Top 6 Cruises for Discovering the Bahamas

Cruising to the Bahamas offers sunshine, soft sandy beaches, and the chance to wade into the inviting azure waters. This 700-island paradise is the perfect escape for those dreary, cold days spent indoors, especially for someone like me stuck in Cleveland. While flying between the islands can be challenging, traveling by ship makes it much simpler. Current Bahamas cruises range from quick trips departing from convenient Florida ports to week-long adventures that allow for deeper exploration. You can reach the Bahamas in less than a day from Florida, with cruises usually departing in the evening and arriving the next morning, making it an ideal option for both quick getaways and extended relaxation.

What to anticipate on a Bahamas cruise

The primary destinations for cruise ships in the Bahamas include Nassau, the capital, as well as several islands and beaches operated by cruise lines, like Disney’s private family paradise, Castaway Cay, located off Great Abaco Island. Additionally, smaller vessels venture to explore the more remote southern islands of the archipelago.

Cruise travelers can enjoy hiking in national parks, basking on nearly deserted beaches, and visiting numerous small churches, as the Bahamas has the highest number of churches per capita in the world.

In Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas located on New Providence Island, visitors can gain insights into the nation's British colonial past, West African slave history, and the vibrant Junkanoo culture through its impressive museums. However, most day visitors are drawn to the water activities: embarking on diving and snorkeling adventures, hopping on party boats with endless rum punch, enjoying the stunning beaches, swimming pools, and thrilling waterslides at the Atlantis Bahamas resort on Paradise Island, or trying their luck with fishing charters.

On smaller cruise itineraries, you might visit San Salvador Island, a site believed to be where Christopher Columbus first landed in the New World (historians debate the exact location). A white cross marks this historic spot. Long Island, extending around 80 miles, offers both rugged and sandy coastlines, featuring Dean’s Blue Hole—one of the world's deepest sinkholes at 663 feet—where divers and snorkelers can swim alongside turtles and tarpons. The small island of Bimini is celebrated for its pristine beaches and vibrant marine life, where visitors can relax at beach clubs, seek tranquil spots on land, and watch for dolphins and other sea creatures.

Other notable cruise stops include Eleuthera, famous for its alluring pink sand beaches and protected park areas. Additionally, the Exumas, a chain of 365 islands, are renowned for their swimming pigs, although these adorable creatures can also be found in other parts of the Bahamas.

Celebrity Cruises’ “Nassau & Bimini” itinerary

• Best for: A luxurious large ship experience
• To book: 4-night round-trip from Miami, starting at $473 per person for a veranda stateroom; $801 per person for AquaClass; and $2,245 per person for the Retreat
• Islands: Nassau (New Providence), Bimini, plus Key West

Celebrity Cruises offers stylish trips to Nassau and Bimini, making it easy to enjoy a Bahamas escape without a big budget or lots of time. For example, you can book a convenient four-night voyage on the 2,158-passenger Celebrity Summit for under $500 per person. If you're feeling indulgent, booking a suite in the Retreat grants you access to your own sundeck with a hot tub, private lounge areas, and exclusive dining at the Luminae restaurant, featuring rotating signature dishes by Celebrity's culinary ambassador, Daniel Boulud, such as creamy carrot and ginger velouté and Moroccan chicken tagine with saffron couscous. Spa enthusiasts may prefer the AquaClass staterooms, which include complimentary access to a Persian Garden with an infrared sauna and sensory showers, along with exclusive dining at Blu, a health-focused restaurant offering a selection of sustainable and biodynamic wines. While in Bimini, consider trying sport-fishing, a year-round favorite on the island.

Disney Cruise Line’s Bahamian Voyage from Fort Lauderdale

• Best for: Families and Disney enthusiasts of all ages
• To book: 5-night Bahamas cruise departing from Fort Lauderdale on the 2,700-passenger Disney Magic, starting at $6,299 for a party of four
• Islands: Castaway Cay, Nassau (New Providence), Eleuthera

Disney Cruise Line operates cruises in the Bahamas year-round, beginning with short three- and four-night trips from Florida ports. Since its debut in 1998, Castaway Cay has been the crown jewel of Disney cruises in the Bahamas, offering a stunning white-sand island haven, complete with pirate-themed attractions and appearances by beloved Disney characters. Exciting news for Disney fans is the anticipated opening in summer 2024 of a second exclusive Disney destination, Lighthouse Point, on Eleuthera. This site will showcase Bahamian culture, featuring Junkanoo parades, characters from local folklore, and performances by native artists. As part of its commitment to sustainability, Lighthouse Point will feature a solar installation providing at least 90% of its energy needs (similar to the solar setup at Castaway Cay). While there are plenty of family-friendly activities, adults can enjoy a supervised kids' program and retreat to the adults-only beach for cocktails and relaxation in private cabanas.

