Welcome aboard, Kathleen!
The
Explore Nassau Sightseeing Tour is a great one if this is your very first time to the island. You'll get a nice taste of the culture and history of the whole island. After that, you can certainly make your way to a public beach, if you have your heart set on that. The closest beach to the cruise port is Junkanoo Beach. Just know that it is a party beach of sorts, and you will have to rent everything there, from chairs to anything else. You'd also have to bring your own towels from home because you won't receive towels from the ship as you leave since you're not on a water adventure with Disney. Honestly, if I were you, I'd skip the beach in Nassau, unless you decide to do a Port Adventure to Blue Lagoon or Atlantis, which includes what you need at the beach and offer much cleaner and more secluded beach areas. My family and I prefer to take a morning Port Adventure in Nassau and then get right back on the ship so we can relax and enjoy the pool deck while other guests are off the ship. It's much quieter and the line for the AquaDunk is much shorter!
Your best beach day will be at Castaway Cay, which offers a really wonderful snorkeling experience just off Family Beach too! My family and I bring our own snorkel gear, but you can rent some on the beach too. Disney has hidden some fun items under the water in
Snorkel Lagoon, so you have lots to explore. Plus, the super clean beaches at Castaway Cay include everything you'll need for the day: loungers, chairs, hammocks, towels as you leave the ship, all your food and non-specialty drinks for the day, and so many included activities like Character Dance Parties, Crab Races, sliding fun at Pelican Plunge, and more!
Have a great cruise!
Marcy