I arrange more Bahamas sailings than any other itinerary, and the cruise ship port in Nassau, Bahamas comes up in nearly every planning call. Clients usually have their shore day figured out. What they ask me about is the port itself: where the ship ties up, how long the walk into town is, and what a taxi should cost.
This guide covers the facility at Prince George Wharf, including the $300 million rebuild, the berths, the terminal layout, walking times, taxis, and nearby hotels. If you want ideas for the day itself, my guide to things to do in Nassau on a cruise covers beaches, history, and food in detail.
Quick Take
The rebuilt Nassau Cruise Port reopened in May 2023 after a $300 million overhaul.
Six berths handle the biggest ships afloat, including three Oasis-class vessels at once.
The terminal exits onto Bay Street in downtown Nassau; the Straw Market is about a five-minute walk.
Junkanoo Beach is 10 to 15 minutes on foot, and Queen's Staircase is about 20.
Taxis are not metered, so agree on the fare first. Figure $15 to $30 to Atlantis for two people.
Margaritaville, the British Colonial, and Graycliff are my three picks for a hotel you can walk to from the pier.
Inside the Renovated Nassau Bahamas Cruise Terminal
Cruise ships have docked at Prince George Wharf, right against downtown, for a century. What changed in 2023 is everything around the gangway. A consortium led by Global Ports Holding took over the port under a 25-year concession and rebuilt it from the water up for $300 million, with the grand opening on May 26, 2023. You can see the current berth layout on the official Nassau Cruise Port site.
The three-story arrivals building holds Bahamian customs and immigration offices, a pharmacy, an excursion desk, and more than 60 retail and dining spaces. The Bahamas Museum of Junkanoo inside is a worthwhile 20-minute stop, and a 3,000-seat amphitheater hosts live music on busy days.
The layout is simple: you walk off the gangway, down the pier, through the terminal plaza, and out onto Bay Street. Festival Place, an open-air bazaar with dozens of local vendors, sits just inside the exit. Downtown Nassau begins the moment you clear the gate.
One caveat: the pier is long. From an outer berth, the walk from gangway to exit can take 10 to 15 minutes on its own, though carts run for passengers with mobility concerns.
Berths and Ship Capacity at the Cruise Ship Port in Nassau, Bahamas
The port has six cruise berths plus a 700-foot mega-yacht berth, all with about 36 feet of depth at low tide. Berth 1 alone offers 1,346 feet of quay, and the port can take three of Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class vessels at the same time. Icon-class ships call regularly.
Volume is enormous. The port handled more than 5.6 million passengers in 2024, and in June 2026 it set a single-day record of 33,254 guests across the piers. On a peak winter day you may share downtown with five or six other vessels.
My advice as an agent: check the port schedule before reserving excursions. A full-capacity day changes everything about lines, taxis, and beach space. My guide to the best time to cruise the Bahamas digs into which months run quieter.
Walking Distances from the Cruise Ship Port in Nassau, Bahamas
Times below start at the Bay Street exit; add 5 to 15 minutes for the pier, depending on your berth.
Bay Street stores: 2-5 minutes
Straw Market: 5 minutes
Junkanoo Beach: 10-15 minutes
Graycliff / John Watling's Distillery: 15 minutes
Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle: 20 minutes
Junkanoo Beach is the closest sand, a free public beach with chair rentals and bar shacks, good for a couple of hours. Queen's Staircase, the 66 hand-carved steps leading up to Fort Fincastle, is the walk I recommend most; go early, before the heat and the tour buses.
The historic Straw Market sits on Bay Street a few minutes from the gate, and a second wave of vendors now operates inside the terminal itself, so you can grab a last souvenir on the way back to the ship.
Taxis and Transportation from Prince George Wharf
Taxis queue just outside the terminal, a big improvement over the old free-for-all. Cabs are not metered: rates are set by zone for two passengers, with a modest surcharge per extra rider. Always confirm the price before you get in.
Atlantis, Paradise Island: $15-$30, 10-20 minutes
Cable Beach / Baha Mar: $18-$25, 15-20 minutes
Nassau airport (LPIA): $36-$45, 25-35 minutes
Prices change, so treat those as ballpark ranges. The water taxi to Paradise Island runs about $10 per person each way, and the No. 10 jitney bus to Cable Beach runs a few dollars. Pay cash and flag it down along Bay Street.
Hotels Near Nassau Cruise Port for a Night Before or After
Clients ask about hotels near Nassau cruise port whenever they fly in a day early, which I recommend for any cruise. Three properties are genuinely walkable from the pier.
Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau sits at One Particular Harbour, about a 10-minute walk east of the terminal. It has a resort pool deck, a small water park, and a man-made beach. This is my default for families who want an easy first night with zero taxi logistics.
British Colonial is the pink 1920s landmark at the west end of Bay Street, roughly 10 to 12 minutes on foot. It reopened in February 2024 after a full renovation and now feels like a proper grand hotel again, with the only private beach in downtown Nassau. My pick for couples.
Graycliff Hotel is a 1740s mansion turned 20-room inn on West Hill Street, about 15 minutes uphill from the port. You stay for the wine cellar, the cigar rollers at work, and the old-Nassau atmosphere rather than a beach.
If you would rather base at Atlantis or Baha Mar, both are a short cab ride away. When you're ready to price out the whole trip, I'll put an itinerary together for you at no extra cost when you book a vacation through my agency.
How to Build Your Nassau Port Day Around the Terminal
The port's location rewards a simple plan. Walk off early and head straight to Queen's Staircase while the morning is cool. Loop back through downtown, then spend midday on the water. Junkanoo Beach if you're keeping it cheap, or the water taxi over to Paradise Island if Atlantis is the goal.
Keep Bay Street and the Straw Market for the final hour, because they lie between you and the gangway anyway. Leave a 45-minute cushion before all-aboard; on multi-ship days the terminal plaza gets congested.
For organized tours, see my roundup of the best Nassau cruise excursions. I compare options and book most of my independent tours through Viator. Some links are affiliate links, which support the site at no cost to you.
What to Skip at Nassau Cruise Port
Skip the taxi if your plans stay downtown. Nothing in the historic core justifies the fare from the pier. Skip the duty-free jewelry chains inside the terminal unless you were shopping for a watch anyway; the same brands appear in every Caribbean port and the deals are ordinary. And skip the unlicensed guides who approach you near the gate. Licensed operators wear credentials, and the excursion desk can point you to them.
Other Ports in the Bahamas Beyond Nassau
Nassau is the flagship, but most itineraries pair it with at least one other stop. The main ports in the Bahamas break down into three groups.
Freeport, on Grand Bahama, is a working industrial harbor a cab ride from the beaches. Carnival's Celebration Key, which opened on the island's southern coast in July 2025, has quickly overtaken it as the main Grand Bahama draw. Bimini hosts ships at the Resorts World pier; my guide to things to do in Bimini on a cruise day covers it fully.
Then come the private islands: Perfect Day at CocoCay (Royal Caribbean), Castaway Cay and Lighthouse Point (Disney), Half Moon Cay (Carnival and Holland America), Great Stirrup Cay (Norwegian), and Ocean Cay (MSC). For how all these stops fit together on an itinerary, start with my complete Bahamas cruise guide, and the official Bahamas tourism site is useful for island-by-island basics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do cruise ships dock in Nassau, Bahamas?
All cruise ships dock at Prince George Wharf, the rebuilt Nassau Cruise Port on the northern edge of downtown. The terminal exits directly onto Bay Street, so you step off the pier into the middle of the city, with no shuttle or tender involved.
How far is the Nassau Bahamas cruise terminal from the Straw Market?
About a five-minute walk. Exit the terminal onto Bay Street, turn right, and the Straw Market appears within a few blocks.
Can you walk to a beach from the Nassau cruise port?
Yes. Junkanoo Beach is 10 to 15 minutes on foot west of the terminal, with free entry and chairs for rent. For a nicer beach, take the $10 water taxi or a cab to Paradise Island.
How much is a taxi from the Nassau cruise port to Atlantis?
Plan on $15 to $30 for two passengers, plus the bridge toll. Cabs are unmetered, so confirm the fare before departing. The water taxi is cheaper for one or two people.
Are there hotels near the Nassau cruise port?
Yes. Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau, the British Colonial, and Graycliff are all 10 to 15 minutes on foot. All three work well for a night before embarkation, and each offers a completely different kind of stay.
How many cruise ships can dock in Nassau at once?
Six. The renovated port has six berths and can handle more than 30,000 passengers in a single day, including three Oasis-class vessels simultaneously. A full day usually means crowded beaches and longer taxi lines.
Final Thoughts on the Nassau Cruise Port
The rebuilt port turned Nassau from a stop many cruisers slept through into a day worth planning. The terminal is easy to navigate, downtown starts at the gate, and a night at one of the nearby hotels makes the whole trip calmer.
If a Bahamas cruise is on your list, I do this for a living. Tell me your dates and budget, and I'll handle the ship, the hotel night, and the transfers. My planning costs you nothing extra.
