Atlantis Trip Through Royal Caribbean vs. Resort for a Day

[Rockledge]

Hi,

My family is sailing with Adventure of the Seas docked from 12 pm to 12 am in August and we definitely want to go to Atlantis.  There are four other ships in port that day, but they are in from 9 to 5 pm.  So I'm hoping that we get the best few hours in the later afternoon when it is less crowded. I was researching the options and thought I would just buy the tickets through Resort For a Day and take taxis back and forth.  However, it seems like the ship's excursion is basically the same price and includes transportation ($160).  I can also cancel it 48 hours prior if anything changes or weather looks bad.  The Comfort Suites option probably wouldn't work for us because we are 5, maybe 6 if another family member joins us.  So now we are getting multiple rooms. Anyway, I have a few questions.

 

(1) Is the ship's herding of passengers, loading the bus, and process of ticket distribution waste a ton of time?   I think I read somewhere that you have to sit through a presentation before you get your tickets?  Although when we get there it could be VERY crowded, so we may not be in a huge rush.  I think our best time will be later on when those 4 ships are heading out.  

(2) Do I have to take the ship's transportation back to the ship?  Not sure when the last bus leaves.  But if we stay longer, can we just do a taxi back to the ship to get more time?  Especially since the ship doesn't leave until midnight.  

 

I know there are tons of people that can help me figure this one out!  Thanks so much!!!!

[Keri's Cruisin']

You might get better information on the Bahamas board.  That's where I go to get good info on excursions in Nassau.  

[Ourusualbeach]

Compare the price of comfort suites for 4 and then buy the extra ticket at Atlantis to the cost of 5 through the ship.

[LeeW]

Most of this information is on the Bahamas board, but a couple of things you should consider.  Royal packages can vary all over the place in price, although generally higher than booking direct.  At the moment I am seeing two different shallow water dolphin packages with the more expensive one dolphins only, then dolphins plus beach, and cheapest dolphins plus free Aquaventure.  So shop around and rebook if prices go down.

 

Aquarium at Atlantis is small - not worth what they charge although it does have a lot of large fish in it.  About 1/3 is out in the hotel lobby, and free.  

 

Aquaventure slides/river open at 10 and close at 5:30, so going later really isn't an option.  Only go if you can spend at least 5 hours there  and REALLY like water parks (most expensive we have ever been to).

 

Food at Aquaventure is credit card AND photo ID only.  No photo ID, no food or drinks.  Cash isn't an option, either.

 

Ship buses return on the hour and if you are late you will wait an hour for the next one.  Maybe they will let you wait on an air-conditioned bus, maybe not.  Buses leave from same location as cabs do, far east end of the property.

 

Not much of a spiel on tours, just about when buses leave and very long walk to the Aquaventure park entrance.  But you do get to hang around a long time waiting for people to show up for the tour.  It is a lot easier taking a cab over and back.  Atlantis does supply towels - kiosks near most water features to pick up and drop off towels.

 

[mjkacmom]

Did you price it booking directly from Atlantis? I think the slides close at 6 or 7 summer month, you could do the aquarium after they close. Getting a taxi there and back is easy.

[Rockledge]

I just checked the Atlantis website, I didn't know they had day passes.  They are $168.  Do you think just purchasing these tickets and taking a taxi back and forth will be the most efficient?  I am thinking that, at the very least, we will have from 3 to 6 in August with lesser crowds (other ship guests need to head back around that time).  And I'll just be organized in how we attack the park!  The other idea that would be cheaper is doing the one room at Comfort Suites ($368) and buying one extra ticket at Atlantis.  I wonder if that is a total pain/time to go to CS to check in and getting the extra ticket at Atlantis?  I'm all for saving money, but I also want to weigh the fact that it is vacation....and towing around 3 kids!

 

[amybk27]

We did Atlantis with Royal Caribbean.  We had a bad experience, but a lot of it you can avoid due to the time you arrive.  On Allure, we were only there from 8-2.  We had to wait a long time to get on buses and walk quite a distance.  Then when we finally got there, nothing was open.  My daughter could only stare at the pool.  After swimming awhile we did the sea lion encounter, which was great.  Then we did a little of the pool again.  Due to time, we couldn't use our lunch vouchers, and ended up having to take our own transportation.  They had us leaving at 1 and we needed to wait in a long line to get pictures from our encounter.  We paid a ton of money and were there for so little.  I ended up walking to the front of resort and grabbing one of their taxis.  For the 3 of us, I believe it was like 15 dollars.  

[Clarea]

16 hours ago, LeeW said:

 ... Aquarium at Atlantis is small - not worth what they charge although it does have a lot of large fish in it.  About 1/3 is out in the hotel lobby, and free.   ...

 

 

This is news to me.  10 years ago you could see part of the Aquarium for free, but that changed several years ago and no part was visible for free after that. 

 

Have they changed back to having a portion of the Aquarium free again?

[mjkacmom]

28 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

This is news to me.  10 years ago you could see part of the Aquarium for free, but that changed several years ago and no part was visible for free after that. 

 

Have they changed back to having a portion of the Aquarium free again?

No, unless you go at night.

[LeeW]

2 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

This is news to me.  10 years ago you could see part of the Aquarium for free, but that changed several years ago and no part was visible for free after that. 

 

Have they changed back to having a portion of the Aquarium free again?

Yup - large tanks are in the hotel lobby.  Checkin desks are upstairs (literally, marble stairs) and large windows into tanks on the lower level.  We exited Aquaventure through the aquarium area and once beyond the gift shop you were out of the pay area.  That said, still wouldn't pay to go to Atlantis to see the aquarium.

[Rockledge]

I guess the most economical way would be to book one room at CS to get 4 passes and pay for one extra pass from Atlantis.  I'm just worried that this is adding in a lot of things that can get complicated, or am I overthinking it?  Would going through both steps (renting the room and getting the individual ticket) cause a headache of time.  It is our only excursion on the cruise, so I don't want to mess it up and have everyone frustrated with me!