Nassau, Bahamas
A colorful capital at the foot of the pier, swimming pigs and reefs a short boat ride away, and a brand-new beach club across the harbor. Here’s how to make one day ashore count.
A Bahamas classic
Nassau is one of the most-visited cruise ports in the world, and it’s easy to see why. The capital of The Bahamas sits about 180 miles off the Florida coast, the pier opens straight onto downtown, and the water that makes The Bahamas famous starts just past the harbor. A rebuilt cruise port, finished in 2023, now greets you with a Junkanoo museum, local shops and an open-air amphitheater before you even reach Bay Street.
The trick is choosing how to spend it. You can meet the swimming pigs on Rose Island, snorkel with sea turtles, spend the day at the Atlantis waterpark or the new Royal Beach Club, or stay close and walk the pink colonial buildings and old forts of downtown. Below are the excursions we’d book and the details that keep the day easy.
Where you’ll dock
Every ship docks at the same cruise port, so the main thing to plan around is how busy it will be. Up to six ships can berth at once.
Prince George Wharf
Nassau Cruise Port, at Prince George Wharf, puts you at the foot of downtown. Step off the ship and you’re a short walk from the port’s Bahamian marketplace, the Junkanoo museum and the start of Bay Street. The wharf has six berths, and on the busiest days it welcomes more than 30,000 guests, so expect lines at the gate and crowds downtown in the morning. Guests booked at Royal Beach Club board its ferries right at the pier.
Used by: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, MSC, Disney, Princess, Virgin Voyages and Margaritaville at Sea.
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island
Royal Caribbean’s first Royal Beach Club opened on December 23, 2025, on the western tip of Paradise Island, just across the harbor from the cruise port. It’s a 17-acre beach day with Bahamian food, music and local artisans, two beaches, three temperature-controlled pools and three neighborhoods: Chill Beach for families, Paradise Beach for a calmer day and Party Cove, home to The Floating Flamingo, which Royal Caribbean bills as the world’s largest swim-up bar.
Unlike Perfect Day CocoCay, it isn’t included in your cruise. You need a day pass, booked in the Royal app or My Royal Cruise, and daily space is limited, so book as soon as your cruise is confirmed. Royal Beach Club ferries, part of your day pass, leave from the cruise port and run throughout the day. The return ferry drops you on the mainland side of the port, close to the shops, so leave time before all-aboard. Bring your SeaPass card and a government-issued ID.
Used by: Royal Caribbean and Celebrity guests only.
- Day Pass. Your day pass covers the round-trip ferry, all-day dining at three Paradise Grill spots, non-alcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi, loungers, umbrellas, towels, lockers and showers. Kids 3 and under don’t need a paid pass.
- Beverage Package (extra charge). The Open Bar day pass adds unlimited alcoholic drinks for guests 21 and over. On the standard pass, cocktails are sold à la carte by credit card.
- Day Beds and Cabanas (extra charge). Day beds, pool and beach cabanas, the VIP Party Deck and the two-story Ultimate Family Cabana. Each comes with day passes for your group.
- All ages. There’s no adults-only area: every guest can use every part of the club. Party Cove is the lively, DJ-driven side; Paradise Beach is the quieter pick.
- Accessible. The ferries have wheelchair ramps and dedicated seating, each pool has a lift and beach wheelchairs are free, first come, first served.
Excursions we’d book
Hand-picked shore excursions from local operators, bookable through our partner Project Expedition. Every tour here carries Project Expedition’s Back to Ship Guarantee. Prices are per person and can change; check the live price when you book.
Nassau Shore Excursion: Swimming Pigs & Island Escape with Bahamian Lunch
A 30-minute boat ride to Rose Island to meet the famous swimming pigs, then a Bahamian lunch and free time at a private beach club, with snorkeling or paddleboarding if you like. About four hours.
View on Project ExpeditionExplore and Relax Private 4 Hour Charter - 43' Strike Again
A private four-hour powerboat charter that meets at the cruise port. Snorkel shallow reefs, swim with sea turtles and stop at a remote beach. Adding the swimming pigs costs extra.
View on Project ExpeditionThe Back to Ship Guarantee and refunds if your ship skips Nassau are covered by Project Expedition’s shore excursion terms. Your advisor can walk you through them.
Cruise line favorites
Book these in your cruise planner. Ship-sold tours cost a bit more, but the ship waits for you if the tour runs late.
- Atlantis Aquaventure. A full waterpark day at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, with big slides like the Leap of Faith, a long river ride and huge marine habitats. Dolphin encounters can be added.
- Blue Lagoon Island. A boat trip to a private island for dolphin and sea lion encounters, hammocks and beach games. Adults-only beach days are sold here too.
- Swimming pigs & beach clubs. Half-day boat trips to Rose Island and nearby cays to meet the pigs, often with lunch and beach time at a small island club.
- Snorkel & glass-bottom boats. Easy reef trips close to Nassau. Glass-bottom boats are a good fit for kids and non-swimmers.
Exploring without a tour
Prefer to explore at your own pace? These are the highlights to know, wherever your day takes you. Keep an eye on the clock.
The cruise port
The rebuilt port is worth a slow wander on its own: the Bahamas Museum of Junkanoo, Bahamian-owned shops and food stalls, green space along the water and an amphitheater that hosts live music. All of it is a short walk from the pier.
Bay Street & Parliament Square
Nassau’s main street runs right along the harbor, lined with duty-free shops, the Straw Market and colonial buildings. The pink government buildings of Parliament Square and the Pompey Museum, set in the old market house, are the history highlights.
Queen’s Staircase & Fort Fincastle
Sixty-six steps carved out of solid limestone by enslaved people in the late 1700s, shaded and cool, with Fort Fincastle at the top and one of the best harbor views in Nassau.
Before you go ashore
- All-aboard is firm. If you book independently, plan to be back at the pier an hour before all-aboard. Ships do leave without late guests.
- Choose water tours carefully. The U.S. State Department warns that boating and jet ski operators in The Bahamas are not well regulated. Skip the independent jet ski stands and book water activities through your cruise line or a vetted operator.
- Busy ship days. With up to six ships in port, gate lines and downtown crowds build quickly. Head out early, or book a tour that starts as soon as you dock.
- Book the beach club early. Royal Beach Club Paradise Island day passes and cabanas are limited each day. Reserve as soon as your cruise is booked, or ask us to do it for you.
- Bring the right documents. On a cruise that starts and ends at the same U.S. port, a birth certificate and photo ID may be enough, but we always recommend a passport in case you need to fly home unexpectedly.
Sailing to Nassau
Most Bahamas getaways and many Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries call here, from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral and Palm Beach, plus longer sailings from New York and the Northeast.Find a cruisePlan with Harr Travel
Ready for a day in Nassau?
We’ll match you with the right Bahamas or Caribbean sailing and help you plan the day ashore, from swimming pigs to a Royal Beach Club cabana. There are never any booking or consultation fees.
