UNofficial Club Viva Fortuna - Forum Excerpts

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Forum Excerpts - July 2000

Bahamas-mon La Fortuna

July 31, 2000 at 17:10:57 by terry (tefortune@hotmail.com)

My wife and I are going to La Fortuna with a 6 month old. Has anyone used the nanny/ babysitting services there and if so, how was it and was it expensive?
It seems like all other aspects of the resort are great!

August 01, 2000 at 22:08:00 by Joe (joekusterer@yahoo.com)

Hi, we didn't use the babysitting service while we were there so I couldn't tell you how it is but we did see the price for it. We thought it was kind of expensive at $7.50 per hour.
Joe
The Unofficial Club Viva Fortuna Resort Website
http://www.oocities.org/clubfortuna

Geographia Scuba at Viva Fortuna

7/28/00 2:58:01 PM by Frank (digerfrank@aol.com)

Does Viva Fortuna offer a scuba certification course? If so how much does it cost?

7/29/00 12:06:58 AM by Joe (joekusterer@yahoo.com)

Frank, yes they offer all certifications. 'SCUBA Diver' certification allows you to dive with a divemaster (not independently) and costs $210. 'Open Water Diver' is the full PADI or SSI certification, takes 3 days, and costs $330. Beyond these, they offer 'Advanced Open Water' ($300), 'Rescue Diver' ($350), 'Medic First Aid' ($70).
They have their own dive shop, equipment, and boat and have dive trips every day. They also let you try the equipment out in the pool for free and they have a one day non-certification outing that my son did and thoroughly enjoyed. It culminates in a 40 foot reef/wreck dive.
If you need any more info, I've got their flyers and brochures plus they have an e-mail address of vivadive@batelnet.bs

Geographia Question

7/24/00 11:20:35 AM by Neil (Neilbatchelor@email.msn.com)

We are due to be staying at Club Fortuna.If i want cash is it OK on a card or do i need travellers cheques

7/26/00 12:08:12 PM by Joe (joekusterer@yahoo.com)

Neil, not quite sure exactly what you're asking but if it's how to get cash when you're there, travellers checks are probably your best bet. There is not an ATM there. Also the front desk doesn't cash travellers checks. The way we ended up getting cash was to buy something very small at the on-site drugstore and pay for it with a travellers check. The change is your cash. Remember, though, that you don't need cash for anything unless you leave the resort. Oh, and you always need that $18 per person departure tax so they'll let you off the island.

Geographia Club Fortune Beach

7/24/00 5:03:03 AM by Becky (bec_hulley@yahoo.com)

We will be staying at club fortune beach in september i have loads of questions. what weather can i wxpect? Is it safe to go out and about in the town as tourists, or will we get mugged and mobbed by beggars? my husbamd thinks it is unsafe for us to leave the hotel, he wont beleive me . Is it best to pre-book the dolfin encounters and dives from the uk or wait till we get there? What else is there to do on the island? Is it possible to take a trip over to miami as it is only half hour or so away? How do we go about booking this? What is the hotel like? Is it quiet or busy in september? Will we have to fight for sunbeds? Any further info would be appreciated. I have already visited the geocites web pages and got some info.
You can mail direct to bec_hulley@yahoo.com with info etc Regards Becky

7/26/00 11:11:51 AM by Joe (joekusterer@yahoo.com)

Becky, I e-mailed answers to your earlier but since it looks like you've added a few more questions I'll re-answer the old and try and answer the new ones (at least those about which I have a clue).
:what weather can i wxpect? In general, the weather should be quite nice in Sept. Sunny and around 90 degrees F most days. Also, with Club Fortuna being right on the beach, there's always a nice sea breeze that keeps things comfortable. There is one major wild card though. September is the peak of the hurricane season. If there's a hurricane, all bets are off. As the time for your trip gets closer check http://www.hurricanes2000.com regularly.
:Is it safe to go out and about in the town as tourists, or will we get mugged and mobbed by beggars? my husbamd thinks it is unsafe for us to leave the hotel, he wont beleive me. What we've heard matches pretty closely with what we've experienced in that crime is not really much of a problem. Within Club Fortuna there's not any question - all vehicles have to pass through a security gate to get in and there's plenty of guards constantly patrolling the grounds. By the way, my wife was up early some days and she says she had some really nice long chats with some of the guards. She said they're really friendly and I guess if you wanted more info on crime they'd probably be good ones to talk to.
As far as off the property goes, crime doesn't seem to be much of a problem either. It seems like most anybody you encounter at any time just wants to help you. I don't think I'd really worry all that much about crime - just be sensible and you should be fine.
:Is it best to pre-book the dolfin encounters and dives from the uk or wait till we get there? Judging from the popularity of these activities, pre-booking would probably be a very good idea.
:What is the hotel like? Is it quiet or busy in september? Will we have to fight for sunbeds? We were there two years ago in late August and it was only about half full due to a hurricane. Since Sept is hurricane season, I wouldn't expect it to full up but who knows. We were there this summer in late June and it was full then. Even with it being fully booked it wasn't crowded at all and, no, you won't have to fight for sunbeds. Remember, this is a 276 unit resort on 26 acres as compared to say the Lucayan, which will eventually reach 3500 units on just 5 acres. Crowding just isn't a problem at Club Fortuna.

