Cruise ships docked at Nassau Cruise Port

Nassau shore excursions

A deep-water port in the middle of town: beaches, forts and Paradise Island are all close, and ships dock without tenders.

Photo: Fernando Jorge / Unsplash

Typical call

8:00 am→4:30 pm

Docking to all aboard · about 8 h 30 min ashore

Getting ashore

Walk off at the pier

Walkable to town

Money

Bahamian dollar

US dollars widely accepted

Time zone

UTC-5

Keep your watch on ship's time

Tours that fit your day in Nassau

Enter the times from your cruise line's itinerary. We add time to walk off the ship, the drive to each tour's start point and back, and your safety margin.

Ship docks8:00 amAll aboard4:30 pm

Safety margin before all aboard

Ship in portGetting ashore (20 min)Safety margin (1 h)All aboard 4:30 pm

8 h 30 min in port93 fit with time to spare1 cutting it close6 too long

Fits your day
Pirate Jeep Sightseeing Adventure!
3 h 4.9 (1,592)Free cancellation
Back by 11:50 am · 3 h 40 min sparefrom $165
Fits your day
Rum Tasting and Food Walking Tour in Nassau Bahamas
3 h 4.9 (1,177)Free cancellation
Back by 11:50 am · 3 h 40 min sparefrom $98
Fits your day
Bites of Nassau Food and Walking Tour
3 h 4.9 (3,273)Free cancellation
Back by 11:50 am · 3 h 40 min sparefrom $99
Fits your day
4hr Private Tour Island Hop Snorkel w/ Turtles & Sip Bahama Mamas
4 h 5.0 (147)Free cancellation
Back by 12:50 pm · 2 h 40 min sparefrom $1092
Fits your day
Fun Atv tour in Nassau with Lunch: Drivers must be 25 years old
3 h 4.9 (583)Free cancellation
Back by 11:50 am · 3 h 40 min sparefrom $150
Fits your day
Dilly Dally Walking Tour of Nassau Attractions
3 h 4.9 (400)Free cancellation
Back by 11:50 am · 3 h 40 min sparefrom $55
Fits your day
3 Hour Smart Eco Segway Adventure in Nassau
3 h 4.9 (258)Free cancellation
Back by 11:50 am · 3 h 40 min sparefrom $99
Fits your day
KINDWalk — Nassau Historical and Cultural Walking Tour
3 h 4.9 (285)
Back by 11:50 am · 3 h 40 min sparefrom $10
Fits your day
Exuma Elite Escape: 7-Stop Luxury Swimming Pigs Tour from Nassau
6 h 4.8 (580)Free cancellation
Back by 2:50 pm · 40 min sparefrom $850
Fits your day
Private City Tour in Bahamas
2 h 4.9 (168)Free cancellation
Back by 10:50 am · 4 h 40 min sparefrom $130
Fits your day
Nassau City Tour
3 h–5 h 4.9 (133)Free cancellation
Back by 1:50 pm · 1 h 40 min sparefrom $90
Fits your day
Mouth Watering Food and Drink Tasting City Tour
2 h–3 h 5.0 (85)Free cancellation
Back by 11:50 am · 3 h 40 min sparefrom $150

Return times are estimates from the tour length, travel from the pier and time to get ashore. Always check your ship's all-aboard time.

Port guide

Nassau cruise port guide

Nassau is one of the busiest cruise ports in the Caribbean, and the 2023 rebuild of Prince George Wharf made arriving much easier. The redeveloped port has six berths for the largest ships, a new arrivals building, a Junkanoo museum, an amphitheatre and more than 60 shops. Ships dock alongside, so there is no tendering. Downtown starts about 500 m from the terminal: the Straw Market, Parliament Square and Government House are a 5–15 minute walk, with the Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle just inland. Junkanoo Beach is the closest beach, about 1.5 km west on foot. Most passengers head further for one of three days out: Paradise Island for Atlantis and Cabbage Beach, a boat trip to Blue Lagoon Island or Rose Island, or Cable Beach about 7 km west. Taxis are unmetered and charge government-set zone fares, so agree the price first. The US State Department lists the Bahamas at Level 2 (increased caution) because of crime, mostly in Nassau, and advises avoiding independent jet-ski operators. With up to six ships in port, taxis, ferries and beaches can all be slow, so plan around your all-aboard time.

What Nassau is good for

Beaches
Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island and Cable Beach are the common picks; Junkanoo Beach is the walk-up option. Beach clubs and private islands (Blue Lagoon, Rose Island) are typical ship excursions.
Good for kids (1 tour)
Atlantis Aquaventure and Blue Lagoon Island with dolphin or sea lion encounters are the big family options.
Snorkeling (6 tours)
Rose Island snorkel and swimming-with-pigs tours, and the Clifton Heritage sculpture reef near Jaws Beach, are typical.
Culture & history (26 tours)
Queen's Staircase, Fort Fincastle, Fort Charlotte, Government House and the Straw Market make a self-guided walk; food and history bus tours are also sold.
Food & drink (17 tours)
The Arawak Cay 'Fish Fry' (conch fritters, cracked conch, Sky Juice) is a short taxi or about 10-minute walk from the port.

On your own

Things to do in Nassau

Taxi times are from Nassau Cruise Port unless noted. Hover a place to find it on the map; open Details for costs, tips and your time budget.

Numbers match the list; colours show the type of place. Anchor = where ships dock.

Junkanoo Beach
Beach 5–10 min from the pier 1.5-3 hours
The closest beach to the ships, on the harbour side of the Western Esplanade, with beach bars, vendors and changing facilities. Calm and easy, but busy on days with several ships in.
Fits your day
Cabbage Beach
Beach 15 min from the pier 2-4 hours
About 3 km of white sand on Paradise Island, with water sports and vendors; one of the best-known beaches near the port. It is next to Atlantis and is the usual 'beach without a resort pass' choice.
Fits your day
Cable Beach
Beach 15–30 min from the pier 3-4 hours
A beach of about 2.5 miles on the north-west coast lined by resorts, with water sports and snorkelling, quieter than the downtown beaches. It sits well west of the port.
Fits your day
Atlantis and Aquaventure (Paradise Island)
Attraction 15–20 min from the pier 5-7 hours
A 141-acre water park with slides and a river ride, plus the resort's aquariums and beach. It is the biggest single attraction near the port and is reached over the bridge to Paradise Island.
Cutting it close
Blue Lagoon Island
Attraction ~30 min from the pier 5-6 hours
A small private island about 5 km from Nassau with a sheltered lagoon, beaches, a buffet lunch and optional dolphin and sea lion encounters. Easiest to book through the ship.
Fits your day
Rose Island (swimming pigs and snorkelling)
Snorkel & dive ~25 min from the pier 4-5 hours
An uninhabited island with no roads, about 5 km east of Paradise Island. Boat trips combine a beach, guided snorkelling and the pigs that live there. Sandy Toes style trips add lunch and open bar.
Fits your day
Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle
Ruins & history 13–14 min walk 1-1.5 hours
A 65-step limestone staircase cut by enslaved labourers in 1793-94, leading up to Fort Fincastle (1793), which overlooks the town, harbour and Paradise Island. A short walk inland from the pier.
Fits your day
Fort Charlotte
Ruins & history 5–10 min from the pier 1-1.5 hours
A British colonial limestone fort completed in 1789, on a hill west of downtown, never used in battle. It gives views over the harbour.
Fits your day
Downtown Nassau walk: Government House, Parliament Square and Straw Market
Town 5–10 min walk 1.5-2.5 hours
Pastel colonial buildings around Parliament Square, Georgian-style Government House (built 1803-06), the Straw Market and the Pirates of Nassau museum are all within about a 5-15 minute walk of the pier.
Fits your day
Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre
Attraction 10 min from the pier 1.5-2 hours
A garden and small zoo (about 200 animals) best known for its flamingos, opened as gardens in 1937. It is a family option that avoids the water-park crowds.
Fits your day
Clifton Heritage National Park and Jaws Beach
Nature 35–50 min from the pier 3-4 hours
A 208-acre national park on the west tip of New Providence with Lucayan and plantation-era sites and an underwater sculpture garden that includes Ocean Atlas, a large statue snorkelers can visit.
Fits your day

On your own or a cruise-line tour?

