Why does everyone hate Nassau so much?

[cltnccruisers]

4 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

When people say they dislike Nassau, I believe they are referring to the downtown area.  Nassau isn't a poor port city but it sure looks that way.  The shops seem more irritated than pleased to see paying customers.  The Straw Market has become the same crappy stall after crappy stall.  The streets and sidewalks aren't conductive to walking around.  

I agree 100%.  We did a walking tour we'd found online and it was quite difficult.  Some of the curbs were over a foot high.  At times the sidewalks just ended and you were left to walk in the streets.  For shopping we found that the older shopkeepers were fine.  But the "kids" all wanted to be somewhere else.

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, cltnccruisers said:

I agree 100%.  We did a walking tour we'd found online and it was quite difficult.  Some of the curbs were over a foot high.  At times the sidewalks just ended and you were left to walk in the streets.  For shopping we found that the older shopkeepers were fine.  But the "kids" all wanted to be somewhere else.

Simply crossing the streets were hazardous...

[creel5857]

We have Nassau included on cruise next week and I had hoped we could at least get off ship and walk around to a few shops, the distillery or straw market........so are we saying that we should not do this in small numbers??   We didnt think we would have to do a full excursion to look around town an hour or so in safe manner but now I am not sure??

[Elaine5715]

21 minutes ago, creel5857 said:

We have Nassau included on cruise next week and I had hoped we could at least get off ship and walk around to a few shops, the distillery or straw market........so are we saying that we should not do this in small numbers??   We didnt think we would have to do a full excursion to look around town an hour or so in safe manner but now I am not sure??

You can certainly walk around the main downtown area and to the Straw Markets without issues during the daytime.  If you can see other cruisers, you are fine.  I don't know how far the distillery is but I walk around by myself without an issue, staying in the main areas, sober and during daylight.  

[OllieMom]

I just spent a week in Nassau w college girlfriends. We all had a blast. We were often stopped by locals and asked if we were enjoying ourselves and wishing us a nice stay.  We rode the local bus back and forth to beaches and into town.  They were super fun and friendly.  What’s not to like?  I’ve been there on cruise stops too.  I don’t understand the whole not getting off the ship thing.  Boggles my mind.  

[Bookish Angel]

I certainly don't hate it. I have been to a couple of lovely beaches, rode local buses with no problem, etc.

[mjkacmom]

We love it! Our family loves the beach, Cabbage has been our favorite, but we’ve been to Cable and Junkanoo. The vendors are aggressive, but we live 10 miles from manhattan, and have traveled to many US cities, where hawkers and homeless are the same. There are still things we have yet to do. If you do absolutely no research and just plan on meandering around the port, you won’t want to come back.

[lenquixote66]

I love Nassau .I never experienced anything negative .

[K32682]

I'd been to Nassau several times on business and a couple of resort vacations and never had a problem.  But one port stop on a cruise made me understand why people might not like it.  It was a complete crap show.  I'm left wondering whether the problem is Nassau or the cruisers who visit there. 

[LynnTTT]

Nassau is scary?  We were there in August.  Walked all over, did the historic trail (steps, fort etc). I didn't find vendors pushy at all.

I think people that find it scary must be people who haven't done any real foreign travel or live in small towns or cities.  "Curbs too high?" Please.  Vendors too pushy? These are poor people who live entirely off of the tourists; of course they want your business. We didn't walk in a crowd, we are in our 70's and would be easy to rob- never happened.

Of course, we have also traveled to India, Egypt and all over the world and never had a bad incident (except Naples where someone tried unsuccessfully to pickpocket my husband).  

Don't be afraid, go out and enjoy the world. You can go to a country western concert in Vegas and get killed.  People will stil go to Vegas.

[jayscore]

On 12/29/2018 at 7:38 AM, Snit13 said:

Nassau like Cozumel.....been there done that.....over and over.  Great for someone who is new to cruising but for many of us we have just been there to many times.

 

Bingo! Our first time there had the original straw market, and it seemed, to me,  there was a local ambiance and "newness".

Years have gone by, and "it ain't just the same" Nassau I recall from the past. (But, what is?)

If you have never been there, by all means check it out!

[KmomChicago]

On ‎12‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 7:29 AM, Iamcruzin said:

New York City has more panhandlers, and solicitors at every corner, people openly smoking weed in Union Square in the presence of uniformed police officers and yet millions come from all over the world to visit. Go figure.

 

This is true, but I think some of this is a matter of expectations.  New York is gritty with all the character in the world, and people know this when making their travel plans; it's the ultimate urban landscape and visitors expect it to be somewhat mean and dirty and full of shady types.  They arrive on their guard for such things.  If anything it keeps getting cleaned up beyond what I expect; for instance the Intrepid Museum is in Hell's Kitchen, a neighborhood which no longer feels like its name.  On my last visit right when the 9/11 museum was opening, people throughout the city were overall friendly, welcoming and optimistic.  However I'm well aware of the less than appealing elements as well.

 

Nassau has every right to be what it is, but people likely imagine a quaint, laid back, tropical paradise (more like on the private islands) and the initial exit from the port with the aggressive vendors and taxi drivers is just not the kind of welcome they expect.  They expect something more like the sanitized Cozumel area with little beaches, waterfront bars, and spotless shopping squares as soon as you get off the ship.  I don't feel personally unsafe in Nassau, and I always make the most of the port stop, but it's just not a pleasant initial welcome and I always see people turning around and heading right back to the ship. 

