tikib

Cable beach has a public access path next to the melia. just ask your driver to drop you or point it out. There are no amenities on the public beach and it is not cleaned or maintained. No restrooms etc, but it's a decent free beach.

If you need amenities, restrooms, clean beach, lifeguards etc, you'll need to pay for a day pass.

Hi,

I took the #10 bus to the Melia hotel. I walked in to their lobby and asked where the Starbucks is. (through lobby, veer right, then down the stairs). That's where the door is out to their pool area. Walk past their pools and bar and you're on the beach.

* If you do happen to see a security guy, just tell him where you want to go - to the public beach. They'll direct you. I had no problem.

When I was done for the afternoon, I walked right back out through their lobby, down their front stairs, and that's where the bus stops. Convenient.

Good Luck! Have Fun!

So you trespassed on the hotel property and got over on security?? Good going. Not.

Would you advice dont go to Atlantis since everything is all block off except when you stay there?

If you are going to use the casino, then fine, if not.. choose something else.

Yes if you want to use the facilities like the pools or walk through The Digs you have to pay. The last time I was there I was able to access a lot of the resturants. Some rather expensive some not.

 

If you just want to walk around and have a cocktail there is enough to see. If you want to spend the day in and around the water facilities it is not free.

To clarify, you can't walk around the grounds at all without a pass. During the day, you can't access anything except the casino (and the bar) without a pass. Security stops you at the door unless you are heading to the casino.. You can't just wander around the lobby. As for the restaurants, most are closed for lunch except for those outside on the grounds. A few at the marina are open for lunch. Marina village is open to the public, but it's not part of the Atlantis hotel.

If you're a walker (like us) it's not a bad walk from the cruise ship to Atlantis. It's about 2 miles and 40 minutes. We just google mapped it, and basically walked along the waterfront, over the bridge and headed to the public beach to the right of the Riu resort. From the beach head left to go onto the public beach in front of Atlantis. We were able to go up to the first bar at Atlantis and have a drink and explore a little bit of the property. You can also go thru the hotel lobby and hit another bar or two or the casino if you'd like. Heading back we hit the Green Parrot Bar which was on the harbor before walking over the bridge and back to the ship.

You can no longer enter the public beach via the pathway by the RIU. The entry point is a mile up the road. You ca no longer enter Atlantis from the beach. Security has been stepped up.

Hi

 

Has anyone ever done this excursion? I am reading mixed reviews from horrible to excellent.

 

Thanks

Donna

If you are an equestrian, you'll likely be disappointed. If you are looking for a fun outing with novice riders, you'll do fine.

I'm looking for recent info on Atlantis and I can't seem to find any. We're a family of 6 and my husband and I have been to Nassau 4 times but our kids have never been. I would love to take them over to Atlantis just to see it and then spend some time shopping and stuff near the port.

 

What would be the best (cheapest) way to see Atlantis? Not interested in going in the pools, slides or beach, but I would like to be able to walk around the grounds, casino and maybe the aquarium area. What are our options?

 

Thanks!

You won't be able to walk (or see) the grounds without either a beach or waterpark pass. The aquarium pass does not allow access to the grounds. As for the casino.. the kids are not allowed except to walk thru it on the center aisle, so security usually prevents outsiders from going to the casino with kids.

I'd look into something else to do.

Bahamian Cookin' closed down??? Since when?

Van Bruegels closed recently. They provided conch chowder. If I remember correctly, Bahamian Cookin provided Conch fritter/cracked conch or something similar.

We'll be going here next month. We have an excursion to Atlantis booked through Disney, and 2 of us will be separately taking a taxi to Atlantis to get an observer pass.

 

I'm wondering though how bad the port itself is... I've seen posts in this thread saying it is horrible, and others saying it is fine.

What is an observer pass? What does it entail and how much? Is this for Dolphin Cay??

Has anyone recently tried to go after hours (6pm) and get in for free?

There really is NO definitive answer. If the Great Hall of water is in use (dinner, special event, used as alternative buffet etc), then the entry to the DIGS aquarium will not be open to the public. Security will be on duty both at the top of the stairs and at the entry. So is someone tells you they entered at 6pm last week, that only means that on that day nothing was going on.

Atlantis management does not open it to the public. Non-guests enter when there is nothing going on and security is gone... so it's hit or miss for any given day.

Additionally, the internal doors close at 11pm, so entry to the property is cut off.

I would also like to know this. We were scheduled to parasail with Captain Freddie (Freddie's Hi-Tech), but he passed away last week and now we do not know where to go for reliable service. :(

Freddies family took over the business and will reopen as of Nov 1. You can find the info on their website and facebook.

Hello,

I am looking at booking a cruise for our family and am interested in either Blue Lagoon, or Balmoral for a dolphin swim/encounter. Our Nassau stop is scheduled from 12-8. My questions is when is the last ferry back from these places? Ideally, we would like to do the dolphin program and have time on the private islands to play, snorkel, etc. However, if there isn't going to be much extra time for that, I may re-consider. Thanks!

For the most part, tours get back to the dock by 4:30pm. That doesn't leave alot of time for a program and enjoying the island.

Not sure when you are going, but it get's dark early in the winter. Dusk is around 5pm. None of these activities are open after dusk.

Just to clarify, you can enter the Coral Towers lobby (where the shuttles and taxis pull up) and walk through the expensive shops to the casino, but the Royal Towers lobby is off-limits; you're stopped as you exit the casino that way.

 

The Royal Towers lobby is the "Hall of Waters" (with windows into the aquarium, etc.), and it is gorgeous.

