Negative Comments

[nbsjcruiser]

My guess about Nassau is that the cruise lines are going there far too much, IMO. The first few cruises I went on that went to Nassau was great. I loved it and had a good time. We'll usually do some beach time and walk around town. The issue comes when you go there multiple times. It becomes ho-hum and you'd rather explore a new area.

 

For me, this all started when cruise lines (RCI started this) changed their eastern itineraries from 4 true Eastern stops typically including St Thomas, St Maarten, San Juan. Now they remove one of those stops and its usually St Maarten, St Thomas, Nassau or St Thomas, San Juan, Nassau - whichever way they configure it, its 3 stops only, one of which is Nassau. This is a complete turn off for me. Yeah, I understand the whole "ship is the destination" crap but they nickel and dime so bad now that reducing 4 day itineraries to 3 is a real disappointment and Nassau pays the price for my frustration on that front.

 

The other problem is that Nassau is not that much further south than Miami and if you're visiting there in the winter its entirely possible that its not going to be all that warm and as a Canadian fleeing the cold, I want to see the sun and the heat. So I tend to avoid a Nassau stop in winter.

 

Having said all that, my Daughter loves Nassau - she's only been there twice but she loves it so don't let the old curmudgeons (like me :) ) spoil it. If you enjoy it, that's all that matters. Look for different things to do each time you visit and enjoy.

[bigque]

I've been to Nassau a few times. I don't hate it. I don't even dislike it. My experiences there were fine.

I just feel like "been there, done that". I think, for many experienced cruisers, it's the same sort of thing. Sometimes it's tough to find a cruise that doesn't go there or to some of the other ports that seem less popular.

Some of the negatives that people speak of would hardly be noticeable on the first go-round because of the excitement of visiting someplace new. After several visits, that honeymoon glow wears off.

 

[PensFan1028]

We booked a day pass at the Sheraton beach resort. Nice well kept pool with very comfortable loungers... bar and decent food. Only time I've been there and will probably do the same thing if we ever return there. We called ahead but it wasn't necessary as we hooked up with another couple who just paid their way when we arrived at the hotel.

[AZCactusCruiser]

One time when we were in Nassau with another couple we decided to just take a look around the area and just started walking. A little while into our walk a police car pulls up behind us and asks what we're doing. We told him we just wanted to walk around and see what the area was like, He informed us that it would be a very good idea if we weren't in that area after dark. Needless to say we turned back towards the ship, but we didn't think the area looked that bad.

[ramanda]

One time when we were in Nassau with another couple we decided to just take a look around the area and just started walking. A little while into our walk a police car pulls up behind us and asks what we're doing. We told him we just wanted to walk around and see what the area was like, He informed us that it would be a very good idea if we weren't in that area after dark. Needless to say we turned back towards the ship, but we didn't think the area looked that bad.

Yikes!

[Missusdubbya]

We went to Nassau last year. We only had a half day there, so walked the 10 mins to Junkanoo Beach for a swim and a few cocktails. :)

[LuCruise]

Hi! We are sailing on Allure in August and Nassau is one of our stops. I can't say I have been there before but we are only going to be there from 7-2 and I wanted a reasonably priced excursion for the short time we are there. So I found the Melia resort where you can get a day pass for $35 a person. If you go on their website it just looks beautiful. So I thought that would be a fun and inexpensive thing to do. From what I understand you can take a short taxi ride there

 

Us too....only there from 7am - 2pm. I actually wish we were there longer so we could check out the Atlantis. Having said that, we have signed up for Blue Lagoon excursion. The place looks beautiful and I can't wait (just as before, wish it was a longer time)

 

My guess about Nassau is that the cruise lines are going there far too much...

 

The other problem is that Nassau is not that much further south than Miami and if you're visiting there in the winter its entirely possible that its not going to be all that warm and as a Canadian fleeing the cold, I want to see the sun and the heat. So I tend to avoid a Nassau stop in winter.

 

 

I agree with the comment. If you are going to a beach destination, you want warm to hot weather. When we go in less than 2 weeks, it's predicting 24 degrees...which is comfortable but not hot (and we'll be there in the morning so it won't have reached that yet)

Edited April 1, 2016 by LuCruise

[ramanda]

Hi LuCruise! We are sailing August 14. When are you sailing? I know it's a bummer we are there for such a short time. I have been racking my brains out trying to find something that I felt was worth it for such a short period of time. I have to say, that choosing the cruise line, the ship and the itinerary was a piece of cake compared to trying to figure out these excursions. I have spent so much time trying to figure out what the heck I want to do and that will make us happy as well as our kids for a reasonable amount of money. Every time I think I have decided on something, I read something else and then I change my mind. Oh well will have to decide something eventually! I will check out the Blue Lagoon excursion. Can't remember if I looked at that. Anyway hope you have a wonderful time!

