This article can be a helpful guide whether you're planning a Bachelorette Cruise or a Bachelor Cruise.... but for the sake of simplicity, I will call it a "Bachelorette." If you're planning a Bachelor Cruise, just substitute "Bachelorette" for "Bachelor," and "girls" for "guys"... or whatever language you prefer.
Choosing the Cruise Line / Ship / Itinerary
Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, Celebrity, and Disney all offer 3-night weekend sailings out of Florida. There are many different itinerary/length options from other ports of call (such as Galveston, New Jersey, or Long Beach) depending on the time of year that could work for your group. However, since Friday-Monday cruises are likely the most convenient for Bachelorette trips, I'm going to focus on the 3-night weekend cruises out of Florida.
We chose a 3-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas out of Port Canaveral because Rachel wanted to stay in a nice suite, as well as spend time at Walt Disney World before the cruise. To choose the best cruise for your Bachelorette, consider the group's budget, as well as the overall vibes you're seeking.
When choosing between Florida ports of call, know that Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale is most convenient to the airport - it's only 3.3 miles from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL). Port of Miami is 9.2 miles from Miami International Airport (MIA), but know that traffic in Miami can cause significant flex in drive time. Port Canaveral is the farthest from the airport, located 46 miles from Orlando International Airport (MCO). The main reason to sail out of Port Canaveral instead of Fort Lauderdale or Miami is if you want to also visit the theme parks - Walt Disney World and Universal Studios are both most convenient to MCO/Port Canaveral.
In general, 3-night cruises from Florida have a more "party" atmosphere than a 7-night itinerary. Generally speaking, often the cruises with less expensive fares are more likely to be "booze cruises," which make fun party vibes for a Bachelorette. If you're looking for something more tame, consider newer/larger ships which are more likely to have a diverse passenger group, therefore less of a total party vibe (such as Royal Caribbean Oasis-class ships or Norwegian Breakaway/Breakaway Plus-class ships), or consider Disney Cruise Line or Celebrity.
Unless you have loyalty with one cruise line, rather than narrowing in on a single cruise line, I'd recommend instead researching the ships that work for your dates and what they have to offer when it comes to accommodations and activities.
Select your Stateroom(s)
The great thing about cruising for a Bachelorette is that accommodations can be more equal across the board. If you're booking standard category staterooms, I'd recommend booking rooms at double occupancy if possible, rather than trying to squeeze 3 or 4 passengers into one room. That way, no one has to sleep on a sofa/bunkbed and everyone has more bathroom space to get ready.
If you're looking to book a suite, make sure to find floorplans that explain the sleeping arrangements. The word "suite" doesn't necessarily mean a large room on a cruise ship - often, "suite" is used to label a slightly larger stateroom with upgraded amenities (watch out for "junior suites" or "mini suites"). Many suites on cruise ships are designed for couples/families, and the 3rd and 4th passengers may be sleeping on a pullout couch in the living space. You know your group best and what they'll be comfortable with, but it may be best to book multiple staterooms, rather than a suite.
While you could book a suite for the bride and book additional passengers in standard staterooms, pay attention to the amenities/exclusive areas offered with the suite. On some of the newer/larger ships, suites are located in an exclusive area (such as Norwegian's Haven and Royal Caribbean's Star Class) which may be difficult for the other people in your group to access and create two different "classes" within your Bachelorette group.
We booked a Royal Loft Suite for Rachel's Bachelorette Cruise, and I spent a lot of mental energy pre-cruise trying to determine the best way to book everyone - whether it was in the suite or separate staterooms.
Get Documents in Order for Online Check-In
Depending on how you booked your stateroom(s), you may be the one checking in your entire party. Whether or not you'll be the one checking everyone in, make sure that everyone has the required documentation. I'd recommend visiting the cruise website for specific requirements, but for U.S. citizens leaving on roundtrip cruises from Florida, everyone will need either a Passport that is valid 6 months after sail date (check the expiration date!) or their original birth certificate and state-issued drivers' license.
For most cruise lines, you'll need a "selfie" photo of everyone in your group (cannot be a Passport photo), as well as a photo/scan of their Passport or drivers' license.
You'll also need to provide everyone's physical address and emergency contacts.
I created a folder on my phone where I saved everyone's documents so that I had it handy when it was time to check-in online for our cruise.
Book the Drink Package
If your group plans to drink on the cruise, it's definitely worth it to book the drink package for a 3-night cruise. While the drink package is an upfront cost, it lets everyone know in advance how to budget and is much better than a surprisingly high bar tab at the end of the cruise. Note that most cruise lines require that you purchase the drink package for all adults 21 and older booked in the same stateroom (to discourage sharing).
