Ferry Service from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini | Times & Cost

The Fort Lauderdale to Bimini ferry is a two-hour Baleària sailing from Port Everglades on select days.

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

For most South Florida travelers, the ferry service from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini is the simplest way to reach The Bahamas without booking a flight. The route runs from Port Everglades near Fort Lauderdale to North Bimini, with a morning crossing and an evening return on many operating days.

The ferry works well for an easy day trip if you want beach time, a resort day pass, lunch, and a look around Alice Town. An overnight stay is better if you want the water, bars, golf carts, and fishing without watching the clock all afternoon.

Fort Lauderdale To Bimini Ferry Service: Times And Trade-Offs

The Fort Lauderdale to Bimini ferry is a high-speed passenger ferry, not a cruise, so the main appeal is simple point-to-point travel. Baleària Caribbean operates the route from Port Everglades, and the sailing is usually the most direct public transport link between South Florida and Bimini.

Use the ferry if your trip starts in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Hollywood, Boca Raton, or Palm Beach and you want to avoid a tiny-plane connection. The trade-off is schedule control: the ferry does not run like a commuter shuttle, and weather can shift the day.

After you compare the current sailing calendar, lock the crossing before you make any hotel or golf-cart plans:

How Long Does The Fort Lauderdale To Bimini Ferry Take?

The Fort Lauderdale to Bimini ferry takes about two hours on the water in normal conditions. Door to door, most travelers should plan closer to five hours from arriving at Port Everglades to being fully clear and moving around Bimini.

The extra time comes from port arrival, check-in, exit processing, boarding, arrival processing in The Bahamas, and the short transfer after the ferry docks. Port Everglades is a working cruise and cargo port, so arriving early is the safe play, especially when several cruise ships are also using the port.

• Outbound: many Bimini sailings leave Fort Lauderdale in the morning.
• Return: many same-day returns leave Bimini in the evening.
• Practical day-trip time: expect roughly six to seven usable hours on the island after arrival steps and local transfers.
• Weather buffer: avoid same-night flights after the return ferry because sea conditions and port processing can run late.

Fort Lauderdale To Bimini Options Compared

The Fort Lauderdale to Bimini ferry is usually the right balance of cost, comfort, and access for independent travelers. Flights and private boats can work, but each adds a larger price jump or more moving parts.

Ferry prices move by date, demand, luggage, seat type, and taxes, so treat any flat fare you see online as a snapshot. The live fare at checkout is the number that matters.

Planning tip: A same-day Bimini ferry trip is workable, but an overnight stay removes the pressure of catching the evening return after only one beach stop.

What Documents Do You Need For Bimini?

Bimini is in The Bahamas, so this is an international trip because the crossing leaves the United States. U.S. travelers should carry a valid passport and verify entry rules before departure on the U.S. State Department Bahamas page.

A passport book is the safer choice than a passport card because a flight home from The Bahamas requires a passport book. Bring the same travel document you used to book the ferry, and make sure names match exactly.

Travelers who are not U.S. citizens should check Bahamas visa rules for their nationality before buying the ticket. Families should also check document rules for minors, especially when one parent or guardian is not traveling.

Where To Stay After The Ferry Arrives

Bimini works better as an overnight trip if you want more than a beach-and-lunch day. North Bimini is the practical base because the ferry, resorts, golf-cart rentals, beaches, restaurants, and Alice Town are all within a short ride.

Stay near Resorts World Bimini if you want the easiest transfer after the ferry and resort-style facilities. Stay closer to Alice Town or Bailey Town if you prefer smaller local places, casual bars, and easier access to marinas.

Use the map to compare the ferry arrival area with the main hotel pockets before you choose your base:

The Right Choice By Traveler Type

The ferry is the right choice for most travelers who want the easiest public route from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini. The main decision is whether to make it a day trip or stay one night.

• Choose the same-day ferry if you only want beach time, lunch, a resort pass, or a light casino-and-swim day.
• Choose one night in Bimini if you want the island to feel relaxed rather than timed around boarding calls.
• Choose a seaplane if a higher fare is fine and you care more about air time than total cost.
• Choose a private boat only if you have a captain, a clear weather window, and customs paperwork handled.
• Skip the ferry if rough seas bother you badly or your return day connects to a flight with no buffer.

The cleanest plan is simple: ferry over in the morning, stay one night on North Bimini, and return the next evening. That gives you the ferry’s price advantage without turning the island into a stopwatch.

Check live crossings once your travel dates are fixed, then build the hotel and local transport around the sailing: