Bahamas Cruise from MiamiRoyal Caribbean Cruises from Miami
Royal Caribbean cruises from Miami sail out of Terminal A at PortMiami, the line's own building on the north side of Dodge Island. The short Bahamas itineraries are the core of the program: 3, 4 and 5 night sailings that call at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, with longer Eastern and Western Caribbean routes on the bigger ships. This page covers the ships that sail from Miami today and in the confirmed future, how Terminal A and its garage work, what Royal Caribbean adds on top of the fare, and what to do with a day in Nassau. For the port itself, every line and every terminal in one place, see cruises from Miami and the full guide to Bahamas cruises from Miami.
Freedom of the Seas turns in the PortMiami channel on 15 March 2024. Photo: Kiran891, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer Royal Caribbean from PortMiami
Royal Caribbean runs 3, 4 and 5 night Bahamas cruises from Miami on Wonder of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas, calling at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, with Icon of the Seas on 7 night Caribbean routes until its planned move to Galveston in 2027. Ships leave from Terminal A, the line's own 170,000 square foot terminal at 2000 N Cruise Blvd that opened in 2018. The line adds $18.50 per guest per day in gratuities, or $21 in suites, plus 18 percent on drinks, specialty dining and room service. Most guests need a passport book, though US citizens on closed-loop sailings can use a birth certificate with a government photo ID. Royal Caribbean wants the original state-certified certificate and refuses photocopies, while CBP itself accepts a copy.
Key takeaways
- Wonder of the Seas sails a 3-night Bahamas and Perfect Day cruise from Miami, leaving Friday at 4:30 PM. See the ship lineup.
- Terminal A has its own garage, priced through the Royal Caribbean site rather than the port's rate table. Details under Terminal A.
- CocoCay is the private island stop, entry free, with paid extras. Full breakdown at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
- Budget beyond the fare: what Royal Caribbean adds, including the $18.50 daily gratuity and the Bahamas departure tax that is normally included in the fare.
Royal Caribbean Ships Sailing from Miami
Royal Caribbean keeps a short-cruise fleet and a 7-night fleet at PortMiami. The short ships turn around fast on Bahamas loops, the big ships run week-long Eastern and Western Caribbean routes, and every short Caribbean sailing includes CocoCay according to the line itself.
The Lineup at a Glance
The table below lists the Royal Caribbean ships with a confirmed Miami homeport and what the line's own pages say they sail. Nights and ports come from the line's itinerary and ship pages, and tonnage and guest counts come from published ship specifications. Cruise fares are per person and change daily, so no fare is quoted here.
Book any of these ships direct with Royal Caribbean, since this guide does not sell sailings.
| Ship | Nights | Where it goes | Leaves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wonder of the Seas | 3 | Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau | Friday 4:30 PM |
| Freedom of the Seas | 4-5 | CocoCay and Nassau, plus 4-night Eastern Caribbean with Grand Turk | not stated |
| Icon of the Seas | 7 | Eastern Caribbean with CocoCay, Western Caribbean with Roatan and Cozumel | not stated |
| Hero of the Seas (listed for later) | 7 | Eastern and Western Caribbean, every sailing includes CocoCay | not stated |
Wonder of the Seas
Wonder of the Seas is the biggest ship in the short-cruise rotation at 235,600 gross tons, carrying 5,734 guests at double occupancy and up to 7,084 at maximum. It moved to PortMiami in 2025 and took over 3 and 4 night cruises to Nassau and CocoCay. The core product is the 3-night Bahamas and Perfect Day cruise: the ship leaves Miami on Friday at 4:30 PM, docks at Perfect Day at CocoCay on Saturday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, calls at Nassau on Sunday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and is back at the pier Monday at 6:00 AM.
Two port days and no sea day make it the fastest way from Miami to a private island and a Bahamian capital in one weekend.
Freedom of the Seas
Freedom of the Seas covers the 4 and 5 night Bahamas program, and the line's ship page also lists up to 9 night southern Caribbean cruises from Miami. The 4-night Bahamas version runs a sea day, Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau. The 5-night Bahamas and Perfect Day cruise is on the same ship.
Freedom also sails 4-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries from Miami with two sea days and one call at Grand Turk from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, returning Monday at 6:00 AM, so check which version you are booking because the ports differ. CocoCay appears on the 4 and 5 night Bahamas sailings.
