# Random Harborside thoughts



## Negma (Apr 30, 2016)

We just spent two weeks at Harborside and some random thoughts to share:
Staff was wonderful, especially considering some of the guests "demands"
Rooms were clean but they do get a lot of use, seems they have gotten faster at getting them ready. 
We used our three bedroom lock off and we switched from one side directly to the other never had to check out. Easiest switch ever. 
If you want a chair at Atlantis get there before 9. That's is when the cruise ships come in. You can ask the staff what they are expecting each day as it varies from 200 to 1000 (especially large with Disney ships)
Cabanas have become big business. Anywhere from 150-300 for the day based on size and location.  You reserve up to a year in advance ( they were almost all booked when we were here. A nice way to spoil yourself for a day as wait staff will bring you cocktails and food. 
Cruisers pay up to 150 day to go to park
It is about 2500 steps Harborside to the waterpark
Chairs at Harborside pool are readily available though I don't like the cigars
Johnny Rockets is closed for good. 
Mosaic is overpriced like everything. $72
Harborside has an Americab quesadilla that can feed two and is basically a pepperoni and sausage pizza.  
Meals by the pool are around $13 for a wrap, chips and soda ( refillable). 
Bar Mar construction is still a mess
It has been two years since we have been here and Atlantis itself has many changes inside. A new high end bar and a little bistro next door. We bought sandwiches one night and brought them over to the bar and had cocktails. Maybe the best cocktail sizes in Atlantis. 
Internet at 23 is the biggest ripoff in hotels today. Try Bahamas wifi . 
Filet at seafire was $65, sirloin at cafe Martinique $58. Go for cafe Martinique if you have to choose
Just thought we would share before we are off to airport. If I think of anything else I will edit


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## The Haileys (Apr 30, 2016)

Good to know ... 

We're going to be there 5/15 - 21 (yes, 6 nights, it was a lucky thing we got it) 

That Mosaic price - is that per person??? 

I've noticed that the online menus don't include prices ... I'm still trying to decide if the dining plan would be a good deal. It's half price right now, so it would be just over $1K for the two us. I don't see Mosaic on the ADP, only on the Reef and Cove plan.


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## Negma (Apr 30, 2016)

Yes, pp.
Search the threads, there are a lot of ways to eat for less, but cheap is rare. There is also a margaritaville restaurant just across the street that was also reasonable.


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## r1lee (Apr 30, 2016)

How much is the Atlantis water park?
I'm new to all this, so no discounts for Westin harbourside residents?


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## DeniseM (Apr 30, 2016)

r1lee said:


> How much is the Atlantis water park?
> I'm new to all this, so no discounts for Westin harbourside residents?



It is included at no additional cost, with your Harborside Reservation.


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## RichardL (May 1, 2016)

I am at Harborside now.  Food plans need to be purchased before arrival, and although priced per day, I was told you have to buy for the entire stay Iand your arrival date meal starts at dinner.  We checked in on Friday and Sat at 10 am for $7 a person round trip were driven in a bus to a high end market with a wide selection.  I over eat on meal plans and prefer to have options.  Too bad I could not purchase a 3 day plan like at Sunset Beach and see if I liked it.

Yes Harborside is beautiful and wear and tear is beginning to show.  I see this at every timeshare and some owner associations just do a better upkeep program.  That said we are loving this trip, and the penny casino machines.


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## r1lee (May 1, 2016)

DeniseM said:


> It is included at no additional cost, with your Harborside Reservation.



Thanks Denise.


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## Sea Six (May 1, 2016)

For a cheap meal, we sometimes pick up a sub from Quiznos on the walk back to Harborside from Atlantis.


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## dioxide45 (May 1, 2016)

Food costs is the one thing that may keep us from returning to the Bahamas. I have read the threads where people packed most of their groceries with them, but that seems like a lot of effort. We like to be able to eat out while on vacation and only cook small meals in the unit. So I don't think I would want to pack all of our groceries with us.

The one time we did go to Bahamas 16 years ago, we did have a meal plan and it worked out fairly well. I just don't think I would want to pay that much for such limited options.


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## r1lee (May 1, 2016)

Once we get our sale completed, bahama's is going to be our first try.  I was just thinking about packaging groceries lol, considering these units come with washer/dryer I don't have to worry about bringing much clothes.


