disney cruise blue lagoon island beach day

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Trip Report Day 4: Blue Lagoon Beach Day Nassau

November 2, 2016 by Disney Cruise Mom 14 Comments

If you would like to start this trip report from the beginning, you can do so by clicking here .

We were scheduled for the Blue Lagoon Beach day excursion through DCL and were supposed to meet in the Buena Vista Theater at 9:15.  We woke up, put on swim suits, packed our excursion bags with the necessities (we took a backpack and our new KYSS lockable bag ) and headed to Cabanas for breakfast.  I do not particularly care for breakfast in Cabanas (or any buffet for that matter) because it can be hard to find a table and there are just so many people all trying to get to the same food at the same time.  It can be quite chaotic.  But, we needed a quick breakfast and it would get the job done.  I later realized that one of the main dining rooms is also open for breakfast with a buffet, so we did that the next morning and I liked it much better as we were practically the only ones there.

We walked through the atrium on our way to Cabanas and noticed that the Pumpkin Tree had “bloomed” overnight.

We actually found a table for all 6 of us pretty easily, thank goodness, and had a good, although noisy and crowded, breakfast.  We were sailing into Nassau at this point (and the seas were much calmer as promised), so I stepped outside to take a few pictures of our arrival.  Here is the Atlantis resort:

After breakfast we went to the Buena Vista Theater to meet our excursion group.  We were a few minutes early and some of the first ones there.  I was impressed with how organized it was.  There was a cruise staff member near the door who greeted us and told us to go check in with another staff member down at the front of the theater.  That staff member checked our excursion tickets and gave us Peter Pan stickers to wear that would identify us as part of the Blue Lagoon Beach day group.  Then we sat down to wait.

This is a good time for me to fill you in on why I chose this excursion and my thoughts of ship-sponsored excursions vs. booking excursions on your own directly with tour operators.  I actually have an entire blog post dedicated to this subject ( click here to read ), as well as a post about how I choose excursions ( click here to read ).  We have been to Nassau several times before on cruises and have always stayed on the ship.  My husband and I have been to the Atlantis Resort before and don’t feel like it is worth the high price and large crowds.  I know some people love going there, but it is not something I have ever wanted to do, having been there before.  We would have stayed on the ship this day as well (and enjoyed brunch at Palo !) except for the fact that my niece was with us.  This was her first cruise, and first beach vacation, ever, and we wanted to make sure that she got at least one good beach day in on this trip.  We would be at Castaway Cay the next day, but having been there several times, I know that occasionally the ship is unable to dock due to high winds/seas and that even if you dock, the weather doesn’t always cooperate.  So, we decided to book this excursion through DCL and just deal with all of the cons (i.e. lots of waiting around) that often comes with a ship-sponsored port adventure.

We waited in the theater for maybe 15-20 minutes.  During this time we decided to purchase one of the DCL coolers with 6 bottles of water for $20 that they were selling.  I had some water with us, but I really wanted that cooler!  You will see it in a picture later.  Soon we were instructed to leave the theater and disembark the ship.  There were people handing out towels as we left the theater, so we each took one.

We left the ship and proceeded to wait some more.  We stood in a line on the pier for another 15-20 minutes.  I think we were waiting for a tour operator to come get us and lead us to the ferry that would take us to the island.  At least it wasn’t too hot and there was a nice breeze.  During this time, someone came around and passed out wristbands to everyone.  I took some photos while we waited.

This is a view of the tourist/market area:

I think there were 3 other ships in port that day.

Eventually we were led to the ferry.

Hurricane Matthew had come through 1 week prior, and we saw a lot of roof damage to many of the buildings in the port area.  Overall, I thought it looked pretty good considering how bad the storm had been.  When we got the the docking area, the ferry wasn’t there yet so we waited some more.  Anyone notice a common theme here?  Tons of waiting!  While we waited, a tour operator walked around helping people put on their wristbands.  They were a little bit tricky to figure out, so we appreciated the help.

