Good morning from Nassau! This port day really did sneak up on me. This is the first time I’ve had a port day before my first sea day. I prefer to have a sea day, three port days, then two sea days at the end.

My last two cruises have had two sea days at the beginning. Now I’m experiencing the other extreme with no sea day at the beginning. I’m not even unpacked and we’re in Nassau already.

This is my second time in Nassau. If you would like to read about my Nassau city tour where I visited the forts, the Queen’s Staircase, Parliament, the distillery, Junkanoo Beach and more, check out my I have a Dream: Nassau post from last year.

Today we are going to visit a place I didn’t make it to last year, Paradise Island.

I didn’t book an excursion for today. I want to go at my own pace. That leaves me time to grab breakfast in the main dining room before heading out.

Main Dining Room

This cruise I want to try some items from the lighter menu so I’m starting out with the yogurt parfait.

To go with my cheddar broccoli scramble.

I usually don’t have problems in the MDR but I did this morning. This was in the yogurt parfait. It’s hard as a rock. You could break a tooth on it. Fortunately I did not. I reported it and was offered something else but I declined.

Deck 5 Lanai

After breakfast I grabbed a coffee from the coffee shop. I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned it here but I always get the Cheers program which includes up to 15 alcoholic beverages per day and unlimited non-alcoholic beverages including specialty coffees.

I stepped out on the lanai to see an old friend, Carnival Sunrise–formerly Carnival Triumph.

Outside of finding a kidney stone in my parfait it’s been a pretty good morning. I slept until 8:30 (ship time) which is late for me but it’s really 7:30 back home.  I threw on some clothes and ran down to breakfast because it closes at 9–Or at least it’s supposed to. I know they were still seating people at 8:57. 

I’m heading up to the room to get ready for the day. I’ll take in some of the views from around the ship then head over to Paradise Island for a bit.

Deck 11

Let’s take a walk around deck 11 and check out the views.

It looks like the Carnival Sunrise crew are conducting drills.

They’re lowering the life boats.

The Magic crew are also conducting drills on the ship.

A look at Paradise Island

I’m heading off the ship.

Nassau pier

I’m heading over to Paradise Island via the water taxi. I’m just following the signs and what people say.

I follow this sign into the building and out the other side.

I step outside and see a sign for the ferry.

That led me to this booth.

I stopped by the cab stand to price check. They said $4 as long as I joined a group. There was a group there ready. I mentioned to the taxi stand guy that I wanted to take the water taxi one way and the regular taxi the other way. He recommended I take the water taxi over and the ground taxi back.

I paid the $4 to the boat people and was given a green ticket. I was told to walk down this road, take a left through the gate and then a right down the street.

Across the street from Sharkeez is a green stand that says “glass bottom boat water shuttle.” You can buy the same ticket for the same price there.

The water shuttle is right behind the stand. This particular boat is called Snapper 2.

I was first on the boat and had to wait until over twenty other people boarded.

The floor of the boat clearly isn’t glass. This other guy on the shuttle–I’ll call him Kitts McGee–points out he paid for a glass bottom boat. I tell Kitts the glass is probably on the bottom but you can’t see it because it’s under water.

I got on the shuttle at 11:04 and we waited until it was packed to the gills and we continued to wait. Kitts McGee asks where they are going to put additional people. I speculate they may seat people in our laps.

We finally pulled out at 11:30. It turns out the shuttle leaves every half hour. It was bad timing arriving at 11:04. I should’ve arrived just before 11 or waited until closer to 11:30 prior to boarding. At least I was able to secure the shuttle seat I wanted.

Here is a time lapse video of the water shuttle ride. The guide was funny and informative. It was well worth the $4.

Paradise Island

The shuttle drop off is right by a bridge with vendors underneath it.

You cross under the bridge and just follow the path. If you aren’t interested in walking, I would recommend taking a ground taxi that will drop you at the front door of Atlantis for the same price.

The ladies under this tent have free maps but all you need to do is go right and continue on the path.

Here you have to cross the street here otherwise you run out of sidewalk.

Shop or don’t shop.

At this point everyone interlocks arms, begins skipping and singing “follow the green fence path. follow the green fence path.”

This is where I messed up. Crossing and going right takes you right to the entrance and where you by tickets. I crossed and took a left down into the shopping village because all of the people from those vans were blocking the path. I thought that would get me around them but it took me to a different entrance and I had to walk through the whole thing to get back to the front and the ticket window.

Atlantis

This is the ticket window. I had read about long lines at the ticket window. That must’ve been during the ship tours earlier in the day. There was no line for me. $44 for the aquarium just like online. Water park was $135.

The Smalltooth Sawfish is a critically endangered species. They are typically caught so their fins can be sold. Atlantis is the first aquarium to breed this species.

Atlantis Casino

Most casinos don’t want you to take pictures. So I just snapped a few shots real quick and put my phone away.

The blackjack minimum was $15 but the payout was better than on the ship. Blackjack paid 3-2 at Atlantis. On the ship it pays 6-5 unless you’re on a $25 table then it’s 3-2.

Craps minimum was $10 as were the poker games I saw such as Mississippi Stud.

Atlantis Sports Book

Atlantis Lobby

I’m heading out of the casino into the lobby/mall area.

They have fancy stores in here like Gucci and Rolex.

This door will take you back to to the area where you can grab a taxi to the port.

I finish looking around, head out the front door and start walking. I get to the bottom of the hill and realize the taxis are back at the entrance. I ask a taxi driver he says I have to catch it up the hill.

