Baha Mar vs Margaritaville Nassau

[SailorMan98]

So we have been rerouted on our upcoming Independence Of The Seas cruise to Nassau and we now have a full port day. We were thinking of doing our own thing and taking a day trip over to either the Baha Mar or Margaritaville without booking an excursion with the ship. We wanted to check out the property, shop, grab a bite, walk the beach, and maybe try our luck in the casino. Has anyone done this at either resort without an excursion and can give us some tips or tricks?

 

Thanks in advance!

[OCSC Mike]

Try the Bahamas Port of Call forum.

[elizabethbp]

You cannot wander around Baha Mar unless  staying there, except for the casino, I believe.  We booked the  Infinity Pool last year from the hotel, but you also need to book the waterpark as well.  It was expensive  but we loved it.   I think you can walk around Margaritaville though, except for the pool and beach.  We did that excursion also through a third party site and enjoyed it as well.

[ngrund]

Margaritaville does not have a casino.

[Eastern flygirl]

I enjoy Baha Mar, it is new and clean. The casino is quite large and empty during the day.  You will be able to walk down to the beautiful marina that has some impressive boats.  In the marina, they have several restaurants and shops.  You can take a cab, I think for about $30, or you can take #10 city bus that drops and picks you up in front of the resort. If you are traveling with someone, the bus is not bad and is only a short ride for less than a dollar. Make sure you have the correct change. 

[rolloman]

The number 10 bus is exactly $1.00 each way however be sure when you board it is bus #10 and not 10A...10A takes you to a sketchy area of town. While in Baha Mar, you can gamble at the super nice casino with all the latest games. I usually bring my wife and she sits out at the pool pays cash for a drink and snacks. No one (about 10 trips) has questioned us as we have walked around the pool areas and shopping. 

[mafig]

Baha Mar is beautiful and the casino is too.  (we won!)

[elizabethbp]

When we were  at Baha  Mar  we got 2 loungers at the Beach Club Infinity Pool and  everyone we saw had wrist bands on indicating they were a guest or bought a lounger. Same for Water  Park. Perhaps it  was when we  were there ( Thanksgiving) but we  were told access to the hotels was restricted to hotel guests. 

 

 

[Bluewake]

It's actually quite easy to walk from the ship to Margaritaville in Nassau.  We've done it a couple of times.  There is a fee, of course, to use the pool, lazy river, tube ride, and/or beach and I think it's over $100 for a day pass. To me, that's kind of expensive but it's clean, safe, and nicely themed so it might be worth it to you.  However, we weren't interested in doing all those things.  The first time we just went to the store and then walked around the outdoor area for a bit.  No cost to do that.  The second time we bought some nachos and a couple of drinks and just sat eating and drinking for about 30 minutes. Again, we didn't have to pay anything to get in...we just paid for the food and beverages.  I don't know if a ship or private excursion would be cheaper than just showing up but I doubt it since you'd probably be charged for the ride.

[happychippy]

I've done both the Baha Bay day pass and Margaritaville and both have their pros / cons.   Margaritaville sells out very quickly, so if that is your interest I recommend booking as early as possible in advance. Nice that it's a casual 15 minute walk from the cruise port area, and I enjoy the grotto area near the restrooms when you first walk in to set up camp for the day, nice cool shaded spot.  The food can be pricier, but it's to be expected at a resort prices.  Cashless property so you'll need a credit card for any food/drink purchases.  My dislike at Margaritaville is the beach is sometimes overly crowded and the public Junkanoo beach next too it can get very crowded and no barrier so locals could walk over Margaritaville guests and offer goods/services. 

 

Baha Bay is about a 15 minute taxi ride, make sure they take you to the waterpark entrance near the Melia Resort (now closed down).  I like that the Baha Bay had zero crowds, and zero lines for the slides. Love the tidal wave pool, and that man made beach area there.  There was a casino inside the waterpark, but yeah no access to the inside resort areas.  There was many different restaurants/bars inside the waterpark like the 818 Tequila Bar and Sugar Factory.  Beach area at Baha Bay was a lot more private, even though on public Cable beach, they had reserved lounge chairs/umbrellas for Day Pass guests and I was never once approached by anyone to buy jewelry or braid my hair.  My negative for Baha Bay was there is no Pool access here, just the slides, tidal wave pool, and kids splash park area.  

 

Whichever option you decide, book early, double check cancellation policies allowed in the event of bad weather or port changes/cancellations for any reasons.  Have fun and enjoy your cruise vacation!