The Bahamian government should be concerned about tourism. I was in Nassau with my family only a few days ago on a Disney cruise. The majority of the ship did not depart and go into town. Of the ones who did, most came back complaining that the tourism support (availability of respectable tour operators, buses, etc) was nonexistent -- a few diamond shops, a sad straw market and a few bars. The one bright spot was when I took my family for a walk (my wife said she felt unsafe, but I assured her that all was fine) and we came across a small street carnival. My wife and 8 yr old were excited to see a bit of Bahamian culture until some of the young dancers came up to our group of tourist families. Once they saw us, they started to simulate sex acts. After that, our group quickly got back onto the ship and that was it for our Nassau excursion. I might take another cruise in future but I won't be spending any time (or money) in Nassau after this last experience.

I arrived on a Disney cruise for a day of shopping and fun in Nassau last week and came across a small carnival street parade. My family (wife and 8 yr old) and other tourists were excited to see it, until the dancers got closer. Several of the Bahamian young people saw the children then started to simulate sex acts during the parade -- I reckon they found it funny to do so. I've been to several island carnivals (my mother is from Trinidad), but I've never come across this type of behaviour before. The large group of us who had left the ship together, promptly went back onboard and enjoyed our day spending money with the cruise line rather than on the streets of Nassau. I don't think I'll ever take another Bahamas cruise.

I just got back from a Disney cruise to Nassau. The problem for the Bahamas is that most of us stayed on the ship rather than tour Nassau because we felt unsafe. The Bahamian people are generally wonderful, but the city itself has seen better days and their seems to be a lack of seriousness when it comes to making the place attractive to the tourist. A nice touch were the police in clean white colonial era uniforms, but other than that, not much else was really evident to be seen. I was looking for a tour bus to take my family around the city, but the only option was a bunch of dodgy looking taxi drivers who kept pestering us. Nassau needs to look to Key West to see how to do it. Keep the place clean (in tourism areas) and provide safe, family friendly ways of seeing the island. The other issue is that I ran into a street carnival with my family (wife and small child.) I had to turn away because several Bahamian young people were simulating sex acts while dancing in the parade (very X rated) and in front of foreign families. It's their right to do it, but I certainly won't be getting off the ship anymore to see the Bahamas.