The Bahamas is enforcing a nationwide ban on alcohol sales on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, the date of the country’s general election. The restriction runs from 8 AM to 6 PM local time and applies to every establishment on Bahamian soil — restaurants, resort bars, hotel properties, and cruise line private islands without exception. Thousands of cruise passengers arriving at Bahamian ports and private destinations that day will find the beaches open, the amenities operational, and the bars dry.
The Law Behind It
The ban is not a cruise line policy or a resort decision. It is mandated under Section 99 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, which suspends liquor licenses during polling hours on general election day. The Ministry of National Security issued a public notice confirming the restriction applies across all of the Bahamas, including private resort properties and foreign-operated leisure facilities. No exemptions exist under the law for cruise islands or tourist destinations. This is the second time in two weeks that the restriction has come into effect — an earlier advanced polling day on April 30 caught some visitors by surprise before cruise lines issued formal notices ahead of May 12.
Which Cruise Lines Are Affected
Royal Caribbean will maintain its scheduled stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau, but alcohol service at both will be suspended for the duration of polling hours. The line has confirmed that drink packages remain fully valid aboard its ships; the restriction is limited to land. Both the Wonder of the Seas and the Oasis of the Seas are scheduled to call at CocoCay on election day.
MSC Cruises has warned guests aboard the MSC Seashore, sailing from Port Canaveral, that alcohol will be unavailable at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and in Nassau. The MSC Seaside, departing from Miami, faces the same situation. Shore excursions that typically include alcoholic beverages are also expected to be affected.
Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival have taken a different approach. Norwegian delayed its Great Stirrup Cay visit by a day to avoid the restriction. Carnival rerouted one sailing, swapping Half Moon Cay for Grand Turk. Disney Cruise Line is keeping its itinerary unchanged and will suspend onshore alcohol service at its Bahamian stop.
What It Means for Resort and Independent Travelers
The ban is not limited to cruise passengers. Anyone staying at a Bahamian resort, hotel, or Airbnb on May 12 will find that bars and restaurants cannot serve alcohol during polling hours. Independent travelers, honeymooners, and guests with all-inclusive packages that include alcohol will experience service interruptions at the source, though minibar stock already inside a room is a separate matter from point-of-sale service.
Royal Caribbean has offered onboard credits to some guests as compensation for lost onshore alcohol access. Travelers whose trips overlap with May 12 should contact their cruise line or resort directly to understand what, if any, compensation applies to their booking.
The Practical Upshot
The ban covers land. The moment a passenger returns to their ship, service resumes as normal — cruise vessels in international waters are not subject to Bahamian law. For anyone whose vacation day falls entirely onshore on May 12, the window of restriction runs ten hours, from 8 AM to 6 PM. The beaches, pools, restaurants, and all non-alcohol amenities remain open throughout.
Travelers booked into the Bahamas this week should verify their specific stop dates and confirm with their operator what adjustments, if any, have been made to their itinerary or package.