Visiting a cruise lines private island? Don't make these 11 mistakes

Table Of Content

• Exclusive Glimpse into the Princess Kitchen
• Half Moon Cay (Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line)
• Harvest Caye
• Visiting a cruise line’s private island? Don’t make these 11 mistakes
• Cruise News Recap: Carnival Tampering, Dining Changes, Evacuation
• Cruises
• Ocean Cay (MSC’s Private Island): Complete Guide, Tips, & Things to Know

For those looking to be more active, parasailing, snorkeling, kayaking, and even driving a wave runner are all options here. Similar to other private islands, you’ll get an island BBQ and the ability to purchase frosty drinks while sitting in your complimentary lounge chair. Half Moon Cay is a tender port, but many of the amenities and offerings make up for that inconvenience. Free BBQ for lunch, horseback riding on the beach, a kid’s water park area, and a chance to swim with stingrays are all on offer. A tram will take you wherever you'd like to go on the massive 125-acre island, which now features a dock so tendering is no longer required. Despite the enviable vistas afforded by the multiple beaches and pools, some of the best views can be had from a ride on a tethered helium balloon that will take you 450 feet up in the air.

Exclusive Glimpse into the Princess Kitchen

If you have room in your luggage, you might also want to pack the kids' buckets, shovels, sand toys and beach balls so they don't whine about having nothing to play with or beg you to buy beach toys at the island's shops. Inflatable balls and floats pack down flat for easy transport and keep the kids entertained while you relax. Additionally, some islands have more than one beach, so don't settle for the first one you find. Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Cay, for instance, has beaches earmarked for families and teens; Serenity Bay, a heavenly mile-long stretch on the island's north side, is reserved for adults.

Half Moon Cay (Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line)

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The second of Royal Caribbean Group’s private destinations, Labadee is located in a lush, green forest on the northern coast of Haiti. Kids will love this stop, as the island features the world’s largest inflatable water slide, the Hippo, which stands 40 feet high and 175 feet long. This private Bahamian island is owned by and operated exclusively by Disney Cruise Line. It opened in 1998 after a $25 million renovation of Gorda Cay, previously an airstrip for bootleggers and drug runners.

Harvest Caye

The island has a Welcome Center with information and excursions, a church for weddings, an ice cream parlour, bar, food pavilion, and restrooms. Look forward to shopping for souvenirs, local crafts, and beachwear at the Straw Market, visit the watersports center, go horse riding on the beach or book a treatment at the Half Moon Salon. Young visitors can enjoy the Half Moon Lagoon Aqua Park with slides and pirate ship. Cruise lines rent private open-air beach (or pool) cabanas for hundreds of dollars per day and private air-conditioned beach villas for more than $1,000. These exclusive retreats get you VIP treatment and extra perks on your private island visit. Despite the high price tag, they are highly sought after and sell out fast.

Visiting a cruise line’s private island? Don’t make these 11 mistakes

As just 65 miles southeast from the Port of Miami, it has the advantage of being reached in just a few hours. In fact, the island is so close that ships sometimes dock overnight — giving passengers all day at the island… and then some — and still be able to reach Miami within a few hours. If you are taking a cruise in the United States aboard MSC, chances are high that you’ll be visiting Ocean Cay. This is the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas that’s exclusive to guests of MSC. Located about 100 miles from Nassau, Half Moon Cay is worth the extra travel time. Trust us when we say this slice of paradise is a beach lover's dream come true -- so nice, you may even visit it twice in one itinerary.

Cruise News Recap: Carnival Tampering, Dining Changes, Evacuation

Visitors can relax under a beach umbrella or sit under one of two large picnic pavilions. Ship Island is a national park, protected and preserved for future generations to enjoy in their natural unspoiled state. Home to the standard amenities – several beaches, including a private adults-only area, water sports, a pool for kids, multiple bars, and wildlife excursions, it’s easy and relaxing to spend a day here. Like private islands or private areas on islands, these stops offer clean bathrooms, shore excursions, shopping, dining and other activities for a fee.