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## The Haileys (May 1, 2016)

What is supplied with the kitchen in the 1 bed premium unit? I understand there is no oven, only a microwave. I presume a coffee maker? I can't live without my coffee. And iced tea. 

I am putting together a grocery list at www.instagopher.com - mostly lunch meat, salad veggies, etc. Stuff that they won't let you bring in. I am gluten/grain free, and I need to watch carb intake, and quick grab lunches are the hardest to modify - no sandwiches, pizzas, etc. I may or may not include breakfast - eggs and bacon. How is the Harborside restaurant for breakfast - The Point, I believe? The mister is adamant that we aren't going to spend our vacation cooking, so I am scoping out the restaurant scene.  

We are going to be at SVR the week before Harborside with a jam-packed schedule, so packing in groceries would be difficult with our flight leaving at 10:00. However, the Marketplace at SVR has some really good stuff, if the grocery pre-stock is any indication. Not quite standard grocery prices but better than prices in the Bahamas.

As for the ADP requiring you to buy the same number of days on plan as nights in your stay - that's the deal killer. If we could get it for 4 days, at $85 per person per day, that would be awesome. We could wear out some fine dining on that, but also be able to go elsewhere without paying double for that dinner.


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## DeniseM (May 1, 2016)

For all Starwood resorts, you can go to the main resort page, and click on VILLAS, and see a description of the unit including a summary of the kitchen equipment:  

Main Page:  https://www.starwoodvacationnetwork.com/villa-collection?IM=SVOREDIRECT_201302_SVN_RESORTS

Harborside:  https://www.starwoodvacationnetwork.com/villa-collection/harborside-resort-at-atlantis/overview


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## tomandrobin (May 2, 2016)

Thanks for the update....

We are skipping Atlantis this year, next year and possibly the year after that.....which is something I thought I would never do. 

Thankfully, my 3-bedroom is still an easy rental. Doesn't pull the massive rent like it use too, but still doubles up the maintenance fees.


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## Helene4 (May 2, 2016)

I can't believe they are STILL charging for Internet and limiting you to 15 minutes on the FREE one in the lobby! 
They need to come into the 21st century like all the other hotels and time shares!


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## dioxide45 (May 2, 2016)

Helene4 said:


> I can't believe they are STILL charging for Internet and limiting you to 15 minutes on the FREE one in the lobby!
> They need to come into the 21st century like all the other hotels and time shares!



They could very easily do this by adding say $25 or so to each person's MF bill. I suspect many don't pay for the internet due to the cost. So a "forced" $25 charge may make them more than what they collect today.


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## whwaldo (May 2, 2016)

Just got back from a great week at Harborside, and I agree with much that was stated below.  Staff was great everywhere - eager to please, helpful, good with the kids.  A lifeguard actually held up the Challenger slides to help me find my room key card, which was in the pool at the bottom of a slide.  

Harborside and the rest of the Atlantis hotels and facilities were clean and well maintained.  Our 2br Harborside unit (in building 5 with a nice view of the harbor) was showing its age and could use a refurb, especially the bathrooms.

Harborside desk and bell staff made us feel welcome.  And not even a single call about an "Owner's Update".  Our room was actually ready when we arrived Sunday at 2pm.  Used Foodstore2go to stock the unit - they were right on time and they unpacked our order into the frig.  

I was OK with the cabanas everywhere, except that they seem to have decided that the Grotto Pool is now for cabana people only - not cool.  Never had a major problem finding chairs.  Didn't care for the smoking around the pool - especially cigars - also not cool.  Staff said smoking was permitted, but they would ask someone to move downwind if smoke was bothering kids.

Restaurants remain crazy expensive.  Dropped over $100 at the Point for burgers and wings for 4 one night (and boy is the staff sloooowwwww ...). Similar bill at Murray's Deli, though the staff was much more efficient. Poseidon's Table buffet was nice - great selection, and who can say no to Nutella dessert crepes -but at $60 per person plus tax and tips, an expensive night.

This visit we rented a wifi hotspot from PocketWifiBahamas rather than pay the daily wifi fee.  Worked out well, and we probably saved a few bucks.