Bahamas-On-Line Club Viva Fortuna

Jul 22 08:33:10 2000 by Sally & Joe

A group of 8 people went to Club Fortuna in May and it was horrible! The place was dirty and had grass growing in between the tiles on the floor of their rooms. The beach was littered with broken glass, bottles and other debris. They couldn't even get towels in their rooms. Service was lacking, along with the poor attitude of the staff. What happened to this property? It used to be so nice. At the end of their trip, they all got food poisioning! They will never go back. Don't waste your money at this resort!

Jul 26 12:25:36 2000 by Danny (ditson@mediaone.net)

Also don't waste your time believing this report. I don't.
Danny

Aug 5 23:46:52 2000 by andy (andy@themlees.screaming.net)

This report is so false. Fortuna is a great place. Email me for some true facts.

Bahamas-mon Club Viva Fortuna

7/22/00 3:51:20 PM by Sally and Joe

We are putting this info out there for any even remotely interested in booking Club Fortuna--don't! Save your money...the place is dirty and the staff and management are rude! We had 8 friends there in May, and they all got food poisioning. Would you believe that the manager won't acknowledge that they got food poisioning because it wasn't a larger group! This place has gone down hill. They couldn't even get towels in their rooms. Don't waste your money here!

7/23/00 9:15:34 PM by Danny (ditson@mediaone.net)

Frankly, I don't believe you. There were 2 reports of problems getting rooms because of some plumbing problems earlier this year, but since than there have been nothing but good reports. Anyone doubting that go to www.bahamas-mon.com and check the trip reports under the Freeport message board. People are just back from July trips and rave about the place. Sour grapes have no place here. Legitimate bad reports do, but I don't think yours is. Prove your point or don't put garbage on this board.
Danny

Bahamas-mon Trip Report - Club Viva Fortuna - Freeport, GBI

July 17, 2000 at 22:13:36 by Padge (pseverin@msn.com)

