1st Cruise - Few Nassau questions

[junior8]

Hi there guys. Thanks for all the information. I am going on my first cruise in about 3 weeks and I have a few questions about Nassau.

 

1. What time do the stores on Bay Street close? Are they open at night? My sister really wants to do some shopping and I want to go to Atlantis. I'm trying to figure out if we went shopping in the day then we can go to Atlantis at night. But then again I want to enjoy the ship too. Dilemma's?;) What a great dilemma though.

 

2. Is the Dig open at night? How long does it take to go thru?

 

3. Is the Dig just basically an underground aquarium?

 

4. Would I be missing a heck of a lot if we dont go to Atlantis? Not the pools and all just the grounds/dig?

 

My sister tells me just chill out and take it as it comes. I try to make things "perfect" instead of just going with the flow. I think she is right and I need to relax.

 

Brenda

[grvdggr71]

I cannot answer all of your questions, but I can at least take a stab at several of them...

 

1) Usually, the shops on Bay Street are open at night, though how late they are open depends on which day you are there. It all depends on the shop and the day.

 

2) I'm not sure if the Dig is open at night, but I would recommend that you see it during the day. The aquariums are huge, and I'm not sure that you would see the fish very well at night. Definitely a daytime attraction.

 

3) The Dig is a themed aquarium. Think Disney meets walkthrough aquarium and you have a rough idea. Although it is "just an aquarium", they have a wide variety of fish, rays, and other sea life and it is quite an experience. I found it to be entertaining and beautiful.

 

4) Personally, I feel that Atlantis is one of those things that you should experience if you are close enough to visit it. That being said, previous to visiting Atlantis I thought I would like to stay there for a few days, but after visiting I was glad that I saw it on a cruise and didn't waste the money staying at the hotel (it's pricey!). Is it worth the time and money? IMO, definitely, at least for one visit if not more. Will you have a terrible time if you don't go to it? Probably not - you are on a cruise afterall. Our first Majesty cruise we did The Dig guided tour and liked Atlantis enough that we are going to get a room at Comfort Suites on our next Majesty cruise.

 

5) I would agree with your sister. Have a plan, but don't stress about it. You are on a cruise and there are plenty of alternatives, especially at Nassau. My first cruise was my most relaxing vacation - so relax, and enjoy it!

 

Hope this is helpful

[junior8]

grvdggr71,

Thanks for the reply. They were a great help.

 

Do you think 11am - 3am is enough time to do both shopping and The Dig and all at Atlantis(no pools/slides)? We have 6pm dinner. I believe it is Formal night the night we will be in Nassau. I'm a little nervous of being out after dark in a strange country.

 

My sister was talking of doing the RCCL excursion with Atlantis beach for $76.00. I read somewhere that the beach wasnt worth it, did you see it? I'm thinking we should just go it alone and skipping the beach. I am counting on Cococay (I know , my fingers are crossed) as our beach day. ;)

 

Brenda

PS - How long does it take to get off the boat?

[grvdggr71]

4 hours total may be pushing it, but it is doable. There are quite a few nice shops at Atlantis, and some surprisingly nice Atlantis souvenirs. You could spend more or less time at Atlantis, depending on if you get stuck in the casino.

 

I did catch a few glimpses of the beach, but personally I do not see where that excursion is worthwile due to the price. Unlike many may imagine, the pools and beaches near Atlantis are quite crowded. CocoCay is a much better place to have your "beach day", and it doesn't cost extra to go to. Hopefully, the weather will be nice so you can stop there (we were able to stop, but I have heard numerous times on this board where bad weather prohibits stopping there). The snorkeling at CocoCay is highly recommended, and if you want a quiet relaxing beach, head to Wanderer's Beach.

 

Getting off the boat in Nassau is quite speedy. You are docked at the wharf, so the longest part is making your way through customs (which is still quite quick). Getting off in CocoCay isn't bad either, as the tenders to CocoCay are large, and it's about a 10 minute ride from the ship to the island. And, no customs! Use the tender time to get some nice pictures of the ship at anchor and the island as you come in. Have a great trip!

[basketballmom]

She states that she's there until 3AM not 3PM so she has 15 hours there.

[grvdggr71]

Well, pardon me. I misread the times you stated. Certainly with that amount of time, you have more than enough time to explore Atlantis. I hope you enjoy your trip.

[junior8]

Thanks so much for your information. :D We will go to Atlantis then head to do some shopping.

 

Brenda