A short
taxi ride over the bridge, or a brief ride by water taxi, brings you to the
internationally famous Paradise Island and The Atlantis, a huge 1200-room
hotel, casino, restaurant and shopping complex. The opulence is hard
to take-in after leaving Bay Street in Nassau.
Views from Atlantis Hotel balconies of Paradise Island marina
The ground floor lobby opens onto a
dining room with a enormous walled aquarium with many-hued tropical fish,
sharks, and even an giant manta ray named Rosie, a 800 pound, 2 year old
manta ray with a 9 foot wingspan.
Atlantis Hotel dining
room just off main lobby with huge walled aquarium surrounding it.
The focal
point of Atlantis's extravagance is the massive Paradise Island Casino, the
best-designed and most imaginatively conceived casino in The Bahamas with
1,000 slots and 90 table games including Blackjack, Mini-Baccarat &
Baccarat, Craps, Roulette, Let It Ride and Caribbean Stud Poker. Set over a
lagoon's watery depths, it contains three bars and two restaurants.
The famous
photo-op-throne in the entrance
The casino
How it all began...
Paradise
Island was once known as Hog Island because swine were originally raised on
the island until Huntington Hartford, the owner of the A&P empire arrived in
1959 and purchased it
paying more then $11 million for the island.
He was also responsible for purchasing and transporting The Cloisters that
rest at the Versailles Gardens, which is still a popular attraction on
Bahamas Paradise Island. Paradise Island was later acquired in the 1980s by
Donald Trump for $79 million, then sold to Merv Griffin for $400 million who
last sold for $125 million to the current owner, Sol Kerzner. The current
estimated value of the island is about $2 billion USD.
It was
also once the exclusive home of Charlie Chaplin, Lloyds' of London, Richard
Harris and other mega millionaires. There were
no roads on Paradise Island and until
a decade or so ago. Homeowners on the western end of the island used
boats to get back and forth to the island. Paradise Island also boasts
a working lighthouse, one of only a handful of working lighthouses in the
Bahamas.
There are still several smaller hotels and private beach clubs on
the island.
Today, Paradise Island has become known as an upscale resort
after having been taken over by Kerzner International's Atlantis and it's
sister properties, Harbourside and Ocean Club (a
global investment company that originated in South Africa).
The Atlantis-Paradise
Island resort and casino expanded to include more aquariums housing salt
water fish, underwater walks, and sharks, along with the 50,000 square foot
casino space, the project added 150,000 square feet of public space. Today,
the entire sprawling mega hotel compound opens onto a long stretch of sandy
beach with a sheltered marina. Compare it with Disneyworld, or Vegas, but
with a mythological theme and an interconnected series of lagoons, lakes,
rivers, waterfalls, and water tubes thrown in, and you'll get the picture.
The new, unprecedented 141-acre waterscape,
AQUAVENTURE, is the centerpiece of Atlantis' recent billion-dollar
development and is a complimentary attraction for all resort guests. This
addition positions Atlantis as one of the largest water-themed attraction in
the world, containing over twenty million gallons of water. It is a non-stop
water experience, consisting of thrilling new water slides, a mile-long river
ride with high intensity rapids and wave surges, and never-before-seen
special effects that add an extreme level of excitement to the overall
experience, delivering a sensory journey unlike any other.
Check opening times for Aquaventure. Be sure you know
when you arrive at Nassau and can get off the ship --and when you must be
back on. The price may not be worth it if you do not have enough time
to spend at the water attractions before you have to get back to the ship.
Pools - 9:00 am until 5:00 pm
Rides / Slides - 10:00 am until 5:00 pm
Take note that only guests of the Paradise
Island Resort are allowed to utilize any of the spaces beyond the Hotel
Lobby and the Casino free. You can purchase excursion tickets through
your cruise line or at the Hotel Resort. A day pass from your
cruise line will cost you around $165 Adult/$115 Child to use all of the
water facilities and beach. Atlantis does sell a limited amount of day
passes for Aquaventure...they run in the area of ~$110 per adult.