Icon of the Seas
Icon of the Seas measures 248,663 gross tons and carries 5,610 guests at double occupancy, up to 7,600 at maximum. Its Miami program runs 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruises that include Perfect Day at CocoCay, alternating with Western Caribbean options calling at Roatan and Cozumel. The confirmed change to plan around is the homeport move: Icon of the Seas is due to shift to Galveston, Texas in 2027.
If a specific Icon sailing from Miami is the goal, book early and confirm the departure port on the line's site before paying.
Hero of the Seas, Listed for 2027
When Icon moves to Texas, Hero of the Seas takes over a Miami slot in 2027. The line's ship page lists it from Miami on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises that all include Perfect Day at CocoCay. The published Western itinerary runs Miami, a sea day, Costa Maya, Roatan, Cozumel, another sea day, CocoCay, then Miami.
Tonnage for Hero of the Seas is not given. Earlier sailings are not listed on the ship page, so treat the ship as a 2027 arrival for planning purposes.
Sources: Royal Caribbean itinerary and ship pages, PortMiami ship lineup coverage
Terminal A at PortMiami
Royal Caribbean sails from its own terminal at PortMiami, and the practical details that matter are the address, the garage and how you get there from the airport or a hotel.
The Building
Terminal A is called The Crown of Miami on the port's own site. It opened in 2018, covers 170,000 square feet and includes an expedited security area for international guests. The address Royal Caribbean publishes is 2000 N Cruise Blvd, and the line warns that terminal assignments can change, so follow signage on the day.
The GPS address for PortMiami generally is 1015 North America Way, Miami, FL 33132. The port sits on Dodge Island in Biscayne Bay, reached from I-395 and the MacArthur Causeway through the toll-free Port of Miami Tunnel. PortMiami carried 8,564,225 cruise passengers in its latest fiscal year, a record, so arrive inside your booked boarding slot rather than early, since the line says early arrival does not move you up.
Parking at Garage A
PortMiami has parking at every cruise terminal, and Garage A sits on the north side of the port alongside the terminals for the other big lines. One detail matters if you drive: Garage A, the Royal Caribbean garage, is priced through the Royal Caribbean website and does not appear on the port's own rate table, so check the line's site for the current daily figure. For comparison, long-term parking at the port's other major garages costs $25 per day, and Garage B and Garage AA charge $35 per day.
The port recommends dropping luggage before parking the car, attendants staff the garages from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on cruise days, no reservation is needed, and payment takes cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. Disabled parking is free for vehicles with specialized equipment, and disabled veterans with Florida plates park free.
Getting There
PortMiami lists Miami International Airport as 7.1 miles away, about 25 minutes off-peak and 50 minutes or more around 8am or 5pm. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International is 25.7 miles away. A rideshare from Miami airport to the port runs roughly $25 to $45, and the county meter for taxis starts at $2.95 for the first 1/6 mile with a $15 minimum on trips starting at MIA or PortMiami, since flat fares were eliminated in 2022.
Rideshare and taxis use designated zones at every terminal. If you want a fixed price and luggage help, a private car is sold separately: the Miami private transfer to the cruise port costs $70 per person one way, covers six routes between the airport, hotels in South Beach, Downtown and Doral and the port, and includes flight monitoring and 60 minutes of free waiting on airport pickups. For a deeper dive into every terminal and garage, see the guide to Port of Miami cruise terminals.
Guide to Miami Cruise Terminal A
Royal Caribbean's Terminal A at PortMiami, from the garage to check-in. Third-party video by Rambling With Phil. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
CocoCay and the Royal Beach Club
Royal Caribbean's two private destinations in the Bahamas work very differently: CocoCay is free to enter with paid upgrades, and the Royal Beach Club in Nassau needs a paid day pass with the boat thrown in.
Perfect Day at CocoCay
Perfect Day at CocoCay is the private island in the Berry Islands that anchors almost every short Royal Caribbean sailing from Miami. Entry is free, and the free list is long: Oasis Lagoon, billed as the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, Chill Island, South Beach, Harbor Beach and Cove Beach, Splashaway Bay and Captain Jill's Galleon for kids, beach chairs, umbrellas, freshwater showers, trams and the complimentary barbecue spots Skipper's Grill and Chill Grill. Most ships dock for 8 to 10 hours, and the walk from the ship to the Arrivals Plaza takes about 6 minutes.
The paid side covers Thrill Waterpark with 13 waterslides, the 1,600-foot zip line, the adults-only Hideaway Beach capped at 1,800 guests a day, Coco Beach Club with its overwater cabanas, and rentals. Royal Caribbean publishes no dollar price for those passes and shows them only to booked guests, which is why the full Perfect Day at CocoCay guide is worth reading before you sail.
