Celebration Cruise Line will switch its port of call on Bahamas cruises from Nassau to Freeport, effective March 15.
The final cruise into Nassau from Fort Lauderdale will be March 12.
Celebration launched service last March out of Fort Lauderdale to Nassau aboard the 1,300-passenger Bahamas Celebration, offering two-night cruises three times a week.
The Freeport cruises will depart from West Palm Beach instead of Fort Lauderdale, according to Glenn Ryerson, Celebration's vice president of marketing. He called that move "a more interesting marketing plan for the local South Florida market."
Regarding the switch to Freeport, Ryerson said, "We had positive feedback from our passengers regarding Nassau, and we had no issue with Nassau, but Grand Bahama courted us strongly. We see a great opportunity at Our Lucaya Golf & Beach Resort on Grand Bahama for our passengers."
The line will offer two-night cruises as well as four- and six-night land-cruise packages.
Rates for a cruise with two nights spent aboard the ship and two nights at Our Lucaya start at $273 per person, double. The cruise portion includes meals and accommodations. The resort portion covers accommodations only.
"Our Lucaya has 14 restaurants and lounges, so our passengers have plenty of choices," Ryerson said.
Celebration pays 20% commission. Agents account for 25% of all bookings, a figure that Ryerson would like to increase to 50%.
For additional rates, visit BahamasCelebration.com.