Getting to Bahamas: Cruises & Airlines
About 80% tourists who visit The Bahamas arrive by cruises and rest by flight (there are of course privileged few who come here by private planes or chartered boats, and some very lucky ones by flying-boats that land at the water a little offshore from the beach of personal choice).
But as I said, cruise packages turn out to be most affordable and convenient when it comes to general tourists most of who are from the US. Note that The Bahamas is located off the coast of Florida right towards east from Miami. The nearest island Bimini is only about 50 miles from Miami, while the furthest island like Inagua which is towards south east of Miami is about 700 miles away.
Nassau Cruise Port (Prince George Wharf)
Photo: Roger W, flickr, cc by-sa 2.0
And there are cruises as well as airlines operating to different islands of Bahamas (the country has many cruise ports / marinas and airports for entry of international tourists). The most popular port of entry is at Nassau which is the capital of Bahamas and located in New Providence island.
From Miami, Florida the distance to Nassau is about 165 miles. It takes a short flight (about an hour) from Florida to reach Nassau. However for most cruise lines, it's an overnight cruise to get to Nassau (for example an NCL cruise departing Miami at 4pm reaches Nassau at 10am next morning).
Many cruise lines operate from ports in the US East Coast (like Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida, Port Canaveral in Orlando, ports in New York, Baltimore etc).
Several airlines also operate from the US, Canada and UK/Europe to the Bahamas. From London, it takes about 9 hours of direct flight to reach Nassau in Bahamas.
Nassau Airport
Photo: bobbsled, flickr, cc by-sa 2.0
Once you reach an island with in the Bahamas, in order to transfer to another island, you can either take a domestic flight (the national carrier Bahamas Air operates a large network of flights between many islands in Bahamas) or you can take a fast ferry if available.
Cruises to Bahamas
Most cruises operate to Nassau and dock at Prince George Dock located at the heart of Nassau (near the down town area). However there are several other cruise lines that operate to other islands as well like Grand Bahama, Great Stirrup Cay etc. Here are the popular cruise lines operating to the Bahamas and the destinations they serve within the Bahamas.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)
They offer regular cruise packages starting from 3-day package. The cruises depart from ports in New York, Orlando and Florida. Depending on the cruise package you choose, the ports of call in Bahamas can include Nassau, Great Stirrup Cay, Grand Bahama Island etc.
Visit their website https://www.ncl.com/in/en/ to find your cruise.
Royal Caribbean International (RCI)
RCI too offers packages starting from 3-night cruise packages. Their cruises leave from Miami and Fort Lauderdale (Florida), Port Canaveral (Orlando), and Cape Liberty (New Jersey).
Ports of call in Bahamas (depending on package) could be Nassau, Coco Cay, Grand Bahama etc.
Visit their website https://www.royalcaribbean.com/ for choosing your cruise.
Disney Cruise Line
Offers 3 to 8 nights packages. Ports of call in Bahamas includes - Nassau, Castaway Cay etc. Cruises depart from Galveston (Texas), New York Port (New York), Miami and Port Canaveral (Florida).
Visit their website https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ to choose your cruise.
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line
This is an ideal cruise for people wanting to go on a short 2-night cruise vacation to the Bahamas from South Florida. The cruise departs every other day of the week and all through the year at 6pm from Port of Palm Beach (Florida) and arrives at 8am next day at Bahamas.
On day-2 it leaves Bahamas again at 6pm (giving you one full day at Nassau/Paradise Island), and arrives at Port of Palm Beach next morning at 7am.
Visit their website www.bahamasparadisecruise.com for cruise info and booking.
Carnival Cruises
Offers different cruise packages starting from 3-day package. Cruises depart from Baltimore (Maryland), Charleston (South Carolina), Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Miami (Florida) and Port Canaveral (Orlando). Depending on packages, the ports of call in Bahamas includes Nassau, Princess Cay, Free Port (in Grand Bahama), Half Moon Cay etc.
Visit their site https://www.carnival.com for cruise info and booking.
