I have never heard of a university doing a non-academic vacation for its students but that’s exactly what Clarion is doing! Clarion is doing a four-day, three-night cruise to the Bahamas in January 2018! It’s to celebrate Clarion’s 150th anniversary and to escape the horrible and cold winter weather. The ship is called Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas and it looks awesome! The rates were too good to pass up and the cruise is open to anyone: clarion students, friends, alumni, employees, donors, and family!
The cost for an interior room is $372.79 per person and $409.29 per person for an exterior room. The rooms are double occupancy. The price includes the stateroom, food, some non-alcoholic beverages, entertainment, port charges, taxes, fees, and all gratuities. A $100 deposit per person is required to book a room for the cruise.
The ship departs from Port Canaveral in Florida, so of course anyone who wants to go on the cruise must find a way down to Florida. Florida is a long drive from Pennsylvania but not a long flight. I booked a room with my best friend who lives in North Carolina and we’re both going to fly into Orlando Melbourne International Airport and catch a taxi to Port Canaveral.
The cruise is from January 12th-15th and goes from Port Canaveral to Nassau and Cococay (which is Royal Caribbean’s private island) of the Bahamas and then back to Port Canaveral. There are all kinds of shore excursions to do in the Bahamas. In Nassau, there is the Discover Atlantis Tour, Atlantis Aquaventure, Balmoral Island, Blue Lagoon Island, scuba diving, Nassau Sea and See Island Tour, Pearl Island, Graycliff Chocolatier Factory Tour and Tasting, and swimming with the dolphins. You can have encounters with not just the dolphins, but stingrays and sea lions too! In Cococay, there is Aqua Park, Cococay Nature Walk, Cococay Wave Jet Tour, Ocean View Deluxe Cabana, Right Choice Glass Bottom Boat Tour, Stingray City, parasailing, kayaking, and snorkeling.
As someone who has never left the United States before, this cruise is super exciting and offers so many new experiences. There are so many shore excursions to choose from, so many places to see and things to do. January could not be a better time for the cruise because I have started to hate winter and getting to leave it behind to go to the Bahamas for a few days is amazing. It’s a great way for me to celebrate what will be my last year at Clarion and for my best friend to celebrate graduating from Western Carolina University.
If you’re interested in the Clarion University Cruise to the Bahamas check out the following information:
For flyer about cruise: Clarion.edu/Bahamas2018
For questions about the cruise or to reserve a spot on the ship: Contact Stew Armstrong of Williams Travel Agency at 814-677-1237