Straw Markets / Shopping: Freeport & Nassau

[deavers]

We are cruising for the first time. We have a stop in Freeport and Nassau. We are doing the blue lagoon in nassau since we will be there overnight and then a day pass at Our Lucaya Hotel in Freeport. What is our best option for shopping with these ports and these excursions? How do we get there, which has better shopping. I've always heard to bargin with the vendors...what's the best items to get there.

 

Thanks in advance.

[TLynn412]

Nassau definitely has more "bargain with the vendor" type shopping. They have a straw market right by the dock.

It's mostly touristy stuff and purses ...

 

There are also shops all over bu we didn't really go into any.

 

 

 

Freeport's Port Lucaya Marketplace is awesome for shopping. They have all kinds of stores and you can definitely negotiate. It is a much less pushy shopping environment than Nassau, at least in my opinion.

 

Hope this helps, ENJOY!!!

[jaxfl]

I heard the Nassau straw market burned down and is no more. :eek:

[Harley Granny]

I heard the Nassau straw market burned down and is no more. :eek:

 

It was re-built and is now down by Senor Frogs.

[Chef P]

The Straw Market is in its new building jsut down the street a tad away from Senor Frogs now, and it now longer has the knock off purses etc...

builtiful building but I miss the knock purses...lol

[torchd]

I was wheeling and dealing last Friday when I was there :)

 

Those ladies loved me

[4spring]

My experience with the straw market is that it is not for the faint of heart. It has small isles, lots of people, vendors right in your face trying to make a sale. I've also heard that you need to make sure you know what you are getting (last time in Nassau, heard all sorts of stories on the ship afterwards about conch whistles/horns that didn't work, earrings that didn't match, items supposedly made there with "made in china" tags on back & cracks, etc in figurines).

Having said that, I don't think this is any different than any other country or toursit area where you haggle with vendors, you just need to make sure you look over the actual piece that you are walking away with. I'm guessing that you can get some great buys but you just have to know how to bargain & know the actual item you are getting. I've gotten clothing & bags there that I've been very pleased with.

[CaroleSS]

I had to giggle when I ready 4spring's post about aggressive vendors! It reminded me about a cruise many years ago where we visited a very small island (can't quite remeber where but it was somewhere off the coast of Guatemala or theresabouts). The youngsters chased everyone around saying "one dollar.....one dollar....one dollar" hoping to get money for begging!

 

While I know that it might have turned some off, it still remains one of the funniest cruise memories we have!!

 

(BTW, my husband only encouraged them by giving out about $10 to the kids.....felt they were working hard for that dollar!):o