The Bahamas · Cruise port guide
Half Moon Cay, Little San Salvador Island
Holland America and Carnival’s private island — a crescent of white sand, mostly undeveloped, reached by tender.
Port basics
Getting ashore
Tender port
Berth to town
There is no town. The developed beach area is a short walk or tram ride from the tender landing.
Time in port
Typically 6–8 hours, shortened at both ends by tendering
Cruise season
Calls year-round; cancelled more often than docked ports because of swell
Currency
Purchases run on the onboard account; no cash needed
Language
English
Time zone
Eastern Time (UTC−5, UTC−4 in summer)
Nearest airport
San Salvador (ZSA) — On a different island — not reachable on a port call
These are the patterns Half Moon Cay normally operates on. Berth assignments, tender arrangements and time in port vary by ship, line and day, and we confirm the specifics for your sailing once we know the dates.
About Half Moon Cay
Half Moon Cay is Little San Salvador Island, owned by Carnival Corporation and used by Holland America and Carnival. Only a small fraction of the island is developed — the rest is a wildlife reserve — and the beach is regularly named the best of any cruise line private island.
The crescent runs roughly 3 km, the sand is powder-fine, and the water stays shallow and calm a long way out. For a family group with small children, that gradient is the practical appeal: there is no drop-off and no surf.
The absence of a pier is the trade-off. Tendering a full ship takes time at both ends of the day, and this is one of the calls most often cancelled outright, because the anchorage becomes unworkable in moderate swell. Build a contingency into any group plan that depends on it.
Horseback riding is the signature excursion and unusual for a private island: a trail ride along the beach that ends with the horses walking into the sea. It sells out early and has a strict weight limit.
Going ashore in Half Moon Cay
Within reach on foot
- A crescent beach roughly 3 km long, with calm shallow water
- A complimentary barbecue lunch pavilion
- A small chapel and a straw market
- Bar shacks spaced along the beach
What the port is known for
- Cabana and beach villa rentals
- Horseback riding along the beach and into the water
- Snorkelling, kayaking and stand-up paddleboards
- Glass-bottom boat trips over the inshore reef
How ships berth here
There is no pier. Ships anchor offshore and tender passengers to a small landing. A pier has been under development, but tendering should be assumed. Calls are occasionally cancelled when swell makes the anchorage unworkable.
Access and mobility
Tendering is the main constraint, and lines may decline transfer in swell. Ashore the developed area is flat with boardwalks and a tram, and floating beach wheelchairs are usually available.
Weather and when ships call
Warm year-round, 22–27°C in winter and 28–32°C in summer. Natural shade exists near the tree line but the beach itself is fully exposed.
Cruise season
Calls year-round; cancelled more often than docked ports because of swell
Typical itinerary length
Half Moon Cay usually appears on 3–5 nights The Bahamas itineraries. Sails year-round.
Ports often paired with Half Moon Cay
Itineraries that call here usually call at these too, so it is worth reading them together when you are comparing weeks.
Nassau
The Bahamian capital and the most-called port in the world, with a rebuilt terminal that opens directly onto the historic town.
CocoCay
Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Berry Islands, with a pier, the Caribbean’s tallest waterslide and a very large freshwater pool.
Princess Cays
Princess Cruises’ beach resort on the southern tip of Eleuthera — not an island but a leased stretch of coast, reached by tender.
Great Stirrup Cay
Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island in the Berry Islands — the industry’s first, tender-served, with a quiet beach and a lagoon.
Explore further
The Bahamas cruises
Short sailings from Florida to Nassau, Freeport and the cruise lines’ private islands — the easiest first cruise for a group.
Cruise ports in Bahamas
Every Bahamas port we cover, with seasons, berthing and shore access.
All cruise ports
Browse every port guide by region, country or name.
Bringing a group to Half Moon Cay?
We hold five cabins or more together as a single block, quote it once, and let each household book and pay separately. Tell us roughly when and how many.