Nassau Atlantis options through ship or on your own

[familycruzinnewbie]

Just wondering what the options I have on going to Atlantis (either waterpark or beach). I typically like to book excursions on my own as I find ship options costly.  It will only be my husband and me for this trip and we have never been to Nassau. 

[kylesplash]

Both times we went, we booked through carnival. It might be cheaper to book on your own, but there is security in knowing the ship will not leave you if you get stuck in traffic. Remember you can also do the price comp if you find a similar excursion. 

[mrpayroll]

If you go to Atlantis and buy your tickets, you would be able to get there when you want and to leave when you want. You won't be on the excursion limited time frame. I would google Atlantis and compare ticket prices plus cab fare to see if there is any $$  saving. 

[StolidCruiser]

Atlantis is something you can easily do on your own as long as you understand the costs and logistics involved in getting there and back.

[coevan]

1 hour ago, kylesplash said:

but there is security in knowing the ship will not leave you

 

 

does not happen, a Carnival myth to make you buy their excursions, it's not Manhattan 

[Saint Greg]

6 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

does not happen, a Carnival myth to make you buy their excursions, it's not Manhattan 

 

I returned late on a carnival excursion from Dunn's River Falls and the ship waited for us. The afternoon traffic is bad in Montego Bay. Been there twice. Been stuck in that traffic twice. I know you're going to want to see this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Actually I got caught in some bad traffic in Nassau as well now that I think about it.

 

Edited September 13, 2019 by Saint Greg

[coevan]

and St.Thomas, still missing the ship is a rare occasion

[Saint Greg]

12 minutes ago, coevan said:

and St.Thomas, still missing the ship is a rare occasion

 

Short excursions, I don't care. The long ones like Dunn's River Falls, Lamanai, Tulum...I feel much better being booked through Carnival.

[beachbum6264]

If you are mostly interested in the beach there is a free beach close to Atlantis (there is 1 hotel between them) - Cabbage Beach. You can get there by taxi or water taxi (a bit of a walk from the water taxi dock tho). I haven't been to Cabbage Beach in a few years, but the last time we went there were no amenities, just a nice beach.

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, coevan said:

 

 

does not happen, a Carnival myth to make you buy their excursions, it's not Manhattan 

 

When we were in Belize a few years ago we left over 2 hours late because a Carnival sponsored excursion returned late. Of course the long tender from the port to the ship helped make the delay longer. 

[balcony bound]

3 hours ago, coevan said:

 

 

does not happen, a Carnival myth to make you buy their excursions, it's not Manhattan 

 

I'm not sure why you would say this.  Carnival won't leave if their excursions haven't returned.  They've waited for us as well on a late return due to traffic issues.

[coevan]

3 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

.I feel

 

 

exactly

 

My son was in the cruise ship shore excursion in St.Thomas. He Captained snorkel trips and BVI, White Bay trips. He was contracted to NCL and RCL. If you booked his trip "privately" you would be with other cruise passengers with different colored towels. All St. Thomas Captains have direct lines to the cruise ships. He was on a trip to Jost Van Dyke where they had engine problems. He called his company and all the ships Captains. he had guests from 4 different cruise lines passengers aboard. All the ships waited. You really have to be responsible to miss a ship. Most pier runners are probably drinking too much, not caused by tour operators.

[Blondie511]

When we did our cruise in June, we booked a room for one night at the Comfort Suites Paradise Island.  it is literally across the street from the Atlantis and you get FULL Atlantis privileges for the day, even down to the wristbands!  Atlantis passes might be $175 per person?  Look at the cost of the hotel room, which is for four people.  We saved HUNDREDS!  We never even went to the hotel room, which we booked on hotels.com actually.  We got off the boat, grabbed a taxi service and were on a water ride at the Atlantis within 45 minutes of stepping off the boat!  If you are trying to save money, check it out!  🤔

[mjkacmom]

Do the math, doing it through the cruise line is probably the most expensive and unnecessary. Look into buying directly from Atlantis, third party reseller like resort for a day, reservation at comfort suites (do a dummy reservation all the way through with added taxes and fees). It’s a short cab ride from the ship.

