Half Moon Cay: the prettiest beach in the Bahamas, lunch included.
Half Moon Cay is Holland America’s private island on Little San Salvador in the Bahamas, opened in 1997 and now shared with Carnival, which calls it RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, and Princess. The draw is a two-mile crescent of powder-white sand and water so clear it looks fake, with 95 percent of the island left as a nature preserve. Holland America and Princess ships still anchor and tender to the south-side beach; since June 2026 Carnival’s ships, including Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, dock at a new pier on the north side. Lunch is free, loungers are free, and the stingrays, horses and cabanas are the extras. SmartCruiser lists every cruise that calls at Half Moon Cay from every line, priced with taxes and fees included, with the sailings that carry SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or instant savings at the top.
Three ways to do Half Moon Cay
Claim a free lounger on the crescent, book one of the island-only adventures, or rent your own shade; the buttons filter the list of sailings below.
The crescent, the lagoon and a free barbecue
- Loungers and umbrellas along the main beach are free and first come, so take an early tender or the first tram; walk 10 minutes down the sand for a stretch you will have to yourself
- The free barbecue lunch runs about 11:30 to 1:30 with burgers, ribs, jerk chicken and salads; the Lobster Shack sells fresh lobster for about $20
- Captain Morgan on the Rocks is the two-deck pirate-ship bar in the surf; drinks are extra and ship drink packages do not work on the island
Best for: families, first-timers, anyone who wants a pure beach day
Stingrays, horses and the lagoon
- Stingray Cove is a short tram ride away: wade in with a mask and feed southern stingrays in a netted shallow, about 1.5 hours for roughly $40 to $55
- Horseback riding is the island’s signature trip: a trail ride to the high point, then into the surf on horseback, about $100 to $125
- Bonefish Lagoon has kayaks, Aqua Trax jet skis (driver’s license required) and a glass-bottom eco tour; a snorkel-by-boat trip runs about $60
Best for: active families, couples, animal lovers
Clamshells, cabanas and villas
- A clamshell with two loungers is about $50; air-conditioned beachfront cabanas with a fridge, misting shower and deck start around $359 through Carnival and about $639 to $799 as a Holland America package for up to four, with first-tender priority
- Two-story Beach Villas with a hot tub, kitchen and sundeck run about $599 and up for up to eight
- The Private Oasis adds a butler, chef and bartender for up to 12 at about $1,600; all of these sell out, so book in the app as soon as you have a cabin
Best for: groups of friends, multigenerational families, celebrations
Half Moon Cay cruises: SmartCruiser picks first
Every cruise that calls at Half Moon Cay from every line, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings or bonus onboard credit. Below them, every other sailing that stops here, with full sorting by home port, line, month, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery cruise that calls at Half Moon Cay
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Home ports that sail to Half Moon Cay
Pick a home port and the list above filters to cruises leaving from there.
Things to do at Half Moon Cay
The beach is the main event; the rest is a short tram ride and books through your ship.
Which lines call at Half Moon Cay?
It is a Carnival Corporation island, so only Holland America, Carnival and Princess stop here.
When to go
The Bahamas are mild in winter and hot in summer; tender ports are the ones most often skipped in rough seas, so winter cold fronts and fall storms are the calls to watch.
Half Moon Cay questions we answer every day
Do ships dock at Half Moon Cay or tender?
Both, depending on the line. Holland America and Princess ships anchor off the south side and run tenders (about 10 minutes each way) to the main beach; the lines run large contracted tender boats, and the first tenders fill fast, so get in line early or wait until mid-morning. Carnival ships dock at the new north-side pier that opened June 1, 2026, which lets even Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration call; a tram and the Papaya Pathway link the pier to the beaches.
How do I get around the island and what does it cost?
Everything is on foot or on the free tram that loops between the pier or tender dock, the beach, the lagoon and Stingray Cove. There is nothing to pay for unless you book a rental or excursion; bikes rent by the hour and there is a guided bike tour.
What money and cell service do I need?
Your ship card works at the bars, shops and rental desks; the Bahamian dollar is pegged to the US dollar and cash is only needed for tips and the small straw market. There is no public Wi-Fi and cell service is spotty, so plan on being offline. The island is on Eastern Time like Florida.
Is Half Moon Cay safe and good for kids?
Yes; it is a private island with no roads, no traffic, no vendors and calm, shallow water, and there are lifeguards, a free water park and a splash pad. The practical cautions are sun, the tender ride for anyone with mobility issues (ask the ship about priority tendering) and bringing water shoes for the rocky edges of the lagoon.
What is the best excursion and should I book it through the ship?
The horseback ride and swim is the one you cannot do anywhere else, and Stingray Cove is the best value for families. Everything on the island is sold by the cruise line, so book in the app or Cruise Planner as soon as you have a booking; cabanas, villas and the horses sell out first.
Do I need a passport for Half Moon Cay?
On a round trip from a US home port (a closed-loop cruise) US citizens can sail with a government photo ID plus an original or certified birth certificate, but we recommend a valid passport; it is the only document that lets you fly home from the Bahamas in an emergency.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on SmartCruiser includes the cruise fare, government taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, shore excursions and gratuities are extra.
Talk to a Half Moon Cay cruise specialist
We know which Holland America, Princess and Carnival sailings spend a full day here and which carry SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit; call to check availability and book. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.