Our first port of call on this Panama Canal journey was Holland America Line’s private island in the Bahamas, Half Moon Cay.
And before we go any further, I need to address something.
Carnival Corporation recently decided that Half Moon Cay should now be called “RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay.” I still refuse to use it. The name was rolled out the same time Carnival announced a massive enhancement project for the island, which is currently well underway.
But this whole RelaxAway thing just feels like a corporate brainstorming session that never should have made it out of the conference room. It’s clearly trying to follow the same idea Royal Caribbean used when they decided to rebrand Coco Cay as “Perfect Day at CocoCay.” And let’s be honest, almost nobody calls it that.
It’s Coco Cay.
And this is Half Moon Cay.
Anyway… rant over.
Big Changes Coming to the Island
Half Moon Cay has traditionally been a destination used primarily by Holland America Line ships, though occasionally other brands in the Carnival Corporation portfolio, like Carnival Cruise Line, stop here as well.
That’s about to change.
The island is currently undergoing a major transformation that will essentially split it into two distinct areas. The current developed side will remain dedicated to Holland America guests, while a previously undeveloped portion of the island will become a new destination area for Carnival Cruise Line ships and others in the brand portfolio.
The Carnival side will include a large pier capable of accommodating the Excel-class ships like Carnival Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee, along with future ships in the fleet.
Construction over there is extensive and still appears to be a long way from completion.
On the Holland America side, there’s also plenty of work happening, though much of it is focused on enhancements rather than completely new development. Over the past few months several improvements have already appeared, including:
- New beach loungers added along the shoreline
- Refreshed and repainted cabanas (which were definitely overdue)
- A new beach bar replacing the old Captain Morgan pirate ship bar that had seen better days
- Another new bar currently under construction on the beach
- New basketball and pickleball courts
- Preparations underway for a future beach club experience
Despite all the activity, none of the construction really impacts the guest experience. Walking around the island, you’ll notice work happening, but it doesn’t interfere with enjoying the beach.
Clearing Up the Pier Confusion
One thing that’s become very clear is that there’s a lot of confusion among Holland America cruisers about the new pier being built.
Many people believe HAL ships will eventually dock there and that tender boats will disappear entirely.
That is not the case.
The pier is being built for Carnival Cruise Line’s side of the island, and even if Holland America ships were able to use it, it’s located a considerable distance away from the HAL portion of the island.
So yes:
- Holland America ships will continue to anchor offshore
- Passengers will continue to be transported by tender boats
Honestly, Holland America could do a much better job explaining this to guests. Listening to conversations onboard and on the tender boats, there’s a surprising amount of misinformation floating around.
A Late Arrival
As mentioned in the Day 1 report, our arrival at Half Moon Cay was pushed back due to the delayed departure from Fort Lauderdale.
Instead of arriving at 9:00 a.m., we didn’t reach the island until about 10:30 a.m., where we joined Rotterdam’s sister Eurodam.
Two ships at Half Moon Cay always makes tender operations a bit more complicated, but this time the process ran fairly smoothly. All the island’s tender boats were in service, with two dedicated to Eurodam and two assigned to Rotterdam.
Guests who wanted to be among the first ashore needed to collect tender tickets, which were distributed starting around 10:00 a.m., with the first groups leaving the ship shortly after our arrival.
By about 1:00 p.m., the announcement was made that tender tickets were no longer required and passengers could head down and board freely.
That might seem late, but because of our delayed arrival the captain extended our stay on the island, with the last tender scheduled for 5:30 p.m., giving everyone plenty of time to enjoy the day.
Unfortunately, the weather had different ideas.
Throughout the morning the island experienced on-and-off rain showers, some of them pretty heavy, mixed with occasional bursts of sunshine.
I finally decided to head ashore around 1:30 p.m., making my way down to A Deck to board a tender. After about a 45-minute wait in line, I finally made it onto the boat… just as another rain shower rolled through.
Once on the island I spent some time walking around, checking out the beach, visiting the famous horses in the surf, and taking a look at the progress on the various construction projects since my last visit back in December.
Eventually the weather took another turn.
The skies opened up again just as I made my way back toward the tender boarding area, leaving me standing in line in the rain for about 30 minutes before finally boarding a tender back to the ship.
Got to love Mother Nature.
What’s Changed Since December?
Compared to my last visit a few months ago, there are some noticeable differences.
A fence has been installed that prevent guests from walking toward the side of the island where the Carnival development is taking place. Even from a distance, though, you can see that quite a bit of work is happening over there.
On the Holland America side, a few new structures are starting to take shape, likely future cabanas and the new beach bar I mentioned earlier.
Specific details about many of these projects haven’t been officially announced yet, but based on the pace of construction it wouldn’t be surprising to see a formal announcement sometime soon outlining everything that’s coming.
