Grand Lucayan Radisson - Freeport

[kinggartk]

I am considering day passes to this resort. Our cruise is in November. I have been reading up on this resort (Trip Advisor reviews). I found a couple of reviews that said the pools there are Dirty. One said the water was slightly green.

 

What is your experience? I also read alot of reviews about poor customer service, but I'm not too worried about that since we will only be there for a few hours.

 

Will it be really crowded? Is it a good family friendly place to go? Also, do you get full use of beach chairs and umbrella's or is there a charge?

[CMM]

I am considering day passes to this resort. Our cruise is in November. I have been reading up on this resort (Trip Advisor reviews). I found a couple of reviews that said the pools there are Dirty. One said the water was slightly green.

 

What is your experience? I also read alot of reviews about poor customer service, but I'm not too worried about that since we will only be there for a few hours.

 

Will it be really crowded? Is it a good family friendly place to go? Also, do you get full use of beach chairs and umbrella's or is there a charge?

 

We were there in August and the water was clean. There are 5 total pools there and they only had 3 open when we were there (an infinity pool that spilled over the beach with a swim up bar, one with a waterfall, and one with a volley ball net and then a hot tub.) The others which were in an adjacent area were unkept and closed.

 

The bathroom was messy the day we were there. The umbrellas were showing some age, but overall for $10 it was very nice in my opinion. I would go again. It was not crowded at all in the pools, loungers, hammocks, hot tubs or beach area. You can use all the pools, chairs hammocks etc outside and at the beach with the $10 wristband. You don't get a towel and have to bring one from the ship.

 

Don't know if anyone has been there more recently to comment. Green pool water would be disgusting.

[CRAZYBOUTCRUZIN]

We were there for 4 days last year in October and positively Loved it. Wonderful service except food at pool bar Hammerheads was lacking. Otherwise all was great. Not everything was open but it did not deter us from a fabulous vacation. We are going there again on our cruise day in Freeport. Shopping and food at Port Lucaya and playing at the Treasure Bay Casino just steps from the beautiful beach and pool -doesn't get much better than that.

[LHARTWICK]

Is the day pass $30 or $10? I've read reviews that are conflicting. Are there chairs w/umbrellas included?

[*Luv2Cruz*]

Is the day pass $30 or $10? I've read reviews that are conflicting. Are there chairs w/umbrellas included?

Just got an email from them and it's $10 but don't know about the chairs?

[*Luv2Cruz*]

How much is a cab to get there and are there chairs w/umbrellas included?

[Cambrensis]

We were there for 4 days last year in October and positively Loved it. Wonderful service except food at pool bar Hammerheads was lacking. Otherwise all was great. Not everything was open but it did not deter us from a fabulous vacation. We are going there again on our cruise day in Freeport. Shopping and food at Port Lucaya and playing at the Treasure Bay Casino just steps from the beautiful beach and pool -doesn't get much better than that.

This mirrors our experience in March 2011 -- 6 days at Grand Lucayan, which we had visited on prior cruise stop. I must say this vaca beat even the best cruise for pure relaxation -- beaching it, pool side reading, decent (tho admittedly not great) food. The resort itself is really pleasant. Clean; attentive staff; fun atmosphere.

[Bluewake]

kinggartk -

 

We also were there in August when our ship was re-routed due to Hurricane Ernesto. Since we'd been to Freeport 2-3 times before and it wasn't one of our favorite ports, we initially were a bit disapointed when we learned about the changed itinerary. But decided to make the most of it. We spent about $10 per person for a round trip ride in a van (crowded...they pack 'em in!) to the Lucaya marketplace which is across the street from the Radisson. I believe a cab for 3-4 costs more.

 

In case you haven't been there, the Lucaya Marketplace has a range of items from the standard souvenirs to Columbian Emeralds, etc.

 

Then, we decided to pay $10 per person for a day pass at the Radisson. That turned out to be a great decision. The pools were very clean and the grounds really quite nice...very well kept. The food was typical bar/pub fare and the service could have been quicker but we didn't care since all we were doing was lying and relaxing. The beach was clean and had nice sand and there was a guy playing live music. What a great atmosphere!

 

By the end of the day, we all were saying we'd love to go back to Freeport and do this again. It's a really nice combination of a shopping and beach day.

[Mhurst]

kinggartk -

 

We also were there in August when our ship was re-routed due to Hurricane Ernesto. Since we'd been to Freeport 2-3 times before and it wasn't one of our favorite ports, we initially were a bit disapointed when we learned about the changed itinerary. But decided to make the most of it. We spent about $10 per person for a round trip ride in a van (crowded...they pack 'em in!) to the Lucaya marketplace which is across the street from the Radisson. I believe a cab for 3-4 costs more.

 

In case you haven't been there, the Lucaya Marketplace has a range of items from the standard souvenirs to Columbian Emeralds, etc.

 

Then, we decided to pay $10 per person for a day pass at the Radisson. That turned out to be a great decision. The pools were very clean and the grounds really quite nice...very well kept. The food was typical bar/pub fare and the service could have been quicker but we didn't care since all we were doing was lying and relaxing. The beach was clean and had nice sand and there was a guy playing live music. What a great atmosphere!

 

By the end of the day, we all were saying we'd love to go back to Freeport and do this again. It's a really nice combination of a shopping and beach day.

