Barbados Cruise Port Guide (Bridgetown)

Barbados was a definite highlight of my Caribbean islands cruise and the perfect destination to escape the UK weather! Our cruise started and finished in Barbados Cruise Port, which gave us a good amount of time to sample what Bridgetown cruise terminal and the local area had to offer.

This post was created in collaboration with SN Travel, a Caribbean holiday specialist travel agency, which currently has a Virgin Atlantic Holiday Sale. I booked my Caribbean cruise with SN Travel but my thoughts and experiences expressed in this blog post are entirely my own.

Barbados cruise port bridgetown Caribbean Cruise Britannia

Bridgetown Cruise Port

The capital city of Bridgetown is a popular port of call with major cruise lines like: Royal Caribbean, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Windstar Cruises.

Cruise ships frequently use Barbados as an embarkation port, which makes it a perfect choice for a post-cruise stay. Bridgetown is on the west coast of the island.

The nearest airport to Bridgetown port Grantley Adams International Airport, approximately 30 minutes by taxi.

Approximately 800,000 cruise visitors the cruise port of Bridgetown each year to enjoy the rich history, best beaches and water sports that this beautiful island has to offer.

Barbados is an island country in the Eastern Caribbean. Despite being a Caribbean island, it is located in the Atlantic Ocean.

Carlisle Bay near Barbados Cruise Port

I couldn’t visit Barbados without spending some time on one of its popular beaches. The main beach nearest to the cruise ship port in Barbados is Carlisle Bay. 

Carlisle Bay is a crescent shaped natural harbour with soft sand and blue water that is perfect for a beach day.

If you’re happy to walk, the route is flat but we opted to pay $5 per person for a short taxi ride. Taxi cabs are easy to pick up outside the terminal building and it’s easy to arrange for the taxi driver to collect you later in the day. Our taxi driver, Shelley, was very helpful with advice about the area.

The biggest decision you have to make when visiting Carlisle Bay is which part of you want to visit. The beach is divided into different sections that are operated by various beach bars and restaurants.

It’s important to note that you don’t have to pay for a sunbed to use the beach. We saw people using their towels on the sand, particularly in the empty sections of the beach, away from the bars and restaurants.

Carlisle Bay, Barbados

The Boatyard

For cruise passengers, the most popular spot seems to be The Boatyard but this was the most crowded section of the beach. If you’re happy to sit among rows of sun beds with your fellow cruise passengers, queue to get in and bob up and down in the sea with lots of other people then The Boatyard is the place for you. $25 gets you a sun bed, drink on arrival, use of the amenities, including the inflatable obstacle course and your return journey to the cruise terminal.

The Boatyard Carlisle Bay Barbados cruise port
The Boatyard, Carlisle Bay

Copacabana

We shared a taxi with a couple of ladies from our cruise ship, who were heading to Copacabana Beach. It appeared to be nice and clean but again, a popular choice among cruise passengers that was at least four rows deep with sun beds.

Copacabana Carlisle Bay near Barbados cruise port
Copacabana, Carlisle Beach

Pirate’s Cove

We opted to head to Pirate’s Cove on Carlisle Bay, which happened to be situated at the closest end of the beach to the cruise port. Pirate’s Cove was recommended to us by a fellow cruise traveler earlier in the cruise, and it turned out to be a good choice.

It’s important to note, the passenger found that this was the only section of the beach that could accommodate the needs of someone using a wheelchair. If you or someone in your party needs an accessible beach area, Pirate’s Cove would be an excellent choice.

Pirate’s Cove is peaceful in comparison to The Boatyard. For a start, there is only one row of sun beds so there is no one between you and the turquoise waters. When you fancy a dip, there is room to swim without having to negotiate other people. For this reason I found it a great place to relax.

