Carnival upgrades RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay in Bahamas for guests seeking pristine beaches

Carnival Cruise Line expanded its presence in The Bahamas this week by cutting the ribbon on the newly expanded RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, a private destination known and loved for its shimmering blue waters and pristine beaches.

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Carnival CEO Christine Duffy joined company leadership and crew Monday for an opening ceremony as the sun shone down on the turquoise sea, blessing the destination and the thousands of Carnival Sunshine passengers visiting the island. The north section of the destination now includes a pier that can accommodate two Carnival ships, a tram system, two food venues, six bars, cabanas, gift shops and more.

“I want to thank all of the teams that have worked so hard at Carnival to bring this vision for RelaxAway to life. That’s going to allow more guests to enjoy the white-sand beach this destination is known for,” Duffy said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, noting the cruise line’s growing presence in The Bahamas. “The enhancements we are celebrating today add to our commitment to make each one of the six Paradise Collection destinations a slice of paradise that you don’t want to miss.”

Purchased by Holland America Line in 1996 for $6 million, Half Moon Cay — about 100 miles southeast of Nassau — has been shared with parent company Carnival for years, but all visitors have used tender boats to reach the island until now. The south end, which is receiving upgrades expected to be completed in September, will still be used for Holland America passengers on tender boats while the north end will welcome Carnival’s guests from 22 ships, including the line’s Excel-class and forthcoming Ace-class ships.

On days when the island hosts four ships total, up to 12,000 passengers can visit the island. However, there should be plenty of space to spread out with two miles of beaches and 4,700 free-to-use beach umbrellas on the north Carnival-facing side alone.

Carnival took care to preserve the island’s character in contrast to Celebration Key, which feels more like a water park.

“The beach is what is really so amazing. There’s the color of the waters and the beauty of nature that gets lost right if you load it up with too many other things that distract from that,” Duffy said. “We really want to keep it like that.”

Exploring the island

After disembarking at the pier and taking a short walk, guests are greeted by a welcome plaza with a gift shop, a shore excursions and guest services booth, an artisan market, restrooms and a tram station.

Electric-powered trams run continuously throughout the day, transporting guests to five stops throughout the island named after tropical fruits: Mango, Lime, Pineapple, Guava and Avocado.

It’s also possible to stroll between the stations along the Papaya Trail, which offers abundant waterfront views and several designated photo ops near the pier. A map at the destination estimates it would take an hour to walk from the arrival plaza to stop six, Avocado, with an average of 10-15 minutes walking in between stops.

Amenities

Each stop at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay has amenities such as bathrooms, bars, locker rentals and beach equipment for rent.

Guests can also rent one of 22 cabanas, 40 daybeds or 50 clamshells for $799.99, $149.99 and $64.99, respectively (prices on our sailing date). These can be reserved ahead of time via the Carnival HUB app or by visiting the shore excursions desk. Any remaining rentals can be purchased on the island.

Visitors will also find new places to eat or grab a beverage — including the Orchid Beach Grill, Hibiscus Beach Grill, Luna Tide Beach Bar, Stay Awhile Beach Shack and Lil’ Tiki Bar — offering a variety of Caribbean-style meals, full buffets and beverages in shaded beachfront locations. Gift shops with branded merchandise, sunscreen and souvenirs are also part of the upgrades.

Experiences

One of the most sought-after shore excursions at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay is a guided horseback ride on the beach. The island also offers snorkeling, a personal watercraft tour, an eco lagoon tour, a nature walk, bike tours, kayaking and a stingray adventure.

Many of the experiences highlight the island’s natural side. It’s also possible to grab a drink, lie out in the sun and swim in the azure-blue waters without any need for a shore excursion.

Beach rentals of kayaks, paddle boards, snorkeling gear, floating mats, tubes, aqua cycles and more are all available for the choose-your-own-adventure crowd. Beach volleyball is also available.

Preserving the character

Of the 2,400 acres total on Half Moon Cay, only about 3% is developed, leaving a majority of the island in a predominantly natural state. This was very intentional, Duffy said.

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“I think we want to be really sensitive to the environment and to nature,” she said. “It’s very different than Celebration Key. RelaxAway is truly a private destination.”

Jermaine Wright, the general manager of RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays in Eleuthera, said the design team added thoughtful touches to the island destination while preserving its character.

“I think it’s stunning, and I think the design team did a great job of keeping the feel. It’s modern, it’s fresh, but it still has that rustic elegance to it,” he said. “The product itself is spectacular. I think this is one of the best beaches in the world.”

The upgrade to RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay comes amid a period of investment in The Bahamas and the Caribbean. The redevelopment forms part of Carnival Corporation’s broader Paradise Collection portfolio, which includes Celebration Key on Grand Bahama, which opened last year and has since welcomed 2 million guests.

Carnival just unveiled a rebranding of Mahogany Bay, an exclusive destination in Roatán, Honduras, that first opened in 2009 and is now called Isla Tropicale. A pool area called Mangrove Bay adds 48,000 square feet of recreational space and a peninsula with cabanas, plus poolside daybeds.

In the years to come, Carnival plans to invest in its other Paradise Collection ports and cruise terminals: Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and Puerta Maya in Cozumel, Mexico.

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FAQs

Does the Cheers! drink package work at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay?

Currently, Carnival’s onboard drink package does not work while visiting RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, meaning guests must pay as they go and can charge beverages to their Sail & Sign card. However, buffet-style food is complimentary for guests at the Hibiscus Beach Grill and the Orchid Beach Grill.

Is there WiFi on the island?

Yes, guests who have purchased an onboard WiFi package can stay connected while visiting the beach at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay.

Can Carnival guests visit the south end of the island where Holland America tender boats arrive?

On opening day, there was a construction barrier on the beach separating the north and south sides of the island. As Holland America’s ships spend the summer in Alaska and other non-Caribbean destinations, amenities on the south side remain closed as renovations are completed. When Holland America’s vessels return to Half Moon Cay, guests from either cruise line are free to wander, but Carnival’s tram system ends at stop six, Avocado.

Will Carnival guests still need to tender?

With the pier that can accommodate two ships, including Carnival’s largest and forthcoming vessels, guests will typically not need to tender. Holland America will continue to tender on the south side. The pier upgrade solved a problem Carnival faced.

“The challenge with it was that guests were tendering in. We were limited to what size ships we could bring and when there was a lot of wind or weather, it sometimes had to be canceled,” Duffy said. “So having the berths there is really going to enable so many more people and so many more of the calls to get delivered.”

Occasionally, sailings may still anchor off the coast and utilize a “water shuttle.”

Are there adults-only areas at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay?

There is no adults-only area on the island, but it could be part of a future expansion. Carnival has no current plans to offer an area exclusive to adults.

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