The Dig: For around $30 per adult/child $15, you will
be allowed to tour the grounds in a tightly choreographed hour to see the
Dig.
You can purchase Dig
tickets in the Casino at the center kiosk
If
you have children with you, they will not be able to ride the slides, float
the river, swim in the pools, navigate the lagoons in boats and generally
have as much fun as the kids staying at the hotel with those privileges. So
the entire outing might turn into a disaster. However, the tour does cover
other amazing experiences:
The Dig comprises a number of aquariums, which are
located below the Royal Towers lobby. Some of the species which are found in
these tanks are sharks, angelfish, manta rays and several types of
jellyfish. There is also a maze of tunnels, rooms, and displays exploring
the 11,000-year-old history of the fabled lost island of Atlantis. As you
wander through The Dig, you'll see fabulous art and evidence of legends. The
high point is the final room in the attraction, where a spectacular
Navigation Guide shows a representation of the city of Atlantis, while a
terraced bronze map overhead shows the stars that Atlanteans might visit.
AQUAVENTURE
(Most slides are restricted to children
48" and taller.)
The Current
This water ride, which is a mile
in length, features waves, artificial tidal surges and conveyor belts. There
are three million gallons of water present and the water rises to seven
feet. Aquaventure adds
first-of-its-kind special effects and technology to its water slides and
river rides, bringing them together in a lush environment that is both
immersive and interconnected. Once guests are situated in their inner tubes,
they are propelled along by water escalators, waves, water surges and master
blaster technology. Unlike traditional water slides that require the
participant to leave the water and climb back to the start, at Aquaventure
guests never have to leave the water as they are propelled back up the slide
tower via water conveyors.
The Power Tower
The Power Tower, which has a height of 60 feet, contains several rides that
you can enjoy. They are:
The Abyss
Beginning with a staggering 50-foot near
vertical drop, this thrilling 14-second, 200-foot-long body slide through
waterfalls and in-and-out of the Tower’s darkness ultimately ends in an
underground lair of prehistoric alligators.
The Drop and The Falls
Accessible from the river, this slide will allow guests to journey up
the
Tower while still in their inner tubes via a
water-propelling conveyor, to then spiral down through the Tower’s dark
center.
The Surge
Starting at the Tower’s top level, this inner tube ride features a
camel back drop into a cavern, ending in a flash flood
Mayan
Temple Slides
The Mayan Temple Slides is present at the Royal Towers. It comprises 4
important slides, which are:
The Challenger Slides
Challenge a friend instead of the sharks! Guests can race each other,
two at a time, down the twin high-speed Challenger Slides. Check your speeds
on the time clocks at the bottom of the slides and see who won! Located at
the Mayan Temple.
The Jungle Slide
Take a thrilling high-speed safari. Pass through exotic jungles and
caves built into the heart of the Temple. Located at the Mayan Temple.
The Leap of
Faith
The Leap of Faith slide offers the daring and adventurous, a 60 ft.
almost-vertical drop from the top of the Mayan Temple, propelling riders at
a tremendous speed through a clear acrylic tunnel submerged in a
shark-filled lagoon.
The
Serpent Slide
On the five-story corkscrew Serpent Slide, guests travel on a tube at
high speeds through the darkness of the Temple's core.
The
twisting and turning ride culminates with a leisurely pass through a clear
acrylic tunnel submerged in a shark-filled lagoon. Located at the Mayan
Temple.
TIP: A great way to enjoy the Atlantis Resort
water park and facilities without paying the
exorbitant prices for a family is to check first
what the Paradise Island Atlantis Hotel is charging
per room--hopefully it will be off-season
(however--usually a 2-night minimum is required). You
can also book the Comfort Suites for a day. This will
give you full access to Atlantis Resort
properties.
Book
online
www.comfortsuites.com. or call
1-800-551-2409.
Comfort Suites is located across the street from the
Coral tower Lobby at Atlantis.
(Just remember, if you have
inclement weather--or other cruise line
issues--you will not be able to get a refund from
Comfort Suites vs. booking through the ship's cruise
line. All of these things must be taking into
consideration).
