Freeport (Bahamas, Grand Bahama Island)

Freeport cruise port (Port Lucaya) is located on Grand Bahama Island (Bahamas), approx 50 mi (80 km) from USA Florida's coast (direction East). The nearest US seaport is PortMiami FL. Freeport is the second biggest Bahamian cruise port - after country's capital city Nassau (New Providence Island).

The city has population around 270,000. It is served by Grand Bahama International Airport and also by domestic ferries with regularly scheduled itineraries to other Bahamian islands. Regular fast ferries connect to USA (Fort Lauderdale FL) operated by the Spanish shipping company Balearia Eurolinias Marítimas SA.

Tourism is The Bahamas' largest industry and main source of income, with around 1 million international visitors annually. Several medium- and large-sized cruise liners call at Freeport weekly. Most hotels on Grand Bahama Island are along the southern coast. The primary tourist shopping area is the International Bazaar located near downtown Freeport. The other major shopping area is Port Lucaya Market Place.

Freeport is a major seaport since the early-1960s. It is also a free trade zone featuring numerous hotels, casinos, restaurants, Port Lucaya‘s beaches, numerous shopping and shore excursion possibilities.

Port Freeport Bahamas

Port Freeport Bahamas is operated via joint venture between Hutchison Ports FHC (Chinese privately owned company) and The Port Group (Grand Bahama's Port Authority).

FHC is one of the world's largest artificial harbours, and also the Caribbean's deepest harbour waterway. Port's entrance channel and turning basin (swinging basin) were dredged to allow vessel draft of 16 m (52 ft).

Businesses at the FHS harbor include daily scheduled ferry and cruise ship visits, roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro ship) facilities (handling containerized and LTL / "less than truckload shipping" cargos), also facilities serving car transhipment, wetdocking (two 900-ft / 274-m berths) and ship repairs.

Port's facilities can accommodate simultaneously 3 cruise vessels and 5 Ro-Ro ships (cargo-passenger ferries). Vessels with max draft 9 m (30 ft) are berthed alongside. Tugboat support and pilot services are also available.

Grand Port is a Carnival Corporation-sponsored cruise terminal in Freeport. The new (exclusive) Carnival Cruise Port project was officially started in May 2022 (origanly the start was planed for 2019) and generated ~1000 construction jobs for building a modern building and a large (2-ship) berth. Labor agreement had ratio 80-20 / Bahamian-foreign workers.

Via joint ventures, Hutchison Port Holdings Ltd/aka Hutchison Ports (a Hong Kong China-based multinational) owns Freeport Container Port (51%) and Grand Bahama Airport (51%), together with Grand Bahama Port Authority.

(Royal Caribbean) Grand Lucayan Resort Bahamas

In March 2019, the joint venture company Holistica Ltd (RCG-Royal Caribbean Group and ITM Group / Mumbai India) signed a letter of intent with The Bahamas government for the purchase of Grand Lucayan Resort (an all-inclusive resort complex) and redevelopment of the cruise port Freeport Harbor. The 2-year, USD 195 million project includes Grand Lucayan Resort's purchase (USD 65 million) plus USD 135 million for development works. The new (RCL-exclusive) cruise port is expected to bring to annually an additional 2 million cruisers to Grand Bahama island. The project includes the construction of a theme park and a new 5-star hotel. Grand Lucayan Resort suffered significant damages during Hurricane Matthew (October 2016) and was forced to close 2/3 of its property.

On June 24, 2019, RCCL and ITM Group established the Miami-headquartered joint venture company "Holistica" specializing in cruise port development projects worldwide. Holistica's first project was the USD 275 million Grand Lucayan Resort in Freeport Bahamas. Developments by Holistica were also planned for Costa Maya (Mexico), Roatan Island (Honduras) and Kumamoto (Kyushu Island, Japan).

On March 2, 2020, Holistica Destinations officially announced the USD 300 million private cruise resort project "Lucaya Property". The investment includes redeveloping and expanding Freeport Cruise Terminal (to be renamed to "Harbour Village") and building a leisure complex with a large hotel (526 rooms), wellness facilities, shopping village, convention center (sized 40,000 ft2 / 3720 m2), theme park (with water slides, outdoor playgrounds, zip-lines).

