Princess Cays (Bahamas) Cruise Guide

Princess Cays is one of Princess Cruises' privately owned islands and beach resorts, fringed with coral reef, white sand beaches and turquoise seas. Palm trees and mangroves wave in the warm tropical breezes and the beach is dotted with blue cabanas and lounge chairs.

The 3.2km- (2 mile-) wide island is located about 48km (30 miles) from Nassau, and linked by bridge with the southern end of Eleuthera Island. The island retreat offers a variety of watersports and great reef snorkelling. Cruise ship staff ferry passengers ashore on ship tenders for a day on the beach, replete with sumptuous beach barbecue.

This tropical island resort is perfect for lazing on the beach, swimming, kayaking, taking catamaran sailing lessons, riding the banana boat, jet skiing, or snorkelling the reef to view a myriad colourful tropical fish. This private island is uninhabited except for cruise ship visitors.

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
P.O. Box N-3701, Nassau, Bahamas
Tel: +1242 302 2000.
Website: www.bahamas.com

Several souvenir shops line a narrow sandy strip close to the small boat dock, sporting a colourful array of T-shirts and locally made products such as straw artifacts, ceramics, clothing, seashell jewellery and woodcarvings. Good quality is guaranteed by the 'Authentically Bahamian' tag. Find great savings on perfumes, crystal, leather, jewellery, linens, watches, cameras and china in Nassau and Freeport.

Try the rum cocktail in the souvenir monkey coconut head. Ship staff serve a delicious barbecue lunch on shore, featuring ribs, chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers and all the trimmings.

The Bahamas are slightly cooler than other Caribbean island groups owing to their proximity to the continental North American cold air systems. May to October is the rainy season. The hurricane season is from June to the end of November.

Princess Cays.

4km (2.4 miles).

15 minutes.

Bahamas

GMT - 5.

Bahamian Dollar (B$) = 100 cents.

English.

Caribbean, a chain of 700 islands and 2400 cays, extending southeast off Florida.

307,451 (Bahamas). Princess Cays has no inhabitants.

Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence in 1973.

The three main Christian denominations are Baptist, Anglican and Roman Catholic.

The Bahamas' pace of life is leisurely. Informal wear is the norm in resorts with some degree of dressing up in the evenings for dining, dancing and casinos in Nassau or Freeport. On Princess Cays, beachwear with hats and sunglasses is recommended. Take beach shoes for the rocky water.

Tipping: Not necessary on the island day trip. Ship staff receive tips at the end of the cruise. Elsewhere in the Bahamas, 15% is usual for most services including taxis. Bellboys and porters usually receive B$1 per bag.