Cruising the Bahamas? What to Do in Every Port Without Booking an Excursion.

It’s no secret why the Bahamas is so popular for cruises from the US. The islands are easy to reach from Florida, creating short and budget-friendly itineraries. The various ports also offer a range of things to do, including city and cultural experiences, fantastic beaches, and ready-made cruise ship offerings for travelers who feel like making excursions easy.

However, even the most affordable cruise to the Bahamas can get pricey if you book a cruise ship excursion in every port. Fortunately, the main Bahamas ports of call are easy to navigate from the cruise ports and offer plenty to do without shelling out $100 or more per person for an activity.

Here’s what to do in each of the major ports of call in the Bahamas without the need to book an excursion (or even do much advanced planning).

Nassau (New Providence)

Nassau is the Bahamas cruise classic, and if a cruise is going to make only one stop in the country, it’ll be in Nassau. Fortunately, downtown Nassau is extremely walkable from the cruise port, which is basically in the city. Bay Street is lined with shops and cafes, and the Straw Market — a historic market that sells straw goods like bags and dolls, as well as other crafts and souvenirs — is worth a visit for anyone with the slightest interest in shopping.

For a first stop that actually feels like classic Nassau, rather than a shopping stop, set your sights on the historic heart of the city: Queen’s Staircase, carved from limestone in the late 18th century and tucked into the Fort Fincastle area. It’s a shaded climb and puts you within walking distance of other landmarks. In fact, a quick online search will bring up plenty of self-guided walking tours intended for cruise visitors.

If your ideal port day includes culture as much as sun, walk or take a short taxi to the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, housed in a historic villa about a 15-minute walk from St. George’s Wharf. It’ll give you an intro to Bahamian history and the country’s current-day identity — something that can sometimes get lost in a quick cruise stop. On the way to the museum, you’ll also pass the cheesy-but-fun Pirates of Nassau interactive museum. And when you leave the gallery, you’ll only be a four-minute walk from John Watling’s Distillery, which offers free tours. Downtown Nassau is packed with seafood restaurants, too.

Of course, if you’re just ready to get in the water, it’s hard to get more convenient than Junkanoo Beach, about a 15-minute walk from St. George’s Wharf. The further away you go from the cruise port, the less crowded the beach gets.

Freeport (Grand Bahama)

Freeport is the one port in the Bahamas where you may have to do a little planning, as the cruise area itself isn’t designed for strolling. So while you can absolutely do it independently, you’ll need to decide on one main activity, rather than being able to wander between attractions.

For beach-focused travelers, you’ll find several local beaches within a short drive of the port. Taino Beach and Silver Point Beach are about a 10-to-15-minute taxi ride away and are a low-key alternative to resort beaches further away. Both are pretty relaxed without too much of a beach vendor/tourist trap vibe, but you’ll find plenty of beach bars and food vendors nearby for when you want to whet your whistle. You could also checkout downtown Freeport, which has local shops and restaurants, as well as small art galleries. It has more of a local/mixed vibe than downtown Nassau and isn’t designed simply for cruise ship tourists.

If you’d rather make your stop in Freeport a nature day, arrange transportation to Lucayan National Park, about 35 minutes by taxi from the cruise port. There are easy walking trails through mangrove forests, viewing points where you can look into underground caves, and pretty Gold Rock Beach, one of the most undeveloped beaches on the island. Birdwatchers will find plenty to see, too. The taxi ride usually costs about $40 each way, or you can pre-arrange a driver who will wait for your group for a whole or half day on websites like Viator.

Bimini (North Bimini)

Bimini is the closest cruise port to South Florida and feels smaller, easier to navigate, and more local than Nassau. Cruise ships dock near Resorts World Bimini, and while you can default to an easy, resort-style beach day at Resorts World Bimini, enjoying a more independent excursion is easy to pull off.  Knowledgeable cruise ship passengers forgoing the excursions will hop on the port tram or rent a golf cart for the afternoon. Companies like Green Carts Golf Cart Rental and Bimini Golf Cart Rental operate from outside Resorts World, making them easy to pick-up for cruise-goers. Rentals usually cost anywhere between $70 and $140 per day.

For a culture-forward stop, go to the Dolphin House Museum, a quirky, handmade mosaic space built from recycled materials by a local artist. From there, you can grab a fresh seafood lunch in Alice Town or head to a beach like Radio Beach, slightly farther Blister Beach, or two-mile-long Tiki Hut Beach. All are great choices.

If you want to dive or snorkel, Bimini Scuba Center operates out of the Bimini Big Game Club (an 8-minute taxi) and tailors schedules around cruise ship visitors, while Bimini Blue Adventures directly across from the cruise terminal offers everything from boat tours to jet ski and beach gear rentals.

Cruise company private island ports of call

Most major companies that cruise to the Bahamas have a private island just for their ships. These islands are owned and operated by the companies, so you won’t find any local restaurants or cultural activities. However, they can be a fun place to spend a day at the beach (if you look past the manufactured aspect of the visit). Here’s what to expect from each of the major private islands and how to optimize your time there without springing for extras like private cabanas and watersports rentals.

