spent the day in the pool at Margaritaville. The pool was a big hit because they were not big fans of the saltwater pool on the ship. In Freeport, the weather wasn't great that morning, so we just walked around the shops at the port and returned to the ship quickly.

 

And here's some unsolicited advice, bring goggles if they are not used to swimming in salt water.