Swimming pigs on a cruise stop

Nassau is one of the easiest cruise ports in the Caribbean for a pig day: the docks are downtown, the pig beaches are half an hour away by boat, and the half-day tours are built around ship schedules.

From the ship to the boat

Ships tie up at Prince George Wharf on Nassau's waterfront. Most pig tours meet within a 10-minute walk: the Exclusive Swimming Pigs beach club leaves from Elizabeth on Bay on Bay Street (exit the port, left along Woodes Rodgers Walk to Bay Street), and several Rose Island operators check in outside Señor Frog's on the waterfront. Paradise Island departures need a short taxi or water-taxi hop.

Which tour fits a port day

With a typical 8 AM to 5 PM call, any Nassau half day works: the beach club runs about 4 hours (with a 2.5-hour highlight option), the Rose Island swim about 4 hours, and the Fast Track encounter 3.5 hours from $79. Book an early slot; beaches get busier as more ships arrive. A full Exuma powerboat day leaves around 8:00 to 8:30 AM and returns late afternoon, which only works when all-aboard is in the evening and you accept the risk of weather delays. Most cruisers should keep Exuma for a land-based trip.

Booking independently vs through the ship

Independent tours are usually cheaper than the ship's excursion desk and include free cancellation up to 24 hours before. The trade-off is the ship will not wait if you are late, so leave a margin of at least 90 minutes before all-aboard. Stopping in Freeport instead? The Freeport pig encounter takes 45 minutes from $72.