Is Your Excursion Operator Licensed?

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – How do you know if your tour operator is licensed? Our Marlena Leonard spoke with a member of The Bahamas Excursion Operators Association about the push for more people to get licensed and how difficult it can be for a layperson to tell the difference.

It’s summertime, the tourists are in, and the water is gorgeous but after 2018’s fatal boat explosion of the Four C’s in The Bahamas, more people are asking, when it comes time to book an excursion, how can I tell if the tour operator is licensed?

Nicholas Pinder owns and operates Born Free Charters, and is a member of The Bahamas Excursion Operators Association.

He says for tourists hoping to find a list in one place, it can be a little difficult for people to figure out who is and isn’t licensed.

He says for now, the fastest way to tell a pleasure boat from a commercial boat is in the numbers.

But what are the differences between those licensed and unlicensed? Well it mostly comes down to safety inspections and insurance coverage.

The captain must hold a master’s license, which requires a character certificate from The Royal Bahamas Defense Force, liability coverage, a business license and finally, passing the port department inspections of the vessel’s structural integrity, safety and navigational equipment.

President of The Bahamas Excursion Operators Association Andoni Lisgaris, advocates for a dated sticker or disk, similar to car licensing, or a step further with a digital version allowing information to be available on operators websites.

He tells us for now, there is no public registry that would display this information.