[familycruzinnewbie]

I had read about the comfort suites thing years ago and wasn't sure it if was still a thing.  What does booking a room get you at Atlantis exactly and how do you avail of that.  I also heard of people booking day rates at some of the fancy resorts and getting food/beverage credit for most of the fee.

 

As for missing the ship, there is a post on here somewhere about a guy who missed the ship in Nassau and all the hoops he went through to meet up with it at another port (he was supposed to meed his kid at designated spot but his buddy took the kids back to ship instead) quite an ordeal. 

 

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, familycruzinnewbie said:

I had read about the comfort suites thing years ago and wasn't sure it if was still a thing.  What does booking a room get you at Atlantis exactly and how do you avail of that.  I also heard of people booking day rates at some of the fancy resorts and getting food/beverage credit for most of the fee.

 

As for missing the ship, there is a post on here somewhere about a guy who missed the ship in Nassau and all the hoops he went through to meet up with it at another port (he was supposed to meed his kid at designated spot but his buddy took the kids back to ship instead) quite an ordeal. 

 

It gets you everything an aqua adventure pass gets you, access to the water park, beach and aquarium. You can check in and out at the same time. No food or drink included.

[Loucat]

Blondie511- The idea of booking at the Comfort Suites sounded so good I went on their website to see what they offered. Prices for a one day rental were all about $245-$251.

They say check in is 3 PM, so how did you work that out if you arrived in the AM?

Nice place! If on a land tour, you do get access to Atlantis and nice rooms. I did not check out room rates at Atlantis.

[Saint Greg]

13 minutes ago, Loucat said:

Blondie511- The idea of booking at the Comfort Suites sounded so good I went on their website to see what they offered. Prices for a one day rental were all about $245-$251.

They say check in is 3 PM, so how did you work that out if you arrived in the AM?

Nice place! If on a land tour, you do get access to Atlantis and nice rooms. I did not check out room rates at Atlantis.

 

I don't know about room rates but just a park pass is listed at $135/adult and $93/child when I'm there in December. I think the price changes month to month.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by Saint Greg

[mjkacmom]

11 hours ago, Loucat said:

Blondie511- The idea of booking at the Comfort Suites sounded so good I went on their website to see what they offered. Prices for a one day rental were all about $245-$251.

They say check in is 3 PM, so how did you work that out if you arrived in the AM?

Nice place! If on a land tour, you do get access to Atlantis and nice rooms. I did not check out room rates at Atlantis.

You can check in first thing, your room probably won’t be ready but you can still get wristbands. Was that the final price after going through the whole boooking? Taxes and fees add $$$.

[Loucat]

I checked again to see about room tax. A room for one night in October (lowest rate listed on the hotel site) was $251. Taxes and fees=$90.09 for a total of $341.19. As someone previously posted, if you split this by 4 people, it makes a difference.

If you were only two in a group, the $175 Atlantis fee would be $350.

 

[Project-College]

The Comfort Suite site says nothing, or at least I could not find it, about anything fee for ATLANTIS or wrist bands... if you stay there?

 

How do we know they still offer that perk?

[Project-College]

Going outside the booking window on the site...via gogle I did see the perk available but it seemed to only be for the aquapark

 

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, Loucat said:

I checked again to see about room tax. A room for one night in October (lowest rate listed on the hotel site) was $251. Taxes and fees=$90.09 for a total of $341.19. As someone previously posted, if you split this by 4 people, it makes a difference.

If you were only two in a group, the $175 Atlantis fee would be $350.

 

Resort for @ day is $135 for each adult. CS will cost more for 4 in the room than 2.

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, Project-College said:

Going outside the booking window on the site...via gogle I did see the perk available but it seemed to only be for the aquapark

 

It’s for the waterpark, beach and aquarium, same as if you did the excursion through the ship or  bought a pass yourself.

[Project-College]

So if , for 4 in Jan 2 2020, the LOWEST price is $326 (BUT when you are shown the taxes too it TOTALS $528.93).... that has FULL Access to Atlantis? (Aquarium, grounds, waterpark etc.)

Also, if there is any problem AFTER 12/28... you are still charged?   That seems risky

(Free Cancellation until December 28, 2019 at 4PM local hotel time.)

Edited September 15, 2019 by Project-College