Balearia Caribbean
Balearia Caribbean runs both fast-ferry crossings between Florida and the Bahamas - Fort Lauderdale to Bimini and to Freeport. Here is who is behind the ferry, how its terminal works and where to check times and fares.
- Live departures and fares for both routes
About Balearia Caribbean
Table of Contents
About Balearia Caribbean
Balearia Caribbean is the U.S. arm of Baleària, the Spanish ferry group known for its network across the Mediterranean and the Balearic Islands. The Caribbean operation runs one job: the international fast-ferry corridor between Fort Lauderdale and the Bahamas, marketed under the Bahamas Express brand - to Bimini in about 2 hours and to Freeport on Grand Bahama in about 3.
The workhorse of the corridor is the Jaume II, a high-speed catamaran with air-conditioned lounges, a bar-café, duty-free and open deck space - built for short sea crossings, not overnight sailings. Both routes run on set days each week rather than daily, which makes the timetable the first stop in any plan.
The terminal in practice
Both crossings use Terminal 21 at Port Everglades, 2021 Eller Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 - a cruise-port terminal inside the port area, minutes from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport. The operator notes the terminal number may vary; your booking confirmation names the departure point for your specific sailing, and +1 (866) 699-6988 is the operator's line for terminal questions.
The rhythm at the terminal is stricter than the relaxed island destination suggests: check-in opens 3 hours before departure, the doors close a full hour before, and the security check at the port entrance can queue at peak times. Treat the door-closing time as the real deadline. Arriving from Miami adds about 30 miles - the Miami page compares the ways to cover them.
Booking, fares and service rules
Fares are dynamic, sold in flexible and basic families with different change and refund rules - the prices page explains the ladder and the fixed fees for heavy luggage and pets. Boarding requires a valid passport book or passport card for every traveller, children included; the FAQ covers the document rules in detail. Pets, extra luggage and assistance needs are arranged with the operator ahead of travel rather than at the counter - the earlier, the smoother.
One operator, one corridor
The entire bookable Florida-Bahamas ferry corridor runs on this one operator - there is no competing ferry line on either route. That concentration cuts both ways: one consistent set of rules and one terminal to learn, but also one schedule to watch when weather moves in. In hurricane season, re-check your sailing in the timetable shortly before travel; the operator informs booked passengers about changes, and your booking confirmation is authoritative.
FAQ Balearia Caribbean
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the operator behind the Bahamas ferry.
Are Balearia Caribbean and Bahamas Express the same thing?+
Is Balearia Caribbean the same as Bahamas Ferries?+
No. Bahamas Ferries Ltd. is a separate Bahamian company that runs the inter-island ferries from Nassau to the out islands - it does not sail to Florida, and its tickets are booked with that operator directly. Balearia Caribbean runs the international corridor from Fort Lauderdale.
Where do the ferries leave in Fort Lauderdale?+
From Terminal 21 at Port Everglades, 2021 Eller Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316. The operator notes the terminal number can vary - re-check your booking confirmation, which names the departure point for your sailing.
Can I park at the terminal?+
Yes - Port Everglades has paid parking near the cruise terminals, and the port's own website is the place to check current garages and rates for Terminal 21. Plan the parking stop into your check-in margin: terminal doors close 1 hour before departure.
Where do I find timetables and prices?+
Departures for both routes are in the timetable, live from the booking feed; fares are dynamic and explained on the prices page. Booking happens at the route pages - the binding total appears in the booking step.