Nassau Cruise Port in the Bahamas is set to embark on a new venture with a $35-million water park designed to cater to families. The new development will complement the port’s recent $330-million redevelopment and is expected to be complete in December 2025.

The new water park will be constructed on the port’s western side, in a finger-shaped greenspace near its amphitheater. Although construction is yet to begin, officials at the port note the land is clear, a building permit is already in hand, and it is awaiting approval.

Mike Maura, Nassau Cruise Port’s chief executive, confirmed the plan with the local Tribune Business news agency. “We’re looking at a pool water investment that is going to provide an experience in the downtown area at Nassau Cruise Port so people have something to do that is more recreational and family-oriented,” he said.

Maura sited family-friendly cruise lines such as Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International, along with the some of the Bahamas most popular attractions as an incentive behind the new water park. 

As the largest port in the Bahamas, Nassau can accommodate up to 30,000 passengers a day, with its record set in December 2023 at 29,316. Officials at the port understand the current offerings, which include shopping, dining, and bars, cannot appeal to the masses. Instead, visitors pass through the port to other Nassau destinations like Paradise Island’s Atlantis Resort, which is said to generate nearly $359 million in revenue annually.

Although Atlantis’ 141-acre Aquaventure Atlantis Water Park is free for hotel guests, day passes are offered to cruise passengers. Prices can range from $140 for children ages 4 to 12 and $255 for adults ages 13 and older.

By creating its own waterpark, the port hopes to turn the facility into a destination. “We want them to have experiences that everyone can participate in and enjoy,” Maura told the Business Tribune.

Currently, many cruise lines with family features visit their own private destinations in the Bahamas to provide water park amusement for kids, including Disney’s Castaway Cay near Abaco and its new Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point in the Out Islands.

Royal Caribbean International is currently constructing its Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island near Atlantis, which it hopes will attract 2,700 guests per day. Also scheduled to open in 2025, the 17-acre resort will feature multiple swimming pools, a small water park for children, and ample beach space with cabanas.

Maura explained, “Nassau Cruise Port will continue to look at our product as part of the downtown destination, and we will continue to tweak and evolve to maintain best-in-class in the region.”

A Hub of Growth and Development

Nassau Cruise Port is experiencing remarkable growth in tourism as the primary gateway into The Bahamas. Beyond setting a new cruise passenger daily record, the port made news again when it accommodated seven cruise ships simultaneously in March 2024.

Every major cruise line sailing in the Caribbean visits Nassau, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages, and Celebrity Cruises.

The first half of 2024 has been a continuation of Nassau’s upward trend, recording nearly 2.8 million passengers by the end of June. This result is a 24 percent increase over the same period in 2023. It’s also 800,000 more cruise passengers than its pre-pandemic figures.

The new waterpark will not only contribute to an increase of visitor spending on the island but is said to create 350 jobs. It follows on the heels of the port’s recent $330-million upgrade that was completed in May 2023. That upgrade led to the new berth allowing Nassau Cruise Port to break its passenger and ship records.

While cruisers may be quite familiar with hailing a taxi or summoning an Uber to drive them around their destinations, most travelers likely haven’t thought of getting around popular ports by boat.

But thanks to Uber Boats, cruisers will have a new way to navigate European destinations beginning this summer – just in time for the peak of the 2024 European cruise season that typically spans from April to October. 

While Uber Boats have been around for a while – with Uber Yacht launching in Dubai, UAE, in 2016 and Uber Boats offering $30 rides between the East Bay and San Francisco, California, as early as 2013 – Uber Boats are still a fairly new concept in Europe.

The transportation company first launched its boat program in Mykonos, Greece, last year, in the summer of 2023 – which was met with much success. 

In order to cater to the demand, Uber is expanding its Uber Boat services across Europe, starting with Ibiza, Spain – a beloved island in the Mediterranean Sea. 

Beginning in August 2024, cruisers will be able to pre-book a private yacht experience for up to 8 passengers at least 24 hours in advance using Uber Reserve in their Uber App, with reservations first becoming available later this month on July 26. 