The ferry finally arrived, and I forgot to take a picture of it.  It was nothing fancy, with 2 levels and bench seating.  There was a primitive bathroom onboard, and I think they may have been selling some snacks and drinks.  We took a seat and waited for everyone else to board.  Someone walked around and passed out food & drink tickets at this point, as they were included in the cost of the excursion.  I took a picture of my watch to note the time:

It had been 1 hour since our scheduled meeting in the Buena Vista Theater, and we still had a 45 minute ferry ride to the island before our beach day would officially start.  Here we are waiting…..

We eventually started moving.  On the ride, we had a great view of the Atlantis resort and a lot of beautiful homes.

It appeared that Atlantis had suffered some damage from Hurricane Matthew the week before:

After about 30-45 minutes we approached Blue Lagoon Island.

Blue Lagoon is a pretty island with a nice sheltered beach and swimming area (including an area with inflatables that costs $16 per person extra), a gift shop, an area for dolphin and sea lion encounters, and a covered area that serves food at lunch time.  We exited the ferry about 11:00 (now almost 2 hours after our meeting time) and walked to the beach area, only to find that all of the chairs were already taken.  I don’t know if it was because there were 4 ships in port that day or this is the norm, but they really need to add more chairs.  The girls were anxious to swim so we went old school and just threw our stuff on the sand.  This was our pathetic set up:

Above you can see the DCL cooler on the left and our KYSS bag on the right, next to the backpack.

The girls had a great time playing in the water and sand.  The little cove area is nicely protected from the open ocean and is a safe, shallow place for kids to play.  We didn’t see any sea life while we were there.

I walked out into the water and took these pictures of the beach area:

There was a lifeguard on duty which was a total joke.  The ENTIRE time this girl was up there, she was looking at her phone.

My husband said the guy up there before her was doing the same thing.  Blue Lagoon should save themselves some money and do away with the lifeguards, or better yet, insist that the guards actually look out at the water.  Rant over.

We played on the beach for about 2 hours and then it suddenly looked like it was going to storm, so we decided to pack up our stuff and go eat lunch as the food area was covered.  Unlike beach chairs, there were plenty of picnic tables to choose from.  For lunch, you walk through a line, drop your ticket in a cup, and choose from a few items.  I think our choices were a hamburger, hot dog, or chicken sandwich, with french fries, rice, or fried plantains on the side.  There may have been a few more choices but I can’t be sure.  There is a station with toppings for the burgers, as well as a drink station and cookie station.  The food was acceptable but not great.  It got the job done.

It never did end up raining.  After we ate we decided to go look at the dolphins and sea lions, which are on the other side of the island.  We saw some stingrays too, so I think they may also have a stingray encounter.  Here is the dolphin area:

And some sea lions:

By this time we decided we were ready to go back to the ship.  I think it was about 1:40.  When we had arrived at the island, we were told that there would be a return ferry at 1:00, 2:00, and 4:00. Well, at 1:40 the 1:00 ferry had still not arrived and there was a very long line of people waiting to get on it.  We didn’t think we would be able to fit on the ferry as we weren’t even in line yet, but we started walking towards the line anyway.  The ferry arrived a few minutes later.  We walked up to the boarding area and at first they told us the ferry was full and we would have to wait for the next one.  We were ok with that, but then a minute later they said they could add 15 more people, so we jumped on.  I think it turned out to be a very good thing that we got on this ferry as I would expect that the 2:00 ferry was going to be severely delayed as well.  The only bad thing was that all of the seats were full, so we had to stand at the back of the boat the whole way back breathing in exhaust fumes.  We eventually sat on our towels on the floor.  Here we are sailing away from the island.

We saw some people parasailing which was cool to see.  We had booked parasailing the next day at Castaway Cay but kept it a surprise from the girls, so they didn’t know yet.

The boat crew was trying to keep everyone entertained on the journey back.  They were making some jokes and trying to get the crowd to interact but they weren’t having much luck.  We were so far back that we couldn’t hear very well.  They announced that we were going to first stop at Atlantis to let some people off.  We stopped and 1 person got off.  One.  At this point it felt like we were never going to get back to the ship, but the girls were being very patient and for that I was grateful.

We eventually pulled up to the cruise ship area.

