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Nassau Bahamas Cruise Port Guide
Location:
Prince George Wharf, with three long piers, near Rawson Square is in the heart of Nassau. Downtown is less than a 15 minute walk away.
On stepping ashore at Prince George Wharf, cruisers will disembark through the colorful Festival Place Welcome center, designed to resemble a Bahamian village with stands selling arts, crafts and tempting island treats such as coconut and pineapple tarts.
On Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays the atmosphere is spiced up with local Bahamian music.
There is a tour desk where cruise passengers can get general details about the islands and the excursions available, a post office and a communications center with pay phones, internet kiosk, Wi Fi, etc.
Webcam of the port.
Printable map to take along.
Cruise calendar for this port.
Watch a destination video.
Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers
Monthly Climate Averages for Nassau Bahamas
Sightseeing:
From casinos, cabaret shows, magic acts & acrobatics to moonlight dinner cruises or theatre performances, there are more options for nightlife in Nassau and Paradise Island than there are hours in the day to experience them all.
Scoot around the island on a rented motor scooter, rental car or
bicycle (be sure to drive on the left-hand side of the road, British
style); or cruise out to spend the day scuba diving or snorkeling
the coral reefs; go fishing for dolphin, tuna or wahoo; play tennis
or golf; take an Out Island excursion or just lay back to snooze
in the sun.
Visit the historic forts or shop for bargains along Bay Street, Nassau's
famous international shopping location. Liquor, perfume, jewelry and
china are favorite items for duty-free shoppers, along with fine local
and international crafts plus native goods, from handmade yards of
batik to fine jewelry & Rolex watches. The best buys and shopping
bargains can be found among the straw craft items and souvenirs at
the Straw Market.
The stores on Bay Street are flanked by picturesque, pastel pink-colored
Colonial-style Government buildings erected in the early 1800s by Loyalists,
including the Houses of Parliament, the old Colonial Secretary's Office
and the Supreme Court all surrounding a marble statue of Queen Victoria.
Parliament Square in downtown Nassau Bahamas is the traditional center
of Bahamian government. Each season, the Opening Ceremonies of the
Supreme Court fill the square with pomp and pageantry. Further downtown
stands Fort Charlotte. Built in 1788, it is complete with moat, open
battlements, even dungeons.
Tours Excursions Transportation:
The historic center of Nassau occupies an area about twelve blocks long and six blocks deep, and can be easily explored on foot.
Taxis are plentiful and can be hired in advance or flagged down in the street. Look for the Bahamahost sticker in the window. Rates are fixed, but surcharges apply for more than two people. Tips are about 15 per cent. The fare is $9 plus $2 bridge toll between downtown Nassau and Paradise Island.
Many taxis also offer tours, in general fun and not expensive.
The Nassau Water Taxi departs every 30 minutes from behind the Straw Market to Paradise Island, operating daily from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. The round trip cost is $8. Notes: Though the trip takes just 10 minutes, the water taxi may not depart on time.
Choose between jumping on one of the many bikes for hire or rent a motor scooter which costs from US$25(£13.50) to US$35 (£19) a day.
Best beaches.
It pays to compare your cruise line shore excursions here.
Nearby Places:
Nassau's Sister Island - Paradise Island Venture east on Bay Street from the city's core and you come to a bridge that takes you to "Paradise," with posh luxury resorts (including the world famous Atlantis Bahamas Resort), the Caribbean's largest casino, plus exciting nightlife on an island formerly called "Hog."
There are two ways to get to the Atlantis--ferry or taxi. The taxi is much quicker and certainly easier--about $6 per person each way. The ferry is $4 each way($8 round trip), but it can be crowded and you have to wait until they fill the boat up.
As you go east, just past the bridge to Paradise Island, there is the boating heart of Nassau / Paradise Island with a number of marinas with boats for hire. The East End is also a delightful residential area showing the full flavor of Nassau's colonial past in its architecture & horticulture. Big houses with wide breezy verandas face the sea.
Pearl Island Located just eight miles from Nassau and one mile east of Paradise Island, Pearl Island is known for its warm, crystal-clear waters, stunning natural beauty, white-sand beaches, and its iconic Lighthouse!
Blue Lagoon Island Blue Lagoon Island, also known by its official name Salt Cay, has been an interesting part of The Bahamas' history for centuries. Located just three miles from Nassau, it is now the home of the dolphins and sea lions of Dolphin Encounters and is owned by a local family. Blue Lagoon Island offers visitors everything one dreams of when picturing a private tropical island – breathtakingly clear turquoise waters including a hidden lagoon, thousands of native coconut palm trees, pristine white sandy beaches, beautiful natural vegetation, tropical birds and coral reefs teeming with native species of fish.
Shopping and Food
For more traditional and authentic local goods, try the Straw Market in Bay Street – reputed to be one of the largest in the world – and haggle with the stall-holders for their handmade baskets, hats, jewelry, and wood carvings.
Conch fritters, grouper fingers, peas 'n' rice, boiled fish, johnnycake plus guava duff are just a few of the tasty dishes, all of which go "just right" with a tropical drink in your hand.
Currency:
The local currency is the Bahamian dollar (B$) The Bahamian dollar is on a par with the US dollar, and both currencies are accepted throughout the country. Always make sure you keep an eye on your belongings as it's hard to spot pickpockets in large crowds.
Communication:
English spoken
Opening Hours and Holidays:
While Bahamian stores are permitted to open on Sunday, almost none does, making Sunday a very quiet day, at least for commerce. Otherwise, shopping is best in the morning when the crowds are few and the temperature mild.
Holidays that fall on Saturday or Sunday are generally observed on the preceding Friday or the following Monday.
January 1 New Year's Day
March/April Good Friday, Easter Monday
Whit Monday
First Friday in June Labour Day
July 10 Independence Day
First Monday in August Emancipation Day
October 12 Discovery Day
December 25 Christmas Day
December 26 Boxing Day.
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