The rate at Comfort Suites is for 2 people; children
under 15 years stay free if sharing room with
parents (4 maximum per room); third or fourth
adult in room are charged $40. If you
register as 4-- you will get 4 bracelets. The
3 year olds are free at Atlantis (bring proof if
they look older). There are additional "hidden"
charges: i.e., energy surcharges and housekeeping
gratuities. In addition, there is a 12% resort tax
usually added to your room rate when you book.
These are charges that that are not included in the
published hotel rate and must be paid directly to
the hotel. Be sure to have them clarify
your total costs for the day--before you get to
Nassau.
One added suggestion....if you are doing this
strictly for Atlantis access and don't care anything
about the room, tell the desk when you check
in - to also check you out....this will save you
time to go directly back to the ship instead of
taking the additional time of checking out.
As you can see, in
order to get the best price for a day at Aquaventure,
you will have to do the math and compare costs with
all of the above. Call or email each hotel for
the totals and check what your cruise line is
charging for that excursion... then make your
decision.
Be aware that some days accommodations at the hotels
will not be available due to events. With concerts
and events there will be some days with limited access.
So if you are arriving one of those days .. I suggest buying your pass thru
your cruise ship where you will be guaranteed access.
GETTING AROUND NASSAU and TO ATLANTIS AND PARADISE ISLAND
A
second bridge from Nassau Harbour was installed to accommodate
back-and-forth increased
traffic demands to Atlantis and Paradise Island. There are
several ways to get from
Paradise Island to Nassau
and back. Keep in mind
that the area just over the
bridge is a good 1/2 hour
walk from downtown Nassau.
Ferry Boat -
Native Ferries run
from Paradise Island to
Nassau daily from 9 am -
6 pm. The cost is
$6 per person, round
trip and includes a
historic tour as the
ferry passes celebrity
homes, Forts and the
Water Tower on it's way
to back and forth from
the downtown wharf to
Paradise Dock.
There is a lot of
waiting time if you take
a ferry. The boat
usually doesn't move
until it is full!
And it is a 20 minute
ride. However, the tour
guide can make the trip more enjoyable.
Taxi cab -
Cabs are
readily available throughout the
downtown area, wharf, cruise port and
hotel entrances. Fares should be
established before getting into the
taxi. Cabs are not metered.
However,
a cab is a five minute ride
to Atlantis and you are deposited
right in front of the
casino.
Approximate taxi fares:
Downtown Nassau to Paradise Island $6
Walk over the bridge - This
bridge rises above the Harbour and is
about 600 feet long and 75 feet high at
the crest. It's quite a hike in the heat
for those that are not in shape
The
base of the easternmost bridge is the
busy and bustling Potters Cay. This Cay
is where the fishing and work boats come
in carrying goods from the Out Islands.
You'll also find the mailboats lined up
here. Locals have small fish and fruit
shacks with the freshest catch of the
day as well as well prepared fresh fish
and conch dinners. You can watch a
fierce game of dominos and sipcold Kalik
(local beer), or savor a spicy conch
salad freshly made while you wait.
Potters Cay
Scooters
The major scooter rental company appears to be Gibson
Scooters. They accept cash or traveler’s
checks only--no credit cards. They
advertise rates of $55 for 8 hours and
$75/day. The hourly rate is $25 for the
first hour and then $10 per hour for
extra hours. These are regular scooters,
not mopeds. All of the scooters can
carry two people.(A day car rental is
less expensive!) Everyone drives on the
“wrong” side of the road--(left side).
Be careful when crossing streets as
pedestrians, also-- we tend to look the
wrong way for on-coming traffic.
Alert: Stay in the populated
areas--even with scooters. Although it
was a few years ago, my teenage son and
his friend rented scooters and naively
went one block off the main thoroughfare
("over-the-hill") and were accosted in
broad daylight at knifepoint by 2 young
men. Fortunately, they ended up
with only with slight knife wounds on
their arms.. and their wallets taken
from them but we all spent the rest of
our cruise day with the ship's security
people and the Bahamian police-- without
results. Lesson learned--lesson
shared!
