The very best Bahamas cruises take you away from the every day grind, transporting you to theme park-like non-public islands and beach-lined paradises. Cruise decisions embrace new and jazzed-up ships crusing an array of brief and weeklong Bahamas itineraries. Cruising to the Bahamas is very easy you might even have the ability to go with no passport.
Household-friendly traces, resembling Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line, provide cruises centered on the Bahamas all 12 months. So do newcomers Virgin Voyages, with its adults-only sailings, and Margaritaville at Sea, providing brief two-night hops and longer cruise-and-stay packages. The winter and early spring seasons carry a handful of itineraries on premium traces like Celeb Cruises and Holland America.
The one cruise traces that do not commonly provide Bahamas cruises are the posh traces. However don’t be concerned, luxe lovers: Most of the ships we included on our listing of the perfect Bahamas cruises provide suites that include concierge companies, non-public enclaves or particular spa privileges. If a luxurious cruise to the Bahamas is your purpose, take a look at the highest suite choices on a mainstream or premium line.
For extra cruise information, critiques and ideas, join TPG’s cruise publication.
Whether or not you are on the lookout for a fast and low cost getaway or every week on the seashore, listed below are the perfect Bahamas cruise itineraries to begin your search, so as from shortest to longest.
2-night cruises on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise from Palm Seaside, Florida
Although cruising is comparatively new to the Margaritaville journey and hospitality franchise, cruise line Margaritaville at Sea is actually a rebranding of the previous Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. Its refurbished ship, Paradise, initially debuted within the Nineteen Nineties for Costa Cruises.
One Jimmy Buffett-themed makeover later, the ship is an ideal match for the laid-back vibe of the Bahamas. Seize a drink or a chew to eat from the 5 o’Clock Someplace Bar & Grill, strive your luck on the Par-A-Cube On line casino and revel in loads of leisure, together with the musical manufacturing, “Tales from Margaritaville: Jimmy’s Ship Present.” There is a youngsters membership, a teen membership, a spa and two swimming pools stocked with seashore balls and inflatable parrots.
The 2-night cruise itinerary consists of sooner or later in Freeport, the place you’ll be able to store, hit the on line casino, take pleasure in water sports activities or chill on the seashore. The ship provides shore excursions, or you’ll be able to discover independently. Margaritaville at Sea additionally provides cruise-and-stay itineraries of both 4 or six nights (together with the 2 nights onboard the ship). These packages allow you to select between two associate lodges in Freeport, the place you may keep two or 4 nights on land, then hop again on the ship on your return evening at sea.
Margaritaville at Sea Paradise carries round 1,300 passengers in an assortment of inside and ocean-view cabins, throughout 176 sq. ft, which is bigger than the typical for these classes on most mainstream ships. Ten suites with balconies are additionally accessible, with 524 sq. ft of area.
Each day Publication
Reward your inbox with the TPG Each day publication
Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
Who ought to go? Clearly, Parrotheads are gonna need to do this ship, with all its Jimmy Buffett-inspired themes and decor, however it’s additionally a superb trial run for anybody on the fence about cruising. Pricing makes this an amazing cruise to take pleasure in an escape with out spending a fortune. We discovered weekday sailings that start at $99 per particular person primarily based on double occupancy for an inside cabin.
Associated: Finest Bahamas cruise ideas for first-timers and repeat guests alike
3- or 4-night cruises on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas from Miami
This itinerary could also be the perfect general brief Bahamas cruise. Each the three- and four-night cruises have stops at Nassau and Royal Caribbean’s large non-public island — Good Day at CocoCay. These two stops mixed give cruisers the chance to take pleasure in water sports activities, spend a while on the seashore and expertise a little bit of Bahamian tradition.
Freedom of the Seas has loads of onboard enjoyable to occupy vacationers of all ages on sea days. It is loaded with top-deck slides and water options, specialty restaurant decisions and extra leisure choices than you’ll be able to absorb on a brief cruise. Carrying round 4,000 cruise company, Freedom of the Seas is large enough to impress with out being overwhelming.
Plus, logistics for cruising out of Miami are easy sufficient for even first-time cruisers. From flight decisions to pre- or post-cruise lodges, it is a metropolis that caters to vacationers, particularly the cruising ones.
Who ought to go? From first-timers to veteran cruisers, anybody on the lookout for a brief however fun-filled hop to the Bahamas ought to give Freedom of the Seas a glance. Households on the lookout for a fast escape will discover leisure and actions for toddlers to teenagers. The ship can be best for household reunions, bachelorette events and birthday cruises. {Couples} will love the adults-only Solarium with its extra-large sizzling tubs searching over the ocean.
