Mail boat and ferry to the Exumas: what runs from Nassau and what does not

Travelers often ask whether a ferry or a mail boat can take them from Nassau to the Exumas the way one reaches some other islands. The Mailboat Company marks its Exuma run cargo only, and the Bahamas Ferries passenger boat goes to Eleuthera. This page lays out both and the routes that do carry passengers; the getting there hub has the rest.

Does the mail boat carry passengers to Exuma?

The Mailboat Company’s sailing notice lists a Nassau to Exuma run on Tuesday at 17:00 and marks it CARGO ONLY¹. The snapshot of the notice is dated Oct 11, 2026¹. The company’s FAQ says: “We take passengers into Cat Island and Freeport only”¹.

The same notice shows the company does carry people on some runs. Its Cat Island run is marked limited passenger seating, and its Freeport to Nassau route offers limited passenger service through the head office in Nassau¹.

Confirm with the operator before planning to ride as a passenger. The Mailboat Company’s Exuma office is listed for Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, at 242-810-8141, with the instruction “Please Call For Service”¹. The company says sailing times vary and change weekly¹.

What is the mail boat schedule from Nassau to Exuma?

The only dated schedule on the operator’s site is the notice above: Nassau to Exuma, Tuesday 17:00, cargo only¹. Sailing times vary and change weekly, so treat any day or hour as a snapshot¹.

CNN Travel describes Bahamian mail boats as privately owned family concerns that supplement government-awarded mail contracts by running cargo⁵.

Operator	Route	Departs Nassau	Passengers	Source
Mailboat Company	Nassau to Exuma	Tuesday 17:00	Cargo only	1
Mailboat Company	Cat Island run, same notice	See the notice	Limited passenger seating	1
Bahamas Ferries	Spanish Wells and Harbour Island, Eleuthera	8:00 a.m. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday	Yes, $139 one way	2

How long is the boat ride from Nassau to Exuma?

An undated CNN Travel account describes a scheduled 14-hour voyage from Potter’s Cay to George Town on Great Exuma, and one trip that took 20 hours instead because the boat avoided shallows during a storm⁵.

Is there a direct ferry from Nassau to Exuma?

No Exuma sailing appears on the Bahamas Ferries travel page². Bahamas Ferries describes passenger and freight service across eight Bahamian destinations³. Its Nassau dock is Potter’s Cay, at the western end³.

The passenger schedule on its travel page is for the high-speed M/V Bo Hengy III, sailing to Spanish Wells and Harbour Island on Eleuthera. It departs Nassau at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday². The adult fares on the page are for that Eleuthera route: $139 one way and $257 round trip, with VAT included². Do not use them to budget a trip to the Exumas.

Bahamas Ferries says all schedules are subject to weather, and that holidays and special events override its published schedule².

What is the best way to get from Nassau to Exuma?

These routes carry passengers:

• Fly. Bahamas.com says flying between islands is made easy on scheduled and chartered air service, available through certified domestic and international carriers⁴. See fly to Staniel Cay and fly to Great Exuma.
• Take a day tour. The Nassau day trip comparison sets powerboat and plane tours side by side.
• Take your own boat. The passage from Nassau is covered in Nassau to the Exumas by boat.

Bahamas.com also tells visitors to connect between major islands using Bahamas Ferry Services and regularly scheduled mailboats⁴. It gives no Exuma timetable or fare.

If you are already in George Town, George Town to Staniel Cay covers the trip north. If you are heading for the park, how to get to Exuma Park covers what to arrange before you arrive.