Club Fortuna was everything great we had heard and more,... it was fantastic ! First and foremost,all of the unitswere available and working properly, no water problems as some reports had posted prior to our arrival.
Getting There: My wife and I and our 4 daughters ranging in ages 21,18,16, and 12 arrived Sunday, midday June 25th. The flight from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. to FPO on Continental's partner was fun for the small kids on board and slightly breath catching for the adults during takeoff !! We were aboard a 19seat flying bullet called a Beechcraft 1900 twin prop. Passengers aboard these flights can view everything the pilots can because of it's size. During takeoff when the pilot hit full throttle, the plane yawed to the left where you could no longer see the runway but the grass. Then with an obvious overcorrection, the nose of the plane crossed the runway to the right as it did to the left with an enourmous amount of thrust for which I thought the plane was about to tumble to it's left wing. Something cause a slight lift and the plane straightened out and we began to leave the ground and the rest of the flight went without incident. It was pretty scary and a flight instructor who happend to be a passenger with us explained the 2 reasons for the horrible takeoff.... 1. the pilot let the co-pilot control the takeoff, and 2. only 30 odd seconds before we took off, a jet had taken off in front of us leaving the jet stream in our faces ? Once at the airport it was smoothe sailing thru customs with all of our birth certificates and photo id's in place. Getting to the Resort via taxi took me a little bit for a surprise though when I got charged $36 to go 11 miles ! This didn't match up with the postings I had read where I should have been able to get reductions for my 4 children once I had paid for 2 riders ?? Oh well,....
The Club: The reception area at Club Fortuna is all open air with many comfortable seats for resting while one of your party checks in. The reception staff were very friendly. They were in the middle of checking in and out a large number of patrons, all of whom seemed to have some sort of Travel Voucher ?? When they finally got to us ( 15 min. or so ) they asked for our travel voucher and we handed them our e-mailed confirmation letter from Viva Resorts Inc. With a very puzzled look on their faces, the fun began. They were confused about this sort of reservation and asked us to wait while they called the Viva Resort people ! At this point, having read a few postings about some checkin troubles, I was slightly apprehensive but remembered Danny and Carries memos from the Bahamas site to "stay calm and relax". Thanks guys ! Another 10 min. or so went by and we reviewed the costs and arrangements again, signed payment vouchers and proceeded to our rooms. Bye the way, while we were waiting to check in, a nice young lady brought all of us some punch to drink that was very refreshing ! We were now ready to enjoy our all-inclusive stay and take what may just as long as we didn't have to lift a finger, so my wife told me !
The Buildings: All of the sleeping accomodations were 2-story and hotel like without elevators. Several sleep bldgs. were ocean front and several were garden view that looked out over a small pond with nice flowering bushes, coconut palms, and a fountain in the middle of the pond. We stayed in adjoining rooms on one of the garden bldgs. on the lower level which left us approximately 75 yds. to the beach. (perfect for the cost savings). There was actually one of the beach front bldgs. between us and the beach but that was OK. All of the buildings at the resort are in very close proximity making access to any amenity within a 30 second walk or so. The main bldg. is where the open air cafeteria, excursion details/booking, and the indoor/outdoor bar & lounge are located. Between the Checkin Bldg. and the Main Bldg. is the Theatre where nightly entertainment is shown by the staff. About 100ft. from the main bldg. is the Dive Shoop where you get signed up for scubga lessons, certification, & excursions. Lessons are in the pool during the day each day if there are people signed up. Another 100ft. or so behind the dive shop is the Discoteque & Italian Restuarante. The restuarant must be signed up for and is additional costs for the special meals for those who want a change of pace from the buffet setting at the main cafeteria. We chose not to eat at the restuarant because the foods at the main cafeteria were excellent by our standards. Another 200ft behind the restuarant is the Exercise and Sauna Bldg. This facility is open from 9:00am to 12:00pm and 3:00pm til 6:00pm. It includes stationary bikes, some nautilus stations, leg press, and lots of bar weights and free weights. There is also a sauna and a shower in case you don't want to walk the 30 seconds or so back to your room to clean up ! Just outside the indoor/outdoor bar is the swimming pool that separates you from the secluded private beach. The depth of the pool is 5ft. in the middle to 3ft. at each end and is about 75ft. X 25 ft. I guess. The water is much cooler than the ocean water and very relaxing with plenty of loung chairs and tables with umbrellas for everyone.
The Beach: Just beyond the pool lies about 200 to 300 feet of soft, silky,(what I called Hagen Daaz Coffee Icecream colored) sand that drops off slightly to the ocean. This beach has many thatched umbrella stands on poles for protection from the sun when needed along with a dozen or so coconut palms and several palms that appear to be made out of the gold from pirates booty ! These golden palms are quite beautiful and picturesque in the early am. and just before dusk at the day's last light. Also on the beach are about 3 million reclinable lounge chairs so you never have to go lookihng for one ! As you face the ocean, just to your right is the Sports Bldg. where you pick up and exchange your beach towels as needed, which are very nice, fluffy, and large. Included at the Sports Bldg. is the signout for water sports equipment or signing up for sports that incur modest costs, like 30 min. banana float ride for $10, 30 min. jet ski rental for $45, etc. The snorkling, kayaking, and sailing are free ! Smack dab in the middle of the beach is the Beach Bar that is open from about midday 'til 4 or 5 pm. serving all the mixed drinks, water, lemonade, and non- alcoholic drinks for the kids. Also located just outside the pool on the beach is the bocci ball court and volleyball court that seem to have games being played all day long !
