Cruises from Jacksonville to the Bahamas

Which lines sail from Jacksonville to the Bahamas?

• Carnival Cruise Line
  Laid-back, loud in the best way and unpretentious; flip-flops, burgers by the pool and a comedy show after dinner.
• Norwegian Cruise Line
  Flexible and lively, with a Las Vegas-meets-resort feel; dinner whenever you want, in whatever you packed.

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 Jacksonville

From I-95 or I-295, take Exit 41 for Heckscher Drive (FL-105) and follow the cruise terminal signs to August Drive. From the airport it is roughly a 20-minute drive via I-295. Taxis and rideshare serve the terminal, but there is little else nearby, so arrange your pickup for the return day in advance.

JAXPORT runs a secure lot next to the terminal. As of October 2026 the port lists $17 per day for passenger vehicles (tax included) and $34 per day for oversized RVs. Payment is by credit card only on arrival; JAXPORT no longer accepts prepaid parking reservations.

• Bring a credit card for parking; the lot does not take cash and does not take prepaid reservations.
• The terminal is in a port and industrial area with few services nearby, so eat before you arrive.
• Norwegian only sails from Jacksonville between November and April; outside those months Carnival is the only option.
• Short Bahamas trips are a good first cruise from here, with a low time commitment.

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 Jacksonville cruise port guide and our Bahamas cruise guide.

Related routes

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