US Embassy Issues New Safety Alert for Popular Bahamas Cruise Port
If you're cruising into Nassau or Paradise Island, the embassy advises against renting jet skis, especially near the Cruise Port, Junkanoo Beach, Arawak Cay, and the small islands east of Paradise Island. Confirm any operator is licensed and insured before booking, and remember renters must be 18 or older. Sticking with cruise line-recommended operators, who are vetted for licensing and insurance compliance, is one way to reduce risk, though waivers are still typically required.
The numbers here tell the story: seven reported sexual assaults, six hospitalizations since August 2024, three medevacs, and one death in August 2025 — all tied to an industry the embassy says isn't meaningfully regulated. My read is this alert exists because informal, curbside jet ski solicitation near the Nassau Cruise Port has outpaced enforcement, and the embassy is drawing a line by barring its own personnel from renting on New Providence and Paradise Island entirely. Cruise lines that steer guests toward vetted operators come out looking better here, even though the article notes vetting doesn't eliminate risk. If I were docking in Nassau, I'd skip the beachside solicitations near the port and Junkanoo Beach and book only through the ship's shore excursion desk, waiver or not.