Perfect Day at CocoCay (Royal Caribbean)

Perfect Day at CocoCay can feel a bit like a private island theme park, especially as much of the focus is on paid attractions like “the Thrill Waterpark.” The key is to move past those areas quickly. Chill Island is the best all-around free zone, with multiple beach entrances, plenty of loungers, and real palm shade, making it easy to settle in without feeling crowded. Oasis Lagoon is also free and quite large, but it’s unpredictable — it can be loud and busy at the swim-up bar but more relaxed at the far edges of the pool area. South Beach is often overlooked and tends to be quieter, with wide-open sand, sports courts, and fewer people parking there for the day.

Compared to other privet islands, some visitors say the snorkeling at CoCoCay isn’t as lively, so it’s best treated as a swimming and lounging destination rather than a reef exploration stop. If you want to be active, walk the landscaped perimeter paths, with ocean breezes and fewer people than you’ll find in the central parts of the island. Food venues are spread throughout CoCoCay so you don’t need to return to the busiest areas if you’re trying to avoid the crowds (and the theme park vibes).

Great Stirrup Cay (Norwegian Cruise Line)

Great Stirrup Cay rewards guests who are willing to explore beyond the first beach they see. The island is long and narrow, and since most people stop at the first good and open patch of sand, the parts closest to the ship seem to be the most crowded. The key is to use the free island tram to reach the farthest away sections.

Snorkelers should head to rocky edges on the sand, rather than the open shoreline, as marine life can be sparse. Great Stirrup Cay has actual inland paths and greenery, unlike some of the newer private islands, so you can find shaded spots throughout the island. As of late 2025, Norwegian docks directly at the island instead of using tenders, so try to get to the tram on the early side to avoid lines. In general Great Stirrup Cay feels less manufactured than other resort islands, so it’s one of the better cruise company private islands for feeling less hurried and overwhelmed. However, there is an extensive renovation under way in 2026 that will include offerings like a water park, so it could definitely change in future years.

RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay (Carnival and Holland America)

Half Moon Cay is one of the most naturally beautiful private islands in the Caribbean. The ocean-facing side can be breezier, so you’ll find calmer and clearer water on the lagoon side better suited to floating and wading. The shoreline slopes very gradually, making swimming and wading easier for younger kids or those who just want to leisurely relax in the sun on an inflatable fliatie. The island also has a decent amount of natural shade from palms, so you don’t need to rent umbrellas or cabanas to get a break from the sun. You won’t find any super developed water parks on Half Moon Cay, so it feels a little calmer compared to other private cruise company islands.

Princess Cays (Princess Cruises)

Princess Cays isn’t a standalone isle like Half Moon Cay or CocoCay — it’s actually a private resort area carved out on the southern tip of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Once you arrive at the small marina, you can choose to walk left or right to find a beach spot, and you’ll likely want water shoes as the shoreline under the water can be a bit rocky and uneven. (Some visitors have said the left side of the beach is sandier). Wearing water shoes will also let you wander further out for snorkeling that most people do, making it more likely to see fish and other creatures around the seabed.

The island doesn’t have multiple food hubs, instead opting to serve a BBQ lunch in a central shaded area at set times. Drinks aren’t included unless you have a Princess Cruises drinks package, so it doesn’t get quite as rowdy as some other private islands where drinks are flowing from multiple bars and restaurants.

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (MSC Cruises)

Ocean Cay isn’t the largest cruise company private island, but it feels spread out and uncrowded, even for those not booking excursions. Many guests stay close to the arrival area, but cruisers who walk farther toward the lighthouse beaches will find wide-open stretches of sand and noticeably fewer people. The island’s long walking paths and free shuttle system make it easy to move around the island, rather than finding one area and posting up for the day. While walking around, stop and read all the environmental signage. It’s the only private island that’s also a marine restoration project, and there’s a big emphasis on sustainability. On that note, don’t forget to bring your reef-safe sunscreen for any island you visit in the Bahamas.

Castaway Cay (Disney Cruise Line)

The Walt Disney Company may be known for high prices and fees for most add-ons, but Castaway Cay is actually fairly reasonable, offering plenty of experiences without add-on costs.

Adults looking for quiet should head straight to Serenity Bay, which is adults-only and noticeably quieter than the family areas. Snorkeling on Castaway Cay is also especially engaging, as the island has not just brightly colored fish, but an underwater sculpture garden in a lifeguarded snorkeling lagoon. It’s more interesting than normal beach snorkeling where you may not see a lot, and it’s free to use if you bring your own snorkel gear (but quite pricey if you don’t).

If you want to be a bit more active, run or jog the self-guided Castaway Cay 5K trail. Just check in at the bike shop, and you’ll snag a complimentary 5K medal when you finish. On the way, you may see Disney costumed characters wandering the pathways. Since there’s no time limit to finishing the 5K, you’ll have plenty of time to stop for photos.