For €1,600 (euros), or approximately $1,732 (USD), guests will get an 8-hour tour of the White Island onboard a luxurious Sunseeker Yacht with a personal (and knowledgeable skipper), complimentary champagne, and gourmet snacks sourced from local artisans. 

Considering other private tours can range from $1,200 upwards to $3,000 or so, sometimes for shorter 4-6 hour tours or group experiences, this is a pretty good deal. Plus, any required transportation to and from Ibiza Town Marina, where the tour embarks, are also included in the price of the experience. 

Uber Boats Expands Throughout Europe

The coast of Ibiza isn’t the only place where cruisers can catch a lift from an Uber Yacht or boat. 

The program is also coming to Venice, Italy, beginning this month – July 2024 – in the form of “limo boats.” 

Despite placing a ban to limit cruise traffic that took effect in August of 2021, the City of Canals is still one of the most popular cruise ports, welcoming upwards of 30,000 to 40,000 visitors on the busiest days. 

To help cruisers make the most of their day in port, Uber will offer Limo Boats on demand from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time seven days a week, starting at €120, or about $130, per trip. 

Similarly, Uber Boat will expand throughout Greece by the end of July. In addition to Mykonos where the service first launched, Uber Boat will also expand to Athens, Corfu, and Santorini.

Considering Greece is another country that is so overwhelmed by cruise tourism that the southeastern country is looking into enacting cruise ship restrictions of its own, the new way to get around will likely help handle the peak season crowds. 

In 2023, the Greek ports welcomed more than 7 million cruise passengers across over 5,000 ships – a record breaking 9.41% increase in ship calls and a 51.26% surge in passenger numbers. 

Prices will vary by location and demand, but interested guests can book boat rides via the Uber app starting at around €200, or $216.54. 

Read Also: Discussions Begin on Daily Cruise Cap and Future at Greek Destination

That said, not all Uber Boat experiences will cost a significant chunk of change. This summer, guests visiting Paris, France, are invited aboard all-electric boats to take a free, one-hour cruise down the River Seine. 

Throughout the hour, guests will pass by famous landmarks like Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower. 

The Paris tours will be available from July 12 to August 3, 2024, coinciding with the start of Summer Olympics, which will be held in the City of Light from July 26 to August 11, 2024.

Residents of Juneau, Alaska, the state capital, have successfully collected the necessary signatures for a crucial ballot measure aimed at limiting large cruise ship activities.

The initiative, labeled “ship-free Saturdays,” proposes to prohibit cruise ships carrying over 250 passengers from docking on Saturdays and on July 4 each year.

Despite missing the required 2,359 signatures needed to certify the petition by the Clerk’s office in June, the campaign gained the momentum it needed by July 1.

“The Clerk’s office has completed its review of the initiative petition and concludes that with the supplemental signatures submitted, it meets the requirement to obtain 2,359 signatures in order to certify the petition and is therefore considered sufficient,” wrote Elizabeth “Beth” McEwen, CBJ municipal clerk/election official, to Juneau Cruise Control.

The organization is focused on balancing the economic benefits of the cruise industry with the sustainable and controlled development of Juneau.

The letter went on to say that McEwen would be “forwarding this certification to the Assembly,” which has until August 15 to take action. 

“Should the Assembly choose not to act, the question will appear on the October 1, 2024, Regular Municipal Election Ballot,” she said.

This would give Juneau residents a chance to officially place a ban on cruise ships, already limited to 16,000 passengers per day and 12,000 on Saturdays per a recent agreement between the city and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

However, the Assembly could “act” by formally rejecting the petition’s proposals, which could result in the residents needing to take legal action to get the initiative on the ballot in October. 

Juneau Grapples with Cruise Control

In 2023, Juneau recorded a historic high of 1.6 million visitors, marking a 23 percent increase over the busiest pre-pandemic year, 2019. Residents claim the surge has significantly impacted local life and the natural surroundings that make the city a sought-after cruise destination.

In an attempt to balance cruise tourism with sustainable community objectives, Juneau’s local government and CLIA recently instituted the daily cap on cruise ship passengers for the 2024 season, which runs from late April through the end of October.