The Ocean: The ocean view is a beautiful mix of turquois, dark green, and subtle shades of pastel greens. There is an abundance of sea grass and berry pathes as I call them, that float the top of the water during the high and low peaks of the tide changes. About mid week therre is a machine that comes by and removes all of teh dseagrass from the shores edge to beautify your setting. The private shoreline extends for about 100 to 150 yds. but goes on forever it seems. As you face the ocean you can walk several hundred yds. to your right and walk past an outside cafe called Margerita Villa ( I think that's the name ). If you walk to your left for approximately 1/2 mile or so you will pass a magnificent beach front home or two and end up at another beachfront cafe that I didn't get the name of , however, there is a stretch of shoreline that, at low tide, you can walk into the water out 100 yds off shore and walk parallel to the shoreline in knee deep, crystal clear water with pearly white sand beneath your feet ! It's like something out of an Ernest Hemmingway Novel. As far as snorkling goes, there is a small reef about 50yds. straight out from the beach that is home to about 50 different species of fish that have more colors than a rainbow, ranging in size from inches to several pounds. If you get a chance to ewalk the beach during low tide, watch the water about 5ft. out and you will see nice puffer fixh that have bright red eyes. Since these puffer fish aren't in danger, they aren't big a round but look more like a torpedo with a swollen head. IF you get real luck ( I did 3 times, twice with my family ) you may see a manta or sting ray swimming along parallel to your walk, feeding on the edge of the dark seagrass beds. ( best seen with a walk to your left while facing the ocean ! ).
The Staff: The recreation staff consisted of 21 young people ranging from ages 19 to 25 yrs. The management and bar staffs consisted of locals and several older Europeans ( Italian I think ). The older staff over saw the activities of the younger staff members and the younger staff was responsible for making sure everyone was happy and well entertained. These kids were from all over the world including Mexico, Germany, Argentina, U.K., Italy, Austria, and my favorite, Sweden !
Entertainment: During the days, there were many scheduled activities which are documentated on paper and handed out upon checking in. The activities included water polo, soccer, volleyball, bocci ball, bingo, dance lessons ( The Meringuez ? ) . At 9:30pm each night the young staff put on shows in the theatre area that included a Michael Jackson review, a semi spoof on the movie Grease, and some interactive shows where audience volunteers would take part. The one thing I thought was missing was kirioke (spelling?) and all of the young staff said we should talk to the management about getting a kirioke machine for them to use. Every night starting at 11:30pm 'til 2:00am, there is a Discoteque with a bar and D.J. playing 70's and Reggae music with a huge dance floor, lots of chairs, and one of those mirrored balls that shine little light beams all around the room constantly moving to make you get sea sick ! My girls were in there every night !
Excursions: Though they offered excursions for the going rates on the island, we chose not to "swim with the dolphins", kayak thru the interior of GBI, or snorkle at some other awsome reef. We also didn't do a booze cruise since we were goozin and cruisin right at Fortuna !!! The only outside activity we took part in was using the resort's bicycles to ride the 3 mile trek to Port Lucayan Market Place and back where we had an absolute blast stopping for handmade shell and rope necklaces and ankle bracelets. The ambiance of the market place was very festive, lots of color, and everyone wanted to sell you something or braid your hair !
The all-inclusive food and drinks: There were 3 buffet style meals each day with a "snack time" set up between 4pm and 6pm consisting of melons, citrus, pizza, hotdogs, and cake for dessert. Breakfast was served form 7:30am to 10:am. Lunch, 12:30pm to 2:00pm and Dinner , 6:30pm to 9:00pm. Each meal had fresh melon, citrus, grapes, and bananas at different times. Breakfast had grits, home fries, bacon, link sausage, scrambled eggs, and a cook to order chef for omlets or "as you like em " ! There was always plenty of O.J., tea, ice water, and soft drinks from the fountain.
Lunch would have a variety of hot pastas, broiled or fried pollock or mahi mahi, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and tons of fries. The salad bar would have plenty of greens and special cold plates with tuna, or calimari, or olive dishes, etc.
Dinner was a miriad of European delactables like Greek rices or Italian dishes, veal, lamb, broiled chicken, roast beef, mahi mahi, turkey, honey glazed ham, and all kinds of stuffed pasta shells at different days. Desserts ranged from cakes, cheesecakes, pies and strudels to fresh scooped ice cream twice a week ! There was always plenty and the Chef's that created the tastes did magnificent jobs in my humble opinion !
In summation: Paying for the all-inclusive package and seeing all the amenities and entertainment that Club Fortuna had to offer, there was absolutely no reason for us to look elsewhere with the exception of seeing the market place. We had more fun together than any other vacation we have ever taken as a family and would definitely reccommend this location as one of the best values you can find on a Caribbean vacation.
Padge and Family

