Traveling to Atlantis: Have You Been & What To Expect?

[dannyzmom]

Hi gang!
I am hoping to pick some brains here. We are traveling wave 1 to Atlantis...for any of you who've been or have Atlantis info - please share here!!

What are the cheapest ways to eat there?

Any places we MUST avoid?

I hear cell phone service there is basically non-existant...but my ex-DH just told me cingular works there? aCan anyone confirm this? My mom has cingular so I am considering swapping cell=phones w/her for the week...

 

[Chefgirl2]

I am glad you started this thread. I tried using Google, but I'm unsure of what to trust.

I have friends that went and they said just outside the resort there are little makets and some affordable restaurants.
My sister in law sent me to these sites that I saved under favorites.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-6614180-paradise_island_restaurants-i

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Resources-g147417-Maps-Paradise_Island_New_Providence_Island_Bahamas.html

She also told me to go to ask.com

I'm on hold with Sprint to see if I have service. I didn't even think about phone service.

 

[chefkristin]

I went to the Bahamas for my honeymoon. Atlantis is awesome. Nassau is the pits! I don't think that I would go back. The natives have trash in their backyards and it really smells. But that was 6 years ago so maybe it has changed. We mostly did the planned excursions. We went swimming with the dolphins, toured Atlantis (if you have never been it is quite the site). We did a lot of relaxing too. We did go snorkeling and I think we went on a moonlit dinner cruise. We went to Aruba the year before and I keep messing the 2 trips up. But I do remember the trash I really loved Aruba and I am going back eventually!!! It would be nice if PC picked that as a trip!!!

 

[pamperedalf]

Okay from my experience (we honeymooned on Nassau), do not eat at the Atlantis resort unless you only want to spend $$ there(it's close to $60 for 1 hamburger and 2 drinks/we spent $20 for 2 ice creams at the ice cream shop). There are restaraunts and markets right outside or close by.The one thing that is cool about Atlantis, is it has a lot of fun things to do there already. I would probably stay on the resort most of the time. Nassau is dirty, but I did enjoy going to the market I got some cute necklaces. Oh ask a local where to get the best conk fritters. They have the best, and I haven't been able to have them since.Far as cell service, we had it. But this is what we had to do, we had to make sure we had international service, then when we got there we had to call a rep and activate it. We have edge wireless which is a part of AT&T/now singular.

 

[chefkristin]

Okay from my experience (we honeymooned on Nassau), do not eat at the Atlantis resort unless you only want to spend $$ there(it's close to $60 for 1 hamburger and 2 drinks/we spent $20 for 2 ice creams at the ice cream shop). There are restaraunts and markets right outside or close by.

The one thing that is cool about Atlantis, is it has a lot of fun things to do there already. I would probably stay on the resort most of the time. Nassau is dirty, but I did enjoy going to the market I got some cute necklaces. Oh ask a local where to get the best conk fritters. They have the best, and I haven't been able to have them since.

Far as cell service, we had it. But this is what we had to do, we had to make sure we had international service, then when we got there we had to call a rep and activate it. We have edge wireless which is a part of AT&T/now singular.

Oh Yeah!! We ate lunch at Atlantis! HOLY BILL!!!! We only had burgers and fries too and you might think we went to The Top of The Hub (restaurant at the top of the Prudential building in Boston).

 

[Chefgirl2]

I called Sprint and it is 99 cents a call to the states and then you use your minutes.

I don't think that is too bad.

HOLY COW! That is crazy how much the meals are! Thank goodness I didn't buy my kids in because they are addicted to icecream!

 

[dannyzmom]

I called Sprint and it is 99 cents a call to the states and then you use your minutes.

I don't think that is too bad.

HOLY COW! That is crazy how much the meals are! Thank goodness I didn't buy my kids in because they are addicted to icecream!

I have TMobile and when we were in Nassau last year on the PC cruise our cells didn;t work there. We paid extra for the intl plan so they'd work in Puerto Rico and St Thomas...but got no service in Nassau.

 

[ltkacz]

I have stayed at the Atlantis3 times over the course of the past 10 years. I love it, and can't wait to take my son and husband there.

Prices at the Atlantis are not cheap, but it is comparable to any other upscale caribean hotel prices (I've been to Aruba 3 times and stayed at the Hyatt 2 of the 3). Many of the restaurants are "buffet" style, but I'll be honest, last time I was there I think it was closed to $40 for breakfast. However, lunch was usually non-exsistant.

I've never taken my cell phone out the country, so I'm not sure if it would work or not. Typcially, I just us AT&T calling card service.

Nassau is a pit, but the market is fun to hit one morning. I wouldn't leave Paradise island in the evening at all.

If you can get a chance to swim with the Dolphin's - it's an incredible experience. There is also this 3 hour excursion where you can walk on the bottom of the ocean - that is very fun.

If you need more information, feel free to PM me.

 

[pamperedbecky]

I have found out a TON about ATlantis from tripadvisor.com. You can do a search of the reviews from people who have traveled there. YES, I have definitely heard how expensive the meals are. Pretty much everywhere there is VERY expensive!!! YOu'll hear different recommendations of off-resort places to go. A few are walking distance it sounds.

Definitely take any of these reviews with a grain of salt. Especially the very negative ones. SOme people are incredibly picky. But, it at least gives you an idea of what to expect. Some people post their pictures.

Less than two weeks to go and I'm there!