June 1, 2004 -- Summer is low season in the Bahamas, which means low prices and low fares. Sure, it's hot over there, but the beaches are beautiful, the ocean refreshing, and the trade winds are surprisingly cooling.
If you'd like to get away for a cheap Bahamas vacation this summer, US Airways (www.usairways.com/pro/specials/fpo_sale.htm) and AirTran (www.airtran.com) have terrific sales on today and tomorrow.
Flights from 16 U.S. cities on US Airways to Freeport, on Grand Bahama Island, are going for $158-198 roundtrip. These fares are good for trips all the way through Nov. 9, except on Fridays and Sundays:
- From Baltimore: $158
- From Charlotte: $160
- From Boston, Dayton, Greensboro, Hartford, Kansas City, Myrtle Beach, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Rochester, Washngton, D.C.: $198
You must stay between 3-30 nights in the Bahamas to get these fares, and buy them 7 days before traveling. Buy them online at www.usairways.com/pro/specials/fpo_sale.htm.
AirTran seems to be matching US Airways' fares in cities where they compete, but they're offering some other cities as well:
- From Atlanta: $160
- From Akron, Bloomington, Buffalo, Chicago, Flint, Memphis, New Orleans, New York, Newport News, Rochester NY: $198
These fares aren't an advertised sale, so they may disappear at any time; we suspect they'll vanish on Thursday night when the US Airways fares go away. Book them online at www.airtran.com.
One Minor Bahama Bummer
There's one downer in the Bahamas right now: the Cat, the cheap, speedy ferry service between Fort Lauderdale and Freeport, has stopped running. According to the company and to the local Nassau Guardian newspaper, the company couldn't get a summer ferry in time and, probably more importantly, is locked in a political battle with the Bahamanian government over starting a new route to Nassau.
That leaves Discovery Cruises the only way to get to Grand Bahama cheaply by sea. Discovery does have some great deals, such as two nights in June at the Sheraton Our Lucaya for $319 per person, plus tax, double occupancy, with up to two kids under 12 staying free. (You can book that deal by clicking here.) But Discovery's boat takes five hours to get to the Bahamas, and the CAT only took two. There's a slew of silly cruise-type entertainment on the Discovery ship to keep you occupied, but we'd rather just get to Freeport quickly.
Keep an eye on www.ferrybahamas.com/index2.html to see when the Cat's coming back.
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