Atlantis questions...
 

I'm trying to budget for a trip to the Atlantis next week, and I've been reading about how expensive everything is. Do the water slides cost extra? If so, how much? What about snorkeling? I read there is some fee for that, but how much? Also, what about restaurants? The ATlantis website cleverly is quite coy about pricing info -- on the dining comparison chart, it gives ranges for each restaurant, but does "$$$ = $35-$40" (for Dune, Marketplace, Seagrapes, etc.) mean per entree, or a whole meal minus drinks, or ??? Nitpicky, I know, but it sounds like I'm going to need to budget carefully. Thanks for any info! Oh, and is there one pool area that has a relatively lower screaming kid ratio than others??

If you can the gourmet meal plan is well worth it......you can eat in all the restaurants and you pay for drinks. You get an appetizer, salad and entree and dessert &amp; coffee. My husband and I costed it out after seeing the menu prices and it definately saved a lot of money. You can order anything you like form the menus. It covers breakfast &amp; dinner (the breakfast we had at the Great Hall of Waters was one of the best I've ever had anywhere and it was all included, I think that breakfast alone paid for the meal plan for the day!). So if you eat a late breakfast grab a cheap snack and pig out at dinner - its great. Call though if your interested because they put a time limit on it, I don't think you can purchase a meal plan 4 or 5 days before you go. I guess that they figure you will cost it out and by then its too late. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with the meal plan but we do not like schlepping all over nassau for the cheapest food, we like to stay on the resort. So if you are like me the meal plan was WELL WORTH IT.<BR><BR>If you are an Atlantis guest there is no extra charge for the slides - there were lots of kids everywhere. The pool with the most kids was the pool with the Mayan Temple Slide. The further away you get from that the lower the kid ratio gets. That pool area is the nicest in the resort including the Royal Baths Pool - very nice. Space is limited though, well it was when we were there it may be less crowded now

thanks, anon! good info. do you think it will be less crowded in early november? i think that's the tail end of hurricane season.

As long as kids are in school it will be less crowded! Have Fun! Try to get the meal plan, I think that is why they don't actually list the prices of food on their website, you will definately save money!<BR><BR>Safe Trip:)

Marketplace and Seagrapes are buffets; don't buy that meal plan. Dune is not available on any meal plan; probably $125-$150 each (with alchohol/wine). Murray's Deli is the best value on-site. Snorkeling excursions are available for a fee; snorkeling equipment can be rented for the man-made inlet, but there's not much there. My kids brought gear so we woudldn't have to pay for their 10 minutes of fun! You will have to pay extra for the fitness center, putting course, etc. We spent very little in extra activities, however, as we were there to sprawl out daily by the pool! There is very little night life, and we don't gamble, so our dinners were our nightly expense. For fewer kids, you could check out these two areas: the very last pool in the complex near the beach of Beach Towers, and the oval pool at the bottom of the Royal Tower stairs opposite the Mayan Temple complex. The latter would be my preference, as you'd be close enough to have some fun on the water slides, and close to the man-made inlet if you want some &quot;beach&quot; time. Have a blast! Wish I were escaping this cold spell!<BR>

Unfortunately, I won't be able to take advantage of a meal plan, and so I'll be buying meals as I go. I've read that Murray's is a good value; any others you'd strongly recommend? We're going to have one nice dinner out -- not $100-150 per person, but still nice. Suggestions? I hear the breakfast buffet is amazing, but something like $30 per person...for breakfast.

Hi Linda,<BR><BR>Sorry to hear that. We had the gourmet meal plan so we ate in Fathoms, 5Twins, Villa D'este and had breakfast in Great Hall of Waters. (If we had to pay for dinner at Fathoms it would have cost us over $350.00, meal plan covered it!) I don't know how anyone can say that the plan is not worth it!?! There is a great place for lunch Shark Bites, its pretty cheap for Atlantis, hamburgers fries, wraps. I heard that Murray's is good. We did not do the Market Place but I heard thats good as well. have a great time, it's a lot of fun and it should not be crowded now so it will be very pleasant!