The place they dropped us off was much farther from the ship than the place where we had boarded, which is frustrating.  It really was quite a far walk, and we had to go through the tourist area where locals are selling stuff and shouting at you.  I had heard that they are pushy so I told everyone to walk quickly and not make eye contact.  People still shouted at us to buy stuff, but overall the strategy worked pretty well and we were for the most part left alone.  After what felt like walking for forever, we were back on the ship.

Here are my overall thoughts on this excursion:

The beach was clean, pretty, and nicely sheltered from the open ocean

We got to see dolphins and sea lions

I thought the price was fair

You spend just as much time, if not more, going to and from the island than you do on the island.  We spent a total of 3 hours waiting and in transit and a little over 2.5 hours there.  I think they did they best they could under the circumstances, but this will always be an issue when you are moving such a large number of people at a time.  My kids were fine, but I think some might have a hard time with all of the waiting.

Not enough seating on the beach

Ferry boats returning to the ship were way off schedule

They drop you off too far from the ship upon returning

If this is your only chance for a beach day on your cruise and that is important for you, then I say go for it.  It will accomplish that goal.  But, Castaway Cay is just so much better, even with inclement weather (spoiler alert!).  In hindsight, knowing that we were indeed able to dock at Castaway Cay the next day, I wish we had stayed on the ship and gone to Palo brunch .

We got back to our rooms and found our pirate bandanas waiting for us.  I had forgotten that it was pirate night!  We all showered and got dressed in our pirate outfits and then watched movies until dinner at 5:45.  It was nice to have some down time.  We also ordered a cheese platter from room service, which I forgot to photograph.  I love the cheese platter and try to order one several times each cruise.

On our way to Royal Palace, we took some pictures in the atrium.  I’m not sure what is up with the girls wearing the bandanas cowboy style.  They had been on their heads earlier.  My husband recycled his Smee outfit and I just work red, black and white stuff that I already had.  The girls’ outfits were all from previous cruises .

We got to our table in Royal Palace and I was delighted to see that we were next to a window!  I love it when our table is next to a window.

I kept our family tradition of taking a pirate photo of this girl wearing the kids menu pirate hat:

Dinner was lovely but, no pictures.  While eating we decided that we were going to skip dessert in the dining room and instead go to Vanellope’s later for a treat.  I later regretted this once I found out that everyone in the dining room got the Halloween dessert this night.  We had it a few years ago and loved it.  Here is a picture from a previous cruise:

Since we skipped dessert, we were the first ones to leave the dining room and then headed to the gift shops which were deserted at this point.  I checked out the Dooney selection.  There seemed to be a lot more variety than I remember seeing on previous cruises.  I really like the striped one on the bottom.

I also like the Mickey & Minnie on on the top right:

My girls went crazy over these goggles .  I have to admit they were really cute.  We didn’t buy any on the ship, but I found them on Amazon ( click here to see selection and pricing ) once we got home and they may be making an appearance at our house on Christmas morning.  They also have some for boys.

There were SO many cute ones, but here are close-ups of 2 of them:

This was the first time I remember seeing Castaway Club merchandise for sale:

I don’t think we bought anything this night, and now it was time to go to Vanellope’s for dessert.  We were the only ones there.  We told the girls they could each pick out 1 thing.  The older 2 chose jelly beans and chocolate almonds.  I got some mango gelato which was FANTASTIC!  The younger 2 and my husband all wanted ice cream, so Andres behind the counter talked them into this, since it came with 3 scoops:

Here he is making it:

After dessert it was time for the show, which was Villain’s Tonight.  I know a lot of people aren’t crazy about this show, but our family loves it so we were really looking forward to it.  I thought that this Hades (the host) wasn’t as good as others we have seen, but we still enjoyed it.

After the show, we went back to the room and found our towel animals.  I’m not sure what this is but we thought it was awesome!

The monkey is always one of our favorites!

Now we started talking about the pirate deck party and fireworks.  It was about 9:15 at this point, and the show and fireworks weren’t until 10:30.  Can you believe that none of the girls wanted to go???  They wanted to go to bed instead!  My girls have seen it several times, but my niece hadn’t.  Once she assured me that she didn’t mind missing it, we decided to call it a night and skip the pirate party.  I felt so lame.  I mean, I was really tired so it didn’t take a lot of convincing, but I never, ever thought we would skip the pirate party and go to bed.  I guess there is a first time for everything!

