Pirates of Nassau & Historical Highlights Tour

[mikxoc]

Wondering if anyone has done the Pirates of Nassau & Historical Highlights Tour as a shore excursion in Nassau?

And if so, was it worth your time and would you recommend it?

 

Any advice or info would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Kim

 

Cruising April 2nd, 2005 on Carnival Glory

[Thoth]

I thought it was a good tour. We visited Fort Charlotte and Fort Fincastle which date from the 1700's as I recall. The Queen's staircase was really cool but I didn't go up the watertower. The Pirate's museum was a great deal of fun becouse it was not your standard museum> For one thing they have recreated the "ambence" of a pirate ship below deck. It was more for families than for scholars, but I didn't care.

[mikxoc]

Thanks Thoth!

I thought that this tour sounded cool too... thanks for confirming it for me.

[Twaincruisers]

We second the Pirate tour...the forts and the Queens staircase are fascinating. We enjoy Nassau for several reasons and we recommend that when you are on ship or on the waterfront that you keep an eye on the waterway just beyond the ships for either the takeoff or landing of the Chaulk airlines airboat. Our first trip to Nassau was on the Pan AM Airboat (before and after a.ka. as Chaulks) so we always look for the planes. We had always hoped to take the plane from Miami, which we had seen take off or land several times next to the cruise ships, but they no longer operate out of Miami. I just checked their schedule and it looks like they take off or land about 8 times a day in Nassau (going to/from Ft Lauderdale).

[IBEEMOM]

We have done this tour and enjoyed it very much. Be sure and go up the watertower. The ride up in the elevator is a cool experience. The view of Nassau from the top is great. Hope you do the tour. You will also have some time to shop before departure. Have fun.

[CrazyMums]

We didn't do the tour but the Pirates of Nassau is only a short walk from the dock so we went on our own. I thought it was well worth it. After that we got on one of the horse and buggy rides that were lined up. It took us on a mini tour but it was a very bumpy ride, we thought the buggy was going to fall apart and they rode with the traffic - cars flying by us on both sides. It was interesting and I'm glad I tried it but I wouldn't do that again.

[Scotch]

What kind of vehicle is used for the Historical Highlights Tour of Nassau? A bus with air-conditioning? Thinking of taking this so we can bring along our 16 month old without using a carseat (which we would want to do if we were to take a taxi). Thanks.

[Scotch]

Bump.

[Scotch]

Eeeks! I just found this terrible review of the Historical Highlights tour on this webpage http://www.cruisereviews.com/CarnivalCruiseLines/CarnivalVictory35.htm:

 

I foolishly compounded the error of booking a Carnival cruise by booking shore excursions in Freeport and Nassau through Carnival. For some reason, I expected the tour operators recommended by Carnival would be a cut above what I could organize independently. . . . But, the shore excursion Wednesday in Nassau under the “Historical Highlights” heading was the worst tour I’ve ever experienced. Our driver simply drove to the Queens Staircase and said, “There’s the Queens Staircase”. No background, no historical frame of reference, just there it is. What was billed as a two-hour tour in actuality lasted little more than an hour and our driver returned to Nassau harbor. When we requested to be dropped off for the second part of our tour at the Pirates exhibit, our driver informed us that he would drop us off, but we would be responsible for finding our own way back to the ship. Since we had no idea just how far from the ship we were, we opted to return with the tour.

 

Is this tour still so terrible? I was planning on booking it due to convenience and the fact that the price seems just a bit higher than what I'd probably pay via private tour. (Whereas for St. Thomas and St. Maarten, I've booked tours on my own because the price difference is too great.) Now I'm having second thoughts. I dislike the idea of finding our own taxi tour with no former recommendation. Anyone have a favorite tour operator to recommend for Nassau (or do all folks just head to Atlantis)?

[BettyB2]

We second the Pirate tour...the forts and the Queens staircase are fascinating. We enjoy Nassau for several reasons and we recommend that when you are on ship or on the waterfront that you keep an eye on the waterway just beyond the ships for either the takeoff or landing of the Chaulk airlines airboat. Our first trip to Nassau was on the Pan AM Airboat (before and after a.ka. as Chaulks) so we always look for the planes. We had always hoped to take the plane from Miami, which we had seen take off or land several times next to the cruise ships, but they no longer operate out of Miami. I just checked their schedule and it looks like they take off or land about 8 times a day in Nassau (going to/from Ft Lauderdale).

 

I just did a search on Pan Am Airboat and cannot really find what I need to find out...can you tell me more about them? Is there a website for the airboat? Do you know the cost of the trip from FLL to Nassau? We are a group of 50 flying out of NY and pricewise this may be helpful to us if we fly directly to FLL...hmmm...:confused: thanks if you can help me...

 

also could not find anything under Chaulk airlines airboat