Does it worth? A little disappointment with Discover Atlantis at Nassau.

[cutesnoopy]

We joined "discover Atlantis" exclusion. It's $33 per person including a round trip bus (until 5:30pm). A tour guide took us to walk around the aquarium.

Does anyone know how much for the aquarium admission if I don't join the exclusion?

Taxi costs $5 per person one way. We missed the last shuttle because we didn't know where the shuttle would pick us up! The tour guide said we just needed to go back to where we were dropped off. We went there ~5:20pm and asked the hotel employee who was working at the taxi station right outside of the hotel where we could take the shuttle back. He told us we needed to walk down along the road to catch the bus. We walked (with tired legs) but we didn't see any so we thought we could possiblily go to the wrong place. We walked back and asked again and the other guy said the same thing. Of course, spending the time walking back and forth, we missed the bus (if there was any).

We spent $10 total to get back to downtown. We felt the tour didn't worth the price!!

So, questions:
1. How much for just the admission to the aquarium?
2. Where exactly can people catch the shuttle back to the port?
3. With "Discouver Atlantis" exclusion, can people access the hotel's pools?

 

[eeyores4me]

We went on the Discover Atlantis excursion on September 10 this year. I'm afraid I don't know the price for the aquarium tour, but the Atlantis does have a Web site. To catch the shuttle, you walk "down" the driveway of the Atlantis for 1 block, turn left at the Comfort Suites corner, and then the first street to the right (not even a block) is where the vans stay. They usually stay until about 5:30. Unfortunately, you don't get admission to the pools at the Atlantis by doing this. You either have to get a room at the Atlantis OR get a room at the Comfort Suites. It was about $195 for the room, and you get a wristband that you can wear to get into the pools.

We did the discover Atlantis excursion, then went and "checked in" to our room at Comfort Suites and went swimming at Atlantis. Next time I would just get a taxi directly to the Comfort Suites and skip the tour. It was very time consuming! The pools (and ocean) are awesome!

 

[cutesnoopy]

eeyores4me, thanks for your info. I think it helps anyone who takes this exclusion. At least, people know how to catch the shuttle.

We got a yellow wristband for the tour so I was wondering if it also allowed us to access the pools. The pools area look nice. We didn't plan to use the facilities because we wanted to go shopping since it's our first time to the island. Maybe we will do that in the future.

 

[eeyores4me]

You take your receipt from Comfort Suites to the Atlantis and get your wristbands. They are more fancy and glittery. And - the worker was sure to tell me - they change colors every day!

 

[steverog]

the aquarium by itself is $25, the worse value for an aquarium I have been in. I've been in about 10. What they had was nice there just wasn't much of it. We went independent of the tour because we have little kids and thought it would be easier.

Steve

 

[cutesnoopy]

$25 just for the aquarium tour is expensive! Well, I enjoyed what I saw there but I don't think I will go back again. I would take the money to do more shopping.

I regreted that I didn't spend enough time at the straw market. I think it's a fun place to buy gifts.

 

[TexasGirl]

When we went last year we did it on our own. We took a water taxi there. We did the free portion of the aquariaum which was plenty of fish and the price was right. It really is quite extensive what is free if you know where all to go.

Then we went to the FREE public beach. The hotel can give you directions. You can't get to it through the Atlantis due to regulations. The seas were rough but it was beautiful. My daughter made sand castles, we carefully splashed on the shore of the ocean being careful not to go out far. There were umbrellas for rent but we used the free (love that word) trees. It was a great day. We took at taxi back. That was our only cost fot the whole day. Taxis.

 

[marley]

Texasgirl: where did you catch the water taxi? I would like to go see the hotel and my husband might like to use the casino but I don't want to take the kids on an organized tour and your plan sounds perfect!

Marley

 

[TexasGirl]

They direct you to the water taxis as soon as you get off the boat. If I had to do it again I would take a car taxi there like we did on the way back. The regular taxi takes you right up to the door of the Atlantis while it is quite a hike if you take the water taxi...which can be rough if it is very hot or if you have small children with you.


