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The East End encompasses a collection of tinier Bahamian islands where bonefishing is prominent. At least 18 Carnival cruise ships will sail regularly from their homeports to Celebration Key in 2025 and 2026, with a total of 500 itineraries. Given the location of the cruise port on the island, I highly recommend to pre-book your excursion or transportation given the location of the port.
Cruise Terminal Information
One of the highlights is Junkanoo Beach, just a 15-minute walk from Freeport Cruise Port. Additionally, Freeport offers a variety of activities, such as snorkeling, eco-tours, and cultural experiences that you can enjoy on your own or with a local guide. Paradise Cove Beach – Located a 25-minute drive northwest of Freeport cruise port, Paradise Cove Beach is a gateway to Deadman’s Reef where you can explore the colorful marine world of the Bahamas. Snorkeling, scuba diving and glass bottom boat rides (for those of you who prefer to stay dry) are the popular activities.
Carnival Just Revealed More Details on Its New Grand Bahama Cruise Port
The water encircling Grand Bahama Island is some of the clearest in the world. One of the most popular excursions in Grand Bahama includes an encounter with dolphins. Experience these playful sea creatures at Sanctuary Bay, a natural 9-acre lagoon where over a dozen Bottlenose Dolphins live. Stand on a water platform a few feet deep for the chance to kiss and pet the dolphins. Cast your line and get ready for an epic fight in one of the world’s premier sport fishing destinations. With the help of experienced guides, you’ll have the chance to catch marlin, bluefin tuna, wahoo and bonefish, the island’s most prized game fish.
Grand Bahama Shipyard (Port Lucaya, Freeport)
If you’re looking for a cruise with cheaper prices and fewer passengers, midwinter, particularly January and February, is recommended, as there are ideal weather conditions for a Bahamas cruise during these months. When visiting Grand Bahama Island, there are no restrictions on bringing foreign currency. However, it’s worth noting that U.S. currency is widely accepted and often used as change in local establishments. It is important to know that the Bahamian dollar is pegged to the U.S. dollar and always has the same value. This means that if you’re from the United States, you don’t have to worry about exchange rates when using your money on Grand Bahama Island.
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This new venture, according to Christine Duffy, President, Carnival Cruise Line is yet another example of Carnival’s enduring partnership with The Bahamas. Bahamian culture blends an island lifestyle with thriving industries like cement-making, pharmaceuticals, and salt production. Freeport serves as the main hub of the Bahamas industrial and manufacturing business. Prior to Columbus’ arrival, an indigenous group of people called Lucayans migrated from Cuba to the island. Soon after the arrival of Christopher Columbus and other settlers to the islands, the Lucayan people were wiped out due to disease and enslavement. The Bahamas was eventually claimed by Great Britain and stayed under its rule for 325 years until 1973 when it became its own sovereign country that is a member of the Commonwealth Nations.
Shopping / Restaurants
Developments by Holistica were also planned for Costa Maya (Mexico), Roatan Island (Honduras) and Kumamoto (Kyushu Island, Japan). The new "Carnival Grand Bahama" cruise port (planned for opening in 2024-Q4) is being developed on the island's southern coast (121+ hectares / 300+ acres of land at Sharp Rock). In late-December 2021, RCG announced that the sale agreement for the resort is canceled but plans to participate in a new bidding process. The Bahamian government is still planning to sell the property but its development is to be independent of the cruise port. On June 24, 2019, RCCL and ITM Group established the Miami-headquartered joint venture company "Holistica" specializing in cruise port development projects worldwide.
This brewery is on a giant 20-acre property, with beer gardens and tours to teach you all about the brewing and distribution process. Thankfully, golf is among the best active things to do in Freeport, Bahamas. Freeport has among some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. Whether you are a beginner or a golfing pro, you will find a course that suits your interests. Among the many things to do in Freeport is to enjoy the mouth-watering local cuisine. Freeport Bahamas has among the most unique cuisines in the world with a fusion of many different worldly cuisines.
Cruise Lines Visiting Freeport
In addition, fishing and deep-sea fishing rank among the top-rated attractions. The best place for that activity is the deep North-West Providence Channel where you can catch local fish such as snappers, barracudas, groupers, tunas, and more. Besides the well-developed cruise terminal area, there’s not much to see and do around the port itself. Freeport is primarily an industrial area and there is no actual “downtown”. It is known for two areas in particular – the resort center at Freeport and the suburb of Lucaya. This way, you do not have to deal with the stress of looking for flights and trying to find the right hotel.