Holland America Line
Offers multi-destination cruises including Bahamas (usually Half Moon Cay). The cruises usually depart from Fort Lauderdale (Florida).
Visit their website www.hollandamerica.com for cruise info and booking.
Celebrity Cruises
Offers multi-destination cruise packages including Bahamas (usually Nassau). Cruises depart from Miami (Florida), Fort Lauderdale (Florida), San Juan (Puerto Rico).
Visit their website www.celebritycruises.com to choose a cruise.
Princess Cruises
Multi-destination cruise packages that includes visits to Bahamas (Princess Cays). The cruises depart from several ports include Fort Lauderdale (Florida).
Visit website http://www.princess.com for cruise info and booking.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Multi-destination cruises including Bahamas (ports of call in Bahamas includes Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay). Departs from Miami, Vancouver, San Francisco etc.
Visit the website https://www.rssc.com for cruise info and booking.
Balearia Ferry to Bahamas
This is a fast ferry service that operates between Fort Lauderdale (Florida, USA) and Freeport (Grand Bahama), as well as between Fort Lauderdale (Florida, USA) and Bimini. From Ferry Fort Lauderdale dock, Bimini is the nearest point in Bahamas (51 miles) and the fast ferry takes about 2 hours to reach. Fort Lauderdale to Freeport takes about 3 hours 30 minutes. Visit their website www.booking.baleariacaribbean.com/en for schedules, fares and online booking.
Airlines operating to Bahamas
Here are the popular airlines operating to the Bahamas from different countries (note that most airlines operate to Lynden Pindling International Airport at Nassau although several have flights to various other destinations within Bahamas).
FROM THE USA
Bahamas Air
Bahamas Air was set up in 1973 when Bahamas became an independent country and is the national airline of the Bahamas. In domestic operations, it connects several islands within the Bahamas, for example Nassau is connected with Grand Bahama, Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, Crooked Island, Aucklins, Mayaguana, Inagua, San Salvador and Long Island.
It also operates international flights and connects few cities of the US to several islands in the Bahamas. For example it connects Miami (Florida) to Nassau (New Providence Island), Free Port (Grand Bahama), North Eluthera, Marsh Harbor (in Abaco Islands), Treasure Cay etc. There are also flights between Free port (Grand Bahama) and Fort Lauderdale (Florida, USA).
Other international routes include The Turks & Caicos, Havana (Cuba), Haiti etc.
Visit website www.bahamasair.com for flight info and booking.
American Airlines
There are regular direct flights from various US cities like Houston, Dallas, Miami, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia etc to Nassau in Bahamas. There are also direct flights from Dallas to North Eluthera, Freeport (Grand Bahama), San Salvador, Treasure Cay, Marsh harbor, Bimini etc.
American Airlines also has direct flights from Toronto (Canada) to Nassau (Bahamas).
Visit their website www.aa.com for flight info and booking.
Delta Airlines
Delta has direct flights from various parts in the US including Atlanta, New York(JFK), Boston, Detroit and Minneapolis to Bahamas. The destinations in Bahamas includes Nassau, Freeport (in Grand Bahama), Eluthera, Marsh Harbor (Abaco), Georgetown etc.
Visit website www.delta.com for flight info and booking.
JetBlue
While JetBlue themselves fly from various cities within the US (including Fort Lauderdale, New York, Orlando, Washington and Bostonto) to Nassau in Bahamas, they along with their partner airlines also connect numerous other US cities to several other airports in Bahamas including Free Port (Grand Bahama), Bimini, North Eluthera, Marsh Harbor (Abaco), Treasure Cay etc.
Visit their website https://www.jetblue.com for flight info and booking.
United
United has non-stop flights from Chicago, Houston, Newark, Charlotte, Washington, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas etc to Nassau in Bahamas. They also have direct flights to Freeport (Grand Bahama), Bimini, Georgetown, San Salvador etc from cities in the US, for example non-stop flights operate between Newark and several places in Bahamas including Freeport, Marsh Harbor (Abaco Islands), Rock Sound, George Town, San Salvador etc.
