Related: How To Choose A Hotel

Important Info

Address:
2905 Sheridan Street
Hollywood, Florida
33020
United States

Phone:
1 954 925-9100

4/5 rating on Trip Advisor

Location

Just about 10-15 minutes from the airport, so you won’t have to get up so early for that morning flight. It’s also close to the Fort Lauderdale cruise port.

The hotel has a shuttle that leaves for the airport every hour on the hour from 5am until midnight every day. It is free, although you need to sign up at the front desk of the hotel. If you need a ride from the airport to the hotel, call the hotel at (954) 925-9100. Usually the driver will stop by arrivals after dropping people off, so expect them around 20 past the hour. However if they didn’t have anyone signed up to go to the airport that hour they may send someone for you sooner.

They also have a shuttle to and from the cruise port in Fort Lauderdale. However there is a fee of $12USD per person and it is operated by a 3rd party. You can sign up and pay for it at the front desk of the hotel.

Want to hear more about our cruise? Check it all out here:

Where To Stay In Miami Before A Cruise

2 Days In Miami Before Cruising

Free Miami Art Deco Walking Tour

1 Day On Grand Bahamas

1 Day In Nassau

Room

After being in a cruise ship room, it was certainly a treat to spend our last night in a spacious room. Even with 4 people we did not feel cramped at all. We booked an executive room with 2 queen beds. The bathroom was large, and the sink area was great for getting ready. The beds were really comfortable and they even had different kinds of pillows so you could decide what works for you!

Our room also had a mini fridge, coffee maker with coffee and tea supplies, and of course cable TV, iron and ironing board, all the regular stuff!

The Pool

What really makes this hotel stand out from just being a regular ol’ hotel is the pool area. When we walked out we knew we had found a perfect place to relax before flying home the next day. The pool area has amazing landscaping so you don’t feel like you’re in the middle of a business park, but rather a lush tropical location. The pool itself was heated when we visited in January, and was the perfect temperature for swimming around lazily. There are plenty of deck chairs to relax on as well. We were happy to see a lift so the pool is accessible for people who need that option.

The pool area has a bathroom/ change room, and it’s nice not to have to run up to your room while you’re relaxing by the pool.

There is a small hot tub off to the side that was perfect for relaxing in the evening when the temperatures cooled off a bit. The pool area is also beautifully lit at night, and super relaxing.

Food

On Friday and Saturdays they offer a BBQ lunch by the pool. Mostly burgers, chicken burgers, hot dogs and chips. Our BBQ lunch was super enjoyable and not too expensive. They also have a restaurant inside where you can order their whole menu any day of the week. Although we did not eat in the main restaurant, the menu looked delicious. There is a breakfast buffet available for an extra charge, unless you book a package that includes breakfast.

Due to the location being in a business park, there are a few restaurants around. If you are just looking for coffee, Cali Coffee is right outside. Denny’s and McDonald’s are right across the street. There are plenty of other restaurants around if you have a car or decide to take an uber.

Overall Impression

I would definitely stay here again. The staff was amazing, and they really made our stay very comfortable. When we got to the hotel our room was not ready, they were able to store our luggage for us while we relaxed by the pool. They came and got us when our room was ready (earlier than check in time!), and gave us a room with a pool view. We left the next morning feeling relaxed and refreshed to fly home to Canada.

Also stopping at Grand Bahama Island? Check out what to do with one day in Freeport!

Nassau Know Before You Go

Money

The currency in the Bahamas is the Bahamian dollar, which is always a 1:1 conversion with the US dollar. For this reason most businesses will take American money, however be aware that you may get Bahamian coins for change! I recommend keeping small bills on you for paying to minimize the need for change when purchasing something.

Travel Advisories

There is currently a travel advisory for the Bahamas due to high rates of crimes like mugging, fraud and assault. Use common sense when traveling, and keep things like your passport well secured and don’t travel with expensive jewelry or large sums of cash. It is not recommended to walk alone at night and stay aware of your surroundings.