July 17, 2000 at 22:21:46 by Padge (pseverin@msn.com)

One thing I forgot to say,... everything described in this posting my family and myself partook in. we did it all that Club Fortuna had to offer in their all inclusive package !!! Padge

July 18, 2000 at 08:02:30 by Barbara (smithb@wpunj.edu)

Bravo! Excellent trip report. So glad you all had a great time. The Bahamas is truly a wonderful vacation spot and your report only confirms it. Nice seeing you in the chat room.

July 19, 2000 at 19:12:45 by Danny (ditson@mediaone.net)

Now that is what I call a damned good trip report, and I even got some international exposure. Glad you had a great time Padge, and even more happy that previous reports appear to be either erroneous, or the problems are resolved.
Danny

Bahamas-mon return from Viva Fortuna

July 17, 2000 at 21:17:43 by Allen and Robin (allen.bocook@GTE.net)

I just got back from my very first trip to Viva Fortuna and it sure won't be my last!!!! We had a great flight from Cincinnati,Ohio. The taxi was waiting when we arrived in Freeport got in and got to resort in record time (70 mph in 45 zone) Viva Fortuna has security at the gate to make sure you as a guest don't have to worry about anything. That is exactly what Robin & i worried about NOTHING.It was GREAT. Check-in took 2min. We got lucky because the resort was crowded and got 1/2 of one of their condos. micro, toaster, fridge, dishwasher the works,GREAT ROOM. I was a little concerned about some of the messages i read BEFORE i went (bad food, unfriendly staff, small rooms) NOT TRUE!!!! The staff go out of their way to make you feel good. We were having lunch and part of the staff came and ate with us (they are all very interesting people). As for the food, i can only say that when i had decided to go i read a very bad review about the food and staff and rooms again NOT TRUE!!!! Great food, plenty of it and big selection. I do recommend if you go to Viva Fortuna to try the Italian Restaurant.WONDERFUL. I agree with the one message i read that once your trip is paid for , you only have to have 18.00 in your pocket. We will be going back without a doubt. WE WOULD SUGGEST EVERYONE TAKE THIS TRIP... Bad side if you go, TAKE A BIG CUP. The only problem we had was little cups at the bar.TAKE A BIG CUP!!!!!!!! If you have any ?'s Contact us @ allen.bocook@GTE.net

Geographia club viva Fortuna

7/17/00 3:24:10 PM by alison (ali.jv@virginnet.co.uk)

I have friends due to go to Viva Fortuna this September to get married and I have heard conflicting stories of the place. Is the food good and always available Is the entertainment good Are the rooms nice? Is the atmosphere quiet or party time. Will the waether be OK Any help would be much appreciated.

7/17/00 3:40:51 PM by Barbara (smithb@wpunj.edu)

If you access the below website you will find valuable information regarding Club Fortuna plus have the opportunity to email Joe who has spent a lot of time at Club Fortuna.
http://www.oocities.org/clubfortuna

Geographia I've got lots of ????s

7/15/00 2:09:50 AM by Christi (tomnchristi@email.msn.com)

I'm from Arizona and don't know a lot about the Caribbean. We won a free honeymoon trip to Grand Bahama through Spirit Travel. Does anyone know anything about them? We are supposed to stay at Club Fortuna, and it sounds like everyone really likes it. I would like to stop at Disneyworld first though. Is there a way to get to Grand Bahama Island from Florida without flying? (I'm not a big fan of flying and the flight from Phoenix to Florida will be long enough!) Is it cheaper than flying? How much does it cost to see the dolphins? How much does it cost to get into the Lucayan Park? How far away are those places from Club Fortuna? What are the best days to go to those places? I would like to buy some gifts for our children (10, 8 & 6 years old). Any suggestions on good shops to look for them? We are planning on going May 14, 2001. Is there anything we need to know about that time of year? Is there anywhere to go horseback riding or get a massage? What's the best casino? I'm sure you all are tired of the questions now, but if you have any other nice tidbits, please let me know. Thanks everyone for taking the time to post the information.

