On the waterfront of Atlantis Paradise Island’s Marina Village, a new office opened this year with a simple brief: craft experiences that feel impossible to book on your own. Andy Haffenden, founder of the luxury yacht charter company Aquazeal, set up shop there to coordinate day trips to Exuma, sunset cruises past Nassau Harbour, and multi-day charters aboard vessels stretching from 60 to 240 feet. The office sits alongside a broader concierge platform called Sapphire Services, which Atlantis launched to handle the kind of requests a front desk can’t — helicopter rides over the Out Islands, private seaplane safaris to the Swimming Pigs, shark encounters arranged on a morning’s notice. This article walks through what Sapphire Services actually offers, the partnerships that power it, and the new dining, retail, and wellness additions that round out a stay at Atlantis for travelers who want more than the water park.
Sapphire Services caters to elite travelers seeking highly curated exclusive experiences — on land, in the ocean, or above the clouds.
Sapphire Services is a genuine concierge platform, not a marketing label slapped on existing offerings. The real test is whether the experiences it arranges — Aquazeal charters, COCO Bahama seaplane trips — justify the premium over booking directly. For travelers who value a single point of contact and hyper-personalized itineraries, it likely does. For those who prefer to research and book their own excursions, the value is less clear.
Luxury travelers
Couples
Multi-generational groups
What Sapphire Services Actually Does
Sapphire Services functions as a dedicated concierge platform focused on rare, personalized guest experiences across The Bahamas. It sits apart from the standard Atlantis concierge in that it tailors every aspect of an itinerary to a guest’s specific interests — whether that means a day-long exploration of a single cay, a helicopter transfer to a remote beach, or a private shark encounter guided by a marine biologist. The platform’s stated scope covers experiences “on land, in ocean, or above clouds,” and it caters primarily to elite travelers who want highly curated, exclusive access rather than off-the-shelf excursions.
Bookings for Sapphire Services experiences can be made through the concierge platform itself or directly at the Aquazeal office in Atlantis Paradise Island’s Marina Village, which sits along the waterfront. The service doesn’t publish fixed menus of activities — instead, guests describe what they want, and the team builds a day around it. That flexibility is the core differentiator.
Aquazeal: Yacht Charters from the Marina Village
The most concrete partnership underpinning Sapphire Services is with Aquazeal, a luxury yacht charter company whose founder Andy Haffenden now operates an office within the resort’s marina. Aquazeal specializes in hyper-personalized itineraries for day trips or multi-day charters, and its yachts range from 60 feet to 240 feet, accommodating up to 12 guests with seasoned captains and crew.
The company’s “Bahamas At Heart” itineraries include cruising to the sister islands of Exuma and Eleuthera, tours of Nassau Harbour, and snorkeling trips to Rose Island. For travelers staying at Atlantis who want to spend a day on the water without the logistics of arranging a private charter from scratch, the Aquazeal partnership removes most of the friction — the concierge handles the coordination, and guests walk from their hotel room to the marina.
COCO Bahama Seaplane Safaris
Sapphire Services also collaborates with COCO Bahama Seaplanes to offer seaplane safaris that reach the Family Islands in a fraction of the time a boat would take. The portfolio includes half-day and full-day trips to see the Swimming Pigs in Exuma, visits to Spanish Wells, and day trips to Kamalame Cay, which has won awards for its private-island resort experience.
These seaplane excursions are the kind of add-on that changes the shape of a Bahamas stay: instead of committing to a multi-day island hop, guests based at Atlantis can do a morning flight to Exuma, swim with the pigs, and be back at the Royal Pool by late afternoon. For travelers who want to see more than one island without changing hotels, this is the practical workaround.
