Bahamas election-day alcohol ban hits cruise passengers hard

Cruise passengers bound for the Bahamas next week are voicing frustration over a government-ordered alcohol ban that will take effect on election day — and reaches private islands operated by major cruise lines that fall within Bahamian jurisdiction.

The Bahamas will suspend all alcohol sales on Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. as the country holds its general election. The restriction was issued by the Parliamentary Commissioner under the country’s election laws and applies to every Bahamian island — including the private resort destinations owned and run by cruise companies.

Royal Caribbean confirmed to People magazine that its private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, will be subject to the ban. Two of the line’s ships, Oasis of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas, are scheduled to call at CocoCay that day. Utopia of the Seas is also expected to dock at the line’s Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau. Alcohol will remain available aboard all ships while guests are ashore; passengers simply cannot purchase it on Bahamian soil.

“Royal Caribbean is respecting and complying with all local laws and regulations, as we do with every destination we visit,” a company spokesperson said.

The ban has divided cruise lines on how to respond. Norwegian Cruise Line opted to push back the Norwegian Getaway’s stop at its private island, Great Stirrup Cay, by one day to Wednesday. Carnival Cruise Line similarly rerouted Carnival Vista away from its Half Moon Cay private island, substituting Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos as a replacement port. Royal Caribbean is pressing ahead with its Bahamian itineraries without modification. Disney Cruise Line had not announced any itinerary changes as of publication, with Disney Wish and Disney Fantasy both still scheduled to call at Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, respectively.

MSC Cruises notified travel agents that alcohol service will be suspended at its Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve private island, affecting guests aboard MSC Seashore sailing from Port Canaveral. Nassau will see some of the heaviest cruise traffic on election day, with MSC Seaside and Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess joining Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas in port.

The news has landed poorly with passengers, some of whom say they were given little or no advance warning. One woman posting on X wrote that she was traveling with her husband and 26 friends to celebrate their 40th anniversary, with stops at CocoCay and Nassau planned, and said she found out about the ban only two days before departure. A traveler in a Royal Caribbean Facebook group reported that a similar alcohol-free day at the Royal Beach Club on April 30 — tied to Bahamian early voting — had already disrupted one visit. Royal Caribbean refunded guests for that experience in the form of onboard credit after failing to provide advance notice.

The Bahamas drew a record 12.5 million visitors in 2025, with cruise passengers accounting for more than 85% of arrivals.

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