What is so bad about Nassau?

[kstelzner]

We are taking out 1st 4 night cruise on the Wonder on April 30th next year. As you all know it stops in Nassau. I've just been reading on these boards that Nassau isn't that great. We've never been there... only seen the Atlantis advertised on TV... looks enormous and fun. We'll have our 4 and 21 month old so the water slides (the big ones anyway) are probably out. Could you all enlighten me why it's so bad?

 

[Nik's Mom]

I'm still on the fence as to whether or not we'll get off the boat at Nassau. I hear so many negatives about the crowds. And since we are traveling with an autistic ds, this might be a bad idea.

 

[ChrizJen]

We didn't think Nassau was too bad. I think a lot of the bad stuff you hear about it is from people who have been there several times. We took the DCL Atlantis tour, and it was interesting. They have a nice aquarium. The tour itself doesn't get you access to the slide and pools at Atlantis, you just get the grand tour. As for the straw market, I am personally glad that I did it, because I'd never experienced that sort of thing before. But I probably could do without it if I went again. To me, Nassau is something that I could probably skip altogether next time.

Bottom line: I recommend seeing Nassau at least once. If you don't enjoy it, then skip it next time. But I would hate to have missed it the first time. I would always wonder what my experience may have been like. Your impression of Nassau could be very different from mine.

HTH!
-Christal

 

[kcashner]

The problem with Nassau is that as soon as you are out of the immediate dock area, you are accosted by people who want to braid hair, sell stuff, etc. Some of these people are very aggressive and don't want to take no for an answer. I didn't like them reaching out and touching my child, etc.

When DCL first launched the Magic, they worked with the Bahamian authorities and much of this was under control for awhile. We had gone to Nassau on another line, and there was MUCH difference. However, I think that Nassau has gotten used to DCL and has lightened up on the regs re these vendors, etc....and as a result, they are as aggressive as ever.

If you are with a tour/excursion group, you will have fewer issues. Going out on your own is just uncomfortable. You don't have these issues in the other ports I've visited with DCL...or even other lines.

 

[crisi]

Well, it isn't Disney World.

Nassau is a city in a rather poor country (although certainly there are plenty of wealthy people who live in the Bahamas!). The city isn't terribly clean, and on the "beaten paths" there are people who are trying to make their living selling things (t shirts, towels, hair braiding - and off the beaten paths less savory offerings) in what is to most of us a rather push manner. Its pretty busy down by the docks as well, about four or five blocks up from the docks and about five blocks long is an area with a ton of traffic. Most days, several cruise ships dock and drop thousands of cruising tourists into the downtown area.

I haven't been to Atlantis, so I can't comment on the value that has.

We enjoyed our short stay in Nassau and I'd get off the boat again, at least for a few hours. If you intend to shop, use DCLs shopping guide to reduce the chance of getting scammed. If you go off on your own, do some research to know what you are getting into. This is the real world. Not that much different than visiting Haight Ashbury in San Francisco, the run down end of the strip in Vegas, or any number of tourist attractions where they can't (or don't) hide the dirt and poverty from tourists.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Howdy,
We have been 4 times to Nassau. The first time was scary, because we didnt know what to expect. We were surprized how aggressive the people were and how dirty the port was. The excursion to Atlantis was very good, and that is the rich side of the island so very comfortable to walk around there.
Now the 2, 3rd and 4th was totoally different for us. The last time was May 12 2005. They had cleaned up the entire dock area. There are old buildings in town, it is a poor island for the most part. This time I was prepared for the people selling stuff. I found out is you look them straight in the eye and say NO THANKYOU in a very firm voice they will just walk off and go to someone else. Once you have been there a few times you realize that these people are making a living the only way they can so, yes they are agressive. Most things are only a dollar or two so they have to sell a lot to make anything at all. If you look at their houses you'd understand they are just trying to feed their families the only way they can.
We took the 2 hour historical tour and the driver and vendors we came across at the 2 forts and the queen Anne's staircase were very polite and just the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. You also see a much nicer part of town, with lots of hotels, beaches and stores. Obviously the average person doesn't live there, but it was so different from the port area.We have done the straw market several times as my DH loves to dicker for things. We have found that late afternoon the people will go lower on their prices because they know everyone will soon be leaving and that will be all until another ship pulls in. You can see the women making things there, it is fascinating to watch a different culture than ours, a very good experience for us. Yes they all ask if you want to buy something, but I just walk along and say NO THANKS and they dont bother you anymore. You just have to adjust to their culture, it is quite different from ours.
We also were approached on the sidewalk about if we wanted to take a carriage ride around town, and we said yes, it was only $10 per person, it was 20 to 25 minutes long and the driver was very nice, curtious, and gave us a narrated tour as we went along, well worth the money. That is right next to the dock, easy to find. Also 2 blocks behind the straw market is the Pirate's Museum, it is a big purple building. $12 per adult, it was a great museum. The pirate who greets you was fantastic to talk to. It is a self guided tour and lots of plaques to read, but very interesting to see. I'm not a history nut, but this was very interesting to see. The first bit is like a dark street, but then you step on a well lit pirate ship that you walk through to see how they lived on the ship, then much more, including guns and swords that are authentic, not repicas. Again the people were very polite and friendly. So please dont let the pushy people at the dock scare you away from experiencing a wonderful culture with much to share. After all ,that is part of the reason to go to other places, to experience another live style.