These were also waiting for us on our bed:

Booo!  I hate it when the tip envelopes arrive because it means the cruise is almost over (if you want all of the details about the tipping process, click here ).

Up next:   Day 5 – Castaway Cay

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November 2, 2016 at 8:54 pm

Which restaurant also had a buffet lunch besides cabanas?

November 3, 2016 at 7:56 am

There was no other buffet at lunch besides Cabanas, but there was for breakfast. The morning we went it was in Enchanted Garden. I can’t be 100% sure but I think it is always there.

November 3, 2016 at 10:01 pm

Enchanted Gardens is usually where they have the morning buffet (at least that was how it was always whenever we went on our cruises too), it was always good and much less busy. We also liked to ask our server where they were for the next day to get to know them better and they would then give us tips on things to try or request. We have had some amazing things over the years and as an added bonus they would even bring us extra dessert or special items for us to eat or take home (origami and free glass of wine to taste).

November 4, 2016 at 5:45 am

I wish we had known about Enchanted Garden the first day. You’re right, it was much less busy – in fact, we were almost the only ones there!

March 22, 2017 at 8:21 pm

When we stop in Nassau we just walk to the nearby beach. If I remember correctly it’s a short walk, something about 15 minutes, and there is a bit of sightseeing along the way.

On our most recent cruise we booked a Disney Port Adventure to Virgin Gorda from Tortola in BVI. It was excellent and well worth the DCL charges! We had no issues at all with the shore excursion logistics and I highly recommend this option if Tortola is part of your DCL itinerary.

March 23, 2017 at 7:18 am

Thanks for the recommendation for Tortola! Since it is a relatively new port for DCL, I think a lot of people want more information about the excursion choices. Thank you for your feedback.

September 15, 2017 at 1:43 am

Hello! I’ve been considering booking some excursions for my upcoming Bahamian cruise, and I wondered what the procedure was if an excursion is cancelled due to bad weather? Are refunds given at all? I’ve enjoyed reading your blog! And thank you 🙂

September 15, 2017 at 8:49 am

Hi Molly! As far as bad weather goes, it really is a case by case situation. Are you talking about booking them through DCL or private vendors? Through DCL, they will decide if it will be cancelled or not and if so, you will not be charged. Through private vendors, it just depends on that particular vendor’s weather policy. Most reputable vendors are very eager to please and will work with you on the weather. But, just make sure you know ahead of time what their weather policy is and it might even help to have it in writing. I have never heard of anyone not getting a refund if the vendor cancelled, but if the weather is iffy, and they don’t want to cancel but you do, then that is where it is important to know ahead of time what their policy is. I will tell you that even if rain is forecast in the Bahamas, it is usually short lived and passes quickly (except for hurricanes obviously, but DCL does a pretty good shop of steering clear of those). Hope this helps!

September 15, 2017 at 12:17 pm

Hello! Thank you for your response! It is an excursion booked through Disney cruise line and not a private vendor. So they don’t charge if it’s cancelled for bad weather? 🙂

September 15, 2017 at 12:29 pm

No, if DCL cancels the excursion then they will automatically refund your onboard account. This is one of the advantages of booking through DCL!

October 22, 2017 at 11:03 am

Hello! I am so grateful I found your blog!! I’ve read every post ?. Based on your experience, would you recommend Blue Lagoon or is the local beach just as good? I’ll be traveling with a 3 yo and a 9 yo. Thank you!

October 22, 2017 at 4:12 pm

Thank you Lauren! So glad you’re enjoying the blog! I really don’t know anything about the local beach in Nassau. I think the beach at Blue Lagoon is great for kids, but getting there and back takes some patience. We had a lot of waiting around: on the ship, then off the ship, then on the ferry, then waiting for a ferry for the return trip, etc. If your kids don’t do well with lots of waiting, then you may find this port adventure a challenge and maybe the local beach would be better. I just don’t know anything about that beach or how easy/hard it is to get to.