Freeport Cruise Port: Tips, Excursions, Weather
Bahamas Approves Expansion of Grand Bahama Including Largest Lift Drydock - The Maritime Executive
Bahamas Approves Expansion of Grand Bahama Including Largest Lift Drydock.
Posted: Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Golfers can use two courses – the Grand Lucayan Reef Golf Course or Ruby Golf Course. Grand Lucayan near the Port Lucaya Marketplace has large and flat greens. The 18-hole Ruby Golf Course is closest to the Freeport Cruise Port at five miles or 12 minutes away. The best-known attraction on the island is Port Lucaya Marketplace, a large complex of shops, restaurants and entertainment options. We took a shuttle bus there for the afternoon and found plenty to do for several hours.
Another fantastic option is Port Lucaya, which offers a stunning beach area and is just a short round-trip ferry ride away from the cruise port. For only $10 per person, you can hop on the ferry and spend your day exploring this popular beach destination. Several beautiful beaches are located within walking distance from the cruise port in Freeport, Bahamas. The most easily accessible beach is Junkanoo Beach, where you can enjoy sunbathing and swimming just steps away from the port. There are no beaches in the industrial area of Freeport Harbour and the nearest beaches are located in Port Lucaya. The beaches boast crystal clear, warm turquoise waters and are mostly nestled on the Grand Bahama’s southern coast.
The cruise port, called "Celebration Key," will be Carnival's first private destination. The name reveal comes 15 months after the cruise line began construction on the island of Grand Bahama. The main city of Grand Bahama, Freeport’s lure is the sun, warm winters and tropical white sand beaches.
Grand Bahama has 90 miles of beaches on its southern shores that offer many options for anyone with transportation on their own. You can book a tour through your cruise ship that will take you to the pier where this uniquely designed boat is located. Then you can join a cruise that will take you to stunning coral reefs, see many tropical fish, sea turtles, and even a shipwreck. Currently, Grand Lucayan is split into two resorts (Grand Lucayan, Lighthouse Pointe), of which only Lighthouse Pointe (as of 2021) is open. To the expenses, tourists must add taxis (US$35 one way) between the cruise port and the resort.
Although most taxis are metered with government official rates, it is always advisable to agree on a price before entering a cab. Freeport, a major port city with a population of around 26,900, is located in The Bahamas northwest region. The port is on the southwest coast of Grand Bahama Island, 80 miles (129 km) east of the Florida coast, directly across Boyton Beach. On June 24, 2019, RCCL and ITM Group established the Miami-headquartered joint venture company "Holistica" that specializes in cruise port development projects worldwide. Holistica's first project was the USD 275 million Grand Lucayan Resort in Freeport Bahamas.
The fare is $1 in the Freeport and Lucaya areas and $2 in the west and east ends. Cruise visitors who disembark at the Freeport cruise port can take a bus or taxi to the Port Lucaya Marketplace. Xanadu Beach is the closest major beach to the Freeport Cruise Port at 15 minutes or six miles away. This public beach is three miles from the International Bazaar, offering water sports, straw goods, food and beverages. Garden of the Groves, seven miles east of Port Lucaya Marketplace, is a botanical garden and family attraction with more than 10,000 species of plants and animals. It has 12 acres of waterfalls, gardens, a meditation labyrinth, petting zoo and playground.
With its beautiful beaches, exciting water sports activities, and vibrant shopping scene, there is no shortage of things to do and see. The Grand Bahama Island cruise port offers a variety of shopping opportunities for cruise travelers. One popular option is the Freeport Harbour, which features gift shops in the straw market, restaurants, and entertainment. As a major tourist hotspot in the Bahamas, second only to Nassau, the port attracts visitors with its captivating blend of natural beauty and modern conveniences.
Grand Bahama has and continues to be shaped by the impact of hurricanes. It was the worst hurricane to rage through the Bahamas in decades and did substantial damage to Grand Bahama. The island has long been resilient in the face of hurricanes, though, and has begun to rebuild, with the port reopening to cruise passengers about a month after the hurricane hit.
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