In late-December 2021, RCG announced that the sale agreement for the resort is canceled but plans to participate in a new bidding process. The Bahamian government is still planning to sell the property but its development is to be independent of the cruise port.

Lucaya Property is approx 9 mi (15 km) west of Harbour Village (Freeport Cruise Terminal). At Harbour Village for tourists will be introduced new shopping and dining venues (bars, restaurants), live entertainment and nightlife programming, beach zones, new shore excursions, new transport infrastructure (serving ferries, buses, passenger vehicles). The Lucaya Property project is planned for completion in 2022-Q4.

Currently, Grand Lucayan is split into two resorts (Grand Lucayan, Lighthouse Pointe), of which only Lighthouse Pointe (as of 2021) is open. The all-inclusive day pass costs US$75 (adults) and US$65 (children) and includes food and beverages (at all restaurants), house wines (served by the glass), local draft beers, bottled beers, some liquors, chairs and umbrellas. To the expenses, tourists must add taxis (US$35 one way) between the cruise port and the resort.

Grand Lucayan's two most popular features are its large infinity pool, the beach, smaller lap pool, Jacuzzi, pool bar (complimentary beverages and food / burgers, wings, seafood, salads, desserts).

(new cruise port) Carnival Grand Bahama

On May 12, 2022, was held the groundbreaking ceremony for Carnival Corporation's new cruise port destination on Grand Bahama Island. The special event was attended by Christine Duffy (CCL's President), Arnold Donald (Carnival Corporation's CEO), Philip Davis (Bahamas Prime Minister), Chester Cooper (Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister), Ginger Moxey (Grand Bahama's Minister), Sarah St. George (Grand Bahama Port Authority's Acting Chairman).

The new "Carnival Grand Bahama" cruise port (planned for opening in 2024-Q4) is being developed on the island's southern coast (121+ hectares / 300+ acres of land at Sharp Rock).

The development project includes the construction of a dedicated Cruise Pier (with capacity to berth two large EXEL-class ships simultaneously), a large white-sand beach, an Excursions Dock (embarkation point for land tours and excursions via buses), a Nature Reserve area, a leisure complex with an interior swimming pool, Bahamian-operated food and beverage venues, retail shops.

Dredging works (for deepening the waterway) were scheduled to start in 2022 (September-October) and to be completed in January 2023.

Grand Bahama Shipyard (Port Lucaya, Freeport)

Freeport Bahamas is also famous with its ship-repair yard often used by Bahamas-flagged cruise vessels for regularly scheduled repairs, maintenance and drydock refurbishment works. 

Among the shipyard's regular customers are the cruise companies CCL-Carnival, RCI-Royal Caribbean, Princess, NCL-Norwegian, Walt Disney,  MSC, Oceania, RSSC-Regent.

The 2000-established/opened drydock facility is owned by the GBSL company (Grand Bahama Shipyard Ltd). Since 2017, RCG/Royal Caribbean Group has joint ownership of Freeport Shipyard (40%) together with Carnival Corporation (60%). The shipyard currently has 3x floating drydocks, as well as mechanical and steel workshops (updated in 2016 with new equipment).

• Drydock 1 has LOA length 268 m (880 ft), width 33,5 m (115 ft), max vessel draft 8 m (26 ft), lifting capacity 27,000 tons. Floating dock 1 is served by 2 cranes.
• Drydock 2 has LOA length 300 m (985 ft), width 58,5 m (192 ft), max vessel draft 9 m (30 ft), lifting capacity 82,500 tons. Floating dock 2 is served by 4 cranes.
• Drydock 3 has LOA length 310 m (1017 ft), width 54,5 m (179 ft), max vessel draft 8,5 m (27 ft), lifting capacity 50,000 tons. Floating dock 3 is served by 3 cranes.
• Finger Pier has LOA length 300 m (985 ft), max vessel draft 14 m (42 ft), max water depth 16 m (48 ft) and is served by 1 crane.
• North Beach Wharf has LOA length 300 m (985 ft), max vessel draft 14 m (42 ft), max water depth 20 m (60 ft) and is served by 3 mobile cranes.

The on-site workshops provide the following services - steel and pipe fabrication, mechanical services (machinery and equipment overhauls), woodworking, electrical services, Clean Rooms (pumps-, valves- and thruster overhauls), a separate/dedicated repair area for the cruise ship's lifeboats and tender boats.