My husband spent several hours in the Casino. It is a beautiful casino. I toured the free acquariums and then went to the beach. There were vendors wandering the beach but they weren't overly pushy. It was actually part of the charm. We bought a couple of seashell necklaces and had my daughter's hair braided right there on our beachtowel as we watched the waves roll in. It was fun.

It was a blast. Not everyone is a fan of Nassau but we have had a good time every time we have gone there. I think that was our 4th trip to Nassau.

 

[scrapperjill]

Pools aren't included in the discover atlantis tour ...I also agree the price for the aquarium is way over what it should be...Don't get me wrong...it was a great aquarium...but not $25pp great. We opted to do the day room at Atlantis...where we were able to use EVERYTHING at atlantis...including the aquarium, water park, pools, their private beach, water toys, kids discovery area...and so on....which made the day room well worth the cost...heck it was only $50 more to do it all when compaired to doing just the aquarium.

One suggestion...bring your own lunch or enough snacks to tide you over until you get back on the ship. We got lunch at Shark Bites out by the water park...for the four of us we got TWO kids chicken nugget meals and four 10 oz bottled water...for $30 I couldn't belive it...but I thought heck maybe the kids meals are larger than normal kids meals...for that price...but nope...they each had four small nuggets..about the size of happy meal nuggets and a few fries....hmmm maybe we were just charged wrong? I just know if we ever do it again...we'll pack our lunch with us.

 

[dislvr75]

I have never cruised before so hope this isn't too silly of a question. If you are on a cruise ship, how exactly do you "pack a lunch"? Do you take things from the buffet and hide it in a bag, or will the ship provide "to go" containers for you? I've thought about my packing list for next year's cruise but no where on my list is tupperware!! Please explain!!

Thanks!!

 

[rjones69]

Atlantis aquarium was not worth the $129 we paid for 4 adults and one child. Plus the $4 p.person one way for a taxi. There is more walking to see the fish than there are fish!

 

[wdwoldtimer]

The prices for the aquarium were a little higher than stated here, when we went in June. It was $27 for adults and $15 for children. It's an enjoyable aquarium, but certainly nothing like Shedd aquarium in Chicago. I consider it a one-time deal...saw it once, enjoyed it, won't do it again.

 

[goofyforlife]

Pack a lunch would mean you order sandwiches/drinks from room service. They have fruit on the breakfest buffet

I plan to bring a soft sided cooler for this.

(sadly, I'm probably on what will be a ship to nowhere)

 

[trivial]

Isn't it illegal to bring food off the ship though?

 

[scrapperjill]

From what I understand....they don't recomend you taking your food off at ports...and they don't provide you with any to go items. But hey isn't ziplocks one of the must bring items on the packing list. I know you can not bring food off the ship when you are disembarking at port canaveral...but I have never read it is against the law to take food to other ports.

I have read many many times of people ordering roomservice the morning of or the night before and "packing" their lunch for shore times.

 

[trivial]

Ah okay, it may very well be legal, but I thought I read somewhere that no food is to be taken off the ship. Then again, it may have been talking solely about Port Canaveral. Don't mind me

 

[wintermom]

On ordering a lunch to go from room service.

I had read on this board that people did it all the time for lunch.
We had rented a room at the Comfort hotel and I called room
service that morning and ordered 3 sandwiches and chips.
When I placed the order the lady said"you know you can't take
food off the boat ". Well that was news to me so I went ahead
and packed the sandwhiches in the ziplock bags that I brought
and put them in our beach bag (being prepared to surrender them
if asked) however, nothing was said about this as we got off in
Nassau and nobody checked our beach bag and it worked out
fine. Since then I have read on this board again, that its ok to
take food off in Nassau, but not bring it on. I don't know the
correct answer but unless there is some Nassau law I am
violating I am not going to worry about it. I too did not want
to pay the sky high prices at Atlantis for so so pool food.
Wintermom

 

[mom_rules]

First time cruiser question-what currency do you use in Nassau? Do you use US $ in castaway cay?

 

[trivial]

I've read they will accept USD and give change in USD.