Exploring Half Moon Cay: A Cruise Line Private Island Paradise
Half Moon Cay, or Little San Salvador Island, is a private paradise in the Bahamas exclusively for Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line passengers. This serene retreat offers the perfect spot for a relaxing beach day during your cruise. Note that “cay” is pronounced “key”.
Of all the cruise line private islands, it’s one of my favorites. It offers not just a relaxing day at the beach with sugar-soft white sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters, but it’s FREE. Just note that Half Moon Cay is quite a large island, so don’t cluster right near the entrance of the beach, but get out a bit further to avoid the more crowded spaces.
Related: New to cruising? Check out my Comprehensive Cruise Guide.
About Half Moon Cay
Half Moon Cay is a private island in the Bahamas, primarily visited by Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line ships. This island covers around 2,400 acres, but only a small portion is developed for visitors, ensuring a natural and untouched environment.
The Bahamas, a nation of over 700 islands, is known for its clear waters and sandy beaches. Private islands like Half Moon Cay and others like Princess Cays and CocoCay are reserved exclusively for cruise line passengers, providing a controlled and safe environment for relaxation and fun.
It’s really nice to call upon a port where you don’t have to deal with aggressive local vendors hassling you right at the port to buy their goods. You also don’t have to arrange for transportation, figure out where to go and what to do, or book an expensive excursion. Those are the benefits of private islands, and that’s why I now even seek out itineraries that visit them.
If you want to get an idea of what Half Moon Cay looks like, you can get a great overview from this promo video from Carnival (it’s exactly the same, too, for Holland and Princess).
Is Half Moon Cay a Tender Port?
Half Moon Cay operates as a tender port, which means passengers are transported from the cruise ship to the island using smaller boats. This tendering process takes about 20-30 minutes each way. The beach here is one of the main attractions, featuring soft white sand and calm, inviting waters. I personally don’t like tender ports since the process can be tedious getting to and from the pier, but in this case, the process is well worth it.
While I’m generally not much of a fan of cruise line excursions, there’s an additional benefit to them when it comes to tender ports, and that is that the purchase of a cruise line excursion earns you the benefit of priority tendering, meaning you get to be the first people onto the water shuttles over to Half Moon Cay. If you’re not an early riser, this isn’t much benefit, but if you’re yearning to maximize your time on the island, this is the way to do it.
Related: Learn more about how to prepare for port days.
Things to Do at Half Moon Cay
Because Half Moon Cay is a private island, no third-party excursion options exist. If you want to take an excursion, you must book it directly through the cruise line. These excursions generally include activities like horseback riding in the surf, snorkeling, jet skiing, and other water activities. My recommendation is to save money and enjoy a beach day here.
Using loungers is free for cruise guests, and it’s really all you need for a good beach day experience. The only downside here is that the beach area gets a lot of direct sun, and umbrellas and clamshells are not free (more on that in a moment), so plan for this aspect.
What to Bring to Half Moon Cay
I recommend bringing a few things with you to enhance the experience (beyond the obvious things like sunscreen). Half Moon Cay is great for snorkeling; I always bring my own set. My favorite is this one from Amazon; it’s affordable yet high quality and has traveled with me worldwide to all sorts of snorkeling experiences. It’s also much more hygienic this way, as you’re not putting something in your mouth that’s been used by many other random people.
I also recommend an inflatable float. Many recommend not bringing floats on cruises since they’re forbidden from cruise ship pools, but I disagree because these really enhance the beach day experience, and you don’t have to worry about renting a float or pool noodle. This is my favorite because it’s so compact and versatile.
Finally, I recommend a lockable beach bag of some sort. Half Moon Cay does have lockers available for rent, but they’re $10 per locker and not always conveniently located where you’re hanging out on the island. Having your own lockable bag allows you easy access to things like your phone while keeping it secure, along with your money and ship card. Also, don’t forget to bring your beach towels with you from the cruise ship!
Related: Not sure about whether to pack beach towels? Here’s what you need to know.
Wi-Fi at Half Moon Cay
Wi-Fi is not available on Half Moon Cay. It’s frustrating because even if you pay the high fees for cruise Wi-Fi, it does not work here (unlike at MSC’s Ocean Cay private island, where guests who pay for ship Wi-Fi can also use island Wi-Fi at no cost).