United also operates Toronto (Canada) to Nassau flights.
Visit https://www.united.com for full flight info and booking.
Silver Airways
Operates regular flights between US cities such as Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Tampa, and West Palm Beach to Nassau in Bahamas.
Visit website https://www.silverairways.com for detailed flight info and booking.
Southwest Airlines
Has regular flights from Baltimore and Fort Lauderdale to Nassau.
Visit website www.southwest.com for flight info and booking.
Sun Country Airlines
Has non stop flights between Minneapolis and Nassau.
Visit site https://www.suncountry.com for detailed flight info and booking.
SkyBahamas Airlines Ltd.
This is a local airline of Bahamas. The international flight operates from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Marsh Harbor, Bahamas.
They also operate regular domestic flights between various islands within the Bahamas including Nassau, Grand Bahama, Exuma, New Bight, Arthurs Town, San Salvador, Marsh Harbor etc.
Visit their website www.skybahamas.net for flight info and booking.
FROM THE UK and EUROPE
British Airways
Has direct flights to Nassau (on several days of the week) and connecting flights to Nassau via London from Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Moscow, Paris, Rome and Zurich.
Visit their website www.ba.com for flight info and booking.
American Airlines
Has connecting flights to Nassau via Miami from Barcelona, London, Paris and Madrid.
Visit their website www.aa.com for flight info and booking.
Delta Airlines
Has connecting flights to Nassau via Atlanta and New York from Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Rome and Zurich.
Visit website www.delta.com for flight info and booking.
United
Has connecting flights to Nassau via Chicago and Newark from Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Paris, Rome and Zurich.
Visit https://www.united.com for full flight info and booking.
FROM CANADA
Air Canada
Direct flights from Toronto and Montreal to Nassau.
Check website www.aircanada.com for flight info and booking.
Westjet
Direct flights from Toronto and Calgary to Nassau.
Check website www.westjet.com
Sunwing Airlines
Offers regular flights from Toronto to Nassau as well as Grand Bahama.
Check website www.sunwing.ca for flights and booking.
FROM CARIBBEAN
InterCaribbean
Regular flights from several Caribbean cities (like Cap Hatien, Grand Turk, Havana, Kingston, Montego Bay, Port au Prince, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, San Juan, Santiago, Santiago de Cuba, Santo Domingo, South Caicos etc) to Nassau and other islands in Bahamas.
Visit their website www.intercaribbean.com for flight info and booking.
FROM LATIN AMERICA
CopaAirlines
Direct from Panama City to Nassau.
Check website www.copaair.com
Delta
Flights from Bogota, Buenos Aires, Lima, Mexico City, Rio De Janeiro, Santiago, Sao Paulo etc to Nassau via Atlanta.
Visit airline website www.delta.com
American Airlines
Flights from Bogota, Lima, Mexico City to Nassau via Dallas and Miami.
Visit airline website www.aa.com
Getting to Bahamas by boat
Many prefer to sail across the open ocean between south Florida and Bahamas in their own or rented boat, negotiate the currents of Gulf Stream on the way and visit several islands in the Bahamas. Most would start from the east coast of South Florida which is nearest to the western end of Bahamas islands (only 50 miles). Depending on the boat you take, it can take few hours to almost a full day to reach a western island of Bahamas like Bimini or Grand Bahama.
Remember the numerous islands of Bahamas are scattered and extends to 760 miles towards south east. When you sail through the Bahamas water between the islands, you need to navigate through reefs and shoals on the way. You can choose to anchor out at one of the marinas in the islands, or stay at a resort near the marina.
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 By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj, a seasoned travel writer and Bermuda destination expert, has extensive global travel experience. This website reflects his profound insights, garnered over nearly two decades of dedicated findings and research on the island. Raj has assisted countless Bermuda-bound visitors by providing direct, personalized responses to their queries and imparting his wealth of knowledge through this platform. This site serves as an indispensable guide for those seeking informed and reliable insights into Bermuda's treasures.
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