Language

The official language in the Bahamas is English.

Getting Around Nassau

There are plenty of things to do within walking distance of the cruise port, but if you decide to go further, you may need to take a taxi. Always ask the price before you get into a taxi, as they may try to charge you too much if you wait until you’ve arrived at your destination. Make sure to get into a marked taxi and don’t take drives from locals offering.

Cars drive on the left in the Bahamas, so you may not want to rent a car for this reason. Also be careful when crossing the streets!

Unfortunately there is no Uber or Lyft on the island.

Nassau Cruise Port

When you get off the cruise you’ll walk down a boardwalk into Festival Place. It is a gated area with some local vendors selling their crafts and other items. There are also a few food stands to grab something to eat. It’s not a big area, but it has some bathrooms, and also an information booth. You will have to show ID to get back into the gated area after exploring Nassau, and also to leave Festival Place to get back to the boardwalk that leads to the ship.

Things To Do In Nassau

So much to do, so little time! You might not be able to tackle all these things in one day, depending on how much time you spend at each spot. We personally booked an excursion through our cruise ship, and then spent some time exploring on our own.

Ardastra Zoo and Gardens

Open daily 9-5, last entrance at 4pm. Cost is $18.75 for adults, $9.50 for children 4-12 and free for those 3 and under.

The Ardastra Zoo and Gardens is the only zoo in the Bahamas! It is about a 10 minute drive from the cruise port. The most exciting thing to see here is the flamingos! Flamingos are the national bird of the Bahamas, and here at Ardastra zoo, they are trained to put on a little show for you. They also have peacocks, parrots, many reptiles, and some domesticated animals like pigs and goats. It’s a great place for kids to see some animals they might never see at home.

Fort Charlotte

$5 for adults, $2 for children under 12

Fort Charlotte was built in 1789 by the British, although it has never been used in battle. You can walk around the fort, and on Wednesday and Friday, starting a 11:30am there will be actors dressed in period costumes to give you an idea of what life would have been like living in the fort. Cannons will be fired off at 12 noon! There is also a small market before you enter the fort area, if you need to pick up a souvenir. It is a bit too far to walk from the cruise terminal, so you’ll likely have to take a taxi, but it is close to the Ardastra Zoo if you’ve just visited there.

Junkanoo Beach

Junkanoo beach, also known as the Western Esplanade Beach is the only beach that you can walk to from the cruise port. It takes approximately 15 minutes to walk there. Although the beach is small and can be crowded, they are many places to rent chairs from, and a few shacks to get food and drinks. The water is safe for swimming as well. Not the prettiest beach in the Bahamas, but it’s a good place to spend an hour or two relaxing before going on to the next thing.

Shopping on Bay Street

Bay Street is the main shopping street in Nassau, it won’t be too hard to find! It is just outside the gated Festival Place area. If you’re shopping for jewelry this is the place to do it! There are also many souvenir stores, clothing stores, restaurants and cafes. Be sure to stop in somewhere to buy some Tortuga rum cake to take home!

Straw Market

The Straw Market has an entrance on Bay Street, and it is the only place where you can negotiate the price. It is stuffed to the rafters with handmade items such as straw purses and hats, wood carvings, conch shell jewelry, and so much more.  

Pirates of Nassau Museum

Monday – Saturday 8:30am – 5:30pm

Sunday 9am – 2pm

$13.50 for adults, $6.75 ages 4-17

The Pirates of Nassau museum gives you a look inside the real pirates of the Caribbean, including the infamous Blackbeard. You can learn about the “Golden Age of Piracy” through this interactive museum. It is a bit on the smaller side but that just means more time to spend at the next place you visit. It is close to the cruise port, less than a 10 minute walk.

Queen’s Staircase

The Queen’s Staircase is located inside Fort Fincastle. It was hand carved out of limestone by slaves in 1793-1794, they were later named in honor of Queen Victoria. It is commonly referred to as 66 steps, however only 65 remain now. Fort Fincastle is free, but donations are appreciated. There are guided tours daily between 9am and 4pm. The Queen’s Staircase is about a 15 minute walk from the cruise port.