April 5, 2018 at 10:54 pm

Not sure where to post this question but here goes. How does one go about finding excursions not reserved through DCL? My granddaughter wants to swim with dolphins in Nassau. Can you tell me how to go about finding a good company? Thanks

April 6, 2018 at 9:02 am

Hi Susan! I have always used TripAdvisor to book our excursions outside of DCL. I have a post about it here which provides more details:

http://www.disneycruisemomblog.com/choose-shore-excursions/

I hope this helps!

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Blue Lagoon Island (Nassau): Full Review & Is It Worth It?

Blue Lagoon Island is without a doubt one of the most popular excursions for a cruise ship stopping in Nassau. Located just a few minutes by boat from the cruise port, Blue Lagoon feels a world away. Meanwhile, it offers lots to like, whether you’re looking for just a relaxing day at the beach or a day full of water activities, including getting up close with dolphins and sea lions. 

In short, no matter what you’re looking for, then the excursion could be for you. But is it worth it? And what’s it really like? We recently visited to give you a complete review of what you can expect.

Overview of Blue Lagoon Island

The best way to explain Blue Lagoon Island is that it’s like a cruise line’s private island, except independent. If you’ve ever visited a cruise line island, then you know that they pick out a perfect spot with clear water and white sand, and then build out facilities to cater to cruise passengers. That includes things to do, places to eat, and spots to relax.

That’s exactly what you can expect from Blue Lagoon, except that it’s not the property of any one cruise line. So no matter whether you’re sailing Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, or any other cruise line, you can visit the island.

The destination is located on Salt Cay — a barrier island that’s just northeast of Nassau. In fact, you’re only about 4 miles from the cruise ship dock.

When you visit, you’ll have any number of packages that you can purchase that include everything from just hanging out on the beach to swimming with dolphins. However, in general, you’ll arrive in the morning and spend 5-6 hours on the island at your leisure, eat lunch, and then head back to the ship in the afternoon.

So if you’re wanting a beach day, this is among your easiest and best options.

What’s Available to Do on Blue Lagoon

We’ve mentioned that there’s a lot to do and see on the island. While it’s not on par with a place like Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay, the entire family should find something to enjoy.

Note that for excursions, anymore more than hanging out on the beach is going to cost extra. This includes everything from renting a locker to taking a tour to hanging out with the sea lions. So you can book a simple beach day with lunch, or you can opt to include dolphin swims, Segway tours, and more. There is a booth to book anything you need once you arrive to the island.

Beach Day w/Lunch: The most popular (and least expensive option), is to simply have access to the beach. Blue Lagoon is actually located in a cut in the island, which provides a protected beach with water that winds through the area. There are also beaches on the exterior part of the island in the open water. (Price seen: $79 per adult)

Dolphin Swim: Want to swim with dolphins? One side of the park is home to trained dolphins, giving you the ability to hop in and swim with them. It’s an experience you can only get a few other places in the Caribbean (Price seen: $299 per adult).

There is also a dolphin “encounter” available, where you don’t swim with them, but do get in the water to interact (Price seen: $175 per person). Note that these prices also include the beach day.

Sea Lion Encounter: In addition to dolphins, there are also sea lions that you can visit. In our day there, we simply walked over and watched the sea lions for free. But you can pay to go and get in the water with them to get up close and personal. (Price seen: $199). Note that this price also includes the beach day.

Segway Tour: If you’ve never ridden a Segway, this is your chance. You can go on a “Segway Safari” tour that takes you all around the island on a guided tour. (Price seen: $50).

Aqua Park:  As you arrive at the island, you’ll see an area filled with inflatable obstacles, including items that you can climb and jump off of, rafts that you walk over to challenge your balance, and more. This is the Aqua Park and if you have kids, they will likely want to do it. (Price seen: $20)

VIP Areas: While there is lots of beach for everyone to enjoy, sometimes you just want a little more space and fewer people. In that case, there is a VIP upgrade that gives you access to a private areas (including three different beaches) and amenities for a little bit more. Here things are more relaxed and quieter. (Price seen: $65)

Beach Rentals (clamshells, snorkels, towels, lockers, kayaks): In addition to the more notable activities, there are also lots of rentals for a day on the beach. Whether you want snorkel gear, or a locker to put your items in, you can rent anything you need.

