Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island) Port Q&A
30 Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island) traveler questions & answers
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Q: If you take your own float to Half Moon Cay, Will they let you use their pump to blow it up?
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A: I believe you need to bring your own pump if you need one.
Answered by crusin4gramma on September 4, 2022
A: I wondered about this as well because we’re also bringing our own floats. I went out today and bought a portable hand pump for $8 at my local dollar store and it works just fine.
Answered by Avaluvs2travel on September 3, 2022
A: I always just blow mine up. No big deal.
Answered by cbyron3 on September 4, 2022
A: I seen people with their own when we went a few months ago
Answered by shadon01 on September 3, 2022
A: The last time I was at HMC (Jan 2022) the floats they rent are mats and don’t require inflating so I’m not sure they have a machine.
Answered by lrwellnitz on September 4, 2022
A: You can bring your own inflatable. I’ve seen lots of people do this. They don’t charge you unless you want to rent one of their mats.
Answered by Babsie1963 on September 5, 2022
A: bring your own as well as your own pop up tent. we bring them every time and then head way down past the crowds. paradise
Answered by cbyron3 on September 1, 2022
A: $20 you can reserve them ahead online Carnival
Answered by ClassieLassie on September 1, 2022
A: Open the website to your cruise and look under shore excursions for HMC. You can reserve floats before you cruise.
Answered by jeffreyschill on September 8, 2022
A: we use the Aqua inflatable hammocks from Amazon! they weigh nothing and take up litterally no space in our luggage. Takes 2 min to blow them up and they come 2 per pkg for like $18!!
Answered by crusin4gramma on September 8, 2022
A: The Swimline Doodle inflatable noodles on Amazon are great to travel with and don’t take as much breath to blow up as a lounger. The clamshells for shade work for 2 people and are well worth the price for some shade, we travel light I can’t imagine b... ringing a shade tent.See More
Answered by ElizabethOregon on September 8, 2022
A: Have any of you been to Half Moon Cay? There are zero rocks and the clearest water you will ever see. It is beyond paradise.
Answered by snuggles3 on August 31, 2022
A: Water shoes are not really needed, there isn’t that many rocks.
Answered by SAW06 on August 30, 2022
A: I have never felt the need for water shoes at Half Moon Cay. We have always stayed down at the end just past cabana 15 because that is away from the crowds and gives us that “private island” feel that we thoroughly enjoy. You can choose your own pe... rfect spot based on how close you want to be to the activities and crowds. I hope your enjoy your visit to Half Moon Cay. It’s our favorite place. The most pristine and crystal clear water that I have ever seen. 😎See More
Answered by Ramsey1986 on August 31, 2022
A: Only thing you might want shoes for is the sand gets hot. Otherwise, nothing to worry about.
Answered by TheVegasSphere on August 31, 2022
A: Rocks aren't a big problem there as the beach is kept well groomed. Might want water shoe because the sand can get blistering hot thought, kind of depends on tolerance.
Answered by maryred on August 31, 2022
Q: Can you just walk off the boat and hang out on the beach without pre booking an excursion or renting a cabana?
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A: Carnival frowns if you jump ship in to the beautiful Caribbean Ocean, wait for a tender to take you ashore and then walk to a beautiful beach.
Answered by okhappy493 on July 20, 2022
A: Half Moon Cay is a tender port so you can't just "walk off" the ship. But you can use the tender to go back and forth from the ship to the island at your leisure. No excursion or planned activities necessary.
Answered by J60406 on July 18, 2022
A: walk as far down as you can. past the crowds and music. bring your own inflatable floats and ideally a folding beach shade and it will be paradise.
Answered by cbyron3 on July 19, 2022
A: It is nice to rent a clamshell for shade if you think you’ll need it. If you prefer to walk on solid ground when you get to the plaza keep going and you’ll see where the lunch area and restrooms are, you can cut through to the beach there. I’m sure t... here are a couple other places too. Make sure you go to top of the pirate ship bar to get great pics of the cruise ship! Also if you enjoy the Fun Squad activities they happen down there.See More
Answered by ElizabethOregon on July 20, 2022
A: You take a smaller tender boat to the island. You can choose how close you want to be the crowd and how far you want to walk down the beach away from the crowds. Half Moon Cay is our favorite place. We chose most of our cruises based on visiting t... his location. We enjoy being further away from the crowds where it has more of a private island feel. We treated ourselves to a cabana on our recent May Anniversary & Birthday cruise. We chose cabana 15 as soon as we boarded as it was the furthest from the crowds. It was very enjoyable but at the top edge of our budget at $359. It would be a better value if split between four people. It has now increased to $449 so it will probably have to remain a great memory for us. We will still enjoy walking just past cabana 15 and staying in the shaded area on lounge chairs.See More
Answered by Ramsey1986 on July 21, 2022
A: We had a clamshell ticket in June and yes it got us off on the first tender. It's considered an excursion.