New Dining: Bubble Tea, Cantina, and Thai Pop-Ups
Several new food-and-beverage concepts have opened at Atlantis in recent months, and they add useful variety for guests spending multiple days on property. Gong cha, the global bubble tea chain, now operates a kiosk open daily from 11 a.m., located next to FIELDTRIP and adjacent to the Royal Pool. The menu includes Pearl Milk Tea, Taro Milk Tea, and Passionfruit Green Tea with toppings such as tapioca pearls, coconut jelly, and aloe. It’s a straightforward grab-and-drink option for families and a welcome alternative to the resort’s cocktail-heavy poolside offerings.
Cocodrilo, a cantina-style concept, has made the former Lagoon Bar & Grill space permanent after a summer pop-up. The menu features Fajita de Carne, Mexican Ensalada, and Coctel de Camarones. It fills a gap for casual Mexican food that the resort previously lacked.
For a more ambitious dinner, chef Ian Kittichai’s Kò Sà-Wăn Thai pop-up returned to The Cove’s Perch restaurant. Standout dishes include Hor Mok Pla Gao (fresh grouper steamed in banana leaf) and Tom Kha Gai (coconut-galangal chicken soup). The pop-up operates on a limited schedule, so guests interested in Thai should check availability early in their stay.
December Dinners and Holiday Programming
Atlantis runs a series of special dining events in December that are worth planning around. Sunset Beach Dinners at The Cove offer an elevated barbecue-style dinner with sommelier-selected wines, beer, a curated bar program, a welcome drink, and a live DJ. Seating is communal, and pricing starts at roughly $290 per person — confirm current rates when booking.
A Frescobaldi Wine Dinner takes place at The Ocean Clubhouse Restaurant on December 20, and Paranza’s Sunday Brunch with bubbles runs for the full month. December 22–23 brings “Experience Festive Flavors” across FISH, Paranza, and Sea Glass at The Cove.
Holiday activities extend beyond dining: the Holiday Gift Shoppe at The Royal, complimentary holiday movies at the Atlantis Theater, Toddler Time with Mrs. Claus, Santa Tuck-Ins, Brunch with Santa, The Lost City Escape Rooms, and a Silent Disco at CRUSH for teens. Nightlife highlights include XTREME Queen Tribute at Bar Sol on December 12, AFROJACK at AURA Nightclub on December 30, and a New Year’s Eve event called “Party Like A Royal” hosted by Ariana Madix and headlined by Two Friends, with fireworks over the Royal Tower. Steve Aoki plays AURA Nightclub on January 3. Recurring Junkanoo parades take place at Marina Village on Tuesdays and Fridays at 9 p.m.
Retail Additions and Mandara Spa Renovation
A Tiffany & Co. boutique is now open at Atlantis, with upcoming openings including Lalique, Dylan’s Candy Bar in Marina Village, Vineyard Vines, and Creed perfumes. Jacquemus opened recently. For guests who prefer to shop without leaving the resort, these additions bring the retail density closer to what you’d find in a luxury hotel district.
Mandara Spa Atlantis is undergoing a multimillion-dollar transformation slated to debut in early 2026. The revamped spa will draw on ancient Asian techniques, traditional European therapies, and Bahamian ingredients — local spices, fruits, and minerals — in its treatments. The renovation promises expanded services, modern programming, and more serene spaces. For travelers planning a trip before 2026, the current spa facilities remain operational, but the upgrade is a reason to revisit later.
Practical Considerations for Booking Sapphire Services
Sapphire Services is not a self-service platform. Bookings go through the concierge, either via the resort’s internal system or directly at the Aquazeal office in Marina Village. For yacht charters, the 60-to-240-foot range means pricing varies enormously — a half-day outing on a 60-footer with a crew of three will cost significantly less than a multi-day passage to Eleuthera on a 240-foot vessel. Guests should have a clear budget and itinerary preference before engaging the concierge.
Seaplane safaris through COCO Bahama Seaplanes are best booked at least several days in advance, especially during December and holiday weeks when demand spikes. The half-day Exuma trip is the most popular option and tends to fill first. For travelers who want the Swimming Pigs experience without the seaplane premium, traditional boat charters from Nassau are available at lower price points — the seaplane’s advantage is speed and convenience, not value.
