Best beach for snorkel on your own by taxi or bus?

[janetmojo]

We have two Nassau stops in the next two weeks and want to just get off and hit the beach for some snorkel time, we have our own gear.  Shade, even if purchased, would be a plus as I can't sit too long in the sun.  We are pretty good travelers and don't mind local transport.  Thanks in advance!

[babyclaytonmom]

On 7/15/2021 at 9:05 AM, janetmojo said:

We have two Nassau stops in the next two weeks and want to just get off and hit the beach for some snorkel time, we have our own gear.  Shade, even if purchased, would be a plus as I can't sit too long in the sun.  We are pretty good travelers and don't mind local transport.  Thanks in advance!

Interested in doing this too. Please post if you've gotten any ideas. I leave in 2 weeks.

[DevilDogsWifey215]

My research has pointed to love beach. They have some small reefs and a beach bar with bathrooms. 

[Denise&Paul STL]

On 7/15/2021 at 9:05 AM, janetmojo said:

We have two Nassau stops in the next two weeks and want to just get off and hit the beach for some snorkel time, we have our own gear.  Shade, even if purchased, would be a plus as I can't sit too long in the sun.  We are pretty good travelers and don't mind local transport.  Thanks in advance!

Please update us on where you went and how it was.  We are going in a few weeks and wondered the same.  We would need shade and a restaurant or bar tho.

[mjkacmom]

On 9/9/2021 at 12:44 PM, Denise&Paul STL said:

Please update us on where you went and how it was.  We are going in a few weeks and wondered the same.  We would need shade and a restaurant or bar tho.

Any cabbage you can rent chairs and an umbrella and but some sort of “drink” from vendors.

[Denise&Paul STL]

On 9/9/2021 at 12:44 PM, Denise&Paul STL said:

Please update us on where you went and how it was.  We are going in a few weeks and wondered the same.  We would need shade and a restaurant or bar tho.

We went just to the port.  NOTE that it is a VERY long walk now if docked at the end.  Regardless, it is a long walk.  The whole dock is under construction, and adding docks.  the building you used to walk through on arrival is gone.  You now have to go out the gates to see or do anything at all.  Once you go out the gate, tho, there are a few vendors and live music.  We enjoyed that for a bit, noticed the taxi drivers were not wearing masks, and decided to go back to the ship.  We just didn't feel safe going anywhere.   

Note that taking any of the cruise ship excursions also required a long walk.  Not sure I would have made it had I done one of those.  I read somewhere that if you use a wheelchair to get there, they will not let you onboard.  not sure about that, so ask.  Everyone else, not a bad walk, just enjoy the ship views!  

[Birdnutty]

Does anyone know where you pick up the ship's excursions?  Would like to do the sail & snorkel, but not if there's a bus ride to get there.

[perfect match]

On 10/22/2021 at 12:59 PM, Birdnutty said:

Does anyone know where you pick up the ship's excursions?  Would like to do the sail & snorkel, but not if there's a bus ride to get there.

We did a ship’s excursion on our Royal Caribbean cruise this past September. The excursion was Nassau Sail & Reef Snorkel. Our meeting place and pick up point we’re right on the cruise ship dock!  We never set foot on dry land in Nassau!  Be sure you have your ID and vaccine card with you , as they checked them after we got off the excursion catamaran.

 

I don’t know what cruise line you’re on or what excursion you’re looking at, so your experience could be different than ours. Your ship’s Shore Excursions department should be able to confirm your pick up and drop off location for you.

 

This was our experience. We met for our excursion at Meeting Station #4 , in bottom left corner of picture.

 

This picture of Allure from our excursion boat after we boarded it, literally right next to the ship. We were dropped off after our excursion in exactly the same place. 

Edited October 31, 2021 by perfect match

[udamom]

Nancy, How was the snorkeling on that excursion? RCCL just changed our Jan Allure sailing from the DR to Nassau :o(

[perfect match]

31 minutes ago, udamom said:

Nancy, How was the snorkeling on that excursion? RCCL just changed our Jan Allure sailing from the DR to Nassau :o(

It was ok. I probably would have liked it more if I hadn’t had some of the best snorkeling I’d ever done a few days earlier at Sky Reef in Cozumel that I was just totally spoiled. That said, I did see a good number and variety of fish and coral on our Nassau excursion. The water was also deeper in Nassau, so my pictures didn’t come out quite as good as the Cozumel ones did.  I’ll see if I can find a few good Nassau pictures from our Seahorse snorkeling excursion. I’ll post them separately if I find some good ones, but it won’t be until tomorrow because the underwater pictures are not in this computer, and it’s way past even this night owl’s bedtime, 😱

We liked the catamaran, the boat crew did an excellent job, and overall, we had a good time. We brought our own snorkel gear, so I can’t say much about the gear they offered, but they did seem to be trying to make sure the gear they passed out actually fit the person they were giving it to. I thought that was a good sign. They also kept a close eye on all of their snorkeled. The boat was easy to get back on board when we were done. 

Edited November 1, 2021 by perfect match

[perfect match]

Here’s a few pictures from our Seahorse Snorkel excursion. 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by perfect match

[BobNoxious]

On 11/1/2021 at 3:30 AM, perfect match said:

...

We liked the catamaran, the boat crew did an excellent job, and overall, we had a good time.

...

How was the boat ride itself?   I like to snorkel, but my wife comes along for the sail portion and stays on the boat.   I've seen mixed reviews of Seahorse in Nassau and I am unsure if it will be fun for her.   Is the boat nice - or is it just a ferry boat?