Parliament Square

If you’re interested in colonial architecture, you don’t want to miss Parliament Square! Built in 1815 by the Loyalists, these flamingo pink buildings are the House of Assembly, the Senate and the Supreme Court, as well as some offices. Located on Bay Street, it is not hard to find when walking by.

UpstateNYer [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there is no shortage of things to do when visiting Nassau for one day on your cruise! This doesn’t even include visiting things like Blue Lagoon Island and the Atlantis resort! If you’ve visited Nassau, let me know in the comments what you did.

Related post: Tips and Tricks for your First Cruise!

Know Before You Go

• The Bahamas has their own currency, the Bahamian Dollar, although it is tied to the US Dollar at a 1:1 ratio. For tourists this means that you can pay for anything you buy in USD. Be aware that you may get Bahamian coins back as change though! Many places in the Bahamas accept credit cards, but be aware that credit card fraud does happen and you may want to pay cash for any purchases.

• Cars drive on the left in the Bahamas! One of the reasons you may not want to rent a car during your stay in the Bahamas. Also be careful when you are crossing the road, make sure to look both ways.

• English is the official language in the Bahamas, so you should have no trouble communicating.

• June through November is hurricane season. There have been a few major hurricanes in recent years that have damaged these islands. Be aware that traveling during hurricane season may mean your itinerary changes to keep you safe!

• There is currently a travel advisory for the Bahamas due to high rates of crimes like mugging, fraud and assault. Use common sense when traveling, and keep things like your passport well secured and don’t travel with expensive jewelry or large sums of cash. It is not recommended to walk alone at night and stay aware of your surroundings.

• Many businesses have free Wi-Fi so you can keep in touch back home without the roaming charges!

When You Dock In Freeport

If you arrive by cruise ship, the dock area has some shops and restaurants for you to check out. The store that one of my family members bought from stored his purchase for the day so we didn’t have to drag it around all day, which was a nice touch!

If you don’t have any excursions booked, keep in mind there is not much to do right at the dock and nothing within walking distance. You’ll have to either take a cab or book an excursion to really experience the island.

Grand Bahama Island Things To Do

We booked an excursion through Norwegian Cruise Line which took us from the dock area into Freeport and Port Lucaya. All of these things can be done in one day, either on a tour or on your own by taking taxis.

Garden Of The Groves

The Garden of the Groves is a 12 acre botanical garden with walking trails. It was named after Wallace and Georgette Groves who were instrumental in the development of Port Lucaya. The gardens feature many native plants and birds, as well as a church and a small souvenir market and cafe. We took the guided tour that walked us around the gardens. Discussing plants and their uses in medicine, and the local history of the area. We had lunch in the cafe, and I have to recommend the local Goombay punch to drink, a locally made soda.

Garden of the Groves is open 7 days a week 9am-4pm and costs $17 for adults and $12 for children 4-11 if not entering as part of an organized tour from a cruise ship.

Port Lucaya Marketplace

The Port Lucaya Marketplace is a large open air shopping and dining facility. It has many shops operated by locals selling souvenirs, as well as stores like Pandora, and Harley-Davidson. There are many jewelry and perfume stores where you may buy items duty free to bring back home, just be aware of the limits for bringing items back to your country! If you buy alcohol to bring back home, when you head back to your cruise ship they will store your purchase until debarkation on the final day of your cruise, as drinking your own alcohol on board is not allowed.  

We always like looking at things that are handmade by locals, and one of our traditions while traveling is bringing home a Christmas ornament to remember our trip. We bought from Coconut Treasures, small store in the craft market section operated by local artist Gina Marche. Gina was such a joy to talk to and described what all her items were made from. We selected a seashell Christmas ornament that she made.

