Nassau Cruise Port Guide

The Bahamas comprise a coral 1,000 cays. Some of the smaller ones are privately owned; many remain uninhabited. Nassau, the capital, is located on New Providence Island, which became a British colony in 1666. Its first settlement was Charles Town, named for King Charles II and later renamed Nassau after King William of Orange-Nassau. In the 17th and early 18th centuries, the islands became a favored pirates' lair and a base for slave traders. During the American Civil War, Nassau was an ideal port for the new fast ships that were unable to carry large cargoes and required a safe neutral port within two or three days' steaming. The end of the war provoked a severe and prolonged recession and Bahamians turned again to wrecking. This trend came to a stop with the introduction of lighthouses and beacons.

With the advent of Prohibition, Nassau became a center of the illicit liquor trade. When Prohibition was revoked, the islands had little to fall back on and the 1930s ended in economic disaster. A disease in 1939 killed off the sponges which had provided a livelihood to many. Following World War II, the islands experienced a tremendous development in tourism. Independence was granted in 1973, with Nassau the declared capital of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

A number of old forts and charming pastel-colored buildings recall Nassau's colonial past. Its old-style grand hotels, luxurious modern establishments and diverse places of entertainment, from modern rum shops and calypso spots to the Casino with its glittering floor shows, all bear witness to the long tradition and continuing vigor of the tourist trade in this cosmopolitan town.

Please Note: Guests in transit to the following cruise may check with the Tour Office on board for sightseeing options. Guests on Silversea's Pre- or Post-Cruise program may check with the Silversea Hospitality Desk at the hotel for sightseeing possibilities, dining and shopping information during their stay