I'm so happy that I decided to go back after the first trip, I would hate to think I missed all the great stuff I have experienced and the hand made souvenirs we bought. I do like other ports better than Nassau, but I wouldnt hesitate to get off the ship there, because we still had a great time. We also did the glass bottom boat tour which was very good too.
mom x4,grandma x4

 

[Big MacK]

We went on a DCL excursion and that was good. They made us wear disney sickers on our chest before we got off the ship. As we walked to the catamaran as a group, I noticed people would approach us, then back off when they saw the stickers.

In the afternoon we went into town. Turned back, it remined me to much of Tiajuana and I just didn't want to deal with that,

 

[GreatDaneMom]

We took our DD (10) into Nassau even though we knew it was not necessarily "pretty." But we did it for a reason. We felt it was a wonderful educational opportunity for her. She lives in a very sheltered environment (with her very protective Mom!) and we felt there was a lot of value in her seeing how some of the rest of the world truly was. You can read Social Studies books in school for months and never learn as much as she did in those few hours in Nassau. We prepared her ahead of time and as a result she handled things very well. I was blown away when in the post trip analysis SHE told US that she understood the aggressiveness of the people we encountered in Nassau because she could see the neediness there and realized they were just trying to make a living.

I certainly understand people who stay on the boat and I don't fault them in any way. But it's worth at least considering a trip into Nassau if you've never been there.

Cheryl
(the protective Mom...)

 

[Nik's Mom]

Good idea, Cheryl. It is so important that our children understand how fortunate we are.
Someone mentioned that the people in the port actually grab at you. This will definitely mean that we will not visit the port, as our ds is autistic and he would freak out if a stranger grabbed at him.

 

[Disney with Triplets]

Friends of ours visited St. Martin for a week and the beachfront resort that they stayed at reserved spots on bush planes on "cruise ship days" so that their guests could puddle jump over to St. Barts, or elsewhere for the day to avoid the husslers and peddlers that followed the cruise ship crowds.

If we're going to explore the islands, we rent a car or hire a driver to get us "away from the port" so that we can see the island and enjoy it.

Why the preface? We've cruised many islands in the Caribbean and find husslers and peddlers at the pier of most every one of them. Some are worse than others, Nassau and Trinidad for example, and some are more professional than others - Tortola and St. Thomas to name a few, but you are never too far from being reminded that the economy of the island is completely dependent on tourist dollars.

 

[ldb1030]

Nassau ended up being a stop on our "mystery cruise" in Sept. 04. I had been there before and was not really looking forward to going back but as we walked around, I must say it was MUCH cleaner than it had been in the past and the people did not really bug us! Was not a bad experience at all!
It's a different world than what we live in of course but it was fine!