In March 207, RCCL-Royal Caribbean signed an agreement with The Bahamas Government to increase its employment of Bahamian citizens. By this agreement, Royal Caribbean also has joint ownership of the Freeport shipyard where major drydock refurbishments and ship maintenance works on many RCCL ships take place.

For 2018, the shipyard reported a record year with a total of 29 cruise vessels scheduled for drydocks (over 2017's 23 ships). Generally, refit works include propulsion system (thrusters, azipods, stabilizers) and technical overhauls, hull treatments and repainting (hull blasting, silicone coatings), staterooms and public areas upgrades. More complex refit projects include adding new onboard facilities (like waterparks, cabin balconies), steel replacement (in areas below waterline), pipe replacements, adding new diesel generator sets, installing cyclo-converters.

The Bahamas' 2021-2022 budget included ~USD 350 million (~EUR 295M) planned investments into Grand Bahama Shipyard. The project included replacing the two damaged drydocks with larger facilities that can handle the world's largest passenger ships. After its completion, Grand Bahama will become the world's largest cruiseship-repair yard.

In October 2023 was announced a USD 600 million expansion project aiming to make the facility the world's largest cruise ship repair yard. The project includes 2x new floating drydocks which will enable servicing both operational and under-construction cruisers as well as other types of marine vessels. The project includes investments from the world's largest cruise shipowners - Carnival Corporation, and Royal Caribbean Group/RCG. Both China-made floating docks are currently under construction by Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co Ltd/BSIC (a subsidiary of CSSC/China State Shipbuilding Corporation) and are scheduled for deliveries in 2025 and 2026.

In December 2023, it was rumored that RCG was negotiating to purchase the Xanadu Beach Hotel (in Freeport Harbour) with land area of 40-50 acres (16-20  hectares/0,16-0,2 km2). The Xanadu Beach Hotel (1968-built, capacity 215 rooms) in 1972 was purchased by Howard Robard Hughes Jr (1905-1976) and also includes an 80-berth yacht marina.

On August 29, 2024, was formalized/signed an agreement with the shipyard for a US$665 million investment in a shipyard transformation project to upgrade the facility and make it the world's largest cruise ship and commercial vessel repair yard. Once fully operational, the shipyard is expected to contribute annually US$350 million in total economic output and to employ ~1200 workers, with the majority being full-time Bahamian employees.

Annually, the Grand Bahama Shipyard has scheduled/booked 85-100 drydocks. The yard's current drydocks have max lifting capacity ~45000 tons and can accommodate vessels with max LOA length 300 m/985 ft.

Freeport cruise terminal

Freeport tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Port Lucaya: the top attraction is the Port Lucaya Marketplace. It is a m”must-see” for all shopaholics. Another popular place to visit is the Count Basie’s Square. There you can enjoy live music while drinking local cocktail or party with the locals.

Rand Nature Center: it is located on the East Settler’s Way in Freeport. The nature center is impressive and here is the headquarter of the Bahamas National Trust. The area spreads over 100 acres and it is a pineland sanctuary. The site is crisscrossed with nature trails and houses native flora and many tropical birds. You can visit the Rand Nature Centre /educational centre/. You can join guided tour on Tuesday or Thursday at half past ten. It takes around an hour to see the major centre sights.

Garden of the Groves: located on Midshipman Road in Freeport. The amazing botanical garden spreads over 12 acres. You can see stunning waterfalls, beautiful fountains and a lot of (over ten tousands) native plants species. There is a petting zoo, cafe and arts village. You can walk alone or join one of the guided garden walks.

Snorkeling and scuba diving: Port Lucaya offers great possibilities for snorkeling and scuba diving. The excursions take not more than three hours and visit famous sites for diving including Theo’s Wreck, the East End Paradise coral gardens, the Caves, Treasure Reef and the Wall.

Boat trips: join one of the glass-bottom boat tours and spend amazing ninety minutes discovering the beauty of the reefs.

Fishing and deep-sea fishing: the best place is the North-West Providence Channel, which is extremely deep. There are a lot of snappers and barracudas.

Next are listed the most popular Carnival Cruise Lines tours in Freeport, with USD prices per adult:

• catamaran and snorkeling ($60)
• kayaking ($60)
• jeep tour ($60)
• parasailing ($90)
• historical tours ($45)
• scuba diving tour ($130)