Bar Service: What’s sitting on a beach without a drink in your hand? There’s a bar on the island serving up tropical drinks, so you have have a pina colada while putting your feet in the sand. Prices are in line with what’s on the cruise ship. Expect to pay about $10-12 for a cocktail and $6-8 for a beer.

Shifting Tides Restaurant: Most excursions to Blue Lagoon include lunch. In the middle of the island is the Shifting Tides Restaurant. Here, there is a buffet-like spread that’s put out with burgers, dogs, chicken, and sides. It’s typically included in any excursion you take from the cruise ship.

Review: Our Day at Blue Lagoon Island

During a recent visit to Nassau, we booked a beach day with lunch at Blue Lagoon. So how was it?

The first thing we noticed is that the excursion seemed VERY popular.

Lining up on the pier to board the boat over to the island, there were seemingly dozens — if not hundreds — of passengers lined up. In fact, as the boat arrived at the pier to take us to Blue Lagoon, the first one filled up, meaning we had to wait out in the heat and sun for another boat to arrive.

The ride over was on an open-air powered catamaran. In total, the ride takes about 20-30 minutes and gives you a great view of some of the high-end homes on Paradise Island, along with Atlantis, the hotel that’s the most visible landmark in Nassau. (One suggestion is to get a seat on the lower deck to keep out of the sun, if possible.)

Arriving at Blue Lagoon, the boat enters a small cut in the rock among electric blue water. As the boat docks, you get your first view of the area, which is hidden away from the open water.

There, you see how the beach wraps around, and the rock creates a literal lagoon through the middle of the park. If you’re someone looking for a beautiful beach, this is it.

You also notice that you’re not alone in the park. In fact, during our stay it was not only passengers from our ship visiting, but passengers from all four cruise ships in port were there. The beach area closest to the pier was very busy and you had to wade through a crowd to finally get to the beach.

Stepping onto the island, the first thing we wanted to do was to get our bearings. So we took off on a walk just to see the island and what all is available. There we passed the bar, the rental/booking booth and the restaurant. Music was playing, the crowd was lively, and the atmosphere was definitely upbeat.

One thing we noticed is that it doesn’t take long from when you initially get away from the pier that the crowds start to thin out. Even with four different cruise ships in port, there was plenty of room to spread out as you got farther down the beach.

Another thing we noticed is that shade is hard to come by. There are some umbrellas available for you to use, but it’s only a few compared to the number of chairs. In fact, we found a quieter part of the beach and simply pulled a chair under a tree to give us some shade.

Heading out into the water, it’s hard to explain just how wonderfully clear it is. And because of the lagoon nature, it’s always calm even if the water outside the lagoon is more rough. The water never got too deep — no more than about six feet at the deepest point we found — while also offering a gentle slope for smaller kids.

After swimming for a bit, we simply relaxed under the shade, appreciating the chilled vibe that comes when you get away from the larger crowds. If you can’t relax in a spot like this where the beach and the water are picture perfect, then that’s on you. Then we hit the showers that are available for a quick rinse and decided to explore the other part of the island.

While one side of Blue Lagoon is for relaxing or playing on the beach, the other part is dedicated to the animals. This area had practically nobody in it, giving the vibe that maybe we were in the wrong spot. We did see some folks in the water with dolphins and also made our way to where the sea lions are kept, while seemingly no one was there. It was neat to be able to stand and watch the sea lions play on their own.

From there, we headed to grab a bite to eat for lunch. When you are standing in line at your ship to start the excursion, you’re given a wristband, along with a ticket for lunch. When it’s time to eat, you head to the restaurant, hand over the ticket and walk in.

While the restaurant has a full menu posted, what was served was a meal-line buffet. So hop in line and choose what you want to eat. Selections were classic buffet/beach food. There were hamburgers and hot dogs, along with grilled chicken, and then sides. Dining is open air in the restaurant.

How was the food? It is what you would expect from a beachy buffet. Certainly adequate and a nice treat when you’ve spent the morning in the sun and in the water, but nothing you’d write home about.

After lunch, we headed back to our shady spot on the beach for a repeat of the morning, enjoying the gorgeous sand and warm water until the call was made that our boat back to the cruise ship was now boarding. Your colored wristband given during the start of the excursion is your ticket back to the ship and each color band is given a different departure time to spread out the crowds.

By the time our ship was called, passengers from a couple of other ships had already departed, giving the island a bit of a more subdued atmosphere. From there, it was time to board and head back to the ship. By now instead of the buzzing atmosphere of excitement that the boat had when heading out to Blue Lagoon, it was obvious that everyone had been spending a lot of time in the sun and water. In fact, some people even caught a quick nap as we headed back to the port.

Final Thoughts/Is It Worth It?

When you picture visiting The Bahamas, you likely think of a white sand beach and electric blue water. Well, that’s exactly what Blue Lagoon Island offers for cruise passengers. As mentioned at the start, we thought of it as a private cruise line island, except it was open to everyone.

In total, we paid $79 for the excursion (but received a $50 discount from the cruise line for a total of $39). For that amount, the excursion lasted about six hours and included lunch.

There are definitely less-expensive ways to enjoy a day at the beach in Nassau, but they also won’t have the atmosphere, amenities, and activities that you’ll find at Blue Lagoon Island.

Between the swimming area that’s protected from the open water, the beach chairs, and facilities like showers/restrooms, there’s a lot to like even if you don’t opt for the things like the Aqua Park or the animal encounters.

In short, we had a great time at the beach during our day. The beach area could use some more umbrellas and shade, and in general it would be nicer to have a little more space for those days when four or five ships are in port.

Even so, those are smaller issues. If you want to enjoy the atmosphere that comes with a private island like the cruise lines offer, then Blue Lagoon Island will fit the bill in Nassau.

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Just finished our cruise with Royal Caribbean and booked the Dolphin Excursion. It said lunch was included but when we went to the Shifting Tides Restaurant, there were 2 rude ladies with nasty attitudes (and got mad when I had an attitude back) who said unless we had a voucher, it wasn’t included. Food looked stale, anyway. All of the snacks were sold out already, not even being 30 minutes on the island-Conch fritters, even the coconut souvenir cup-SOLD OUT. At least Bianca, one of the guest service reps, listened to our concerns and said she would address the rude servers to the managers. She even gave my daughter a free smoothie in a pineapple. All in all though, I would not go back and I would definitely find a better place to spend my time and money, IF we ever go back to Nassau.

I didn’t like the Raccoons were being held in a cage. Yikes. That’s terrible. And the Sea Lions and Dolphins, were obviously in held too, but I don’t like seeing animals held in captivity.

I didn’t see the raccoons. Sea lions/dolphins, yes. Honestly, I struggle with how to approach that as well. I never personally do excursions such as dolphin swims due to my feelings toward it. But what about if that’s just part of a larger experience?

This place is horrible. Way to crowded, not enough chairs or shade. The water smells like rotten eggs. Parts are closed down. The food is cheap and dried out. You only get one cup of a drink with it and water is not an option. We found 2 little outdoor showers that had little to no water pressure to get the smell and sand off you. Do not waste your money or time.

100%. We waited in the sun 104 degrees for over an hour waiting for boats. There were 100s of us from just the oasis of the seas, the staff was rude, the food was dog crap, the drinks were Kool aid and you recieved one small cup with the terrible lunch. It did stink of sulfur and eggs. Worst part of our trip without question

These dolphin exhibits are cruel. They are condemned worldwide for inhumane treatment of the animals. Do your research before supporting any animal exploitation exhibits. We must make a difference by not supporting mistreatment of animals

Thanks for the comment. I think that’s a valid point.

Do NOT book this excursion. The list of people complaining on our excersion was really long. You are throwing money away on this one. It is inconvenient, confusing and a waste of time. We waited in line for our 10am departure for an hour. The drinks on the boat were $17 each. Once you arrive you are shuttled to the beach and anything that is a tent is extra. The sand is full of tripping hazards with jagged rocks. Once we got to our place to relax it was nice. The water is about 2 foot deep and it was fun to play. The food is left open and was not tended to the hour we sat in the grill. Good luck with that. The dolphin interaction was about 5 minutes of fun. When leaving we arrived at the planned time and we could not fit on the boat. So we had to wait an additional hour and half. When you are dealing with little ones, it is something to consider as this is certainly something we would never do again.

