Fall is the cheapest time for a Bimini day trip: Wednesdays from $199
There is a moment every year when Bimini goes quiet. The summer crowds are gone, Spring Break is months away, and the island returns to what it really is: a seven-mile strip of white sand, a marina, a main street with conch shacks and the clearest water on this side of the Atlantic. That moment is now. October and November are low season on the Fort Lauderdale – Bimini ferry, and low season means the lowest fare of the year: the Wednesday day trip from $199 per adult.
Why Wednesday is the cheapest day
Balearia Caribbean sails to Bimini on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday most of the year. Weekend departures fill up with Floridians on a two-day break, so the Wednesday sailing is the one with the most space and the lowest promo fare. The day trip on Wednesdays starts at $199, against $246 on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Same ship, same 9:00 AM departure, same seven hours on the island: the only difference is the day of the week.
In the fall this gap matters even more, because the $199 fare is available on almost every Wednesday of October and November, while in high season the cheapest seats disappear weeks ahead.
What a fall Wednesday in Bimini looks like
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | Check-in and US customs pre-clearance at Port Everglades, Terminal 21. Boarding opens 3 hours before departure; check-in closes 60 minutes before sailing. |
| 9:00 AM | The Jaume II sails. Breakfast at the cafeteria, coffee on the open deck. |
| 11:00 AM | Arrival at the Bimini ferry terminal in Alice Town. No queues on arrival: you were pre-cleared in Florida. |
| 11:15 AM – 5:30 PM | Golf cart, beach, lunch, swim. About seven hours on the island. |
| 6:00 PM | Return sailing (7:00 PM in summer). Sunset over the Gulf Stream from the stern deck. |
| 8:00 PM | Back at Port Everglades, US immigration, and home for a late dinner. |
→ Want to stay the night? See Bahamas Ferry + Hotel.
Five reasons the fall beats the summer
- Price. $199 instead of $246 for the day trip, and Economy Premium seats (priority boarding, snacks and a drink) are easier to find.
- Space. Radio Beach, Blister Beach and Spook Hill are nearly empty on a weekday. You can pick your spot, not your gap.
- Water. The sea is still warm from the summer: around 82 °F in October, with the best visibility of the year for snorkelling.
- Golf carts. In summer you book them in advance; in October you walk up to the rental desk by the terminal and drive off.
- The terminal. Check-in at Port Everglades takes minutes instead of an hour when the ship is not full.
How to book the $199 fare
- Go to the Fort Lauderdale – Bimini route page.
- In the booking widget, pick a Wednesday: the calendar only shows days with a real sailing, and the price shown is the "from" fare for that day.
- Choose Day trip, the number of passengers, and search. The results show the live fare, taxes and port fees before you pay.
- Pay and receive your e-tickets by email. Download them to your phone before boarding: coverage drops at sea.
Children from 3 to 12 pay a reduced fare and infants under 2 travel free, so a family of four on a Wednesday is one of the cheapest international days out you can do from Florida.
Things to know before you go
A valid passport is mandatory for every passenger, adults and children, even for a same-day trip. The day-trip fare is a promo fare: it cannot be changed or cancelled, so pick your Wednesday with some confidence. And if you are tempted to stay the night after seeing the sunset from Alice Town, book the return for another day instead: our Ferry + Hotel packages combine the crossing and the hotel in one booking.
Questions we get about fall day trips
Is the sea rough in October? It can be, on days with a front or a tropical system nearby, but most fall days are calm and the Jaume II is a 35-knot catamaran built for the Gulf Stream. If Balearia cancels a sailing for weather, you are rebooked on the next one free of charge or refunded in full.
Is everything open on the island on a weekday? Yes. Bimini lives from the sea and from visitors all year; restaurants, golf-cart rentals, the Big Game Club and the Resorts World beach club operate on Wednesdays. What you will not find is a queue.
Can I make it a two-day trip at the Wednesday price? The $199 fare is the same-day round trip. If you stay one or more nights, search a round trip with different dates: the fare depends on each sailing, and a Wednesday outbound is still the cheapest way to start.
What should I bring? Passport, e-ticket on your phone, swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, a light jacket for the air-conditioned lounge on the way back and some cash: US dollars are accepted everywhere in the Bahamas, and beach shacks and golf-cart rentals often prefer them.
The cheapest Bimini of the year is a Wednesday in the fall. Check the calendar and pick yours.
