Nassau's sheltered harbor bustles with cruise-ship activity, while a block away Bay Street's sidewalks are crowded with shoppers who duck into air-conditioned boutiques and relax on benches in the shade of mahogany and lignum vitae trees. Shops angle for tourist dollars with fine imported goods at duty-free prices, yet you'll find a handful of stores overflowing with authentic Bahamian crafts, food supplies, and other delights. With a revitalization of downtown ongoing—the revamped British Colonial Hilton leading the way—Nassau is recapturing some of its past glamour. Nevertheless, modern influences are completely apparent: fancy restaurants, suave clubs, and trendy coffeehouses have popped up everywhere. These changes have come partly in response to the growing number of upper-crust crowds that now supplement the spring breakers and cruise passengers who have traditionally flocked to Nassau. Of course, you can still find a wild club or a rowdy bar, but you can also sip cappuccino while viewing contemporary Bahamian art or dine by candlelight beneath prints of old Nassau, serenaded by soft, island-inspired calypso music. A trip to Nassau wouldn't be complete without a stop at some of the island's well-preserved historic buildings. The large, pink colonial-style edifices house Parliament and some of the courts, while others, like Fort Charlotte, date back to the days when pirates ruled the town. Take a tour via horse-drawn carriage for the full effect.

On a cruise to Nassau, you’ll arrive in a town filled with energy, whether you’re chatting to locals in the Straw Market, joining a rum-tasting masterclass, or admiring the jaunty colors of the Caribbean that sit alongside colonial-era forts and grand Georgian mansions. The city is a highlight of any Bahamas cruise for its exciting cuisine, stylish shopping, and abundance of cultural attractions.

What Nassau and neighboring Paradise Island are best known for, of course, are their powder-soft white-sand beaches and fringing coral reefs. There’s a shoreline here for every mood, whether you want to elevate your island escape at the new Royal Beach Club℠ Paradise Island by Royal Caribbean, have fun at Junkanoo Beach, or snorkel amid tropical fish in every shade of the rainbow.