Back in 2010 it was accessible to the public, but that is no longer the case. :(

The Coral and Beach Towers were built in 1970 and are nothing to see. They were not build as part of Atlantis, but purchased with the property. There are a handful of overpriced shops in the lobby, but I wouldn't waste my time checking it out. It's old and in dire need of a rehaul.

As mentioned, The Royal Towers, which are the towers you see in the advertisements, are NOT accessible without a day pass.

Yes, I just checked, and it has both Balmoral and Blue Lagoon (as well as Atlantis beach break). We are there from 7-2, so I'm curious what time the Blue Lagoon tour leaves if it's for 4 hours. I really wish we were there different hours, as I hate getting up early, especially if that means going to bed early the very first night of the cruise lol.

Blue Lagoon doesn't open until 9am - First ferry is 8:30am

Keep in mind that the Bahamas is a very religious country. People who work downtown should be respected.

You will see all kinds of attire, from barely bikinis to guys bare chested, but the tourist board asks that you cover up.

A cover up that you can't see thru would be fine, as are shorts and tanks etc. Just have respect for those who's country you are visiting and you'll be fine. Men can wear board shorts and a tank or tee. (not a speedo)

As a rule, this is NOT the norm. Staff can and usually are very vigilant and can sometimes be downright mean in sending kids back down the stairs.

I wouldn't tell my kids that they would be able to use the slides unless they are 48 inches in their barefeet. Some times you'll find staff that's lax, but it's certainly not the norm.

There have been plenty of cases where one staffer may clear a child, but another not.

Thank you. If I can purchase at Atlantis fir fifth person that will be fine. I just did not want to pay an extra room. Will the ages of the kids be on the card?

Not the exact age, but it will indicate adult, child or free So there is no exchanging wrist bands.

I am not cruising until Next year, but I have a family of five. We want to book a room at comfort suites to take advantage of Atlantis, however it says only four to a room (five if a child is under 2). My child will actually be five by the time we go, but I really don't want to pay for two rooms, if I can avoid it. My question is, when you check into comfort suites to get your cards, do you have to bring the whole family to check in at comfort suites? When you get your card with the number of people, will it have their ages? Also, I've heard that people split the cost of rooms to get the needed passes, and would not mind doing this for the fifth person in our family. But, how would I even go about finding another interested person to split a room?

In order to check in at Comfort Suites, your ENTIRE party must check in at the desk, then again, when you get to Atlantis to get your wristbands.

The card from CS will say how many adults and children. It will be obvious that your child is not 2. You could purchase a 5th pass thru the cruiseship, or wait til you arrive and get it at Atlantis.

As for splitting a room, the same would hold true. Your 5th person would have to appear with the other party both at CS and at Atlantis to get wristbands put on.

Atlantis has this all figured out as to not allow cheating.

Is there any ticket that allows you to just use the pools?

No, the only pass that allows pool access is the all access water park pass. Otherwise, you can't even sit on the loungers near the pools.

I think we pay around $65 per person for beach passes.

Yes, I think that's still valid, but the cruiseship could be a bit more.

As for the DIGS aquarium, last i saw it was $45pp/ $35 for kids. Neither allows access to the pools or lagoons.

I've been reading a lot that children are frowned upon at this resort. We are looking to get day passes but have 3 young children.

The issue is that it's a very small and quiet business hotel and there's not alot to do for kids. Adults usually read, or just relax and they would not be happy with noisy crying kids.

Kids are allowed, and there is a set of pails and shovels for playing seaside, but nothing else. If your kids no longer have melt downs, and are ok with playing in the sand, then go for it.

Pool is very small as well, with no diving, etc. Like I said, it's a business hotel.

Someone told me you can take a shuttle to the Atlantis "island" and go to the beach for free...something about all beaches in Bahamas are "public" spaces and not solely owned by the resort?

 

Has anyone done this?

Word is, as of October 8th, access to the public beach on Paradise Island will be closed. They are negotiating whether or not a secondary path may still be available, but it's unlikely, since the closure is due to major construction on the beach. We will have to wait and see how this plays out.

We are on the Nov 1 Norwegian Breakaway and stopping at Nassau. We are interested in going to Atlantis Aquaventure and Dolphin interaction. This includes the waterpark. However, my youngest daughter is 47.5 inches so not tall enough to enjoy the waterslides. Do I have to pay full price for her?

Pricing goes by age, not by height. Kids 3-11 pay a childrens rate, 12 and older pay as adults.

We are interested in going to Graycliff to see the chocolate factory. Does anyone have directions how to get there from the port including distance?

From port, walk along the wharf to Senor Frogs, make a left and follow it around The British Colonial Hilton until you hit the main road. Cross the street to Dunkin Donuts (on the corner) and continue up Cumberland/Blue hill Road going up the hill. 1 block up is West Hill Street on the right. Graycliffs is right there.. can't miss it.

Chocolate shop is closed on Sundays.

http://www.graycliffchocolatier.com/#!

we've been to Blue Lagoon and loved it and found this one through Royal Carib....

 

is it as nice as BL?

we are in Nassau at 1pm so will it shut down at 4 or 5 like most of Nassau?

 

would walking over to the Hilton or ride to Bel Mar etc be better time spent?

 

thanks

It not quite like BL - and not as well run.

Since it's operated by the cruiselines, the hours are designated by the specific tour, but generally, they will be closed up by 5pm.

As for your other suggestion, Hilton will also close at 5pm (bar/grill start to close at 5pm) and Bahamar will not be open until mid june. Even at that point, it won't be open to cruisers for day passes.