Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay might just be my favorite cruise line private island. Shared by Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America, the Bahamian islet feels like a deserted island — that is, if you were stranded there with thousands of your party-minded friends.
The island has colorful wooden cabins, lots of greenery, and a long curve of white sand beach. My favorite thing to do on Relaxaway is walk past all the bars, loud music, and rows of lounge chairs to an area where hammocks hang from palm trees, and I can pull a lounge chair into the shade and read a book or nap.
The area happens to be where Carnival lets crew members get some R&R during their time off, and it’s fun to watch these hardworking folks take selfies and goof off with each other in the gentle waves.
I also love the giant beach BBQ on the island where I can load up a plate with burgers, grilled chicken, salads, fruit, and dessert. I can sample all the things and go back for more of the dishes I liked most. That is, if I’m still hungry after the first plate.
But Carnival’s new private beach destination, Celebration Key, is taking a different approach to the classic beach day. It’s leaning into fun-in-the-sun as imagined by Royal Caribbean on Perfect Day at CocoCay and, to a smaller extent, Virgin Voyages with its Bimini Beach Club.
Celebration Key is centered not on the beach but on two giant lagoon pools anchored by a central sandcastle-shaped tower with two waterslides spiraling out from its heights. Swim-up bars capitalize on that resort feel, and an upcharge beach club offers a more refined setting for sunbathing by an exclusive beach or curvy infinity pool.
How do these two exclusive Carnival cruise destinations stack up? Well, Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay is getting a glow-up in 2026 with a new pier on the beach’s north end, additional bars and dining venues, a new beach club, and more cabanas and lounging areas.
But until then, here’s my comparison of Celebration Key and Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay.
Pools
Winner: Celebration Key
This category is a no-brainer. The heart of Celebration Key is its twin lagoons, whereas
Relaxaway does not offer any kind of pool.
On Celebration Key, most people will likely head to either Starfish Lagoon, the family-friendly pool area, complete with a splash pad and wading pool for little kids in diapers, or Calypso Lagoon, the adult-focused pool area with a section that’s exclusively 18+.
Guests can stake a claim to complimentary lounge chairs with shade umbrellas and enjoy convenient access to nearby attractions, including waterslides, food venues, bars, and sports courts.
Read more: 4 things I loved and 3 I hated at Carnival's Celebration Key
Beaches
Winner: Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay
Relaxaway is all about the beach. The sand is soft and the waves are crystal clear. Colorful cabanas and villas dot the shoreline, with rows of lounge chairs in front. Nature takes center stage, and the bars and BBQ area all have a rustic look to fit in with the island’s natural beauty.
Water sports, such as water bikes, kayaks, and Hobie catamarans, are available for guests looking to do more than just sunbathe. Cruise visitors can even book horseback rides along the beach or go snorkeling in less crowded areas.
Celebration Key also has a beach divided into a family beach, an adults beach, and an exclusive beach for guests who book access to the Pearl Cove Beach Club. The sand is soft and the waters clear, but I had to step over and swim around a lot of seaweed.
With the ship so close, I felt like I was swimming at a cruise ship port instead of feeling like I was at a pristine, secluded beach. In general, Celebration Key’s beach lacked the charm of Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay.
While guests can access snack shacks close to each beach at Celebration Key, the main bars and dining venues are across the tram road from the beach, so not as convenient. I didn’t see if waiters came around to take orders and deliver drinks (and Carnival’s PR rep could not confirm if they did).
Celebration Key does have one edge over Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay. It offers beach umbrellas for free. If you want shade at Relaxaway, you have to rent a clamshell to go over your lounge chair, or trek far down the beach to where shade trees line the sand. However, these shady areas will likely disappear when the beach is expanded in 2026.
Shore excursions and cabanas
Winner: Celebration Key
Cruisers looking to spend money to enhance their beach day have far more options on
Celebration Key than Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay. Go to the shore excursions page for each of these ports on Carnival’s website, and you’ll find 30 options for Half Moon Cay and more than 70 for Celebration Key.
