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Atlantis Tips, Tricks and Secrets
We have been fortunate enough to visit Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas, twice, and have learned so many different tips, tricks and secrets while planning and on our amazing vacations.
Below are all of the insights that I like to share with family and friends that are going to (or interested in going to) Atlantis.
Looking for must have items for your trip to paradise, check out my post on essential items to pack for your trip to Atlantis.
Plan Ahead
Use points for your stay
Atlantis is part of the Marriott Autograph Collection Hotels and you can currently use points for your stay at some of the Atlantis hotels (we used Marriott Bonvoy points at The Royal during our stay). Bonus is that if you stay 4 nights utilizing Marriott Bonvoy points, the fifth night is “free.”
We have done this, and it is a great way to save money and use those hard earned rewards points!
There are several fees/taxes in addition to the room rate
Be sure to factor these fees when planning your vacation (and check to see if there are any hotel specific/other fees/taxes):
- VAT (taxes) – the rate was 12% during our stay and was added to all purchases, the resort fee, room rate, meals, etc.
- Gratuity – we found the gratuity of 15% to be automatically added to meals, and we were charged $20 per night at check out for “Royal Gratuity”
- Resort fee – during our stay, it was $49.95 per night and included:
- Water park access (water slides, and 2 river rides…one lazy and one not so lazy)
- 11 swimming pools/swimming areas ( 2 of the pools/swimming areas are reserved areas)
- Paradise Lagoon
- The Dig
- Predator’s Lagoon
- Fitness center
- Movie theatre
- Marine Habitats
- Beach towels
- Internet
- 2 bottled waters per night
Towels are provided
There’s no need to bring towels from home. They are available in abundance at one of the stands. We got towels both for the beach and the waterpark daily.
Bring lots and lots (and did I say lots) of sunscreen
We went through 5 bottles of sunscreen and probably could have/would have used another if we had it. Don’t risk sunburn by not putting on enough sunscreen and don’t break the bank by buying it onsite (the bottles were over $25 each).
Check out my post on What To Pack for Atlantis
Check the Atlantis website for deals
We were able to score an awesome deal on the dolphin encounter and the meal plan the first time we visited by signing up for the emails.
Look up the cruise ship schedules for the port of Nassau
This is a great way to plan your beach vs. water park days and times. The cruise ship passengers often book Atlantis excursions with options for the water park and/or the beaches. Knowing when there will be more cruise ship passengers helped when making our daily plans.
Dolphin encounter
This can be expensive, but my daughter really wanted to have this experience. I was able to find an awesome deal online that included a shallow water experience with the dolphins and kayaking. It was well worth it (and I found a great deal/promotion on the website), and a very unique experience.
Plan you transportation to and from the airport and the resort ahead of time
Not a fan of waiting for others to fill-up a shuttle prior to heading off to the resort or airport, take private transportation.
There are many different options, however, we have used Cheryl Bahamas Taxi twice, and highly recommend them. For a small fee, they will also make a grocery stop.
Food, Beverage, and Dinning Options
Stop for groceries
Some items that we picked-up included bottled waters (the resort fee includes 2 bottles of water per night, but for 4 people in the sun, it is definitely not enough), bread, peanut butter, jelly, bananas, apples, cream for coffee (the rooms have coffee makers), crackers, small package of disposable plates and napkins.
This is a great way to have some of the comforts of home, save some (a lot) of money, and please any picky eaters!
The rooms have coffee makers
This is way a great (and affordable) way to start the day.
I personally NEED creamer in my coffee, and therefore a stop at the grocery store was a must.
Bring a collapsible cooler
We used this collapsible cooler last time and it was great.
We filled it with ice from the hotel’s ice machine and then added waters and the other items that needed refrigeration. They stayed cold for over 24 hours at a time (a slight inconvenience to drain and fill daily, but I’ll do anything for some cream in my coffee).
If you are staying at The Reef, the rooms have refrigerators. I did find out that you can rent a refrigerator from the resort (The Royal) for a daily fee (I heard various reports on the price, but they were $15-$20 a night).
The collapsible cooler that we brought was less than $30 and is portable, and is great for taking to the beach and pool…bonus!
Consider the meal plan
There are several factors to consider when deciding on whether to get the meal plan. You will need to crunch the numbers to see if it makes sense.
If you have children 6 and under, it might makes sense, as currently, children this age eat free with paid adults.
The first time we went to Atlantis, they had a special offer where children 11 and under ate free with paid adults and we purchased the plan. This ended up being a great deal for us!