Lucaya Beach

A short walk from Port Lucaya Marketplace you can find Lucaya beach! If you walk toward the police station on Seahorse Road, you will then head down Seahorse Lane (which is not the same as Seahorse Ln, FYI!) It is more of a walking path/service road than an actual road. Here’s a map for you!

Once you arrive at the beach there will likely be locals offering you an umbrella or chairs for a fee. There were also jet-skis for rent but be aware that watersports are not well regulated in the Bahamas and it may be dangerous if you aren’t familiar with driving one.

The beach itself is beautiful, the sand is powdery and the water is warm and crystal clear. When you arrive I recommend heading to the left, because the main area was crowded. This beach used to be part of the Memories Grand Bahama resort, which was unfortunately damaged during a hurricane and never repaired.

Final Thoughts

Visiting Freeport on Grand Bahama for one day simply isn’t enough to see all the island has to offer, but you can get a good taste of it! There are many one day cruises from Miami to Grand Bahama, and Grand Bahama is also a common stop on many longer cruises. Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed any must dos on Grand Bahama Island.

Check out our other cruise related posts here:

• 2 Days In Miami Pre-cruise
• What To Do In Nassau
• Advice For First Time Cruisers
• Where To Stay In Fort Lauderdale Pre or Post Cruise

Location

Downtown Miami is home to the Port of Miami, the American Airlines arena and Bayside Marketplace, to name a few! The location of YVE Miami has perfect access to all of these. The Bayside Marketplace with plenty of shopping and restaurants is a short walk across the street. American Airlines Arena where the Miami Heat play is less than a half a mile walk. We took an uber to the cruise port, it took less than 10 minutes and cost about $8 without tip! There is a CVS across the street incase you forgot anything, or just need some snacks.

Related: What To Do For 2 Days In Miami

YVE Miami Hotel

Checking In

The check in process was easy and quick. We arrived about noon, and were charged an extra $25 to get into our room early. The lobby is spacious with some seating to hang out in. There are elevators located in the lobby, however I would say the one downside of this hotel is the elevators are slow and small. You will usually have to wait a little while to get one and for this reason we took the stairs to/from our room fairly often.

The hotel charges a nightly “amenities fee” of $22.60. This covers your wifi in the rooms, free phone calls in the US and Caribbean, a coffee maker, 2 bottles of water daily, access to the fitness center and a drink ticket for a signature cocktail at the bar in the hotel.

Room

We had a Savvy double room, on the 6th floor. We had a small view of the bay, and cruise ships docked! Our room was spacious, we had more than enough room for 4 people. The two beds were comfortable. There was a small desk with the coffee maker, bottles of water, and a notepad. There was also a TV mounted on the wall. The bathroom was spacious enough to get ready in the morning, with enough counter space to store your things. The shower had bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash mounted on the wall.

Amenities

The hotel has a gym with treadmills, bikes, free weights and ellipticals on the second floor. Unfortunately, the hotel does not have a pool onsite.

The Biscayne Tavern is located just off the main lobby, and is open as a buffet for breakfast daily, and costs $16 a person. They are also open for dinner and drinks. 

Overall Impression

The location of YVE Miami is perfect for those looking for a place to stay for a couple of nights before or after a cruise. We had a comfortable experience, and I would stay here again.

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Where To Stay

We stayed in the Downtown Miami before our cruise, and it was a great location! Only a short uber drive to the cruise terminal. It’s also a great area to stay in for this particular itinerary because you will be able to walk a lot of places.

Check out my review of Hotel YVE Miami

Day 1 (Arrival Day)

If you arrive in the morning or around lunch time, you’ll be able to fit all of this in. We love checking out some history when we travel. So the first stop will be Miami Freedom Tower:

Freedom Tower

Open 1pm-6pm Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Sunday, 1pm-8pm Saturday

Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and military, $5 for students, free for children under 12 and for any Miami Dade College students.