In fact, there is no Wi-Fi on Half Moon Cay at all, although some cell providers may have service. I have AT&T, and it works here, but of course, I have to pay my daily international roaming fee to access it. If it’s possible to disconnect, this is a great opportunity to do just that and enjoy the natural surroundings.
Does the Drink Package Work at Half Moon Cay?
Some cruise lines allow the use of their drink packages on their private islands, but unfortunately, this is not the case here. Even if you purchase Carnival’s drink package or Holland’s Have it All package, it does not apply to drinks at Half Moon Cay. Aside from the free included drinks at the buffet area, the purchase of soda or alcoholic beverages will come at a cost, although this can be charged directly to your stateroom account. The legal drinking age in the Bahamas is 18.
Related: Learn the pros and cons (and risks) of booking independent excursions.
Is a Private Cabana at Half Moon Cay Worth It?
The cruise lines that call upon Half Moon Cay all offer private cabana rentals, and the price is variable depending on demand but generally runs at a cost of $450+. I’ve rented a cabana here and also at Carnival Corporation’s other private island, Princess Cays, and I personally don’t think it’s worth it.
The cost of a cabana covers just four people, and an extra surcharge is charged to accommodate up to two additional people for a maximum of six. The cabanas feature a ceiling fan, refrigerator, table, and chairs inside, outdoor dining table and chairs, two deck loungers, and a misting shower. Snacks such as chips, dip, fresh fruits, water, and canned soda are provided.
Cabana guests enjoy the service of an attendant, which they share with other cabana guests, but I’ve generally found this service to be minimal and fairly lackluster. Renting a cabana also allows guests to use water-floating mats and snorkel gear at no additional cost, but as noted above, I always bring my own snorkeling gear and floaties. Another benefit of renting a cabana, like any purchased Half Moon Cay excursion, is getting priority tendering.
Is a Clamshell Rental at Half Moon Cay Worth It?
Yes! While I think Half Moon Cay cabanas are overpriced, the clamshells are a great value, running around $49.99. While I love Half Moon Cay, it gets a lot of direct sun, and finding shade can be a challenge, so this guarantees that you’ll have some shade. It also gives you the benefit of priority tendering! A single clamshell covers two lounge chairs, and the price is per clamshell, so you can certainly use them for a group of more than two people, at least in terms of sharing the space.
Clamshells on the beach are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and guests might need to walk some distance to reach them, as the ones closest to the entrance where the water shuttle drops off passengers tend to fill up most quickly. Unfortunately, there are sometimes issues where the cruise line overbooks these and/or doesn’t police their use well in terms of allowing randos to take them over, so these can sometimes be issues.
If they do overbook, however, you should be able to obtain a refund easily, but arriving early and using the priority tendering benefit you receive will help improve your chances of getting one in a desirable location.
Language and Currency
The official language of the Bahamas is English, making communication straightforward for most visitors. The Bahamian dollar is the official currency, but you typically won’t need cash on Half Moon Cay. It’s generally a free beach day, and most purchases can be billed to your stateroom account using your ship card. There are shops selling souvenirs, so you may spend money on that.
Food Options at Half Moon Cay
Cruise lines provide a complimentary lunch buffet for their guests on Half Moon Cay, ensuring you have plenty to eat during your visit. The buffet is offered at a set time, so be sure to note the time so you don’t miss it. In my experience with Holland and Carnival, the buffet here is great!
Of course, cruisers could always return back to the ship for a snack or meal, but with the tendering process, that’s not feasible. Additional food and drinks may also be available for purchase, offering various options to satisfy your cravings.
Climate and What to Wear
Half Moon Cay enjoys a tropical climate with warm temperatures year-round, ranging from the mid-70s to mid-80s Fahrenheit. Light, breathable clothing, swimsuits, and sun protection are recommended to stay comfortable in sunny weather.
Related: Shop my favorite cruise styles and outfits.
Time Zone
Keeping track of time zones can get complicated when cruising, especially for itineraries with multiple time zone changes on one sailing. Your captain will make announcements during the cruise to update you on these changes, but it’s good to be aware of these differences ahead of time when planning your stop at the port, especially for excursions.
Most cruise lines operate on “ship time” set to the time of their departing port, so it’s generally good practice to keep your phone or watch set to ship time. As for the port, the Bahamas operates on Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Keeping track of the time is crucial, especially ensuring you stay coordinated with ship time. It’s a bit easier not to miss the “return to ship” time when you’re on a private island, but it is still possible!