Downtown Nassau, Junkanoo Beach, Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle are easy to do on foot with no booking, and a $5-10 per person taxi gets you to Cabbage or Cable Beach. Atlantis is easy independently, but the Aquaventure pass must be bought ahead and the return trip needs a buffer. Boat trips to Blue Lagoon Island and Rose Island depend on weather and sit well off the pier, so the ship-booked version is worth paying for if the day is tight. Clifton Heritage and Jaws Beach are a long taxi ride with little to fall back on if something goes wrong. Independent jet skis and unlicensed boat operators are the main thing to avoid.

How people miss the ship here

Boat excursions (Blue Lagoon, Rose Island) run on fixed return times that can queue when several ships are in; independent boat trips are not held for the ship.
Atlantis closes Aquaventure at 5 pm from November to February, and getting a taxi back over the bridge can be slow when several ships empty at once.
Cable Beach is 15-30 minutes by taxi and Clifton Heritage is farther; a delayed taxi can eat most of a short port day.
With up to six ships in port, taxi and ferry lines at the end of the day can be long; aim to be back at the ship well ahead of all-aboard.
Weather can cancel or shorten boat tours, and storms in hurricane season can change the call.

Logistics

Where ships dock and getting around

Nassau Cruise Port (Prince George Wharf)

Ships dock here 3-5 min to town Walkable to town

Three-storey arrivals terminal (Bahamas Customs and Immigration), more than 60 retail spaces, Port Marketplace, Junkanoo museum, amphitheatre and art gallery, cafes, pharmacy, guest information centre, free Wi-Fi in terminal areas, taxi stand in the Arrivals Plaza, a ground transportation area, and the Paradise Island ferry terminal. Scooter/ATV rental is in the ground transportation area. Six berths; 2024 saw 1,445 calls and about 5.65 million passengers.

Getting to town: Walk: downtown Nassau is about 500 m from the terminal. Taxis, jitneys and the Paradise Island ferry leave from the port area.

Usually used by: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, MSC, Disney, Princess, Holland America, Oceania, Virgin Voyages and others.

Walking

Downtown is about 500 m from the terminal. Straw Market about 5 minutes, Queen's Staircase 13-14 minutes, Junkanoo Beach 10-15 minutes, Arawak Cay 'Fish Fry' about 10 minutes west (guide estimates). Little shade; hot at midday.

Walking · 2026

Taxi

Licensed taxis queue at the stand in the Arrivals Plaza. They are not metered: the government sets zone rates, so confirm the price before you get in. Beach runs are usually priced per person.

Pier to Cabbage Beach (per person) · 2026	$5
Pier to Cable Beach (per person) · 2026	$10
Pier to Atlantis (shared, per person / private car) · 2025	$4 / 15-20

Water taxi / Paradise Island ferry

A passenger ferry crosses the harbour from beside the cruise port to Paradise Island in about 10 minutes; from the Paradise Island dock, Atlantis is a 10-minute walk. Fares are about $4–7 per person each way, and boats run roughly every 30 minutes.

Pier to Paradise Island, one way per person · 2025

$6-7

Jitney (public bus)

Local jitney minibuses run on set routes from Bay Street, roughly 6:30 am to 7 pm. Exact change is required. Slow and crowded, with no strict schedule.

Per trip · 2025

$1.50

Rental car, scooter

Driving is on the left. Several agencies have downtown offices, and scooter/ATV rental is at the port. Guides discourage driving for a one-day call.

Climate

Nassau weather by month

Atlantic season runs 1 June to 30 November, with the peak in August-October. The State Department notes Bahamian airports and seaports often close well before a storm, so itineraries can be changed or skipped. Nassau's wettest months are June and August-September.

