Nassau is not the safest place to be ???

[HooKooDooKu]

In another thread, someone made this claim as the reason they left children on board rather than take them into Nassau with them.

Any comments on this claim (we've never wandered far from the boat to really know)?

 

[ofiesty4u]

The only time I felt a little "unsafe" was being sent to the public beach way down the road from the Atlantis. It felt a little "shady"... (not saying it was) just it was my husband and I, felt a little "naked". I did put that on my comment card at the end of the cruise, I think there needs to be a public beach access that's a little closer to the Atlantis, or open up the area surrounding the public beach instead of making people walk through the woods to get to the beach... FYI there ARE locals sitting in the woods offering beach items as well as the hair braiders who come right up to you when you do make it to the beach. If you're going to want to go to the beach and you have kids, I'd strongly suggest buying the wristbands at the Atlantis so you don't have to haul your family and beach stuff down to the public beach access. We tried to act like we belonged at the Atlantis, to try to get through the hotel to the beach, but they've got employees at every door that leads out to the beach and they're very strict, no room key, no wrist band = no beach access. The other suggestion that people have is reserving a room at the hotel next to the Atlantis which does have access as well.

 

[alexandrew]

I wouldnt venture to a public beach in Nassau....

I can't understand what is so compelling about going to a beach at every port of call. Nothing beats CC in terms of natural beauty....the ship offers great lounge chairs and plenty of sun....I just dont get it.....the thought of having to take a taxi, lugging all that stuff....just to sit in the sand.....

 

[ofiesty4u]

Originally posted by alexandrew
I wouldnt venture to a public beach in Nassau....

I can't understand what is so compelling about going to a beach at every port of call. Nothing beats CC in terms of natural beauty....the ship offers great lounge chairs and plenty of sun....I just dont get it.....the thought of having to take a taxi, lugging all that stuff....just to sit in the sand.....

we wanted to rent jetskis, that's why... when you've never been to the Bahamas before it's nice to see what each area looks like. I didn't go on the cruise to sit on the ship all day. I can stay home and sit in my back yard in a chair if I want to get sun.

FYI- no one told us beforehand about the public beach.

 

[cjsmith]

We felt fine in Nassau while on our first cruise in June 2002. When we were there in Jan. 2003, we spent the day at the Atlantis resort. We returned to the ship and left the kids around 6:00 pm and were going to have a drink in town, but it was dark and we quickly turned around and went back to the ship. Walking around town in the dark just didn't feel safe to either myself or my husband, and I'm orginally from New York and worked and lived in the city for years. During the daylight hours it's just fine, so don't worry.

 

[mom_rules]

We wondered about Atlantis as well. Can you give details? What is there and do you have to rent a room or can you just be a day guest and enjoy the casino and other things? How far is it from the ship to Atlantis and how do you get there?

 

[ofiesty4u]

Originally posted by mom_rules
We wondered about Atlantis as well. Can you give details? What is there and do you have to rent a room or can you just be a day guest and enjoy the casino and other things? How far is it from the ship to Atlantis and how do you get there?

I don't know much about Atlantis but I will tell you what I know. The casino is open to anyone and everyone as is the shopping areas within the hotel (near the casino). Any added feature like the beaches and the aquarium you have to pay extra for. From what I heard you can buy wristbands from the front desk (I think that's where) that give you access to all the areas as a day guest (not sure if that includes the aquarium). When we were stopped as we were trying to go to see the pool/beach area they asked for a room key or a wrist band. I heard that the wristbands are $25.00 (but don't quote me on that). It's a short ride over the bridge to the Atlantis by taxi and you can also take the water taxi which is cheaper. We did the Harbor Cruise/Paradise Island tour excursion which included our transfers to and from. We went over early in the morning on our own and shared a taxi with a family which cuts down on the fee (more people to share). I don't know anything about renting a room, but I heard people do it. We didn't venture very many places off the boat because we're new to the Bahamas, we just wanted to get the initial feel of the place and check out the Atlantis.

Hope that sheds a little light for you.

 

[jrabbit]

Several years ago we went to the Bahamas and didn't really realize that it was a third world country. We were rather shocked when we got off of the ship. We wandered around the town a little, took the horse drawn carriage ride (Don't!! and returned to the ship.

We did have the excursion to the Atlantis Dig (the aquarium). We really enjoyed that. If big IF we return to Nassau we will look into getting a room at the Atlantis or Comfort Suites (or whatever the other hotel is) so we can go to the dig and the water slides and the pools and beach.