In a Memorandum of Agreement, effective May 4, CLIA also committed to providing detailed, quarterly updates on cruise schedules well in advance, minimizing the offloading of bulky waste items, and curtailing their purchase of local drinking water during periods of drought.

However, many local residents argue the measures fall short of addressing the full scope of issues, such as congestion and environmental degradation, as well as their quality of life, thus pushing for tighter restrictions on weekends.

Read Also: Your Guide to the Best Alaska Cruise Ports

All major cruise lines currently operate in Alaska, with Juneau serving as a key port of call. Last Saturday, July 6, the city welcomed Carnival Cruise Line’s 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit and 2,866-passenger Carnival Luminosa and Princess Cruises’ 2,600-passenger Grand Princess, all operated by Carnival Corporation. The more than 7,500 passengers that arrived that day does not include crew members.

A recent attempt to get a partial cruise ship ban on the October 1 ballot in Sitka, Alaska, has been rejected three times by its municipal clerk. In that town of only 8,300 residents, residents, are fighting to limit passengers to 4,500 per day, spurred by Juneau’s original success at limiting passenger counts.

On July 4, officials from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and leaders from Santorini, Greece, agreed to enforce sustainable practices in cruise tourism to preserve the island’s distinctive character and improve the visitor experience.

The high-level meeting, which included CLIA’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Maria Deligianni, and Santorini’s Mayor, Nikolaos Zorzos, among other local officials, is in response to surging tourism numbers.

Santorini alone experienced a 17% rise in cruise tourism in 2023 compared to the previous year, amounting to 800 cruise ships calls.

Recognizing the strain on local infrastructure and the daily life of island residents, the Greek government wants to better manage the flow of tourists and proposed regulatory changes that include limiting the number of berths available to cruise ships and potentially implementing a bidding process for docking rights.

CLIA and Mayor Zorzos agreed to maintain the island’s daily cap on cruise visitors at 8,000, a policy first established in 2018, currently operating at 75% cruise line capacity.

Said Mayor Zorzos, “We are pleased that the Municipality of Thira discussed and agreed with CLIA the solutions for the sustainable operation of cruising in Santorini, aiming to protect the uniqueness of the destination, as well as the passenger experience.”

Added Deligianni, “Santorini a beautiful location that is extremely popular, and we share the view on the importance of responsible tourism management for the island.” 

The recent discussions are part of a broader initiative detailed in CLIA’s Action Plan for Greece, which prioritizes local community benefits while aiming to meet the high expectations of tourists.

Further measures discussed include the implementation of a berth management system, ensuring a transparent and fair berthing policy with clear rules and criteria. This system is designed to distribute cruise ship arrivals more evenly throughout the day and week, thereby preventing congestion and enhancing the visitor experience.

Read Also: Venice Implements Tourist Fee, How It Will Impact Cruise Visitors

Additionally, the meeting touched on the development of port infrastructure and new berthing locations to facilitate better itinerary planning and open up new destinations within Greece. 

Local leaders and CLIA also discussed potential enhancements to the island’s interfaces, which could lead to improved operational efficiencies for cruise lines and a smoother experience for visitors.

Other European destinations have already implemented similar measures. For example, Venice, Italy, has introduced a tourist fee to manage the influx on busy days, while Majorca, Spain, is moving forward with proposals to limit the size and number of cruise ships docking in Palma. 

Barcelona, Spain, has also taken steps to reduce cruise ship traffic near the city center to mitigate pollution and overcrowding.

Record Cruise Traffic in Greece

In 2023, Greece saw a significant uptick in cruise tourism with the arrival of 5,230 cruise ships. These ships brought more than 7 million passengers to the Greek Isles, with the cruise season swelling between May and October.

Santorini alone has witnessed up to 10,000 passengers a day descending upon the island of 15,480 residents. It welcomes an average of three to four cruise ships each day. For Greece, the year over year ship arrivals growth was nearly 10% while the passenger jump was more than 50%.

Within the first week of July alone, the Aegean nation welcomed most major cruise lines, including AIDA Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Virgin Voyages, Silversea, and MSC Cruises.