[LuCruise]

Hi LuCruise! We are sailing August 14. When are you sailing? I know it's a bummer we are there for such a short time. I have been racking my brains out trying to find something that I felt was worth it for such a short period of time. I have to say, that choosing the cruise line, the ship and the itinerary was a piece of cake compared to trying to figure out these excursions. I have spent so much time trying to figure out what the heck I want to do and that will make us happy as well as our kids for a reasonable amount of money. Every time I think I have decided on something, I read something else and then I change my mind. Oh well will have to decide something eventually! I will check out the Blue Lagoon excursion. Can't remember if I looked at that. Anyway hope you have a wonderful time!

 

Hello :) We cruise a week Sunday (April 10)! Can't wait. I know what you mean about it being harder to figure out what to do in the ports than it is selecting ship and date. I will report back about Blue Lagoon. We are doing the excursion through Royal (beach version, but they also have dolphin and sea lion encounters). Have only heard good things and the place looks so beautiful with lots to do in the water (and lunch provided).

Thanks for the wishes. You have a great cruise in August.

[ramanda]

Your trip is coming right up. How exciting!! Yes I would love to hear about your excursions when you come back. Can't wait to hear all about it. Have a great time!

[Got2Cruise]

Go to Paradise Island. Go to the Ports of Call Board and find out which resorts offer day passes.

[2CatsInFlorida]

Nassau and Grand Bahama don't have the mountains and physical beauty of islands like St Kitts. Not a lot to do in Nassau, but we did like the shopping and straw market. There was a security alert there last year and some tourists on a ship excursion were robbed at gunpoint.

 

We would go there again if it were part of an itinerary to the eastern Caribbean. We would like to visit some of the other Bahama islands that can be reached by mail ferry from Nassau.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[arkiesgirl]

We've always enjoyed Nassau. The locals have always been friendly and helpful. We take the same precautions that we would take in any other city. Don't rule out a potentially wonderful day because someone else had a bad experience.We've never been negatively approached. We've done excursions and walked around on our on. I have to say we enjoyed the day on our own much more. We walked to Fort Charlotte,the Fish Fry, took the jitney back to the main part of town and grabbed a taxi to the Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle.Looks like we followed the same itinerary that foxgoodrich did!There are wonderful views from Fort Charlotte.

[retiring soon]

Hi all!

 

I've been to Nassau a few times but usually took ship's excursions. There's a fort,

the Queen's staircase, the lovely Ardastra garden, a pirate museum, & Atlantis so lots to see. I believe this is the island with the Junkanoo Museum which was a lot of fun. Last time I did the Tru Bahamian food tour which points out interesting buildings too. I'm taking that tour again in 19 days! Some people in Nassau, like the ones in some Jamaican ports, are quite aggressive.

 

Hope this helps.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

Edited April 2, 2016 by retiring soon
forgot something

[Juvesgirl]

I was at Melia in February and it was really a beautiful resort with gorgeous pools, wonderful beach, plenty of chairs and umbrellas etc. I paid the extra money to include lunch as they have a wonderful buffet- ribs, chicken, pasta salad, potato salad, grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, fries, chicken tenders etc etc. well worth the money and you can go up as many times as you like. It is clean and under cover but open to the air. if i can find a photo i will post it.

 

hmm- i can't seem to get them to copy here.

 

Thanks for this helpful information about Melia, Robinhill. You probably don't, but do you happen to know the difference between the Melia pass with the buffet and the Melia pass with the Grill Beach Café lunch? The pass with the café lunch is much less expensive than the pass with the buffet lunch, and I just wondered if you happened to learn anything about the pass with the café lunch while you were there. If not, no worries!

[cruiseapril]

We always have an excursion planned for Nassau and don't wander around the pier. We have done ship's excursions or just take a van taxi to a resort.

 

Have been to Nassau many times and did have one of our best excursions ever at the Blue Lagoon Dolphin Encounter. We enjoyed the beach afterwards too.

 

Other Nassau excursions we have liked: The Melia on Cable Beach (formerly the Sheraton.) The British Colonial Hilton, Ardastra Gardens and Zoo, and Atlantis Aquarium. Our relatives enjoyed Graycliff Hotel (chocolate and cigar making.)

 

This way, we avoid the aggressive vendors around the port and spend part of a day in a good environment.