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island
The Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opened in 2025 as the line's first Royal Beach Club, on 17 acres at the western edge of Paradise Island near Atlantis. Guests of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity reach it by free ferry from the Nassau cruise port, with boats stopping at Paradise Pier and Chill and Party Pier. Entry needs a paid day pass, free only for children 3 and under, sold in the Royal app or at the Shore Excursions desk.
A reseller reports passes from $129.99 for the non-alcoholic version for ages 13 and up to $169.99 for the open bar version for 21 and up, with dynamic pricing, so the price you see may differ. Both versions include all-day dining, Wi-Fi and round-trip water transport. The club has two beaches, three temperature-controlled pools, ten bars, three Paradise Grill restaurants and 30 cabanas, and passes are fully refundable if cancelled 48 hours before Nassau arrival.
Symphony of the Seas alongside the quay at PortMiami with the container cranes behind. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What Royal Caribbean Adds to the Fare
The fare you see online is not the full cost. Royal Caribbean adds a daily service charge, a percentage on most onboard spending, and port taxes that usually ride inside the ticket.
Gratuities and Percentages
Royal Caribbean charges $18.50 per guest per day in standard staterooms and $21 in suites. On top of that, the line adds 18 percent to drinks, specialty dining and room service. The service charge is per guest, so it grows with the size of your party and the length of the sailing.
The 18 percent applies to drinks, specialty dining and room service. Prepaid drink packages are priced per day and change often, so no figure is quoted here.
Taxes and the Departure Tax
Bahamas departure tax for cruise passengers leaving by sea is $23, or $25 when leaving from a private destination such as CocoCay, and Bahamas Customs says commercial carriers usually include it in the fare. Check the taxes line on your booking. The fare does not cover gratuities, the 18 percent on drinks and specialty dining, shore excursions or the paid areas at CocoCay.
The Nassau Day on a Royal Caribbean Cruise
A Royal Caribbean short cruise from Miami stops at Nassau's Prince George Wharf, where the ship docks a short walk from downtown and a free ferry runs to the line's own beach club.
Prince George Wharf and Port Hours
Nassau Cruise Port at Prince George Wharf had its grand opening in 2023 after a $300 million rebuild and holds six ships at once. On a Wonder of the Seas 3-night sailing the ship is in Nassau on Sunday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Freedom of the Seas follows the same port pattern on its Bahamas loops. From the gangway it is about 2 minutes on foot to Parliament Square, a few steps to the Straw Market, 8 minutes to the Pirates of Nassau museum and 13 minutes to Junkanoo Beach on the port's own walking chart.
The Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle are a 13 to 15 minute walk uphill but have been closed for Water Tower renovation since 2025 with no confirmed reopening. Allow 5 to 15 minutes extra for the pier walk depending on your berth. Taxis are unmetered, so agree the fare first, with port-to-Atlantis runs quoted around $15 to $30 for two passengers, and neither Uber nor Lyft operates in Nassau.
Booked Days in Nassau
If the free ferry to the Royal Beach Club does not appeal, independent operators run tours that pick up at or near the pier. The table lists the Nassau options sold on this site with their current prices and lengths. Read each card for what is and is not included.
Book anything with a fixed departure early, because all-aboard times cut the day short.
How the Listings Compare
Prices below come from the live listings and can change. Every tour links to its own card.
| Tour | Price | Duration | Leaves from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rose Island Pig Beach and Private Beach Club | $129 | 4 hours | Senor Frogs dock |
| Nassau Swimming Pigs, Reef Snorkel and Turtles by Powerboat | $245 | 4 hours | Paradise Island |
| Nassau Catamaran Snorkel, Pigs and Turtles Sail | $149 | 5.5 hours | Montagu Beach |
| Nassau Food and Walking Tour | $99 | 3 hours | Parliament Street |
| Nassau Electric Trolley Culture Tour | $55 | 2.5 hours | Straw Market |
| Nassau Island Highlights Sightseeing Tour | $80 | 2.5 hours | Port gate |
| Exuma Powerboat Day Trip from Nassau | $328.90 | 9 hours | Paradise Island Ferry Terminal |
Walking It Yourself
A free Nassau day costs nothing but shoe leather. Junkanoo Beach is free to enter, about 0.5 mile from the port, 10 to 13 minutes on foot, with paid chairs and food as the only extras. The water taxi to Paradise Island runs about 10 minutes each way and was priced at about $7 by the tourism board, though the port guide says $10, so carry cash for either.