Norwegian now includes unlimited alcoholic beverages with their More at Sea program (you'll need to pre-pay gratuities at $30/person/day) which includes unlimited premium top-shelf spirits, cocktails, wines, draft beers, juices, and sodas. (Note that Starbucks and bottled water are not included.)
Carnival's drink package, CHEERS! is $82.54/person/day when purchased up to one day prior to sailing. CHEERS! includes alcoholic drinks up to $20, sodas, Zero-Proof frozen cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffee, hot tea, 500 ml bottled water, and other non-alcoholic bottled beverages. CHEERS! also has a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day.
Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package price varies, depending on the ship and itinerary (for a 3-night sailing, expect $80-105/person/day). The Deluxe Beverage Package also occasionally gets discounted. You can pre-book the drink package, and if the rate drops, cancel and rebook at the lower rate. Royal Caribbean Star Class suites include the Deluxe Beverage Package in your fare. The Deluxe Beverage Package includes alcoholic drinks up to $14, sodas, juices, premium coffees and teas, and a souvenir cup.
MSC offers the Premium Extra Package which costs $70/person/day when purchased in advance. The Premium Extra Package includes alcoholic drinks up to $16, sodas, juices, specialty coffee, tea, hot chocolate, still and sparkling water. The Premium Extra Package has a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day.
Celebrity offers two drink packages - the Classic Drink Package is $89.99/person/day, plus gratuity (coming to $107.99/person/day) when purchased in advance and includes alcoholic drinks up to $10, sodas, juices, and bottled water. For an additional $20/person/day, you can upgrade to the Premium Drink Package which includes all beverages listed in the Classic Drink Package, plus alcoholic drinks up to $17 and premium coffee. If you need help determining which package to book, Celebrity has a guide with a sample of current offerings.
Disney Cruise Line does not offer a drink package. However, they are more generous with their alcohol policy, allowing each guest over 21 years to carry on 2 bottles of wine or 6 beers at each port of call, so you can plan to carry on a few bottles. DCL also has a few discounts offered on the ship - you can purchase a 21-ounce souvenir beer mug ($15) and receive 21-oz refills for a 16-oz price. They also sell wine packages in the dining room.
Plan Activities/Excursions for Ports of Call
Depending on the cruise line and itinerary you select for your Bachelorette cruise, you may have different ports of call. Most 3-night Bahamas itineraries will include Nassau, Bahamas and the cruise line's private island.
If you're looking to book an excursion in Nassau for your Bachelorette cruise, I would suggest looking into a booze cruise or a catamaran sailing. I recommend browsing the excursions that the cruise line has to offer to get a feel of what's available in port, then look to book those activities through a 3rd party group, such as Viator or Shore Excursion Group which will often be more affordable and a smaller group of people. If you don't want to pre-book an excursion but still want to go ashore in Nassau, Senor Frogs is always a party.
For Rachel's Bachelorette Cruise, we opted to stay on the ship and take advantage of the included amenities, treating it like a sea day. Rather than going ashore in Nassau, you may opt to stay onboard, enjoy the pool, and take advantage of the drink package and food included on the ship - this can eliminate additional costs for your group.
The great thing about cruise line private islands is that your drink package extends to the island and many amenities are included.
Norwegian visits their private island, Great Stirrup Cay, on 3-night Bahamas itineraries. Great Stirrup Cay is accessible by tender boat, a smaller boat that transfers guests ashore. Beach lounge chairs are complimentary. There are private cabanas available to rent which would be fun for a Bachelorette! Your drink package works on Great Stirrup Cay, and there are several bars on the island, as well as restaurants serving complimentary food. Watersports and the Zipline Activity are available for an additional fee and can be booked as an excursion through the NCL website. For more information on Great Stirrup Cay, see my trip report from December 2021.
Carnival's private island, Celebration Key, opens in summer 2025. Celebration Key will include the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, lounge chairs and umbrellas, a DJ, and an adults-only spot - Pearl cove Beach Club. There will be a pier that the ships can dock at, meaning no tender boat rides to the island. There are many cabana and villa options to rent which could be a fun "home base" for a Bachelorette group. While the island has yet to open, the promotional site makes it look like a lot of fun!
