Our second excursion on a 5-day Carnival Sunshine cruise was the Top 10 Best of Nassau. Our entire party agreed that this was one of our favorite activities of the entire trip! It was an expeditious way to see the highlights of the island with a local guide in an air-conditioned vehicle.
About the Excursion
This tour is offered on Carnival Cruises that stop in Nassau, New Providence. We sailed on the Carnival Sunshine, but more than a dozen Carnival cruise ships spend at least one day in Nassau and offer this excursion.
The cost was $69.99 per person (or $59.99 for children 12 and under). Reservations opened 60 days before our embarkation date and we made our reservation a few days later for a party of 7 without issue. The only available time slot was 9:00AM due to the length of the excursion, which is listed at 3 hours. (Ours actually lasted close to 4 hours!)
We chose this excursion because the members of our group, while all adults, differed greatly in age and mobility level. This excursion allowed us to explore the island together! Despite this, when we first booked the excursion, I was worried. I’d done the math and realized we would only have a few minutes at each destination. I didn’t think this would be a sufficient amount of time for me to explore, but I was pleasantly surprised. The in-depth coverage of the historical and cultural touchpoints we visited are all due to our driver and guide, Marco. He was able to prime us for each stop by giving brief history of the place before we arrived.
Marco was friendly, he was knowledgeable, and he navigated the narrow streets with ease. He shared history of the area and he even passed around dollar bills and coins so that we had a chance to see and feel Bahamian money. He shared fun facts inspired by things we passed. For example, he explained the strict weapons laws, noting that residents must have a license for a machete when we passed a vendor carving fresh coconuts. The guide makes the excursion!
Top 10 Best of Nassau
Rawson Square
Our time at Rawson Square was a drive-by. It’s very close to the port and we passed it on our way to the other, more pedestrian-friendly destinations.
The Square is a small cobblestone space and its pastel colonial-style buildings are flocked with palm trees. It is quintessentially Caribbean and absolutely charming. We appreciated the opportunity to learn about Bahamian history as we drove to the Square, which is home to several government buildings. It’s often called Parliament Square.
The Square has a bronze bust of Sir Milo Butler, the first Bahamian Governor General to hold office after the Bahamas secured their independence from the United Kingdom in 1973, as well as a statue of Queen Victoria.
There were many other government buildings in the same area, all easily identifiable because they are all pink! The color-coded system includes coding for education buildings and schools (yellow) as well as police stations and fire stations (green).
Top 10 Best of Nassau
Government House
Government House is located on a 10-acre estate on Mount Fitzwilliam and is home to the Governor General. The harborside steps used to feature a 12-foot statue of Christopher Columbus, but after standing for nearly 250 years, it has been defaced. It has been lying in disrepair since and will, I assume, be removed rather than restored.
We also passed the Government House in the passenger van, making it one of our quickest stops! I didn’t have a chance to snap a photo, but it’s also pink.
Top 10 Best of Nassau
Rum Cake Factory
The Bahamas Rum Cake Factory was probably the most delicious stop on this tour. We were given a brief overview of the factory and samples of the rum cakes, which are small Bundt cakes soaked in Ole Nassau Rum. The flavors we tried included pecan and coconut. They also offered plain (a traditional Bundt cake), pecan, amaretto, banana, caramel, cinnamon, key lime, chocolate, Irish cream, Kentucky bourbon, pineapple, and pina colada.
Rum cakes were available all over the island as well as on our cruise ship, but no other stops had them in as many flavors and sizes. We were delighted to see they were vacuum-sealed; we bought several for gifts. (I purchased a 6-pack with pecan, pineapple, and coconut for $37.50.)
The shop also had a large window into the baking and packing area for visitors interested in the process of making and packaging the cakes.
Top 10 Best of Nassau
Atlantis Resort: Marina Village
We passed Nassau Harbour on our way to Paradise Island. It’s a small island adjacent to the New Providence that is accessible by two bridges, the Sidney Poitier Bridge and the Eastern Bridge. We crossed using both: Poitier Bridge on the way there and Eastern Bridge on the way back.
Atlantis is a massive resort with a famed waterpark, casino, and marine habitat. It totally dominates the island and is visible from most of Nassau, including the port. We visited Marina Village, the shopping district of Atlantis Resort, which featured a couple dozen boutiques.
Most of the shops had offerings we could find at home or close to home. This was my least favorite stop on our tour as it didn’t include any local culture or history.
Top 10 Best of Nassau
Queen’s Staircase
The Queen’s Staircase is a beautiful staircase with a central landing that was hewn directly from limestone. The staircase was hand-carved by slaves in a project that took over 16 years. It is a landmark because it provided direct access from Fort Fincastle to Nassau, which was a strategic necessity in the late 1700s.
The pathway leading to the staircase is lush and lined with limestone. I found it more beautiful and impressive than the staircase! Massive plants were growing down from the top and through the cracks. It felt like the forest was trying to reclaim the space that had been hewn out hundreds of years ago.
The Queen’s Staircase is sometimes also called “the 66 steps.” These steps, which have been retro-fitted with handrails and include a few small landings, were not challenging for our group. Only two chose not to climb the staircase; our guide drove them to Fort Fincastle to meet us.
I think this might have been my favorite stop!
Top 10 Best of Nassau
Fort Fincastle
Fort Fincastle isn’t far from the top of the Queen’s Staircase. We walked there to meet our group and do some shopping with the local merchants atop Bennett Hill.
The fort is one of three on the island. It was built in 1793 and was designed to protect from invasion, but it saw very little action. The fort was converted to function as a lighthouse in 1816.
The market at Fort Fincastle had various street vendors with handmade souvenirs, including toys, clothes, baskets, and other straw wares.
Top 10 Best of Nassau
Graycliff Heritage Village
Graycliff Heritage Village is several points of interest in one stop. It’s the art district, evident by the street displays, and is home to the Heritage Village Artists’ Studio, Bahama Barrels winery, Graycliff Chocolatier, Graycliff Cigar Company, and the Heritage Museum of the Bahamas.
We struggled to find the Graycliff Cigar Company, which was tucked down some side streets and alleys. Bahama Barrels and Graycliff Chocolatier were right near the umbrellas, which made them very easy to find.
Chocolate samples were available, but we did not have a chance to try them. This was the only time we felt like our tour was rushed. There simply was not enough time to see all of Graycliff, even if we’d spent the whole tour there! The chocolatier also sold candles, ice cream, and pizza.
Top 10 Best of Nassau
John Watling’s Rum Distillery
Our tour at John Watling’s Distillery was a highlight of the Top 10 tour! It started with samples and a brief history of the former home. We spent a few minutes exploring the grounds with our guide, learning about the process of aging rum in semi-tropical environment. This process is accelerated, so only about a third of the time is required compared to temperate climates.
We also learned that the islands are made of mostly limestone from coral, which explains its wide use in the architecture of the islands. It’s also an excellent natural filtration system for their well water.
All of the products are still produced, packed, and labeled by hand. On the tour, we were able to view this work in process! We also visited the showroom, which sold alcohol and branded casual wear.
Red Turtle vodka, also known as “the Spirit of the Bahamas,” is not exported, but John Watling’s rums can be purchased from the John Watling’s Distillery website. Of course, we also had the opportunity to purchase the varieties of John Watling’s rum, either in whole bottles or mixed drinks. Many in our group grabbed a beverage, while I purchased some conch fritters from the food truck outside.
Top 10 Best of Nassau
St. Matthew’s Anglican Church
Anglican Church is the oldest church building in the Bahamas and is likely the oldest building in New Providence that is still in use. It is a beautiful church with lush, green courtyard gardens. This building is made of locally mined stone, was built over 200 years ago, and still holds regular services. We saw many other churches in the same area, all of which were beautiful!
This was another drive-by, so we didn’t spend much time here and had to admire its beauty from afar.
Top 10 Best of Nassau
Junkanoo Beach
Junkanoo Beach is a beautiful public beach near the port. It was the last stop on our tour and it was a relaxing one. We took a few minutes to walk in the sand and dip our toes in the water before heading back to our starting point.
From this beautiful shore, we were able to see Nassau Harbour Lighthouse and the cruise port.
Overall Impression
I would recommend this tour unreservedly! Everyone in our group enjoyed our day and we felt like we got our money’s worth. This is mainly because the tour had something for everyone in our group. We were able to sample foods, have a drink, shop, walk and explore, meet new people, and learn the history of Nassau.
Plan Your Visit
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