7/15/00 10:02:38 PM by Jamie (Nanielboo@aol.com)

I just came back from Freeport today, July 15th, 2000. My husband and I had a wonderful time! To see dolphins and put your feet in the water where they will swim up is $39. To swim with them is $99. You can go horseback riding on the beach for $45/adult. I wanted to do that but did not get a chance. Right now there is only one casino, but they are in the process of building a 2nd one. That one will be alot closer to Club Fortuna. There are stands everywhere to shop at. The people that we talked to really liked Club Fortuna. We wanted to stay there, but they were booked. We went on the glassbottom boat,the Robinson Carouse (spelling?) beach party cruise, and played at the casino every night. Everything was great. I do have one suggestion. DO NOT eat at a restaurant called Pier One. They feed sharks at the restaurant, but the food and service totally sucks. There was rust inside of their salt shakers. I would eat somewhere else first then go watch them feed the sharks. One restaurant that is wonderful is Ruby Swiss. It is across the street from the Tower at Bahamia resort. It is probably about 6 to 10mi. from Club Fortuna. Sorry my response is so long. Like I said, we had a great time. I'm sure you will too.

7/15/00 10:36:23 PM by Christi (tomnchristi@email.msn.com)

Thanks for taking the time to give me the info. I'm glad you had fun! I can't wait to go.

7/17/00 10:35:12 AM by Shirley (cdcrawford@wtez.net)

In answer to your question about other ways to get from Florida to the Bahamas, there are two boats that will take you there.
One is Seajets. This goes out of West Palm Beach and is a jet boat that will get you there in an hour and a half. We were booked on them and were really looking forward to the trip, but they called us the day before we left for Florida and told us that they were out of commission for about a week. The cost is $133 per person round trip and this included your arrival/departure tax. I had heard that they were not very reliable and I guess this is verification that they are not, but if you are interested you can look up their website at www.seajets.com or call them at 1-800-273-2538.
They were kind enough to give me some other numbers to call and one was the Discovery Cruise Lines out of Ft. Lauderdale/Pt. Everglades. We were able to book on the Discovery Sun for $159 per person round trip including the tax. This trip took 5 hours. You can book your accommodations through them for a different price, but we had made our own accommodation arrangements so we just used them to get there and back. You can go over on one day and come back several days later. This ship leaves everyday at 7:45 a.m and returns every evening at 5:00 p.m. Their number is 1-800-937-4477.
Hope this is some help to you (I don't like to fly either), and that you have a great trip!!
Shirley

7/17/00 12:43:00 PM by Christi (tomnchristi@email.msn.com)

You're a life saver

Bahamas-mon Fortuna Trip

July 10, 2000 at 17:30:05 by allen (allen.bocook@GTE.net)

Carrie Sorry I lied. I was thinking my trip was last week but..... I leave on Thur of this week. Last week was kids week at Sea World and all that good stuff. I will let everyone know how Fortuna was as soon as i get back. Thanks again Carrie for all of your info. If anyone wants info on the Bahamas ask Carrie!!!

July 10, 2000 at 18:27:37 by Carrie (carriek5@hotmail.com)

Hi Allen,
Well I'm glad you're leaving this week and that you had time to get my emails. I hope you will have a great time. Scroll down below and read Andy's report on Club Fortuna. He's from England and just got back. I also emailed him info. before he left. He and his wife had a great time. HAVE A WONDERFUL VACATION!!
best regards,
Carrie

Bahamas-mon Club Viva Fortuna

July 09, 2000 at 08:38:07 by Andy (andy@themlees.screaming.net)

