The Ultimate Bahamas Ferry Guide 2026

One operator, two routes, one ship. What actually runs between Florida and the Bahamas in 2026 — with the source and check date for every figure.

2 hr FLL → Bimini
3 hr FLL → Freeport
2 hr Check-in before sailing

Last updated: August 18, 2026

Aerial view of Bimini, Bahamas — short ferry ride from Fort Lauderdale © NASA / Public Domain

TL;DR — The Bahamas Ferry in 6 Lines

  • Only one scheduled operator connects Florida with the Bahamas: Baleària Caribbean. There is no ferry from Miami and none from Key West.
  • Two routes, one ship. Fort Lauderdale → Bimini (~2 h) and Fort Lauderdale → Freeport, Grand Bahama (~3 h), both on the high-speed Jaume II.
  • Departure point: Port Everglades Terminal 21 — not the main cruise terminals.
  • Check in at least 2 hours before departure (the operator's own instruction, not a safety margin we invented).
  • Fares: Baleària advertised “from $180” on its route overview and “from $235” on the individual route pages on 18 Aug 2026. Its own two figures disagree — price your actual dates.
  • Documents: the carrier requires a valid passport for every traveller, which is stricter than the U.S. CBP minimum.
Key facts at a glance (2026)
Route Operator Crossing time Vessel Departs from
Fort Lauderdale → Bimini (Alice Town)Baleària Caribbean~2 hJaume IIPort Everglades Terminal 21
Fort Lauderdale → Freeport (Grand Bahama)Baleària Caribbean~3 hJaume IIPort Everglades Terminal 21
Nassau → Harbour Island, Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, Exuma, Abaco, FreeportBahamas Ferriesvaries by islandinter-island fleetPotter's Cay Dock, Nassau

Routes, crossing times, vessel and terminal taken from baleariacaribbean.com and bahamasferries.com, checked 18 August 2026. Fares are deliberately not listed in this table: Baleària's own site showed two different “from” prices on the same day (see the fare note below), so a single number here would be misleading.

On fares: when we checked on 18 August 2026, Baleària's routes-and-schedules overview advertised “From $180” for all four Florida–Bahamas legs, while the individual Fort Lauderdale–Bimini and Fort Lauderdale–Grand Bahama pages both showed “From $235”. We have not been able to reconcile the two, and we are not going to average them into a number that appears on no page of the operator's site. Treat both as indicative and get a real quote for your dates.

Why Take the Ferry Instead of Flying?

The ferry is not automatically the cheaper option, and anyone who tells you it always is has not priced a discounted flight lately. What the ferry reliably changes is the shape of the trip: no airport, no checked-bag fees, no liquid limits, and you can bring a cooler and fishing gear without negotiating. Here is how the two compare on the things that actually differ:

Factor Ferry Flight Winner
Fare Operator advertises from $180–$235 (its own figures disagree) Varies widely; short-haul deals can undercut the ferry Depends on your dates
Door-to-door time ~2 h crossing + 2 h check-in = ~4 h ~45 min flight + airport time both ends Closer than it looks
Baggage Luggage allowance included in the ticket; coolers and gear travel easily Checked-bag fees, liquid limits, size rules Ferry 🎒
Departure point Port Everglades Terminal 21, Fort Lauderdale Airport, plus transfer at the Bahamas end Ferry if you're in Broward
If it's cancelled Next sailing may be days away — one ship covers both routes Multiple daily alternatives Flight ✈️
The high-speed ferry Jaume II, the vessel Baleària Caribbean uses on both Fort Lauderdale–Bahamas routes © Cruise ship portal / CC BY-SA 4.0
The Jaume II covers both the Bimini and the Grand Bahama route. One ship, two routes — which is why a technical problem or weather delay can knock out sailings on both at once.

What the ferry genuinely gives you

  • Bring bulky things: luggage allowance is included in the ticket, and coolers, fishing gear and beach kit travel without airline size and liquid rules.
  • No airport at either end: you leave from Port Everglades and arrive in Alice Town or Freeport, usually walking distance or a short golf-cart ride from where you're staying.
  • Onboard you can move around: Baleària lists air-conditioned cabins, a bar-café, a duty-free shop and an entertainment system on the Jaume II.
  • Pets: the operator advertises pet travel options on selected sailings — worth confirming per date, since it is not offered on every crossing.