Used Fergie's/Sandy's Taxi for airport transfers and a shopping trip to Nassau - they were there as arranged, and have newer vehicles than the last time were were at Atlantis.



Negma said:


> We just spent two weeks at Harborside and some random thoughts to share:
> Staff was wonderful, especially considering some of the guests "demands"
> Rooms were clean but they do get a lot of use, seems they have gotten faster at getting them ready.
> We used our three bedroom lock off and we switched from one side directly to the other never had to check out. Easiest switch ever.
> ...


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## elleny76 (May 13, 2016)

Hi Denise, I see in the website villas with ocean view..Do you know  which ones are those with ocean view and close to the sand? I see the main photo in the website and shows it. tx





DeniseM said:


> For all Starwood resorts, you can go to the main resort page, and click on VILLAS, and see a description of the unit including a summary of the kitchen equipment:
> 
> Main Page:  https://www.starwoodvacationnetwork.com/villa-collection?IM=SVOREDIRECT_201302_SVN_RESORTS
> 
> Harborside:  https://www.starwoodvacationnetwork.com/villa-collection/harborside-resort-at-atlantis/overview


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## DeniseM (May 13, 2016)

elleny76 said:


> Hi Denise, I see in the website villas with ocean view..Do you know  which ones are those with ocean view and close to the sand? I see the main photo in the website and shows it. tx



The Maui resorts have 3 views - Ocean front is the best view.

Ocean Front
Ocean View
Island View

WKORV-N:  Bldg. 5 & 8

WKORV:  Bldg. 2 & 3

For all the details, click on Owner Resources at the top of the page, then scroll down to resort maps.


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## elleny76 (May 13, 2016)

Thanks Denise, I forgot to mention the units at Harborside. ( no maui)





DeniseM said:


> The Maui resorts have 3 views - Ocean front is the best view.
> 
> Ocean Front
> Ocean View
> ...


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## DeniseM (May 13, 2016)

Harborside doesn't have deeded views, or a beach - it's on the Harbor - thus "Harbor-side."

If your goal is a beach vacation - I'd go somewhere else - the attraction at Harborside is the Atlantis amenities.


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## elleny76 (May 13, 2016)

thanks..that's why I was wondering since the first pic I see in the website when I click harborside shows the ocean and white sand through the living room balcony. 




DeniseM said:


> Harborside doesn't have deeded views, or a beach - it's on the Harbor - thus "Harbor-side."
> 
> If your goal is a beach vacation - I'd go somewhere else - the attraction at Harborside is the Atlantis amenities.


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## DeniseM (May 13, 2016)

When I click on the link, I see Atlantis, and the marina, and white rock around the marina.


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## elleny76 (May 13, 2016)

True!..I did click  on villas then on the bottom says ."the villa difference" and that's when I got confused. shrug: first time in the website.)

Now ..I am looking at the dinning plans in Atlantis..holly moses! No DPlan for us for sure..:rofl:







DeniseM said:


> When I click on the link, I see Atlantis, and the marina, and white rock around the marina.


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## DeniseM (May 13, 2016)

I think that is a generic stock photo promoting timeshares sales - I don't think it was taken at Harborside.


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## Sea Six (May 13, 2016)

elleny76 said:


> thanks..that's why I was wondering since the first pic I see in the website when I click harborside shows the ocean and white sand through the living room balcony.



Actually, there are 3 beaches at Atlantis that are on the ocean, plus another area on the lagoon.  If you want to be in the sand and salt water, there are several places to do this at Atlantis, just a short shuttle ride from Harborside, and the beaches are close to several of the pools so you can easily walk from one to the other and not even move your stuff.


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## Helios (May 15, 2016)

DeniseM said:


> Harborside doesn't have deeded views, or a beach - it's on the Harbor - thus "Harbor-side."
> 
> If your goal is a beach vacation - I'd go somewhere else - the attraction at Harborside is the Atlantis amenities.



This is not entirely accurate.  Phase I units, virtually all of them, have de facto deeded harbor view.  A couple of units are positioned 90 degrees from front marina view.  Obviously, you need a homeresort reservation in Phase I to get the garantee harbor view.  It is correct that there is no OF or OV. Also, some units are fixed so you can get a specific marina view.  All VOI are fixed weeks.  

