Nassau has become one of the most popular cruise ports, though many passengers opt not to get off the ship when they visit.
Many frequent cruisers have been to the port multiple times, and while they may get off to check out the newly renovated port area, they don't stay off the ship for long.
That's at least partly because vendors in Nassau have become more aggressive, and walking through the city means fending off people trying to sell you things, braid your hair, and offer illicit items.
Nassau, however, can accommodate seven large cruise ships, and it does offer beautiful beaches and lots of restaurants. And it offers resorts that offer day passes, including Margaritaville, which is steps from the port, and Atlantis, which is a 20-minute cab ride.
Royal Caribbean is also building its first Beach Club, an added-fee beach/pool day experience on Paradise Island, which should make Nassau a more popular port for its passengers.
So even with its drawbacks, Nassau continues to set visitor records.
Doug Parker has that story plus news of Carnival leaving a popular port in the Jan. 6 edition of Cruise News Today.
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Nassau sees huge increase; Carnival ship leaves
Transcript:
This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker.
Good morning. Here's your cruise news for Monday, January 6.
The Nassau cruise port in the Bahamas has shattered its annual record for the second year in a row.
Now, in 2024, 5.6 million visitors passed through the port, surpassing the 4.4 million recorded the previous year in 2023.
Port CEO Mike Amara Jr. credits the milestone to strong partnerships with the Bahamian government, cruise lines, and the local community. March of last year saw another record with seven cruise ships docked in Nassau in a single day.
The port's growth generated $2.6 billion in tourism dollars last year alone.
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Carnival leaves a popular port; new ships being built
And Carnival Cruise Line has officially ended its 14-year run in Charleston, South Carolina. This past Saturday, the ship dropped off passengers at the Union Cruise Terminal before moving over to a cargo pier to load up supplies and contractors, as seen from the video here.
That evening, Sunshine set sail for Marseille, France, for routine dry dock maintenance.
Details of the work haven't been announced at the time of broadcast, but the ship is scheduled to return to the East Coast, sailing from Norfolk, Virginia, in mid-February.
And an updated report by CruiseIndustryNews.com shows that 67 new ship orders and more than 170,000 berths are set to launch by 2036.
That's a $57 billion investment, with just 35 of those orders placed last year alone. Shipbuilders Fincantieri, Meijerwerf and Chantiers d'Atlantique are leading the charge with new vessels from Disney, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, plus Crystal's latest order for 2032.
This year, 15 new cruise ships are set to debut, and next year another 16 will follow.
Tips@cruiseradio.net. Have yourself a great Monday.
I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today.