One practical limitation: Sapphire Services is designed for guests who want highly personalized, often expensive experiences. If your group is content with the resort’s existing pools, beach, casino, and organized excursions, the platform may not add much to your stay. It’s a tool for solving a specific problem — how to access the Out Islands or arrange a private yacht charter without leaving the resort — rather than a mandatory upgrade.
For Sapphire Services seaplane trips, book at least three days ahead during December and holiday periods — the half-day Exuma swim-with-pigs excursion fills earliest. Confirm current pricing when you book, as seaplane charter rates fluctuate with fuel and demand.
Sunset Beach Dinners at The Cove use communal seating — if your group values a private table, this format may not suit you. Confirm seating arrangements at booking.
Before You Go — Atlantis Sapphire Services
How do I book Sapphire Services?
You book through the Atlantis concierge or directly at the Aquazeal office in Marina Village. There is no online booking portal for Sapphire Services — it’s a concierge-driven platform, so expect to discuss your preferences by phone or in person.
For Aquazeal yacht charters, you can also walk into the Marina Village office and speak with the team directly. This is the most efficient route if you’re already on property.
Is Sapphire Services worth the cost?
It depends on what you want to do. For a half-day yacht charter to Rose Island or a seaplane trip to the Swimming Pigs, the concierge convenience saves you the hassle of comparing operators and negotiating terms. For standard Atlantis excursions — dolphin encounters, snorkel trips, fishing — the regular activities desk is sufficient and cheaper.
The value lies in access: Aquazeal’s larger yachts (up to 240 feet) and COCO Bahama’s seaplanes are not bookable through the standard excursion menu. If you want those specific experiences, Sapphire Services is the only channel.
What’s the minimum group size for a yacht charter?
Aquazeal yachts accommodate up to 12 guests with crew, but there is no stated minimum. Solo travelers or couples can book a charter — the cost simply doesn’t get split across a larger group, so the per-person price is higher.
If you’re traveling as a couple, consider joining a shared seaplane safari instead, which operates on a per-seat basis and is more economical for smaller groups.
Are the holiday events included with a standard room booking?
Most holiday activities — complimentary movies at the Atlantis Theater, Toddler Time with Mrs. Claus, Junkanoo parades at Marina Village — are open to all guests. Special dining events like the Frescobaldi Wine Dinner and Sunset Beach Dinners require separate tickets and are priced per person.
The New Year’s Eve “Party Like A Royal” event with Ariana Madix and Two Friends also requires a separate ticket, which typically sells out well before December 31.
A New Layer of Choice at Atlantis
Atlantis Paradise Island has always been a self-contained destination — water park, aquarium, casino, beach. What Sapphire Services adds is a way out of that container without leaving the property’s orbit. For travelers who want to see the Exuma Cays by seaplane, spend a day on a private yacht, or arrange a helicopter transfer to a remote island, the concierge platform turns a resort stay into a base camp for exploring The Bahamas. The new dining, retail, and spa additions reinforce that shift: Atlantis is investing in experiences that reward a longer, more varied stay rather than a quick weekend. For anyone planning a trip to the Bahamas, the question is no longer whether to stay at Atlantis — it’s how far beyond the resort you want to go.
If you’re interested in what lies beyond the marina, explore our guide to the ultimate Exuma Cays day trip for a detailed look at the islands Sapphire Services can help you reach.
References
Caribbean National Weekly. “Atlantis Paradise Island touts new dining, retail and wellness additions ahead of 2026 spa debut.” Caribbean National Weekly, 2024. ↗
The Nassau Guardian. “Atlantis expands on Sapphire Services.” The Nassau Guardian, 2024. ↗
For a deeper dive into Bahamian culture and off-resort activities, check out our pieces on the role of conch shells in Bahamian music and dance, our guide to the Bahamas’ best-kept snorkeling hotspots, and our review of Sunset Harmony Lounge for another take on island dining.
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