The Bimini ferry is the fast ferry that links Fort Lauderdale (Florida) with Bimini (Bahamas) in about 2 hours, operated all year by Balearia Caribbean. It is the quickest and cheapest way to reach the Bahamas from the US without flying: 3 to 5 sailings a week, day trips from $199, no baggage weight limits, and you can even bring your dog. On this page you'll find everything about the Bimini ferry in one place; for dates, prices and booking go to the route pages.
There is one sailing a day in each direction on sailing days: the ferry leaves Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) at 9:00 AM and arrives in Alice Town, Bimini, at about 11:00 AM; the return leaves Bimini at 6:00 PM or 7:00 PM depending on the season and reaches Fort Lauderdale two hours later. Sailings run Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday most of the year, with extra days in Spring Break, summer and Christmas.
| Direction | Departure | Arrival | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale → Bimini | 9:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Wed · Fri · Sat · Sun (+ high season) |
| Bimini → Fort Lauderdale | 6:00 / 7:00 PM | 8:00 / 9:00 PM | Wed · Fri · Sun (+ Mon · Sat in season) |
Indicative schedule; the exact dates and times for your trip are on the timetable of each route page and in the search results.
The cheapest way to ride the Bimini ferry is the Day Trip: from $199 on Wednesdays and from $246 the rest of the week, round trip in one day. A round trip in Economy Premium (priority boarding, snacks and a drink) starts at $259, and a one-way ticket from Fort Lauderdale at $225. All prices are per adult and include the Bahamas departure tax and port fees; children aged 3–12 pay half the fare and infants up to 2 travel free (both pay taxes and fees).
See all Bimini ferry prices >>
Leave Fort Lauderdale at 9:00 AM, be on Radio Beach or at Resorts World Bimini by 11:30, and sail back at sunset: the Bimini day trip is the most popular way to see the Bahamas from Florida. Wednesdays are the cheapest day. Read the Bimini day trip guide for the timings, what to do on the island and what to bring.
All sailings are on the Jaume II, a 35-knot fast catamaran with room for 600 passengers, reclining seats in Economy and Economy Premium, a cafeteria with hot food and Starbucks coffee, a duty-free shop, kids' play area, ADA access and an open stern deck. There are no cabins (it's a 2-hour daytime crossing) and no vehicles: on Bimini you get around by golf cart. See the Jaume II ship page.
From Port Everglades, Terminal 21 (2021 Eller Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316), 10 minutes from Fort Lauderdale airport and 45 minutes from Miami; park at the Midport Garage next to the terminal. In Bimini the ferry docks at the Bimini Ferry Terminal in Alice Town (North Bimini), next to the Resorts World marina. Arrive 3 hours before departure in Fort Lauderdale: boarding includes US customs pre-clearance and check-in closes 60 minutes before sailing.
The ferry from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini is the only scheduled passenger ferry between the United States and the Bahamas. It sails from Port Everglades (Terminal 21) at 9:00 AM and ties up in Alice Town, North Bimini, about two hours later, so you are on a Bahamian beach before lunch. Tickets are sold per person, one way or round trip, and you can book the outbound and return legs on different days. Search your dates on the Fort Lauderdale – Bimini ferry page to see live availability and fares.
For most travellers the best way to get to Bimini from Fort Lauderdale is the fast ferry: no airport security lines, no baggage weight limits, a smooth ride on a modern catamaran, and you arrive in the centre of Alice Town instead of a small airstrip on South Bimini. Flying means a seaplane or a small charter plus a water taxi; a private boat means 50 miles of open Gulf Stream and Bahamas customs paperwork on your own. The ferry does the customs pre-clearance for you in Fort Lauderdale and gets you there in about the same door-to-door time, usually for much less money.
A Bimini day trip from Fort Lauderdale is the most popular way to use the ferry: leave at 9:00 AM, land at 11:00 AM, spend six to seven hours on the island and sail back in the evening, arriving at Port Everglades around 8:00–9:00 PM. That is enough time for Radio Beach, a golf-cart loop of North Bimini, lunch at a conch shack, the Bimini Big Game Club or a swim with the stingrays at Honeymoon Harbour. Day-trip fares start at $199 on Wednesdays and $246 the rest of the week; taxes and port fees are shown before you pay, with no hidden charges.
