With little planning required, cruise line private islands are often favorite ports among cruisers.
If you are a first-timer visiting one of these islands, it is fair to assume that you have questions about about what’s included and how you should spend your day ashore. Will you, for instance, need to bring a towel from the ship? Can you sit on beach chairs for free?
No question is "dumb," especially when you are trying to plan the best vacation. Knowing the answers to commonly asked questions should better understand everything there is to know about cruise line private islands.
What cruise lines have private islands?
There are five different cruise lines that have private islands located throughout the Bahamas and Caribbean:
- Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Cay
- Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay
- Norwegian Cruise Line's Great Stirrup Cay and Harvest Caye
- Carnival Corporation's Half Moon Cay
- MSC Cruises' Ocean Cay Marine Reserve
Additionally, a few cruise lines have what are known as private destinations. These ports of call are not located on a private island; however, they still offer an exclusive guest experience. If, for instance, you are cruising to Disney Cruise Line's Lighthouse Point, you will not be sharing the port with passengers on other cruise lines, such as Princess Cruises or Norwegian Cruise Line.
Royal Caribbean has a private destination in Haiti called Labadee, while Princess Cruises' Princess Cays is located on the island of Eleuthera just three miles north of Lighthouse Point.
While neither a private island nor private destination, if you are sailing on Virgin Voyages to the Bahamas, you will be able to take advantage of their private beach club on the island of Bimini.
Where are they located?
With the exception of Harvest Caye, Belize and Labadee, Haiti, all cruise line private destinations are located in the Bahamas, an archipelago of 700 islands that is located off the coast of Florida.
Some of them are close together, too. If you are visiting Great Stirrup Cay, you will be right beside of Perfect Day at CocoCay, and vice versa. These two islands are located roughly 140 miles east of Miami and 64 miles north of Nassau.
Because these islands are located further north than many cruise ports in the Caribbean, they are subject to chiller weather than some may expect. This is important to keep in mind when planning a Bahamas cruise in the winter months from November to February. Some days might be sunny and warm, while others may be windy and cold.
Read more: Best Month to Cruise to the Bahamas
Do you have to pay to go to a cruise line private island?
Admission to each cruise line private island is included in the cost of your cruise fare. You are able to get off the ship, relax in a beach lounger, and walk around the island for free. For those on a budget, private islands are a great way to ensure you will have a fun day ashore without having to spend anything extra. Some, like Perfect Day at CocoCay and Harvest Caye, even have complimentary resort-style pools available for passengers to enjoy.
If you want to make your time a little bit more special, you can purchase a shore excursion. Offerings vary from island to island. MSC's Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, for instance, does not have a water park like Perfect Day at CocoCay does. Similarly, you can't pay to pet stingrays in Great Stirrup Cay like you can at Castaway Cay.
Splurging on for-free activities can be fun, but they are not necessary in order to enjoy the private island.
Read more: How to have a great time at MSC’s Ocean Cay without spending any money
Is there food available ashore?
You will find food available on every cruise line private island. In most cases, you will find a complimentary lunch buffet. Be sure to check the hours that they're open! You do not want to spend too much time on the beach just to find out that you missed lunch. You can either dine at the buffet or take your plate back to your spot on the beach-- whatever you prefer!
It is important to note, though, that Harvest Caye does not have any free dining options. If you want to have lunch while in port, you will want to bring cash, as your cruise card will not work here, either. You will find plenty of made-to-order options available for less than $15 per person, including burgers, sandwiches, tacos, and chicken tenders.
Some islands also offer for-fee extras, like MSC's Ocean Cay. Here, you will find food trucks where you can order premium offerings, including lobster rolls, fried calamari, and more. Similar to Harvest Caye, these options are less than $15 each. You can, however, opt to eat at the island's food court for free.
If you purchase admission to Perfect Day at CocoCay's Coco Beach Club, you will be able to eat at the sit-down restaurant. While you need to make a reservation, everything is included. This three-course meal starts with appetizers served family-style. You'll be able to order your main entree and dessert from a menu that includes things like lobster, filet mignon, grouper, and more.
