Cruises from Miami to the Bahamas

Which lines sail from Miami 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.
• MSC Cruises
  Modern, stylish and international, with a Mediterranean flair and an upscale enclave for those who want it.
• Norwegian Cruise Line
  Flexible and lively, with a Las Vegas-meets-resort feel; dinner whenever you want, in whatever you packed.
• Royal Caribbean International
  Energetic, family-friendly and packed with headline attractions; think floating theme park with a good Broadway show at night.
• Virgin Voyages
  Adults-only and boutique-hotel cool, with a playful, sometimes cheeky edge and a late-night social scene.

Ships recently or currently deployed on this route include Allure of the Seas, Icon of the Seas, MSC World America and Wonder 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 Miami

From MIA, a taxi or rideshare to the terminals usually takes 20 to 30 minutes outside rush hour. Everyone enters over the Port Boulevard bridge off Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami, then follows signs by terminal letter. If you are driving, put the terminal letter rather than just 'PortMiami' into your map app, since the terminals stretch along most of the island. Fort Lauderdale's airport is a workable alternative, but plan on 40 minutes to over an hour on I-95.

Each terminal has its own garage or lot on Dodge Island. Garage AA serves MSC, Garage A is Royal Caribbean's (booked through the line's parking site), and Garage B is run by Norwegian with reservations. Garages C, D and G plus surface lots D and E cover the other terminals, with Garage G serving Terminals F, G and V, and Garages J and K serving Terminal J. Rates differ by garage, so check the county's PortMiami parking page before you go. Debit cards are not accepted at the garages, oversized vehicles and RVs go to Surface Lot E, and garages are staffed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on cruise days.

• Find your terminal letter in your cruise documents before you leave the hotel; Terminal AA and Terminal J are at opposite ends of the island.
• Port garages do not take debit cards, so bring a credit card or cash if you plan to park.
• On weekend turnaround days, expect a slow approach on the port bridge between about 10 a.m. and noon; arriving at your assigned check-in window helps.
• Fly in the day before. Miami weather and air traffic can delay morning flights, and ships do not wait.

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 Miami cruise port guide and our Bahamas cruise guide.

Related routes

Also from Miami: Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean.

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