Answered by daisydoozy on July 2, 2022
A: If they offer the private party space for 12 of you, go for that, think we pd $125/ea., and to have your food/drinks/private beach included was awesome. We hope to do that in Feb '23.
Answered by Zanne208 on July 5, 2022
A: we were there in March and it was not a priority! guess it depends on who you get at the tender!!!
Answered by crusin4gramma on July 3, 2022
A: no and hurry to fget there they never even checked our tickets. I'm sure some got clamshells and didn't pay
Answered by mary0909 on July 2, 2022
A: No, but the later you get off the further down the beach you will have to walk. It is first come first serve!
Answered by crusin4gramma on July 2, 2022
Q: We enjoyed the Cabana on our recent 5/3/22 visit to Half Moon Cay but it is pricing itself out of our budget and we are considering a clamshell for our October cruise. Does anyone know if you get to choose your clamshell location from the available options or do they assign your location?
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A: You don’t get to choose location. Was there in November and I had hurt my ankle/foot a few days prior to trip. We rented clamshell and didn’t realize we’d have to walk the whole beach just to find one available. Staff was less than helpful and we end... ed up perched on a hill and it was hot and horribly uncomfortable. No food or drink available without walking half the beach again. Would not recommend for anyone having walking difficulties. It was a huge waste of money. We also rented floats but to get them would have again meant walking halfway back to beginning of beach. Zero assistance. Everyone kept saying it was someone else’s responsibility (and one poor girl working was apparently in charge of everything and she was doing the best she could do).See More
Answered by kelskazoo22 on May 17, 2022
A: no assignment and she didn't even look at our pd ticket so I think some that paid didn't get one
Answered by mary0909 on May 17, 2022
A: We rented the clam shell never again. While you get shade the heat socks instant bad boy and it turns into an oven. Hard pass.
Answered by GSSI on May 16, 2022
A: No assignment, first to the beach hut that day to claim their ticket gets best choice.
Answered by maryred on May 16, 2022
A: look under carnival excursions on there website
Answered by chriskim13 on April 16, 2022
A: Sting ray adventure at HMC was 80-90 for the 2 of us. I forget exactly. Was there in February
Answered by Bigfifty on April 16, 2022
A: Prices vary according to sailing date. We recently paid $119.99/adult for HMC horseback trail ride and swim. Heard others on another sailing 2 weeks prior to ours paid $108.99/adult. Sorry no info on stingray snorkel as it was held at the same time... as available horseback. excursion.See More
Answered by maryred on April 16, 2022
Q: Di they have food on the island if so include or you have to pay? I went on a Disney Cruise and it was included
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A: food is included but that is the one Island that we never leave the water it is amazing I can't wait we'll be back in the Bahamas next week and next month and in October and November I I'm counting the days
Answered by thenewunity on April 13, 2022
Q: Can you prebook excursions here or is it pay as you go? ili have never been and my daughter really wants to do the horseback riding. TIA
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A: The horseback ride and swim is second in popularity at this port only to the cabanas and villas. It routinely sells out pre-departure. If this is a must book as soon as you can afford to, and don't worry if weather is bad or port missed the excursion... price is automatically issued as On Board CreditSee More
Answered by maryred on April 10, 2022
A: Best book it now, we went in March and once we boarded. It was full and we had to be placed on a waiting list and never got a spot.
Answered by sfcvan on April 7, 2022
A: You can pre-book excursions for half moon cay in your Carnival planner app. The horse back riding excursion is listed for $104.99. Minimum age is 10 yrs.
Answered by Dennis54 on April 5, 2022
A: You can do either, but I highly recommend pre-booking on your cruise planner.
Answered by CruiseQueenNH on April 4, 2022
A: You can book them in your cruise planner. We pre-booked to make sure that we got to do what we wanted.
Answered by natelorip on March 28, 2022
A: Depending on sea conditions they now have at least 1 tender that can accept a mobility scooter or electric wheelchair.
Answered by maryred on March 13, 2022
A: Yes and the good thing about that for us has been having only one Carnival ship there at a time and keeping the “private island” atmosphere that we love.
Answered by Ramsey1986 on May 16, 2022
A: This is a tender port, so yes. Even to get to the beach, you're tendered in.
Answered by CruiseQueenNH on March 12, 2022
A: yes, and I hope the new pier doesn't pavecthe way for it to become like RC's Coco cay!
Answered by map92 on March 12, 2022
A: For now yes. In 2019 Carnival signed a deal to build a new pier for cruise ships there. I haven’t heard much recently and assume those plans were put on hold during the pandemic.
Answered by bluewatermoon on March 12, 2022
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