Beaches in Nassau - Do I have to plan an excursion to relax on the beach?

We are a family of four 2A/2C and just booked our first cruise on the Carnival Sensation. We arrive in Nassau at 12PM on Friday and leave port the following morning at 6AM. We would like to find a nice beach, where we can relax and let the kids play in the water. We would also like to snorkel, if possible. Do we need to book an excursion for this? Once we get off the ship, are there taxi's that take you to the beaches or is it walking distance? Any help would be MUCH APPRECIATED!! :)

We are a family of four 2A/2C and just booked our first cruise on the Carnival Sensation. We arrive in Nassau at 12PM on Friday and leave port the following morning at 6AM. We would like to find a nice beach, where we can relax and let the kids play in the water. We would also like to snorkel, if possible. Do we need to book an excursion for this? Once we get off the ship, are there taxi's that take you to the beaches or is it walking distance? Any help would be MUCH APPRECIATED!! :)

When I was in Nassau last, my sister and brother-in-law took their two kids over to Atlantis on Paradise Island (you can take a water taxi there or a taxi from the port). They paid a flat rate for the day and had the use of a room and all the beach and its facilities. They had a great time and it was much cheaper than paying for an excursion for four people. You might try contacting the hotel before you leave to see what the current rate is.

can go to cabbage beach for no charge other than transportation to/from Paradise island. the water can be rough at times though.

Double check on Cabbage Beach. A local posted this:

For those who are planning on going to Cabbage Beach in the near futures, you'll find that it may be closed to swimming.

The beach has seriously erosion problems, similar to what happended last year, and has basically washed away in places, leaving only bedrock.

The closed the beach all of last week for swimming, and will likely do so again this week.

Last season it took months for the erosion to normalize..

Have a back up plan.