Phase II the opposite (float).


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## DeniseM (May 15, 2016)

moto x said:


> This is not entirely accurate.  Phase I units, virtually all of them, have de facto deeded harbor view.  A couple of units are positioned 90 degrees from front marina view.  Obviously, you need a homeresort reservation in Phase I to get the garantee harbor view.  It is correct that there is no OF or OV. Also, some units are fixed so you can get a specific marina view.  All VOI are fixed weeks.
> 
> Phase II the opposite (float).



I agree, but the OP asked about an ocean view, *close to the sand*, and that is what I responded to.  



> Hi Denise, I see in the website villas with ocean view..Do you know which ones are those with *ocean view and close to the sand*?


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## Helios (May 15, 2016)

DeniseM said:


> Harborside doesn't have deeded views, or a beach - it's on the Harbor - thus "Harbor-side."
> 
> If your goal is a beach vacation - I'd go somewhere else - the attraction at Harborside is the Atlantis amenities.



Hmmm, the OP asked about Harborside and you commented on Maui.  

Your statement above says "Harborside doesn't have deeded views"...I guess I misunderstood...

I simply wanted to clarify...


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## DeniseM (May 15, 2016)

moto x said:


> Hmmm, the OP asked about Harborside and you commented on Maui.
> 
> Your statement above says "Harborside doesn't have deeded views"...I guess I misunderstood...
> 
> I simply wanted wanted to clarify...



I misunderstood her question at first, because she asked about views close to the sand.  So, I thought she was asking about Maui.

I was also trying to clarify, because  "fixed unit," and a "deeded view," are not the same thing (sorry.)  

Thank you for your additional thoughts.


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## Helios (May 15, 2016)

moto x said:


> Hmmm, the OP asked about Harborside and you commented on Maui.
> 
> Your statement above says "Harborside doesn't have deeded views"...I guess I misunderstood...
> 
> I simply wanted to clarify...



And to correct myself, buildings 1 and 7 have de facto harbor view.  Building 2 has only a couple of units with harbor view.


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## am1 (May 15, 2016)

What would be the minimum age to bring kids to Atlantis?  My kids are 3 and love the pool but are always disappointed when they are too short for the water slides at other places.


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## DeniseM (May 15, 2016)

am1 said:


> What would be the minimum age to bring kids to Atlantis?  My kids are 3 and love the pool but are always disappointed when they are too short for the water slides at other places.



A 3 year old is not going to be tall enough for the big slides (48 in.)

RULES:  http://www.atlantisbahamas.com/thingstodo/waterpark/rulesandregulations


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## am1 (May 15, 2016)

So over 48 inches and can swim with out a puddle jumper. Well we have a ways to go as one is just over 40 inches and one just under.  The Disney employees take the height minimum seriously.


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## YYJMSP (May 16, 2016)

am1 said:


> The Disney employees take the height minimum seriously.






Prob very specific in their liability insurance policies...


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## SandyPGravel (May 16, 2016)

am1 said:


> So over 48 inches and can swim with out a puddle jumper. Well we have a ways to go as one is just over 40 inches and one just under.  The Disney employees take the height minimum seriously.



Atlantis employees can be very strict too.  We had a 7 year old with us one year that was about 46.5 inches.  She had on crocs that made her taller, but some slide attendants made her take them off and refused to let her down the 48" requirement slides.  Better safe than sorry.


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## komosatp (May 16, 2016)

DeniseM said:


> A 3 year old is not going to be tall enough for the big slides (48 in.)
> 
> RULES:  http://www.atlantisbahamas.com/thingstodo/waterpark/rulesandregulations


There's a lot to do for the under 48 inch set. My kids have been riding the Aquaventure river system with me since they were under 3.

From the same page Denise linked to:


> *Rapids & Current Rivers *
> The Rapids and Current Rivers are intense river adventure attractions. Guests who fear strong currents, high swells, breaking waves and swift moving turbulent water should not participate in these attractions.
> The following rules and regulations are enforced for safety purposes.
> 
> ...