[Iamcruzin]

12 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

 

This is true, but I think some of this is a matter of expectations.  New York is gritty with all the character in the world, and people know this when making their travel plans; it's the ultimate urban landscape and visitors expect it to be somewhat mean and dirty and full of shady types.  They arrive on their guard for such things.  If anything it keeps getting cleaned up beyond what I expect; for instance the Intrepid Museum is in Hell's Kitchen, a neighborhood which no longer feels like its name.  On my last visit right when the 9/11 museum was opening, people throughout the city were overall friendly, welcoming and optimistic.  However I'm well aware of the less than appealing elements as well.

 

Nassau has every right to be what it is, but people likely imagine a quaint, laid back, tropical paradise (more like on the private islands) and the initial exit from the port with the aggressive vendors and taxi drivers is just not the kind of welcome they expect.  They expect something more like the sanitized Cozumel area with little beaches, waterfront bars, and spotless shopping squares as soon as you get off the ship.  I don't feel personally unsafe in Nassau, and I always make the most of the port stop, but it's just not a pleasant initial welcome and I always see peopleturning around and heading right back to the ship. 

I understand a first time cruiser being shocked by the hustling but with the exception of Bermuda I have experienced this type of behavior throughout the Caribbean. Even in St Thomas the taxi driver who dropped us off at the beach said,”Keep an eye on your belongings. You are in paradise not heaven.”

[K32682]

13 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

I understand a first time cruiser being shocked by the hustling but with the exception of Bermuda I have experienced this type of behavior throughout the Caribbean. Even in St Thomas the taxi driver who dropped us off at the beach said,”Keep an eye on your belongings. You are in paradise not heaven.”

This is a very good point.  For many it will be their first port and their first exposure to how things are in the Caribbean. A middle-age couple from the Midwest might be appalled at what they encounter and may feel unsafe.

 

While the Nassau port is crowded and hectic I didn't feel the slightest bit unsafe there.  You should always keep an eye on your possessions and your wits about you wherever you go. 

 

Conversely when Nassau is the last port on a cruise it may be in the interests of the cruise line to issue "safety warnings" in an attempt to dissuade passengers from going ashore so they can spend what is left of their money onboard.  

[sfaaa]

On January 3, 2019 at 6:47 AM, K32682 said:

Conversely when Nassau is the last port on a cruise it may be in the interests of the cruise line to issue "safety warnings" in an attempt to dissuade passengers from going ashore so they can spend what is left of their money onboard.  

Say what? If this is indeed true, don't you think cruise lines would issue safety warning in every port so passengers would stay on the ship to play bingo and spend all their money at the bar. Why reserve this sneaky money grabbing strategy for Nassau only? 

[navybankerteacher]

We don’t hate it - we simply do not particularly like it - finding it on a par with St. Thomas - but certainly better than Jamaica.  Having stayed at Atlantis several times, we do not think the short time in port warrants visiting there.  If it is a good beach day, and we are not “beached-out” we will take a taxi over to Cabbage Beach just to the east of Atlantis on Paradise Island —- otherwise we just stay on board and enjoy the less crowded on board environment.

[K32682]

11 hours ago, sfaaa said:

Say what? If this is indeed true, don't you think cruise lines would issue safety warning in every port so passengers would stay on the ship to play bingo and spend all their money at the bar. Why reserve this sneaky money grabbing strategy for Nassau only? 

Because it is the final stop on the itinerary.  

[Joebucks]

On 1/3/2019 at 9:47 AM, K32682 said:

Conversely when Nassau is the last port on a cruise it may be in the interests of the cruise line to issue "safety warnings" in an attempt to dissuade passengers from going ashore so they can spend what is left of their money onboard.  

 

I don't agree with that opinion. I believe it is more along the lines of liability/being informative. These days people will sue for everything. "No one told me things could happen on an island!"

[Hlitner]

Perhaps folks might want to read the Department of State's new warning about the Bahamas and Nassau,

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/the-bahamas-travel-advisory.html

 

If I really loved the place we might ignore the warnings.  Otherwise,  our favorite destination when docked in Nassau is to stay on the ship.

 

For those who do not want to follow the links here is just a small excerpt:

 

Exercise increased caution in The Bahamas due to crime.

Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assault is common, even during daylight hours and in tourist areas. U.S. government personnel are not permitted to visit the Sand Trap area in Nassau due to crime. Jet-ski operators are known to commit sexual assaults against tourists, including minors. As a result, U.S. government personnel are not permitted to use jet-ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Islands.   

 

Hank

 

 

 

 

[George C]

Mother in law in her 60’s was offered drugs right after we got off ship,  rather do Nassau than San Juan just not as good as most ports on Caribbean cruise. Liked it in 70’sbefore we discovered many of the other great ports. 

[K32682]

19 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Perhaps folks might want to read the Department of State's new warning about the Bahamas and Nassau,

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/the-bahamas-travel-advisory.html

 

 

 

 

 

American DOS advisories need to be seen in context.  Bahamas is at a Level 2.  If that is sufficient to turn someone away from the place then they wouldn't go to most of Europe including the UK and a great many other places.  Here's the DOS map so you can see how Bahamas stacks up against to the rest of the world.

 

https://travelmaps.state.gov/TSGMap/

 

 

[Go-Bucks!]

I've been to Nassau 3 times and the last one was the best experience:

 

It was Sunday so we went to a church service in downtown Nassau with 4 other people from our ship...what fun!  The worshipers were so friendly and enjoyed having visitors at church.  Afterwards we walked back to the ship, stopping at many of the shops along the main street. Never felt unsafe.  After changing clothes and having lunch onboard, we got off and took a taxi to Atlantis and Cabbage Beach (right next to the very expensive Atlantis beach).  We made our obligatory () "donation" to the Atlantis casino and looked around the beautiful hotel.  Cabbage Beach is a very short walk from Atlantis and is free.  We rented 2 loungers and an umbrella for $20....there was a decent restaurant and restrooms there.  Wasn't very crowded and very few vendors walking around the day we were there.