Is Atlantis Bahamas Excursion worth it?

We are going to be in Nassau for one day during our Monarch of the Seas cruise after Christmas. I am wondering if the excursion to Atlantis is worth all the money.

Book it on your own. There are a couple of excursions to Atlantis so can you explain exactly which one you are referring to?

When we have a day in Nassau, we book Atlantis as guests of Atlantis. I search the different sites for the best prices, then I call Atlantis directly and ask them to honor the price.

The taxi to Atlantis is $4pp each way. So it's an easy/quick ride to Atlantis.

When you are a guest of Atlantis, you have access to all of the pools/water slides/the dig aquarium/the beach.

The other option is to contact Comfort Suites Paradise Island which is right next to Atlantis. Guests of CS also get the same access to Atlantis.

There are many, many threads on the Bahama Port of Call board discussing ways to do this.

There is no way I would pay the inflated cruise excursion costs when it is very easy to do on your own. :D

Comfort Suites! Here is a tip, unless you want to take out a loan do not eat at Atlantis. Order room service before you leave the ship and bring it with you to Comfort Suites. During lunch time just go back to your room and eat. You can also walk up to the front desk of Atlantis and pay $110 per person for a day pass. The lazy river was amazing, it has rapids in several sections and the water slides are much fun. The aquarium is great as well.

Schwimm

If you only want to see the hotel, and not use the pool/beach, you don't have to pay anything! You are welcome to shop in the shops, eat in the restaurants, and gamble in the casino.

You only need to pay to use their beach/pool area. And, if you just want to sun and swim, the ship's pool will be virtually empty on a port day....and you've already PAID to use it!!!!

Comfort Suites! Here is a tip, unless you want to take out a loan do not eat at Atlantis. Order room service before you leave the ship and bring it with you to Comfort Suites. During lunch time just go back to your room and eat. You can also walk up to the front desk of Atlantis and pay $110 per person for a day pass. The lazy river was amazing, it has rapids in several sections and the water slides are much fun. The aquarium is great as well.

 

Schwimm

Please do not do this. You are not permitted to take food off the ship into the port of Nassau. (or any port that I know of) It is a violation of the country's agricultural laws.

The price changes, depending on how much Atlantis feels they can get.

I agree! LOVE that lazy river! And the aquarium is awesome.

:)

When we have a day in Nassau, we book Atlantis as guests of Atlantis. I search the different sites for the best prices, then I call Atlantis directly and ask them to honor the price.

There is no way I would pay the inflated cruise excursion costs when it is very easy to do on your own. :D

Which sites would I search to find a Guests of Atlantis rate? Also, what would you say is a good price?

Going in Sept 2010 on Oasis so plenty of time to make arrangements.

I also would love to know how to book as a guest??? I called atlantis and they told me they do not book day rooms.

We got off the Monarch yesterday morning. We almost booked the $59pp excursion though Royal, but decided to take the $4pp taxi instead. We are very glad we did this. I'm sure there were a few areas we would have been able to go into on the excursion that we weren't able to on our own - but we were plenty satisfied with what we were able to see on the $16 it cost us instead of $120.

Which sites would I search to find a Guests of Atlantis rate? Also, what would you say is a good price?

Going in Sept 2010 on Oasis so plenty of time to make arrangements.

I just check all the hotel sites like expedia, orbitz, travelosity, the bidding sites and get a general idea of what the rooms are going for. Then I check comfort suites on the same sites and compare the prices. Then I call the hotels directly to see if they will honor the prices. :D

A good price? It really depends on the time of year and the day of the week. I purchased Atlantis rooms for $159 on our August cruise and $199 on a December cruise. But I have seen them starting at $350, so it really depends.

And looking at September of next year, it looks like they are running about $250-$260 - yeah that's high. Hold off...you have some time ;)

I also would love to know how to book as a guest??? I called atlantis and they told me they do not book day rooms.

