The Atlantis Resort as a Shore Excursion

[abisha]

My family and I will be on the Destiny in August. My teenage daughter really wants to go over to the Atlantis Resort in Nausau. The excursion is highly priced at $179 per person (The AquaAdventure), and we are a family of four. I do like what it has to offer as we do want to partake in the water slides, but I was wondering if there is an outside shore excursion company out there that offers this same package for less. I've searched the internet, but nothing comes up for this tour. Can you only book this package through the cruise line? I know that you can show up early and see if any other tickets are availble for the water park, but they only have a limited amount, and I don't want to take that chance and disappoint my daughter as it's really her only request for the cruise.

 

Thanks

[sunshine002]

I would think you have a few choices. This has been mentioned on the boards under Ports of call so there might be more info there.

 

1. can you pre-book the Atlantis Aquaventure Package with the hotel(just and idea) there is info on this site :

http://gocaribbean.about.com/od/toursandactivities/a/VisitAtlantis.htm

 

2. book a hotel for the day that is walking distance that give you full use of the Atlantis property

 

http://www.comfortsuitespi.com/about-comfort-suites.php

 

Hope this helps

 

Have a great time.

[abisha]

Checking into the Comfort Suites sounds like a great idea and a money saver. But I wonder if the hotel has caught on to people doing that and if they mind it (I assume they are just happy to get your money even though you are not staying the night, etc.). Also, since you technically aren't allowed to check in until later in the day, are you still able to arrive in the morning and do a "pre-check in" and obtain your passes for access to Atlantis? Then, once you are done at Atlantis and ready to head back to ship, do you have to return back to The Comfort Suites to check out? I'd love to hear from anyone who has actually done this and find out how it all works out. Thanks.

[Tink35]

We (there are 4 of us) booked with Comfort Suites twice on our last 2 cruises and it was great. The room cost us about $250 dollars and you get 4 bracelets for Atlantis. We just checked in and out at the same time and rented a locker at Atlantis (lg locker was $10 for the day) for our stuff. After you check in you take a short walk and go to a towel hut and show your room card and receive your bracelets , uou also get towels so you don't have to lug them along with you. We saved a ton of money. The staff at CS do this all the time and we've never had a problem....as a matter of fact the last time we never even saw a room.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

Monica

[SnowWhiteNYC]

we looked into booking Comfort Suites as well for our upcoming visit in August. It was actually more expensive than going there on our own and paying for a day pass at the front desk. I called Atlantis directly and was informed that they never sell out of day passes. A day pass is $110 per adult, $80 per child.

[belkin]

I was on the comfort suites website last night as we are going this fall. I noticed that there is a $5pp/day housekeeping charge and a $12.95pp/day energy surcharge. These charges can really add up with 4 people in a room.

 

There is all kinds of good info on the ports of call board. Good luck and have a great time!!

[ginny75]

We (there are 4 of us) booked with Comfort Suites twice on our last 2 cruises and it was great. The room cost us about $250 dollars and you get 4 bracelets for Atlantis. We just checked in and out at the same time and rented a locker at Atlantis (lg locker was $10 for the day) for our stuff. After you check in you take a short walk and go to a towel hut and show your room card and receive your bracelets , uou also get towels so you don't have to lug them along with you. We saved a ton of money. The staff at CS do this all the time and we've never had a problem....as a matter of fact the last time we never even saw a room.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

Monica

 

i have a question or 2 ;0) !

 

do you book the night of your arrival date? is this towel hut onsite at the hotel? I was there in 2009 - did the expensive route via Carnival but i'm going back with the kids in 2012. trying to picture where the hotel is!

[Missiowa]

I would think you have a few choices. This has been mentioned on the boards under Ports of call so there might be more info there.

 

1. can you pre-book the Atlantis Aquaventure Package with the hotel(just and idea) there is info on this site :

http://gocaribbean.about.com/od/toursandactivities/a/VisitAtlantis.htm

 

2. book a hotel for the day that is walking distance that give you full use of the Atlantis property

 

http://www.comfortsuitespi.com/about-comfort-suites.php

 

Hope this helps

 

Have a great time.

 

We rented a room at the comfort suites for $100. Got our room, put our bags and cash in safe and walked across the street to atlantis. You get wrihstbands and can do anything and everything. My kids did the waterslides, shark dives, pools, rapids, got tubes, towels, and loved it. For a hundred dollars for a family of 4 was super cheap. When we were done, we walked back over to our hotel and had a cab take us back for the ship for $10. It was great! Good luck and have fun!

