Bahamas Cruise from New York: Terminals, Getting There, Ports of Call and Boarding Documents

On a cold morning along Twelfth Avenue, the long white hulls tied up at the Hudson River piers look oddly out of place against the Midtown skyline, and some of them are bound for turquoise water. A Bahamas sailing from the New York area is a real option, with ships leaving from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Bayonne, New Jersey. The terminal you pick shapes your first morning, and the island you reach shapes the rest of the week.

A cruise ship at a terminal · Illustration

Which Bahamas cruises leave from New York?

Bahamas cruises from the New York area leave from three terminals, one in Manhattan, one in Brooklyn and one across the harbor in Bayonne, New Jersey. From New York Harbor, travelers can sail to Bermuda, Canada, New England, Europe and the Caribbean, so the Bahamas is one choice among several, and the cruise line you favor often decides which pier you use.

Manhattan Cruise Terminal

The Manhattan Cruise Terminal sits at Piers 88 and 90 in Hell’s Kitchen, at the end of West 48th Street on the Hudson River. It was built in the 1930s for transatlantic liners such as the Normandie and the Queen Elizabeth, and you can still feel that heritage in the long, old-fashioned pier sheds.

The terminal keeps embarking and disembarking passengers apart, which cuts congestion inside the building. It can comfortably handle three large ships at a time. A city plan announced for the terminal aims at shore power and room for three ships at once, so the waterfront is changing.

Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne

Cape Liberty opened in May 2004, when Voyager of the Seas became the first ship to depart. It sits on the north side of the long pier of the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor and is used by Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara. Celebrity bases the Celebrity Summit here from May to October each year.

Oasis of the Seas began sailing from Cape Liberty in September 2021, a sign of how large the ships calling at this New Jersey port have become. For many travelers in the suburbs of New Jersey, it is the easiest place to start a vacation without ever entering Manhattan.

Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal opened in April 2006 on the Red Hook waterfront. It is used by the Queen Mary 2 and other ships of the Carnival Corporation and MSC brands. From the deck you get sweeping views of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, which makes the sail-away memorable.

In 2016 it became the first cruise shore power system on the East Coast, letting ships shut down their diesel engines at the pier. Inside, it offers 200,000 square feet of flexible space.

Terminal	Location	Lines named
Manhattan Cruise Terminal	Piers 88 and 90, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan	Not tied to one line
Cape Liberty Cruise Port	Bayonne, New Jersey	Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Azamara
Brooklyn Cruise Terminal	Red Hook, Brooklyn	Carnival Corporation brands, MSC, Queen Mary 2

How do you get to the cruise terminal in New York?

You reach the terminal by the route that matches its borough: Manhattan on foot or by road along Twelfth Avenue, Brooklyn near the ferry, and Bayonne by shuttle, taxi or limousine from the light rail.

Manhattan: Hell’s Kitchen on the river

The piers stand on Twelfth Avenue between West 46th and West 54th Streets, a long walk west of Times Square and the theater district. The neighborhood is full of small restaurants, so a bite before boarding is easy to find on the blocks to the east.

Passengers arriving by air land at the region’s airports and continue by road, since the sailing begins in the city itself. Allow the crosstown stretch of Midtown to take its time, as the avenues around the piers fill when several ships sail on the same day.

Brooklyn: Red Hook and the water taxi side

Red Hook is a waterfront neighborhood of old warehouses and quiet streets, and the cruise terminal is close to quick NYC Ferry service to Wall Street/Pier 11. That link makes it possible to arrive by water from Lower Manhattan, a pleasant start with the harbor in view. If you come early, the neighborhood has its own small food shops and waterfront corners, a good place for a last coffee on land before the ship.

Bayonne: crossing into New Jersey

Cape Liberty lies at the north side of the two-mile-long pier of the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor. The nearest light rail station is 34th Street station, 1.9 miles to the west, and from there you continue by cruise shuttle, taxi or limousine. Because the port is in New Jersey, it suits travelers driving in from the suburbs or coming from the New Jersey side of the harbor, and the sailing leaves the Manhattan skyline behind you as you head out to sea.

Which Bahamian ports and private islands do they visit?

