Is Nassau safe?

[a real lady]

I've traveled quite a bit, and generally like to keep an open mind about wherever I am going. I also like to read up before I travel to a place... Which leads to my question: to anyone who has traveled to Nassau- do you find it to be a safe place? Is it a place where my DH and I could walk in the area around the port with our two young daughters? We are booked for a cruise in early April, and reading the US government advisories about Nassau this evening has me concerned. https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=17138

I would normally never miss the chance to explore or experience a new place, but, for the first time, I'm wondering if it would be better for our family to stay on the ship.

I'm wondering what other dis'ers have experienced. Please let me know. Thanks!

 

[dmunsil]

The area right around the port (within a few blocks) seemed chaotic to us, with lots of people hawking lots of stuff, but quite safe during normal daylight hours. There are police visible all around the port, and the streets have lots of people moving around shopping and sightseeing. No one's going to mug you while you're walking down Bay street in the middle of the day. Paradise Island is a very nice area with lovely restaurants and shops and upscale resorts and homes.

I'd say if you wander alone, especially at night, away from the tourist areas you have reason to want to stay alert. But in the downtown or on Paradise Island, while your ship is in port, you're should be fine.

Just in case of pickpocketing, I wouldn't put my ID and my full wallet in an outside pocket. When we were wandering around I put a credit card and some cash in a throwaway wallet and put more cash, a different credit card, and ID in an inside pocket. But to be honest, even that felt like overkill.

 

[alldiz]

I've traveled quite a bit, and generally like to keep an open mind about wherever I am going. I also like to read up before I travel to a place... Which leads to my question: to anyone who has traveled to Nassau- do you find it to be a safe place? Is it a place where my DH and I could walk in the area around the port with our two young daughters? We are booked for a cruise in early April, and reading the US government advisories about Nassau this evening has me concerned. https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=17138

I would normally never miss the chance to explore or experience a new place, but, for the first time, I'm wondering if it would be better for our family to stay on the ship.

I'm wondering what other dis'ers have experienced. Please let me know. Thanks!

Yikes that's enough to make me nervous!!
Going to Atlantis next month.. Staying at comfort suites across the street.... Gonna be a lil extra nervous now!!

To your question .... On my excursions to Nassau I have walked to British colonies hotel for beach day... Walked along promenade by water 5 min up road past señor frogs and have felt safe always in the day

 

[a real lady]

Thank you dmunsil. That is in line with my initial thoughts, and very helpful. We won't be there in the evening, so that's not an issue, and we would stick to the main thoroughfares. My DH and I haven't ever been nervous travelers, but I guess traveling with kids puts a different spin on things.

 

[Baileykiko]

You will get opinions all over the map-but this is just MY opinion! I was just there this past week.
We booked the Discover Atlantis tour and part of the tour on the way to the resort is they take you on the tour of Nassau. No way of saying this nicely-I felt Nassau was a dump, run down, and I would not feel safe walking around unless I was with a group of people. DH even said the same thing-and he wanted to go shopping, he changed his mind after "our tour". I def did not want to take our 10 year DS out there.
I felt safe in Paradise Island and would recommend going on an excursion with a group.

I will say that DH and I honeymooned in the Bahamas 12 years ago and felt safe walking around and doing things. It has changed a lot.

Enjoy your cruise-whatever you decide to do!

 

[over50visits]

Nassau is the least favorite (by far) of the dozen or so ports we've visited on Disney, but I've never felt unsafe walking around the area near the ship. A bit ratty, and folks near the dock wanting to sell you tours and hair braiding, sometimes insistently, but other than that with thousands (literally) of other cruisers walking around the same few blocks you are, just normal awareness (such as watching your stuff against pickpockets as you would anywhere in the US or abroad), and a positive attitude of seeing the sights of a new place, and I think you'll enjoy the visit. Not a destination for Bahamian crafts (Diamonds International, Hard Rock, color changing clothes, and straw market filled with Korean products for gosh sake), but it's still a new experience.

Want to see some of the island sights? Plenty of excursions to choose from.

 

[mevelandry]

I created a thread about Nassau a few weeks ago because I was worried. What I understood from it is that with the exception of excursion sites, Nassau is not pretty and there are a lot of pushy vendors, and not to wander around by ourselves, especially at night. If you read the US government advisories it says that most incidents mostly occured outside of sites visited by tourists and the victims were locals.

At first we did not want to visit but we had a change of heart after hearing about the British Colonial Hilton (7-8 min walk from the boat). Not a big fan of what surrounds it but I think that if we leave the boat "with the crowd", dress up casual and don't flash jewelry and expensive stuff like iPhones (we'll take disposable cameras with us) and stay aware of our surroundings, we should be fine.

Go on youtube, there are a lot of videos of Nassau. You'll know what it looks like and if you want to go there.

 

[alldiz]

I created a thread about Nassau a few weeks ago because I was worried. What I understood from it is that with the exception of excursion sites, Nassau is not pretty and there are a lot of pushy vendors, and not to wander around by ourselves, especially at night. If you read the US government advisories it says that most incidents mostly occured outside of sites visited by tourists and the victims were locals.

At first we did not want to visit but we had a change of heart after hearing about the British Colonial Hilton (7-8 min walk from the boat). Not a big fan of what surrounds it but I think that if we leave the boat "with the crowd", dress up casual and don't flash jewelry and expensive stuff like iPhones (we'll take disposable cameras with us) and stay aware of our surroundings, we should be fine.

Go on youtube, there are a lot of videos of Nassau. You'll know what it looks like and if you want to go there.