[ramanda]

Hi LuCruise,

 

How was your trip? How was the Blue Lagoon Tour?

[LuCruise]

Hi LuCruise,

 

How was your trip? How was the Blue Lagoon Tour?

 

Hi ramanda. We really enjoyed our time at Blue Lagoon. The place is lovely with very calm water. Our kids used the tubes and mats and my older one went on the Aqua park which he enjoyed. We didn't participate in the dolphin encounter but did head over to watch for a bit.

 

I've got a bit about it with a few pictures in my review in the link below starting at post #64

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2345424&page=4

 

Let me know if any specific questions....and what you decide.

[misshfitz]

We were just at the Melia 2 weeks ago. Didn't enjoy it. We paid 130 for the four of us. 3 adults and 1 child. The lunch was a buffet in a open air restaurant. It had hot dogs, salads, chicken, fruit and a couple desserts. We had lunch 15 minutes after it opened and all the food was crawling with flies already. Didn't feel like it was safe to eat much. Tried some salad and it tasted off. The beach was littered with cigarette butts, my 6 year old couldn't play in the sand except down by the water. She was digging up too many "treasures" in the soft sand. :( I thought for a large resort, they would rake the beach but I guess not. I also assumed that there would be no beach vendors. WRONG. All day long we were bothered every 3-5 minutes for coconuts, scarves, cigars and hair braiding. They weren't aggressive but kept coming back over and over again. Melia is also way down at the tip of the city, about 20 minutes by Taxi which was $20 each way. It was very, very windy there we left early because of it. When we boarded the ship, we could see the beach at British Colonial Hilton. There was no wind there and the water was calm. We will go there next time for sure.

[ramanda]

Somehow I missed your other post! Will be reading it later for sure. Glad you had a great trip. I'm definitely doing blue lagoon. I finally decided on my excursions! Thanks for the suggestion

[ramanda]

Yikes misshfitz! So sorry to hear that! That must have been so disappointing.Wish you had had a better experience.

[clskinsfan]

Personally, I have never really understood the hate for Nassau. A 15 minute walk to Junkanoo Beach. Spend the day drinking CHEAP cold beer from the vendors right there on the beach. I have had some incredible jerk chicken and cracked conch there as well. It's not in the top 20 beaches I have been too in my lifetime. But a day at Junkanoo beats a day at work anytime. And Nassau is going to be on any itinerary that gets me to Half Moon Cay.

Edited May 15, 2016 by clskinsfan

[tinkr2]

I bet I've been to Nassau 10++ times. It's a great island with pretty beaches. 90% of the time we rent a moped and explore. There is chocolate and cigar factories , zoos, gardens and museums. We then head over to paradise 8sland where there is a beautiful public beach. We always stop at the restaurants under the bridge for fresh fish and cold drinks.

We have also gotten a day pass at a few of the resorts when we want to sail or paddle board . We have gone to Junkanoo and had drinks.

The ONLY thing I hate about Nassau is the straw market. We are not big shoppers and it's all crap. Vendors are aggressive, who cares, just say , no thank you.

We have been to many cool local spots. We asked where the best place to eat was 10 years ago and they asked if we were afraid of black people. Lol we said no and went to a great spot . We still go there every trip!

Go explore Nassau!

[cherryharley]

Last year one of my ports was Nassau. I did not like it due to the people being aggressive. Also, another reason is the treatment of horses. I can't remember what it's called but when they offer you tours on horses. The horses are under weight and there was no water in the bowls for them. It had to be 95 degrees out . They look so sad. Online you can see pictures of them getting abused and dying while giving tours and the people of Nassau dragging the bodies down the street. They don't give a crap about life just about making money. The horses are lined up once you walk into the town part. It's so sad. I never want to see that scene again.

 

Well I just saw this after reading the the treatment of the horses has gotten better. Would someone who has been to Nassau recently, please give your opinion? If it's that bad, I'd rather not even get off the ship. I do not want to see animals being abused. I might wind up in a Nassau jail!

[taxwiz]

I've been to Nassau many times and it is one of my favorite islands. Lots to do including going to Blue Lagoon Island, Paradise Island, Cable beach, etc. Lots to do downtown and in the vicinity. A good downtown brewery-

Pirate Republic Brewing Co.

Woodes Rogers Walk, Nassau

and a 10 or 15 minute walk to a good free public beach- Junkanoo beach.

Negatives- Atlantis, and Nassau drink and food can be pricey. Also, I would avoid expensive jewelry, etc. as I understand there has been some crime of late although historically it is a friendly and safe place.