Cruise travelers visiting Nassau may want to be extra careful before booking a jet ski excursion.
On June 15, 2026, the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas issued a security alert warning about weak enforcement of safety rules for jet ski operators, especially in and around Nassau, the country’s capital and one of the region’s busiest cruise ports.
The alert follows a series of reported assaults involving U.S. women. According to the embassy, there have been seven reports of sexual assaults linked to jet ski operators in areas near Nassau Cruise Port, including Junkanoo Beach, Saunders Beach, Cabbage Beach, and beaches on Paradise Island.
In those cases, the women had rented jet skis and followed operators out on excursions before the assaults reportedly took place on isolated islands near Nassau.
The embassy also raised concern about other dangers tied to jet ski rentals, including unlicensed operators and accidents.
One earlier incident drew attention in February 2025, when a Royal Caribbean passenger was injured in a jet ski accident at Perfect Day at CocoCay. In that case, the guest was reportedly struck at high speed by one of the guides.
Since August 2024, six U.S. citizens have been hospitalized in Nassau after jet ski accidents. Three of those travelers needed emergency medical evacuations back to the United States for treatment.
The alert also says a U.S. citizen was killed in August 2025 while riding a jet ski off Paradise Island after colliding with an unlicensed operator driving an unregistered boat. It has not been confirmed whether that person was a cruise passenger.
The embassy is now advising U.S. citizens not to rent jet skis, especially in the areas that have already raised concern.
“Beware of solicitations from jet ski operators near the Cruise Port, Junkanoo Beach and Arawak Cay, and the small islands east of Paradise Island,” the advisory reads.
Travelers should also be aware that jet skis cannot legally be rented to anyone under 18 in the Bahamas. Any operator offering rentals to younger visitors is breaking local law.
For U.S. government employees stationed in the Bahamas, the rules are stricter. They are fully banned from renting or using jet skis on New Providence, which includes Nassau, and on Paradise Island.
State Department Advisory Repeats the Concerns
The U.S. Department of State has also flagged boating and jet ski safety in its travel advisory for the Bahamas, which remains at Level 2: “Exercise Increased Caution.”
The advisory states, “Boating is not well regulated. Injuries and deaths have occurred. Sexual assaults by jet ski operators have also been reported.”
It also warns that rented jet skis may not be properly inspected, some operators may not be licensed or insured, and weather conditions may be ignored even when they are unsafe for smaller vessels.
Cruise Lines Warn Guests About Booking Independently
Cruise passengers are free to explore ports on their own and are not required to book excursions through the cruise line.
Even so, cruise lines have long warned that using independent operators can carry more risk. Providers recommended by the cruise lines have usually been checked for compliance with local laws, as well as licensing and insurance rules.
That does not mean cruise line-approved excursions are risk-free. Guests are often still asked to sign waivers. Still, booking through an approved operator can add an extra layer of protection.
For travelers heading to Nassau, the warning is a clear one. Staying aware of travel alerts and safety advisories before booking water activities could help prevent a vacation from being disrupted by an accident, assault, or serious injury.
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I'm Kat, and I've been cruising for as long as I can remember — now I get to carry on the tradition with my own family!
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