We are all good eaters (including the kids), and we found that having the meal plan more than paid for itself.
Don’t forget about the buffet
Many of the restaurants require reservations. Having to make reservations in advance was difficult as we were unsure of when our days would start and end.
Having the option of eating the buffet for breakfast and/or dinner was such a relief. There were so many options and different live preparation stations each night.
We ate at Poseidon’s Table a few times for breakfast and dinner (we did enjoy Sunday brunch during our last vacation here).
This is a great choice for picky eaters as well!
Family style/affordable dining is available
Many of the dining options are family style and we found the following to be not only affordable (for Atlantis standards), but also tasty:
Marina Pizza – Large pizza and salad was less than $60.00
Kid’s meals – most of the dining options at Atlantis offer kid’s meals as well. We found these to be convenient and affordable (especially by the pool areas at lunch time), and portions sizes were perfect.
Offsite dining – while there is off-site dining options, we did not leave the property. We talked to several people that went to Margaritaville (walking distance), and The Fish Fry (requires taxi or type of transportation), and they enjoyed their meals at off-resort prices.
Bring an insulated cup with a lid
This is a lifesaver!
Anyone say hot COFFEE in the morning, and then cold adult beverages in the afternoon (well, maybe not quite afternoon, but at least after coffee).
Insulated cups are a great way to keep water and other beverages cold for the whole family while at the beach and waterpark.
Check out my post on What To Pack for Atlantis
Resort and Surrounding Area
While known for the Aquaventure Water Park, the beaches are beautiful and shouldn’t be missed
We spent a lot of our time at the beach.
We enjoyed our time at two different beaches, the more intimate Cove Beach and the busier Atlantis Beach.
Both were great and had their own benefits.
The Cove Beach has beautiful blue water with minimal waves/movement, chairs (many with sunshades), and great snorkeling areas.
The Atlantis Beach also has chairs (but very few with sunshades….however, the first time we were there, there were vendors that rented umbrellas), is busier, has vendors (like hair braiders), but my family really enjoys the fact that there are small waves, more fish, and the water is crystal blue.
Both beaches are amazing….it is the Bahamas after all!
Hair braiding is available on the Atlantis Beach by private vendors
My daughter loves to get her hair braided and looks forward to this when going on vacation.
I needed cash to pay, and did negotiate. I was able to negotiate the price by 30% and still felt good about the price paid and the service received.
Kid’s clubs
The resort has kids clubs for kids and teens.
When we were there, they had daily open house so you and your kids can check it out before going. We stopped by and it seemed like fun, but the kids did not end up going (we were all too tired by the end of the night!).
Casino
The casino reminds me of Las Vegas (which I love), but much more quaint and with a resort feel.
We participated in the slot tournament and it was super fun and quite the rush. We found the information in the Atlantean (which we picked-up in the lobby each day).
There is an underground tunnel between the hotels
Strangely, on our first visit, we did not go past the Marina outdoors, and the Casino while indoors.
During our second visit, we discovered that The Coral and The Beach are connected to the Casino (and therefore The Royal) by tunnels.
This was a great way to explore the other hotels and their amenities. The kid’s clubs, shops, theatre, dining, and many other amenities are in these hotels.
Check out my post on The Atlantis Resort
See awesome marine life at The Dig
Is an underground area that is home to beautiful marine life exhibits.
Somehow, we missed this great amenity on our first trip. It was such a hit this time that we visited it 3 times.
The kids (and I) particularly enjoyed staring at the eels and jellyfish….so cool!
Private Cabanas
We have not rented a private cabana, however, they seemed to be very well positioned and nice.
Be prepared to walk
Be prepared, you, and any little feet in tow, will be walking…a lot! There are shuttles between the different properties, but once in the waterpark and exploring within the main attractions, being prepared to walk is essential.
Shuttle between the various parts of the resort
There is a shuttle between the different parts of the resort.
We did not use the shuttle, however, I’m sure that it can come in handy for some families, especially those with young children, the elderly (the young at heart), and those with mobility issues.
There are so many benefits to planning ahead for your trip to Atlantis, and knowing as many tips, tricks, and secrets!
Yes, it can be expensive, but knowing these tips and tricks prior to your trip will help you get the most out of your budget and time so you can enjoy paradise with your family.
You can’t go wrong with a trip to Atlantis!
Check out my post on The Atlantis Resort and Essentials to Pack for a trip to Atlantis
If you have any questions, and/or have any other tips, tricks or suggestions, please be sure to comment below.