Nassau

[Yunqi]

Hi,

 

I'll be taking the NCL Spirit in December. The ship will visit Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. I already have plans for St. Thomas and St. Maarten, but am wondering what to do in Nassau.

 

The ship has 2 different tours which appeal to me - Atlantis and a city tour.

I've been to Nassau before, but have never been to Atlantis. The tour I'm considering is for the resort and aquarium only. It doesn't include the water park and beach, which is fine with me. I'd like to see the hotel and fish.

 

The city tour includes a 1 hour bus ride around the island with stops at a fort and a castle. It also stops outside Atlantis, but doesn't go in. The tour also includes a 1 hour underwater boat ride to look at the fish.

 

What do people recommend?

 

Thanks

[moonieelf]

There is a Piracy Museum in Nassau that I just visited on Wednesday, and I loved it. It's only $12 to get in (and they accept USD there.) It's also walking distance from the ship. Maybe half a mile away at the corner of Bay and Marlborough.

[TOMTOMRN331]

Hi,

 

I'll be taking the NCL Spirit in December. The ship will visit Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. I already have plans for St. Thomas and St. Maarten, but am wondering what to do in Nassau.

 

The ship has 2 different tours which appeal to me - Atlantis and a city tour.

I've been to Nassau before, but have never been to Atlantis. The tour I'm considering is for the resort and aquarium only. It doesn't include the water park and beach, which is fine with me. I'd like to see the hotel and fish.

 

The city tour includes a 1 hour bus ride around the island with stops at a fort and a castle. It also stops outside Atlantis, but doesn't go in. The tour also includes a 1 hour underwater boat ride to look at the fish.

 

What do people recommend?

 

Thanks

 

We are cruising Spirit in January and are also stopping in Nassau. We have been there before on Epic and did a Dolphin swim. I did not find Atlantis itself that amazing or "wow". This time around we are staying on board, taking advantage of less crowds at the pool, and spa discounts.

[mjkacmom]

If you just want to do the aquarium at Atlantis, just take a cab over and buy the pass for less money than the ship charges.

[LMaxwell]

The fort you go to is probably Fort Fincastle that overlooks the cruise ship pier and harbor entrance; probably a 5 minute bus ride. I think it is $1 to enter the Fort and peek around. Then you can head over and walk down the Queens Staircase. You can walk to these in about 15 minutes if you don't do a tour.

 

Edit. If you Google Nassau Walking Tour you will find many different links that basically take the same city route. If mobility isn't an issue I'd recommend the walking tour because on the bus you tend to kind of just sit in traffic then zoom past something, then sit in more traffic. At least with the walking tour you can take more time at places of interest and you can hop in and out of stores, shops, get a drink, etc. Also, there are places the bus doesn't take you like Bahamas Art Musesum, Graycliff Chocolate, and Watlings Rum Distillery (Free tours and samples) that are easy walking distance from the ship.

Edited July 20, 2015 by LMaxwell

[Beachcampin]

Another good thing you can do is eat like a local down at the fish fry. It's about a mile walk or 4$/pp cab ride. Many small eateries packed together in a small space near a beach on the bay. So good and reasonably priced. Get the conch fritters at Candies and conch salad. Best grouper I've ever had is there and I live in Florida!

[LMaxwell]

Another good thing you can do is eat like a local down at the fish fry. It's about a mile walk or 4$/pp cab ride. Many small eateries packed together in a small space near a beach on the bay. So good and reasonably priced. Get the conch fritters at Candies and conch salad. Best grouper I've ever had is there and I live in Florida!

 

Good suggestion!

 

There is also the jitney busses that are always running and I think $1 per person?

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g147416-s302/Nassau:New-Providence-Island:Getting.Around.html

[Cauzneffct]

Another good thing you can do is eat like a local down at the fish fry. It's about a mile walk or 4$/pp cab ride. Many small eateries packed together in a small space near a beach on the bay. So good and reasonably priced. Get the conch fritters at Candies and conch salad. Best grouper I've ever had is there and I live in Florida!

 

Agreed. It's not a bad walk and the conch fritters at Goldie's were awesome.

[Yunqi]

Thanks for all of the great replies.

 

I read online that Atlantis is no longer selling day passes to the general public, so if you want to see it, you have to either stay there or be on an approved tour.

 

The NCL tour says it is 2.5 hours and leaves the ship at 9:15am. I assume we'd be back at the ship by 1pm. Then, I could check out the Pirate Museum or walk to the castle.

 

How long can you spend in the Pirate Museum? It seems as if I could walk to the castle and walk the stairs in 2 hours = enough time to be back onboard before the ship leaves.

 

If anyone can confirm that you must be on a tour to enter Atlantis, please respond.

[moonieelf]

Thanks for all of the great replies.

 

I read online that Atlantis is no longer selling day passes to the general public, so if you want to see it, you have to either stay there or be on an approved tour.

 

The NCL tour says it is 2.5 hours and leaves the ship at 9:15am. I assume we'd be back at the ship by 1pm. Then, I could check out the Pirate Museum or walk to the castle.

 

How long can you spend in the Pirate Museum? It seems as if I could walk to the castle and walk the stairs in 2 hours = enough time to be back onboard before the ship leaves.

 

If anyone can confirm that you must be on a tour to enter Atlantis, please respond.

 

We did the museum in about an hour. It was over 100 degrees that day and the hour in the AC was amazing.

[Gershep]

I also read that the general public could not buy tickets for Atlantis but I believe it said they will sell to you if you show them your key card from the ship. We just did this tour in June and booked it through NCL. The aquarium tour was less than 45 minutes. You are free to go through the aquarium again if you want. There are some shops you can shop in or eat in a restaurant. It's a lot of money for what is included but it is nice to see Atlantis.You can catch the shuttle bus any time you want. This is one of those tours you would only do once.

[Yunqi]

Thanks again for the replies.

 

The museum seems fun and I like the fish fry suggestion too, as well as the walking tour.

 

The ship is in port between 8am and 3pm. The Atlantis tour starts at 9:15. I should be able to take the tour and see the museum, but probably not the walking tour.

 

I think I'll call Atlantis and find out about the admission policy. Since the price I booked includes tour credits, I want to take a tour, but, I also hope to see more. It seems as if I could basically see all of the good stuff on my own, except for Atlantis.

 

I may use the tour credits in St. Thomas instead now.

 

Thanks

[emcelh]

Thanks again for the replies.

 

The museum seems fun and I like the fish fry suggestion too, as well as the walking tour.

 

The ship is in port between 8am and 3pm. The Atlantis tour starts at 9:15. I should be able to take the tour and see the museum, but probably not the walking tour.

 

I think I'll call Atlantis and find out about the admission policy. Since the price I booked includes tour credits, I want to take a tour, but, I also hope to see more. It seems as if I could basically see all of the good stuff on my own, except for Atlantis.

 

I may use the tour credits in St. Thomas instead now.

 

Thanks

I call to be sure, but I think you can buy tickets for just the aquarium. The day passes someone posted about are something different. Also, if the tour credits you're referring to are the $75 shore excursion credit promo, its $75 for each port and if you don't use it you loose it. You can't combine it to give you more to spend at another port. It's easy to get to Atlantis on your own but if you have the credit you might as well use it.

[Yunqi]

Hi,

 

The above post is news to me. I was under the impression that I would receive a credit $225 (75 x 3) to spend how I wanted to on tours. I may have to change to the dining credit.