📅
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Peak Season
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Dec - April
(Dry Season)
🌡️
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Weather
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72-88°F
Year-round
💰
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Budget
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$0-130pp
Per activity
📶
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WiFi
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Resort: Good
Island: Weak
📍
Pier Intelligence
Understanding Bimini's Layout
The Islands:
North Bimini (main) + South Bimini, population ~2,000. Just 50 miles from Miami.
Key Insight:
Single-berth dock port at Resorts World Bimini. Only ONE cruise ship at a time. Free tram connects pier to the resort and Beach Club. Alice Town requires a separate golf cart or taxi.
Where You'll Dock
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Resorts World Pier:
Single berth, handles Oasis-class ships. 5min walk to end of pier
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One ship at a time:
No overflow scenario—only one ship scheduled per day
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Free tram:
Runs every 15min from pier to the resort and Beach Club
Main Zones
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Resorts World:
Beach, pools, casino, dining
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Alice Town:
Local restaurants, bars, shops
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Bailey Town:
Bakeries, local life
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Radio Beach:
Public beach, beach bars
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Pier Beach (Kayak Beach):
Free public beach with soft sand and snorkeling, located at the end of the pier
📍
Top 6 Destinations
🏖️
Resorts World Beach Club
Cruise-line beach day package with powdery white sand, lagoon pools, swim-up bars, DJs, and cabana rentals. Chairs and umbrellas included with pass. Food available but NOT included (~$15/item). Get off ship early for best chairs.
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Cost
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~$40pp pass
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Transport
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Free tram
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Time
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4-6 hours
🚢
SS Sapona Shipwreck Snorkel
WWI-era concrete ship grounded by a 1926 hurricane, later used for rum running during Prohibition. Sits in 15ft of water off South Bimini. Teeming with tropical fish, sea turtles, and reef sharks. Book via cruise line or local operators.
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Cost
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$90-120pp
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Transport
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Boat tour
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Time
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3 hours
🏖️
Radio Beach
Bimini's main public beach in Alice Town. FREE access, no pass needed. Beach bars, food shacks, and vendors. Clear shallow water. 5-10min by golf cart from pier. Great budget alternative to Resorts World. Try conch salad from a beachside stand.
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Cost
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FREE
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Transport
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Golf cart/tram
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Time
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2-4 hours
🐬
Wild Dolphin Swim
Swim with wild Atlantic spotted dolphins in open water—not a captive encounter. Boat takes you to known pod habitats. Sightings not guaranteed but common. One of the top wildlife experiences in the Bahamas. Book well in advance.
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Cost
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$100-150pp
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Transport
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Boat tour
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Time
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3-4 hours
🏛️
Alice Town & Dolphin House
Walk Hemingway's old haunt—he lived here 1935-1937, inspiring "The Old Man and the Sea." Visit the Dolphin House Museum, a folk-art building made of seashells and sea glass by poet Ashley Saunders. Small Bimini Museum nearby. All walkable.
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Cost
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Free-$5
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Transport
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Tram/cart
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Time
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1-2 hours
🦈
Shark & Stingray Encounters
Snorkel with Caribbean reef sharks at Triangle Rocks (cage-free) or feed stingrays at Honeymoon Harbor. Can be combined with Sapona wreck in a multi-stop tour for best value. Shark encounter is shallow—no diving certification needed.
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Cost
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$90-130pp
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Transport
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Boat tour
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Time
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3-4 hours
⚠️
Critical Warnings
🚢
Docking Variables
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Single berth—ONE ship per day only
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Pier opened 2021, handles mega-ships
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NO tender needed (direct walk-off)
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Virgin Voyages days = beach club is PRIVATE (other cruise lines get Resorts World instead)
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5min pier walk to tram pickup
🚕
Transport Tips
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FREE tram: pier → resort → Beach Club (every 15min)
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Golf cart rental: $90-120/day (4-6 seater)
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Book golf carts in ADVANCE—sell out on ship days
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Driving: LEFT side of road
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No Uber/Lyft. Cash-only taxis (single-digit fares)
💵
Money Matters
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CASH IS KING—many places don't take cards
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USD accepted everywhere (= Bahamian $)
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ATMs are sparse (one at Resorts World, one in Alice Town)
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Resorts World accepts credit cards
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Food at beach club is NOT included ($15/item)
📱
Connectivity & Safety
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WiFi at Resorts World (spotty elsewhere)
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Very small island—generally safe
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Roads are bumpy and narrow
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Bring water—limited shade outside resort
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Same time zone as Miami (EST/EDT)
Getting Back to Your Ship: The Work-Backwards Method
Golden Rule:
Never plan to arrive "at the pier" at all-aboard time. Plan to be back in your cabin. Your ship's all-aboard time is the LAST moment you can board—not when you should arrive.
Step-by-Step Calculation Example:
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All-aboard time:
4:00pm
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Subtract security + pier walk (15-20min):
3:40pm
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Subtract tram ride (15min):
3:25pm
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Add safety buffer (20min):
3:05pm
RESULT: Head to tram stop by 3:05pm
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Returning golf cart (+15min)
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On a boat excursion (+plan around schedule)
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In Alice Town on foot (+20min walk)
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Tram wait on busy days (+15min)
Typical Travel Times:
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Resorts World → Pier: 15min tram
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Alice Town → Pier: 20min tram
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Radio Beach → Pier: 15min golf cart
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Boat excursion return: varies