what to do?

Hey out there DW and I are sailing on the Voyager on april 29th .The itinerary calls for short port stops in Nassau 7:00 am to 1:00 pm and San Juan 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. Seeing how the stops are so short does anyone have any suggestions on how to spend the time there(or what not to waste your time on)Thanks.

Simply so you can check off "been there, done that" I would suggested getting off the ship to do a short self-guided walking tour of both ports.

Nassau is basically one street. Walk up & down. Browse the shops & head back on board. If you walk slowly, this should take about 45 minutes.

In San Juan go to old San Juan (if you dock at the Pan American pier you may have to take a cab). Walk up the l o n g, steep hills to Fort Morro. I really enjoyed the view & all of the people flying kites. This takes about 2 hours; the hills are really steep.

In Nassau have a local take you on a circuit tour that includes Atlantis. We did this for $20 per person , it took about 1.5 to 2 hours and was well worth it. Then have them point you in the direction of the craft/vendor marketplace so that you can shop for local crafts and souvenirs.

In San Juan walk along the outer walkway that is at the base of El Morro in Old San Juan then meander through the streets to the old church, pigeon plaza, etc. and back to the ship. Or, take a horse drawn carriage tour of Old San Juan.

These are both wonderful places to visit. Enjoy. Just keep a close eye on your watch and head back one hour before you need to board to be safe.

Hi There:

Are you interested in shopping, going to the beach, doing a little touring, etc.? Prefer a tour via cruise line or go on your own?

There are boards on the Bahamas and San Juan which may help you out. Not sure if you checked them out but listed below are the links.

Bahamas:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=58

San Juan:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=131

I can give you a few ideas based on my experience over the years at both ports.

Nassau: DH/I took a water taxi from the pier to New Providence Island where the Atlantis is located. It was cheaper than the taxi but the 20 minute walk to the Atlantis was not fun. It would have been worth it to take the taxi and pay the extra few dollars. We toured the Atlantis on our own and it's beautiful. Granted you can't walk around the entire property but you can see enough on your own to appreciate it. If you like to gamble, the Atlantis has a beautiful casino. Shops are there as well but way over priced. Food/drinks are very expensive. It's one of those places that you have to see if you're interested in it.

Didn't spend a lot of time shopping in Nassau. The funny thing that DH/I stumbled on is that you can purchase a bottle of beer in the liquor store and walk around on the street with it. We just had to do that. The beer is placed in a little paper bag and the liquor store marks that bag and you're set to go. Felt strange walking in a public area with a beer but it was fun.

There was a public beach that's a 10 - 15 minute walk from the Atlantis (can't remember the name of it) but we walked on it and walked off of it. The Bahamians hassled you and that turned us off (do you want to rent a chair/umbrella/scooter? do I want my hair braided? buy this buy that). We weren't standing on the beach for two minutes and you are surrounded by them. I understand that tourism is important but there's a limit. I definitely don't recommend that beach. Sad since we were there many years ago and it was nice... not anymore. Haven't been to other public beaches there so can't help you out.

San Juan: If you like history San Juan has a few forts you can tour.

El Morrow Fort:

http://www.gotopuertorico.com/go_cultureHistory.php?language=english&page=45

San Cristobal Fort:

http://www.gotopuertorico.com/go_cultureHistory.php?language=english&page=46

There are shops and restaurants around if you're interested in that as well. DH/I were going to go on the rum factory tour but heard it's not worth the money and the tour changed over the years... you can't go inside the factory anymore. I heard that the rain forest tour is fantastic but it's a very long drive. If it's your first time there you can take the Old San Juan/New San Juan tour. We did that and enjoyed it.

Take a look at the sites I listed above and hopefully that will help you out. Voyager is beautiful and you'll love the ship! Was on it twice last year.

BTW ~ DH/I love ME and been to Bangor... great city. Been traveling to ME since 1996 and own a timeshare in Rockport. I envy you living up there. Beautiful state and everyone is wonderful up there.

Have a fantastic cruise and I hope I was able to help you out a little.

C ya!

thank you trish,dfritz,and letsparty, excellent info.By the way letsparty Maine is a beautiful state and Bangor is a nice small city DW and I have lived in this area all our lives.Now it is just the 2 of us and the winters last to long up here did not mind it in my 20s but now in my 40s and a move south may come soon.

Hi Chorder:

Glad to have helped you!

ME is gorgeous and DH/I love it. We can't wait to go up there in May. We stay in Freeport for the night (Gritty's, Wilbur's and LLBean). Spend a day there and we head up to Rockport. We have friends in Milbridge and always get together with them. When we head home we spend an another day in Freeport to get the last of the VacationLand beer at Gritty's.:D

We've gone up in the winter and I skied at Camden Snow Bowl. One of the best places that I have gone skiing and where do you get a view of Penobscot Bay from the mountain. It was a blast. After that we went smelting! I froze but it was one of those things you have to do in ME!

Been to Bar Harbor several times. Favorite hang out is Geddy's and of course more chocolate at Ben & Bill's. Visited Acadia a few times as well.

No matter where we go in ME, it's absolutely beautiful and we're so depressed when we go home. We almost had property in Otis but it was considered "wet lands" so we passed it up.

Have you ever been to Conte's restaurant in Rockport?

I envy you for living up there and I can relate that the winters are brutal. I've heard from our friends how bad it can be.

