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16-night Star Seeker Maiden Voyage

Price: $4,215 - # of Days: 16 days

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5-night Bahamas Cruise

Price: $1,434 - # of Days: 5 days

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14-night Atlantic & Balmy Bermuda Voyage

Price: $5,499 - # of Days: 14 days

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28-night Antilles & Atlantic Gems Voyage

Price: $9,599 - # of Days: 26 days

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6-night Bahamas Cruise

Price: $1,359 - # of Days: 6 days

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7-night Bahamas Cruise

Price: $1,609 - # of Days: 7 days

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Overview

Introduction

Freeport and Lucaya are often referred to as if they were one city. Together they make up the development on Grand Bahama Island, but they actually started off as two separate places.

Freeport is the landlocked business center of the island, where you'll find offices, banks, shops and hotels. Lucaya is the waterfront development a few miles/kilometers to the east, where the newer hotels, shops and restaurants line a strip of land between the sea and a salt pond.

Those who arrive by ship will be met by the modern cruise-passenger terminal, the Lucayan Harbour Cruise Facility, and its landscaped retail village. Old Bahama Bay on West End, the island's original tourist site and still its capital city, is now home to a marina and resort. One main resort, some smaller hotels, a casino and a bustling shopping center and marina keep Port Lucaya the island's most vital resort area.

Yachters seek out the beautiful ports and outstanding marinas of Freeport and Lucaya. The cities also attract couples, as the scenery is perfect for weddings in a tropical paradise.

Freeport underwent a massive reconfiguration and development project in the early 2000s, but in 2004 and 2005 sustained such major hurricane damage that its signature resort-casino shut down and the International Bazaar now has only a few places of business open at its fringes.

Another blow by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019 inflicted more severe damage on Grand Bahama Island. Recovery efforts are ongoing.

Must See or Do

Sights—The Port Lucaya Marketplace; spelunking in the Lucayan National Park caves; snorkeling or a picnic at Peterson Cay National Park.

Memorable Meals—Zorba's Greek Cuisine for breakfast; fresh local seafood at Sabor Restaurant & Bar.

Late Night—Mingling with the crowds at Marketplace Square; dancing at Smith's Point Fish Fry.

Walks—Along Gold Rock Beach in Lucayan National Park; horseback riding on the beach.

Especially for Kids—UNEXSO Dolphin Experience; a tour on a glass-bottomed boat.

Geography

Freeport and Lucaya are located on the southwest part of the island between Hawksbill Creek to the west and the man-made Grand Lucayan Waterway to the east. The airport is conveniently situated just north of Freeport.

Freeport was developed several miles/kilometers inland from the ocean. There are several shopping strips along the two-lane East and West Mall drives. The downtown area is not inviting to stroll, because distances are too far to walk. The main points of interest for tourists are the golf course at Grand Lucayan, the Perfume Factory and the straw market in the International Bazaar, a once vital shopping and entertainment area that is largely abandoned since the hurricanes in 2004 and 2005 closed down the mega Royal Oasis resort next to it.

Lucaya was set up as a tourist center. Port Lucaya, the central point of Lucaya, lies on a 0.5-mi-/0.8-km-long rectangular peninsula between the ocean and a bay. The colorful architecture of adjacent Port Lucaya Marketplace offers a picturesque village atmosphere and great shopping and dining.

History

Despite being the fourth-largest island in the country, Grand Bahama was not settled until 1835. The first inhabitants besides the native Lucayans were mainly descendants of Spanish conquerors and freed slaves who made a living out of fishing and salvaging wrecks.

Thanks to its proximity to the eastern U.S., the western tip of Grand Bahama became a haven for gun-runners during the Civil War and rum-runners during Prohibition. The activities brought some prosperity to the island.

In 1953, U.S. financier Wallace Groves bought a small timber company that flourished under his leadership, making him the largest employer in the country. Groves asked the Bahamian government for 50,000 acres/20,235 hectares of scrubby and swampy land to create a new city, which would become a commercial center (later known as Freeport).

As industry grew, Groves focused on tourism: In the early 1960s, a resort and the island's first casino opened in Freeport. More hotels, golf courses and marinas followed, and tourism is still the major industry today.

Potpourri

Visitors who envision the gently swaying palm trees as a typical image of the Bahamas may be surprised to learn that the Caribbean yellow pine is the most common tree. It covers half of Grand Bahama Island's landmass.

The 1980s discovery of skeletal remains of indigenous people, as well as the artifacts they used, have become proof of early settlements in the area of Lucayan National Park before the arrival of Europeans.

Two of the Pirates of the Caribbean films were filmed partially on Grand Bahama Island, where filmmakers built a ship and special rocking platform to simulate the sea's motion off the beach near Gold Rock.

Freeport got its name for its duty-free status. Licensees in the port area (Freeport and Lucaya) are entitled to duty-free concession on various imports, including company vehicles that are used only within the bonded zone.

The Bahamas is an independent nation, though fairly young; it celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2013.

Location

The Lucayan Harbour Cruise Facility is an attractive port area 6 mi/10 km west of Freeport, at Freeport Harbour. Pastel colors are the order of the day. You'll need transportation to reach the major shopping centers and attractions from the port. The ride into town is through Freeport's industrial area.

Tourist information is available at the Lucayan Harbour, Grand Bahama International Airport, Port Lucaya Marketplace and the Fidelity Financial Center in Freeport. Representatives of the Grand Bahama Ministry of Tourism are available when ships call. There is a tourism-information booth in the Port Lucaya Marketplace. Open Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm at the airport, daily 9 am-5 pm at Port Lucaya. Hours vary at the harbor according to ships' arrival and berthing schedules.

Shore Excursions