Pirate's Cove Carlisle Bay Barbados cruise port
Sunbeds with plenty of space at Pirate’s Cove, Carlisle Bay

We paid $16 for two sunbeds and a parasol, which I thought was very reasonable given some of the other prices along the beach. They were standard sun loungers that you would find on any other stretch of Carlisle Bay.

Like the other areas of Carlisle Bay, Pirate’s Cove offers food and drink to purchase. There is a rustic bar and food court that served excellent fish cakes (my personal recommendation). You get 8 fish cake balls in one portion so one is probably enough for two people!

Pirate's Cove Carlisle Bay Barbados cruise port
Pirate’s Cove at Carlisle Beach

We spent our day laying in the sun, taking regular dips in the sea and watching the jet skis whizzing up and down. We were invited to take a boat trip to see the sea turtles, hire jet skis and purchase trinkets but we were only swayed by the guy selling watermelon and pineapple.

Carlisle Bay Barbados cruise port
Fresh watermelon and pineapple can be purchased for beach vendors

Everyone was friendly and laid back so we never felt pestered. It was a nice, relaxing day at the beach.

You can check out some of the other Caribbean destinations I’ve visited here.

Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry from Barbados Cruise Port

That evening, we headed to Oistin’s Friday Night Fish Fry in search of Caribbean cuisine and a taste of local life.

We pre-arranged with Shelley, our taxi driver, to take us to Oistins from outside the cruise terminal. By pre-arranging we paid $20 per person. If you don’t pre-book a taxi, you can expect to pay around $25 per person return. We were warned the road would be busy but we didn’t expect an hour’s drive. On the return journey, it took us 20 minutes so from this you can gauge the actual distance without traffic. 

My advice would be to head to Oistins early to avoid the traffic queues and to get a seat at one of the many food outlets operating there. If you are staying in a hotel nearby, walking to the Fish Fry is the best option.

Oistins Friday Fish Fry from Barbados cruise port
Local entertainment at Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry

Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry is like nothing I’ve experienced before! When we arrived it was busy with people enjoying the food, music, drink and the atmosphere. It was a mix of locals enjoying the ‘lime’ and tourists looking to experience real Caribbean food.

We wandered through the many food shacks with barbecued fish to order. It’s loud and busy but that’s all part of the experience and the best way to experience local life. Bars playing music are dotted throughout so wherever you decide to eat there’s likely to be the sound of reggae and Caribbean tunes.

Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry, Barbados
Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry

We found a place called Chillin & Grillin where a group was just paying the bill so we hovered and took their place on the communal long table. It was around 7.30pm and we were lucky to find seats. There was a bar playing music nearby and the barbecue was in full view so we could watch the chefs cooking. You don’t have loads of room so things are rather ‘cosy’. We were just relieved that we’d actually found a place and the promise of some authentic cuisine.

Oistins fish fry Barbados
Fresh fish on the barbecue at Oistins Fish Fry

Firstly, we ordered some local beers and took a look at the menu. We didn’t mind waiting for our food because there was so much to see from our table. A constant stream of locals and tourists passed us by and there were people dancing in front of the nearby bar.

Oistins Fish Fry Barbados
The menu for Chilling & Grillin

We chose the shrimp and chicken dishes with a variety of sides (starches) and salads. The shrimp were huge and clearly freshly caught. The rice and peas were full of flavour and the macaroni salad was good also. I was initially not sure what to expect but I my expectations were completely exceeded. A word of warning, the dishes are big portions. Go hungry to Oistins Fish Fry so you don’t miss out on enjoying the food.

Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry
The shrimp with rice and peas, fried plantain and macaroni salad
Oistins Fish Fry, near Barbados cruise port
Enjoying the food, beer and atmosphere at Oistins Fish Fry

After eating you can browse the crafts stalls, enjoy the music and have a drink. If you’re in Barbados on a Friday night I would highly recommend this experience. Some of the food shack open on other days of the week but the biggest night is Friday.

