On a warm morning at Port Everglades, passengers with duffel bags and beach totes line up beside the cruise terminals, and a few of them are not boarding a cruise ship at all. They are heading for a high-speed catamaran, or they are on a private boat idling toward the Gulf Stream. The short answer is yes, you can cross from Florida to the Bahamas by sea, either on a scheduled ferry to two islands or by taking your own boat, with a few entry steps to handle on arrival.
Is there a ferry from Florida to the Bahamas?
Yes, there is a regular passenger ferry, run by Baleària, which operates in the United States under the name Baleària Caribbean. It links Fort Lauderdale with two Bahamian destinations: Freeport on Grand Bahama Island and Bimini. The boat is a high-speed catamaran passenger ferry, the HSC Jaume II, and it leaves from Port Everglades, the big cruise harbor just south of downtown Fort Lauderdale.
At Port Everglades the ferry shares Cruise Terminal 21 with Carnival Corporation, so you board in the middle of a working cruise port, with ships towering over the parking areas. Other terminals nearby are mainly used by Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Group, which is useful to know if you arrive and wonder why the crowds are heading elsewhere.
Fort Lauderdale to Freeport
The Freeport run puts you on Grand Bahama, the island of Freeport and Lucaya, with its beaches, its canals and the waterfront dining at Port Lucaya. It is a natural choice if your plan is a few days in one place, with a rental on the beach or a stay in town, and no flight to catch on either end.
Crossing by catamaran rather than by plane changes the feel of the trip. You watch the Florida skyline shrink from the water, you walk off the boat into the islands rather than through an airport hall, and your luggage stays with you. Schedules and fares are set by the operator, so confirm those with Baleària directly when you plan.
Fort Lauderdale to Bimini
Bimini is the other destination on the line. It is the Bahamian island closest to Florida, and Resorts World Bimini on North Bimini Island sits 42 miles east of Miami. The resort covers 750 acres of beachfront, has the island’s only casino, and runs the largest marina in the Bahamas.
An older ferry once made this crossing too. Resorts World introduced the German-built MS Bimini Superfast from Miami in late June 2013, but that service was ultimately discontinued. Today, several major cruise lines dock at the resort pier, and the Baleària catamaran from Port Everglades is the passenger ferry connecting Florida with the island.
Ferries inside the Bahamas
Once you are in the islands, Bahamas Ferries link some of them, and the high-speed M/V Bo Hengy III runs from Nassau to Spanish Wells and Harbour Island. These are separate services from the Florida crossing, and they depart from Nassau, not from the United States.
| Nassau to Spanish Wells and Harbour Island | Details |
|---|---|
| Departure days | Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays |
| Check-in | 6:45 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. |
| Leaves Nassau | 8:00 a.m. |
| Arrives Spanish Wells | 10:10 a.m. |
| Arrives Harbour Island | 11:10 a.m. |
| Return leaves Harbour Island | 3:40 p.m. |
| Return arrives Nassau | 6:30 p.m. |
| Adult round trip, VAT included | $257.00 |
Which islands can you reach by sea from Florida?
By ferry you reach Freeport on Grand Bahama and Bimini, and by your own boat you can reach nearly any island with a port of entry, since the Bahamas is a mere 50 nautical miles from Florida’s coast. Visitors can arrive by ferry, by cruise line or on a pleasure craft, and boaters come in by schooner, powerboat or mega-yacht.
Cruising by private boat
For a boater, the Bahamas is a chain of marinas as much as a destination. From Freeport you can sail down toward Inagua, or linger in the Exumas or the Abacos, and a marina is ready to welcome you. Marinas throughout the islands are described as well equipped, with the docking and boating essentials for boats of any size and stays of any length.
Some owners prefer company on the first crossing. Boating Flings leave from Fort Lauderdale as a caravan, with participating boaters following a lead boat and a sweep boat at the rear. Cruisers heading to the Out Islands can also use a $300 Boating Fuel Credit at participating resorts and marinas. Boaters can now apply for and pay for the Bahamas cruising and boating permit online.
Abaco ports of entry
The Abacos are a favorite boating ground, and several docks there serve as official ports of entry. In and around Marsh Harbour you find Great Abaco Beach Resort Marina, Marsh Harbour Public Dock and the Leonard M Thompson International Airport.
Baker’s Bay Marina on Guana Cay, the public dock at Treasure Cay and the public dock at Green Turtle Cay complete the list. Sandy Point Airport and Sandy Point Public Dock are ports of entry upon request.
The practical point is that you arrive first at a designated port, not at whichever cove looks best. Green Turtle Cay and Treasure Cay make easy first stops for a boat coming from the north, and Marsh Harbour is the largest cluster of options on the island.
Fishing and day charters
If you do not own a boat, you can still go to sea once you land. In the Bahamas you might rent a boat before you rent a car, spending a day on the water on your own or with a local captain. Deep sea fishing is never far away, and you can hire a captain or set out on your own.
Cruise ships from Port Everglades
Many travelers also cross by cruise ship. Port Everglades terminals are mainly allocated to Carnival Corporation (Terminals 2, 19 and 26) and Royal Caribbean Group (Terminals 18 and 25), with Terminal 29 shared by the two and Terminal 21 shared by Carnival and Baleària. On the Bahamian side, several major cruise lines dock at the Resorts World Bimini pier.
What do you need to clear customs when you arrive by boat?
You need a valid passport, a completed immigration card, enough money for your stay and, on a private vessel, a manifest listing everyone aboard. The Bahamas Department of Immigration sets these rules, and they apply to ferry passengers and boaters alike.
Documents for every traveler
All travelers must present a passport valid for at least six months, and passport cards will not be accepted. They must also present a completed Bahamas Immigration Disembarkation/Embarkation Card. Non-citizen travelers must not intend to take any gainful employment while in the country, and they must have the financial means to support themselves during the stay or name a local sponsor who will receive them.
Admittance is not automatic. Even a traveler who meets every requirement can be refused leave to land if extenuating circumstances arise, so arrive with your papers in order and your plans clear.
What the captain handles
Passengers arriving by sea must have the master of the vessel complete the Inward Passenger and Crew Manifest for all individuals aboard. On your own boat, that means you fill it in for yourself, your family and your crew. Boaters also have the cruising permit, which can be applied for and paid online, and they should head to one of the ports of entry named for the island they choose.
Length of stay and vaccines
Overstaying is a punishable offense in the Bahamas. Visitors who want to remain beyond the period granted must apply for a visitor extension before the time expires. One health rule matters only for some itineraries: a yellow fever vaccination must be given at least 10 days before entering the country for the certificate to be considered valid.
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, which matters twice over for anyone crossing by sea, because a passage plan on the water depends on the weather far more than a flight does. Money matters are handled on each island, so settle fares and marina costs with the operator you choose.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Baleària (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baleària), checked October 10, 2026
- Wikipedia, Resorts World Bimini (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resorts_World_Bimini), checked October 10, 2026
- Wikipedia, Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Everglades), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Getting here by boat (https://www.bahamas.com/getting-here/boating), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Customs and Excise, Ports of entry (https://www.bahamascustoms.gov.bs/customs-ports-of-entry/), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ferries, Your travel (https://bahamasferries.com/your-travel/), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Department of Immigration, Before your arrival (https://www.immigration.gov.bs/entry-requirements/before-your-arrival/), 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
To plan your stay
- Best Time to Visit the Bahamas: Weather, Hurricane Season, Sea Temperatures and Junkanoo
- Things to Do in the Bahamas: Beaches, Blue Holes, Swimming Pigs and Fish Fry
- Where to Stay in the Bahamas: Best Islands, Resorts, Boutique Stays and How to Choose
- Know Before You Go to the Bahamas: Entry Rules, Money, Getting Around and Local Customs