John Watling's Distillery
from Free per person
Free Walk-In Tour and 1 more option
- Length
- Walk in Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm; closed Bahamian holidays
No back-to-ship policy stated
Open to the public daily with no entry fee
Quick picks
- Lowest price John Watling's Distillery Free per person for Free Walk-In Tour
- Easiest to cancel Graycliff Cancellations less than 24 hours ahead are charged in full.
- Youngest passengers Graycliff 4+ with a participating adult (under 15 must be accompanied)
Will it fit your day in Nassau?
Put in your ship's arrival and all-aboard times from your cruise planner. Each tour is checked against the time you have, minus the buffer you choose for getting off the ship and back to the pier.
- John Watling's Distillery: Free Walk-In TourWalk in Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm; closed Bahamian holidaysCheck the length
- Graycliff: The Art of Chocolate and Factory TourAbout 1 hour; classes daily at 9:45 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
- Graycliff: Graycliff Cigar Rolling Lesson1 hour; at 10:30 am, 1:30 pm or 3:30 pm
- John Watling's Distillery: Rum Tasting45 minutes; starts 10:30 am or 2:00 pm daily except Bahamian national holidays
- Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas: Snorkel Adventure Trip (AM or PM)Boat departs 9:00 AM returns 12:30 PM (AM) or 1:30-4:30 PM (PM), plus bus transfersCheck the length
- Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas: SnubaHalf day: boats leave 9:00 am or 1:30 pm, back at 12:30 pm or 4:30 pm; 20-30 minutes on the Snuba line, max depth 15 ft
- Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas: Shark Adventure (2-Tank Dive)Afternoon program 1:00 pm to about 5:30 pm (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday); morning 10:00 am to about 1:30 pm (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday)Check the length
- Powerboat Adventures: Swimming Pig Adventure (Exuma)Length not listedCheck the length
- Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas: Northside Snorkel/Passenger TripAbout 3.5 hours, roughly 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
- Sandy Toes: Sandy Toes Day Excursion (Rose Island)Check-in 9:30am, boat departs 10:00am, returns 3:45pmCheck the length
Example times are filled in. Your cruise line's daily planner has the real ones, and a tender port needs more buffer.
Every option side by side
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Back-to-ship | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Free Walk-In TourIncludes Distillery tour, Complimentary cocktail sample |
Free |
Walk in Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm; closed Bahamian holidays |
Not stated | Check dates | ||||
The Art of Chocolate and Factory TourIncludes Talk on chocolate history and cocoa sourcing, Factory tour with demonstrations, Make your own chocolate bar, Take-home bar and bonbons |
$58.95 per person |
About 1 hour; classes daily at 9:45 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm |
4+ with a participating adult (under 15 must be accompanied) | Not stated | Cancellations less than 24 hours ahead are charged in full. | Check dates | ||
Graycliff Cigar Rolling LessonIncludes Lesson on tobacco history and leaf blending, Rolling your own cigar, Cigar rolling certificate |
$75 per adult |
1 hour; at 10:30 am, 1:30 pm or 3:30 pm |
Not stated | Cancellations less than 24 hours ahead are charged in full. | Check dates | |||
Rum TastingIncludes Tasting of rums (both five and six), Hands-on session, Certificate |
$80 per person |
45 minutes; starts 10:30 am or 2:00 pm daily except Bahamian national holidays |
Max 20 |
Not stated | Check dates | |||
Snorkel Adventure Trip (AM or PM)Includes Mask, fins, snorkel and vest, Round-trip hotel or cruise ship transfers, Drinking water and ice |
$118.80 per adult |
Boat departs 9:00 AM returns 12:30 PM (AM) or 1:30-4:30 PM (PM), plus bus transfers |
No children under 4 on boats | Not stated | More than 24 hours out: refund less 8% admin fee; within 24 hours or no-show non-refundable; weather may get credit voucher instead. | Check dates | ||
SnubaIncludes Mask, fins, snorkel and Snuba harness, Snorkeling while you wait your turn, Drinking water and ice, Round-trip hotel or cruise ship transfers |
$164.40 per person |
Half day: boats leave 9:00 am or 1:30 pm, back at 12:30 pm or 4:30 pm; 20-30 minutes on the Snuba line, max depth 15 ft |
8+ (under 18 with a parent or guardian) | Not stated | More than 7 days out: refund less 8% admin fee; within 7 days or no-show non-refundable; weather may bring a credit voucher. | Check dates | ||
Shark Adventure (2-Tank Dive)Includes Wall dive without bait, then a shark feeding dive, Tanks, weights and weight belt, Drinking water and ice, Round-trip hotel or cruise ship transfers |
$242.40 per person |
Afternoon program 1:00 pm to about 5:30 pm (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday); morning 10:00 am to about 1:30 pm (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday) |
12+, certified divers (refresher needed after 3 years without a dive) | Not stated | More than 7 days out: refund less 8% admin fee; within 7 days or no-show non-refundable. | Check dates | ||
Swimming Pig Adventure (Exuma)Includes Lunch, Open bar, Conch salad demonstration, Swimming pigs, Shark and stingray experience, Time at Ship Channel Cay private island |
$299 per adult |
Not stated | Check dates | |||||
Northside Snorkel/Passenger TripIncludes Masks, fins, snorkels and snorkel vests |
Not listed |
About 3.5 hours, roughly 10:00 am to 1:00 pm |
4+ (ages 4-17 with parent or guardian) | Not stated | More than 24 hours out: refund less 8% admin fee; within 24 hours or no-show non-refundable. | Check dates | ||
Sandy Toes Day Excursion (Rose Island)Includes Open bar (standard drinks), Bahamian buffet lunch, Private beach and hammocks, Guided snorkel tour ($10 refundable gear deposit), Swimming pigs, Restrooms and showers |
Not listed |
Check-in 9:30am, boat departs 10:00am, returns 3:45pm |
All ages | Not stated | Free cancellation more than 24 hours before; within 24 hours or no-show charged 100%; weather cancellation by operator gets reschedule or refund. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 22, 2026. How we compare.
