There are some locations and islands which are practically synonymous with the cruising trade. A whole bunch or much more than a thousand cruise ships can go to locations just like the Bahamas or the US Virgin Islands annually.
Nevertheless, these high spots aren’t the one cruise line favorites. Trade-wide, cruise strains have begun crafting their very own personal locations, the place cruisers can take pleasure in fastidiously curated experiences and facilities, matching the cruise line’s branding and general vibes.
Listed here are the cruise line personal islands and locations that it’s essential to find out about.
Half Moon Cay (Carnival Corp)
Owned by Carnival Company and thus visited by two of the company’s cruise strains — Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line — Half Moon Cay sits within the Bahamas, with 2,400 acres of house, together with a two-mile seashore. Nevertheless, cruise passengers can solely go to a part of the island, at underneath 100 acres developed; the remainder of the island is undisturbed nature.
When the cruise strains’ took over the island in 1996, it was utterly undeveloped, and greater than $16 million was invested to deliver it as much as visitable requirements. It opened as a port of name in late 1997.
In fact, modifications have been made to maintain the personal island present with at this time’s cruising requirements. Most lately, Carnival Corp. introduced main future renovations for the island, which can embrace a brand new pier able to docking bigger ships (at the moment, it’s a must to tender on the island), an expanded seashore, and new eating places and bars.
For now, although, featured actions embrace bookable shore excursions that vary from snorkeling to kayaking, boat excursions to nature treks; eating and ingesting at eating places and bars; spa providers; buying on the market; taking part in on the waterpark; and simply chilling in your cabana or on the seashore.
Princess Cays (Carnival Corp)
Additionally owned by Carnival Company, Princess Cays is utilized by each Carnival Cruise Line and Princess Cruises. Princess Cays isn’t actually its personal island, like Half Moon Cay, although; as an alternative, it’s a personal resort space on the island of Eleuthera, within the Bahamas.
Opened in 1992, the resort is 40 acres and options embrace a seashore, eating, ingesting and numerous bookable experiences, similar to water sports activities, stingray encounters and excursions.
Most lately, Princess Cays acquired renovations in 2018, with new additions together with WiFi service, refurbished retail and bar areas, buying and common infrastructure. A brand new marina was additionally added, however you continue to must tender to the resort.
Excellent Day at CocoCay (Royal Caribbean)
Presumably probably the most well-known and recognizable of the cruise line personal islands is Excellent Day at CocoCay. Owned by Royal Caribbean Group and utilized by Royal Caribbean and Celeb Cruises, CocoCay is a 125-acre, small island within the Bahamas, and it’s recognized for pushing the boundaries of what a personal cruise line port of name might be (in true Royal Caribbean trend!).
The island encompasses a ton to do and see, together with a number of record-breaking options or trade firsts. There’s the biggest freshwater pool within the Caribbean, the primary overwater cabanas within the Bahamas, the most important wave pool within the Caribbean and the tallest waterslide in North America. In any other case, there’s loads of seashore house, an adults-only space, bars and eating places, broader water park, helium balloon rides and extra.
The personal island is comparatively new within the realm of cruise line personal islands, reopening in Could 2019, so renovations have been minimal. In 2023, the adults-only space was newly added, for instance. Ships can dock proper on the island, without having for tendering.
Nice Stirrup Cay (Norwegian Cruise Line)
Additionally within the Bahamas, the 268-acre Nice Stirrup Cay is a Norwegian Cruise Line property, first developed within the Seventies. Since then, the cruise line has upgraded the personal island a number of occasions. In 2017, it added new eating places and bars and expanded seashore areas, in addition to villas and a spa.
Most lately, the cruise line introduced it might add a two-ship pier, eradicating the necessity for tendering. The pier will open in late 2025, if all stays on observe.
For now, you’ll nonetheless must tender, however if you do get to the island, you may count on beach-bumming, organized leisure and seashore actions, dwell music, water sports activities leases, a zipper line and ropes course, spa remedies, eating, ingesting and buying.
Harvest Caye (Norwegian Cruise Line)
Norwegian Cruise Line’s different personal vacation spot is Harvest Caye, but it surely’s not within the Bahamas, as all the opposite islands we’ve coated so far have been. As a substitute, you’ll discover this 75-acre vacation spot in Belize.
It opened in 2016 and, as of 2023, very obscure talks have been within the works with the Belizean authorities to make some modifications to the island, however these are reasonably unsubstantiated.
For now, if you go to, you may count on a pier able to accommodating cruise ships (so no tendering!), a buying village, eating places, bars, a wildlife sanctuary, terrarium, butterfly backyard, and, after all, loads of seashore and swimming pools.
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (MSC Cruises)
Again within the Bahamas, the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, owned by MSC Cruises, is the one personal island marine reserve within the Bahamas. It’s technically a man-made island, and is just below 100 acres. Constructed within the Sixties, the cruise line took it over in 2015, with a $200 million improve funding.
Now, the cay affords seven seashores, a handful of meals and drinks choices, a lighthouse, spa, cabanas, a scuba diving heart and an MSC Yacht Membership unique house.
The island began a small refresh in early 2024, with modifications together with the addition of a youngsters lagoon, the enlargement of the MSC Yacht Membership restaurant, bigger bars on the seashores, a brand new meals corridor, a brand new marine conservation heart and extra. The renovations will proceed by means of early 2025, however ships are nonetheless visiting the island.
You might or could not must tender to Ocean Cay, relying on if you arrive. When the pier is in use by one other cruise ship, a second cruise ship might want to tender.
