Atlantis isn’t all-inclusive but it does include a lot of extras. Find out if it’s worth the cost!
When it comes to resorts, the words ‘all-inclusive’ refer to everything being included in the booking price. Meaning that flights, hotel, entertainment, meals and alcoholic beverages would all be included for one price. In this regard, the Atlantis Bahamas resort is not all-inclusive.
While Atlantis isn’t an all-inclusive resort in the traditional sense, it is an amazing luxury resort that does include a lot of extras. Most notable of which is their incredible waterpark on-site that is included in your stay.
What’s included when you stay at Atlantis Bahamas?
Not just a regular hotel, you do get a lot more than simply your room when you stay at Atlantis. They call themselves a full-service resort. Let’s dive into what’s included in your stay.
The following services and activities are included when staying at Atlantis:
- Free in-room Wi-Fi
- Shuttle service between hotels
- Water bottles
- Coffee and tea in-room
- Fitness centre access
- Dolphin viewing area
- Aquaventure Waterpark access
Is Aquaventure Waterpark free for Atlantis guests?
Yes! All guests receive free access to their Aquaventure Waterpark and I believe that this makes staying at Atlantis worth it. Aquaventure is their 141-acre waterpark and it encompasses the Atlantis Bahamas resort. It is the largest waterpark in the Caribbean.
While Atlantis is not a traditional all-inclusive resort, this is one area that I would consider to be all-inclusive. As a guest, you have full access to the Aquaventure Waterpark during your stay. We stayed there for five nights and I don’t think we managed to do everything!
What’s included at Atlantis’ Aquaventure Waterpark?
- 9 Waterslides
- Lazy River
- River Rapids
- Tube rides
- Lagoons
- 20 swimming areas
You do not have to be a guest to visit the Aquaventure Water Park, but if you are not staying on-site, you must purchase your day pass in advance. Click to find out if purchasing an Atlantis Day Pass is worth it. I wrote a separate post explaining everything you need to know.
Tickets for non-guests are limited and may not be available during the high season if the resort is full. The only way to guarantee your entry into Aquaventure waterpark is to be a guest of Atlantis.
Ticket prices vary depending on the date and season.
💧 Check current Aquaventure ticket prices 💧
Atlantis isn’t all-inclusive, here’s what’s not included
While access to their Aquaventure Waterpark is included, there are a lot of things that aren’t included with your stay. Since Atlantis is not all-inclusive, here are some of the things that aren’t included in the price of a room at Atlantis:
- Airfare
- Alcoholic beverages
- Meals
- Car rental
- Soft drinks
- Entertainment
- Excursions
- Parking
- Room service
- Spa treatments
- Transportation
- Valet parking
I have read that if you sit at a gambling table in the casino they will bring you free drinks, but I can’t confirm this. We didn’t gamble so I am not sure, but this is common practice in most casinos in Las Vegas.
Since you’re paying to gamble, these aren’t exactly ‘free’ drinks, but I thought I’d mention it all the same.
Does Atlantis offer meal plans?
While they used to, it appears that Atlantis no longer offers meal plans. On their website, they state that you can now purchase experience credits. These can be added to existing reservations but must be purchased at least 4 days in advance.
For every $100 worth of experience credits that you buy, you receive an extra $15 in value. So if you purchased $100, you would receive $115 in credits. $500 would get you $575 in total value and so on. You can use these credits towards food, beverage, marine adventures, family fun, and more.
If you are staying at Atlantis for a week and decided to purchase $2000 worth of experience credits for your food and drink costs, you would get an additional $230. Not bad and definitely worth it since you know you’ll be spending that money.
Pro tip: the portion sizes at Carmine’s (pictured below) are humongous! You can easily share a pasta dish here to save a few bucks. I hated having to throw half of mine away, but the rooms don’t have microwaves so I had no way to reheat it later.
How much does it cost to stay at Atlantis Bahamas?
This question is impossible to answer because it will depend on where you decide to stay. Atlantis offers five hotels and one resort where you can stay on Paradise Island. Your options include The Royal, The Coral Towers, The Cove (this is where I stayed and it was incredible), The Reef, and the Harborside Resort.
There are several different categories of accommodation available at Atlantis. These include standard rooms, suites, villas, and beachfront accommodations. Standard rooms are typically smaller than other room options and come with one king bed or two double beds.
Regardless of which hotel you choose to stay in, the included activities, such as admission to Aquaventure Waterpark, remain the same.
Check the current pricing for Atlantis Bahamas 🐬
What excursions are available from Atlantis?
While there are tons of water activities included in your stay at Atlantis, you may wish to leave the resort for a day to explore Nassau. The most popular activity would be the Swimming with the pigs excursion. It sounds crazy, but I did it and it was a really fun day!
We went out on a boat and visited 5 different islands, including the infamous Pig Island. Made famous by Instagram, you can swim with these pigs and feed them carrots. If you’re interested, check out my complete review and 10 pro tips for swimming The Bahamas’ pigs.
I also recommend simply checking out the town of Nassau. You do not need to join a tour group for this activity. You can walk to the water taxi or have the resort call you a taxi to take you into town. This is not expensive as it is very close by.
Is there a free airport shuttle to Atlantis?
No, there is no free airport shuttle to or from the Atlantis resort. All-Inclusive resorts do tend to offer airport transportation, but Atlantis does not. The best way to get from the airport to Atlantis is via taxi.
Conclusion – Is Atlantis right for you if it’s not all-inclusive?
If you’re looking for a place where you can relax and enjoy yourself without having to worry about any additional costs, then Atlantis might not be the right choice for you. You may prefer a traditional all-inclusive resort. However, if you’re willing to pay extra for certain amenities, then you’ll find that Atlantis offers plenty of value for money.
It really comes down to your vacation preferences, your budget, alcohol consumption and what you are willing to pay extra for. While staying at Atlantis was more expensive than a traditional all-inclusive resort, I found their waterpark and activities well worth it.
If you still aren’t sure whether or not Atlantis Bahamas is for you, check out my complete Atlantis Bahamas review. This post goes into a lot more detail than just whether or not Atlantis is all-inclusive.
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