If you are searching for a 1-day Bimini cruise from Fort Lauderdale, the ferry is exactly that: a same-day round trip on a 600-passenger catamaran with reclining seats, a cafeteria, a bar and an open stern deck to watch the Gulf Stream go by. Unlike a big cruise ship, you spend your day on the island, not on board, you can go ashore the minute you dock, and there is no formal dress code, no gratuities and no cabin to pay for. It is the simplest cruise to the Bahamas you can take: passport, e-ticket, sunscreen.
Planning a longer vacation to Bimini? The same ferry works for two-, three- or seven-night stays: sail out on any departure day and come back on the date you choose. Bimini is seven miles long, so a weekend already covers the beaches of North Bimini, the Dolphin House, the Healing Hole and the fishing marinas of Alice Town; a week lets you add bonefishing on the flats, a dive on the Sapona wreck or the Bimini Road. To keep the budget simple, I Love Ferry sells Ferry + Hotel packages that combine the crossing with a stay on the island in one booking.
There is no ferry from Miami to Bimini: the only Bahamas ferry terminal in Florida is Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, 30 miles north of downtown Miami. From Miami, drive or take a rideshare up I-95 (about 45 minutes outside rush hour) to Terminal 21, or take the Brightline train from MiamiCentral to Fort Lauderdale station and a 15-minute taxi to the port. Many Bimini ferry from Miami travellers fly into Miami International Airport and drive up to the port the same morning.
The Balearia ferry to Bimini is operated by Balearia Caribbean, the US subsidiary of the Spanish ferry company Baleària, on board the fast catamaran Jaume II. I Love Ferry is an authorised ticket agent: you pay the same fare as on the operator's own site, see the same real-time availability, and get customer support by email and SMS before you travel. Every sailing on this page is a Balearia Caribbean sailing.
The Fort Lauderdale to Bimini ferry crossing takes about two hours across the Gulf Stream. Boarding opens three hours before departure at Terminal 21 because US Customs and Border Protection pre-clears passengers in Fort Lauderdale, so on arrival in Bimini you walk straight off the ship. On board you can choose Economy or Economy Premium seating, buy breakfast or a Bahama Mama at the cafeteria, and step out on deck to watch flying fish and, on clear days, the first sight of the island half an hour before you dock.
Children pay a reduced fare and infants under two travel free; the ship has a kids' play area and stroller-friendly access. Dogs are welcome with a Bahamas pet import permit booked at least 72 hours ahead. For groups, bachelorette weekends and family reunions, the search form lets you book up to nine passengers in one reservation with the same departure and return; for larger groups contact us and we will hold the seats.
Balearia Caribbean is the ferry company based in Fort Lauderdale (FL) that connects Port Everglades with Bimini and with Freeport (Grand Bahama). It is the US branch of the Spanish operator Baleària and the only ferry line between Florida and the Bahamas.
About Balearia Caribbean >>
A 35-knot fast catamaran built by Incat for Baleària, with room for 600 passengers in Economy and Economy Premium, a cafeteria, kids' play area, ADA access and an open stern deck. It runs every Bimini and Freeport sailing.
More about the Jaume II ferry >>Not directly: the Bimini ferry leaves from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, 45 minutes by car from Miami (or Brightline to Fort Lauderdale plus a 15-minute taxi). See ferry to the Bahamas from Miami.
About 2 hours each way; up to 2.5–3 hours in rough seas. Add 1 to 1.5 hours for US immigration when you return to Port Everglades.
No. It is a passenger-only ferry. Bimini is 7 miles long and everyone moves around by golf cart, taxi or on foot.
Balearia Caribbean, the US branch of the Spanish ferry company Baleària, is the only operator. I Love Ferry is an authorised ticket agent: same fares, real-time availability, and support by email and SMS before you travel.
Yes: Balearia Caribbean also sails from Fort Lauderdale to Freeport, Grand Bahama (3 hours; Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, plus some Sundays). There is no ferry from Florida to Nassau.