They are not "day rooms". You would be booking an overnight room but checking out early. ;) For instance, if you are scheduled to be in Nassau on September 6, then you call and book a room "Checking in September 6th for one night". You can start using the pools as early as 10am. Then we use the room to shower, get dressed and ready for dinner, then we check out around 7pm. But this really depends on how long your ship is in port.

Oh and if your ship arrives LATE in Nassau and departs early, then disregard everything I have said in this thread. If you don't have a full day to spend there, then its not worth spending the money just for a few hours. Find another excursion. :D

WOW! Who Knew? Thanks so much for the advice this is going to save me a lot of money!!!

K

The cruise I'm looking at is only in Bahamas from 10am until 6pm. I'm not sure if that is enough time for booking an actual room. Let me see if I understand this right...it only costs $4.00 to get there and you can look around for free but you cannot use the water area? If you wanted to use water area you cannot unless you are a guest there? You cannot pay for the day to use water area?

WOW! Who Knew? Thanks so much for the advice this is going to save me a lot of money!!!

K

I believe that when you book the room for the day and get the passes it is only for 4 people. If you have more than that you will need to book more than 1 room.

Bill

The cruise I'm looking at is only in Bahamas from 10am until 6pm. I'm not sure if that is enough time for booking an actual room. Let me see if I understand this right...it only costs $4.00 to get there and you can look around for free but you cannot use the water area? If you wanted to use water area you cannot unless you are a guest there? You cannot pay for the day to use water area?

Larry, the Atlantis sometimes (these days, they are hurting financially, so it may be all days) has "day passes" for sale. A poster above reported paying $110 pp for these. Those give you the run of the facilities, as though you were a hotel guest.

ANYONE can walk around the halls and public areas, which includes shops, restaurants, lobby sitting areas, and an incredible casino. The general public CANNOT enter the pool areas or the Dig, which is an enormous Aquarium.

The cruise I'm looking at is only in Bahamas from 10am until 6pm. I'm not sure if that is enough time for booking an actual room. Let me see if I understand this right...it only costs $4.00 to get there and you can look around for free but you cannot use the water area? If you wanted to use water area you cannot unless you are a guest there? You cannot pay for the day to use water area?

Yes, it's $4pp each way for a taxi or $3pp each way for the Water Taxi. You can arrange transport either way at the transportation desk inside the port/terminal building right there at the dock. So literally, just get off your ship, walk into the port building and right up to the transportation desk and ask for a taxi or water taxi to Atlantis Paradise Island. It's the easiest (no hassle way) to get there.

The water/pool/slides/dig and beach area is off limits to anyone but guests of Atlantis or guest of Comfort Suites UNLESS you take a cruise excursion (costly) or purchase the $108 day pass (available but not a guarantee since they can limit them or not offer them at all on holidays or certain busy times of the year). So if you only have 2 people in your party and want to pay $216 for the day passes (cost for 2) and that's less that the current price on the rooms, then by all means, take a chance on being able to get a day pass. :D

If you can find a room for cheaper and you have 4 people in your party, then its more economical to get a room and get the 4 passes.

Larry, the Atlantis sometimes (these days, they are hurting financially, so it may be all days) has "day passes" for sale. A poster above reported paying $110 pp for these. Those give you the run of the facilities, as though you were a hotel guest.

 

ANYONE can walk around the halls and public areas, which includes shops, restaurants, lobby sitting areas, and an incredible casino. The general public CANNOT enter the pool areas or the Dig, which is an enormous Aquarium.

Exactly! :D

Ok-I cannont book a room for one night at Comfort-they only allow 3 night stay!! so that is crazy expensive! How do i get this day pass at atlantis?

Kari

I guess it depends on when you want to go. I booked for end of Sept. this year and it was no problem to just book one night. We never even used the room, we checked out right after checking in so we didn't have to return to the hotel before going back to the ship.

If you want to buy a day pass directly from Atlantis, you have to go there, it is not possible to book it ahead of time and as others said they might not offer them for that day or have already sold out. So there is no guarantee.