And given the remoteness of the island, it’s a pretty good spot for stargazing. MSC offers a stargazing excursion, but you can also wander out to the darker spots and see constellations that you won’t notice in the city. Lighthouse ShowDuring the day the lighthouse on the island is the biggest landmark you’ll see. It can be seen from everywhere and you can even pay to climb to the top. Until a few years ago Ocean Cay was an industrial spot where sand was excavated for use in other places. The cruise line has since transformed it into what it is today, as well as an eco-friendly marine reserve.

They were custom built to do so and are the only two Princess ships in the fleet small enough to get through the locks. Children can enjoy supervised play in Pelican's Perch, an island adventure-themed play area with a sand playground and replica galleon. Hungry cruisers should look for the LandShark Bar & Grill, a dining venue affiliated with Jimmy Buffett. Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay made a big splashy announcement when it started rolling out some of the new amenities offered as part of its $200 million "Perfect Day at CocoCay" campaign.

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You don’t need to shell out extra for a beer or cocktail on the beach. Of course, you're subject to the same limits and restrictions as onboard. The island’s rental center can hook you up with snorkel gear to explore the underwater sculpture garden in Bertram’s Cove off the main beach. You can also rent wave runners, standup paddleboards, and floating mats. Great Stirrup Cay, an island that's part of the Berry Islands chain, was the first uninhabited island to be converted into a private island for a cruise line. Norwegian began leasing it from the Blecher Oil Company in 1977 before finally purchasing it in 1986.

While always a popular tender port in the Bahamas, a day at CocoCay became perfect after a $250 million rehab that included the addition of a water park, pier, multiple pools, and more. Castaway Cay was the first cruise line private island to skip the tender ride since Disney dredged the harbor and built a pier. These private destination paradises offer the ultimate beach day with smaller crowds, no fights for a  beach lounger, and meals included in your cruise fare. In 1997, Holland America Line purchased Little San Salvador from its previous owners for $6 million. Today, the 2,400-acre island is known as Half Moon Cay and serves as a private retreat for passengers on the line's Caribbean and Panama Canal sailings.

Here's everything you need to know about Half Moon Cay, Bahamas, a private island used by Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line. For example, on Carnival Corporation's Half Moon Cay, horseback riding in the surf is a popular attraction. Tours of the island's farm include learning about local plants and agriculture. Nature hikes bring travelers to ruins of limestone fishing huts from the late 18th century and spots to view the island's nesting seabird population. Head to West End Village, where you’ll find restaurants, bars and plenty of local boutiques.

Since Great Stirrup Cay is an extension of the ship, you can pay for drinks, tours, and rentals with your cruise card. The only reason to bring cash is to go shopping at the island’s straw market. The main beach area is the easternmost section of the island’s developed area and closest to the tender pier. It’s close to the snorkeling areas of Bertram’s Cove, rentals, tour info, food, drinks, and music, so it's the most action-packed. While tenders run back and forth all day, you’ll need to wait in line on either end for boats to arrive before you can board.

All cruise line private islands feature alfresco bars, souvenir shops and beach equipment rentals. Some islands also offer amusements like zip lines and water parks, kiddie play areas and rental cabanas of varying levels of luxury. Available shore excursions may include options like swimming with stingrays, jet ski rides and snorkeling. Most offer watersports like snorkeling and stand-up paddleboarding, plus a variety of bars and buffets for snacks and drinks throughout the day. Found just a few miles offshore from Placencia, Belize, the 75-acre property offers both a beach with loungers and private villas, and a lagoon pool with a swim-up bar, lounge chairs and private cabanas. The island also features shops selling local wares, a zip line, a lighthouse that you can climb, a kids splash park and a wildlife sanctuary that includes birds, butterflies and snakes.