Associated: Bahamas cruise packing listing: What to pack for the islands
3- or 4-night cruises on Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida
Why? The most recent, largest ships on this planet usually sail longer cruises. Providing brief cruises on its humongous Oasis Class ships is new for Royal Caribbean; sister ship Attract of the Seas will check out the idea earlier than Utopia launches.
Households with youngsters will certainly go bananas over the alternatives on board the brand new ship. The highest deck alone will function three separate pool areas, a browsing simulator, a kiddie splash zone, a basketball courtroom, two rock partitions, a miniature golf course and even a zipper line.
The ship may also boast an intensive choice of eating places, bars, lounges and outlets. Moreover, there can be an indoor skating rink, a spa and a showroom with Broadway-style exhibits.
Utopia of the Seas’ inaugural voyage is ready for July 22, 2024, and can be a four-night cruise to Nassau and the road’s non-public island, Good Day at CocoCay. The second crusing can be a three-night cruise to the Bahamas that departs on July 26, 2024.
Who ought to go? Quick sailings on this new ship will enchantment to all types of cruisers. Traditionally, new ships are reserved for longer itineraries, so it is a improbable alternative to take pleasure in a snack-size sampling of a brand-new ship with out spending the cash on an extended crusing.
Households craving a fast getaway the place your complete brood is happy is not going to be dissatisfied. Along with seemingly infinite kid-friendly facilities and top-notch kids’s programming, Utopia of the Seas will function a on line casino and adults-only areas.
Associated: These 2 cruise traces are constructing new non-public locations within the Bahamas
3- or 4-night cruises on Disney Want from Port Canaveral, Florida
Disney waited a decade to construct its subsequent new ship, however Disney dreamers had their want granted in 2022. Even higher, the brand new Disney Want cruises to the Bahamas. Designed to be the right complement to a go to to Orlando’s Disney theme parks, these brief cruises go to Nassau and Disney’s non-public island, Castaway Cay. The four-night itinerary provides a sea day to benefit from the ship.
Disney Want is designed to immerse cruisers within the varied Disney worlds by way of know-how. An onboard augmented actuality sport turns the Disney Cruise Line Navigator smartphone app right into a digital spyglass that lets cruisers take part in a fantasy journey with Disney and Pixar characters. The AquaMouse waterslide combines a splashy tube journey in a two-seater raft with a pre-adventure story informed by way of screens initially of the journey. Diners on the Worlds of Marvel restaurant participate in an interactive Avengers-themed expertise by way of movies and particular results.
Want carries 4,000 passengers in cabins and suites designed to simplify cruising with youngsters. However by no means concern, grownup Disney followers; you may additionally discover your spot on board. From the “Star Wars”-themed Hyperspace Lounge to the Quiet Cove adults-only solar deck, Disney manages to cater to grownups in addition to youngsters.
Who ought to go? That is clearly the perfect Bahamas cruise for lovers of all issues Disney, together with “Star Wars” and Marvel followers.
Associated: Finest shore excursions for Bahamas cruises
3- or 4-night cruises on Celeb Reflection from Fort Lauderdale
Starting in April 2024, Celeb Cruises will sail three- and four-night voyages round-trip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, year-round.
The three,046-passenger Celeb Reflection will provide a constant rotation of three-night weekend cruises (departing every Friday and returning every Monday morning) and four-night weekday sailings (departing every Monday and returning every Friday morning).
Itineraries will embrace stops at Key West in Florida and Nassau and Bimini within the Bahamas.
Celeb appeals largely to the 40-plus set sans young children. It is mild on the kid-centric points of interest (resembling waterslides, go-karts and laser tag) that different big-ship traces embrace. The road provides as a substitute a lot of quiet and stress-free pool and lounge areas. (When you do have youngsters in tow, you’ll be able to make the most of the intensive kids’s program, Camp at Sea. It supplies supervised actions every day for kids ages 3-12 in devoted areas.)
Celeb Reflection is the road’s final and largest Solstice Class cruise ship. The Solstice Class ships function a number of the most fashionable out of doors pool decks at sea, with indoor, adults-only pool areas that, notably, are topped with glass panels embedded with photo voltaic panels that contribute to the ship’s energy grid. You will additionally discover massive spas, casinos, showrooms and a pleasant choice of eating places on board.
