Hello friends, readers, and fellow cruise-goers!
If you haven’t caught on yet, we recently sailed with Royal Caribbean on a cruise to the Bahamas—and yes, we had that Perfect Day at CocoCay. If you missed those posts, be sure to check them out:
Now, you might be wondering: Can anything really top our day at CocoCay? Honestly… it’s a tough act to follow. But I had high hopes for Nassau, and I was curious to see what this bustling capital city had in store.
🛳️ First Impressions of Nassau
As soon as we stepped off the ship, Nassau Cruise Port was buzzing with activity. Local shops, shaded seating areas, and live music performances greeted us, offering an immediate taste of Bahamian culture.
That said, with multiple ships in port, the area got crowded quickly. If you’re craving a quieter experience, you’ll need to venture away from the port area.
There were long, organized lines for ship excursions—more on that later.
🏙️ Exploring Downtown Nassau
Downtown Nassau is just a short walk from the cruise terminal, making it super easy to explore on foot. Here’s what we did:
- Wandered past colorful colonial buildings
- Browsed local shops
- Took a stroll through the Straw Market
The market is packed with handcrafted goods and souvenirs, but be prepared for haggling and some very enthusiastic vendors. A friendly “no thank you” goes a long way.
We also checked out:
- The Queen’s Staircase
While these spots offer a quick peek into Nassau’s history, we weren’t overly impressed with the Queen’s Staircase. Honestly, I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it.
🏖️ Beach Options Near the Port
We debated booking a beach excursion but ended up choosing a boat tour instead. Still, here are a few beach options if that’s more your vibe:
Closest Option:
Junkanoo Beach – Only a 10-minute walk from the port
- Free to access
- Food stands, music, and chair rentals
- Can get busy when ships are in port
- Fun, lively atmosphere
Quieter Alternatives:
- Cable Beach
- Love Beach
Both are a short taxi ride away and much more laid-back. Just remember: Nassau taxis aren’t metered, so agree on a price before hopping in.
(We personally walked everywhere and didn’t use public transportation.)
🛥️ Excursion Options in Nassau
There are plenty of great excursions to choose from in Nassau. Here are a few popular options:
- Atlantis Resort (Paradise Island)
Family-friendly with a huge water park, marine exhibits, and a beach—though it’s on the pricey side. - Blue Lagoon or Pearl Island
Great for a curated beach day with food, drinks, and water activities included. - Snorkeling & Catamaran Tours
Ideal if you want to get out on the water and explore the reefs.
We booked our excursion directly with Royal Caribbean, which made the process easy.
🤿 Our Snorkeling & Catamaran Tour
We paid $162 per couple for a 3.5-hour excursion that included:
- 1 hour of snorkeling
- 1 hour open bar
- A scenic catamaran ride to and from the snorkeling site
Our Honest Thoughts:
- 🐠 Sea life: Better at CocoCay
- 😒 Customer service: Disappointing—staff felt rude and unengaged
- 🌊 The boat ride: Gorgeous and our favorite part of the experience
🍴 Food & Drinks in Nassau
Nassau has plenty of places to grab a bite, but we kept it simple:
- Lunch at Gordon’s Pier Restaurant
Decent food, but nothing special
Birds everywhere—major turn-off if you’re like me and hate birds 🙃 - Gelato before heading back to the ship
The most expensive gelato I’ve ever had!
Tasted good, but not worth the price.
✨ Final Thoughts
Was Nassau our perfect port day? Not exactly—but it still had its highlights.
Nassau is:
- Colorful
- Lively
- A bit chaotic
- Still worth experiencing at least once
With a bit of planning and realistic expectations, you can definitely enjoy what Nassau has to offer.
Would we get off the ship next time? Probably not. But honestly, a relaxing day on the ship doesn’t sound so bad either. We felt like we didn’t get enough time to explore the ship during this cruise anyway!
🗽 Next Up: NYC from Portland, ME!
Stay tuned for our next adventure—a day trip to New York City from Portland, Maine!
Also… Nick and I have our 10-mile race coming up in just a few weeks—wish us luck!
📲 Follow Along!
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TravelingbeebryantRN & Flicks_withNick 
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