Hopefully that announcement will also clarify the situation with the pier, because based on the conversations I overheard on the tender boats, a lot of people are convinced tendering here is about to become a thing of the past.
If you want a deeper look at Half Moon Cay itself, including what the island normally looks like on a perfect weather day, check out my full report from my Rotterdam sailing last December.
Dinner at Tamarind on Holland America’s Rotterdam
Once the final tenders returned to the ship and supplies from the island were delivered, the captain fired up the azipods and Rotterdam departed Half Moon Cay just before 6:00 p.m.
With that, we officially began a stretch of two full sea days as we make our way deeper into the Caribbean toward our next port of call, Willemstad, Curaçao.
After getting back onboard I stopped by the Half Moon Bar for a couple of cocktails before heading off to dinner. Tonight’s destination was Tamarind, one of Holland America’s specialty restaurants featuring an Asian-inspired menu. The restaurant currently runs $35 per person, and in my opinion it’s one of the best dining values anywhere in the fleet – with Canaletto being THE best (but more on that as the cruise goes on).
Before getting into Tamarind, here’s a quick look at tonight’s Main Dining Room and Lido Market menus.
Holland America Lido Market Dinner Menu Night 2
Menu from Rotterdam, March 2026
Available on: all ships
Holland America Main Dining Room Dinner Menu Night 2
Menu from Rotterdam, March 2026
Available on: all ships
Holland America Tamarind Dinner Menu
Available on: Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam
Tamarind is located high atop the ship on Deck 10, overlooking the Sea View Pool area at the aft of the vessel. In addition to the main dining room, the space also features a Morimoto Sushi Bar (yes, that Morimoto) along with a small bar area that serves drinks and a bar bites menu.
So if you’re not interested in sitting down for the full Tamarind dining experience, you can always grab a seat at the bar, order a cocktail, and enjoy some sushi or small plates instead.
Tamarind has always been one of my favorite specialty restaurants on Holland America ships, and if you ever have the chance to try it, it’s absolutely worth the price.
Along with the standard Tamarind menu, you can also order items à la carte from the sushi menu, which is exactly how I started the meal with a shrimp tempura roll.
Next up was one of my longtime favorites: the Satay Sampler, which includes three skewers — lamb, pork, and chicken — served with a rich peanut sauce.
For the main course I went with the crispy duck, served with udon noodles and bok choy. Another solid choice, but the name is deceiving. The duck skin is definitely not crispy so if you’re expecting a little crunch like you get from the skin of a Peking Duck, you aren’t going to get it here.
Everything was excellent, though after all of that there was unfortunately no room left for dessert.
Late Night on Rotterdam
Before turning in for the night, I did what I usually do before bed and took a walk around the ship to see what was going on.
My first stop was the casino, which was absolutely packed. Every slot machine seemed to be taken and the tables were full, so there was no chance of getting a seat anywhere. Clearly I wasn’t the only one looking to lose some money.
With the casino off the table, I made my way over to B.B. King’s Blues Club, which is always a great time on Holland America ships. The band performing this cruise had just come onboard for this sailing, with only one member from the previous group remaining.
What’s interesting about the B.B. King’s bands is that they’re not actually a traditional band at all. The musicians are individual performers who often haven’t met each other before arriving on the ship. Once onboard, they rehearse together and quickly form the group that performs together almost nightly for months at a time.
You’d never know it by watching them perform.
Every night they manage to bring incredible energy to the room and keep the crowd completely engaged. It’s easily one of the best live music venues anywhere at sea.
After enjoying a bit of the show, I wandered through the shopping area, where I ran into several familiar faces among the crew. A few staff members who were onboard during my last Rotterdam sailing are still here, along with one of the casino hosts I’ve gotten to know over the years.
After chatting with them for a while and likely holding them up from their actual work duties, it was finally time to call it a night and head back to the cabin.
Two sea days ahead, which means plenty of time to explore more of what Rotterdam has to offer before we arrive in Curaçao.
In tomorrow’s report, I’ll talk a bit about the Retreat Cabanas on Rotterdam and the disappearance of them on other ships, as well as a nice, indulgent perk for four and five star Marnier Society Members.
Until then, thanks for following along.
