Some well thought out questions re Freeport/Old Lucaya and Paradise Island/Nassau

[nator555]

First of all I am dying to go to Gold Rock beach inside Lucaya National Park (the pics on tripadvisor are breathtaking). We will take a $5 pp taxi from the port at Freeport to Old Lucaya. How far is the walk from Old Lucaya to the National Park? I know Gold Rock beach is hidden and not easy to find but I am determined. Second we also plan to visit Cabbage beach on Paradise Island even though there are no bathrooms/food available (I am a sucker for a amazing beach). Will Carnival allow me to bring snacks and bottle water off the ship in a bookbag so I can snack on Cabbage beach? Third we plan to spend 9am - 3 pm at Cabbage beach then we will go back to the ship to eat then we will have a few more hours of freetime before we go to see the Digs around 9pm for free hopefully. Any idea what to do with kids in ths freetime? Thanks a million!!!

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I can respond about your Freeport stop. First of all you're thinking of "Our" Lucaya, not "Old" Lucaya. Our Lucaya is a hotel resort complex featuring Sheraton and Westin hotels set on a nice (but more crowded) beach. Across the street from Our Lucaya is the "Port" Lucaya Marketplace. This is a complex of shops, bars, restaurants and a straw market.

 

The Lucayan National Park is nowhere near Our Lucaya and nowhere near where the ship docks. The national park is well to the east of the towns of Freeport and Lucaya. Grand Bahama Nature Tours offers an excursion there from hotels but I don't know what it costs or how flexible they are about where they'll take you. Check their website. You could also consider renting a car for the day and driving yourself. But be aware driving is on the left although most cars have the steering wheel on the left too as we do. (In Nassau most rental cars have the steering wheel on the right.) I don't think there are any rental car facilities at the port so you'd either need to cab it to a hotel that has a rental desk or to the airport.

 

BobK/Orlando

[zubee23]

Another thing to be aware of with Gold Rock Beach is you need to be there at low tide. It's a beautiful beach but the pictures with the rippling sand are taken at low tide. If your cruise ship is at Freeport when it's hightide you may as well go to another beach. Once you get to Port Lucaya, a public bus driver will take you to Taino Beach for about $2 a head each way. The bus stop is by the police station at Port Lucaya - ask anyone where it is. The bus driver will arrange to pick you back up. BTW, a public bus in Grand Bahama is a small van. It will say bus on it - some of the taxis look like a bus, too. Also, there's a public beach access right by the police station. This is the same stretch of beach that the Sheraton/Westin Our Lucaya complex is on and Billy Joe's beach shack is there. Billy Joe's is outdoor dining at its best! Truly a shack but right on the water!

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Gold Rock Beach and Taino Beach are not the same things. Taino Beach is the same beach that you'll find at the Our Lucaya resort except that it's a mile further east and separated from the Lucayan beach by a channel used by boats to get in and out of the Lucayan harbour.

 

Lucayan National Park is 26 miles further to the east.

 

BobK/Orlando

[scubagirrl]

First of all I am dying to go to Gold Rock beach inside Lucaya National Park (the pics on tripadvisor are breathtaking). We will take a $5 pp taxi from the port at Freeport to Old Lucaya. How far is the walk from Old Lucaya to the National Park? I know Gold Rock beach is hidden and not easy to find but I am determined. Second we also plan to visit Cabbage beach on Paradise Island even though there are no bathrooms/food available (I am a sucker for a amazing beach). Will Carnival allow me to bring snacks and bottle water off the ship in a bookbag so I can snack on Cabbage beach? Third we plan to spend 9am - 3 pm at Cabbage beach then we will go back to the ship to eat then we will have a few more hours of freetime before we go to see the Digs around 9pm for free hopefully. Any idea what to do with kids in ths freetime? Thanks a million!!!

 

 

At Nassau, you can fill some time exploring the Marina Village before you head to the DIGS.. or if you prefer downtown, check out one of the Forts. One is up the hill near the queens staircase, the just outside of town. They close around 5pm.. as does most of Nassau.

 

As for your food questions.. sneaking food off the ship is a no-no.

 

There's a foodstore downtown as well as plenty places to pick up snacks.

Foodstore is located just across from the Ferryboats on the wharf.