Celebration Key is located on Grand Bahama Island, so guests can book tours outside of the Carnival-exclusive area to explore the rest of the island. Many of the same tours offered from nearby Freeport, Bahamas, are available from Celebration Key. These include jeep tours, dolphin encounters, and adventure activities at Pirates Cove.
Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay is a small island not attached to another vacation destination. Tours here are limited to water sports (swimming with stingrays, Aqua Trax watercraft rides, kayak tours, and snorkeling by boat) and land-based activities (biking, nature walks, and tram tours) on or just off the island.
When it comes to cabana rental options, Celebration Key once again takes the lead. Relaxaway only rents out colorful wooden cabanas and two-story villas, as well as clamshell coverings for your lounge chairs.
Celebration Key has a slew of options, such as day beds, cabanas (including overwater options), super villas with private slides and hammocks, and aquabanas that float in the pool.
It also has the exclusive Pearl Cove Beach Club; guests can purchase access to use the infinity pool, sit-down restaurant, and lounge chairs (with or without all-inclusive food and drink), as well as reserve day beds and cabanas on its private beach.
Read more: What is free on Half Moon Cay?
Dining
Winner: Tie
Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key both excel at dining in their own ways. I love Relaxaway’s beach BBQ because it’s complimentary.
I can fill a plate with burgers and other grilled meat, sides, fruit, and dessert – and then come back for seconds or a later-afternoon snack. It’s not fancy food, but it’s just right for a hot day in the sun.
Celebration Key has decidedly more food venues on its shores, ranging from snack shacks to food trucks and food halls to sit-down restaurants. Guests can choose from a variety of options, including pizza, sushi, tacos, and falafel – none of which are available on Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay.
But the downside is that only a limited amount of food is free as part of Carnival’s Island Eats program. Guests can either get one free meal (specific entrees combined with a cookie and maybe fries) at a grab-and-go location or 25% off one entree at a waiter-service restaurant.
At the fast-casual venues, an entree might be one burger, four chicken wings, two tacos, or a Caesar salad (with or without chicken). If you want seconds or a snack later on, you’ll have to pay.
Read more: Carnival Celebration Key Menus
Bars
Winner: Celebration Key
I do love Relaxaway’s main bar, which looks like a pirate ship that got hit by a cannonball and ended up beached on the island.
Its secondary bar with a thatched roof and wooden sun deck puts me in a relaxing tropical island mindset. These bars practically beg for you to order a pina colada or rum punch — preferably topped with an umbrella.
Celebration Key goes for the resort vibe with a few key Instagrammable bars. Swim-up bars in both lagoons feature in-water seating and drink tables, so you don’t have to venture out of the water and into the heat to order a beverage.
My favorite was the Sunshine Swings Bar, completely surrounded by wooden swings on long ropes. Sit on the lagoon side to dip your toes in the pool’s shallows as you sway, or grab a seat on the beach side to feel the sand beneath your feet.
You’ll also find bars in the waiter-service restaurants in both lagoon areas and Pearl Cove Beach Club. Certain bars have signature drinks, so you can plan your day around trying them all.
Read more: "Done with Carnival": Cruise fans call foul for new extra costs at private destination
Bottom line
I will always be a fan of Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay, and I am hoping that Carnival’s enhancements don’t take away my favorite parts of the island. It’s a gorgeous beach, ideal for a relaxing day of sea, sun, and sand.
But if you want more of a party vibe with lots of choices of things to do, eat, and drink, Celebration Key is shaping up to be a fabulous, fun-in-the-sun port of call.
The best part is you don’t have to choose between them. Many Carnival cruise itineraries go to both destinations, so you can combine a chill beach day and upbeat pool party for a wonderful getaway with friends or family.
Erica Silverstein
Erica Silverstein is a cruise and family travel expert, who has been covering the industry for more than 15 years. Her articles have appeared on Cruise Critic, Porthole, TravelAge West, and USA Today. A staunch advocate of cruising as an ideal family vacation, she has, on occasion, banned her own children from cruising with her.