And the honest downside: with a single vessel covering both routes and a sailing calendar that changes month to month, the ferry has far less slack than a flight. Build a buffer day before any onward flight home.

Choosing the Right Route for Your Trip

There are only two ways to reach the Bahamas by scheduled ferry from Florida, and then a separate domestic network once you are there. We do not score routes out of ten — we have no way to rate them consistently, so here is what each one is and who it suits.

Fort Lauderdale → Bimini

The short crossing

  • Crossing time: approximately 2 hours (operator figure)
  • Arrives: Alice Town, North Bimini
  • Vessel: Jaume II high-speed ferry
  • Suits: short breaks and day trips — the same-day return option makes Bimini the only realistic day-trip island
  • Watch for: the sailing calendar changes by month; there is no fixed weekly pattern to rely on
Sunset over the water at Alice Town, Bimini, the arrival port of the Fort Lauderdale ferry © SerenityNow / CC BY-SA 3.0

Fort Lauderdale → Freeport (Grand Bahama)

The longer crossing

  • Crossing time: around 3 hours, weather permitting (operator figure)
  • Arrives: Freeport, Grand Bahama Island
  • Vessel: Jaume II — the same ship as the Bimini route
  • Suits: longer stays, and travellers who want a bigger island with more to do in bad weather
  • Watch for: an hour more at sea than Bimini, which matters if anyone in the party is prone to motion sickness
Gold Rock Beach in Lucayan National Park, Grand Bahama, reachable from the Freeport ferry terminal © BrokenSphere / CC BY-SA 3.0

Once you're there: the inter-island network

Bahamas Ferries, from Nassau

  • Base: Potter's Cay Dock (western end), Nassau
  • Serves: Harbour Island, Spanish Wells, Governor's Harbour and Rock Sound (Eleuthera), George Town (Exuma), Marsh Harbour and Guana Cay (Abaco), Freeport and the Berry Islands
  • Important: this is a separate company and a separate booking from the Florida crossing — the two are not connected tickets, and a delay on one is not the other's problem
  • Fares and days: vary by island and season; book through the operator's own booking engine
Pink sand beach on Harbour Island, Eleuthera, served by Bahamas Ferries from Nassau © Rüdiger Stehn / CC BY-SA 2.0

Routes that do not exist. There is no scheduled passenger ferry from Miami to the Bahamas, and none from Key West. Baleària's route list covers Fort Lauderdale–Bimini and Fort Lauderdale–Grand Bahama only. Nor is there a direct passenger ferry from Florida to Nassau — Bahamas Ferries lists South Florida in its service area, but its passenger booking origins are all Bahamian ports. To reach Nassau by sea you cross to Bimini or Freeport and connect onward. If another site offers you a "Miami to Nassau ferry", check what you are actually booking.

Booking Like a Pro (Save Money & Stress)

Two things make booking this route different from booking a flight: the calendar is published month by month rather than as a fixed weekly pattern, and a single vessel serves both routes. Plan around those two facts and most of the usual problems disappear.

1

Check the calendar before anything else

Fix your sailing date first, then book hotels and flights around it. Because operating days shift by month, booking the other way round is how people end up with a hotel and no ferry.

2

Price your own dates

Advertised "from" fares on this route are not reliable — the operator's own site showed $180 and $235 on the same day. Run a real search for your dates and party before you budget.

3

Compare the operator against resellers

Check Baleària directly and at least one aggregator. They can differ on fare class, what taxes are shown and what change rules apply — compare the total, not the headline.

4

Every traveller needs a ticket

Including infants, and including anyone travelling on a lap. Add them at the time of booking; sorting it out at the terminal is far harder than adding a name online.

5

Confirm pets and vehicles per sailing

Baleària advertises pet travel and vehicle transport on selected departures, not all of them. Confirm for your specific date rather than assuming it runs every crossing.

6

Carry documents offline

Download your ticket and screenshot the confirmation before you leave. Do not rely on terminal or shipboard wi-fi to retrieve a booking reference.