Castaway Cay (Disney Cruise Line)
One in every of two Disney Cruise Line personal locations, Castaway Cay within the Bahamas was bought by the Walt Disney Firm in 1997. It made waves as the primary cruise line personal island the place tendering was not needed.
The island is a couple of thousand acres in dimension, however solely round 50 of these acres are in use. Guests take pleasure in entry to water actions, sporting gear leases, spa providers, eating, a number of seashores, cabanas and an adults-only house. In fact, Mickey and pals are additionally current, for all of your Disney household photograph ops.
Through the years, Castaway Cay has acquired some upgrades and enhancements, however nothing overly thrilling. In 2014, for instance, the island added extra eating and cabanas. Studies from cruisers visiting the island as lately as late 2024 reported development so as to add extra cabanas as soon as once more.
Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Level (Disney Cruise Line)
Disney Cruise Line’s newer personal vacation spot is Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Level. It’s not a full island, however is a personal house located on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera.
The realm was bought in 2019 and Disney invested a whole lot of thousands and thousands in growing the peninsula, which measures in at roughly 700 acres (although practically 200 acres have been designated a nationwide park).
Lookout Cay simply opened in mid-2024. It affords a seashore separated into household and adults-only areas, bars, buffets, a kid-specific water park/splash space, household leisure, a cultural heart, bicycle leases, nature trails, cabanas and excursions.
Do notice that whilst you don’t have to tender at this vacation spot, the pier is a half-mile-long, so that you’ll have a little bit of a hike between the ship and the precise land.
Labadee (Royal Caribbean)
Royal Caribbean Group’s Labadee is billed as a personal island, but it surely’s really a peninsula that’s a part of Haiti. Traditionally visited by Royal Caribbean, Celeb Cruises and Azamara, the resort space, opened in Nineteen Eighties, is a 260-acre property, with a two-berth pier (for no tendering!).
The realm is very guarded, and fenced off in order that no locals can entry it and no cruisers can go away, apart from on the cruise ship. Regardless of this, there have been cases whereby Royal Caribbean has eliminated the vacation spot from its itineraries, on account of security issues.
Renovated in 2009, the realm affords a number of seashores, the biggest zip-line over water, an alpine coaster, eating and a flea market.
Cruise Line Seaside Golf equipment
Some cruise strains don’t buy a whole personal island for his or her cruisers, or an expansive peninsula jutting out within the Caribbean. As a substitute, they go a bit of extra low-key, similar to with a smaller seashore membership.
Such is the case with Virgin Voyages’ Bimini Seaside Membership, which is technically open to the general public within the Bimini vacation spot within the Bahamas, however closed off to the general public every time a Virgin Voyages ship is in port. Then, cruisers get unique entry to the membership.
The ship received’t dock particularly on the membership; as an alternative, you’ll get off on the regular pier after which must make your method by means of the vacation spot to get to the seashore membership (don’t fear — there’s a tram for that). Consider the expertise much less like visiting a personal island or peninsula and extra like visiting a stand-alone resort whilst you’re in port.
Points of interest on the seashore membership embrace a number of swimming pools, a bar, restaurant and seashore actions. A particular space of the membership can also be put aside for suite friends. Excursions can be found, as are cabanas.
The 4.5-acre property opened just some years in the past, underneath the Virgin Voyages flag, with improvement introduced in 2019.
Upcoming Cruise Line Non-public Islands and Seaside Golf equipment
Given the recognition of all the above personal islands and seashore golf equipment, it’s no shock that many cruise strains have much more choices like these within the works.
Royal Caribbean Seaside Membership Paradise Island
This would be the first Royal Seaside Membership, taking the method cruisers have beloved at Excellent Day at CocoCay and scaling it down into the seashore membership setting.
The 17-acre property will likely be located on Paradise Island, close to Nassau, and can provide seashore, swimming pools, cabanas, eating, drinks, buying and extra. The seashore membership is predicted to open in the summertime of 2025.
Royal Caribbean Seaside Membership Cozumel
One other Royal Caribbean seashore membership can also be within the works, in Cozumel, however you’ll have to attend a bit of bit longer for it to reach. It’s slated to open in 2026.
The seashore membership will provide a number of swimming pools (for each households and adults-only), swim-up bars, seashore house, personal cabanas, a restaurant and lounge, market and excursions and experiences that vary from snorkeling to tequila tastings.
Excellent Day Mexico
Royal Caribbean can also be mimicking its success with Excellent Day at CocoCay, however throughout the Caribbean, in Mexico. The new Excellent Day Mexico property will open in 2027, close to Mahahual. Whereas plans are nonetheless fairly obscure, they embrace a waterpark, a number of swimming pools, a number of seashores, eating places, bars and leisure.
Celebration Key
Lastly, Celebration Key, a Carnival Cruise Line property, is anticipated to open in mid to late-2025. The port will likely be completely open to Carnival Cruise Line friends solely (so no sharing with Holland America or Princess Cruises), however won’t be a personal island. As a substitute, the port and its surrounding resort will likely be positioned on Grand Bahama, close to Freeport.
The personal house is 340 acres and can provide an expansive variety of sights. There’s a family-friendly space with a lagoon, waterslides, seashore cabanas and sports activities courts. An adult-friendly house will function cabanas as effectively, and a swim-up bar and eating places. A retail space affords duty-free buying, in addition to native distributors.
When it opens, the important thing will boast the latest largest freshwater lagoon within the Caribbean. Moreover, in complete, the important thing may have greater than 30 completely different venues for eating and ingesting.
After the property’s debut, an expanded pier is predicted to be constructed as effectively, in order that the important thing can finally accommodate as many as 4 million friends per 12 months.