Daily Schedule
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | Stretch & Release | Fitness Center (Deck 9) |
| 9:00 AM | Rotterdam Arrives in Half Moon Cay | Half Moon Cay |
| 9:00 AM | Half Moon Cay Photo Opportunity (until 1:00 PM) | Pier Ashore |
| 9:00 AM | Ask Your Travel Guide Holly (until 11:00 AM) | Pier Ashore |
| 9:30 AM | Origami Folding: Butterfly | Game Room (Deck 12) |
| 9:30 AM | Yoga on the Beach ($20) | Half Moon Cay Island |
| 10:00 AM | Walk a Mile | Half Moon Cay Island |
| 10:00 AM | Pickleball Court Social Play (until 12:00 PM) | Half Moon Cay Island |
| 10:00 AM | Meet for a Game of Mahjong (until 3:00 PM) | Half Moon Room (Deck 1) |
| 10:00 AM | Party Bridge Play (until 12:00 PM) | Hudson Room (Deck 1) |
| 10:30 AM | Creating Design from Doodles | Game Room (Deck 12) |
| 11:00 AM | Basketball on the Island | Half Moon Cay Island |
| 11:00 AM | Regional Steel Pan Soloist Dereck Plays | Half Moon Cay Island |
| 11:30 AM | Island Barbecue (until 1:30 PM) | Half Moon Cay Island |
| 11:30 AM | Island Lobster Shack (until 1:30 PM) | Half Moon Cay Island |
| 12:00 PM | Volleyball on the Island | Half Moon Cay Island |
| 12:00 PM | Regional Steel Pan Soloist Dereck Plays | Half Moon Cay Island |
| 1:00 PM | Party Bridge Play (until 4:00 PM) | Hudson Room (Deck 1) |
| 1:00 PM | Lightning Trivia | B.B. King’s Blues Club (Deck 2) |
| 1:00 PM | Regional Steel Pan Soloist Dereck Plays | Half Moon Cay Island |
| 1:00 PM | Today’s Movie: Wicked For Good | World Stage (Decks 2 & 3) |
| 1:30 PM | 5 Steps to Flawless Skin | Greenhouse Spa (Deck 9) |
| 3:00 PM | Ping Pong Tournament | Lido Balcony (Deck 10) |
| 3:30 PM | Friends of Bill W. Meet | Stuyvesant Room (Deck 1) |
| 3:30 PM | Coloring for Adults | Game Room (Deck 12) |
| 4:00 PM | Over $614,000 Paradise Lotto Jackpot Drawing | Casino (Deck 3) |
| 4:00 PM | Let’s Play Ladder Ball | Lido Poolside (Deck 9) |
| 4:00 PM | Team Trivia Challenge | Billboard Onboard (Deck 2) |
| 4:30 PM | Last Tender as Rotterdam Departs Half Moon Cay | Half Moon Cay |
| 4:30 PM | Origami Folding: Butterfly | Game Room (Deck 12) |
| 4:30 PM | Advanced Facial Rejuvenation | Greenhouse Spa (Deck 9) |
| 4:30 PM | Have Your Casual Portrait Taken | Atrium (Deck 2) |
| 5:00 PM | A Pickup Game of Pickleball | Sport Court (Deck 11) |
| 5:00 PM | Evening Catholic Prayer | Hudson Room (Deck 1) |
| 5:00 PM | Ask Your Travel Guide Holly (until 7:00 PM) | Crow’s Nest (Deck 12) |
| 5:00 PM | Guess the Weight of the Sculpture | Atrium (Deck 2) |
| 5:30 PM | Swarovski 10% Off | The Shops (Deck 3) |
| 5:30 PM | Win a $1,000 Onboard Shopping Spree | Atrium (Deck 3) |
| 5:30 PM | Regional Steel Pan Soloist Dereck Plays | Ocean Bar |
| 6:00 PM | Art Scavenger Hunt | Art Gallery (Deck 2) |
| 6:00 PM | PRIDE Meetup | Rolling Stone Lounge (Deck 2) |
| 6:00 PM | Wallaroo Hats Clearance Sale | The Shops (Deck 3) |
| 6:30 PM | EFFY Celebrates You | EFFY Jewelry (Deck 2) |
| 6:30 PM | Singles & Solo Travelers Meetup | Billboard Onboard (Deck 2) |
| 7:00 PM | Music Trivia: 60s | Billboard Onboard (Deck 2) |
| 7:00 PM | Sip, Sparkle & Sail Away Event | EFFY Jewelry (Deck 2) |
| 7:00 PM | Cruise & Cash Scratch-Off Tickets | Casino (Deck 3) |
| 7:30 PM | On World Stage: The Comedy & Music of Chris Pendleton | World Stage (Decks 2 & 3) |
| 8:00 PM | Game Show: Majority Rules | Billboard Onboard (Deck 2) |
| 8:00 PM | Young Adult Meetup | Crow’s Nest (Deck 12) |
| 8:00 PM | Movies by the Pool: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian | Lido Poolside (Deck 9) |
| 9:00 PM | On World Stage: The Comedy & Music of Chris Pendleton | World Stage (Decks 2 & 3) |
| 11:00 PM | Over $614,000 Paradise Lotto Jackpot Drawing | Casino (Deck 3) |
| 11:00 PM | Dance to the Hits: 70s & 80s | B.B. King’s Blues Club (Deck 2) |
| 12:00 AM | Stay and Play Slots All Night | Casino (Deck 3) |