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What to Pack

The ferry has no liquid limits and includes a luggage allowance, so packing is less constrained than for a flight. The items below are the ones that are genuinely awkward to replace once you have sailed:

Ferry packing checklist

Documents (CRITICAL!)

  • Passports (not just birth certificates!)
  • Printed tickets (screenshot too)
  • Hotel confirmations
  • Travel insurance info
  • Cash for tips/taxis

Health & Comfort

  • Dramamine (take 30 min before!)
  • Ginger candies for nausea
  • Reef-safe sunscreen
  • Light jacket (AC is COLD)
  • Sea bands for kids
  • Basic first aid kit

Food & Drinks

  • Reusable water bottles
  • Snacks (ferry café is pricey)
  • Sandwich stuff in cooler
  • Gatorade for hydration
  • Crackers for queasy stomachs

Entertainment

  • Downloaded movies/shows
  • Books/e-readers
  • Card games
  • Headphones for everyone
  • Portable chargers

Two things worth putting in the day bag

A complete change of clothes and a couple of sealable plastic bags. Between motion sickness, spray on the open deck and wet swimwear on the return leg, these are the two items people most often wish they had kept out of the hold rather than packed at the bottom of a suitcase.

Your Ferry Day Timeline

Baleària asks travellers to check in at least 2 hours before departure to complete check-in and clear customs. Work backwards from that, not from the departure time. The timeline below is built around a 9:00 AM sailing — shift it to match the departure on your ticket.

The night before

  • Lay out passports for every traveller and check the expiry dates.
  • Download tickets and screenshot the booking confirmation.
  • Charge phones and power banks — onboard power is not guaranteed.
  • Re-check the sailing status; with one vessel covering both routes, changes do happen.

Ferry morning (9:00 AM departure)

  • 6:15 AM: Light breakfast. Anyone taking motion-sickness medication should take it now, not later — most of it needs to be in the system before boarding.
  • 6:30 AM: Leave for the port with a traffic buffer.
  • 7:00 AM: Arrive at Port Everglades Terminal 21 — this is the two-hour mark, and it is the operator's stated requirement.
  • 7:10 AM: Park. Set a phone reminder of the level and row.
  • 7:20 AM: Check in and drop luggage.
  • 7:45 AM: Security and immigration formalities.
  • 8:30 AM: Boarding. Seats towards the middle of the vessel move least.
  • 9:00 AM: Departure.

Set your navigation to Terminal 21, not "Port Everglades". A generic port destination will route you to the main cruise terminals, which is a different part of a very large port complex. This is the single most common way people miss this ferry — and unlike a missed flight, the next sailing may be days away rather than hours.

Avoiding Seasickness

The Bimini crossing is about 2 hours and the Grand Bahama crossing about 3, so this is a short exposure by ferry standards — but the Florida Straits can be choppy, and a high-speed vessel moves differently from a large cruise ship. The measures below are standard motion-sickness advice, not medical guidance: if you take other medication or are pregnant, ask a pharmacist or doctor which option is appropriate for you.

Prevention beats treatment

1

Medication Timing

Dramamine: Take 30-60 minutes BEFORE boarding. Not after you feel sick!

2

Seat Selection

Middle of the boat, lower deck = least motion. Avoid the bow!

3

Look at Horizon

Outside, eyes on horizon. Never read or look at phones if feeling queasy.

4

Ginger Works!

Ginger candies, ginger ale (real ginger), or ginger pills all help.

5

Light Breakfast

Toast and banana, not pancakes and bacon. Trust me on this.

6

Fresh Air

Outside deck if you feel sick. The AC inside can make it worse.

If you are worried about it

Pick Bimini over Grand Bahama for a first crossing — it is the shorter of the two routes by roughly an hour, and the same vessel runs both, so the difference really is time at sea rather than a different kind of ride. Choose a seat towards the middle of the ship, keep something plain in your stomach, and take any medication before boarding rather than once you feel unwell.

Customs & Immigration (Easier Than Airport!)

Border formalities on this crossing are lighter than at an airport, but they are the reason for the two-hour check-in — Baleària explicitly asks for that window so passengers can check in and clear customs. Budget for it rather than treating it as padding.