I have done this walk also and It is safe....walk along waterfront to the end and just short walk past that. Only time I really interacted with the locals is when I went into Dunkin Donuts which is on corner just before Hotel.
Go and Have a good time.
Yes people will ask to braid hair etc...yes a polite no thank you and keep moving like I do everywhere else.
Happy planning
Kerri

 

[DISGRL13]

We have walked around Nassau several times on different cruises and felt safe. The key is just to be aware of your surroundings. Locals will try and sell you stuff just say no thank you and keep walking. We walked into town to the Pirate Museum and felt safe. A fun museum, kind of cheesy but we liked it.

 

[KashasMom]

Nassau is not as bad as people say. These are possibly people who have not traveled much further than the islands (which ALL have issues). It may not be "pretty" but neither are most ports. I've been there a dozen times (at least) and going again in August. If it were as serious a situation as the (sometimes over-zealous) State Dept says, ships would not continue to visit (I'm guessing it's the #1 most-visited port in the Bahamas/Caribbean). We've traveled with our young daughter and did the Frommer's walk when she was about 3 1/2. It was great. We've also done the Hilton day pass twice easily walking through town. There may be hawkers - and some of the women at the straw market can be a little pushy but just say "no, thanks" and move on. BTW, most of the info in the warning seems to be specifically towards residents. Be smart - don't bring a lot of cash, jewelry, etc. off the ship, stay in the main areas, and you'll be fine. And for anyone going to a beach/hotel for the day, get a Kyss bag. They lock around your chair so you don't have to constantly watch your valuables. I use mine all the time and love it!(http://www.kyssbags.com/)

 

[amanet17]

We had the same concerns when we went in October and decided to play it safe and do group tours where we were ****tled to and from the Atlantis resort, from the resort there is a wonderful marketplace that you can shop it that is comepletely safe. we had a great time and didn't have to worry about being mugged or anything.

 

[a real lady]

Thanks again to everyone for your replies! All of your experiences really help!

 

[taymorel]

We stayed in Nassau for a week at an all inclusive resort in 2013 and loved it. Never had a problem, even catching a taxi downtown and walking around we never felt unsafe. We also sailed on the Disney Dream this past January and got off the ship in Nassau and had no problems.

Yes, the merchants will try and sell you things, but it was fine. Just say no thank you and keep walking if you are not interested in buying anything.

 

[purfectlyweird]

These kind of threads always make me question whether or not people have stepped foot outside of their door or not Have you not been hounded by the kiosk people at the mall?? At least the people in Nassau leave you alone when you say no. Do you flash your money and where all your jewelry when you leave home? If so then I'm sorry but you have as high a chance as getting mugged at home just like you would at Nassau.

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

I did the Atlantis Beach Day PA two years ago and we felt safe. At one point when we were walking to the "private beach" we passed a public beach to which I was hoping that was not our stop because it didn't look too safe but thankfully we walked past that and to our own secured area which was very nice and safe (although we did not leave seats unattended.) We took a copy of our license/passport with us but kept the passports in the safe on the ship and took my license and one credit card with me.

Walking back after the drop off was fine and we bought a few items with cash in the building before customs. We left Atlantis around 2 and it was fine. That night the ship was in port till 2am and many of the CM's said they were going off the ship after their shifts were over but I'm assuming they know the lay of the land!

We're booked for the Atlantis Beach Day for in two weeks as my mom has never been on a cruise/Nassau so I'm hoping it's the same/organized/safe PA as it was two years ago!

 

[a real lady]

These kind of threads always make me question whether or not people have stepped foot outside of their door or not Have you not been hounded by the kiosk people at the mall?? At least the people in Nassau leave you alone when you say no. Do you flash your money and where all your jewelry when you leave home? If so then I'm sorry but you have as high a chance as getting mugged at home just like you would at Nassau.

As I stated earlier, my husband and I have traveled fairly extensively, and are not normally
nervous travelers. Having lived in NYC for a decade also makes me somewhat skilled in handling pushy people on the street. My concern arose for the US Government's official warning concerning violent crime, particularly as I am traveling with my small children. I would never wander a strange place alone, particularly at night, and know to take precautions - but after reading of tourists being robbed at gunpoint on public buses and on public beaches, I grew a little worried.

This thread was created to mine the real-time experience of fellow dis'ers who have traveled to Naasau, and could provide their perspectives on the place.

 

[a real lady]

Thank you again to everyone who replied. I feel much better about our trip after hearing what you have all had to say. Pushy merchants are not a problem (as many of you have said, a firm, but polite "no thank you" will serve you well almost anywhere). I am glad to hear that many of you fellow smart travelers felt comfortable in the public areas. I will plan our visit taking all of your feedback into consideration.
Thanks again!

 

[perditax]

It sounds much safer than NOLA, and I go there about once a year.

I'm guessing if DCL guests had been victims of violent crime in Nassau, the boards would have blown up about it. (See all the threads about the recent drownings on CC.)

 

[a real lady]

It sounds much safer than NOLA, and I go there about once a year.

I'm guessing if DCL guests had been victims of violent crime in Nassau, the boards would have blown up about it. (See all the threads about the recent drownings on CC.)

Good point perditax!

 

[mevelandry]

It sounds much safer than NOLA, and I go there about once a year.

I'm guessing if DCL guests had been victims of violent crime in Nassau, the boards would have blown up about it. (See all the threads about the recent drownings on CC.)

It happened once I think. You can google it. If I remember well they were robbed at gun point.

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2009/1...ruise-ships-robbed-by-shotgun-in-the-bahamas/