It’s time for the Guides to hit the road and head north towards Port Canaveral. On route, they make a pit stop at Jungle Adventures to see the state’s famous alligators up close. There are an estimated 1.25 million alligators in Florida and around 200 of them call this wildlife park home.
With the rogue “Reptile Ryan” at the helm, this place really puts the wild in wildlife park. Brett describes it as “kind of like the Tiger King but with alligators” and Kev wades in to pat one. Karly and Bri are both left gagging after feeding the gators rotting chicken. They do, however, get some fun “souvies” and pay with their Travel Money Oz Currency Pass. There’s always a silver lining, hey?
Safely back on the highway, they head to the biggest cruise terminal in the world, Port Canaveral, which sees off seven million passengers a year. The Guides are setting sail on the Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas for a 3-day cruise to the Bahamas and back.
Cruise experts Kevin and Janetta have been on around 30 cruises and prefer small ships. The Allure of the Seas is absolutely not small – or alluring to Janetta. As the sixth largest cruise ship ever built, it has 16 decks, weighs a quarter of a million tonnes and can accommodate around 6000 passengers. However, Janetta seems to change her tune when she checks into a huge New York loft style suite and is brought champagne by a “Royal Genie” – their personal assistant for their stay.
One of the highlights of the cruise is a day trip to Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. Matt and Brett are keen to try the local specialty, Conch Salad. Conch is a giant sea snail that lives in the Caribbean waters. This “chewy” salad gets a relatively good review until the waiter shows them the snail in its more natural form.
The Guides take a quick, 20-minute boat trip from Nassau to Sandy Toes at Rose Island, one of nearly 700 islands that make up the Bahamian archipelago. Rose Island is Insta famous due to its dozen protected pigs which swim in the crystal clear waters. Karly and Bri are particularly thrilled to meet these swimming social media stars.
Back on board, the Guides sample all that the Allure of the Seas has to offer. The Boys and the Fren Family try the FlowRider surf simulator and Mark discovers a hidden talent for hanging ten. Meanwhile, Matt and Brett have a refreshing drink at Rising Tide Bar, which quite literally rises like an elevator – it’s one of 17 unique bars on board.
The Boys and Kevin and Janetta have a different kind of elevated experience at the high-end restaurant, 150 Central Park. Kevin and Janetta are impressed by the cuisine, while Dorian’s verdict is that “rich people food is good”. Sounds like a successful dining experience all round.
The Guides’ cruise wraps up with a day at “Perfect Day at CocoCay” – a private island owned by Royal Caribbean. It’s the kind of place that is so idyllic that it looks like it has been AI generated. Whether you want to chill or be thrilled, there’s something for everyone at this exclusive island. The Boys opt for the latter – they head to the Thrill Waterpark to try Daredevils Peak, the tallest waterslide in North America. Dorian bails out at the last minute. Kevin and Janetta decide to chill in an overwater cabana at Coco Beach Club. The pair seem to be converts to the mega cruise life, despite their initial hesitation.
Costs
The Guides had a truly perfect end to their vacay. Their ratings are in and Florida has been a crowd favourite…
Kevin and Janetta: 5/5
Bri and Karly: 4.5/5
The Fren Family: 4.5/5
Brett and Matt: 5/5
Dorian, Kev and Teng: 4.5/5
