Midwestmom21969

Check the Comfort Suites Paradise Island website. I have seen rooms as low as $220. You would get a room which you may not need and 4 passes to Atlantis with full privileges. This would probably be cheaper than going through Atlantis direct or the cruise or outside excursions. Plus, you would have a guaranteed pass.

If Atlantis is full, they can decline to offer passes. I am sure this is not for the Aquarium/Dig but for the water park. If you have a family of four $$220 plus tax would be worth it.

I don't know the costs of the different passes. Check on the Atlantis website so you get exact information. Look through their website of pics of the aquarium and also look through trip advisor pics and reviews.

It is neat. The tunnel of sharks and fish you walk through is very cool. The hotel is beautiful and they have a throne where you can get great pictures of your family. This is free though - part of the lobby.

It is always hard for me to place value on an excursion. If you are really trying to be frugal those decisions are different than if the money is not as relevant. If the cost is a more minimal factor than I say do it.

In July I would say they could be fairly long because of summer break. Maybe 20 - 30 minutes. The lazy river has a lot of tubes but they can be hard to get. Although, you can get on the lazy river at different points so that helps. Plus you can take the lazy river and float into a few of the slides if you choose.

The lazy river is fun. Mixed up between a float to a few mild rapids.

Wondering if the beaches and resort are nice. Been to Atlantis and have done the downtown Nassau thing. We want a beach day.

Wondering if the beaches are nice and if would be a good beach excursion.

We have done Atlantis and straw market before. But would love a beach day. Like the convenience of a facility with pools, restaurant, clean bathrooms, beach chairs etc.

That makes sense. I wondered how they would control where you go if you are on the grounds.

I know you can also use the Comfort Suites near Atlantis but not on the property. I think you rent a room and then you get full access to everything at Atlantis for a family of four. Some say it is cheaper than going through Atlantis for day passes.

But you would have to go there first and then shuttle over or walk to Atlantis which is fairly close. It is a bit less expensive depending on the time of year you go.

We have used Resort For A Day on a cruise where they get you passes to resorts in advance. You pay a deposit for some resorts or the full amount for others but you have the passes in advance. Not sure how Atlantis would work.

Sandals Antigua but don't know your budget. I am sure you could arrange something but would have to buy day passes. We have paid the photographer cash on the side to use our camera and take pics. Not everyone there might.

It is an unbelievable resort. The beach is drop your jaw gorgeous. Plus you would have food and drink galore for the day. Could be pricey though.

May be other resorts similar.

This is a tricky one. It REALLY depends on each person, what they like and how adventurous you are. My husband and I have flown into MO Bay several times and stayed at Sandals MO Bay. Sandals Negril too. And Sandals Ocho Rios.

I think Jamaica is a beautiful island. BUT the town and tourist area is not pretty. It is a very poor area if you go a few miles either way. Which is sad. The all inclusive resorts are great. Very safe. Even they tell you if you leave the property and you are not on their shuttle or excursion you are at your own risk. Hello.

We have had more people ask us to buy weed than anywhere I have ever been. And I used to live in Colorado :) they offer you take take a sample just to see if you change your mind and that is if you are ignoring them.

You can always get off the boat and if you hate get back on. That way you at least had a taste of Jamaica. You can buy a lot of jewelry at a good price.

If your daughter is sheltered and not accustomed to diverse environments it may scare her. The machine guns are scary...

Almost everything in Ocho Rios is all inclusive resorts. You can usually get day passes for them through the resort. Most have small beaches but they are nice. Not like the Negril area though. You won't be strolling down the beach for a walk.

There are a lot of nice all inclusives for couples only.

We have been there when it was owned by Sandals. A while ago. Beautiful property and pools which I know are the same. The beach is small. Most in Ocho Rios are.

If you are a couple you may consider a day pass at Sandals Ocho Rios. They have expanded it and it is like two resorts I. One. A beach area and a pool area further up in the resort. Unbelievable. The beach is small. They have a pretty pier area ( hubby and I were married on it) years ago. The landscaping of the new and original area is gorgeous. The people who work there are the best we have ever had and we have been all over the caribbean.

Bartenders are SO fun!!!!! You could sit at the swim up bar alone and have a blast. Just a thought. You buy day passes at the resort. Check with them.

We have stayed at Sandals one November and the weather is hit or miss. It was warm when we got there and did the pools - which were chilly - and the beach on the property was windy.

Their private island was great. Much less windy as the main area they drop you and where the action is faces a different direction than the resort does.

Sandals Nassau is really fun. We stayed there and have not done an excursion. Beautiful pools. Gorgeous landscape and a lot of restaurants. Really fun bars and swim up bar.

Their snorkeling trips are fun. You find the times they offer, get on the boat and they give you equipment and you jump off and go. You can also use their two person kayaks which are great.

The beach on the property is small and ok. But you can take their boat over to their private island which has a bar and probably food - I can't remember. Too many drinks at the swim up bar ;) It is very nice. Can walk around the island, lay out etc.

I think it would be a good cruise excursion for a couple.

My husband have stayed at Our Lucayan a ways back when it was owned by Westin. We really liked it. There were TONS do cruisers there.

Beware about the beach. It really depends on the time of year you go. If it is cool in Florida - it will be cool there. It was freakishly windy when we stayed in October/November and not because of any tropical storms. They said it just can be there. Anyhow, beach and water was rough.

The market place across the street is really fun. So many restaurants and shops. You could eat there for such a reasonable price. If you really want the all inclusive convenience do it. But food is more than accessible across the street. But maybe you have to in order to access the beach.

My husband and 2 sons who are now 11 & 14 have stayed at Atlantis for the last two years over Thanksgiving week.

For the reviews that you read about people not liking a day excursion there - they are probably right. It is simply TOO large to enjoy for the price in less than a full day. It would be like paying full price to go to Disney World for less than a day and trying to see Disney and Epcot. You would not feel you got your money's worth.

It is expensive. It is crowded. The resort is huge to walk - they have shuttles to take between the 3 resort areas. You can't use the Cove area because it is exclusive.

We love Atlantis and it is a fantastic resort to stay at. We have spent over 14 nights there and still have not done it all. You would basically pay to see the aquarium and do the slides maybe once or twice. they have a wonderful lazy river. So fun.

Now if you are dying to see it and do not think you would be able to visit on your own - do it!!!!! Just know going in what you will get for your money.

However, you can pay to go through the property and the aquarium and the grounds. I think the only restriction is you can't use the slides. Double check. That is a more cost effective way to at least see the resort. And it is something to see. But it is not like visiting the islands. It is Disney meets Vegas and lands in the Bahamas.

Our boys are 11 and 14 so not too young but where we were originally had the room was an elevator or something in between somewhere. Anyhow, they would have had to go down the inside corridor and around a short hall then down the hall we were on.

Where as the back of the cabin was right across from ours. Probably ok with their age but if a nighttime trip was needed I would hate the 11 year old trying to find us.

I kept thinking the red line looked odd but it does not say on the legend what it is. I did not see the other thread or I would have booked accordingly.

I would have been freakishly upset if I got on and that was the case. We are going at spring break so I expect everything to be full...meaning no possible changes.:)

Good to know. Just found it hard to try to find cabins that are in close door to door proximity.

Just found out that almost all balcony cabins and inside cabins don not have doors that face each other. So, if you are trying to get a cabin across the hall for family you need to look at the red lines.

They indicate where the back wall is of the inside cabin. Most of the doors are facing the inside corridors.

We had to totally change ours rooms so that our kids did not have to walk through halls and a maze to get to our balcony cabin door.

Even our travel agent did not catch this and told us this was new on this ship.