Royal Caribbean sails to their private island, Perfect Day CocoCay, on 3-night Bahamas itineraries. Perfect Day CocoCay was revamped in 2019 to include a pier for ships to dock at, making it easy to get off the ship at the island. The island has an open-air tram which transports guests to different areas on the island. Lounge chairs are complimentary. Your drink package works on CocoCay, and food is include - there are 9 bars and 3 dining locations. Complimentary areas include Cove Beach, South Beach (has a Floating Bar), Chill Island, Harbor Beach, as well as Oasis Lagoon, a large freshwater pool (currently the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean.... that is until summer 2025 when Celebration Key takes the title) with a swim-up bar. Exclusive (for fee) areas include Coco Beach Club and Hideaway Beach, an adults-only beachfront party spot (if you want DJ beats for your Bachelorette, book Hideaway Beach). If you're looking for thrills, Thrill Waterpark has 9 waterslides, including a 135-foot waterslide, and can be booked for an additional fee. There are a variety of private cabanas available to rent, including over-water bungalows at Coco Beach Club, poolside cabanas at Hideaway Beach, and cabanas at Thrill Waterpark. While there are a lot of add-ons available at Perfect Day CocoCay, we chose not to book anything extra for Rachel's Bachelorette and had an amazing time!
Celebrity Cruises 3-night Bahamas itineraries do not currently sail to a private island. Instead, they visit Bimini, Bahamas. A few of the Celebrity 3-night itineraries include Key West which is a fun Bachelorette destination on it's own!
Disney now has two Bahamian private islands. Currently, Disney Cruise Line's 3-night Bahamas cruises from Port Canaveral sail to Castaway Cay. Back in 1997, Disney dredged 50,000 truckloads of sand to construct a pier and 1,700 foot channel which allow Disney ships to dock directly alongside the island. Castaway Cay has open-air trams which take you to the two family beaches, as well as a second tram system which takes you to the adults-only Serenity Bay. Barbecue lunch is served on the island at Cookies BBQ, Cookies Too BBQ, and adults-only Air Bar BBQ. There are several fun themed bars throughout the island, and drinks can be charged to your onboard account (remember, no drink package on DCL). There is an expansive snorkeling lagoon (gear is available to rent), and 2 twisting water slides. Cabanas are available to rent at adults-only Serenity Bay, as well as the Family Beach (it's very difficult to get a cabana at the family beach due to high demand). And if you're more adventurous, you can rent bikes or book activities like the stingray encounter, parasailing, or banana boating.
Disney is sailing to its newest private island, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, on 3-night Bahamas cruises from Fort Lauderdale. Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point (what a mouthful) opened in 2024 and includes a long pier where Disney ships dock. There is an open-air tram to transport guests from the pier to the developed side of the island. Inspired by the rich culture of The Bahamas, Goombay Cultural Center is truly the center of Lookout Cay. There is a Family Beach, as well as adults-only Serenity Bay. Barbecue lunch is served on the island at True-True BBQ, True-True Too BBQ, and adults-only Serenity Bay BBQ. There are four themed bars, and drinks can be charged to your onboard account (remember, no drink package on DCL). Cabanas are available to rent at Mabrika Cove (located near the pier) and at adults-only Serenity Bay. If you're feeling adventurous, bikes and snorkeling equipment are available to rent.
Book your Flights
When cruising, it's highly recommended to fly in at least one day in advance of your cruise. This is because cruise ships have scheduled departure times, and if you're flying in the morning of and your flight gets delayed, you could miss your cruise. Scheduling your flight for the day before the cruise gives you more buffer time in case anything goes wrong.
That being said... it's a weekend Bachelorette trip, so not everyone can take that much time off of work. As a rule of thumb, I'd recommend that everyone choose a flight that arrives before 10AM (one of our girls took a redeye from Los Angeles for Rachel's Bachelorette and it all worked out).
For return flights, I'd generally recommend booking flights that depart after 10AM from Fort Lauderdale/Miami, and..... assuming that you have TSA Pre-Check, flights that leave after 11AM from Orlando (MCO is always a mess - to play it safe, I'd suggest flights that leave after 12PM).
Consider a Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay
If you opt to fly in before your cruise, you'll need to book a pre-cruise hotel. If you're departing from Miami, I'd recommend staying in Downtown/Brickell or Biscayne Bay. In Fort Lauderdale, I'd recommend staying in Port Everglades/Marina or Fort Lauderdale Beach.
If you're sailing out of Port Canaveral, you could choose to stay in Orlando - I'd recommend staying near the airport (unless you're doing pre-cruise theme parks... in which case, stay by the theme parks). Or you could go ahead and drive (46 miles) and stay in Cape Canaveral.
For Rachel's Bachelorette, three of the girls chose to join us for a day at Disney World before the cruise, so we stayed at Disney's Yacht Club Resort.
