Port Guide and Shore Excursions in Bimini (Guide)

You’re going on a cruise and one of your stops is in Bimini, Bahamas. Here is our port guide which also covers the shore excursions in Bimini to help you plan your trip based on our personal experience of visiting this port.  

Bimini is a chain of small islands located in the Bahamas. When cruising with Virgin Voyages, the cruise port is located within the Resorts World Bimini complex. You are free to explore Resorts World on your own but you will need to get a shuttle to get to the private Beach Club. 

Related Virgin Voyages cruise articles: 

• Why book a Virgin Voyages Cruise
• Virgin Voyages Restaurants Guide – what restaurants are there and where to eat onboard
• The ultimate guide to Virgin Voyages activities on the ship/What to expect during Scarlet Night
• Port Guide and shore excursions in Costa Maya 
• Port guide and shore excursions in Bimini/What to expect at the Beach Club at Bimini
• Virgin Voyages Shopping Options

Our Other Cruise Travel Series

• Two weeks in Alaska
• Rhapsody of the Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruise Review)
• Holland America Alaska Cruise Review (MS Noordam)
• Our First Ever Cruise (Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas Review)

Do other cruise lines dock at the Beach Club in Bimini? 

While the Beach Club at Bimini was built for Virgin Voyages, other cruise lines utilize it as one of their stops if Virgin is not at port. 

There is a Carnival Cruise that sails out of Jacksonville that also stops at Bimini. We are excited to book that cruise since that means another day at the beach club! 

Where is the Beach Club at Bimini located? 

Resorts World is located in North Bimini Island, and the main town and hotel is located on a thin strip of land so you can see water out of both sides. To put it into context, North Bimini Island is relatively small enough that you can opt to rent a golf cart and drive around to see the sites. 

We will cover both land and sea activities in Bimini in this guide as well as what to do within Resorts World in Bimini and if you can DIY your own tours when your ship calls at Bimini. 

What to expect at the Resorts World Bimini

Resorts World Bimini is a huge beach resort complex, which has hotel rooms and houses also available for paying guests. When a ship docks in Bimini, it means it is docking at the Resorts World in Bimini.

This does not mean that Virgin Voyages or other cruise lines rent out the entire Resorts World complex when their ship is docked. The cruise line rents out just the beach club area whenever the ship is in port while the other facilities are free for guests of Resorts World to use.

Think of it like a private island owned by the cruise line except it is only private within the gates of the club. Everything else is within the resort complex. 

Beach Galore at Resorts World Bimini

The beach club has an amazing beach with turquoise water and fine white sand. It is private to the Virgin cruise (or other cruise lines that dock there) so no other guests are there. 

In addition to the beach club, there are other beaches within the Resorts World complex that you could lounge and spend the day in. The first one is by the excursions area, where you sign a waiver under the hut. There are beach chairs with umbrellas available but the actual beach is small and has motorized boats. 

In terms of other amenities, you are a bit out of luck. Public bathrooms are a 10 minute walk from that beach. It is a doable walk, and you can take a peek at the general store and golf car rental located within the area, but if you need to do your business or want to change, walking 10 mins from the beach is not exactly the most convenient.

Renting a golf cart in Bimini

You are not isolated to the Resorts World Complex when your ship is docked. You can rent a golf cart and go out to explore the town if you so wish. The island is really small, and a full day rental is more than enough time to see all the main sites. 

A rental costs $75 for the day for a two seater cart. Additional costs may apply if you need a bigger golf cart. We would update this post on what you can see and do on the island when we get to explore ourselves!

Snorkel in and around the Sapona Shipwreck (Bimini)

If you watch the YouTube channel, Sailing La Vagabonde, you probably know that the Bahamas is known for both shipwrecks and sharks. If you dock in Bimini, there is a shipwreck located within a 30 minute boat ride from Resorts World called the Sapona. 

The Sapona shipwreck is made from concrete, and managed to float successfully as a supply and cargo boat. During Prohibition, the Sapona was a floating storage for contraband alcohol in the US. 