I don’t think you’ll miss this building, because it certainly looks different from the ones around it. Built in 1925, it was originally the headquarters for the Miami News, but they moved out in 1957. In the 1960s the federal government took over the building to process, document and provide medical and dental services to refugees fleeing communism in Cuba. Because of its history, it is often called the “Ellis Island of the South”.

The building is now part of the Miami Dade College and is open to the public as an art gallery and museum.

After you check out the Freedom Tower, walk back along Biscayne Boulevard. You’ll see the American Airlines Arena where the Miami Heat play. The next stop will be Bayside Marketplace.

Visiting Miami with kids? Check out this post from our friends at Globetotting.com!

Bayside Marketplace

Monday-Thursday 10am-10pm

Friday- Saturday 10am-11pm

Sunday 11am-9pm

Bayside Marketplace is an open air shopping mall located right on Miami’s waterfront. It houses almost 200 stores, kiosks and restaurants, so there is something for everyone! Shop around until you’re hungry, then check out one of the many restaurants or the food court upstairs.

At night the place comes alive with live music, so don’t miss that! The mall has an open container policy so make sure to grab a drink from one of the many stands around. The Conga Bar also has live latin music and dancing!

If you’re ready for bed at this point, you’re not alone! We were too. Get some sleep and get ready to tackle day #2.

Day 2 (Full Day)

Get up and get ready, but don’t eat breakfast because I promise there are better options where we are going! Take an uber over to South Beach and get dropped off around the Miami Art Deco Welcome Center (1001 Ocean Drive). Make sure to pack your bathing suit & towel!

DIY Art Deco Walking Tour

Sure, you could pay for a tour, but I think it’s better to do it for free, at your own pace and stopping to eat and shop when you want!

South Beach area has the highest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world, and I loved walking around and checking them out. The tour will take about 2 hours or longer depending on if you stop to eat or not.

My DIY (free!) Art Deco Walking Tour in Miami

Most of the hotels on the tour have amazing places for breakfast/brunch. Look at the menus and stop wherever looks delicious!

The Beach

After you’ve done the tour, I recommend grabbing some snacks at CVS or Walgreens and heading to what South Beach is famous for, the beach! Across from 14th Street on Ocean Drive is a public washroom where you can get changed and head to the beach. Lay on the sand and play in the waves for as long as your heart desires. If you want to be a bit more active, Lummus Park is right by the beach and you can bike their trails, play volleyball or check out the art displays.

Take an uber back to Downtown Miami, hopefully before rush hour because traffic can get crazy!

Miami Boat Tour

A boat tour is a great way to see Miami from the water. You probably noticed a lot of companies selling tours at the Bayside Marketplace. My suggestion is to check out Groupon and see if there’s any boat tours available on there, because it will save you a lot of money! We paid $62 for 4 people, instead of the regular price of $136.

We ended up booking a Houses of the Rich and Famous tour with Fiesta Cruises of Miami and had a great time. Although the Pirate cruise looked fun too! If possible I would book this tour while it’s still daylight. We took the tour after dark and it was a little harder to see the houses.

We found dinner in the Bayside Marketplace, and also had drinks at our hotel bar to finish the night.

You could head to the small islands of Bimini! They offer 1 day cruises from Miami. 

Only Have 1 Day?

If you only have one day in Miami before your cruise, I recommend the second day of the plan above. The Art Deco buildings and the beach are not to be missed while staying in Miami.

If you’ve cruised out of Miami, what did you do before sailing away, did we miss anything awesome?

Headed On your first cruise? Check out my tips.