Ships on Bahamas itineraries visit Nassau, the capital port on New Providence, and the private destinations that cruise lines have built on other islands, such as Perfect Day at CocoCay and Celebration Key on Grand Bahama. Each of the many ports of call in the Bahamas offers its own experiences, and the stop you get depends on the line and the sailing.

Nassau and Paradise Island

Nassau is a city on the island of New Providence, often thought of as the gateway to the Bahamas. Nassau and Paradise Island make up two islands, and Paradise Island is connected to Nassau by a bridge across Nassau Harbour.

New Providence is where most of the country’s people live, which gives the port a busy, lived-in feel as you step ashore. Lynden Pindling International Airport is the main airport for Nassau and Paradise Island, on the same island as the city.

Perfect Day at CocoCay

Perfect Day at CocoCay is a Royal Caribbean private destination, and its best-known attraction is the Up, Up & Away helium balloon. Riders must be at least 48 inches tall, and passengers aged three and younger ride free with an adult admission. It is a day built around the resort rather than a town, so you spend your time at the attractions and on the beach instead of walking streets and markets.

Celebration Key on Grand Bahama

Celebration Key is a Carnival destination on the south side of Grand Bahama, designed for Carnival guests. Its mile-long white sand beach is the centerpiece of the day, with room to stretch out along the shore. Since it is built for one cruise line’s guests, it feels different from a public port town, with the day arranged around the beach and the destination’s own facilities.

What do you need to board?

To board a Bahamas cruise you need proof of citizenship that meets U.S. rules for sea travel, and the U.S. State Department strongly recommends a passport. Those on a cruise may use another Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document, such as a U.S. passport card.

Why a passport is the safer choice

The State Department’s reasoning is practical: an unforeseen emergency could require you to leave the ship and fly home. Flying into the United States calls for a valid U.S. passport, and a passport card is not enough for air travel.

Children must present their own passport when traveling by air. Lawful permanent residents do not need a passport for air travel, but they must carry a valid Permanent Resident Card.

Documents accepted for entering the U.S. by air

For returning to the United States by air, U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport, a Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST), a U.S. military identification card when traveling on official orders, or a U.S. Merchant Mariner document when traveling on official maritime business.

Visas for non-U.S. travelers

Travelers of any nationality who would normally need a visa for the Bahamas must obtain a Bahamian visa if they arrive by cruise ship. The same applies to people flying to join a ship traveling through the Bahamas.

Good to know before you go

The U.S. State Department rates the Bahamas Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, and says most crime occurs in Nassau on New Providence and in Freeport on Grand Bahama.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so many sailings from New York fall inside it, a reason to follow the weather as your departure nears. Nassau is a busy city, and the ship’s day there is best spent with your attention on your belongings.

Celebrity’s Summit sails from Bayonne only from May to October, which shapes when that ship is on offer. Beyond that, let the terminal you board from guide how you plan the first and last hours of the trip.

Sources

Wikipedia, Manhattan Cruise Terminal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Cruise_Terminal), checked October 10, 2026
Wikipedia, Cape Liberty Cruise Port (Bayonne) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Liberty_Cruise_Port), checked October 10, 2026
NYCruise, New York cruise terminals (https://www.nycruise.com/), checked October 10, 2026
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), Getting here by cruise (https://www.bahamas.com/getting-here/cruise), checked October 10, 2026
Wikipedia, Nassau (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nassau,_Bahamas), checked October 10, 2026
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Nassau and Paradise Island (https://www.bahamas.com/islands/nassau-paradise-island), checked October 10, 2026
Royal Caribbean, Perfect Day at CocoCay (https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-destinations/perfect-day-at-cococay), checked October 10, 2026
Carnival Cruise Line, Celebration Key (https://www.carnival.com/celebration-key), checked October 10, 2026
U.S. Department of State, The Bahamas Travel Information, Entry and exit requirements (https://travel.state.gov/), checked October 10, 2026
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative), checked October 10, 2026
U.S. Department of State, The Bahamas Travel Advisory, Level 2 (https://travel.state.gov/), checked October 10, 2026
NOAA National Hurricane Center, Climatology (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), checked October 10, 2026