Departing the U.S. (Fort Lauderdale)

  • Passport for every traveller, presented at check-in.
  • A security screening applies, though it is lighter than airport screening — there are no airline-style liquid limits on this route.
  • Arrive at the two-hour mark. The gate closes before the advertised departure time.

Arriving in the Bahamas

  • Follow crew instructions on disembarkation — passengers are usually released in groups rather than all at once.
  • Immigration and customs are handled on arrival; have passports and your accommodation address ready.
  • Allow time for this before any onward connection, particularly if you have a domestic ferry to catch from Nassau.

Returning to the U.S.

  • You will be asked to declare goods brought back. Crew normally provide the paperwork on board.
  • Declare anything you are unsure about, especially agricultural items and shells (see below).
  • Do not schedule a same-day onward flight. A weather delay on a single-vessel route can cost you the ticket.

Important: What You Can't Bring Back

  • Queen conch shells: not a simple souvenir. Queen conch is listed under CITES, so shells need the correct export documentation from Bahamian authorities to be imported legally into the U.S. Without it they can be seized, and under the Lacey Act a wildlife-import violation is a federal matter rather than a small fine. If you want one, arrange the paperwork at the point of purchase — or leave it on the island.
  • Alcohol: personal duty-free allowances are limited and depend on your age and state of entry. Check the current CBP allowance before stocking up in the duty-free shop.
  • Fresh fruit, plants and other agricultural items: routinely restricted. Declare them; do not gamble on them.
  • Anything you are unsure about: declare it. Declaring an item that turns out to be admissible costs you a minute; failing to declare one that is not is a different category of problem.

Traveling with Kids

The crossing itself is the easy part — 2 hours to Bimini, and children can get up and move around, which they cannot do on a plane. The hard part is the two-hour check-in window before it. Plan entertainment for the terminal, not just the ship.

Documents for children: U.S. CBP's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative allows U.S. citizens under 16 to re-enter by sea on a state-issued original or certified copy of a birth certificate (hospital certificates do not count). Baleària, however, states that all travellers must carry a valid passport. The carrier's rule is the one enforced at the gate, so bring passports for the children too.

Entertainment Strategy

  • 0-30 minutes: Excitement of boarding keeps them busy
  • 30-60 minutes: Snack time! (Pack lots)
  • 60-90 minutes: Tablets/phones come out
  • 90-120 minutes: Dolphin watching on deck

Age-Specific Tips

Toddlers (2-5)

  • Bring a stroller — terminals are huge
  • Pack extra clothes (accidents happen)
  • Favorite stuffed animal is a must
  • Download Bluey episodes!

Kids (6-12)

  • Let them pack their own backpack
  • Bring cards or travel games
  • Promise ice cream on the island
  • Camera for dolphin photos

Teens (13+)

  • Portable chargers are ESSENTIAL
  • Let them bring a friend (game changer!)
  • Give them some independence on board
  • They'll actually put phones down for dolphins

One planning note: the ferry's timings favour families in one specific way — the crossing lands in the middle of the day rather than late at night, and there is no connecting transfer at the far end on the Bimini route. Alice Town is essentially at the dock. That removes the tired-children-in-a-taxi stage that usually ends a travel day.

Common Mistakes

These are the failure modes specific to this crossing — the ones that come from treating it like a flight or like a cruise, when it is neither.

❌

Showing up "on time"

Departure time is not arrival time. Baleària asks for check-in at least 2 hours before sailing, and the gate closes well before departure. Arriving at the advertised departure time means missing the ship.

❌

Wrong Port Everglades terminal

It is Terminal 21, not the cruise terminals. Port Everglades is large, and a generic GPS destination frequently sends people to the wrong end of it.

❌

Assuming cards work everywhere

Smaller operators, taxis and golf-cart rentals on the out islands often want cash, and island ATMs are few and charge fees. Carry some cash and do not rely on a single card.

❌

Overpacking

You'll be hauling bags on/off ferries. One rolling suitcase + backpack per person MAX.

❌

No Offline Entertainment

Ferry WiFi is basically decorative. Download everything before boarding.

❌

Flying Home Same Day

Weather delays happen. Never book a flight the same day as your return ferry.

Where to Stay Before & After Your Ferry

With a two-hour check-in on top of an early sailing, the night before matters. Staying near the port removes a pre-dawn drive, and leaving a buffer day before any onward flight protects you if a sailing shifts. Use the maps below to compare prices across booking sites.

Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

Staying south of Las Olas Boulevard or around Harbor Beach gives the shortest morning drive to Terminal 21.

Bimini (post-ferry)

Once you arrive at the North Bimini terminal, almost everything is within a short walk or golf-cart ride.

Resorts World Bimini

All-inclusive option on the south end of North Bimini, beachfront with a marina and casino. Good fit for first-timers who don't want to think about logistics.

Check Availability

Bimini Sands Resort

Self-catering condos on South Bimini, quieter than the resort strip. Take the short water taxi from the airport dock.

Check Availability

Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina

One of the closest major hotels to the port, a few minutes by car from Terminal 21. Practical if you are flying into FLL the night before.

Check Availability

Disclosure: BahamasHopping earns a small commission when you book through these links — at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Bookable Day Trips with Free Cancellation

These packages bundle the round-trip crossing with the day on the island, which removes the single biggest day-trip risk: booking a return sailing that does not connect. Free cancellation is useful on a route where the calendar shifts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a ferry to the Bahamas cost in 2026?

We are not going to give you one number, because the operator does not. On 18 August 2026 Baleària's routes overview advertised “From $180” for all four Florida–Bahamas legs, while its individual Fort Lauderdale–Bimini and Fort Lauderdale–Grand Bahama pages both showed “From $235”. Those two figures come from the same website on the same day and do not agree. What you actually pay depends on date, fare class, taxes and whether you book one-way or round-trip, so run a live search for your own dates.

How long is the ferry from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini?

About 2 hours. Baleària states a sailing time of approximately 2 hours on the high-speed vessel Jaume II, from Port Everglades Terminal 21 to Alice Town, Bimini. The Fort Lauderdale–Freeport (Grand Bahama) crossing on the same ship takes around 3 hours. Add the 2-hour check-in to get your real door-to-door time.

Do I need a passport for the ferry?

Bring one for everyone. Two rules apply and the stricter wins. Under U.S. CBP's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, citizens 16 and over need a passport book for sea travel, while under-16s may re-enter on a state-issued original or certified birth certificate. But Baleària states on its own route pages that all travellers must carry a valid passport — and the carrier decides who boards. Travel on the carrier's rule, not the minimum legal one.

Which days does the Bimini ferry run?

There is no fixed weekly pattern to quote. Baleària publishes the sailing calendar month by month, and the operating days shift with the season. Both Florida routes share one vessel, the Jaume II, so a change on the Grand Bahama route can affect Bimini as well. Confirm your dates in the operator's timetable before booking flights or hotels around a sailing.

Is the ferry actually cheaper than flying?

Not automatically. The ferry removes checked-bag fees, liquid limits and the airport transfer at both ends, which is a real saving for a family carrying gear. But the operator's own advertised from-fares are not obviously below a discounted short-haul flight, and you should count the 2-hour check-in in your time budget. Price both for your actual dates rather than assuming.

Which Fort Lauderdale terminal does the ferry use?

Terminal 21 at Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale — not the main cruise terminals. Baleària names Port Everglades Terminal 21 as the departure port on both of its Fort Lauderdale route pages, and asks travellers to check in at least 2 hours before departure to complete check-in and clear customs. Set your navigation to Terminal 21 specifically; a generic "Port Everglades" destination routes to a different part of the port.

Can I bring my car?

Baleària advertises vehicle transport ("the freedom to take your car") and pet travel, but on selected sailings rather than every crossing. Availability differs by route and date, so confirm it for your specific departure in the booking flow before planning to drive on — do not assume it runs on the sailing you want.

Final Words of Wisdom

If you take one thing from this guide, make it the three facts that cause the most trouble: it sails from Terminal 21, you need to be there two hours before departure, and the calendar changes month to month because one ship covers both routes. Everything else is recoverable.

Start with Bimini if it is your first crossing — it is the shorter route and the only one that works as a day trip. And book the sailing before the hotel, not the other way round.

Where these figures come from

This page carries no personal travel anecdotes and no star ratings. Earlier versions did, attributed to a family that does not exist; that material has been removed. See our about page for what this site is and how it works.

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