Cruises from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas

Which lines sail from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas?

• Celebrity Cruises
  Stylish, relaxed and adult-leaning; good food, good cocktails and a calmer pool deck than the big family brands.
• Disney Cruise Line
  Polished, family-first and full of Disney magic; character moments by day, Broadway-quality shows by night.
• Holland America Line
  Gracious and unhurried; live music at night, a good book by day and plenty of ocean views.
• Princess Cruises
  Relaxed, welcoming and dependable; a comfortable middle ground between mass-market buzz and premium polish.
• Royal Caribbean International
  Energetic, family-friendly and packed with headline attractions; think floating theme park with a good Broadway show at night.

Ships recently or currently deployed on this route include Allure of the Seas, Disney Destiny and Oasis of the Seas. Deployments change season to season, so we confirm the ship for your dates when we quote.

When to go

1. January: Shoulder season, average high 79 degrees F Jan 79°65°
2. February: Shoulder season, average high 80 degrees F Feb 80°65°
3. March: Best time, average high 81 degrees F Mar 81°66°
4. April: Best time, average high 84 degrees F Apr 84°70°
5. May: Best time, average high 86 degrees F May 86°72°
6. June: Shoulder season, average high 89 degrees F Jun 89°76°
7. July: Cruises run, average high 91 degrees F Jul 91°77°
8. August: Cruises run, average high 91 degrees F Aug 91°77°
9. September: Cruises run, average high 90 degrees F Sep 90°76°
10. October: Cruises run, average high 87 degrees F Oct 87°75°
11. November: Shoulder season, average high 83 degrees F Nov 83°70°
12. December: Best time, average high 80 degrees F Dec 80°67°

• Best time
• Shoulder season
• Cruises run
• Few or none

Temperatures in Fahrenheit, long-term averages. Climate source.

Cruises run every month. Late spring (March to May) has warm, settled weather before hurricane season. December to February is dry but can be breezy and cool enough to make swimming chilly. June through November is hurricane season, peaking from mid-August to mid-October.

The Bahamas are squarely in the Atlantic hurricane zone (June 1 to November 30, peak mid-August to mid-October), and storms can also close Florida ports. In winter, cold fronts can bring strong winds and rough seas that cancel private-island tender stops on some ships.

Where you'll stop

Itineraries vary by line and length. These are the ports the Bahamas cruises most often visit:

• Nassau, Bahamas: Beaches, the historic downtown and Queen's Staircase, and day passes to big resort water parks.
• Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas: Quieter beaches, Lucayan National Park and easy snorkeling trips.
• Bimini, Bahamas: The closest Bahamas island to Florida, with clear shallow water and a relaxed beach-club scene.
• Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas: Royal Caribbean's private island with a large freshwater pool, water slides and beaches.
• Castaway Cay, Bahamas: Disney's private island, with family beaches, an adults-only beach and snorkel trails.
• Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas: Norwegian's private island in the Berry Islands, with beaches and cabanas.

Before you sail from Fort Lauderdale

There are three gated entrances: SE 17th Street at Eisenhower Boulevard, State Road 84 at Spangler Boulevard, and I-595 East at Eller Drive. At the checkpoint, every passenger and visitor 18 or older shows a government-issued photo ID, and cruisers also show cruise documents, so have them out before you reach the gate. From FLL it is a short taxi or rideshare ride. From Miami, allow 30 to 45 minutes on I-95, more in traffic.

Broward County's Port Everglades runs the garages and lots. The Heron Garage serves Terminals 2 and 4, the Palm Garage serves Terminals 19, 21, 25, 26 and 29 (with a shuttle to Terminal 29), and surface Lots A through D cover the rest, including Lots B and C for Terminal 18. The port does not take reservations or prepayment; the clock starts when you pull a ticket. As of October 2026 the port lists a maximum daily rate of $25. Both garages have a 7-foot clearance, and limited spaces for RVs and trailers up to 24 feet are available by calling the port's parking office.

• Every adult in the car, including the driver dropping you off, needs a photo ID at the port gate.
• Match your garage to your terminal number: Heron for 2 and 4, Palm for 19 through 29, surface lots for Terminal 18.
• Pick-up drivers can wait in the port's free cell phone lot instead of circling the terminals.
• If you are flying out after your cruise, FLL's proximity makes a midday flight realistic, but leave time for customs and terminal traffic.

Documents: Cruises that begin and end at the same US port are "closed-loop" sailings. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says US citizens on a closed-loop cruise can re-enter the United States with a birth certificate plus a government-issued photo ID, and children under 16 need only proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate (most lines want an original or certified copy, not a photocopy). CBP also warns that the countries your ship visits may still ask for a passport, and cruise lines can set stricter rules than the government does. We recommend a passport book anyway: if you miss the ship or have to fly home early from a foreign port, you cannot board an international flight without one, and a passport card works only for land and sea crossings. Non-US citizens, including green card holders, have different rules. Check current requirements with your cruise line and the State Department before you sail.

More detail: our full Fort Lauderdale cruise port guide and our Bahamas cruise guide.

Related routes

Also from Fort Lauderdale: Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean, Panama Canal, Transatlantic.

Bahamas from other ports: Baltimore, Cape Liberty (Bayonne), Jacksonville, Miami, New York City, Port Canaveral.