This ship additionally boasts one of the spectacular suites within the cruising world — the 1,646-square-foot Reflection Suite. It was the primary two-bedroom suite on a Celeb Cruises vessel.
Who ought to go? This an excellent cruise for older vacationers who’re new to cruising and need to pattern one or frequent cruisers who may want a shorter time at sea. Though Celeb does not draw many households with younger kids, the shorter Bahamas itineraries are additionally excellent for multigenerational household teams in search of an inexpensive cruise that appeals to all ages.
4-night cruises on Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Woman from Miami
It is the ship itself that units this cruise other than the pack. You will discover distinctive cabins (with balcony hammocks), brash crimson livery and one-of-a-kind onboard actions, resembling tattoo parlors, drag exhibits and ’80s-themed health lessons, to maintain its 2,700 sailors (as Virgin calls its passengers) entertained.
Who ought to go? That is the perfect Bahamas cruise for the non-cruiser who’s both younger at coronary heart or younger and desperate to occasion aboard this glitzy ship. When you’re simply offended by loud music, round the clock partying or sexual innuendo, this isn’t your Bahamas cruise.
4-day cruises on Norwegian Jade from Miami
Port diversions include touring the Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum and the Key West Aquarium, purchasing alongside Nassau’s Bay Road and exploring the white-sand seashores and pristine waters on Nice Stirrup Cay.
The two,402-passenger vessel is a part of the road’s Jewel class of ships. Although the ship launched in 2006, it obtained a considerable refurbishment in 2017 that included a cabin transform, new and expanded eating and a design overhaul.
Norwegian Jewel may not have the intensive top-deck points of interest of newer ships, like Norwegian Prima, or as many eating places and bars. Nevertheless, passengers will discover lots to occupy their time onboard with scheduled actions, a on line casino, spa and pool areas.
Who ought to go? Households, {couples} and good friend teams will respect the unstructured nature of a Norwegian cruise. The road’s “freestyle cruising” mantra — cruising with out inflexible eating schedules, gown codes and formal nights — is completely suited to brief sailings. With a variety of eateries and no assigned seating instances, passengers have a lot of flexibility for his or her restricted time at sea.
Associated: Finest time to cruise to the Bahamas
5-night cruises on Carnival Sunshine from South Carolina
I’m an enormous lover of five-night sailings. They’re lengthy sufficient to scratch the cruise itch and brief sufficient to account for journey time to and from the port with out including any further trip days. Plus, the marginally longer itineraries are much less common with arduous partiers who may be disruptive on shorter Bahamas cruises.
Relying on which itinerary you select, you’ll be able to relax on the seashores of Bimini, store Nassau’s iconic straw market or go horseback driving by the shore of Carnival’s non-public island, Half Moon Cay. Think about a pre- or post-cruise keep in Charleston to soak up town’s historic landmarks, epic eating and charming cobblestone streets.
Who ought to go? These cruises are the perfect Bahamas sailings for individuals who want the intimacy of an older ship and do not care about flashy facilities and onboard points of interest on newer vessels. Plus, they’re best for vacationers who stay north of Florida and are on the lookout for a extra handy drive-to departure port.
8-night cruises on Carnival Venezia from New York Metropolis
The 4,090-passenger Carnival Venezia is a little bit of an outlier in Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet. Initially constructed for Italy-based Costa Cruises and launched in 2019, it joined the Carnival household in Could 2023. (Carnival Company is the dad or mum firm of each Costa and Carnival.)
The ship was renovated so as to add a lot of Carnival’s signature venues. Nevertheless, a lot of its Costa-aligned, Italian-themed designs stay, together with an actual gondola “crusing” down the center of its essential eating room and a pool deck constructed to appear to be a Venetian boulevard.
Friends may really feel like they have been whisked away to Italy due to regional touches just like the handmade Italian gelato at JavaBlue Cafe and the Italian liqueur-infused concoctions discovered at many bars.
Two eight-night voyages out of New York Metropolis embrace stops at Freeport, Nassau and Half Moon Cay.
Who ought to go? This Bahamas cruise is right for anybody on the lookout for a distinct Carnival expertise throughout a weeklong cruise. It is virtually like touring to Italy and the Bahamas in a single journey.
Backside line
The very best Bahamas cruises provide one thing cruisers cannot fairly get sufficient of — whether or not it is seashore time or occasion time. Whereas brief sailings are nonetheless the preferred Bahamas itineraries, yow will discover choices for nearly each cruising fashion. The hot button is figuring out the cruise that matches your fashion, most well-liked actions and trip finances.
Planning a cruise? Begin with these tales:
