Half Moon Cay (Bahamas Carnival private island)

Currently, cruise ships to Half Moon Cay anchor at sea (in the bay) and transport/ferry their passengers ashore via ship's tender boats. In early-August 2019, HAL Properties Ltd (subsidiary of Carnival Corporation) announced plans to add a docking pier at Half Moon Cay to allow passengers direct disembarkation ashore. With the new pier project (budgeted ~USD 80 million) cruisers will access the island easier and quicker (allowing more ashore time) and also stormy weather will not be an issue anymore.

Carnival's Half Moon island has a 2,5 ml / 4 km long beach. Island's infrastructure includes:

• Welcome Center - has Information Booth, Shore Excursions Booth, Ice Cream Parlor, Rumrunners Bar, restrooms.
• Bahamian Church (cruise weddings), Straw Market (gift shop)
• post office, first aid station, Food Pavilion (complimentary restaurant with open-air seating; burgers, hot dogs, salads, fresh fruit), three Water Sports centers (water toys rentals)
• Lookout Bar, Bell Bar, "I Wish I Could Stay Here Forever" Bar
• Sports Center, Half Moon Salon (hair / barber services, manicure / pedicure), Massage cabana (spa treatments)
• Club HAL (Holland America kids complex /complimentary programming)
• Half Moon Lagoon Aqua Park (kids water park with slides and climable sea creatures)
• tram, tender pier.
• In mid-November 2016, Holland America unveiled a new restaurant on Half Moon Cay, with a menu showcasing one dish: lobster. The new "Lobster Shack" is offered in addition to the island's usual complimentary barbeque. It serves up grilled spiny lobster with rice and Caribbean coconut beans and one of two salsas (pineapple or sofrito). While the cruise ship is docked, its cooks come ashore to operate the venue (open between 11 am - 2 pm) following a recipe developed in part with the line's partner Master Chef Rudi Sodamin. Lunch costs USD 20 per person. The new restaurant's inauguration was on Nov 11, during the MS Koningsdam's inaugural cruise. The venue is casual, with a Tiki hut-style vibe and "no shoes, no shirt" dress code. It's located on the beach, next to the "I Wish I Could Stay Here Forever" bar.
• Cruises to Half Moon Cay by Carnival Cruise Line ships also offer access to Lobster Shack, but Carnival offers a different menu.

The following map of Half Moon Cay shows all facilities on the island (including Aqua Park, Stingray Adventure, Aqua Trax, 2-story villas and private cabanas locations), as well as all snorkeling areas and watersports centers.

Among the Half Moon Cay's activities are swimming and sunbathing, scuba diving and snorkeling, jet-skiing, deep-sea fishing, parasailing, glass-bottom boating, horseback riding, cycling, nature walks, hiking. Available rentals are for Hobie catamarans, Sunfish sailboats, windsurfing boards, sea kayaks, paddleboats, Aqua Cycle Trikes, Aqua Trax Wave Runners, snorkeling gear. The island also has sports facilities (volleyball-basketball courts), outdoor games (horseshoes shuffleboard), fitness track with outdoor exercise equipment. The island is also a preserve for migratory birds. The most popular Carnival shore excursions offered on Half Moon Cay are:

• TROPICAL KAYAK ADVENTURE ($45 pp / duration 1,25 hours / min age 6 yo) - through Bone Fish Lagoon
• HORSEBACK RIDING BY LAND & SEA ($100 pp / duration 1,25 hours, min age 10 yo)
• STINGRAY ADVENTURE ($30 pp / duration 1 hour / min age 6 yo)
• HALF MOON CAY SNORKEL BY BOAT ($60 pp / duration 1,5 hours / min age 8 yo) - snorkeling gear is provided.