Someone posted photos of the dock in Freeport showing it to be mostly an industrial dock with nothing to do around it. But I just read in a Fodor 2007 guide that "cruise ship passengers arrive at Lucayan Harbour, which has a clever Bahamian-style look, extensive cruise passenger terminal facilities and an entertainment-shopping village."
So, for those recently off the Sensation, what is the truth about where the ship docks in Freeport?
I can't speak to the Sensation, but when we docked in Freeport aboard the Liberty last January, it definitely was NOT an industrial dock. As I recall, there was a small shopping area there that we ventured into, but I can't speak to port beyond that, as we stuck around the ship that day.
MTSFP
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Since we have not been to Freeport....yet, we cannot speak from first hand experience but a quick web search found a few links that may help get a sense of the area.
Since we have not been to Freeport....yet, we cannot speak from first hand experience but a quick web search found a few links that may help get a sense of the area.
Since we have not been to Freeport....yet, we cannot speak from first hand experience but a quick web search found a few links that may help get a sense of the area.
OK, a search of the photo gallery yielded mixed results....
On the pic in Carnival Miracle 5/30/04 Part 2 it appears to be "industrial", but in the gallery Voyager of the Seas Cruise 05 there is nice development.
I suppose we will have to email Carnival and locals about the latest docking location.
Phil & Liz
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We did the 4 day Sensation cruise twice last year.
You indeed dock in the middle of an industrial wasteland.
Right next to the ship there is a traffic circle with shade for cabs and busses to load up passengers as soon as they leave the ship.
There is a tiny, little fake village that was built for the ships, that has a 15-20 shop straw market that charges double or more, for the same items at the big Straw Market at Our Lucaya, 20 minutes away.
You will be docked with freighters and have some old abandoned, falling apart, mill or mine or something that you can see all afternoon across the little bay, from the ship if you stay on board.
Our first trip, we stayed onboard and enjoyed the less crowded pools and lunch before the formal night festivities.
Our second trip we paid the $5 pp for a cab ride to Our Lucaya, which has 3 hotels (which unlike Nassau, do not sell daypasses) a casino and a gorgeous beach that is free.
Lounge chairs can be had for $10.
No other facilties beachside.
Across the street is a huge shopping area with straw markets on either end of the area.
In the middle is probably a hundred air conditioned shops and restaurants.
Definitely the way to go.
(and don't waste the money on the ship excursion, which from what we were told when we compared notes at dinner with a couple who did it, is basically giving you a cabride to Lucaya. (just like we did for $10 pp roundtrip)
Yes, thanks Bill! I guess some other lucky cruiselines dock at Lucaya but not Carnival.
As far as a Freeport excursion, my son and I are going continue our boat themed vacation on the glass bottom boat ride, as we aren't into scuba and other in the water activities and we were not interested in 6 hours burning at the beach. We'll just enjoy the less crowded ship during the afternoon and will have plenty of time to shower and dress for formal night.
Our second trip we paid the $5 pp for a cab ride to Our Lucaya, which has 3 hotels (which unlike Nassau, do not sell daypasses) a casino and a gorgeous beach that is free.
Lounge chairs can be had for $10.
No other facilties beachside.
what is the difference between a $10 Lounge chair and a daypass?
As far as i have been able to determine, all cruise ships dock at the same place. They call that port "Port Lucayan" but is definitly in an industrial area. Bguppies is right on the money. We were there in January and did the $10.00 PP cab ride to to the same place bguppies did. BUnches of little shops and a gorgeous beach. After shopping, the wife and kids did the beach thing while i went and did battle with lady luck in the casino. We much preferred Freeport over Nassau.
$10.00 PP cab ride to to the same place bguppies did. B
$10 PP each way? That would be an $80 cab ride for me.
Thanks,
Brian
I double checked my review from our return in February and it was $5 pp each way to Our Lucaya, so $10 roundtrip.
Hope that helps.....
By the way, the trip from the dock to Our Lucaya is basically, 5 minutes through the really indutrial area with power stations, oil tanks, etc....
Then 5 minutes through a neighborhood of housing for people working at the industrial areas. (the driver was giving us the rundown on the cost of houses there, gas prices per gallon for the island, since no gas station had any prices posted)
Then a couple of minutes through an area that is still demolished from the hurricane a few years ago.
Then into the suburban area past KFC, Burger King, Dominoes, Pizza Hut, etc....
what is the difference between a $10 Lounge chair and a daypass?
