Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas !!

**Rhayne** · 05-11-2010, 01:47 PM

We finally did it. We booked our vacation to Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas! We will be spending 5 nights there and I'm so happy that we'll be there during our 6th anniversary. We didn't even realize we planned it like that til afterwards. We got an awesome deal on priceline.com and it'll actually cost less then it cost us to go to San Diego back in 2006. We also got non stop flights to and from so it'll only take 3 hours to get there and back. I hate planes so that is a major plus in my book. I'm so excited I can't wait for July to get here already. We haven't had a vacation in 3 years. Anyone else ever been to the Bahamas or anywhere in the Caribbean?

**baronmom** · 05-11-2010, 03:37 PM

I have been to Paradise Island. We went there for our honeymoon. We loved it. Have a great time.

**Contrary Housewife** · 05-11-2010, 04:08 PM

We took a cruise to several different places a few years ago. Let me tell you I was sorely tempted to get lost and not get back on the ship....

**Rhayne** · 05-11-2010, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Contrary Housewife

We took a cruise to several different places a few years ago. Let me tell you I was sorely tempted to get lost and not get back on the ship....

I've been reading reviews, watching videos and looking at pictures of other peoples trips and I'm already tempted to get lost and not come back. hehe.

**Palooka** · 05-11-2010, 05:05 PM

I love those Atlantis commercials. What a beautiful place and congrats and I bet you're going to have the time of your life.

Don't blame you if you find yourself lost.

**monkeywrangler71** · 05-11-2010, 05:11 PM

We stopped in Nassau on a cruise, and I looked across the water at it

I have major anxiety over being late for anything, so I was a nervous wreck at every port stop, afraid I'd miss the boat. I didn't want to risk crossing the bridge

but everyone who went over said it was awesome.

**Rhayne** · 05-11-2010, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

We stopped in Nassau on a cruise, and I looked across the water at it

I have major anxiety over being late for anything, so I was a nervous wreck at every port stop, afraid I'd miss the boat. I didn't want to risk crossing the bridge

but everyone who went over said it was awesome.

I'm nervous about being late too when it comes to appointments or getting on airplanes. When we came back from California one year we had a 45 minute layover in Atlanta and I insisted on going right to our terminal for fear of missing it. My BF reassured me that we had time and guess what? We missed the plane! Had to wait an hour for the next one. Luckily they got us on one that was leaving so soon.

**PrairieRose** · 05-11-2010, 10:36 PM

We've been to Nassau several times on cruises and swear that the next time we're there we'll pop over to Atlantis and have a look-see. Be sure to check out the straw market in Nassau while you're there but beware.....only buy 1 or 2 of the knock offs that you want b/c customs will confiscate and charge you the price of the 'original' or so they say......

. I'm always too nervous to push my luck. Also if you are wanting a bag or something else from there just be sure to look it over really well....sometimes you don't notice the imperfections until you get home with them.

**hollyhill** · 05-11-2010, 11:32 PM

Priceline is great. I am glad you found a deal.

Never been to the Bahamas, except in my dreams..

**Michelle** · 05-12-2010, 07:20 AM

My SIL stayed at Atlantis several years ago when she was a nanny. Said it was phenomenal

Have a great time! I can't wait to hear all about it when you return

**sabrelvssammy** · 05-12-2010, 01:44 PM

i've been a couple of times:

things to definately do:
walk around the marina (practically attached to the place) but walk around the 'boardwalk' and check out all the awesome boats and notice all the places from around the world they have come in from..(will be on the back of the boats under their names)

check out the underground aquarium....awesome!

rent mopeds and get out of the 'tourist area'...stop at the little 'hole in the wall' places...

have a super strong stomach if you do the waterslide... i wanted to go back down (via the stairs)....kinda wish i had...lol

go into freeport via ferryboats...(you will be in Nassau)....

check out the straw markets but remember you can haggle (though they are getting harder and harder)..if you just say "no thanks" and walk away (even though you really want the item)...9 times out of 10 they will chase you....

food and drinks are outrageous! so be careful... we ordered 2 beers and 2 ice teas from a bar once and the bill was $28...i know it's vacation and you are 'spose to enjoy and ease up a bit but JEEZ...!

last time we went i took crystal lt packets and made my own drinks...and i also went to the local liquor store and got a bottle of rum and mixed it with my crystal lt (orange of course)....i also took food & snacks in my suitcase (ok i am strange i know that...but i am a vegan and sometimes it's hard to find things i want to eat)....you won't have trouble getting food items in through customs but don't try to take any home with you coz even though they were made in the usa they won't let them back out... i once had to cry to keep my pb&j sandwich i made up for my long flight home...they were gonna take it and i wailed and wailed about possibly dying from starvation (yea right) and the lady customs agent felt so sorry for me she turned the other way while i hid it....(pays to be super nice to them)....so for 'cheaper' food stay away from the 'tourist strip' where all the stores & eateries are jumbled together... get off the beaten path...or grab stuff from the local groceries....

if you buy more than you are allowed than just 'wear' it....jewelry, clothes, whatever....they don't count what you came in with...they aren't counting what you left with (unless you have suitcases full of stuff)....i think you are allowed $200 but it could have changed...it's been a few yrs...

a good place for info is 'trip advisor.com'.... just plug in bahamas and you will find a wealth of info written by us common people that have been there....you can also ask all the questions you want and you will be inudated with replies....

have a wonderful time!!!!

**Rhayne** · 05-12-2010, 02:10 PM

Thanks for all the Info and comments so far! I am deffinately planning to pack snacks in my suitcase and probly water too. We did the same thing the year we went to Disneyworld because we knew snacks in the parks would be rediculous. Over the next couples weeks I'll be writing out our itinerary. I'm really picky and like to make sure we have things to do and know where and when to do them. I wrote out a whole itinerary when we went to California and everything ran smoothly. My boyfriend convinced me to "wing it" when we went to Florida and we had fun but I wished we had something down in writing that i could look at.