[spacepotatoes]

The Aquaventure pass now costs $120 pp if you get it directly at Atlantis. We booked it through Majestic Tours and they also charge $120 pp. I think it went up in mid-February (at least, that's when Majestic's rate did). Based on that, the Comfort Suites method might be the best way to go for a group of 4.

[allblueskys]

We took a cab from the port to the Atlantis in the hopes they would have tickets left. We called before we ported to ask what the policy was but the Atlantis wouldnt tell us over the phone and said it was first come first serve.

 

We ended up standing online down stairs in the Atlantis Hotel for about an hour but we got our tickets and to the looks of it te will never run out and just keep selling tickets all day long.

 

This part of our trip wasnt planned because we said if we cant get into Atlantis than no big deal because it was so expensive. This turned out to be the highlight of the vacation because this place is magnifisent!

[ginny75]

We rented a room at the comfort suites for $100. Got our room, put our bags and cash in safe and walked across the street to atlantis. You get wrihstbands and can do anything and everything. My kids did the waterslides, shark dives, pools, rapids, got tubes, towels, and loved it. For a hundred dollars for a family of 4 was super cheap. When we were done, we walked back over to our hotel and had a cab take us back for the ship for $10. It was great! Good luck and have fun!

 

yeah i just priced it out for a room with 2 adults and 2 kids and it's WAY more than $100 (more like $300 - which makes it not much less than buying from them), when did you book that cheap?

[piglet55cc]

I booked the comfort suites for July. I was able to get the AAA discount. The price for 2 was $251; 2 teen kids were an extra $40 each; $12.95 energy + $5 maid service charges per person; and 18% tax. The total should be $463. Well if you just buy the passes at Atlantis my cost would be $480. Also we can take showers before we go back to the ship, or even take a small break from the heat.

[Tink35]

i have a question or 2 ;0) !

 

do you book the night of your arrival date? is this towel hut onsite at the hotel? I was there in 2009 - did the expensive route via Carnival but i'm going back with the kids in 2012. trying to picture where the hotel is!

 

Yes, book the night of your arrival date. Check in at the desk in the lobby and then just ask them how to get over to Atlantis. I know it's down the mail hallway and you make a right then you walk across the street to Atlantis. We walk through the shops and the casino and your there. Maybe a 5 to 10 minute walk.

The towel huts are located in the Aquaventure area. You can go to any of them and show them the room card and they will then ask how many bracelets and towels will you need. And you're good to go.

You'll also be able to go into The Dig which is Atlantis' marine habitat.

Just remember the prices vary as to the time of year you go. For us, for a family of 4 in April 2010 we saved about $350 by using Comfort Suites.

Look for discounts too. We used our AAA discount also.

Here's the link for the hotel...

 

Monica

[abisha]

ok..so just so I understand it...I make the reservation for the arrival day of the ship at that port...then take a taxi to the Comfort Suites. If it's in the morning and prior to the check-in time, I can still get bracelets for the Atlantis and head over there? Now, when I'm done at Atlantis for the day, do I need to go back over to the Comfort Suites and go back to the desk to check out ..even if I really haven't officially checked in because it was before offical checkin time? I'm a little confused here..sorry:confused:

[dotcomgirl]

I haven't done it yet, but we are doing it in August and I have researched tons and called the hotel twice to verify. You can check in at any time (we are checking in by 8am). If you are not going to use the room at all later, then during check in, request to check out at the same time and ask for your Atlantis passes. They are used to this.

[mjkacmom]

The Aquaventure pass now costs $120 pp if you get it directly at Atlantis. We booked it through Majestic Tours and they also charge $120 pp. I think it went up in mid-February (at least, that's when Majestic's rate did). Based on that, the Comfort Suites method might be the best way to go for a group of 4.

 

When you book through them, where do you get the bracelets? Do you take your own transportation to Atlantis? We did CS before, but now it's up to $500 with taxes and fees (2nd week of April - weird?).

