The Bahamas were discovered by Christopher Columbus during his first voyage. He called the area "baja mar", which means low or shallow sea, and the name stayed to this day. The British arrived in the 1600s after the Spaniards had left in search of gold, and many British fleeing the American Revolution settled there, along with southerners during the American Civil War. The Bahamas became an independent member of the British Commonwealth in 1973.
Freeport, and the nearby resort area of Port Lucaya, are located on Grand Bahama Island, which is the fourth largest island of the Bahamas. They were developed over the past 50 years to be resort areas, as opposed to other Caribbean towns which grew out of a historic area.
Things to Do
While docked in Freeport/Port Lucaya, there are plenty of activities to keep you busy, including golf, shopping, snorkeling, boating, and visiting the beaches and casinos. There are also beautiful natural wonders to explore at the Lucayan National Park, the Rand Nature Center and the Garden of the Groves. UNEXSO - which stands for Underwater Exploration Society - offers some of the best snorkel, scuba and dolphin encounter experiences anywhere.
Getting Around
Both Freeport and Port Lucaya are a bit of a hike from the cruise terminal, so if you aren't part of a shore excursion - which includes transportation - you'll need to take a taxi or scooter rental to get around.
Weather
They say that it's 'better in the Bahamas', and concerning the weather - they are generally correct! Temperatures in this subtropical area range from about 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit, with warm ocean breezes.
Stephanie Larkin is the editor of http://www.WaltDisneyCruise.net, as well as http://www.CruiseNewsOnline.info. She and her family love to cruise - her 3 children especially love the towel animals and chocolates left on the beds at night!
