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Margurite Vizarro
I see that you can book a beach day at Blue Lagoon thru Carnival but they don't offer the dolphin encounter package. If you book thru Carnival can you add on the dolphins when you get there or contact them after you book to arrrange it?
We didn't sail with Carnival, but it would be my guess that it would be cheaper to book completely independently. We booked independently without any problems. We just booked the beach day but if you book the animal encounters you are able to use the beach or upgrade to the Beach Day as well to include lunch and use of water 'toys'. Have you checked out their website?
We cannot say enough about our time at Blue Lagoon! You can read my review in other posts on this board if you search Blue Lagoon. We booked independently because the ship was sold out but it couldn't have been easier. We had actually been told that people who booked independently could use the same transportation as those from the ship so I emailed and asked and that's what we did (although I've said I wouldn't recommend that because we would have rather had more time at the island). But to answer your question specifically, we were able to meet the representatives from Blue Lagoon island literally right off the ship with everyone else who was going from the ship. If you choose not to go with that group then you will need to take a taxi, which also wouldn't be difficult. The taxi will take you to the Ferry Terminal where you will check in and take the boat over the Blue Lagoon Island (probably about a 20 minute trip). If you go with the ship, you will walk to a boat which takes you straight over to the island. I have heard a few people say their boat stopped at the Ferry Terminal, but ours was full and went straight to the island. You are able to leave the island at 1pm, 2pm and 4pm and on the way back the boat stops at the Ferry Terminal but an announcement was made that all cruise passengers stay on board and we were all taken to where we got on, closer to the cruise ships. They did not check who booked with the ship or not so it seems as though anyone can take the boat back closer to the ships even if they took a taxi to the Ferry Terminal to start with.
I'm almost positive that the only time you are able to get your money back if you book independently is if the ship doesn't dock for some reason. The island is incredible and their staff was great! I emailed them a few times and they were very helpful. If you haven't already, check out their website!
Do they tell you what time you have to meet a group to go over there? As I recall from my Cruise where we stopped at Cozumel there were people holding signs for certain excursions... is that the case for this?
We actually didn't sail on a Carnival ship so I'm not sure on their policies. When we tried to book through our cruise line, it was sold out so I looked into booking independently. Through the cruise line, for two of us it was $120 I believe for the beach day and independently it was $90. We thought the difference in price would be made up in taxi fare but that changed when we were able to go with the group from the ship so it was cheaper to book on our own. We did wish we had gone earlier on our own instead of waiting for the group with the ship so we had more time there.
Whether you book on your own or through the ship they will tell you what time to meet their representatives and yes it is very similar to what you describe with the representatives holding signs. You really can't miss it. If you need to catch a taxi you walk to the right once you're off the ship and there are lots of taxis available. We were told it should be able $5/person.
Don't feel bad about asking questions, I had lots of questions as this was our first cruise, but excursions are very easy (otherwise people wouldn't do them). We booked one through the ship and one on our own and both were equally great and very stressfree!
I don't know how old your family is - I'm assuming you mean you have kids when you say you want to bring your family - but Blue Lagoon is great for any age! The dolphins are right there when you get off the boat so even if you don't do an encounter you can still see them up close and same with the sealions. I didn't know what to expect when they said we'd be able to see them but you get to be pretty close up.
If you do the Beach Day you get lunch and use of the water toys. Some (like paddle boats are extra cost). It's my understanding if you do one of the animal encounters you're free to enjoy the beach or you can do the 'upgrade' which basically gets you what the Beach Day offers so lunch and water toys. We used the inner tubes, but could have survived without them. The water is really shallow so it's not cold or anything.
I'm only going from hearsay, but we were at Blue Lagoon mid-March, and there was a couple we spoke to who were paying $135 for beach day with lunch through Carnival - when normally that costs $45 booked directly. I know the day we all went on the Pride the carnival excursion did not start until 1pm and had to start leaving Blue Lagoon at 4pm so the passengers I spoke to were very disappointed. (too short for the money)
Having said that, you can't book a "beach day" on Thursday (beach "closed" to outside bookings on Thurs & Sunday), except through Carnival, but you CAN book an animal encounter ($80 for sea lion encounter, $99 for dolphin encounter, more for dolphin push) and buy lunch for $12. Our kids did the Sea Lion thing and we bought observer passes for $25 each because we weren't interested in getting in the water with the animals. We got to watch and take pictures from the dock which was great.
It's DIRT SIMPLE to go to blue lagoon on your own - even if you have to take a cab to Paradise Island Ferry. Just make sure the timing and the activities work for you. Their website tells you all the scheduling.
I know that if the ship does not dock at Paradise Island, you do get a refund, but otherwise you won't, so I guess you take your chances. You also get a refund if the weather is unsafe and they cancel. But... we would have went for the animal encounter had it been cooler or just rainy because they do give wetsuits and rain would affect most things we were interested in doing anyway.
Thanks a lot! I think I read on the website times that Ferrys go.. if you ask locals will they know what you're talking about when you say you needed transportation to paradise island? Didn't someone mention the Ferry isn't too far from where the ships dock?
Once you book they provide you with very detailed information where to go. You are only able to walk to the boat if you go with the group from the ship. The other Ferries leave from the terminal. This is the information that was on our reservation (once we pre-paid they sent even more information about what to bring etc):
From the cruise ship dock you are able to take a taxi over to our departure point (not within walking distance). The taxis are a five minutes walk into Nassau; from the cruise ship dock they are located on the right. Prior to getting in the taxi, inform the driver that you are going to the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal between the two bridges, the fare is about $4.00 per-person one way but you can double check with the driver. The duration of the taxi is about 10 minutes from the cruise ship dock over to the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal.
Awesome! So you walk down the dock where the ships park and taxis are to the right.... tell the driver where we are going and we will be taken to where the ferries go to the island correct? I know the website said to check in 30 minutes before scheduled departure times on the website. Are there taxis around that area to take you back to the ships after or will that be hard to find them?
Once you tell the driver where you are going you should have no problem at all! And I had never been to Nassau before, but it's extremely obvious where to go once you're off the ship. Everyone is going the same way and walking anywhere but right will get you a walk into the water. The taxi drivers will know exactly where you need to go, they go there often. On the way back, you can get off at the Ferry Terminal if you choose to and you will be able to get a taxi from there BUT when we were on our way back they made an announcement as we were approaching the Ferry Terminal that all cruise passengers should stay on board. So we did and we were brought much closer to the ships and were able to just walk back to the ship. We booked independently as well so you should just be able to stay on the ferry and skip the cab back.
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