Catamaran Cruises from Nassau: Sunset Dinner, Snorkel Sail or the Rose Island Day?
7 min read
“Catamaran trip” covers four very different evenings and days in Nassau. One is a dinner, one is a snorkel stop with an open bar, one is mostly a bus ride with a sunset in the middle, and one is a six-hour outing to the pigs.
For most people the answer is the sunset dinner cruise: 4.6 stars from 467 reviews, two hours, a Bahamian buffet and cocktails included. Want daylight and a reef instead? The catamaran sail and snorkel tour is the most reviewed day trip of the four. Want pigs, snorkelling and lunch on one boat? The swimming pigs and snorkelling cruise with lunch and rum is the best rated. Nassau has 40 boat trips on GetYourGuide, from €58.60.
Four catamaran trips, compared
| Trip | Duration | Price | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catamaran sail and snorkel | 3.5 hours | €93.56 per person | 4.4 (158 reviews) | A reef and an open bar without a full day |
| Sunset cruise in Paradise | 4 hours, including the bus | €124.75 per person | 4.1 (42 reviews) | Hotel guests who want pickup and dinner handled |
| Sunset dinner cruise | 2 hours | €115.40 per person | 4.6 (467 reviews) | Couples and groups who want dinner on the water |
| Swimming pigs and snorkelling cruise | 6 hours | €162.40 per person | 4.8 (69 reviews) | A full day with pigs, reef, lunch and rum |
The two sunset trips
The names are almost the same, the evenings are not.
The sunset dinner cruise (Seahorse Sailing Adventures) is two hours on the water. It leaves from the Paradise Island ferry terminal, slip 7, directly behind the Margaritaville restaurant, and the operator asks you to be there at least 30 minutes before departure. You get a welcome cocktail, music, views of the Atlantis resort and the ships in port, and a Bahamian buffet — BBQ ribs, lemon pepper chicken, steamed fish on Fridays, salads, peas and rice, dessert. Cocktails, wine, beer, soft drinks and water are included. A tip of 15 to 20 percent is recommended.
The sunset cruise in Paradise (Flying Cloud Catamaran Cruises) is listed at four hours, but the itinerary steps add up to more: about an hour by bus each way, 30 minutes cruising the harbour, 90 minutes of sailing, a dinner stop of 30 minutes that is marked optional, and an hour for the sunset off Paradise Island. Round-trip transport from your hotel, dinner and drinks are included, and swimming is not allowed. The operator says it sails “at every opportunity”, weather permitting. It is the better choice if you want everything handled and are staying in one of the listed pickup hotels; it has 42 reviews against 464, so the rating is less settled.
The two daytime trips
The sail and snorkel tour (also Seahorse Sailing Adventures, from the same ferry terminal) heads for the reefs of Spruce Cay or Athol Island. Snorkel gear, a life vest and a short safety briefing are provided, and you get one hour of domestic open bar after snorkelling; before you snorkel it is only water and fruit punch. The listing says “sail or power catamaran”, which means you may be under engine rather than canvas. Bring a towel, a hat and swimwear; food is not included. Cruise passengers are told to find the East Marina Ferry Terminal boarding area between berths 2 and 3 and look for the operator’s sign.
The swimming pigs and snorkelling cruise (Tropical Breeze Tours) is a 62-foot catamaran. The operator’s plan: about 50 minutes to Rose Island’s pigs and 45 minutes with them, a snorkel stop at a reef, a light lunch on board, a conch salad demonstration on Rose Island’s beach, a look for turtles on the way back, and a Junkanoo performance before docking. Snorkel gear, snacks, a rum bar and beach toys are included. Check-in is at a booth at Margaritaville on Paradise Island. Which pig trips are worth your money is covered separately.
Who should not book
Read these before you pay; they come from the listings, not from us.
- The sunset dinner cruise states on its booking page that it is not suitable for children under 5, pregnant women, wheelchair users, people with vertigo or people with recent surgeries.
- The pigs and snorkelling cruise states on its booking page that it is not suitable for wheelchair users.
- The sunset cruise in Paradise does not allow swimming, so it is no use if the water is the point.
Snorkelling at all? Beginners should read what to expect on a first snorkel. For a sea-sickness-prone group, speak to a pharmacist before booking a six-hour boat day, not to us.
Our recommendation
For most people: the sunset dinner cruise, €115.40, 4.6 stars from 467 reviews — dinner, drinks and the sunset in two hours, from a dock on Paradise Island. Allow extra time to get across the harbour to it.
Check prices and availability for the sunset dinner cruise
A daytime boat that is not the full day: the catamaran sail and snorkel tour, €93.56, 4.4 stars from 158 reviews. A whole day of pigs, reef and rum: the swimming pigs cruise, €162.40, 4.8 stars from 69 reviews. Plan on six hours. If you want more days on the water, see the 40 boat tours from €27.22.
