Bimini Cruise Port Guide: Things to Do, Excursions & Map

Resorts World Bimini Cruise Port sits on North Bimini, just fifty-three miles from Miami, about as close as the Bahamas gets to Florida. Ships dock straight at a single pier, and from there the Beach Club at Bimini, Fisherman’s Village and a run of free beaches are all a short tram or taxi ride away.

This little outpost, a short hop from Port Everglades and PortMiami, lives in Nassau’s shadow, but it still pulls in a steady run of ships each season, including regular visits from Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships, which only need the one wide berth to tie up. Is it safe to wander beyond the resort gates on your own? Along the stretch covering the pier, Fisherman’s Village and Alice Town, yes, it’s pretty relaxed. Anyone who’s made the crossing from Key West to Bimini by boat already knows how close this sliver of an island sits to the Florida coast.

Where Bimini Cruise Port Sits

Resorts World Bimini Cruise Port sits on North Bimini, just outside Alice Town, on an island so slim it only runs about seven miles long and, in places, barely seven hundred feet wide. North and South Bimini between them hold around 2,400 people, which tells you everything about the scale of this stop next to the Bahamas’ busier capital.

It’s the second most popular cruise port in the Bahamas after Nassau, helped along by sitting barely fifty-three miles from Miami, far closer to Florida than Nassau ever gets. The wider group of Family Islands that takes in Bimini, Eleuthera, Great Abaco and Harbour Island has seen visitor numbers climb sharply too, up around forty percent in a single year, with arrivals topping 4.6 million by sea and air combined, according to Cruisehive.

If this is your first visit, our complete first-time visitor’s guide to Bimini cruise port goes into more depth than we’ve got room for here.

Map of Bimini Cruise Port

The map below shows the single pier, the Resorts World complex, Fisherman’s Village and Alice Town, all laid out in relation to each other. Resorts World Bimini hasn’t put out its own detailed port map for passengers, so this third party view is the clearest reference going for working out distances before you commit to walking anywhere in the heat.

Screenshot it before you leave the ship. Signal gets patchy the moment you wander away from Fisherman’s Village.

Getting Off the Ship: The Pier and Terminal

Getting off the ship in Bimini means a five-minute walk along a flat, wheelchair-friendly pier sidewalk straight off the gangway, as most ships dock alongside rather than tendering. There’s no shade or seating, so skip the tram queue and walk towards Fisherman’s Village or Alice Town to beat the crowds.

Bimini has just one berth, a single pier reaching out from North Bimini that’s wide and deep enough to take even Oasis class ships, Royal Caribbean’s biggest vessels. Most lines dock straight alongside, so there’s no tender ticket to wait around for, though a handful of older guides still describe a tender drop off behind the resort. If your line’s app mentions tendering at all, that’s why, and it’s a good reason to double check before you plan your morning.

The walk off the ship takes about five minutes along a flat, well marked pier sidewalk. It’s wheelchair accessible the whole way, with bathrooms on hand, but there’s barely any shade and nowhere to sit while you wait for the tram. Bring a hat rather than planning to linger.

Because there’s only the one berth, every passenger off a large ship funnels through the same narrow stretch between gangway and tram stop at the same time. On a full sailing that’s a proper crowd for the first twenty minutes or so. Walking straight past the tram queue towards Fisherman’s Village, or setting off on foot towards Alice Town, usually gets you clear faster than standing in line waiting for it to thin out.

Getting Around North Bimini

A free tram shuttles between the pier and the Resorts World attractions, running roughly every ten to fifteen minutes, though that stretches out when a big ship’s in port. It only runs north, towards the Beach Club and Fisherman’s Village Marina, so if you’re heading south to Alice Town or Radio Beach, you’ll want a taxi or a golf cart instead.

• Golf carts are the favourite for exploring under your own steam, hired by the day from vendors near the port.
• Taxis charge a flat per-person fare for most short hops around the island, and drivers wait near the pier for exactly this reason.
• The pier sits roughly halfway along North Bimini, so journey times north and south work out fairly similar.

Our comprehensive Bimini transportation guide with current prices and booking tips covers exactly what to expect from each option. Costs shift from season to season, and we’d rather send you somewhere that keeps them up to date than guess here.

The Beach Club at Bimini: Who Gets In Free

Virgin Voyages passengers get free access to the Beach Club at Bimini, a five minute tram ride from the pier. Everyone else, including guests sailing with Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, can still go in, they just pay an entry fee at the gate. The tram itself is free for every passenger whatever line you’re on, with stops at Kayak Beach and Fisherman’s Village Marina on the way.

If you’re trying to work out whether the Beach Club is worth the fee on your sailing, our detailed Virgin Voyages Beach Club Bimini guide with photos, amenities, and booking strategies and our detailed Celebrity vs Virgin Voyages Bimini comparison both go further into it than we’ve got room for here.

Free Things to Do Near the Cruise Port

There’s a free beach right next to the pier as you walk off, handy if all you want is sand and sea without going anywhere. Kayak Beach, a stop on the free resort tram, costs nothing to sit on, though kayak and lounger hire there are both extra.

• Browse the shops and marina views at Fisherman’s Village without spending a penny beyond what you choose to buy.
• Walk the flat pier sidewalk and surrounding paths at your own pace.
• Sit on the free beach beside the pier if you’d rather skip the tram altogether.

Finding Radio Beach: Why the Distance Depends Who You Ask

Radio Beach, named after a nearby radio tower, gets rated as the best free beach close to the port, but ask around and you’ll get a different distance every time, anywhere from about two miles to nearly four. Some of that gap is walking route versus straight line distance, and some of it is just people measuring from different spots.

What everyone agrees on is the practical bit. In Bahamian heat, walking the whole way is miserable, and most visitors take a taxi or golf cart instead, which gets you there in well under fifteen minutes. The free resort tram doesn’t go that way at all, since it only runs north towards the Beach Club, so a taxi or golf cart isn’t really optional if you want to see Radio Beach and still make boarding.

For a fuller rundown of Radio Beach and the other sand options on the island, see our complete guide to Bimini’s best beaches for cruise passengers.

Bimini’s Beaches: What’s Really Free

Radio Beach, Spook Hill Beach and Bimini Public Beach are public beaches in the plain sense, free to walk onto with no resort strings attached. Paradise Beach sits inside the Resorts World complex itself, and while the sand isn’t gated off, the loungers, pool bars and most of what makes a day there comfortable come with a Beach Club fee unless you’re sailing with Virgin Voyages.

Pack sun protection whichever beach you pick. The water around Bimini is some of the clearest in the Bahamas, worth looking after, and something like this reef safe sunscreen does the job without leaving a film on your hands when you’re handling snorkel gear.

Shopping at Fisherman’s Village and Alice Town

Fisherman’s Village Marina is the easiest shopping stop, home to the Reef Retail Shops, including Rainbow Reef Shop for tie-dye souvenirs, SPLASH Swimwear, and Home Reef for handmade jewellery and accessories. It’s resort style shopping, simple for a short visit, and all within the tram loop.

Alice Town has smaller, locally owned stores selling Bahamian crafts, rum cakes and cigars, a different flavour altogether from the marina boutiques and worth the walk if you’ve got the time. Pair it with lunch using our guide to Bimini’s best restaurants and authentic local food experiences.

Beyond the Resort: Alice Town, the Dolphin House and the Healing Hole

The Dolphin House Museum in Alice Town is a whimsical three storey building put together from shells, sea glass and recycled materials, a properly odd and interesting stop once you’ve had enough of the beach. A short boat trip from the island takes visitors to the Healing Hole, a natural freshwater spring, usually booked as a shore excursion rather than arranged on the day.

Bimini’s waters are also known for marlin, tuna, grouper and bonefish, enough to have earned it the title of Sport Fishing Capital of the World, and several private charters run from the island. If fishing, snorkelling or a Healing Hole trip is on your list, our comprehensive Bimini shore excursions and tours guide for cruise passengers and our complete Bimini water sports and marine life guide cover what’s worth booking ahead.

Some locals point visitors towards Bimini Road, a curious underwater rock formation that a few reckon is a remnant of the lost city of Atlantis, though that’s local legend rather than settled fact. If you’re heading out on the water for any of this, a dry bag waterproof pouch keeps your phone and cash safe from spray on the smaller boats.

Inside the Resorts World Bimini Complex

The resort itself, owned and operated by The Genting Group, runs to around 480 townhouses and villas, six restaurants, the largest marina in the Bahamas, two lagoon style swimming pools and a 10,000 square foot casino with slots and card games. For passengers who’d rather not leave the complex at all, there’s plenty here to fill a full day ashore.

The hotel at the centre of the resort ran for several years as a Hilton Hotels & Resorts property, though that branding agreement has since ended. We couldn’t pin down what name the hotel currently trades under at the time of writing, so check directly with the resort or your cruise line if a hotel stay is part of your plans.

Resorts World Bimini is one of only three cruise ports in the Bahamas that isn’t on a private island, alongside Nassau and Freeport, and it’s grown fast since opening, reportedly welcoming its one millionth cruise passenger within just a couple of years, according to Cruisemapper.

Weather and Timing Your Visit

Bimini’s weather follows the same pattern as the rest of the Bahamas, warm and humid for most of the year, with a hurricane season that can throw itineraries off. Showers tend to be short and heavy rather than day long washouts, so they rarely cancel a port day outright, but they’ll happily rearrange whatever order you’d planned things in.

For a fuller seasonal breakdown, our comprehensive Bimini weather guide and best time to cruise analysis covers which months tend to be calmest.

Bimini Compared to Nassau and Other Stops

Bimini is a very different day out from Nassau, smaller, quieter and far more resort focused, which suits some trips better than others depending on what you’re after. Our comprehensive Bimini vs Nassau ports comparison weighs the two against each other directly.

If Bimini’s just one stop on a longer trip, our guides to the Western Caribbean ports and the wider Caribbean cruise region cover what to expect elsewhere, including the Roatan Honduras Port Guide and the Bonaire Cruise Port Guide.

Common Questions

Do cruise ships dock or tender at Bimini?

Most lines dock straight at the single pier, no tender boat involved. A few older guides still mention tendering, so check your cruise line’s app if you’re not sure.

Is Bimini safe to explore on foot?

Yes. The stretch between the pier, Fisherman’s Village and Alice Town is relaxed and easy to explore on your own during daylight hours ashore.

How do I get to Radio Beach from the port?

By taxi or golf cart, usually under fifteen minutes. The free resort tram doesn’t run that way, so walking the whole distance isn’t realistic once the heat kicks in.

Can I use the Beach Club at Bimini if I’m not sailing with Virgin Voyages?

Yes, you can still get in for a fee. Only Virgin Voyages guests get free access.

Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?

Not at the pier itself, but free internet is available at Fisherman’s Village, and Virgin Voyages passengers get it at the Beach Club too.

Is the port wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the pier and tram are both flat and ramped, though don’t expect much shade or seating while you wait.

What’s the best free beach near the port?

Radio Beach is the most popular free option, though Spook Hill Beach and Bimini Public Beach are also free and handier for a quick dip.

Do I need to book excursions like the Healing Hole in advance?

Yes, boat trips to the Healing Hole and most fishing charters are better booked ahead. Availability’s limited on busy port days.

Why Trust About2Cruise

This guide was pulled together from cruise line materials, port operator information and first hand reporting from other travel publications covering Bimini, cross checked against each other wherever sources disagreed, which happened more often than you’d expect for such a small island. We haven’t sailed into Bimini ourselves, and we’re not going to pretend otherwise, but we have done the work of untangling conflicting distances, tram schedules and facility details so you don’t have to do it mid cruise. Find out more about how we research and fact check our port guides on our about us page.