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Embarking Takes Longer Than You Would Think

A week or so before our cruise, we were able to pick a check-in time online. Check in time is not embarkation time as I thought it was! You’ll arrive at the port, the cruise line will take any luggage that you are checking, and then immediately go through security, similar to the airport. Then you’ll be given a health questionnaire, asking questions like if you’ve had any gastrointestinal symptoms in the last few days, or if you’re pregnant they want to know how far along you are (you can’t cruise past 24 weeks). After you fill out the questionnaire you’ll check in with an agent. They took our photo, gave us a map of the ship with our room assignment and gave us our key cards that we would need while we cruise. Then we got in line to embark, which brings me to my next point…

Your Room Probably Won’t Be Ready Right Away

Remember that luggage you checked at the port? Well it won’t arrive in your room for a few hours, and likely your room won’t be ready when you embark. We each had our carry-ons with our bathing suits and other essentials. We embarked around noon, our room was ready around 3 and our luggage was brought to our room before we went to bed that night. So make sure you have everything you need for the afternoon and supper that night just in case!

Bring A Sweater/ Warm Clothes

Even in the Caribbean it gets chilly, especially with the wind and at night. I also found it a bit cold in some dining rooms because of air conditioning. Make sure to pack a sweater, even a light one that you can carry in your bag.

Pack A Water Bottle

Buying water can be very expensive on the ship and at the ports. We brought a reusable water bottle with us to use at the airport (after security of course) and on the ship. There are ice/water machines at the buffet where you can fill up your bottle to take into the ports with you. Saved us some money and we stayed hydrated.

The Menu Changes Every Night (And YES You Can Order TWO Desserts!)

On the first day we checked out the buffet for lunch, and then went to the main dining room for dinner. We had an amazing dinner and enjoyed everything. We went back to the same restaurant the next night and surprise! Most of the menu had changed. A few staples were still there but most of it was all new. While we were excited to try new things, we were a bit disappointed not to get some of our favs from the night before. So if there are two desserts you want to try, go ahead and order both! I promise you wont be dissapointed (just really full).

You Don’t Need To Tip Every One

Most cruise lines actually automatically charge you a “service charge” that you can pay before your trip, or at the end of your cruise. This money is shared between your servers, room steward, and behind the scenes staff. You are encouraged to tip for exceptional service. Things like the spa and specialty restaurants will charge a tip automatically.

Participate In The Shows

There is so much going on at night on the cruise ships, but to me the most fun shows are where the audience participates. Our ship had things like The Newlywed & Not So Newlywed game, Battle Of The Sexes, and This Or That. My husband and I jumped up to participate in the Battle Of The Sexes and it was so much fun! I think that was the best night on the cruise. Also: the ladies won & we got prizes!

Book Excursions Through The Cruise Line To Avoid Missing The Boat (Or The Port!)

We booked all of our excursions through Norwegian Cruise Line. Being a first time cruiser I felt more comfortable booking the recommended excursions. I knew the boat wouldn’t leave without us, and that the tours were through reputable companies. We learned a big lesson on our last day when we weren’t able to tender to shore and we missed our last port completely. Not only did Norwegian Cruise Line refund us for the excursion that we missed, they also refunded us $49 a person just for missing out on the port. If we had an excursion booked and paid for through an outside company, we might not have gotten that money back (except maybe through travel insurance… which is our next tip).

Buy Travel Insurance

We always buy travel insurance but a story I read recently really drove the point across. A couple went on a cruise and unfortunately she got sick in the Bahamas and ended up in the hospital. They missed the ship, but also they did not have insurance (or their passports but that’s a whole other problem). Friends and family were forced to send them money to pay for the hospital visit and fly them home. Buy.Travel.Insurance. Every.Single.Time.

You Don’t Need Cash Onboard

Most cruise ships won’t allow you to pay for things aboard the ship in cash, you’ll charge it to your room which you can pay off with cash at guest services at the end of the cruise, or have them charge it to your credit card. The exception being tips and at the casino.

And the last tip?

Be Prepared To Book Another One

I honestly wasn’t sure how I would like cruising. If you’ve been reading this blog a while, you’ll know that we are Disney people! I can say that we had an amazing time and I would 100% do it again. Overall the experience was fun and relaxing, the food was amazing and I enjoyed getting to stop at different ports. I can see why people say it’s addicting!

What Are Your Tips?

Have you been on a cruise? What are some tips you have for anyone going on their first cruise?

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