Thanks to Bahama Mama ( a very big thanks to her)and the various postings on this forum my wife and I have had a fabulous holiday at Fortuna. I know that I can speak on behalf of many who enjoyed the experience also. I will say now that there are one or two niggles, but there always are. Check in was a breeze, within 10 minutes of being on the property we were snorkelling! The luggage was brought to the room after we checked it out. A tip from Bahama Mama was to carry a couple of items in the hand luggage in case of loss or delays with the luggage. We carried a swim suit and were able to take immediate advantage. There are free beach towels and can be changed daily. I know that early arrivals may not always have a room readily available and then may want to change rooms to be near friends. The reception staff were okay about that and did move people about but it may have been a day or so as and when a room came available. The food was fantastic. There is so much choice and not a single complaint here. All crockery, knives forks, glasses were clean, there are no flies or insects to be seen and tables are plentiful. There is no problem getting a table, it is not a free for all as others have stated. They vary in size and will accommodate 2 to 20 persons, smoking and non smoking. The restaurant is very cool with open windows to three sides and fans. Only the twittering of sparrows will alert you to the presence of other wildlife. I believe the Americans demand a high standard of food quality and the hotel provide it. Every meal had a wide selection catering for palettes of continental and the Americas both north and south. Fresh fruit and mouth watering salads of pasta fish and vegetable. Kids love the freedom to get there own burgers chips or hotdogs and a selection of soft drinks. Evenings provided a roast plus many other choices all perfectly prepared and kept warm. For those who don't like fancy gravy or rice, not a problem, there was always plain rice or meat without gravy available. Drinks are okay, they have a long list of rum or vodka based long cool drinks all which can be served with or without alcohol. Also there are several chilled water,lime juice and iced tea dispensers. The beach bar will be closed if weather not so good. The international animation staff are very warm and friendly some more so than others but they will mingle and chat with confidence. The Bahamians are very friendly. The poorest of poor will help you out if you get lost or ask for local information. And they don't want anything from you, just courtesy. The activities are for fun and if you at first don't succeed, try try again as the saying goes. The sports equipment is excellent quality. I used the sailing dinghys and these were new. ( Didn't see the gym - no info on that) To go open water scuba diving is extra but the tuition is first rate and the experience to die for. There are dives available with sharks, wrecks and blue holes but the coral reef is fantasy land. I dived three times including with the sharks and loved every minute. However Fortuna beach is blessed with its own mini coral reef about 20 yards off shore where the fish will flirt with you as you click away with your underwater camera. The water is shallow at low tide, about 5 feet, 8 feet at high tide enabling you to float over the reef. There are myraids of beautiful fish all seeking your attention. You can hear the Parrot fish chomp food off the coral!! You will even see lobsters emerging from under the corals as the open season approaches. The pool is cleaned daily. There are plenty of free sun loungers and tables with chairs around the pool and the beach has palms coconut trees and thatched shelters for shade. The sand is powdery white but sand shoes or sandles are recommended. For one thing the sand gets hot!! We ventured out to Count Bassie square. Recommend it on a Friday night for the free show at 9.00pm but get there early for a seat. The atmosphere is exciting not to mention the show. Other nights shows are from 9.30pm Bahamian time!! Now for the niggles. Prior to departure from home we had heard there may be problems with toilets backing up. Well it may be happening but not to any scale that causes everyone to be complaining. On our very last morning it happened and we simply turned off the stop cock under the cistern. A short while later I saw maintenance attending the drain outside the room. There may be some localised problems randomly affecting rooms but it can't be as widespread as made out else we would would have heard the complaints. The other niggle is the lack of calypso music. Tapes play music around the pool allday but 90% is what you hear on the radio. There is a local guy who plays live some evenings but it is in the bar area. He is neither good enough to just listen too nor quiet enough to enable talking to friends. The other niggle is the wedding service. I would not recommend it. Persons we met got married. The service and photography lacked the detail to make it memorable. The arch is garlanded with flowers but sparingly. The photographer does not have any idea on how to take wedding photos. Do not pay for that. It would be better to hire an independant photographer. The resort photographers charm the guests , mainly the women, from 5.00pm onwards till 8.00pm to take snaps. These are okay but don't let him do anything special. He will also try to charge extra for the negatives of wedding pictures. Overall the wedding service is an expensive exploitment of young hearts wishing for a wedding of dreams. Sadly Fortuna needs to give themselves a shake. We hired a Beach Buggy twice. Driving on Freeport roads is so easy. We covered the island in all directions. The locals are only too willing to point you in the right direction if you get lost. The speed restrictions curtail any crazy driving. Paradise cove - Deadmans reef is a must for snorkelling but we arrived at 4.30pm and wished we had had allday there. Go to the West End late afternoon, watch and talk to the locals as they 'crack the conch' Then go to Pier One restaurant at the harbour for a meal and see the sharks fed. Club Fortuna is an excellent resort. I would rate it very highly. The food is outstanding. Evening entertainment varys but some of the shows were amazing examples of Latin dancing even a Michael Jackson copy had the crowd shouting for more. Anyone who wants pictures or info via email contact me at Andy@themlees.screaming.net

July 09, 2000 at 16:10:43 by Joe (joekusterer@yahoo.com)

Have to agree with you about the friendliness of the Bahamas people. Everyone, from the animators whose job it is to be friendly all the way down to the grounds person picking up trash, seem genuinely friendly and happy with their lives. Nobody has their nose up in the air, they all just seem to be happy and are happy to do whatever it takes to make you happy too. These people are a large part of what makes a trip to the Bahamas so worthwhile.