Before you go

Practical information

Currency: Bahamian dollar (BSD), pegged 1:1 to the US dollar
US dollars: US dollars are accepted everywhere at par; change may come in Bahamian dollars. Atlantis is cash-free (cards only).
Language: English
Time zone: UTC-5 (Eastern Standard Time); the Bahamas observe daylight saving, so UTC-4 in summer
Ship time: Ship time normally matches local time (same Eastern time as the US east coast), so no time-zone shift is expected; confirm in your daily program.
Safety: U.S. State Department Level 2 (exercise increased caution) for The Bahamas, last issued July 28, 2026, mainly for violent crime in Nassau and Freeport. It warns of the Over the Hill area south of Shirley Street, sexual assaults on and near downtown Nassau beaches, and poorly regulated boating/jet-ski operators. Tourist areas near the port are widely described as easy to walk; use licensed taxis and agree fares first.

Questions

Nassau cruise port FAQ

Where does my cruise ship dock in Nassau?

Ships dock at Nassau Cruise Port on Prince George Wharf in the middle of downtown. The 2023 redevelopment gave the port six berths, and no tendering is required. Downtown Nassau and the Straw Market are about 500 m away.

Can I walk from the Nassau cruise port to town?

Yes. The Straw Market is about a 5-minute walk, Queen's Staircase about 13-14 minutes and Junkanoo Beach 10-15 minutes. There is little shade, so wear a hat and take water.

How do I get from the Nassau cruise port to Atlantis?

Take the passenger ferry from beside the port (about 10 minutes, roughly $6–7 each way), a taxi (about $4 per person shared or $15–20 private), a $1.50 jitney bus, or walk about 2 miles in 45–60 minutes. Aquaventure needs a day pass bought in advance.

How much is the Atlantis day pass for cruise passengers?

Atlantis day passes have been sold from about $195 per adult and $95 per child (4–12), with higher prices at peak times. Passes must be bought in advance and are limited each day, so check availability on Atlantis's site before your cruise.

What is the closest beach to the Nassau cruise port?

Junkanoo Beach is closest, roughly 1.5 km west and about 10-15 minutes on foot, with free access and vendors renting chairs. Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island and Cable Beach are the better-known alternatives, both reached by taxi or ferry.

Is Nassau safe for cruise passengers?

The U.S. State Department rates The Bahamas Level 2 (increased caution), citing violent crime mainly in Nassau and Freeport. It warns about the Over the Hill area, sexual assaults near downtown beaches, and unregulated jet-ski operators. Most cruise passengers stay in tourist areas or book tours.

What is Blue Lagoon Island and how long is the trip?

Blue Lagoon Island is a private island about 5 km from Nassau. The catamaran from Paradise Island takes 20-30 minutes, and most cruise passengers spend 5-6 hours on the island. Beach days started at about $109 plus 10% VAT booked direct in 2026; ship prices vary.

Do I need US dollars or Bahamian dollars in Nassau?

US dollars are accepted everywhere at par with the Bahamian dollar. Carry small bills for taxis, tips and the Straw Market, where bargaining is expected. Atlantis accepts cards only.

Nearby

More Eastern Caribbean ports

All ports

Sint Maarten

St. Maarten

A walk-off port with a beach town at hand, plus Maho Beach plane-spotting and the French side's beaches by fixed-fare taxi.

~9 h typical call12 places

U.S. Virgin Islands

St. Thomas

Two piers a short ride from duty-free Charlotte Amalie, with Magens Bay, Coki Beach and a ferry to St. John all within a day.

~9 h typical call11 places

Dominican Republic

Amber Cove & Puerto Plata

Two piers: Amber Cove is a Carnival-built resort 15-20 minutes from town; Taino Bay puts other lines a short walk from Puerto Plata's old centre.

~9 h typical call11 places

Nassau cruise port guide

Nassau shore excursions

Tours that fit your day in Nassau

Nassau cruise port guide

Things to do in Nassau

Junkanoo Beach

Cabbage Beach

Cable Beach

Atlantis and Aquaventure (Paradise Island)

Blue Lagoon Island

Rose Island (swimming pigs and snorkelling)

Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle

Fort Charlotte

Downtown Nassau walk: Government House, Parliament Square and Straw Market

Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre