BAHAMAS

I was wondering if anyone has any experience vacationing in the Bahamas. I am looking for good snorkeling, clear waters with great visibility. So far, NASSAU in NEW PROVIDENCE though probably not the best of the islands to go to, and probably too touristy, sounds like the best bet for two reasons. Got a possible deal on two hotels there, and the connections out of Miami and West Palm Beach look great. So to narrow this down, has anyone got any experience in around NASSAU and PARADISE ISLAND? I know its real expensive from what I have read. I am looking for great snorkeling and a little bit of bar life, good local food eating but not overly expensive restaurants. Maybe some tips on snorkeling excursions. Give it up.

Wow, I just checked this out. So add another hundred bucks per night or so.....read this...

ADDITIONAL CHARGES:
Atlantis guests are subject to $45 per night for each additional person, 12 years old and older; 6% guest room tax per person, per night; 3% Paradise Island Tourism and Development Association levy per person, per night; 3% Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board levy per person, per night and up to $18 per person per day mandatory housekeeping gratuity and utility service fee. If you purchased an Atlantis package these charges are already included in your package price. Harborside Resort guests are subject to 6% guest room tax per person, per night; 3% Paradise Island Tourism and Development Association levy per person, per night; and 3% Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board levy per person, per night and up to $11.25 per person per day mandatory housekeeping gratuity and utility service fee depending on unit type. The Cove Atlantis guests are subject to 6% guest room tax per person, per night; 3% Paradise Island Tourism and Development Association levy per person, per night; and 3% Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board levy per person, per night and up to $18 per person per day mandatory housekeeping gratuity and utility service fee. If you purchased a Destination Atlantis or The Cove Atlantis package these charges are already included in your package price. If you purchased an Accommodations Only rate you will be charged these taxes upon check out at the property.

Try checking out the Radisson Cable Beach .. also the www.superclubs.com chain have a few hotels there and normally offer industry rates ...
The UK interline site <a href="http://www.touchdown.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.touchdown.co.uk/</A> shows several hotel deals for the Bahamas ranging from USD 70 - 300 which might give some pointers.

Thank you very much for those websites. I'll be checking those out. Thanks again.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BRITSKI99:
Try checking out the Radisson Cable Beach .. also the www.superclubs.com chain have a few hotels there and normally offer industry rates ...
The UK interline site <a href="http://www.touchdown.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.touchdown.co.uk/</A> shows several hotel deals for the Bahamas ranging from USD 70 - 300 which might give some pointers. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

www.stuartcove.com/

On New Providence Island, located on the opposite side of the island from Nassau, good company from personal experience.

Wow! Talk about being feed to death! I like this term:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">mandatory housekeeping gratuity </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Here's a couple of definitions for "gratuity":

1. a gift of money, over and above payment due for service, as to a waiter or bellhop; tip.

2. an award (as for meritorious service) given without claim or obligation

So if a gratuity is mandatory it's not really a gratuity at all, is it? http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...n_confused.gif

Ok, sorry to rant. I know that's not helpful Nassau info. It's been at least 15 years since I went. But do get away from the resorts and go down to the straw market. Your likely to find some good inexpensive local cuisine there.

Sorry Chris,
Getting a bit off topic here but I'm afraid that you have to blame your fellow countrymen for this mandatory gratuity ethos. Many of us Europeans find it odd that in the US often people expect a tip just for doing their job .. e.g. shuttle bus drivers at airports ( I know that its to do with the low wages that some employees get but of course it then can permeate all levels of employment and becomes an expectation ).
As you mention it should be a personal decision so isn't it nice to see that restaurants now automatically add the gratuity they think appropriate to the bill for groups of 5 or more ...'for your convenience' !!!

Only two places in the world I SAW where tips are not expected. JAPAN and CHINA. Here, tipping is expected in hotels, cabs, bars, restaurants. A tip from me is meant to keep the good service coming. If I get good service and I enjoyed my visit to the restaurant, I am a pretty generous tipper. But some of the tipping thing goes too far. It's expected regardless of how some perform their job. I see people are willing to tip a pretty snobby waitress or bartender, but the poor mechanic sticking in a battery for your car in 100 degree heat, what does he get? Maybe the customer thinks he is overpaying for a battery and to the hell with the grease monkey right?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BRITSKI99:
Sorry Chris,
Getting a bit off topic here but I'm afraid that you have to blame your fellow countrymen for this mandatory gratuity ethos. Many of us Europeans find it odd that in the US often people expect a tip just for doing their job .. e.g. shuttle bus drivers at airports ( I know that its to do with the low wages that some employees get but of course it then can permeate all levels of employment and becomes an expectation ).
As you mention it should be a personal decision so isn't it nice to see that restaurants now automatically add the gratuity they think appropriate to the bill for groups of 5 or more ...'for your convenience' !!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Like BRUTHAH. Thanks alot for that tip. Sounds like a real good deal. SNORKEL with the sharks? Shhheeeee......it! I see the wife is automatically not going to do it. Looks like I'm on my own. Am I nuts or what? Talk to me. Hey, That was an excellent tip. Man, I really wanna check this out!!! Snorkel with the sharks while they chow down on some bait.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Randy:
www.stuartcove.com/

On New Providence Island, located on the opposite side of the island from Nassau, good company from personal experience. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by 29Palms: If you purchased an Accommodations Only rate you will be charged these taxes upon check out at the property. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Unexpected hotel fees, one of my hot button issues! Recently I was in Vegas, at check-out I noticed tacked onto the bill a $19.99 per night "resort fee". My great hotel deal had vanished as fast as a gambler's lucky streak. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif However after some discussion the "resort fees" were changed into a "goodwill credit"... non-rev magic. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Keep'em flying

You do NOT tip in Tahiti! Now, here in the States, there is a tip jar every where, we don't bother with it.
We agree, us Americans have really spoiled things with all these tip$!

I don't think its about being spoiled. I think we Americans tend to be very generous. In alot of countries, no quarter is given to the poor. We Americans tend to pull for the underdog. I like to see a waiter or waitress trying to make it especially when they win over your heart. A tip from me sometimes is a way of saying, "I'm doing all right, I make a good living, I am happy and grateful with what I got, and I want this low paid waiter or waitress for instance, to have a good tip to try and help them along and maybe they too can have some goodies and neccessities of life. May sound stupid to foreigners, but this is generousity we Americans tend to grow up with, I see nowhere else in this world. Alot of people take advantage of this and think we are rich and spoiled. Believe me, I've flipped the bird deep down inside many a time when I felt undermining forces at work.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by chet imes:
You do NOT tip in Tahiti! Now, here in the States, there is a tip jar every where, we don't bother with it.
We agree, us Americans have really spoiled things with all these tip$! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by 29Palms:
Like BRUTHAH. Thanks alot for that tip. Sounds like a real good deal. SNORKEL with the sharks? Shhheeeee......it! I see the wife is automatically not going to do it. Looks like I'm on my own. Am I nuts or what? Talk to me. Hey, That was an excellent tip. Man, I really wanna check this out!!! Snorkel with the sharks while they chow down on some bait. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Loads of fun! The scare is healing nicely in spite of how many stitches there were. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif

We've been going to O'Fest for the last 9 years, and every year we always ask about the tip policy. Our MUC DL friends always tell us, just leave a few coins and that's it!!
We get the same answers in CZM, EZE, BOG, MAD. PPG and APW......

and CPT

I have had excellent experience booking condos directly with owners through www.vrbo.com

We have a condo in Freeport/Lucaya Grand Bahama right on a beautiful beach for $85-120 US per night.
No taxes, resort fees, gratuity, etc. There is a housekeeping fee one-time of $60.

www.vrbo.com/35737

Read guest book for comments.

Best wishes for a great vacation!

Thanks for that tip, but I wasn't interested in Grand Bahama area. I clicked on to the rest of the islands and I noticed those prices jump. It's expensive as hell in the Bahamas isn't it?

I just got your message. Yes, I agree they are pretty pricey. I've found Grand Bahama to be the most reasonable.

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I just got your message. Yes, I agree they are pretty pricey. I&#39;ve found Grand Bahama to be the most reasonable.[/b]

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When Cuba opens up, Nassau will be hurting. The Cubans will have a better attitude toward$ all the new touri$t$.

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When Cuba opens up,...[/b]

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Any news on when that might be?

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Any news on when that might be?[/b]

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Within 5 years, then DL can start their service again.

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Within 5 years, then DL can start their service again.[/b]

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Again? When did DL fly there, before the cuban missle crisis? Makes me curious... how many years do you have with DL?

I had my first snorkeling experience when I visited Nassau for the first time almost fifteen years ago and have been back there to dive a couple of times. I found the waters to be exceptionally clear and the marine life amazing there. That was the experience that kind of got me hooked, and I became a scuba diver shortly after. Returning to Nassau and Paradise Island to dive, again, I was not disappointed. It&#39;s some of the best underwater scenery I&#39;ve experienced. Twice I&#39;ve snorkeled at two other Bahamian islands (the private ones owned by cruiselines), and both were amazing as well. Really great visibility and so many pretty colored fish and coral to see. By the way, my trips there have always been in the autumn months.

The long and short of it, I don&#39;t think you&#39;ll be disappointed with the snorkeling in the Bahamas no matter which island you visit.