July 09, 2000 at 23:51:01 by Carrie (carriek5@hotmail.com)

Hi Andy,
Great report just like your email....I don't use Bahama Mama as an alias anymore on the other board..(www.bahamas-on-line) since they changed their format recently...I just use plain old Carrie there like I do here.
I'm sure your report will help other people contemplating a vacation at Club Fortuna. Keep in touch. It must be hard to get back to work in merry ole England....oh well....until your next trip.
best regards,
Carrie carriek5@hotmail.com

Bahamas-On-Line Club Fortuna Trip Report & Website

Jul 7 06:37:38 2000 by Joe (joekusterer@yahoo.com)

Just got back from a week at Club Fortuna and in a word it was GREAT. This was our second visit and the facilities, rooms, staff, food, activities, weather, etc. were all great. The only negatives were (1) the 'airline thing' on the way home as we had the pleasure of an unplanned overnight stay in Ft Lauderdale and (2) a week isn't long enough - next year we're going for two weeks!
After last year's trip, we posted pictures and info on our family's website which seems to be getting a pretty respectable amount of traffic. Since we brought back 12 rolls of film from this trip and in order to not kill our family site, we've started setting up a new site just for our Club Fortuna experiences. It's located at http://www.oocities.org/clubfortuna. We've only just started this site so there's not much there at the moment but, as we get the pictures developed, that's where we'll be posting them. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Jul 23 09:29:44 2000 by Caroline Crockett

It's great to hear something positive about Viva Fortuna. We have booked to go there in August and after all the negative points I'm not sure what to expect. Look forward to seeing your photo's. Regards
Caroline

Bahamas.com Club Fortuna Trip Report & Website

July 7, 2000 4:36:08 pm UTC by Joe (joekusterer@yahoo.com)

July 10, 2000 7:22:45 pm UTC by Ken (Kensterfly@aol.com)

Joe, your site is off to a good start. I should have read your whole post before clicking the link. Then I would have known why most of your links links don't work yet. I am considering Fortuna for a quick trip in a couple of weeks. Have to go over and check on some family property in the Lucayan area. I may take the SeaJet hydrofoil over. They offer what looks like a pretty good package. It is listed a European plan. Isn't that some kind of meal plan? How far is this place from the airport, should I fly instead of take the boat? Is the taxi expensive? thanks for the input. Ken

13 Jul 2000 16:20:17 UTC by Joe (joekusterer@yahoo.com)

:I may take the SeaJet hydrofoil over. That looks like an interesting way to get across. I would check these boards, though, as it seems there are a lot of canceled trips due to maintenance problems.
:They offer what looks like a pretty good package. It :is listed a European plan. Isn't that some kind of :meal plan? Club Fortuna is what is called an "all-inclusive". Basically this means that all your food and drink is included. It also includes other items like all non-motorized sports, tips, etc.
:How far is this place from the airport, should I fly :instead of take the boat? Club Fortuna is about 11 miles from the airport. As far I can tell from maps, the 'harbor', should you choose to take a boat, is a fair distance to the west of the airport. Fortuna and Lucaya are to the east so it seems like it would be a longer taxi ride if you take the boat.
:Is the taxi expensive? Taxi from the airport to Club Fortuna for our family of four plus luggage was $20. Most of the time others are going to the same place so you can double up to reduce things further. A taxi from Club Fortuna to the Lucaya area is $8 for one or two passengers.
Hope this helps, Joe

Geographia All-inclusive resort

7/1/00 5:12:12 PM by Cindy (WFU71@aol.com)

Are there any all-inclusive beach front resorts on GBI?
Thanks

7/1/00 5:25:34 PM by Barbara (barbara426@yahoo.com)

The only all-inclusive beach front resort on Grand Bahama island is Club Fortuna. It's a very nice resort but keep in mind that it is off the beaten path. It's about a 15 to 20 minute ride from the airport. If you plan on staying at Club Fortuna, I would strongly suggest that you consider renting a car especially if you like to explore. If you do not plan on leaving the resort, then you won't have to rent a car...another resort that you should check into is The Lucayan (www.thelucayan.com)...it's on the beach...newly renovated and in a great location...right across the street from the Port Lucaya MarketPlace where there are tons of restaurants, bars and entertainment. The Lucayan is not an all-inclusive but there are plenty of inexpesive restaurants in the area. If you want more info on GB, feel free to e-mail me directly at the above address.

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This page was last modified on 10 February 2001.