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## elleny76 (May 16, 2016)

We use the rapids all the time since my son was 3 y/o and its a lot of fun (just keep an eye because its easy to fall in the water in the curbs or the waves are to pushy) The kids pool is super fun and has various small slides. 






am1 said:


> What would be the minimum age to bring kids to Atlantis?  My kids are 3 and love the pool but are always disappointed when they are too short for the water slides at other places.


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## am1 (May 16, 2016)

If a last minute deal comes up I may just have to jump on it.  We are flexible as long as there are no other trips planned.  

Maybe it is best I bring them there before they start eating anymore.


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## SeaDoc (May 17, 2016)

When they are over 48" tall, as all the rides open up to them...  Fun place for young and old...

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## suzannesimon (May 17, 2016)

We went to Harborside for Thanksgiving and my 5-year-old grandson loved the rapids and the "little kid" slides.  He really wanted to go on the big slides with his mom and brother.  None of us could convince him that he couldn't talk his way onto them so they let him stand in line with mom all the way up to the top.  We were all watching to see if he could get past the attendant and, alas, he was turned away.  We're going to go back summer 2017 and he is measuring himself every week to see how far off of the 48" he is.  We're pretty sure he'll make it by June.  Not to worry, there is plenty for the little ones to do.  Surprisingly, the most popular activity for all the little boys at Harborside was shuffleboard.


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## Helios (May 17, 2016)

Agree that 48" is closely enforced.  If the kid is 48 or just slightly over have him/her measured by a lifeguard and get a wristband that says that he/she is 48".  That way you will avoid being questioned continuously by standing by the side of the slide to be checked.


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## The Haileys (May 20, 2016)

Were here now,  on the last full day of our stay.  It's been very nice here. We got a villa in building 2 with a lovely view of building 1, but that's OK,  we're happy to have gotten this stay at all. We're close to the pool and the Point,  steps away from the lobby and shuttle pick up. We had one rainy day,  the rest hot,  humid and mostly sunny.  This is apparently the slow season. We did venture over to Nassau one day.  We ate at the fish fry and wandered about the Straw Market. Be prepared for hard selling and solicitation of donations here! 

The staff at Harborside and Atlantis are very pleasant and gracious,  for the most part. There's always a few having a bad day anywhere you go. However, in comparison to the warmth and hospitality of Hawaiian service,  there is something definitely lacking. But the Bahamian folk do have a certain joi de vive that is infectious and enchanting. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the villa  - we are in a 1 bed premium. The bathroom is almost bigger than my first apartment! But I am pretty sure this building has not yet been refreshed as there is quite a lot of wear and tear apparent.  Since our stay is only 6 nights,  we didn't get a mid week housekeeping visit,  but they did give us fresh towels on request. It was also lacking the kitchen amenities,  but I just asked for the packet from one of the housekeeping staff. 

Yes,  the food is crazy expensive here,  but the quality is good and portions huge! We typically skipped breakfast and had an early lunch of deli meat sandwiches.  I had a grocery order delivered from Instagopher, and brought the meats and cheese from the US. We loved Poseidon's Table and Murray's Deli. Mosaic was good, but not worth the price difference from Poseidon's. Olives was good, but very pricey. The one breakfast we had at The Point was great. Being the slow season we never made or needed reservations.  

We fly out tomorrow,  back home after 8 days in Orlando and 7 here. I'm going to need a vacation to recover from this vacation! 

Oh,  and be sure to have cash for Sandra's taxi. They only have one credit card machine and your driver might not have it. 


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## elleny76 (May 20, 2016)

Sounds like great vacation!.. Just curious what kind of meats you brought from the states to Bahamas and how you packed them? Looking for ideas and  I might do the same. thanks.





The Haileys said:


> Were here now,  on the last full day of our stay.  It's been very nice here. We got a villa in building 2 with a lovely view of building 1, but that's OK,  we're happy to have gotten this stay at all. We're close to the pool and the Point,  steps away from the lobby and shuttle pick up. We had one rainy day,  the rest hot,  humid and mostly sunny.  This is apparently the slow season. We did venture over to Nassau one day.  We ate at the fish fry and wandered about the Straw Market. Be prepared for hard selling and solicitation of donations here!
> 
> The staff at Harborside and Atlantis are very pleasant and gracious,  for the most part. There's always a few having a bad day anywhere you go. However, in comparison to the warmth and hospitality of Hawaiian service,  there is something definitely lacking. But the Bahamian folk do have a certain joi de vive that is infectious and enchanting.
> 
> ...


