Nassau News

[SeaHunt]

I hope this project actually happens!  👍

 

"Following its recent $130m capital raise, Nassau Cruise Port is forging ahead on its $285m project to transform the Bahamian capital's waterfront into a world-class destination".

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/most-cruise-ports-now-frozen-nassau-builds-future-expects-q4-calls

[Ocean Boy]

I wonder how many RCI cruises will be going into Nassau with the investment RCI has made in Coco Cay?

[BirdTravels]

Probably most ships calling at Coco Cay will end up in Nassau. Cheap stop (i.e., very close, little gas). 

[mugtech]

Many say they no longer leave the ship when in Nassau, so RCI likes the idea of any money spent will be spent on the ship.

[ONECRUISER]

6 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Probably most ships calling at Coco Cay will end up in Nassau. Cheap stop (i.e., very close, little gas). 

Doubt most, the shorter Cruises possible

 

5 hours ago, mugtech said:

Many say they no longer leave the ship when in Nassau, so RCI likes the idea of any money spent will be spent on the ship.

Agree, don't make Nassau as much now but last time got off in Nassau was Sept 2001...

[CRUISEFAN0001]

8 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I wonder how many RCI cruises will be going into Nassau with the investment RCI has made in Coco Cay?

Great question...but the investment on improving Nassau is LONG overdue and good news regardless.

[Jam0610]

We never leave the ship in Nassau. Just not a port we enjoy. 

[deliver42]

Whatever they do to the port, it's just putting lipstick on the big problem, safety.

[sellwingri]

We have a private tour booked for Nassau in Feb.  It’s scheduled for the day before CocoaCay.

[twangster]

My first visit to Nassau on a cruise ship was over 20 years ago.  I recall being absolutely hounded by street vendors before the current port setup was created.  

 

That experience left a bad taste in my mouth for Nassau so I avoided cruises there for years and when I did find a stop in Nassau on my itinerary I stayed on the ship.  Over the past couple of years I wondered off and found it wasn't as bad as the 90's although I was careful to choose my time off ship carefully.

 

However now that Nassau has lost a lot of tourism revenue I fear it will return to the days when it was borderline harassment just trying to walk to or from the ship.  

[orlandok]

13 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I wonder how many RCI cruises will be going into Nassau with the investment RCI has made in Coco Cay?

A lot of the private island development deals have terms that include continued and/or increased stops in Nassau or Freeport.  

 

Not sure on RCI's deal but here is Disney's when they bought Lighthouse Point:

 

Finally, Disney Cruise Line has agreed to increase its overall presence in the Bahamas with 30 to 40% more additional stops in Nassau and Freeport over its 2018 calls to Bahamian ports.

 

https://mickeyblog.com/2019/03/12/disney-cruise-lines-new-private-island-deal-finalized-with-the-bahamian-government/

[ToroAzul]

I don't mind Nassau, we always walk over to the Hilton.

[Ocean Boy]

49 minutes ago, ToroAzul said:

I don't mind Nassau, we always walk over to the Hilton.

I very much like Nassau. That was the reason for my question. I want to continue having port stops there and prefer it over private stops. It will be really interesting to see what changes with the upgrades.

[Houndfish]

Flew in to Nassau a few times in the 80's. Had a great time.

Took mopeds all over the island. Found local restaurants we went to after dark and felt very safe.

Started going there on cruises in 2010 and every year it has degraded some shop owners are outright crooks. Avoid it now. 

[The Grumpus]

Nassau stop isn't all that bad, IMO.  There are Islands to go to by boat where I've had a lot of fun and there are some good restaurants in town.  I have stayed on the ship a few times too, but then I've done that in St Thomas and Sint Maarten at times as well.  I think this new pier area would make a nice addition to the stop.

[Bookish Angel]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

I very much like Nassau. That was the reason for my question. I want to continue having port stops there and prefer it over private stops. It will be really interesting to see what changes with the upgrades.

I also enjoy Nassau.  I was there a year ago March for a women-only cruise with one of my best friends.  We did a lot of walking, stopping at the chocolate factory and store and other places near it such as the lovely Catholic church where we met the friendly female sextant who gave us a free tour, cold bottled water and encouraged us to use the church’s super-clean restrooms. We hit the food truck near the beach at Fish Fry and had freshly made french fries and real lemonade while sitting under a large shady tree right on the beach.

 

We talked to many locals and had a great time by getting off of the beaten path here and there.  I don’t need sanitized stops  - a sense of adventure and reasonable expectations provide a more enjoyable experience for me.

[Ocean Boy]

12 minutes ago, Bookish Angel said:

I also enjoy Nassau.  I was there a year ago March for a women-only cruise with one of my best friends.  We did a lot of walking, stopping at the chocolate factory and store and other places near it such as the lovely Catholic church where we met the friendly female sextant who gave us a free tour, cold bottled water and encouraged us to use the church’s super-clean restrooms. We hit the food truck near the beach at Fish Fry and had freshly made french fries and real lemonade while sitting under a large shady tree right on the beach.

 

We talked to many locals and had a great time by getting off of the beaten path here and there.  I don’t need sanitized stops  - a sense of adventure and reasonable expectations provide a more enjoyable experience for me.

Interesting that you mention the church. We were there once on a Sunday and decided to go to the cathedral for Mass. It was such an amazing experience to see how the Bahamians worship. And when it came time to the sign of peace folks were coming up to us from around the church and welcoming us. It also happened that the bishop of Nassau was celebrating the Mass. We I got up to him for communion he stopped, welcomed me to the church, and then gave me communion. I will never forget the experience.

[Bookish Angel]

That is a wonderful memory, Ocean Boy.

 

I neighborhood is next to a huge Catholic Church and have walked in their equally large parking lot for years. All of the employees, parishioners, etc. have always been so nice to me, their agnostic/Buddhist-leaning neighbor.

[karena1]

15 hours ago, mugtech said:

Many say they no longer leave the ship when in Nassau, so RCI likes the idea of any money spent will be spent on the ship.

unless it is the summer months when it too hot to sit at the pool on the ship and we go to Junkanoo for the beach, we never get off the ship in Nassau.  Nothing there is of interest to us

[SECdawg]

We enjoy getting off the ship in Nassau, except in really hot months. We usually walk down to Fish Fry and always stop at "Gone Fishin" on the way back. We enjoy the food and enjoy talking to the locals. 

[FLACRUISER99]

Put me in the group that likes Nassau.

[jagsfan]

What a refreshing change!

Nassau has good things to offer if people do a little research!

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, jagsfan said:

What a refreshing change!

Nassau has good things to offer if people do a little research!

My experience in many places, including Nassau, is if you seek out locals and engage them in conversation and show some interest in their lives and country, it is well worth the time and you leave with a great perspective.

[jagsfan]

Too often we assume things about other countries and cultures and we’re dead wrong. 

And that’s often  true of the people of those countries. 

Travel is so rewarding!

Edited May 29, 2020 by jagsfan

[Milwaukee Eight]

11 hours ago, twangster said:

My first visit to Nassau on a cruise ship was over 20 years ago.  I recall being absolutely hounded by street vendors before the current port setup was created.  

 

That experience left a bad taste in my mouth for Nassau so I avoided cruises there for years and when I did find a stop in Nassau on my itinerary I stayed on the ship.  Over the past couple of years I wondered off and found it wasn't as bad as the 90's although I was careful to choose my time off ship carefully.

 

However now that Nassau has lost a lot of tourism revenue I fear it will return to the days when it was borderline harassment just trying to walk to or from the ship.  

Not a fan of Nassau