Review of Sandals Resort in Nassau

[csic]

Just returned from cruise on ConQuest last week and my wife and I went to Sandals in Nassau. First the good news, the resort was fantastic. The pools were marvelous and the beach and the water was fantastic. They have two big pools with swim up bars and a very nice beach area. They also have a private island. They will shuttle every hour by boat across to the island. The island also has a pool with a swim up bar (smaller than the resort) and a cafe area plus they have a beach on both sides of the private island. The food was great as well, We ate at the Spices restaurant where they have a lunch buffet. They had several selections of fish, chicken, lasagna, salads and desserts. We also had a small snack in the outdoor cafe area and tried the conch fritters. Drinks were also very good. For a $110 per person I think it was well worth it. You get what you paid for. Just wish we had more time to enjoy it. That brings me to the bad news. We had a very hard time getting there. No one would help us to get a taxi there because all the taxis wanted to go to Atlantis. We ran around town trying to find the jitney to the area and got the run around from them as well. Finally found the right jitney bus on George street and it is jitney #10. Be sure to ask if they go to Sandals before you get on because some of the #10 jitney's do not. George street is like a block up from where the Straw Market and the Hilton are. Loved the resort and plan to go back there to spend more time.

[Highflyer1]

Just returned from cruise on ConQuest last week and my wife and I went to Sandals in Nassau. First the good news, the resort was fantastic. The pools were marvelous and the beach and the water was fantastic. They have two big pools with swim up bars and a very nice beach area. They also have a private island. They will shuttle every hour by boat across to the island. The island also has a pool with a swim up bar (smaller than the resort) and a cafe area plus they have a beach on both sides of the private island. The food was great as well, We ate at the Spices restaurant where they have a lunch buffet. They had several selections of fish, chicken, lasagna, salads and desserts. We also had a small snack in the outdoor cafe area and tried the conch fritters. Drinks were also very good. For a $110 per person I think it was well worth it. You get what you paid for. Just wish we had more time to enjoy it. That brings me to the bad news. We had a very hard time getting there. No one would help us to get a taxi there because all the taxis wanted to go to Atlantis. We ran around town trying to find the jitney to the area and got the run around from them as well. Finally found the right jitney bus on George street and it is jitney #10. Be sure to ask if they go to Sandals before you get on because some of the #10 jitney's do not. George street is like a block up from where the Straw Market and the Hilton are. Loved the resort and plan to go back there to spend more time.

 

Good report. I thought Sandals provided transport ? Was Sandals transport available like a ship transfer to airport or ship ?/ Also do you know if there were one man submarines called BOB that you sit on and dive with your head enclosed in a plastic bubble with an oxgen tank attached to a scooter like device. We see this at some resorts but not able to go on one ???

[CruisinCrow]

So glad you enjoyed your day at Sandals. We stayed there last year and loved it but haven't tried the day pass. Was it pretty easy to check in?

[csic]

No transport by Sandals that I could find. Had no problem once we found the right jitney to take us, although the jitney we rode had no ac and it was very hot and humid. Got to the resort and walked up to the security gate. Told the guard that we wanted to buy a day pass and he wrote our names down on a list and sent us to the reception desk where we checked in and paid. She gave us a receipt and told us about the facility and gave us a map. It was really very easy to check in.

[csic]

Good report. I thought Sandals provided transport ? Was Sandals transport available like a ship transfer to airport or ship ?/ Also do you know if there were one man submarines called BOB that you sit on and dive with your head enclosed in a plastic bubble with an oxgen tank attached to a scooter like device. We see this at some resorts but not able to go on one ???

I did not see any BOB or submarine things that you are talking about but they had wave runners, small sailboats? and I think you could go snorkel if you wanted but by the time we got there, we were so hot all I could think about was to get in the cool pool and get a drink !!!!!!

[Dartmoordan]

Good report. I thought Sandals provided transport ? Was Sandals transport available like a ship transfer to airport or ship ?/ Also do you know if there were one man submarines called BOB that you sit on and dive with your head enclosed in a plastic bubble with an oxgen tank attached to a scooter like device. We see this at some resorts but not able to go on one ???

 

 

We are staying at Sandals in September we have booked the diving bubble called a sub from a company called Stuart Cove it looks great. You can book online and they will arrange pick up at a designated point and guarentee to have you back to the ship on time. The website says it takes 3 hours. Not sure you'll have time to do both though:)

[Highflyer1]

We are staying at Sandals in September we have booked the diving bubble called a sub from a company called Stuart Cove it looks great. You can book online and they will arrange pick up at a designated point and guarentee to have you back to the ship on time. The website says it takes 3 hours. Not sure you'll have time to do both though:)

we heard about Stuart Cove and the BOB and submarines. The BOB are personnal devices while the submarines is a group.

 

thanks

[Dartmoordan]

we heard about Stuart Cove and the BOB and submarines. The BOB are personnal devices while the submarines is a group.

 

thanks

 

 

Oh thanks for the info I think its much safer for me to go in a group the video on Stuart Coves website looks great, our son is going scuba diving with them next yaer needles to say he's going to do the shark dive:eek:

[5PUPS]

That brings me to the bad news. We had a very hard time getting there. No one would help us to get a taxi there because all the taxis wanted to go to Atlantis.