I decide to just continue and take the water shuttle again. It’s only 12:35. I wanted to be on a taxi by 2pm. I have plenty of time.

Since I was taking a video on the way here, a return trip on the water taxi would allow me to take some stills.

So I follow the green fence path.

I arrived back at the shuttle spot at 12:45 so it was about a 10 minute walk for me.

There’s a green ticket booth under the bridge where you can purchase a ferry ticket. Then you wait on the opposite side of the bridge from where you were dropped off. They have bench seating and a snack stand.

Two bridges. The far bridge was built in 1969 and cost the government 1.2 million. The closer bridge is the newer bridge built in 1998 and cost the government 22.5 million.

These are time share properties that are a part of Atlantis. 80% of Paradise Island is owned by Atlantis.

This used to be a nude beach. It was shut down because too many boats were breaking down in front of the beach. They were having too many boat accidents in this area. If the beach were still open this boat would be going much slower now.

This used to be Club Med. Atlantis purchased it and now uses it for storage. 

This was used in 1965 Sean Connery James Bond film “Thunderball.”

Speaking of 007. Here is the boat tour.

This fenced in area is where they once kept 13 dolphins that were recused from New Orleans during hurricane Katrina. Those are the dolphins you now pay to swim with at Atlantis.

Yoga place where people do…yoga things.

We are coming up on Carnival Magic, Carnival Sunrise, and Allure of the Seas.

I was off the shuttle at 1:25. They drop you off a little further down from the pickup spot–In front of Pompey Square by Senor Frogs.

I returned back to the building that takes you to the pier. There was quite a crowd in there as they checked Sail & Sign cards.

Maga cat man.

I passed security and am heading up to the room in the glass elevators.

I made it back to the room by 2pm and went looking for food. The Guy’s burger joint line was 20 deep on both sides.

I thought about stopping at Mongolian Wok but when I saw the guy in line with his stomach hanging out of his shirt standing in front of the noodles with the tongs laying in the noodles…I couldn’t…..stomach it. I’d like to see the JiJi’s (Carnival Vista) version of Mongolian wok on the Dream class ships please.

Pasta Bella

Pasta bella may be my only chance at getting a untainted meal before dinner time.

There was one couple in front of me waiting for a table. It’s still practically empty up here.

Heading back down I have a bird’s eye view of the cakes in the lido buffet.

I took a quick shot of the buffet menu as I walked by. It was a little dangerous because the menu is in the middle of the buffet line. So approaching it to take a picture could be misinterpreted as an attempt to cut in line. As I’m doing this I’m bracing for attack from hungry, angry looking buffet goers.

Serenity Bar

Pina colada with sugar straw. I forgot to bring my plastic straws up here.

Straw update.

This isn’t actually what I ordered but I’ll go with it. Pina Colada again. This straw collapsed early on. I had to bite it off a couple of times to keep the Colada flowing.

Sail Away

Ocean Plaza

After sailaway I headed down to the Alchemy bar in Ocean Plaza for some pre-dinner drinks. I was thinking they opened at 4 but that may be sea days. They actually open at 5 today.

I headed back to the room to get ready for dinner instead. 

Main Dining room

The dining room had a line but it wasn’t too bad. Twice they tried to get me to request a table on the Carnival Hub app before I got to the front of the line. One of them even tried to grab my phone out of my hand. I guess she thought I was trying to do it on the app. I insisted on waiting until I got to the front of the line since I have a specific table request.

Baby Spinach Salad

Lobster, Shrimp, Mushroom Risotto

They are starting a new process in the MDR where they ask for your dessert order with your entree. I don’t have a problem with it because I like to get in and out. But I’m sure if you wanted to wait you could.

This is the worst Creme Brûlée I’ve had on a Carnival ship. Actually this is the worst Creme Brûlée I’ve ever had anywhere. The top is mostly soft except in the dark spots. The entire top should be like the dark spots.

 Comedy Club

After dinner I headed to the comedy club for the PG show. 20 minutes until showtime.

I grabbed a seat at the bar. 5 minutes until showtime.

Casino Bar

After comedy I headed to the Casino bar to see if there were any seats available for Monday Night Football. There was one so I grabbed it.

The smoking was bad. Ashes were all over the bar and a guy next to me was coughing all over the place so I took a risk and gave up my spot in hopes of a better one at the Red Frog Pub where I could drink pumpkin beer and watch the game on a bigger TV in a smoke free environment.

Red Frog Pub

Main Lounge

At halftime I headed down to the main lounge to take a peek at the Playlist Productions show 88 keys which was already in progress.

Red Frog Pub

I went back to the bar for more game and pumpkin beer. I messed up though.

20 mins before the R comedy show I tried to grab another pumpkin beer to take to the comedy club. 88 keys let out 15 mins before the comedy show started and I was still waiting for the beer.

People were streaming from forward to aft. I got to the club and all of the bar spots were taken or saved. I stood back because I know a lot of people go to the bar before the show just to get a drink and then return to their tables. I wait for a couple minutes and it happens…I pounce.

Comedy Club

There was another R show after that one. People were waiting outside to get into the next show. It wasn’t nearly enough to fill the place. I would have no problem getting a seat but I decide to catch the end of the game instead.

Cabin

After the game I headed back to the cabin for some shut eye. Tomorrow is a Sea Day.

• Atlantis
• Bahamas
• Carnival Magic
• Nassau
• Paradise Island