The Bahamas Moves A Phase Closer To Allowing the Return of Cruise Ships

On Monday, in a national address, Minister of Tourism & Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar announced additional details of the forward-looking recovery and reopening plan for The Islands of The Bahamas. D’Aguilar reiterated The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism’s commitment to revitalizing the country’s tourism industry while emphasizing that the health and wellbeing of citizens, residents and visitors of The Bahamas remain paramount. 

Beginning October 15, The Bahamas will enter Phase 3 of the Tourism Readiness & Recovery Plan. As part of Phase 3, beaches and major hotels will reopen on all islands. D’Aguilar announced that all hotel guests must abide by a 14-day Vacation-In-Place (VIP), which will allow guests access to all amenities, including hotel spas, gyms, bars and more. Additionally, Phase 3 will also see the reopening of attractions, excursions and tours on November 1.

In an effort to curb the spread of the virus, the Ministry continues to work closely with the Ministry of Health to establish and evaluate protocols and timelines with respect to the RT-PCR testing in advance of travel. 

Effective, September 1, 2020, the Bahamian government announced new entry requirements, including:

  • Approved Bahamas Health Visa available at travel.gov.bs
  • Proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test taken no more than five (5) days prior to arrival 
    • The only applicants who are not required to provide a COVID-19 test are: 
      • Children under the age of ten (10) 
      • Pilots and crew who remain overnight in The Bahamas. 
  • Mandatory 14-day Vacation-In-Place (VIP) Experience at a hotel, private club or rented accommodations (like Airbnb), as well as on a private boat.

Following the safe move into Phase 3, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation along with the Ministry of Health and other government agencies will recommend an appropriate date to enter Phase 4, which pertains to the reopening of vendors, select attractions, casinos, cruises and ferries.

Disney Magic Nassau

For now, it is recommended that all travelers interested in visiting The Bahamas via other transportation methods review requirements applicable to each member of their party before booking a trip, to determine what steps need to be taken to be granted entry. More details on the Minister’s address and the Tourism Readiness & Recovery Plan may also be found at Bahamas.com/travelupdates.

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