shore excursion advice needed

[sheree42]

Our family, consisting of DH, 2 DD's (ages 15 &17) and yours truly will be sailing on a 4-day Wonder cruise in late April. I need advice as to what to do while in Nassau. We want to go ashore (educational opportunity!), but do not want to be hasseled extensively to buy things we don't want. We are thinking of possibly Atlantis tour or Historic harbor/city tour. What do those of you who have been to Nassau think? I don't want to send my girls off on the Teen thing in Nassau - just paronoid I guess. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[floridaminnie]

I've read on the board that you can spend more time at Atlantis if you do this excursion on your own versus through DCL. My DF and DM are planning on taking the Island tour excursion through DCL. I plan on staying on the ship, b/c nothing really appeals to me. Plus my DD wants to stay in the club.

 

[Michelle]

Welcome to the cruise board, sheree42!

I personally always stay on the ship in Nassau but I wanted to bump this for you so you can get some other opinions on things to do in Nassau.

 

[sheree42]

Thanks to sdoane and Michelle - I appreciate your comments. We've never been to Nassau and I'd hate to not at least see a bit of the place since we may very well never return. I look forward to any other insights you or others may have.

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

I never thought we would do this but we sailed with my mother who is in a wheel chair and the plan was to take a taxi over to Atlantis for my sons to see the aquariums and be back on the ship by lunch. Well we were heading toward the taxi's and a very nice lady gave us a good price for a tour of the island and the free part of Atlantis. It actually worked out well. Our group of 8 rode in a AC Van and saw and stopped at many neat sites, including Atlantis and learned a lot about the island. I really thought this woman could be scamming us but it ended up being fun and educational...........go figure, I think we were lucky!

Have fun!

 

[sheree42]

Wow - you got a great deal, it sounds like. I'd really like to see some of the island, plus some of Atlantis - what parts of it are "free?"
Thanks for your words of encouragement!

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

I honestly think we were lucky tourist and there were 8 in our group which helped and then my Mom was in a wheel chair. I was trying to remember what we saw but 16 month fell asleep on me and I was paying more attention to him. I know we saw a old fort on a pretty beach, we went up in a water tower which gave us views of the whole island which was really neat, we saw the Governor of Bahamas House from the street of course, we went, the driver drove us the very, very poor sections of the island which was a eye opener and made be grateful to have what I have. It was such poverty . At Atlantis we saw the lobby (which is massive) and the free party of the aquarium which is several walls of glass and we got to walk outside and see the private lagoon area, pools and such.

All I can advise is when you get off the ship "the official" tourism people where white shirts and dark pants/skirts and have a name tag with their name and that they are official part of the island tourism. I am sure a lot of people get ripped off, for example I asked her if we got to see all of Atlantis and she kept saying oh yeah but I "felt" she was lying and I was right because when we got there we only got the free part which by that time was fine because we got to see enough of everything it had taken a couple of hours and we were hungry and ready to get back to the ship for lunch

Make them spell out where they are taking you, ask a few different ones for prices and know you can haggle on the price. I can not remember what we paid but it was fair.

Have fun and good luck. Ask away if I left something out