Book Transportation to/from the Cruise Port
Transportation to and from the cruise port is going to vary depending on your embarkation port. If you're sailing out of Fort Lauderdale or Miami, the cruise port is a short drive from the airport. Rideshare services are a great option, and you could also look into private transfers.
If you're embarking from Port Canaveral, the port is a 46 mile drive from MCO. Rideshares are an option, but depending on the size of your group, it may be easier and more convenient to book private transportation.
For Rachel's Bachelorette, it was important to me that everyone arrived to the cruise terminal together, so I looked into private transportation options. There were a variety of sprinter vans and limousines available, and I compared quotes between several companies. Since this was a Bachelorette and I wanted us to arrive in style, I booked a 10-passenger limousine (be sure to account for luggage) through Backstage Limo that picked us up at Disney (with a stop at MCO) and drove us to Port Canaveral.
Plan Themes/Outfits (or don't)
Bachelorette themes and outfit coordination can be a little controversial, but I'd encourage you to block out the noise and focus on what feels fun and authentic to the bride and her friends.
For Rachel's Bachelorette, we planned a Caribbean Night (the girls wore bright colors, florals, etc.) and a Sparkle Night (the girls wore sequin/metallic silver, gold, or black).
For our day on the ship in Nassau, we requested colorful swimsuits, and for our day at the private island, all of the girls wore black swimsuits.
To board the ship, I gifted everyone a "Mate" shirt (because this was a wear-once item, but I really wanted it) which we wore with denim shorts, and Rachel wore a "Bride" shirt. My goal was to make it pretty flexible and not put too many restrictions on color, but also have us look like a cohesive Bachelorette party.
Order Bachelorette Decorations (or don't)
If you choose to decorate your stateroom(s), magnetic hooks are perfect for hanging banners/streamers. Your stateroom door is (most likely - I'd recommend doing a quick Internet search to confirm your specific ship and stateroom type) metal, so magnets are great for decorating. While I didn't decorate for Rachel's Bachelorette (she was adamant that she didn't want anyone spending their time decorating), I've decorated many stateroom doors in the past and recommend ordering automotive magnets from Vista Print, or printing your own using magnetic paper for InkJet printers from PrintOnIt.
Order Bachelorette Souvenirs (or don't)
There are so many options for Bachelorette swag out there, so I thought I'd share a few cruise-specific goodies that could be useful.
Lanyard Wristlets with Clear ID Holders are perfect for keeping your cruise card handy for ordering drinks from the pool.
Our family loves personalized koozies. I opted for a more sophisticated design from Etsy that I had personalized with our cruise information because I thought it could make it more useful for everyone after the cruise (or maybe that's just my wishful thinking).
I loved the Bride/Mate tees so much that I purchased them for the group so that we could get an adorable boarding photo (too bad I ruined it with my shoulder).
For the Bride, I ordered a Bride Captain Hat with Veil.
Print Cruise Documents and Luggage Tags
Although digital documents are an option for many cruise lines, I'd highly recommend printing out physical documents for any QR codes you need to check-in at the port because it makes things a lot easier, especially when traveling in a group.
You'll also need to print out luggage tags. These tags are put on your suitcases and bags that you drop off with the porter at the cruise terminal. While you can attach the tags with a stapler, it's much easier to use plastic luggage tag sleeves. For Rachel's Bachelorette cruise, I printed out everyone's luggage tag and went ahead and folded them into the sleeves to make it easy for everyone to tag their own bags.
Bring Cash for Tips
While all purchases on your cruise will be made on your cruise card and billed to your credit card, you'll want to have cash on hand for tips.
Porters are the people at the cruise terminal who collect your luggage at the curb and have it loaded onto the ship. Have your cash ready when you arrive at the port to hand them. Rule-of-thumb is to tip $2-3/bag.
Cruise lines will recommend a gratuity amount per day that covers your stateroom attendant and dining room servers. Typically you'll have the option to prepay this amount. Otherwise, it will be charged to your account at the end of the cruise. If you have great service or receive more service due to the size of your group, consider providing an additional cash tip - it will be appreciated.
If you're getting off the ship in Nassau, you'll want cash for taxi rides, souvenirs from the straw market, etc. How much to bring depends on what you intend to do, but the U.S. dollar will work.
Often cruise line private islands have Bahamian markets on the island where you can purchase crafts and other souvenirs. You'll need cash for these markets, so if you think you'll do some shopping on the private island, bring some cash.
If you're receiving elevated service for the Bachelorette (perhaps you booked a suite or a private cabana), do a little research beforehand on appropriate tips.
Have a Great Cruise!
A Bachelorette Cruise may take a little bit of upfront planning, but once you're on the ship, it's a stress-free great time!
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