 

[Rippington'sFan]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by alexandrew
I wouldnt venture to a public beach in Nassau....

I can't understand what is so compelling about going to a beach at every port of call. Nothing beats CC in terms of natural beauty....the ship offers great lounge chairs and plenty of sun....I just dont get it.....the thought of having to take a taxi, lugging all that stuff....just to sit in the sand.....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


If people weren't interested in visiting ports of call and doing excursions,seeing different beaches etc... then what good would a cruise be? Just take a cruise to nowhere if you don't want to leave the ship. MOST people like to get off the ship and do their own thing just like you like to do your own thing by staying on the ship and missing out on seeing the ports of call. Beaches might not be your thing because you live in Florida and have access to them year round. It amazes me how narrow minded people can be. I just don't get it either.

Regarding Nassau and other ports of call...just don't go off the beaten path. I didn't feel comfortable in St. Marten and made it a point to stay "ON" the beaten path and don't carry too much money or anything valuable around with you and you will be fine.

 

[mom_rules]

Has anyone done the Atlantis excursion-do you have an idea of the cost of wristbands-aquarium/day passes? etc

 

[ThreeCircles]

It would be interesting to research crime rates in Nassau and then compare them to some U.S. cities. Say Miami, Key West, etc.

I bet the results would show much similarity...

 

[stormi65]

Are there any statistics that Disney Cruise lines have on crime on board their ships? I read an article lately which was very disturbing about rapes, robberies,assaults on passengers on cruise ships and our U.S. Laws unable to protect them as the ship is registered in another country and at sea where U.S. Laws do not apply. The article did not mention anything in regards to DCL but discussed other popular cruise lines.

I do hope to be able to visit Nassau in the next year. Sorry if I got off post but reading this thread made me recall the article I read about cruise ship crime and crime in the ports.

 

[hydster]

I guess we are in the minority on Nassau once again since we loved it! Our kids had a great time at the Straw Market and just looking at different parts of the world was fun for them. They were 9,8 and 3 at the time we sailed and it was a great learning experience to know that not all kids have an X box, a nice car, designer clothes and that some dont even have a really nice home. We didnt feel unsafe, threatened or nervous having the kids with us at all. The people are a little pushy there but if you know how to give a good firm NO THANK YOU they generally leave you alone. We got off for a glass bottom boat ride (hated everything about that) and went back to the ship to eat, then we went back out to the straw Market and hired a local taxi to take us around. It was very interesting and our kids got to talk to some of the local children when we stopped for some gas at a station. I guess some people dont like that experience but for us it was great fun and something that our kids still talk about today! We were off the boat at dusk taking some pictures and the kids enjoyed everything about it. We have been to cities that were a little more scary than Nassau such as Limon, Costa Rica and near the Panama Canal. Nassau is really pretty if you give it a chance and the people there are very nice if you also give them a chance! If we didnt want to experience a different culture or different country we would just reserve a room at a Club Med or Beaches and sit at the pool. For us cruising gives us an opportunity to see other places for a short amount of time and move on! We are also guilty of hauling our beach gear in a taxi but we have made some wonderful friends that way in different countries!

Heidi

 

[cjsmith]

Originally posted by ofiesty4u
I don't know much about Atlantis but I will tell you what I know. The casino is open to anyone and everyone as is the shopping areas within the hotel (near the casino). Any added feature like the beaches and the aquarium you have to pay extra for. From what I heard you can buy wristbands from the front desk (I think that's where) that give you access to all the areas as a day guest (not sure if that includes the aquarium). When we were stopped as we were trying to go to see the pool/beach area they asked for a room key or a wrist band. I heard that the wristbands are $25.00 (but don't quote me on that). It's a short ride over the bridge to the Atlantis by taxi and you can also take the water taxi which is cheaper. We did the Harbor Cruise/Paradise Island tour excursion which included our transfers to and from. We went over early in the morning on our own and shared a taxi with a family which cuts down on the fee (more people to share). I don't know anything about renting a room, but I heard people do it. We didn't venture very many places off the boat because we're new to the Bahamas, we just wanted to get the initial feel of the place and check out the Atlantis.
Hope that sheds a little light for you.

