Half Moon Cay, Bahamas Private Island Tour

Key Takeaways

• The island was originally known as Little San Salvador, and the entrance is named Fort San Salvador. Carnival uses it too.
• Right at the entrance there’s a bar and the information desk, which is where you meet for shore excursions.
• There aren’t a lot of shops, mostly a few local vendors, and they take cash. You can’t use your ship card there.
• The beach closest to the entrance is the busiest, since that’s where everybody drops anchor as soon as they arrive. Keep walking for more room.
• Lunch is a free island barbecue under a big shaded pavilion with picnic tables: burgers, pasta salads, fruit, cupcakes, ice cream and a soda station.
• The Lobster Shack serves lobster and lobster rolls for an additional charge, and the bar there has seating looking out over the shore.
• There’s a pirate themed kids playground, a wedding chapel, kayaks to rent, and single, family and larger family cabanas you can rent for the day.
• The old Captain Morgan pirate ship bar was gone, with something new going in, and a pier was being built so ships could dock instead of tendering.

Good to Know

When I visited we came ashore by tender, so plan a little extra time getting on and off the ship. A pier was under construction out in the water, so that should change down the road, but at the time tendering was the only way in.

Bring some cash if you want to shop. The few local vendors near the entrance take cash only, and your ship card won’t work there.

If you want a quieter spot, don’t stop at the first stretch of beach. It fills up fast, and there’s plenty of beach farther along. It was only 73 degrees the day I was there, which felt a little cool, and you’ll have roosters and chickens wandering around the picnic area to keep you company.