 

[webray]

Nassau is not bad at all. We absolutely loved it. We had a great time. We did not even get a chance to pop into atlantis because we were so busy exploring the town. The people are great, the restaurants are great.

Just take the time to walk around and enjoy the town and its people.

 

[johare]

The problem with Nassau is that as soon as you are out of the immediate dock area, you are accosted by people who want to braid hair, sell stuff, etc. Some of these people are very aggressive and don't want to take no for an answer. I didn't like them reaching out and touching my child, etc.

When DCL first launched the Magic, they worked with the Bahamian authorities and much of this was under control for awhile. We had gone to Nassau on another line, and there was MUCH difference. However, I think that Nassau has gotten used to DCL and has lightened up on the regs re these vendors, etc....and as a result, they are as aggressive as ever.

If you are with a tour/excursion group, you will have fewer issues. Going out on your own is just uncomfortable. You don't have these issues in the other ports I've visited with DCL...or even other lines.

I took the kids to Paris over summer vacation last month (yes we went to Disneyland too even though we live in Orlando!) and the kids really got a huge kick out of the pushy 'salemen' trying to sell crap (mostly eiffel tower keychains and light up crystal eiffel towers) around the eiffel tower and the palace versailles area. These guys were so bad that if you made eye contact with one you'd swear they'd follow you all the way back to your hotel unless you bought something from them! The kids actually thought it was really funny and was one of the things they talked about a lot after the trip...that and how our Space Mountain 'sucks' compared to Space Mountain Mission 2 at Paris Disneyland. As long as the street vendors in Nassau don't become threatening, I'm sure the kids will get a kick out of it.

 

[kstelzner]

Thanks you all! I thought maybe it was the Atlantis in particular that wasn't worth its weight in gold. That is good to know about the locals. I've had my share of "pushy" people trying to sell stuff. Heck, we live about 40 minutes from the Mexican border, though I haven't been there in many years. 12 years ago I went on a Southern Caribbean cruise on Carnival (before I knew any better) and a couple islands we stopped at were like that. The people selling stuff doesn't bother me... just say no thank you. But if anything should happen to my kids.... like touching or grabbing.... look out, mother bear would come alive! I also always have in the back of my mind situations like that poor girl who was abducted in Aruba. Then there's always the locals driving habits... scary! My sister has lived in Uganda, Africa for years as a missionary and she says she lives with everything that comes along with being in a 3rd world country, but if we were going to lose her to anything over there, it would most likely be a car accident.

So we'll probably get off and head to the Atlantis... I'm dying to see this place and my mom wants a full report (she wants to stay a whole week there). Thanks for the info.

 

[crisi]

I also always have in the back of my mind situations like that poor girl who was abducted in Aruba.

I wouldn't recommend a young lady leave a bar with three guys she barely knew in Des Moines. Use common sense, stay in populated areas, don't do anything illegal. Won't save your skin every time, but a little common sense is good to apply in Aruba, Nassau or Omaha.

 

[GreatDaneMom]

...Someone mentioned that the people in the port actually grab at you. This will definitely mean that we will not visit the port, as our ds is autistic and he would freak out if a stranger grabbed at him.

I agree with your decision 100%! An autistic child doesn't need a negative stimulation like someone unknown grabbing at him. Sounds like you've made a good choice for your family.

By the way, I have a sister-in-law (much younger than me) who was autistic as a child and young teen. Somehow she seems to have outgrown (?) this. We couldn't even get her to look at us and communicate in any way when she was 5. She just paced back and forth all day, shaking her hands. Today, in her early 30s, she's a successful librarian at a university library complete with her Masters degree! Just wait til you see what the future holds for your young man!!

Cheryl

 

[Nik's Mom]

Thanks for sharing that story, Cheryl. I love to hear things like that. I have already seen tremendous improvements with my ds. Only a couple of years ago, he would only say a few words. He still has a speech delay, but he can communicate at about the 3 year old level. And he has learned to say his A, B, C's! We take every day as a learning experience. That is a big motivation in us taking the cruise. I never wanted to because I'm prone to motion sickness. But I thought the cruise would be a great opportunity for our kids! I'll just take motion sickness medicine.