We ate at Fathoms and Great Hall of Waters without the meal plan, and thought they were both good. Fathoms had some traditional local entertainment in the middle of the meal that was fun. I think for two adults (we were 4 adults and 2 teens) it would have been appox $150-175 with alcohol and/or wine. I would have liked to try the Bahamian Club, as it's supposed to be good, but couldn't get a reservation. We ate at the breakfast buffet once, and felt it was a rip-off, although the food was fine and plentiful. From the price, I felt totally justified taking a yogurt and piece of fruit for the pool!<BR>Once last thought... are you just two adults? And which tower are you staying at? If already at the Royal, the concierge level is not THAT much more for two, and includes a continental breakfast, tea time mid-afternoon, and cocktails and desserts in the evening. I think that would pay off in the long run, considering you'd only have to buy one meal a day.<BR>

The food at Atlantis is, in general, a big joke.<BR>You can eat some of the best food in the world in NYC for much less.<BR>Even if Atlantis had *good* food it still wouldn't be worth what they charge.<BR>But they know they have you captive.<BR><BR>Linda, you're smart not to buy a meal plan.<BR>Unless you're a Las Vegas type trough-eating glutton, you won't get your money's worth at Atlantis. In fact, even if you were a trough eating glutton, you STILL wouldn't get your money's worth because the food there just isn't that good.<BR><BR>Sorry to be harsh. But Atlantis really twerks me off. The place is such a poor value overall that it galls me how many people they hoodwink.<BR>We stayed there this summer.<BR>Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...NOT.

Nobody is getting &quot;fooled&quot; or &quot;hoodwinked.&quot; Linda clearly states that she's done her research. Every &quot;luxury&quot; Caribbean resort has inflated dining prices. That's just the way it is. Accept it, and realize that if you want NYC, you'll go to NYC. Something the size of Atlantis isn't going to produce intimate gourmet dining. People who go there, CHOOSE to do so for other reasons. Give it a rest!<BR><BR>

I won't &quot;give it a rest&quot; until unsuspecting people stop getting ripped off at Atlantis.<BR>This board is for learning about and planning vactions and such.<BR>I have a strong opinion about Atlantis and if people feel opposite...great. Everyone in this world has a right to his/her own opinion.<BR>But people reading this thread in the future may be researching a trip to Atlantis. I think they should know the truth.<BR><BR><BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~<BR>Ever notice that even the people who like Atlantis never defend the food quality??? Or the prices????<BR>

Jamie,<BR><BR>Give it a rest, some people like Atlantis for the Family vacation. The food is not NYC quality, everyone knows that. Everything is shipped into the Bahamas, hence the high cost and lower quailty of food. Some people like Atlantis, espically if you have children because theres something for the entire family to enjoy. Coming from NYC myself and just recently returned form Atlantis a few months ago, I can tell you that the Gourmet meal plan is well worth it. The food at the &quot;upscale&quot; restaurants is mediocre at best, as we get much better at home at the local restaurant for much less $, but that's NY. Was it the best vacation we ever went on? Hardley, but it's fun to use it as a quick 4 day weekend. One plane and you're there, warm sun, fun casino and relaxation by a somewhat noisy pool, but hey it sure beats the LIE. <BR><BR>Lay off the people that like Atlantis it may not be the greatest place in the world, but some enjoy it and some like us use it for a mini vacation between the bigger vacations.

Sorry, whomever you are (anon).<BR>I forgot that your opinion is more important than mine.<BR><BR>I'll try to refrain from disagreeing with you in the future because obviously you speak for the entire rest of the world.<BR>As such, your opinion is the only one that matters.<BR><BR>(Yeah, right. Get a life).

You don't have to be so combative, if you don't like the place, don't go and don't post. Everyone knows what Atlantis is.....it is not a secret, but do not put people down because they like going there. Does that make you feel like you are a better person? Why don't you go to Atlantis and Picket? Spread the word - tell everyone just what they are because they visit Atlantis! <BR><BR>An opinion is one thing, but trying to start an Atlantis bashing thread which by the way has been done over and over again is another. If you cannot give a straight answer to the question posted, please don't bother. If anyone wants to see the negatives about Atlantis they can do a search. The poster was asking about expenses. Do you have an answer for her or are you just going to spew negativity and make her feel bad?

Stayed at Comfort Suites across from Atlantis and glad we did. We had access to all <BR>Atlantis facilities and the CS was cheaper, and extremely nice, including staff. Also included a great complimentary breakfast. Pool has a swim up bar, too. Staff very curteous. I felt like I was in OceanCity Maryland while at the Atlantis.

To MJ-<BR>How recently did you stay at the Comfort Suites. Have heard good things but a few concerns recently about cleanliness, broken equipment, etc.<BR>Did you stay in the new wing or original section by the pool?