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s round-trip voyage from Fort Lauderdale

• Best for: Premier luxury experience
• To book: 7-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale aboard the 298-passenger Evrima, starting at $6,100 per person
• Islands: Nassau (New Providence), Bimini, San Salvador, Long Island, and Key West

On the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s 298-passenger Evrima, you can relax in a private dipping pool, indulge in your luxurious suite, or join a cozy dance gathering on the Marina Terrace, just above the water. A seven-night itinerary in December 2023 takes you from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau, Bimini, San Salvador, and Long Island, with additional time set aside to explore the Hemingway House & Museum and other attractions in Key West, Florida. Optional small group excursions in the Bahamas include an “Eco-Marine SDinogoi” on Long Island, combining a small boat tour of mangrove channels and sandbars with a visit to see the famous swimming pigs in a serene cay. With both the cruise line and the Royal at Atlantis on Paradise Island associated with Marriott International, you can also reserve a daybed at the resort’s stylish adults-only pool area, the Cove.

Scenic’s “Island Odyssey: Bahamas to the Grenadines” voyage

• Best for: Exploration of underwater and aerial realms
• To book: 12-night voyage in fall 2024 starting at $9,963 per person
• Islands: Compass Cay, Great Exuma Island, San Salvador Island, Long Island, Great Inagua Island in the Bahamas, plus Virgin Gorda, St. Bart’s, Monserrat, Iles des Saintes (Guadeloupe), and Tobago Cays (St. Vincent and the Grenadines)

The opulent 228-passenger Scenic Eclipse is equipped with some of the finest exploration equipment in the industry. An expedition crew organizes excursions featuring two helicopters and a submarine, providing breathtaking views of the Bahamas from above and below the surface. You can also borrow paddleboards and kayaks from the ship’s marina for personal exploration. A 12-night journey from Nassau to Bridgetown, Barbados, kicks off with six days in the Bahamas before heading south to popular yachting destinations. Highlights include Compass Cay in the Exuma Cays, where you might spot nurse sharks swimming in the crystal-clear waters right from the ship. Bird enthusiasts will relish a rare opportunity to visit Great Inagua Island, home to a population of around 80,000 flamingos. Plus, whiskey connoisseurs can explore the ship’s impressive collection of over 110 varieties.

SeaDream Yacht Club’s “Bountiful Bahamas” voyage

• Best for: Relaxed luxury
• To book: 7-night voyage in April 2025, starting at $4,399 per person
• Islands: Nassau (New Providence), Staniel Cay, Great Exuma, San Salvador, Salt Cay

While you'll need to wait until 2025, the intimate SeaDream line offers two exciting round-trip cruises to the Bahamas from upscale Palm Beach, Florida, aboard the 112-passenger SeaDream II. The “Bountiful Bahamas” route focuses on the Exumas and Long Island, providing chances to discover untouched beaches, relax at beach bars, and snorkel in crystal-clear waters. A unique highlight is a stop at the uninhabited Salt Cay (Cay Sal), accessible only by boat and situated about 50 miles from Marathon, Florida. When you're not kayaking in serene bays, you can enjoy the yacht’s latest attraction: an inflatable slide leading from the pool deck into the ocean. SeaDream is known for its gourmet cuisine, having introduced the first full vegan raw food menu among cruise lines, alongside indulgent dishes like l’oeuf poule au caviar (egg with caviar), grilled lobster, and filet mignon.

Virgin Voyages’ “Fire & Sunset Soirées” voyage

• Best for: Adults looking for fun
• To book: 4-night “Fire & Sunset Soirées” on the 2,770-passenger Scarlet Lady or Valiant Lady starting at $1,920 for two in a Sea Terrace cabin
• Islands: Bimini and Key West

For an adult-only adventure, Virgin Voyages is the place to be, welcoming guests aged 18 and older. At the Virgin Voyages Beach Club in Bimini, exclusively for Virgin guests during ship visits, you can sip cocktails by the pool or gather around a beach bonfire. Alternatively, join activities like a watercolor painting class, a scenic “Views-n-Blues Mid-Afternoon Cruise” on a pontoon, an open-air tram ride around the island, or dive into the ocean with hammerheads. Onboard, enjoy lively dance parties, free yoga and meditation sessions, intense cardio HIIT workouts, browse vinyl records at the onboard shop, or even get a tattoo or piercing while savoring treats from the “Lick Me Till  . . .  Ice Cream” shop. The ship boasts six dining options, including an inventive “Test Kitchen” where dishes are designed to smoke and sizzle, along with an entertaining Korean barbecue dining experience called Gunbae, featuring drinking games.