Fort Charlotte is open daily 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at $5 adult and $2 child under 12, and it is the working fort visit while Fincastle is shut. For a full walk-by-walk plan, see the guide to things to do in Nassau cruise port.
Royal Caribbean from Miami: Do's and Don'ts
Do
- Do complete online check-in in the Royal app and pick your arrival slot, because pier check-in must finish at least 2 hours before sailing and arriving early does not board you sooner.
- Do bring the original state-certified birth certificate plus a government photo ID if you skip the passport, since Royal Caribbean refuses photocopies, hospital certificates and Puerto Rican certificates issued before July 1, 2010. CBP accepts a copy of a birth certificate, but the cruise line's rule is the one that decides boarding.
- Do book CocoCay cabanas up to a year ahead if you want one, because the 20 overwater units at Coco Beach Club need the earliest booking and hold up to 8 guests each.
- Do pack a carry-on with swimsuit, documents and 3 extra days of medication, because Royal Caribbean wants passports and medicine in a personal carry-on.
- Do plan the Nassau day around the all-aboard time, since Wonder of the Seas sails at 5:00 PM and fixed-departure tours such as the $55 trolley run on their own clock.
Don't
- Don't bring a clothing iron, garment steamer or power strip, all prohibited by Royal Caribbean, and a USB power bank is the line's own suggested workaround.
- Don't count on a driver's license alone, because Royal Caribbean does not accept it by itself even if it is REAL ID. Guests 15 and under board on the birth certificate alone.
- Don't book a 3-night Wonder sailing expecting a sea day, because the Friday 4:30 PM departure runs CocoCay on Saturday and Nassau on Sunday with no day at sea.
- Don't budget only the cruise fare, because $18.50 per guest per day in gratuities plus 18 percent on drinks and specialty dining adds real money by the last night.
Royal Caribbean from Miami: FAQ
Which Royal Caribbean ships sail to the Bahamas from Miami?
Wonder of the Seas sails the 3-night Bahamas and Perfect Day cruise leaving Friday at 4:30 PM, and Freedom of the Seas covers 4 and 5 night Bahamas cruises calling at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau. Longer 7-night Caribbean routes from Miami on Icon of the Seas also include CocoCay. For every line and ship from the port, see cruises from Miami.
What terminal does Royal Caribbean use in Miami?
Terminal A, the 170,000 square foot Crown of Miami building that opened in 2018 at 2000 N Cruise Blvd. Its garage is priced through the Royal Caribbean site rather than the port's $25 per day rate table, so check the line before driving. Terminal G, a $345 million building designed for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea ships of up to 7,000 passengers, broke ground at the port with opening planned for late 2027.
Do I need a passport for a Royal Caribbean Bahamas cruise from Miami?
US citizens on closed-loop sailings can board with an original state-certified birth certificate plus a government photo ID, and guests 15 and under need the birth certificate alone. Royal Caribbean refuses photocopies, while CBP accepts a copy. A passport book remains the safest document, since a missed departure or medical emergency can require international flights. Full rules are in the guide to if you need a passport for a Bahamas cruise.
Is Perfect Day at CocoCay free with a Royal Caribbean cruise?
Entry is free and most of the island is included, from Oasis Lagoon to the barbecue venues, with the walk from the ship taking about 6 minutes and a free tram as backup. Paid extras are Thrill Waterpark with 13 waterslides, the zip line, Hideaway Beach, Coco Beach Club and cabanas, and Royal Caribbean publishes no dollar price for them outside its booking system. Details are in the Perfect Day at CocoCay guide.
How much are gratuities on a Royal Caribbean cruise?
Royal Caribbean charges $18.50 per guest per day in standard staterooms and $21 in suites, and adds 18 percent to drinks, specialty dining and room service. Bahamas departure tax of $23 by sea, or $25 from a private destination, is normally included in the fare. For the full budget picture, see what Royal Caribbean adds to the fare and the Bahamas cruise from Miami homepage.
What can I do in Nassau on a Royal Caribbean port day?
On a Wonder of the Seas Sunday call the ship is there 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, enough for the free ferry to the Royal Beach Club, a paid excursion such as the $129 Rose Island pig beach trip or the $80 island highlights van tour, or a free walk to Junkanoo Beach 10 to 13 minutes from the pier. Taxis are unmetered and Uber does not operate, so agree fares first. The full plan is in the guide to things to do in Nassau cruise port.