None of them had ever been on a cruise. Not Addie, not Nattie, and certainly not Nini and Taitai. It sounded almost surreal, but a seven-day cruise to the Bahamas was the unlikely plan. Addie even sprang for a balcony cabin upgrade, convinced that waking up to endless ocean views would be worth every extra penny. She had visions of coffee on the balcony, staring dreamily at the horizon. At the time, this seemed both luxurious and completely reasonable.

Nattie was, to put it mildly, a nervous wreck. She was afraid of the water, afraid of the boat, and deeply suspicious of any vessel that served unlimited shrimp cocktails. She had apparently decided that the combination of a floating hotel and an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet was a recipe for disaster.

But Addie, fueled by a travel brochure and the promise of “carefree living,” insisted.

“Trust me,” Addie said, clutching her bathing suit. “Apparently, cruise life is the best thing since sliced bread. That’s what the brochures say.”

Addie was adamant that they had to be bold and try something new. After all, how bad could a seven-day cruise to the Bahamas possibly be?

Nini and Taitai were over the moon at the thought of sailing to the Bahamas.

Nattie wasn’t convinced until she discovered the never-ending cocktail options. Suddenly, the fear of sinking was replaced by a deep, unwavering commitment to liquor.

And, of course, having a whole lot of fun.

They soon realized the brochure hadn’t exaggerated a thing. For seven glorious days, they had absolutely nothing to do but exist.

It was shocking how quickly they adjusted to such a demanding schedule. And, apparently, to the swaying of the boat.

At Ocean Cay, the ship’s private island, they looked like four confused flamingos navigating the powdery white sand. They eventually dipped tentative toes into the crystal-clear water. They didn’t just survive it; they never wanted to get out. The water was somehow both warm and refreshing, and they happily stayed in it for hours.

Nattie decided she’d earned a Bloody Mary to end a perfect day. No one argued with her. She had overcome a lot.

In downtown Nassau, they wandered Bay Street Market, with Taitai, the adventurous one, nearly haggling herself into buying several items she absolutely did not need and would almost certainly have forgotten about by Christmas.

The real chaos, however, happened during the daily trivia sessions, which transformed the four of them into fiercely competitive athletes.

Nini, fueled by a dangerous combination of mischief and sheer stubbornness, ascended to local legend status. She didn’t just play; she dominated and walked away with a prize.

The rest of us were there for fun. Nini was there to settle scores.

A full day at the arcade and another at the water park were also highlights for Nini and Taitai. They also loved the VR plane experience and the NASCAR race simulator, proving that apparently, sailing to the Bahamas was not enough adventure for two girls determined to travel, race, fly, and generally have as much fun as humanly possible.

“Best vacation ever!” they exclaimed in unison.

Addie, meanwhile, read whenever she could, carrying her book as though it were another piece of vacation luggage. She took a chance and did a very bad karaoke version of “Cheap Thrills.”

Every evening, they dressed up to watch a semi-Broadway show before dinner at the Waves Restaurant. After spending the day in bathing suits, cover-ups, and varying degrees of sunscreen, getting dressed for dinner felt almost glamorous.

And then there was the White Party.

It was a party like they had never seen before, and Addie danced and partied like she never had before. For one night, there was no schedule, no itinerary, and no tomorrow to worry about. There was only music, laughter, dancing, and four people completely caught up in the moment.

While the cuisine was sophisticated and delicious, it was the atmosphere, the conversations with the staff, and the pure joy of celebrating summer and the milestones unfolding in their lives that lingered long after the meals were over. After all, they were celebrating Addie, Nini, and Taitai’s birthdays before summer’s end.

By the end of the week, Nattie had forgotten her fear of the ocean, Taitai was plotting how to squeeze God knows what into her suitcase, Addie had finished her book, and Nini had been crowned the Queen of Trivia.

Everyone had accomplished exactly what they had come to do, even though no one had actually come with a plan.

They boarded as landlubbers and came home having had the time of their lives.

It turned out the brochure hadn’t been selling a vacation at all. It had been quietly advertising a week they would remember and savor for years to come.

© 2026 Addie DeRose