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## JudyS (May 20, 2016)

whwaldo said:


> .... Didn't care for the smoking around the pool - especially cigars - also not cool.  Staff said smoking was permitted, but they would ask someone to move downwind if smoke was bothering kids..


That's a bummer! Is smoking permitted at all of the pools, with no non-smoking sections at all? How about in the water park areas? 

And. just how how was the internet charge?


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## SeaDoc (May 20, 2016)

T-Mobile data roaming and text was free!  Just had a wonderful 2 week stay there.  Spent most of the time in Atlantis, only casinos noted much smoking.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk


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## LisaRex (May 21, 2016)

elleny76 said:


> Sounds like great vacation!.. Just curious what kind of meats you brought from the states to Bahamas and how you packed them? Looking for ideas and  I might do the same. thanks.



I'm not The Haileys, but I typically bring food when I travel to the Caribbean.  (I don't bring fresh meat with me to Hawaii because I don't find Hawaiian grocery stores lacking in food quality.)  

We use 2 zippered Thermos Raya 9-can insulated bags (one for each of us) and reusable ice mats.  The 9-can totes are perfectly sized for my use, but you may want to adjust based on how much you anticipate bringing.  These also come in very handy for packing picnic lunches or toting drinks to the pool while on island. 

http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Lunch..._UL160_SR120,160_&refRID=0NK22Z6FKCJEVTHK4BX1

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=kitchen&field-keywords=thermos+ice+mat

A week before our trip, I'll buy the meat, keep it in its original packaging and place it in gallon-sized freezer Ziploc, and pop it all in the freezer.  2 days before our trip, I'll pop a stick of butter and 2 bags of cheese in the freezer.  I also make sure our ice mats are in the freezer.  I don't freeze the cream cheese, but it stays plenty cold.  (Hint: Don't take the ice mats out of their packaging, for security reasons.)

Right before we leave for the airport, I'll pop all my frozen items in a 2nd gallon sized freezer bag, clearly label it with a Sharpie (in case TSA searches the bag), and place them all in the Thermos bag(s).  We then place the bags in our CHECKED bag, in the middle of the clothes, for even more insulation.  (Checked bags are stowed in the cargo compartment, which is below freezing, so your food will still be frozen solid upon arrival.)

In my checked bag, I also pack dry items, including spices.  (You can put them in snack sized baggies, but I now use these 20ml plastic vials.)

http://www.amazon.com/Piece-Clear-J...1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

Note that we usually eat every breakfast in, and EITHER lunch or dinner.  The other meal, we eat out. This is my PREFERENCE, not a budgetary mandate.  Through the years, I've tweaked what we bring, and what we buy, in order to minimize both expense and waste.  This is very typical for a one week trip:   

*Meat/Dairy I'll bring*
1 thick ribeye per person
~1.5 boneless chicken breast per person
1 # of ground beef (for hamburgers) for every 4 people. (Note: Tubes transport really well)
1 # of sausage
1 # of bacon
2 - 8 oz. bag of sharp cheddar
Stick of butter 
8 oz brick of cream cheese (I don't freeze this)

*Spices*
Salt
Pepper
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Old Bay Seasoning
Powdered garlic 
Oregano
Red Pepper
Dry Mustard (for the breakfast strata recipe below)
1 packet of Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix

*Other dry goods: *
Small bag of real bacon bits
2 boxes of Pasta Roni (e.g. angel hair and parmesan cheese)
Mustard and ketchup and sugar packets that I collect during the year 
Small bag of coffee and 6 coffee filters
1 kabob stick per person
Small plastic jar of mayonnaise 
Baby bottle of hot sauce
2 cans of tuna fish
baby jar of peanut butter
baby jar of raspberry jam
various baggies to store leftovers, for picnic lunches, and to marinade meat

When I arrive, I'll buy at the grocery store what I need to complete the meals. My goal is to eat all breakfasts and several lunches/dinners in, with a minimum of waste and expense:

*Typical list of food I buy on island:*
Half gallon of milk
Juice
Beer
Wine
Soda
Waters
Vodka
small bag of potatoes
Bagged salad
Fresh vinaigrette dressing
onion
tomatoes
mushrooms
baby carrots
1 red and 1 yellow pepper
Dozen eggs 
sour cream
bagels 
Loaf of bread
fresh native fruit
grapes
bananas
Chips

Excluding the liquor, we can usually walk away spending less than $150 at the grocery store. 

