Bahamas cruises

The Bahamas sit just off the Florida coast, which makes them the default destination for 3, 4 and 5 night cruises from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral and Jacksonville. Many longer Caribbean itineraries also stop here on the way out or back.

Nassau is the main port, with beaches, a historic downtown and day passes to large resort water parks. Freeport on Grand Bahama is quieter, and Bimini is a short hop from Miami. Just as important are the private island destinations run by the cruise lines, where you get a beach day with included food, lagoons, water slides or cabanas without leaving the cruise bubble.

Because the islands are close, a Bahamas cruise is an easy first cruise, a long-weekend getaway or a way to try a new ship without a week-long commitment. Winter can be cooler than people expect, with highs in the upper 70s and breezy days, while summer is hot, humid and falls within hurricane season.

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.

Ports you'll likely 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.
• Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Bahamas
  MSC's private island, a former industrial site turned into beaches and a marine reserve.

Highlights

Short and easy

Three and four night cruises fit into a long weekend.

Private islands

Most big lines run a private beach destination in the Bahamas.

Clear, shallow water

Turquoise shallows and sandbars make for easy swimming and snorkeling.

A good first cruise

Low commitment and short flights or drives make it easy to try cruising.

How long, and what documents

3-5 nights from Florida is most common; 7-night Bahamas and Florida itineraries also sail from Florida and from Northeast ports.

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.

Specialist tips

• Choose your ship first; on a short Bahamas cruise you spend most of your time onboard.
• On private-island days, get off early; the best loungers and cabana areas fill fast.
• Winter water can feel cool; February swimmers may want a rash guard.
• Weekend short cruises are busiest and often skew younger; midweek 4-night sailings tend to be calmer.