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Shore Excursion-Nassau

nycruiser1975

By nycruiser1975,
in Bahamas

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Stacylee

Stacylee

Posted
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If you want a peaceful trip, Ardastra Gardens and zoo is a nice trip. $12.00 to get in and about a $10.00 cab ride - cheaper than the ship excursion.

 

We did some shopping, ate lunch at Hard Rock, had a drink at Starbucks and an 8.00 cab ride to Atlantis to walk around. We also took a buggy ride - but not really worth it in my opinion. He takes you thru traffic and I could barely understand the driver due to traffic noise and his accent.

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CaribbeanBound

CaribbeanBound

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The buses are great for transport by the way.

 

Get out and see the island. The ship berths at a pier. One trip we opted to take it easy and just walk around and enjoy some shopping. We started with a very pleasant horse and buggy ride for $10 per person. It was a nice way to start the morning. The old Straw Market burned down. The current location is a bit crowded. Most of the vendors appear to be selling the same merchandise (or junk, depending on your point of view). You can easily get 20% to 30% off the original asking prices if you don't appear too interested in anything you want to buy. Being Sunday, many shops were not open. The ones that were, did a fairly brisk business with 3 ships in port. Postage stamps can be bought in machines in the pharmacies. 68 cents worth of Bahaman stamps for $1 US. You can drop your postcards in the red PO boxes on the street. Several passengers caught taxis and water taxis to the Atlantis Casino. The water taxis will wait until they're way overloaded before sailing, despite the captain's warning that "we are getting full and are leaving right now". We saw one taxi bob precariously to and fro under the weight of the upper deck passengers. We thought it would tip over for sure, but it did not. We bought a cool embroidered t-shirt, made with the new photosensitive thread that changes from white to vibrant colors in the sun, at one of the shops.

 

On our third trip to Nassau, we opted for a new experience by jumping on the #10 Jitney ($1.00 each way, payable when exiting) to Cable Beach. The drivers are really friendly. Greet them with a hearty "Good Morning" as you board. You can catch the #10 near the British Colonial Hilton (a few blocks to your right after you leave the pier). The trip took about 20 minutes. We got off at Sandals, the all-inclusive "adult couples only" resort. . It was a good thing we had brought our email confirmation of the Day Pass option as there was some confusion at the gate and upon check-in. A Day Pass (9am to 6pm) costs $220 per couple, or $50 per person ($100 per couple) if you view a 10-minute presentation and go on a 30-minute site inspection tour. We opted for the tour.

 

Sandals: the property itself is undergoing what appears to be the final phases of a hurricane repair. Lots of painting, and some reconstruction. The property should look great come the holiday season. Everyone was quite friendly. They make no effort to differentiate someone on a Day Pass from an overnight guest. You have free reign of the property. We took a speedboat out to Sandals Cay --- their semi-private island --- which includes a pool with swim-up bar, hot tub, hammocks, chairs, and a restaurant. There was less than 12 guests on the island for the first hour --- 24 by the time we left after two hours. The speedboat operators are real pros and a joy to watch in action as they secure the boat to the docks in high wave conditions. We enjoyed a couple of drinks on a hammock as waves crashed nearby. Atlantis could be seen in the distance. Very relaxing. They don't skimp on the liquor here. All quality, branded names, and local beers. Back at the main property we enjoyed a few more drinks, the hot tub, and a conch fritter lunch. Nice laidback day. We would look forward to visiting Sandals again on a Day Pass.

 

If you are interested in more details about the Eastern Caribbean or Western Caribbean Ports, check out our very detailed reviews:

 

Eastern: http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/easterncaribbean.html

Western: http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/westerncaribbean.html

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Diva70

Diva70

Posted
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If you want a super relaxing day away, I'd highly recommend taking the rose island excursion via shoretrips.com. They pick you up near the cruise dock and once you get to the harbor you board a huge catamaran and take off for a private island (Rose). You can spend the day lying on the beach, swimming, snorkeling, etc. It was a blast and completely relaxing. We were the only people there from our cruise - maybe about 75 people max. Lunch and a rum drink is included, you can buy more if you want. You can also buy food to feed the fish if you like to be SWARMED. lol. :)

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scubagirrl

scubagirrl

Posted
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Diva70,

 

I went to shoretrips.com but couldn't find the Rose Island Excursion. Did I miss something? When was the last time you were there? Maybe they don't offer anymore. Let me know.

 

Dojomo

 

http://www.shoretrips.com/common/search4.asp?rcode=CAR&lcode=NAS&tcode=000709

 

http://www.seaislandadventures.com/daytrip.lasso

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Diva70

Diva70

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Sorry I didn't get back to you on the shoretrips excursion right away. It's the "fantastic beach, snorkeling, and Bahamian picnic" one - but I think scubagirl directed you to it. Hope you enjoy! :)

 

Now, I've got to find me an excursion :)

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woodofpine

woodofpine

Posted
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We were at Rose Island last month, they have a very healthy reef right offshore too - excellent snorkling... good value altogether.

 

You'll have time to do a horse drawn surry tour through downtown Nassau before you go - well regulated and also a good value. It's a good day.

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