Freeport, Bahamas

[LA30]

Does anyone have experience of this port?  We normally do our own thing - often just walking around and soaking up the atmosphere.  However, I'm getting the impression that this is one of those industrial ports with nothing at all for tourists.  Maybe we need to book an excursion?

[david63]

45 minutes ago, LA30 said:

Does anyone have experience of this port?

Yes - it is the last place on earth that I would want to go back to on a cruise. It is impossible (perhaps not impossible but difficult) to walk out of and not sure what there is to see if you did.

 

The only thing there is a load of tourist tat stalls (or at least that was all there was when we were the pre pandemic). We were off the ship, three times round the stalls and back onboard in under 20 minutes!

 

The only reason ships call there is to refuel.

Edited November 6, 2023 by david63

[Palaceman]

We were there in March this year and it was as david63 describes then. Have a look at the excursions.

[GOQ]

There is a small beach about 20 minutes walk from the ship. Walk straight out from the ship, through the tourist trap, and you will see a car park on your right hand side. Walk around the car park, 2 right turns, and you will find a small beach, just about big enough for a swim. Further on there is a rocky foreshore which I think leads to another small beach. 

[mrsgoggins]

3 hours ago, LA30 said:

Does anyone have experience of this port?  We normally do our own thing - often just walking around and soaking up the atmosphere. 

I was there last Sunday - and there were five ships in port, which is not uncommon.  Crowds, tat sellers, combined with high temperatures made friends sorry they had left the ship!  We’ve been a few times, done a tour, done the walk round and so we happily stayed on board.

 

If there’s anyone who actually likes this port, I have yet to meet them! 

[royallondon]

In May we did an excursion to the hotel district (about 25 mins ride).  Here there was a marina (did a glass bottom boat trip), with a relatively modern complex which included a swimming pool, bar and cafe.  A walk around the marina brings you to the shopping area with more bars and restaurants.  
We were pleased we did the excursion as the hotel/marina area was a significant improvement over the facilities found at the cruise port.  Still not the “idyllic” Bahamas we had imagined.

 

 

[Son of Anarchy]

Interesting reading about Freeport, as we're there in January.  Never been there before.

 

A few years ago we were chatting with the head of hotel services on Azura.  He mentioned that Azura was due for a refit, and (at that time) was scheduled to have it in Freeport. - Sounds better than Hamburg we said.  - No, crew won't be happy about two weeks in Freeport he replied.

 

Now I know why.

[TigerB]

20 hours ago, mrsgoggins said:

If there’s anyone who actually likes this port, I have yet to meet them! 

 

I think it's a fantastic port. Then again, I used to live in Grimsby! 😯

[Fionboard]

Colon is the worst. We were warned not to wander around there. Some idiots ignored the warning, got off and were robbed at gunpoint. 

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Colon is the worst. We were warned not to wander around there. Some idiots ignored the warning, got off and were robbed at gunpoint. 

There can be problems anywhere in that region. A friend had his gold necklace ripped from his neck in St Lucia when he stupidly wore it ashore.  Even Barbados has had its problems - remember the Adonia passengers who were shot some years back?  Currently the US is warning Americans of danger in Trinidad and Tobago.

 

People need to be aware and sensible where they wander and what they do. Unfortunately nowhere is totally safe in this world.

[TigerB]

16 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Colon is the worst. We were warned not to wander around there. Some idiots ignored the warning, got off and were robbed at gunpoint. 

 

Just the name alone, you know it's going to be full of &#!£ 😂

[gsmt47471015]

2 hours ago, TigerB said:

 

Just the name alone, you know it's going to be full of &#!£ 😂

We passed through Colon earlier this year ( on an excursion ) and we had been told by lots of passengers who had had the pleasure?? of visiting before what to expect, They were totally spot on and we were glad we were on a coach and just passing through.

The bad news is we are scheduled to dock there  on our 65 night cruise in 2025 , suspect a day on board will be in order😒  

[gsmt47471015]

5 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Interesting reading about Freeport, as we're there in January.  Never been there before.

 

A few years ago we were chatting with the head of hotel services on Azura.  He mentioned that Azura was due for a refit, and (at that time) was scheduled to have it in Freeport. - Sounds better than Hamburg we said.  - No, crew won't be happy about two weeks in Freeport he replied.

 

Now I know why.

Visited Freeport a few years ago , that's why on our upcoming cruise we have booked an excursion

[Fionboard]

Once in Naples (awful place) a man wearing an excessive amount of gold jewellery was told by a shopkeeper in the terminal to go back on the ship and remove it as he was a prime candidate for a mugging. Don't know if he took the advice. Some people leave their common sense at home when on holiday! 

[david63]

1 hour ago, Fionboard said:

Some people leave their common sense at home when on holiday! 

Assuming they have any to start off with😇

[LA30]

Thanks for your replies, guys.  Sounds like we'd better look at the excursions!  What a shame that after nine days at sea, this is P&O's first offering to us!  It sounds great to say to friends that we're going to the Bahamas.  Little did we know!