Shopping: Nassau vs Freeport- please help

[beachpearl]

Hi everyone,

 

I will be in both Nassau & Freeport on an NCL cruise in November and would like to some some shopping.

Do you find the prices cheaper (such as at the straw market or the boutiques) in Nassau (near the port) or Freeport (at Port Lucaya).

Do they tend to sell the same things?

Is there a considerable price difference?

I will probably not visit the high-end designer shops, I do that enough at home, lol, but want things like shot glasses, t-shirts, a flowy dress perhaps, or cute little jewelry items and also some Bahamian rum and rum cakes. :)

[scubagirrl]

Hi everyone,

 

I will be in both Nassau & Freeport on an NCL cruise in November and would like to some some shopping.

Do you find the prices cheaper (such as at the straw market or the boutiques) in Nassau (near the port) or Freeport (at Port Lucaya).

Do they tend to sell the same things?

Is there a considerable price difference?

I will probably not visit the high-end designer shops, I do that enough at home, lol, but want things like shot glasses, t-shirts, a flowy dress perhaps, or cute little jewelry items and also some Bahamian rum and rum cakes. :)

 

Prices are pretty similar.. but Nassau is a better shopping experience.

Downtown nassau is just steps from the port exit.. and the straw market just 1 block away

[beachpearl]

Thanks so much - Nassau it will be!

[Lilystar]

I definitely recommend Nassau over Freeport for shopping any day of the week!

[CMM]

Nassau is a whole town to explore.

Port Lucaya is a smaller quainter marketplace area. We bought more there because we were more relaxed. The store keepers do not hound on you like they did at the straw market in Nassau which tends to scare us off. We enjoyed talking with the owners and slowly exploring things there.

 

Much of the items were the same and both claimed the stuff was handmade (like the crochet purse I bought) when they were not (china labels). I was ok with that as I wanted the items anyway.

[karinvt]

Nassua has a lot more than Freeport so more product and competition to make the sale. I found better prices at the Fort on photo albums and the girl would not go down any. I walked away and the girl in the both next to her overheard us and had the same one, she gave it to me for the same price as the one at the fort. Make sure you barter with them. Also watch out for the vendors in Nassua being pushy. They will come up to you and put jewlery on you and them ask for a donation for the children. It's a scam from what I have read on here it does not go to the children.

[beachpearl]

Nassua has a lot more than Freeport so more product and competition to make the sale. I found better prices at the Fort on photo albums and the girl would not go down any. I walked away and the girl in the both next to her overheard us and had the same one, she gave it to me for the same price as the one at the fort. Make sure you barter with them. Also watch out for the vendors in Nassua being pushy. They will come up to you and put jewlery on you and them ask for a donation for the children. It's a scam from what I have read on here it does not go to the children.

 

yeah, they do that in Jamaica too.

I will have to remeber to barter.

 

Thanks for the tip

[beachpearl]

Nassau is a whole town to explore.

Port Lucaya is a smaller quainter marketplace area. We bought more there because we were more relaxed. The store keepers do not hound on you like they did at the straw market in Nassau which tends to scare us off. We enjoyed talking with the owners and slowly exploring things there.

 

Much of the items were the same and both claimed the stuff was handmade (like the crochet purse I bought) when they were not (china labels). I was ok with that as I wanted the items anyway.

 

 

I know I will at least LOOK around a little. I'll be going to the beach across the street for the day so it will be along the way. I'm hoping to find a few good little quaint restaurants / hole in the wall authentic places to grab some lunch there too. (And a cocktail LOL)