*Sample meals:*

Breakfast (always served with fresh fruit)

Egg/sausage/red pepper strata (made early on cause it's so easy to reheat)
Bagels and cream cheese
Eggs and leftover steak
Bacon, mushroom, tomato, and pepper omelette
Eggs and seasoned fried potatoes
Lunches:

Tuna salad sandwiches with lettuce (from bagged salad) and tomatoes, on a bagel, with a side of pasta or chips
Cobb salad made with leftover grilled chicken breast, bagged lettuce, hard-boiled eggs, bacon bits, cheese, and tomatoes
PB & J or BLTE sandwiches with baby carrots and ranch dressing
PB & bananas on toast
Dinner:

Ribeyes with mushrooms (cooked in butter and red wine), baked potatoes with bacon bits, cheese, and sour cream, and bagged salad w/ raspberry vinaigrette dressing
Cheeseburgers on bagels topped w/ sliced tomatoes, lettuce, and onions, pasta, and fruit
Grilled chicken (marinaded in vinaigrette dressing) kabobs, with peppers, onion slices, and mushrooms


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## mtforeman (May 21, 2016)

We really looked into this when we were considering another timeshare, but the MF were so very high.  After spending a week at Marival Residences in Puerto Vallarta, we realized we could trade in and do (an amazing) AI for the same price as the MF at Atlantis and decided against it.  The associated costs were just too high for the quality mentioned in the reviews.  Marival was simply amazing, and the quality of the residences was unlike anything I had ever seen.


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## DeniseM (May 21, 2016)

mtforeman said:


> We really looked into this when we were considering another timeshare, but the MF were so very high.  After spending a week at Marival Residences in Puerto Vallarta, we realized we could trade in and do (an amazing) AI for the same price as the MF at Atlantis and decided against it.  The associated costs were just too high for the quality mentioned in the reviews.  Marival was simply amazing, and the quality of the residences was unlike anything I had ever seen.



I understand your point about price, but you are comparing apples and oranges here, because Marival is in Mexico, and it doesn't have the Atlantis water park.  

Let's face it, without Atlantis, Harborside would just be another resort.

Daily admission to Atlantis starts at about $130 per person, per day, but it's _included_ in your Harborside reservation, so for most people, that is the big attraction.  So for a family of 4, that visits the park 5 days on their trip that's a savings of $2,600.


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## The Haileys (May 21, 2016)

I just brought some deli meats and cheese, and small containers of mayo and mustard. We found that the dinners were huge and we weren't hungry for breakfast and just had the early lunch, and some munching snacks. 

We were also at SVR the week before Harborside, and what we took was leftover from that week. We didn't eat much in the villa because we hit the ground running early and stayed in the parks until late, so there was plenty for another week.  I had groceries delivered as well - bread, lettuce, tomato, coffee, etc. Due to baggage weight restrictions, we couldn't carry much.  There seems to be no problem going from the US to Bahamas,  but they wouldn't let us take it back,  and in fact,  made a huge production of searching all our bags and us at customs.  So, leave the food behind when coming home. 

Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk


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## RichardL (May 24, 2016)

Ditto on lovely beaches, every morning took the shuttle ride to the Cove and it was a short walk to the Atlantis beaches which were sheltered by a rock
breakwater with a small entrance to open ocean, white beaches, life-guards and
lots of available beach lounges with a shade top.  Short walk to showers, and
food, and the lazy river.

I much prefer the water and beach activities at Atlantis over Harborside, although
Harborside pool activities are just outside your door, they are boring to me in comparison.  I am soo spoiled.


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## suzannesimon (May 24, 2016)

I agree with Denise that Harborside is the absolutely most economical way to get into Atlantis .We always feel sorry for the cruise people there for the day paying what they do and we get to go everyday.

It's true the maintenance fees are high but the resale price is quite reasonable so my daughter and I bought 2 and rent one which mostly covers the maintenance fees on both of them.


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