MSC Seashore - Bahamas & Ocean Cay Getaway from Port Canaveral

Where this cruise calls, day by day

4 ports and 1 sea day over 4 Nights.

1. Day 1

   Port Canaveral, FL

   United StatesDepart

   Canaveral is Orlando's cruise port, which is the whole point: most passengers arrive off a theme-park week or straight from MCO, about 45 miles and an hour west. The terminals - 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10 - are modern and low-rise, wedged between a working cargo harbour and a Space Force launch complex. Launches are visible from the ship and worth checking the schedule for.

   • Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, half an hour north - the Saturn V hangar alone eats three hours
   • Cocoa Beach and the original Ron Jon Surf Shop, open around the clock
   • Jetty Park, where you can watch your own ship sail out from the beach
   • Historic Cocoa Village for a slower afternoon of shops and riverfront bars

   Getting ashore

   Cruise Terminals 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10 are spread along the harbour with their own parking garages; Orlando International is roughly 45 miles west (45-60 minutes clear of traffic) and Melbourne is closer at about 35 minutes.

   Best months

   Nov-May (Aug-Oct is peak hurricane season; summer afternoons bring daily thunderstorms)

2. Day 2

   Nassau

   BahamasPort

   Nassau's berth is at the foot of Bay Street, so you are downtown five minutes after the gangway - a convenience that also means up to six ships emptying into the same few blocks. The terminal was rebuilt in 2023 and works well. What lies beyond is a mix of colonial government buildings, duty-free jewellers, and hair-braiding and taxi touts who do not take a first no.

   • Atlantis Aquaventure day pass on Paradise Island
   • The Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle
   • Junkanoo Beach, about ten minutes on foot
   • Blue Lagoon Island by boat

   Getting ashore

   Ships dock at Prince George Wharf and you walk straight into downtown; Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island is a 15-minute taxi or a short water-taxi hop.

   Best months

   Dec-Apr for dry, cooler weather; Aug-Oct is peak hurricane season

3. Day 3

   Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve

   BahamasPort

   Ocean Cay is a rehabilitated industrial site - an artificial island dredged in the 1960s for aragonite sand, stripped of its mining plant by MSC and replanted. Eight beaches ring it, ships dock at a deep-water pier, and MSC frequently stays into the evening so passengers can watch the lighthouse light show after dark. MSC ships only; lunch is included, while cabanas, excursions and drinks are charged.

   • The lighthouse light-and-music show on evening calls
   • The marine conservation centre and coral restoration work
   • Bimini Beach and South Beach among the eight strands
   • Snorkelling inside the marine reserve

   Getting ashore

   Ships dock at the island's own pier; the beaches are spread out and shuttles run the length of the cay.

   Best months

   Nov-Apr for calm, clear water; Aug-Oct is hurricane season

4. Day 4 · At sea

5. Day 5

   Port Canaveral, FL

   United StatesArrive

   Canaveral is Orlando's cruise port, which is the whole point: most passengers arrive off a theme-park week or straight from MCO, about 45 miles and an hour west. The terminals - 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10 - are modern and low-rise, wedged between a working cargo harbour and a Space Force launch complex. Launches are visible from the ship and worth checking the schedule for.

   • Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, half an hour north - the Saturn V hangar alone eats three hours
   • Cocoa Beach and the original Ron Jon Surf Shop, open around the clock
   • Jetty Park, where you can watch your own ship sail out from the beach
   • Historic Cocoa Village for a slower afternoon of shops and riverfront bars

   Getting ashore

   Cruise Terminals 1, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10 are spread along the harbour with their own parking garages; Orlando International is roughly 45 miles west (45-60 minutes clear of traffic) and Melbourne is closer at about 35 minutes.

   Best months

   Nov-May (Aug-Oct is peak hurricane season; summer afternoons bring daily thunderstorms)