Oistins Fish Fry Barbados craft stalls
There are plenty of local craft stalls to browse

Tips for Flights to Barbados Cruise Port

Barbados has an international airport and is well served with flights from London Gatwick and Manchester. Three airlines offer flights from Gatwick (Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Thompson) and Virgin Atlantic fly from Manchester. Having flown with all three, I must say that I think Virgin Atlantic has the edge on the others. The service is fantastic and the in-flight entertainment, including live TV, is enough to keep you occupied for the 8 hours, 30 minutes flight.

Virgin Atlantic ice cream
Mini-treats on Virgin Atlantic

Thompson has been my least favourite owing to the toilets smelling as we walked on to the flight (things are only going to get smellier!). The same entertainment was offered on both outbound and returning flights (when you’ve watched the ones you want on the way, what do you watch on the way back?). This is a first world problem but could be useful if you’re debating which airline to choose.

I collect Virgin Atlantic flying miles using a credit card and have amounted almost 70,000 miles that can be used to pay for or save money on flights to a number of countries including Barbados, Antigua and St Lucia. I plan to write about this in more detail in the future.

If you decide to pre-book your seats, my advice would be to select seats on the left-hand side. This gives you a view of Bridgetown and the cruise port as you approach Barbados. We could see our cruise ship from the air!

Barbados cruise port from the air
Flying in to Barbados
Barbados cruise port
Barbados cruise port from the air (Britannia is there!)

The Grantly Adams International Airport in Barbados is approximately 30 minutes from the cruise port in Bridgetown. For anyone visiting Barbados for a land-based holiday, transfer times vary:

  • St Lawrence Gap (16 minutes)
  • Crane Beach (13 minutes)
  • Hastings (12 minutes)
  • Holetown (43 minutes)
  • Maxwell (8 minutes)
  • Oistins (14 minutes)
  • Paynes Bay (44 minutes)
  • Rockley (11 minutes)
  • Speightstown (54 minutes)

If you choose to take a local bus it’s most cost-effective (as little as $1) but a taxi is the quickest way to get to your hotel.

Foreign Currency in Barbados

The official currency in Barbados is Barbados Dollar. We decided to take a combination of US Dollars and Barbados Dollars for our trip.

To be honest, either is fine as everywhere we went accepted both. As tourists, the people in the shops, restaurants and taxis assumed that we would be paying in US Dollars. Just be aware, in most places the prices were displayed in Barbados Dollars.

Barbados currency
Barbados Dollars can be ordered from your travel agent, credit: Manor FX

The Barbados Dollars are very colourful notes and the coins have flying fish on them. Barbados is know as the land of the flying fish.

Final Thoughts

Barbados is a Caribbean destination I would certainly like to return to, whether that’s on a future cruise or a land-based holiday. My experience was a positive one and I feel the full day we spent in Barbados was a good mix of time spent relaxing and exploring the local area.

Carlisle Bay is a gorgeous white sandy beach, easily accessible to cruise passengers. It has options for those who want to party or simply soak up the sunshine.

Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry was one of the highlights of my entire trip. I would urge anyone who visits Barbados, to spend an evening soaking up the atmosphere and tasting the Caribbean food. I am always on the hunt to experience local culture and Oistins really ticked this box. The people I met in Barbados were friendly and welcoming; they wanted us to enjoy our visit and couldn’t be more helpful.

If you’re interested in checking out holidays to Barbados, I would recommend contacting SN Travel. SN Travel was recognised by the British Travel Awards 2019 and personally, were very helpful throughout the entire booking.

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Laura
Laura

Laura is a UK cruise blogger based in Cornwall, UK. She founded Cruise Lifestyle in 2016 to share useful advice about cruising, destinations and food.
Last port visited: Bridgetown, Barbados
Next port of call: unknown, but she can’t wait for cruising to resume safely!

Find me on: Twitter

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18 Comments

  1. January 31, 2020 / 1:02 pm

    I love the Bahamas! Pirates Bay looks like the type of beach I most enjoy, since it’s not as crowded as The Boatyard. But truthfully, I love any beach in the Caribbean and would be happy to set myself down at any point on Carlisle Bay. The food looks delicious, too–especially those big shrimp! Barbados, here I come…

    • cruiselifestyle
      Author
      February 3, 2020 / 6:56 am

      Hi Jackie, if you plan to go to Barbados don’t book flights to the Bahamas they are not in the same area 🙂

  2. January 31, 2020 / 1:09 pm

    We just left Barbados on this cruise to South America. We know we will be back. So good to know that Carlisle Bay is a great day trip on a cruise. Awesome that there are 4 different beach areas. And you don’t have to pay for a sun bed to use the beach. I think we would head to Pirate’s Cove too to escape some of the crowds. We will definitely try the fish cakes! Nice if our cruise stayed long enough so we could enjoy the fish fry. Especially if we were there on a busy Friday night.

    • cruiselifestyle
      Author
      February 3, 2020 / 6:57 am

      We were very fortunate to be able to experience the Friday Fish Fry!

  3. danikbates1982
    January 31, 2020 / 11:33 pm

    I would love to check out Carlisle Bay, with or without a cruise. However as well as wanting to get a tan on the beach, the seafood looks amazing and I fancy some of that right now. Looks like I need to get out to the Barbados sooner than later.

  4. February 1, 2020 / 1:38 pm

    I’d love to visit Barbados with the idyllic white sands. The Boatyard at Carlisle Bay and Copacabana looks very crowded though, I’d be more interested in Pirate’s Cove, I love the sound of fish cakes by the beach too! Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry looks to have a lively buzz, perfect to give you the Caribbean vibes. I’ve not checked out Virgin flights for a while, I’ll do that when I’m booking next time!

  5. Soumya Gayatri
    February 2, 2020 / 2:15 am

    Barbados is high on my list of places to visit and I am looking forward to ticking it off one day. I am so glad I read your post. Pirate’s Cove looks like the place my family would love. And I would enjoy trying out Caribbean cuisine at Oistins fish fry.

  6. February 2, 2020 / 6:57 am

    Barbados is famous for its island and sea area, You have nicely described places to see – Carlisle Bay, Copacabana, and many places. In your blog, you have mentioned that the charge is not so high $16 for two sunbeds and a parasol. I could see fish being served at the night party. Do you know is there any vegan options available?

    • cruiselifestyle
      Author
      February 3, 2020 / 7:05 am

      There is definitely a vegetarian option by opting for the starches and salad on the menu. Only breadfruit, plantain, potato and potentially rice and peas (depending on what stock is used) are vegan.

  7. mijiaeggers
    February 2, 2020 / 9:58 am

    We went to the island as port of call of our cruise route. We rented a car to drive around. Since the map we had from the tourist office was not correct, it was always difficult to find the places. So we lost in the sugar cane field but then found the place suddenly! IT was a fun to travel there.

    • cruiselifestyle
      Author
      February 3, 2020 / 7:06 am

      Oh if I got lost I’d panic we would miss the ship!

  8. Umiko
    February 3, 2020 / 2:54 am

    Of all the beaches you listed above, Carlisle will be my first choice. The Boatyard and Copacabana are just too crowded for me. Although there are bars and restaurants there, there is still an empty part on the beach. Your shrimp looks so delicious. And big!

    • cruiselifestyle
      Author
      February 3, 2020 / 7:08 am

      Just to clarify, Carlisle Bay is one big beach with different areas like Pirate’s Cove, The Boatyard and Copacabana. The shrimps were huge!

  9. February 4, 2020 / 3:41 pm

    Barbados is definitely part of our bucket list and I just loved your post. I also heard good feedback Pirate’s Cove because it’s more peaceful so you can relax.

    Well, I can’t wait to visit soon and thank you for sharing these. Happy to know you had a great time.

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