By chance were the loungers included for the ten dollars

[Cambrensis]

kinggartk -

 

 

"In case you haven't been there, the Lucaya Marketplace has a range of items from the standard souvenirs to Columbian Emeralds, etc. " ...

 

... "By the end of the day, we all were saying we'd love to go back to Freeport and do this again. It's a really nice combination of a shopping and beach day."

 

 

The Marketplace is surprisingly pleasant, even though it is a newer development (not authentically "old island"). There is a very relaxed restaurant - forgot the name now -- that has outdoor tables on a wooden, wrap-around porch type arrangement -- very inexpensive. We had breakfast there when we stayed at the Radisson. There is also at least one small sundries store -- great for snacks and personal items -- not Kmart prices but way cheaper than cruise ship shop (my wife was aghast at the price of feminine products on board). And the ususal array of cruise port shops which we don't typically do. There is (or was) a good sized straw market at the far end of the Marketplace -- if you want to support locals that is a good way to do it.

 

Also - if the Radisson daypass includes it -- the reception area of the hotel is quite grand and has a very tropical feel to it ... terrific option to get out of the sun for a few minutes. There are also rockers outside on the hotel veranda.

 

Can you tell we loved our Grand Lucayan vaca? :)

[*Luv2Cruz*]

How much is a cab to get there and are there chairs w/umbrellas included?

Still trying to find out! Thanks!

[govgurl]

Still trying to find out! Thanks!

 

Just got back from Freeport. The cabs to Our Lucaya are $5 per person, each way. I didn't go to Lucaya though, so can't comment on how nice the resort is, but most of the people getting off of our ship were heading to Lucaya so the area was probably a little crowded, though probably not all paid for a daypass.

 

We went to Taino Beach, which is a $7 pp cab ride each way. The beach was beautiful, and not crowded at all. We had to wait a little longer (maybe 15 min) for a big enough group to form for our taxi (all the taxis are shared 15 passenger vans, and they like to have 10 or so people before they will take off). There's a beach club there called the Junkanoo Beach club, it costs $5 to use and includes beach chairs and umbrellas, as well as non-motorized water sports (they had banana boats, kayaks, and a few jetskis). The $5 entitles you to use of the restrooms as well. However, we were there for such a short time, we decided to skip the $5 and just lay out on our towels on the beach. It was awesome. White sand, warm, hardly any wake, very friendly people. They have a bar/restaurant in the club that makes really good Bahama Mamas.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

Just got back from Freeport. The cabs to Our Lucaya are $5 per person, each way. I didn't go to Lucaya though, so can't comment on how nice the resort is, but most of the people getting off of our ship were heading to Lucaya so the area was probably a little crowded, though probably not all paid for a daypass.

 

We went to Taino Beach, which is a $7 pp cab ride each way. The beach was beautiful, and not crowded at all. We had to wait a little longer (maybe 15 min) for a big enough group to form for our taxi (all the taxis are shared 15 passenger vans, and they like to have 10 or so people before they will take off). There's a beach club there called the Junkanoo Beach club, it costs $5 to use and includes beach chairs and umbrellas, as well as non-motorized water sports (they had banana boats, kayaks, and a few jetskis). The $5 entitles you to use of the restrooms as well. However, we were there for such a short time, we decided to skip the $5 and just lay out on our towels on the beach. It was awesome. White sand, warm, hardly any wake, very friendly people. They have a bar/restaurant in the club that makes really good Bahama Mamas.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm not too crazy about the crowded mini vans but apparently, cabs cost a bit more!

[govgurl]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm not too crazy about the crowded mini vans but apparently, cabs cost a bit more!

 

I didn't see a single "regular cab" anywhere at the Freeport docks. All the "cabs" were the 15 passenger vans. They weren't too bad, you sit three to a seat, so you're not super packed in. The main annoyance was waiting for the cabs to fill up before you could leave. If you're going to Lucaya, you don't have to worry about that. Since almost everyone goes to Lucaya, those vans fill up and depart very quickly. I guess if you want to pay a lot extra you might be able to get a driver to take just you in their van, but you'd have to pay for yourself plus all the empty seats.

 

A few people had rented jeeps or rented scooters if you want to drive yourself, but the route seemed kind of confusing to me, so I'd opt for the taxi.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

I didn't see a single "regular cab" anywhere at the Freeport docks. All the "cabs" were the 15 passenger vans. They weren't too bad, you sit three to a seat, so you're not super packed in. The main annoyance was waiting for the cabs to fill up before you could leave. If you're going to Lucaya, you don't have to worry about that. Since almost everyone goes to Lucaya, those vans fill up and depart very quickly. I guess if you want to pay a lot extra you might be able to get a driver to take just you in their van, but you'd have to pay for yourself plus all the empty seats.

 

A few people had rented jeeps or rented scooters if you want to drive yourself, but the route seemed kind of confusing to me, so I'd opt for the taxi.

Thanks! I'm just gonna go with the flow!;)

[*Luv2Cruz*]

Luved the place and for $10/pp you can't go wrong with this one in freeport!:D See my review and pics via my signature. Enjoy!

[BaconIsGood]

Were ont he Sensation on April 14th and were quoted $15pp for the day pass.