- Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line - Holland America Line
Walk right off a cruise ship (or ship’s tender) into a beach resort with no taxis required. Passengers can enjoy pristine beaches, water sports, private cabanas, and not once will they be pestered by hawkers selling souvenirs. Here is what else to expect from the cruise lines' private islands.
Castaway Cay - Best Adult-Only Beaches
Disney Cruise Line operates this private island in the Bahamas and it even has its own pier that allows their cruise ships to dock alongside. There are separate beaches for families, teens, and even an adults-only beach. Serenity Bay has its own bar, BBQ area, and the opportunity to have an open-air cabana massage.
- Water Parks and Playgrounds – Kids can swing and climb on an offshore playground, a replica of a sunken ship (an actual prop from the Pirates of the Caribbean). In addition, kids aged 3-12 can enjoy the supervised youth program at Scuttle’s Cove.
- Private Island Shore Excursions – Castaway Ray’s Stingray Adventure is an excursion for guests to feed the stingrays as well as snorkel with them in an enclosed lagoon. Other extra activities include water sport rentals.
Holland America Line’s Half Moon Cay was named for its long crescent beach and both HAL’s vessels and Carnival Cruise Line ships stop here. Romantic couples can rent private, beachside cabanas with butler service and massage huts.
- Water Parks and Playgrounds - Half Moon Lagoon features a water park with a pirate ship waterslide. And teens will like the buoyed personal watercraft course.
- Private Island Shore Excursions – Choose from a stingray adventure, horseback riding, glass bottom boat tours, guided kayak trips and deep sea fishing. Or guests can rent snorkel gear, windsurfing equipment, kayaks, or beach floats.
Located on the southern tip of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, this 40 acre beach resort is used by the guests of Princess Cruises, Cunard Line and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. It features 1-1/2 miles of pristine beaches, but for solitude, passengers can rent a cabana or a covered chaise lounge on a reserved and quieter portion of the beach.
- Water Parks and Playgrounds – Pelican’s Perch is the supervised play area with a replica pirate ship for climbing, a freshwater wading pool and a sandy playground.
- Private Island Shore Excursions – Take a glass bottom boat cruise or a ride on a banana boat. Active types can rent a variety of water toys including sailboats, kayaks and snorkel equipment.
Royal Caribbean operates this large beach resort property located on the north coast of Hispaniola, but sister companies, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises also use this port of call.
- Water Parks and Playgrounds – Luc’s Splash Bash is a pirate-themed water park with geysers and water cannons. There is also a floating SeaTrek waterslide that is 40 feet high.
- Private Island Shore Excursions - Dragon’s Breath Flight Line is a 2,600 foott long zip line over the ocean. Or take a guided kayak tour through an inland bay. There are also water sports rentals.
Renee Ruggero - Renee is a published travel writer and cruise industry insider with more than 1,000 days on cruise ships, visiting over 50 countries.