[Tink35]

ok..so just so I understand it...I make the reservation for the arrival day of the ship at that port...then take a taxi to the Comfort Suites. If it's in the morning and prior to the check-in time, I can still get bracelets for the Atlantis and head over there? Now, when I'm done at Atlantis for the day, do I need to go back over to the Comfort Suites and go back to the desk to check out ..even if I really haven't officially checked in because it was before offical checkin time? I'm a little confused here..sorry:confused:

 

Yes book for the day you arrive and your check out would be the following day. When you get there the staff basically knows what you're doing. They will even ask after you check in if you want to check out right then. That's what we did the last time. They will give you a room card (not a key) and then you take that to the towel hut in Atlantis and receive your bracelets and towels. If you want a room you can use it for when you're done for the day. If not there's no reason to go back to CS to check out.

They will guide you through it all, they do it all the time.

[ginny75]

Yes, book the night of your arrival date. Check in at the desk in the lobby and then just ask them how to get over to Atlantis. I know it's down the mail hallway and you make a right then you walk across the street to Atlantis. We walk through the shops and the casino and your there. Maybe a 5 to 10 minute walk.

The towel huts are located in the Aquaventure area. You can go to any of them and show them the room card and they will then ask how many bracelets and towels will you need. And you're good to go.

You'll also be able to go into The Dig which is Atlantis' marine habitat.

Just remember the prices vary as to the time of year you go. For us, for a family of 4 in April 2010 we saved about $350 by using Comfort Suites.

Look for discounts too. We used our AAA discount also.

Here's the link for the hotel...

 

Monica

 

wow sounds pretty easy and totally worth it if i can find a better rate. we plan for next year so i'll have to watch the price cause right now - it's not alot cheaper. deal is i told kids we aren't going since hubby and i did for honeymoon and it was fun but my kids would enjoy a beach day for WAY less...BUT if i can get a $100-200 hotel room then i rather do atlantis again. Thanks Monica you've been very helpful:) Virginia

[Tink35]

wow sounds pretty easy and totally worth it if i can find a better rate. we plan for next year so i'll have to watch the price cause right now - it's not alot cheaper. deal is i told kids we aren't going since hubby and i did for honeymoon and it was fun but my kids would enjoy a beach day for WAY less...BUT if i can get a $100-200 hotel room then i rather do atlantis again. Thanks Monica you've been very helpful:) Virginia

 

My pleasure Virginia!! :)

[abisha]

Thanks for all the advise. We are still deciding what we want to do at Atlantis. We are also considering the Atlantis Beach Day package through Carnival and we get shipboard credits, so I will compare prices with doing it the CS way. By the way... Does Atlantis Beach Day package NOT include any of the pools? I know it doesn't include the waterslides. If we want to slip into one of the many pools, will they know? How do they tell? Are there bracelets everyone wears, and does the staff really check?

[scubagirrl]

Thanks for all the advise. We are still deciding what we want to do at Atlantis. We are also considering the Atlantis Beach Day package through Carnival and we get shipboard credits, so I will compare prices with doing it the CS way. By the way... Does Atlantis Beach Day package NOT include any of the pools? I know it doesn't include the waterslides. If we want to slip into one of the many pools, will they know? How do they tell? Are there bracelets everyone wears, and does the staff really check?

 

The beach pass is for the Main beach only.. NO pools, slides, lagoon and not even paradise Beach (supposed to be for Cove/Reef guests only.)

 

There are different colored bracelets..and security is checking.

[spacepotatoes]

Thanks for all the advise. We are still deciding what we want to do at Atlantis. We are also considering the Atlantis Beach Day package through Carnival and we get shipboard credits, so I will compare prices with doing it the CS way. By the way... Does Atlantis Beach Day package NOT include any of the pools? I know it doesn't include the waterslides. If we want to slip into one of the many pools, will they know? How do they tell? Are there bracelets everyone wears, and does the staff really check?

 

Yes, you do get a bracelet and they do check. I have read a couple of reviews where no one was paying attention but they definitely were when we were there!

 

I don't know about Carnival but the Atlantis Beach Break that NCL offers does not allow access to any of the pools or beaches at Atlantis except one that was reserved for NCL guests. That was one of the big reasons we didn't book through the cruise line. Does Carnival's website have a section where people can review excursions? That's how I found out about how the NCL one worked, might be worth a look.

[Crazy4Koko]

I just checked 4 adults for comfort suites for September... prices are WAAAY up there with taxes!!!

[HendersonKY]

Would anyone know if you do the beach day pass, can you go throught the digs and to casino and look around. If it is just for the beach, I will do Sheraton.