You are allowed into the Atlantis casinos, in the beginning of the hotel and can have lunch there. If you want to go through the dig, the wristband costs $25 and it is not worth it. The wristband DOES NOT allow you to wander the property, use the pools and slides or use the beach. In order to do this, you have to either have to rent a room at the Atlantis itself or the Comfort suites. When and if available, the Atlantis also rents day rooms, which is what we did. During the winter months last season, the cost was $200 for the Coral tower and $250 for the Royal tower. You were allowed to have 5 people in the room and got in the moment you arrived until 6 PM. You also got charged the taxes and maid fees, so it adds up. I called from the ship (for about $10) and booked my day room the minute we go into port. The taxi ride is $4 per person each way and that is a set fee.

 

[Empire Day]

In another thread, someone made this claim as the reason they left children on board rather than take them into Nassau with them

It was me I should have been a little more discriptive of not the safest place... I was in no means saying that Nassau is Detroit (I grew up there!)(oh now i'll start more threads! )
I (we) felt safer leaving our DS7 who can get over excited in the hustle and bustle of places, and if he got out of site for some odd reason (can you imagine trying to find a child in the straw market?) what would we do. We have enough heart attacks in Chicago or the mall!

 

[poopie]

minority here as well, but I felt perfectly safe in Nassau day and night. You do know that tourisum is a good part of their economy and I don't think the local governemnt would stand for anything to happen to it's guests, they have too much to lose.

I'm not saying things don't happen because they do, but to compare it to a 3rd world country is funny to me, having been to the 3rd world there is a BIG difference.

I agree with others who posted that they don't understand not getting off the ship and exploring the ports, to me that is why I go cruising in the first place to check out new places.

I had a great time in Nassau last time, I went on a snorkeling excursion and after my friend shopped while I hung outside and some locals came up to me and we had a fun conversation, I asked them things I was curious about living on an island and they asked me things they were curious about the US as they had never been off the island.

Now to me this was one of the high points of the trip learning about a different culture 1st hand.

But to each his own, I would not fear Nassau in the day and at night the same rules apply as to going out at home, be aware of your surroundings. I don't know about everyone but my cell phone worked on the island so I kept it with me just in case.

My cell phone even worked in Africa!! Isn't technology great?

 

[ofiesty4u]

Originally posted by poopie
minority here as well, but I felt perfectly safe in Nassau day and night. You do know that tourisum is a good part of their economy and I don't think the local governemnt would stand for anything to happen to it's guests, they have too much to lose.

I'm not saying things don't happen because they do, but to compare it to a 3rd world country is funny to me, having been to the 3rd world there is a BIG difference.

I agree with others who posted that they don't understand not getting off the ship and exploring the ports, to me that is why I go cruising in the first place to check out new places.

I had a great time in Nassau last time, I went on a snorkeling excursion and after my friend shopped while I hung outside and some locals came up to me and we had a fun conversation, I asked them things I was curious about living on an island and they asked me things they were curious about the US as they had never been off the island.

Now to me this was one of the high points of the trip learning about a different culture 1st hand.

But to each his own, I would not fear Nassau in the day and at night the same rules apply as to going out at home, be aware of your surroundings. I don't know about everyone but my cell phone worked on the island so I kept it with me just in case.

My cell phone even worked in Africa!! Isn't technology great?

It wasn't Nassau that I felt a little uneasy about it was Paradise Island, specifically the public beach, it's off the beaten path where we were the only tourists in site. I lived in NY and live in NJ now, we traveled to Costa Rica (all over) for our honeymoon and have been in other areas of the country that some would consider unsafe. If we had a bigger group of people I would have not felt as uneasy but like I said before, it was just the two of us. On our trip home by taxi, after our original daytime jaunt to Paradise Island, our taxi driver told us he had lived in Brooklyn for many years before moving back to the islands (my husband was born and raised in Brooklyn) and was taking us on a little tour of the area before taking us back to the dock... he was telling us about how after a certain hour at night everything shuts down and the streets are almost deserted (except for the clubs)... telling us about the police and other interesting facts he even talked about how hard making a "booty call" was compared to NY.
It wasn't such a bad feeling that would keep me from ever visiting again, I'd love to go back to Nassau/Paradise Island when we had a little more time to explore the area.

 

[poopie]

to the title of the thread

Nassau is not the safest place to be ???

I have not been to pradise island as of yet, so I can't answer for that.

 

[Pam]

I have heard that's it not safe at night.

We were there 3 yrs. ago on the cruise - and wandered a great deal about the town on our own during the day. I would be cautious, though, being out alone at night there.