The same day through your cruise line
What the cruise lines list for their own excursions in Nassau, from their websites, next to a local operator's trip of the same kind.
| Line | Excursion | From | Length | Same kind of trip locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Margaritaville at Sea |
$99.99 per person |
Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas, $118.80$18.81 more | ||
Margaritaville at Sea |
$149.99 per person |
|||
Norwegian (NCL) |
$241.99 per adult |
about 5 hours (estimated) |
Read on each cruise line's website on October 22, 2026. Lines change these prices often, so check the page before you book. Trips are matched by what each listing names; inclusions and transport differ, so open both. Every port compared.
Prince George Wharf and the Arrivals Plaza
Nassau Cruise Port at Prince George Wharf has six working berths along 2,230 m of quay, enough for three Oasis-class ships at once. Ships tie up alongside, though the port also allows anchoring and tenders. It handled 1,445 ship calls and 5,649,856 passengers in 2024. The port puts the city center 500 m (0.3 miles) away, and Parliament Square is a 2-minute walk from the terminal.
Taxis wait at the stand in the Arrivals Plaza, and the port advises taking rides only from licensed taxi and watercraft operators. Ferries to Paradise Island leave the port's own Ferry Terminal every 30 minutes from 9 am to noon. Scooter and ATV rentals are in the Ground Transportation Area, car rental agencies are downtown, and traffic drives on the left. The Straw Market is a few steps from the port.
Stuart Cove's runs a bus from the Downtown & Cruise Ship stop at 7:45 am for morning snorkel trips and 12:15 pm for afternoon ones. Its base is on Coral Harbour Road, Coral Harbour. For its Northside trip, cruise passengers walk to the East Marina Departure Terminal and check in at 9:45 am. Sandy Toes and Powerboat Adventures both sail from the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal, which Sandy Toes places between the two bridges, beside Margaritaville, about 7 to 10 minutes by taxi at around $5 per person.
Eastern Time and the 9 am cutoff
The Bahamas keeps Eastern Time and changes its clocks for daylight saving like the US, so Nassau's clock matches Florida's all year. The port notes that its ship schedule can change with the weather. Sandy Toes requires cruise guests on its Rose Island day to reach Nassau by 9 am and sail no earlier than 5 pm. Its boat leaves at 10 am, after a 9:30 am check-in, and is back at 3:45 pm.
Powerboat Adventures asks cruise passengers to check their ship's arrival and departure times against its own. Hotel pickups run from 8 to 8:30 am, check-in opens at 8:45 am, and the boat leaves the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal by about 9:30 am. It returns by about 5 pm, and the company says that with transport between ship and boat the day runs from 8 am to 6 pm.
Stuart Cove's morning snorkel boat runs from 9 am to 12:30 pm and the afternoon boat from 1:30 to 4:30 pm, with bus time on top at each end. Its Northside trip runs about 10 am to 1 pm. The port's online schedule, searchable by date and cruise line, shows which ships are due on a given day.
Rose Island, the Exumas and Coral Harbour
Stuart Cove's Snorkel Adventure Trip costs $118.80 per adult online and $70.80 for children 4 to 11, with a wetsuit $14.40 extra. Booking online saves $10 against the on-island rate. Time on the boat is 3 to 3.5 hours, plus bus transfers, and the price includes mask, fins, snorkel, vest and drinking water. Its Northside snorkel trip needs no bus, because cruise passengers walk to the East Marina Departure Terminal.
Rose Island lies 6 miles from Paradise Island, about 25 minutes by catamaran, according to Sandy Toes. The Sandy Toes day includes an open bar, a Bahamian buffet lunch, hammocks on a private beach, swimming pigs and a guided snorkel with a $10 refundable gear deposit. Prices appear only in its booking widget. Children 12 and under pay a kids' price, and those 3 and under go free.
Powerboat Adventures' full day goes to Ship Channel Cay in the Exumas for $299 per adult and $190 per child, plus 10% VAT, with 10% off online. The price covers lunch, an open bar, a conch salad demonstration, swimming pigs, and time with sharks and stingrays. Carnival sells its own Blue Lagoon combo with dolphins, sharks and sea lions at $254.99 per person for 5 hours, with a minimum age of 10.
Admin fees, 72-hour cutoffs and age limits
Stuart Cove's refunds cancellations made more than 24 hours ahead, minus an 8% admin fee. Inside 24 hours, or for no-shows, nothing is refunded, and a weather cancellation may bring a credit voucher instead of cash. Children under 4 cannot board its boats. Round-trip transfers from the downtown cruise ship stop are included in the snorkel price.
Sandy Toes allows free cancellation more than 24 hours out and charges 100% after that. If it calls off a trip for weather, it reschedules or refunds, and it advises cruise guests not to take a water taxi to its departure point. Powerboat Adventures accepts cancellations or smaller party sizes up to 72 hours before departure and charges 100% after that. A weather postponement ends in a new date or a card refund, at the company's discretion.
Powerboat Adventures does not take children under 2 and turns away guests who are pregnant or have back injuries, broken bones or heart conditions, because of the high-speed ride. Online bookings are charged in full at once, less the 10% online discount. None of the three Nassau operators states a back-to-ship guarantee.
Watching from shore
- Parliament Square. A 2-minute walk from the terminal. Its pink and white buildings were put up by Loyalists in 1815.
- Queen's Staircase. Also called the 66 Steps, it was carved from limestone in 1793 and 1794 and climbs from downtown to Fort Fincastle. The port puts it 13 minutes away on foot.
- Junkanoo Beach. The closest beach to the port, a 13-minute walk, with views of Nassau Harbor.
Before you book
- US dollars are accepted at a 1:1 rate with Bahamian dollars, according to Nassau Cruise Port.
- Take rides only from licensed taxi drivers and watercraft operators, the port advises. Taxis wait at the stand in the Arrivals Plaza.
- For the Exuma day, Powerboat Adventures suggests a beach towel, a hat, swimwear, sunscreen and a spare set of clothes.
- Scooters and ATVs rent from the port's Ground Transportation Area, and Nassau drives on the left.
The operators
Graycliff
from $58.95 per person
The Art of Chocolate and Factory Tour and 1 more option
- Length
- About 1 hour; classes daily at 9:45 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
- Age
- 4+ with a participating adult (under 15 must be accompanied)
No back-to-ship policy stated
Chocolatier and cigar company are open daily 9 am to 5 pm except Christmas Day and New Year's Day
Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas
from $118.80 per adult
Snorkel Adventure Trip (AM or PM) and 3 more options
- Length
- Boat departs 9:00 AM returns 12:30 PM (AM) or 1:30-4:30 PM (PM), plus bus transfers
- Age
- No children under 4 on boats
No back-to-ship policy stated
Dive operation based at Coral Harbour Road, Coral Harbour (moved from South Ocean)
Powerboat Adventures
from $299 per adult
Swimming Pig Adventure (Exuma)
No back-to-ship policy stated
Full-day powerboat trip from Nassau to the Exumas
Sandy Toes
Price on request
Sandy Toes Day Excursion (Rose Island)
- Length
- Check-in 9:30am, boat departs 10:00am, returns 3:45pm
- Age
- All ages
No back-to-ship policy stated
Cruise guests must arrive in Nassau by 9:00am and depart no earlier than 5pm
More shore excursions in the Caribbean
- Cozumel, Mexico from $45
- Grand Cayman (George Town), Cayman Islands from $50
- St. Maarten (Philipsburg) from $59
- Roatan, Honduras from $25
- Costa Maya (Mahahual), Mexico from $35
- Belize City, Belize from $35
- Falmouth, Jamaica from $50
- Key West, Florida from $39
- Progreso, Mexico from $59
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica from $79
Sources
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 22, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.
- nassaucruiseport.com/port
- nassaucruiseport.com/transportation
- nassaucruiseport.com
- nassaucruiseport.com/destination/top-attractions
- stuartcove.com/snorkeling/snorkel-trips
- trytn.com/StuartCoves/details/...
- sandytoesbahamas.com/cruise-ship-guests-nassau
- powerboatadventures.com/frequently-asked-questions
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Time_Zone
- nassaucruiseport.com/schedule
- sandytoesbahamas.com
- powerboatadventures.com
- carnival.com/shore-excursions/nassau/...
- bahamas.com/pressroom/...
- thepointsguy.com/cruise/cruise-port-nassau-bahamas
- johnwatlings.com/visit-us/rum-academy/tastings
- graycliff.rezdy.com/196048/...
- graycliff.rezdy.com/196360/...
- stuartcove.com/snuba
- stuartcove.com/shark-diving/shark-adventure