Cruise guests visiting Nassau will be happy to once again enjoy tour options to Blue Lagoon Island, a popular hotspot for a variety of wildlife encounters, beach breaks, and more.
Most cruise lines suspended tours to the island after an unfortunate incident in November 2023, citing safety concerns, but extensive inspections and additional training ensure that everyone visiting the island is safe and can enjoy their time in paradise worry-free.
Blue Lagoon Island Welcomes Major Cruise Lines
Blue Lagoon Island – home to a wide variety of animal encounters with stingrays, dolphins, sea lions, and sharks – has reopened following a ferry boat incident in November 2023 that involved a cruise guest fatality.
In the months following the incident, Blue Lagoon Island has thoroughly inspected its fleet of ferries, enhanced its safety policies, upped staff training and certifications, and taken other steps to ensure the safety and well-being of all visitors. The destination’s safety standards exceed those typically found in the tour industry.
Now, most major cruise lines have resumed offering excursions to the island, giving passengers the ultimate in convenience to enjoy the amazing natural beauty of The Bahamas and its phenomenal wildlife.
“We are pleased to welcome our cruise partners back to Blue Lagoon Island,” said Robert Meister, Managing Director of Blue Lagoon Island. “Cruise visitors to Nassau will have the opportunity to enjoy our private beaches and calm lagoon, adding an unforgettable experience to their itinerary and creating lasting memories.”
Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line have all resumed visits to the island through a variety of shore excursions, including dolphin swims and other wildlife encounters, beach breaks, snorkeling tours, island tours, and eco-adventures, all with authentic Bahamian vibes.
The exact excursions, including costs and duration, will vary between different cruise lines based on their time spent in port, visit schedules, and other factors.
In addition to relaxing tours for families as well as adults-only options, Blue Lagoon Island collaborates with local, regional, and international organizations and schools for marine education and conservation programs as well as beach, waterway, and ocean cleanup projects, ensuring that all visitors can enjoy the amazing natural beauty of The Bahamas and other destinations worldwide.
One Cruise Line Missing
Most notably missing from the cruise lines once again offering Blue Lagoon excursions is Royal Caribbean International, which is continuing its own investigation into the recent incident before resuming tours and has cancelled all tours to the hotspot through March 2024.
“We continue to work with authorities to evaluate a boat incident that took place during a shore excursion in Nassau, Bahamas late last year,” Royal Caribbean explained in early February. “Since our investigation is ongoing, we have decided to cancel all Blue Lagoon tours through March.“
During the boat incident in November, a ferry boat carrying Royal Caribbean passengers was impacted by rough waves and partially sank, resulting in the death of an elderly woman.
While her death may not be directly attributable to the ferry’s sinking, the cruise line is being thorough in its investigation before offering Blue Lagoon tours again.
Guests who have booked Blue Lagoon tours through Royal Caribbean through March are receiving full refunds for those now-cancelled excursions, and will have many other tour options to choose from if they want to make alternative plans through the cruise line.
It should be noted that because Blue Lagoon Island is reopened, any cruise guest could make independent arrangements to enjoy the destination if they wish.