Brian
The beaches in the Bahamas are free to anyone to use.
In Freeport in front of the Sheraton and the Westin they will rent you a chair for $10 for the day. (the Westin-Lighthouse Point is more exclusive and won't rent non-guests a lounger)
That is all you get.
In Nassau, the British Colonial Hilton at the pier and the Wyndham and other Cable Beach hotels offer daypasses (when they are not booked solid, like during spring break) for $15 pp.
For $15 you have access to use the hotel's restrooms, pool or pool's, loungers, pool toys, poolside restaurant's and bars, get a towel, etc...
It is very nice having full use of hotel facilities, just without the room.
Thanks Bill & Carolina, my big concern in Freeport was that after the morning glass bottom boat ride there wasn't anything my son and I could do on shore - but we may take bus ride to the lucaya marketplace for a couple of hours after lunch onboard - I'd feel safer with other cruisers on a bus rather than just the two of us in a cab - I also want to make sure to get a cab backto the ship by 3:30 so we don't miss it!
Michelle,
The "cab" we rode in was actually a minivan and they fill it to as near the legal capacity as they can. There were 8 of us that rode that "cab", only 4 of us were with our party, the other four were fellow cruisers from the ship. Also if you let the driver know what time you want to be picked up to be taken back to the ship, he will come back and pick you up. Our driver was really great and had us laughing all the way to the beach and then came back and picked us up right on time. Also in front of the casino there are guys with radios that will call a cab for you if needed. Hope this helps.
Thanks Bill & Carolina, my big concern in Freeport was that after the morning glass bottom boat ride there wasn't anything my son and I could do on shore - but we may take bus ride to the lucaya marketplace for a couple of hours after lunch onboard - I'd feel safer with other cruisers on a bus rather than just the two of us in a cab - I also want to make sure to get a cab backto the ship by 3:30 so we don't miss it!
"cabs" in the Bahamas are usually minivans.
And with the crazy prices they pay for gas, they won't leave in Freeport, or Nassau, until they fill every seat in there.
So you won't be alone with just you, your son and the cabbie.
If you do go into the shops at Our Lucaya, they have taxi stands at either end of the facility, by the straw market at either end.
Just make sure to pad your time a little, to allow them time to fill the cab.
(if you see the number of tourists starting to dwindle around you, you might want to head out, so your wait won't be so long.)
We left around 2PM and had no wait, as we were the last two they needed to fill a cab to head back to the ship.
Yes, thanks Bill! I guess some other lucky cruiselines dock at Lucaya but not Carnival.
Sorry I missed this earlier.
There is no pier at Lucaya.
Just lots of gorgeous, sandy beaches.
Our 2nd cruise, a RCCL ship was docked around the corner from our ship in Freeport.
So apparently, every cruiseline that stops in Freeport docks in the same place.
Fodor's was clearly "embellishing" the pier area in Freeport, with that description that somebody posted.
thanks Bill for the details; I feel a little more secure. Aftter our morning glass bottom boat excursion and lunch on board Sensation we may take the "cab" to Lucayan marketplace for 90 minutes or so to enjoy walking and shelling on the beach for a bit, then some shopping, before we head back to the ship. I'll make sure we head back no later than 3:30/3:45 to allow plenty of time before the ship leaves at 5:00. To know we wouldn't be alone in a car-sized "cab" but with others will make be feel much safer! I appreciate your details! As a divorced mom travelling with my 14 year old son, I have to be more conscious about security than if I were travelling with a man!
Just got off the Sensation 2-3 months ago. The pier is at an industrial port and you have to take a cab (minivan) into town. The $5 per person is if the van is full. I had to return to the ship by myself at one point and had to pay $20.
I can't speak to the Sensation, but when we docked in Freeport aboard the Liberty last January, it definitely was NOT an industrial dock. As I recall, there was a small shopping area there that we ventured into, but I can't speak to port beyond that, as we stuck around the ship that day.
MTSFP
We were docked in Freeport last wek on the Liberty and the Sensation was docked next to us.
Looking around all you could see were oil tanks and big smokestacks spewing black smoke into the air.
We got a taxi and went to the Sheraton hotel in Lucaya for $5 each and enjoyed their beach. Chairs were $10 each. We had 4 people but the kids said they'd lay on the beach. I gave the guy a $5 tip and he gave us a 3rd chair free.
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ATTN Sensation cruisers re: Freeport dock
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