Due to its proximity to the southern United States, Nassau is one of the most visited ports for cruise ships departing from Florida. It’s on one of the 23 inhabited islands of the over 1900 islands of the Bahamas. During our 8 hours docked we saw six other cruise ships in port, making the small downtown extremely congested with both pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

We had many options for port activities through Disney Cruise Line, including island tours, snorkeling excursions, and resort hotel water park reservations. Many cruise line passengers choose to visit the famous Atlantis Resort to spend the day at the Aquaventure Water Park (one of the pricier options), or walk to the nearby Junkaroo Beach (a free activity with no reservation required). Because the sailings on the Disney Wish are so short, many families choose to just stay on board to enjoy a less crowded pool and not spend more on dining off the ship. We split the difference, relaxing on board in the morning and touring the island in the early afternoon.

Within walking distance of the port is downtown Nassau, with the Straw Market as a popular shopping destination for souvenirs. There were also historic landmarks, restaurants and shopping in the town, and in hindsight I wish we had done a self-guided tour instead of the excursion we booked.

Excursion: Land & Sea Tour

Our first stop was at the Fort Fincastle. It wasn’t clear as we got off the bus that we weren’t able to actually visit inside the fort (the tour also didn’t say it was included, but we were dropped of near the entrance and weren’t told there was a fee to enter, or even enough time to pay to do it). Instead, we visited the small gift shop and paid a small fee to climb to the top for views of the coastline below. 

Normally, the Queen’s Staircase, an Instagram-favorite Nassau landmark, would have been part of the tour. It was closed during our visit, so we spent additional time at the last stop at Atlantis Resort. Unfortunately we parked a 10-minute walk from the marine village area of the resort with no direction on how to get to the more interesting parts of the island. On the return to the port, our tour narration digressed into almost a parody, as our guide pointed out each car dealership and asked passengers to give a shout out if we were fans of the brand (no one participated). We returned to the transportation center and made our way through the crowded and touristy cruise terminal shops and restaurants back to the ship.

Nassau & Disney Wish: Port Views & Pirate Night

On our third night of our Disney Wish cruise we booked a 6:30pm dinner at Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement, a signature adult dining experience. The timing allowed for fantastic views of both Nassau and other islands of The Bahamas as we began the trip back to Florida.

Pirate Night

Pirate Night is a staple on most Caribbean sailings on Disney Cruise Line. On the third night on the Disney Wish all restaurants on the rotation offered the same Pirates of the Caribbean themed menu, followed by a late-night pirate deck party with fireworks. Families dress in a range of pirate costumes, accented by the bandannas provided by room attendants during the daily stateroom cleaning.

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