I'm pretty sure the ship passes to the south of Grand Bahama and Abaco but north of Eletheura, heading roughly southeast, on its way to St. Maarten. It may depend on the weather, but it seems to me that this is the route we've followed when I've been on the eastern. As Surfergirl said, you pass through the Bahamas during the night on the first night, so the islands you pass will be little more than lights in the distance. Occasionally, the daily Navigators will tell you which islands you'll be passing and when, but they haven't done this every time I've sailed.