Sorry to have gone off the post here but I barely see CC members from ME so I just had to chat about ME a little bit. Hope you don't mind.

Have a fantastic cruise. What other ports will you be visiting?

C ya!

HI Chorder. My family is booked on the same cruise as you.. It would be nice to have a little more time in the ports in my opinion. Dh and I were in Nassau last March. We are going to have our 2 teen boys with us on the cruise, so we thought it would be fun to go over to Atlantis and let them look around over there. If I recall, we hopped a water taxi right at the pier, and it was only a couple of bucks over to Atlantis.

In San Juan, we have booked the Carabali ATV tour. We though our boys would enjoy this as well.

In ST. Thomas, we are probably going to go to Sapphire Beach and do some snorkeling.

Have fun whatever you choose to to......

We are also on this cruise and the short stops in Nassau and San Juan are a drag. I have been trying to find a nice beach to get to by taxi on Paradise Island. Just got info on another post about a public beach beside the RIU. I didn't know that we'd get accosted on the beach by vendors though. That would really freak out our son who has special needs. We just wanted to give him some beach time for a couple of hours on that first day (before we spend the rest of that day and the next at sea). Hopefully more people will post with specific beach suggestions.

first of all to Lparty,we have never been to Conte's in Rockport ,I do though have a sales run that takes me to Camden and Rockport on Monday's so I'll scope it out next time through.I have been to Bar Harbor many times when I younger about every other weekend someone would say let's go to the Harbor and we were on our way.Have hiked to the top of all the mountains down there at one time or another .I don't your ages or what kind of shape your in but if you ever get back to Acadia nat'l park again hike to the top of a trail called precipice trail. it is about a 1000' sheer cliff its not as bad as it sounds.Has a few ladders up the cliff and at the start of the trail it winds up ,over and under some huge boulders that were th result of a landslide years ago it's a great hike of about 3 hours.

To homeschool and teagan I don't understand why such short stops we were on this same itinerary in 99 (except for Nassau)we weren't real crazy about San Juan but we were new at cruising then and didn't have the extra cash for a lot of excursions so we stayed mostley around the pier area.It's not that big a deal, the ship itself is the main thing for us anyway,it just kind of limits you for time.Also you have to get up real early ,and I get kinda lazy on a cruise.

I know it's off topic, but back to Maine for a second. My grandfather was from Machias, ME as well as about 6 generations back from him. Love it up there. Have you ever been to Jordan's Pond on Mt. Desert? Great popovers!:)

you can take a tour of the Bacardi Rum Factory, you get free drinks at the end, this takes about 2 hours

Chorder:

DH/I visited Acadia last May but Mother Nature wasn't too kind to us. Luckily the rain held up and I have to say it's really spooky driving around in the fog, especially Cadillac Mtn. Was waiting for Stephen King to pop out of nowhere! LOL We had rain for the bulk of our two week vacation. I think we had maybe three days of sun/clear weather. On those days we were in Freeport and the other day we took a walk out to the Breakwater Lighthouse

The hike sounds really cool.. I might do it, DH wouldn't. Will have to check it out next time we're there.

Conte's opens around 4pm and this place is a dive but it's fantastic. Been going there for years. Let's just say it's a very unique dining experience but the food is fresh and it's fantastic. Definitely check it out and let me know what you think of it. I was wrong in my previous post.. Conte's is located in Rockland. Our timeshare is on the border of Rockland and Rockport and for the life of me I still get the towns backwards! LOL

Dh/I love Camden and it's one of our favorite hang out places. If it's nice out we sit outside at the Waterfront and if it's raining/too cold we hang out at Cappy's (upstairs bar). Love the shops and walking around there.

Did you ever eat at Jordan's in Ellsworth? DH goes crazy over the lobster rolls. Another one of our stops when we're in the area.

I'll say it again.. I envy you living up there.

Twinsmomct ~ DH/I stopped at Jordan's Pond last year but the restaurant was crowded with a bus load of people so we didn't stay. I heard that the food is fantastic there.

Machias is way up there but I heard that it's absolutely beautiful. So many generations living up there... that's incredible. Do you have any family left up there or did everyone move out of ME?

C ya and thanks for the ME chat.... greatly appreciated!

Thanks estreet,hey twins all my family on my mothers side is from the Columbia Falls area which is about 15 or 20 miles west of Machias .I have never eaten at Jordan's rest .in Ellsworth or Jordan pond house in Acadia can't answer why though. Hey Lparty if you want the best lobstah roll try the eagle's nest rest.in North Brewer just across and down the river from Bangor I'm not that crazy about lobster but I've tried them, my wife ,who is a lobster connisuer (did I spell that right)loves them.

Hey Chorder:

I love lobster but can only have a few bites of it since my system is sensitive to shellfish... so sad. Next time we're in the Bangor area we will have to take a trip to Eagle's Nest so DH can have a lobster roll. Thanks for the tip. :-)

Have fun in Camden/Rockport.... wish I was there even in the winter!:)

C ya!

I would suggest taking a cab to Atlantis by 8ish and walk around this fantastic resort and do your shopping there in their boutiques/shops. It's the place to see when in Nassau. Then head back around 11, to give yourself plenty of buffer time to get back to the ship and head to lunch onboard while sailing away.

As far as San Juan, we've only flown in and ported out of there, so I cannot be of much help. Have a great cruise.