Lucayan Resort? - Please help me decide.

[meb51]

My family of 5 (3 adults/2 kids) will be on the 4 day Wonder leaving May 18. We're set for Nassua but still have no clue as to what we will do in Freeport. I thought it would be easy to arrange some sort of tour of Freeport but that doesn't seem to be the case. Now I'm wondering about the excursion to the Lucayan Beach Resort. Has anyone taken this? Do you get to see some of Freeport on the bus as you ride to this resort? Would the kids (ages 7 & 11) like the pools? I saw there were water slides. Are they fun? (My kids think the water slides at the Disney resort pools are too tame). Are they those kinds of water slides or something more exciting?

I'm open to other ideas about Freeport as well (including just staying on the ship). What do you do when you're in Freeport???

 

[hsteacher]

A previous post said that the Lucayan Resort was very nice and that their family had a great day. We went this past March and didn't do the Lucayan Resort because we had done Atlantis in Nassau. You didn't mention what you were doing in Nassau but if you're going to the Atlantis, it would be your call whether you wanted to do two fairly expensive resorts back to back. How do you get to the resort or Freeport -- (unless you do it through Disney and then this is probably included) -- you take taxis -- $5 per person each way. Leaving port is fine but returning to port is an interesting adventure. They won't taxi you back to port unless the taxi is full -- many taxis are large and can carry 8-10 people. They won't leave without it being full. We waited over 45 minutes and still not a full taxi. I disliked this very much -- wasted time. The taxi drivers were just sitting around -- in such a poor society, you would think they would work instead of sit around -- in the 45 minutes we waited they could have had us to the port and back and earned $$$-- I started to spurt off about this to the drivers and my husband reminded me we weren't in the US. Cost us a fortune to get back to port as I was tired (along with the kids) of waiting around. Also, there was a smaller taxi but because it was behind two larger taxis, he couldn't take us. Next cruise, I'm not getting off in Freeport. Cost us over $50 just in taxis. The "straw market' there isn't any different than Nassau and in Nassau you can get to it without it costing you a taxi ride. Hope this helps.

 

[plutojudy]

Do the beach day. If we ever go back to Freeport we will definately do it. We enjoyed it April 2001.

 

[meb51]

Great! We are going to do the aquariam at Atlantis on our own and then two of our party will be doing the dolphin swim (arranged it on our own) in Nassau. hsteacher , I think I had read your post about your experiences with the cab in Freeport. It helped me decide that perhaps that was not something we wanted to do (although with 5 we will fill up the cab). From what I can tell, after we get back from our excursions in Nassau, we will be able to walk around the town anytime we want to by just leaving the ship but that there is very little right off the ship in Freeport. The search was disabled when I tried to get info on the Lucayan Beach Resort but I'll definitely check later to read the reports. Thanks for your help.

 

[luvstiggertoo]

meb51....are your kids boys or girls?
We will be on the 5/18 Wonder with DD12 and DS9.
They were hoping there would be some kids their ages!

 

[Bev J]

We stayed on the ship while in Freeport. We had been here several years ago and had a hair-raising taxi drive that I would not want to repeat with my kids.
We enjoyed a pretty empty ship, this was our 'day at sea'. But without the chairhogs.

 

[meb51]

Luvstiggertoo

My DD is 11 (turns 12 this summer) and my DS is 7 (turns 8 at the end of this month). I've been steering my DS to participate in the activities for the 5 to 7 year olds even though he is eligible for the 8-10 because I think his overall level of maturity and his motor skills are more commensurate with that younger age group and he is less likely to be teased with the younger kids. I'm sure my kids would love to meet other children who will be sharing the cruise with them and I sure wouldn't mind meeting some some of my fellow cruisers. Maybe we could get together someplace when we board.

 

[disneystyle]

We love Our Lucaya Resort!! We stayed there 1 1/2 ago and had a wonderful time. On the far end of the resort on the beach is a man running a fresh seafood lunch spot that would be enough to get me in the car for a "wild" taxi ride. However, I'm pretty sure Disney provides both transfers. His FRESH grilled redfish and conch salad is out of this world. All made to order with the freshest ingredients. The pools are great, esp. the adult pool.
To be perfectly honest your boys will like the pool options at Atlantis better and the Straw Market they rave about is just o.k.
With that said, if you are getting off in Freeport this would be my trip of choice.
Have a great time. If you want the name of the "Hut" where we had lunch everyday we were there, let me know. I will find it...

 

[luvstiggertoo]

Meb51...

DD turned 12 in February - she is very excited about the kids programs. She saw a sample Navigator and is already planning her activities!
DS will turn 9 this Friday - he thinks he will spend the entire cruise in the arcade!

When are you arriving at port?

 

[meb51]

Luvstiggertoo,

We're at the Radisson the night before. I think we will probably take the earliest shuttle to the ship. I know we will need to wait before bording but I'd rather be there in plenty of time. (I don't know how often the shuttle leaves or even if it leaves more than one time.)