Do I need to book ahead of time or at Port? We are doing a Disney Cruise.

Booked my day via the cruise line excursion desk once on the ship.

Can you take your own Sun shade tent to blue lagoon?

That I don’t know, but if it’s relatively easy to carry, I can’t see it being a problem. Even on a busy day in port there was open beach in many parts where even a large sunshade wouldn’t be obtrusive.

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Looking forward to a beach day at Blue Lagoon! Is the inflatable obstacle course included with our DCL Port Adventure, or an additional on-island purchase? What currency or cards do they accept for drinks and additional purchases on the island? Thank you. ”

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Blue Lagoon Island Beach Day - review with photos

• Thread starter Tinkermom3
• Start date Apr 17, 2010

Mouseketeer

• Apr 17, 2010

thanks! I'm not sure you made my decisions any easier but I loved your pics and review! I'm having an awful time booking nassau! thanks for the info!  

Thank you for the info! We will be going in June, 2011 and my kids want to do the Dolphin Swim. Your post helped a lot!  

Señor DonDuck

Dis veteran.

Great review. Thanks for sharing.  

Great Review. It makes me feel so much better seeing the pictures. It seems much safer than I imagined! We are scheduled for the dolphin encounter but really want the swim. However it is sold out. Do you think we would be able to upgrade at blue lagoon? Thanks for any info you might have.  

Mom2Dash&JackJack

Earning my ears.

• Apr 18, 2010

Thanks so much - this helps us make our decision on what to do in Nassau for the day! We are going in May 2011 - can't wait!  

Great review can you tell me if they have lockers on Blue Lagoon beach? My sister and I are going and not sure what to do about keeping our things safe and dry.  

<img src="http://www.wdwinfo.com/images/sponsors/s

What a great review! This is not something we have even considered in the past but after seeing your pics, I want to book it for our Dream cruise. Do you recall how much the excursion cost you per person? Thanks so much for sharing! You have a beautiful family.  

Me and my son did the dolphin encounter a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I don't think you would be able to upgrade to a swim once there. I wanted to do that also. The only issue we had is they did not want my son to wear a swim vest and he was really scared being on the edge of really deep water. Didn't understand why it was such a issue for him to wear a swim vest. He forgot to let go of the dolphin and he almost went in with her! But all and all it was a great experience and a beautiful island. We are thinking about doing the beach day there next year and those pics just reminded me how pretty it is.  

auntyaba said: Great review can you tell me if they have lockers on Blue Lagoon beach? My sister and I are going and not sure what to do about keeping our things safe and dry. Click to expand...

zalansky said: What a great review! This is not something we have even considered in the past but after seeing your pics, I want to book it for our Dream cruise. Do you recall how much the excursion cost you per person? Thanks so much for sharing! You have a beautiful family. Click to expand...

Great info! We did the Blue lagoon excursion when we cruised a few years ago and it was fantastic. We felt safe the entire time and I remember being enthralled with the whole experience. We had moments where we looked around in awe of the views...I'd love to do it again!  

OurDogCisco

Great review... Thanks for sharing...  

mollygirl13

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!!

• Apr 19, 2010

We did the Blue Lagoon Beach Day as well on our last cruise, March 28th. Its a great beach excursion for families. We have stayed at the Atlantis before in addition to doing the excursion from DCL . It is absolutely beautiful and a must do if you have never been but way too expensive IMO for a family; even if you do the Comfort Suite booking across the way. Blue Lagoon was perfect for DD5 and DS3 to swim in and play along the beach. There were no waves to knock them down and I was able to pull them around the lagoon on the provided floats with the water never getting any deaper than my chest. I agree that by the time DCL gets you there, its tough to find a chair. However, there are picnic tables dotted across the beach and we camped there until a few chairs opened up. The food provided was very good and the kids enjoyed the boat trip each way. All in all, definitely worth trying and was much more affordable IMO than the Atlantis excursion.  

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Blue Lagoon Island VIP Beach Day - Adults Only (N96)

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