First time cruiser; is it worth getting off at Nassau?

Ely Sava

Eeyore
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
We are sailing the Dream on 9/20 and this is our first time sailing with DCL. We are not doing any excursions as I read there are so many activities offered. Is it worth even getting off the ship at Nassau? Originally, we just wanted to take a cab to see Atlantis and then get back on the boat. Is it safe or even worth it?

Thank you!
 
Yes! While I normally don’t get off there because there isn’t much I’m interested in and I’ve already done The Atlantis, I definitely will be on our upcoming cruise even if only for a quick stop to get a t shirt or a drink. The Bahamas need all the help they can get right now so tourism definitely helps them out.

Obviously, if you really don’t want to then you shouldn’t. I personally have never felt unsafe and I did really enjoy The Atlantic when we visited. Stick to the tourist areas and don’t keep money or valuables in the open.
 
We love Nassau but most people do not. Feels like a second home to us at this point. Lol. I have to say, though, even though we have been there about 15 times, we have never been to Atlantis. You could always just get off the ship and walk around for an hour and get back on to enjoy a less crowded ship.
 
Yes. Take a water taxi or a regular taxi over to Atlantis for a couple hours. Once is probably enough for most people but it’s a shame to miss a whole port or country as a newbie.
 


I'm probably in the minority - no, it's not worth it. Take advantage of an empty ship. Nassau is pretty lackluster and I don't think the hassle of getting to Atlantis is worth it if your plan is to just look at it. We've never felt unsafe, though!
 
The ship is no longer empty as many people choose to skip Nassau on the shorter cruises.

I did a half day snorkeling excursion and it was awesome. I would definitely take the opportunity to look around while you are there - my son was just excited to see a new country (I know CC is also in the bahamas but Nassau is more accessible to all).
 
I typically stay on the ship in port there, but for a first time cruise I definitely think you should get off. It's good to form your own opinions, you might end up loving it and always want to get off there. You could take a taxi ride to Atlantis or the beach (it's only about $4 make sure to discuss price before going anywhere) I've never done an excursion there, but walking around the hotel was fun.
 


Nassau might not be the best port but we always get off the boat there. We have been there 6 times and we never felt unsafe. I think you should at least try it.
 
Do you like Vegas? If so, then you will like Atlantis. It’s huge, impressive, expensive, crowded, and touristy. There’s lots to see (most of which cost money), and lots of walking. If you like that kind of thing (think walking through Cesars Palace or the Bellagio in Vegas), it’s definitely worth seeing at least once. If you’re more interested in local Bahamian culture, there are lots of other places to go. And several close beaches if you’d rather do something like that.
 
Depends what your priorities are. If you want to experience the ship, it's a good time to stay on board with lower crowds (not as low as you expect as many people also don't get off at Nassau). If it's a longer cruise, it's always nice to take a step off the ship, get rid of those sea legs and walk around.
 
How long is your cruise? We're only doing a 3-night cruise, so we're planning to stay on the boat to experience as much DCL magic as possible.
 
It's your first cruise, if there's something you want to do, do it! The only to find out if something is worth it to you is to do it.
 
It would be up to you- if you haven’t been there before then I would say yes. That being said though, it is our absolute least favorite port and we do not get off anymore.
 
If you have never been I would say at least get off the ship for an hour just to walk around buy a magnet as a souvenir and then get back on the boat. When we were there we walked to Jung to poop beach stayed for about an hour and then went back on the boat. We had thought about doing the excursions to a beach but decided since we were on a short cruise to enjoy the ship more. But the idea to never set foot on land never crossed my mind. Especially as the city is like right there And it was zero effort to get there.. you’re literally 10 minutes max from ship to city center.
 
This is our first cruise, we’ve been researching what there is to do at Nas but not coming up with much online?
 
There is a great excursion called something like Junakanoo Tour and Discovery Forts. Something like that. It was a lot of fun. I am of the opinion that if you haven't been before you should get off and explore a bit. I have never felt unsafe and also I feel like even though Nassau was not hit by the recent storm it is always helpful to try and help the local economy a bit. Also the ship will not be empty.
 
Many people stay on the ship in Nassau, so it won't be like staying on in other ports. If you have never been to Nassau, I would recommend you get off at least for an hour or so to walk around. We did this in St. Thomas on our Southern Caribbean this year (actually took the SkyRide to Paradise Point) because it was added at the last minute to replace San Juan, where we actually wanted to go. In addition, it came at the end of 4 ports in a row, the previous three of which we took excursions that we were not very happy with. Still had plenty of time to enjoy the mostly empty ship that day, including the must-do of watching late arrivals hurry back to the ship. :)
 

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