Half Moon Cay also has upgraded lunch offerings, in addition to the complimentary buffet. At the Lobster Shack, you can purchase items -- including lobster and lobster rolls -- a la carte. If you order an entire lobster, you can expect to pay around $20, while the lobster roll is only $13.
Do cruise lines provide towels on the islands?
You should always plan on grabbing a towel from the ship before disembarking. Even though islands like CocoCay have towels ashore for guests, it is best to have yours ready to go! You can head straight to the beach and claim your seats for the day. Plus, you won't have to worry about making time to return it before heading back to the ship, as you can do it when you get back onboard.
Some, such as MSC's Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, don't have any towels on the island. If you forget, you will have to return to the ship!
Castaway Cay is the one exception. As soon as you disembark, you will see tons of towels available to grab. You won't have to go out of your way to head to the towel stand like at CocoCay.
Are there shore excursions available for purchase?
If sitting on the beach all day does not sound appealing to you-- don't worry! Each private island has a number of shore excursions that you can purchase to make the day a little bit more exciting. As mentioned earlier, the available options vary from island to island. On most, you can rent a bike for the day or go snorkeling!
The best way to see what's available on each island is to go to the cruise line's website and browse through their excursion page. To give you an idea, though, at Harvest Caye, you can go river tubing through a rainforest for $99 per adult and $79 per child, discover the archaeological site of Nim Li Punit for $109 per adult and $89 per child, soar hundreds of feet above the water on a parasail for $119 per adult and $89 per child.
Following an extensive renovation, Perfect Day at CocoCay has some of the most unique short excursion options. Not only can you ride down the tallest water slide in the Northern Hemisphere at Thrill Waterpark, but you can take a helium balloon ride up to get some of the most impressive views of the island. There's even a 1,600 foot zip line!
If you want to upgrade your experience, you can purchase a private cabana. These range from overwater cabanas at CocoCay to two-bedroom villas at Great Stirrup Cay. The cost ranges, too. You can get a cabana for only $349 at MSC's Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, while the Private Oasis Cabana at Half Moon Cay will cost you around $1,800.
Read more: Top 20 Fun Things to do at Castaway Cay
Do drink packages work on the islands?
Drink packages are popular cruise add-ons. For a set price, you do not have to worry about racking up a large alcohol bill while on your vacation.
Unfortunately, not all cruise lines let you utilize their benefits while on their private islands.
If you purchase the CHEERS! package for a Carnival cruise, you will not be able to use the package at either Half Moon Cay or Princess Cays. Every drink you get while on land will be purchase a la carte and billed to your onboard account.
Similarly, none of Holland America Line's drink packages can be used while visiting Half Moon Cay.
Those cruising on Norwegian Cruise Line should take note that their packages can only be used at Great Stirrup Cay. Since Harvest Caye was developed in partnership with the Belizean government, local inhabitants own the businesses and work onsite, thus contributing to the local economy. Just like how you have to purchase all food, you'll have to purchase your beverages, too, even if you have a drink package.
Disney Cruise Line does not offer any unlimited or fixed drink packages, so you will have to buy each drink individually on Castaway Cay like you would on the ship.
Read more: 10 things you won't find on a Disney cruise
Drink packages bought onboard Royal Caribbean ships will work at both Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee. Plus, each island has their own signature drink for passengers to try!
You will also be able to use your Princess Cruises' drink package while visiting Princess Cays and MSC Cruises' drink package while at MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve.
Finally, like Disney, Virgin Voyages does not offer any drink packages for guests to purchase. While you may sometimes be able to get a "bar tab" as a booking incentive, you will be charged for each drink that you get, whether that be onboard or at The Beach Club at Bimini.
Should you carry cash off the ship with you?
Some islands, like Harvest Caye, require you to carry cash if you want to purchase anything, including food and drinks. Others, such as CocoCay, can charge everything to you SeaPass account, even souvenirs! It is always recommended to bring cash, though. What happens if you misplace your cruise card and want to buy a magnet or something else to remember your time on the island?
Vendors on other islands, like Half Moon Cay and Labadee, only take cash.
Read more: Where to keep your cruise card, phone and cash during a shore excursion?
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