 

We had this same problem last year when we tried to get a taxi to take us to the Sheraton at Cable Beach. They all laughed at us like we were idiots for wanting to go to the Sheraton. We finally found one that would take us, but it was a little pricy. While we were at the Sheraton, we never really were able to relax, because we were afraid the taxi drivers were going to laugh at us and charge us an outrageous fare just to take us back to the ship.:(

[csic]

The public transportation is ridiculious in Nassau, but in their defense there were 6 cruise ships in port the day we were there so they had to take care getting thousands of people to their destination. They need to have some signs up and get some organization on the situation. I forgot to tell everyone in my original review that you need to have exact change for the jitney. It is $1.25 per person each way.

[Nicole in NJ]

Just returned from cruise on ConQuest last week and my wife and I went to Sandals in Nassau. First the good news, the resort was fantastic. The pools were marvelous and the beach and the water was fantastic. They have two big pools with swim up bars and a very nice beach area. They also have a private island. They will shuttle every hour by boat across to the island. The island also has a pool with a swim up bar (smaller than the resort) and a cafe area plus they have a beach on both sides of the private island.

 

 

Did you have time to go to the private island? We leave on Friday and will be spending our Nassau day at Sandals. I'd like to eat, drink, relax on the beach, maybe do a watersport. Just wondering if we'll have time to see the private island beach. Thanks.

[Highflyer1]

Oh thanks for the info I think its much safer for me to go in a group the video on Stuart Coves website looks great, our son is going scuba diving with them next yaer needles to say he's going to do the shark dive:eek:

 

don't know how old your son is but make sure he has his dive documenation with him as they are pretty strict about that.

[Dartmoordan]

don't know how old your son is but make sure he has his dive documenation with him as they are pretty strict about that.

 

 

Thanks for the tip,:) He always takes it I am hoping he will be ok he is a qualified instructor but I will remind him to take everything including his log

[Highflyer1]

Thanks for the tip,:) He always takes it I am hoping he will be ok he is a qualified instructor but I will remind him to take everything including his log

check to see if he has padd cert and send Stuart Cove an e-mail to check his cert because you would not want to show up and have his cert not up to date. That would be a bad day.

That shark dive is great. They will have underwater pictures of it when they are feeding them using steel tongs. Make sure you at least purchase one for taking back home. Also where is he going to put his valuables since there is no secure place on the dive boat..are you going to be joining him but stay in the dive boat ??

[Dartmoordan]

check to see if he has padd cert and send Stuart Cove an e-mail to check his cert because you would not want to show up and have his cert not up to date. That would be a bad day.

That shark dive is great. They will have underwater pictures of it when they are feeding them using steel tongs. Make sure you at least purchase one for taking back home. Also where is he going to put his valuables since there is no secure place on the dive boat..are you going to be joining him but stay in the dive boat ??

 

 

He dives here in the UK so he will be up to date though he's looking forward to not having to use a dry suit. Luckily he's doing the Stuart Cove dive prior to going on the blackbeard liveaboard cruise so valuables will be in hotel safe. We're not going with him in July as our trip is a land based one this September, usually we cruise but decided we wanted to see more of the Bahamas, can't wait only 4 weeks to go. While we're there we are going to look for some reasonable pre and post dive cruise accomodation for him, any ideas?

[Highflyer1]

He dives here in the UK so he will be up to date though he's looking forward to not having to use a dry suit. Luckily he's doing the Stuart Cove dive prior to going on the blackbeard liveaboard cruise so valuables will be in hotel safe. We're not going with him in July as our trip is a land based one this September, usually we cruise but decided we wanted to see more of the Bahamas, can't wait only 4 weeks to go. While we're there we are going to look for some reasonable pre and post dive cruise accomodation for him, any ideas?

 

we stayed at two places when we visit. One is orange hill inn abut 1/2 hour by shuttle to Stuart. price about $100/night. The other is the Hilton Internation about 5 min to Stuart and approx $200.00/night. If he is diving at Stuart Cove they will have hotel packages that will be cheaper than this. We were there two and three years ago but friends just returned and the pricing is about the same. Ask him if he is booked on a Stuart Cove package with hotel but no meals.

[csic]

Did you have time to go to the private island? We leave on Friday and will be spending our Nassau day at Sandals. I'd like to eat, drink, relax on the beach, maybe do a watersport. Just wondering if we'll have time to see the private island beach. Thanks.

 

The island was fantastic. We were in port from 8 to 5 but did not get to Sandals till about 9:30am. They shuttle to the island at the top of each hour so after a quick dip in the pool we headed to the island for a couple of hours and then headed back to the resort. Just remember they only shuttle the top of each hour so plan ahead.

[Dartmoordan]

we stayed at two places when we visit. One is orange hill inn abut 1/2 hour by shuttle to Stuart. price about $100/night. The other is the Hilton Internation about 5 min to Stuart and approx $200.00/night. If he is diving at Stuart Cove they will have hotel packages that will be cheaper than this. We were there two and three years ago but friends just returned and the pricing is about the same. Ask him if he is booked on a Stuart Cove package with hotel but no meals.

 

 

Thanks for the info re hotels we'll have a look while we're there

[cruiseapril]

Just want to mention that we had no problem getting a van taxi to Cable Beach last year. We spoke with the driver, got in the van, and waited for it to fill up. $5 pp.

 

We then took the Jitney back from the Sheraton- it stopped right in front of the hotel.

 

Maybe we were there on a day with fewer cruise ships in.