It became a ship then used for target practice until it became a site for tourists to snorkel around in. If you are a good swimmer, you could swim through the shipwreck and end up in the inside of the boat. As you see the mangled remains of the ship, be careful not to scrape the metal while swimming and be wary of fire coral. 

Our guides told us that fire corals were abundant in the shipwreck and that if you touch any part of your body on the coral, you’re in for pain. 

The current is a bit strong around the shipwreck. My husband is a good swimmer but even he had trouble trying to get to the other side of the ship. We only had 30 minutes to spend snorkeling on and around the ship and before long, it was time to go back on the boat for the next stop. 

Swim with Caribbean Sharks in the Bahamas 

If swimming with sharks is on your bucket list then this is a must see and do. The boat ride is only around 5 minutes from the Sapona Shipwreck and the shark swimming spot has a view of the Sapona shipwreck. 

The guide will lower 2 lines from the boat and they ask snorkelers to hold on to the line as the sharks swim around you and the boat. Do not splash around as a shark’s sense of hearing is brilliant, as well as their sense of smell. 

Fins are required when swimming with the sharks as it lowers the chance of them trying to nibble your toes! Who would want to go on vacation to lose some toes? No one!

After 30 minutes, the snorkel is over (not enough time in my opinion) and the guides will feed the sharks from the side of the boat. The sharks have gotten used to boats docking in that area and in exchange for not harming the swimming humans, they will get paid in fish. Not a bad trade. 

Bring out your cameras for the feeding frenzy that will follow once everyone has boarded the boat. It is short but awesome. See our video below.

The total cost for the sapona shipwreck and shark dive from Virgin as a shore excursion is around $130 for 5 hours. The price may vary depending on which cruise line you book with and how they package the tour. 

Dive the waters of the Bahamas

There’s also diving tours available as shore excursions on your ship. Whether you are a beginner or already have a scuba certification, some dives involve swimming with hammerhead sharks. Something I would definitely consider in the future.

As with diving, the excursion can get a bit pricey, but includes the oxygen tanks and the gear. Some of these dives only cater to those who are scuba-certified, so bring your ID and gear in case they need proof. 

Ride a tram on a cultural tour

This tour is a bit much since it costs $85 per person for a two hour tour. It is really easy: you get shuttled on a tram, taken downtown, and a tour guide will show you some sites and even open a conch. Do you get to hop on and hop off as you wish? No. 

If you are the adventurous type and want to explore at your own pace then I would skip this tour and save the money for something else. However, if you want a hassle-free city tour that takes you to all the good posts on the island, then this could be as good an option as any.

What to do at the Beach Club in Bimini

With two pools, two bars, and unlimited food, what else would you want to do but relax? However, if you are an active person and want to know other activities you could do in the area then this section is for you! 

Check your cruise ship’s agenda for the day

Our day in Bimini was pretty full. A shore excursion in the morning, then off to the beach club for lunch. After lunch, we walked around and looked for photo worthy spots (and there are many). 

Are there enough seats and chairs at the Beach Club in Bimini? 

We got lucky and two ladies were leaving the beach club to go back to the ship and gave us their seats. Prime spots complete with shade! There may not be enough good lounge areas by the pool, but there are a few other places you can lounge and sun around by the beach. 

It just depends if you want something shady or if you like something closer to the beach, the pool, or the food and booze. 

Our ship was not operating at full capacity, which is why there’s enough for everyone. I wouldn’t know for sure if there will be enough lounge chairs on a full ship. 

Are there any active activities available at the beach club?

We participated in some beach games, lounged around with some giant floaties on the pool, lounged and pretended to swim in the pool some more and waited for the bonfire. 

The pool is big enough to do laps in but there’s just too many people in the pool to do that. 

There might be dance parties, other games, and more, but during a beach day, you can just sit, read, and watch the world go by. 

You can walk or run on the beach, swim in the ocean, but you can bring shells home. They will confiscate whatever you try to smuggle from the beach or buy from the store. If you get a souvenir, make sure it is your usual paraphernalia, never an actual shell. 

Are you excited for your Bimini port stop? 

I hope you are and I hope this post helped you with your planning! Bimini is one of those ports that are not as visited, and is slowly being opened up to the world. Here’s to more cruise ports to visit and explore on cruises!