Half Moon Cay Questions Answered

Planning a cruise that involves Carnival’s private island, Half Moon Cay, but not sure what to expect? Check out the answers to these frequently asked questions about Half Moon Cay!

How do you get to shore on Half Moon Cay?

You have to take a tender or water shuttle. The tenders to Half Moon Cay are completely free of charge. All you have to do is get a ticket for your tender and wait for your number to be called.

The times and locations of where to get the ticket for your Half Moon Cay tender depends on the ship and itinerary, but it is important that you grab a ticket BEFORE you are ready to get off the ship. Send one person down to get tickets for your cabin. Then enjoy breakfast or finish getting ready while you wait for the ticket number to be called.

At some point they will stop taking ticket numbers and anyone can get off the ship without a ticket.

However, I do not recommend waiting that long or you will feel like you haven’t had any time at the beach!

How long do you have ashore at Half Moon Cay?

Half Moon Cay is a short beach day! Cruise lines always make you think you will be in port for longer than you actually are. This is true anywhere and on all cruise lines. If your itinerary says you will be in port from 7:30-4:00, that usually means you will be able to get off the ship at 8:00 and must be back by 3:30. Unless you are a child suffering from a boring day at school, that is not really a long time. Especially when you take into account how long the tendering process can take.

I actually enjoy taking the tender. It’s like you get a free boat ride. You get to see your ship getting smaller, enjoy the fresh air, and get closer and closer to land. I really do enjoy my time on the tender.

That being said, tenders take a chunk of time out of your day. Plan 30 minutes to get loaded onto the tender, take the short ride to the dock, and then get unloaded again.

Same thing for the trip back. Our “departure” time was 4:00, but the last tender was 3:15. So the earliest you could possibly be ashore was about 8:30 and you had to be lining back up to go home around 3:00 (this really is sounding like a day at school).

When is the beach at Half Moon Cay at it’s best?

Are you a morning person and ready to be on the first tender? Not a morning person, but enjoy getting back to the ship at the last moment?

Half Moon Cay can be crowded in the middle of the day. One of my top Half Moon Cay tips is to plan to be at the beach either early before many tenders have come in or late after most of the people have left.

You can, of course, also choose both if you are just a beach person. We usually choose both. But if you asked us our favorite cruise port, it would probably be Half Moon Cay. So there may be a reason we are there the entire time.

What if I have trouble walking? How much walking is involved at Half Moon Cay?

There’s a trolly! Half Moon Cay has a free, easy trolly service that anyone can use.

When you get off the tender you go under the gate and into the “town square.” The beach is to the left. (There is also an information hut to the left.) But to the right there are a couple of covered seating areas. This is the trolley pick up and drop off.

There are also trolly stops around the island so when you are ready to go back to the ship you can just hang out at one of the stops until a trolly shows up to pick you up. Sometimes they’ll just stop and let you on if you’re walking down the road.

Of course, the trolly gets to to the beach entrance, not actually down to the water. There is of course, walking involved in that. You will also have to walk back up to lunch, bathrooms, etc.

But you don’t have to walk all the way to the beach.

Is there food at Half Moon Cay?

That probably should have been first. Food should always be first.

Yes! Lunch is located at a pavilion set up a short walk from the beach with a buffet with food and drinks.

The buffet offers two different food menus. There is a barbecue line and a burgers line. The barbecue had barbecued chicken (boneless), green beans, mac and cheese. The burgers line includes hamburgers and hotdogs. Both lines have salads and deserts. (The exact ones may depend on the day. We had coleslaw and potato salad on our last trip, but I’ve seen other salads on previous trips.)

All the food is free. There is not a lot of variety. If the picky eaters in your life don’t eat burgers and mac and cheese they may be screwed.

Though for the record, the burgers and mac and cheese aren’t in the same line. And the lines can get really long, so plan accordingly.

What if I forgot my hat, sunscreen, etc, when I go ashore?

There are a few shops on the island. Some of the places will take your sign and sail card, but the small shops with the more “local” Bahamas souvenirs will only take cash. Plan to take both cash and your sign and sail card.

What do I need to take ashore at Half Moon Cay?

This is probably the most important question about Half Moon Cay that you need answered before you go! You have to have your sign and sail card in order to get off the ship. Always. You should also have a drivers license or government issued ID with you. I would not recommend a passport. You will be at the beach, in and out of the water all day.

Bring anything you would normally want at a beach. You should have sunscreen, hat, bathing suit, beach bag, water shoes, etc.

Want more information about what to bring ashore at Half Moon Cay? Check out this post with a detailed breakdown of everything you need!

Is there shade?

Yes. But you may have to pay for it.

In the morning, there is usually shade from the trees and cabanas that you can sit in for a while. But as the day progresses the only shade to be had is shade you pay for. They rent clamshells, cabanas and even beach umbrellas.

Do you have to rent the clamshells or cabanas in advance or can you just rent something when you get to the beach on Half Moon Cay?

100% rent in advance! The clamshells and especially the cabanas will book up! Book early! If you are going to Half Moon Cay and you have someone with you who will need shade, seating, a fan, or anything else to make their day easier, book something in advance! Do not wait until close to the time of sailing or everything will be booked. Definitely do not try to wait until you get onto the beach to rent something.

Remember, Half Moon Cay is a private island. Anything offered is through Carnival. There are people on the beach who run the rentals, but there is only one company. If something is not booked, you could rent it there, but just make your life easier and rent in advance!

Are there beach toys to rent?

There are paddleboards, kayaks, giant water tricycles and sailboats that you can rent to take out on the water. These can be rented in advance as an “excursion” with Carnival, but most can also be rented on the beach if there is availability.

Are the excursions offered by Carnival at Half Moon Cay worth it?

It depends on what you are interested in. There are several different types of excursions you can take on Half Moon Cay from walking tours of the island, to horseback riding on the beach and in the ocean to jetskiing.

There is a monopoly on the excursions because Carnival owns the island so they may not be the cheapest, but if you are not a person who just wants to sit around the beach all day they make a good alternative.

Half Moon Cay is supposed to be a private island…can I find space on the beach not in the cruise ship crowds?

Absolutely! You just have to walk for it.

Most people don’t walk very far down the beach. If you are looking for something more private, keep going. There are usually some beach chairs in the trees that you can pull down to the water if you want sun. Or keep them under the trees to give yourself a little shade. But you can walk a ways and find a spot of beach almost completely to yourself!

Also, only one ship can visit Half Moon Cay at a time. While there may be lot of people on one ship, it’s still just the one. There won’t be any more people than you are already used to.

Is the water at Half Moon Cay clear or murky?

The water at Half Moon Cay is so crystal clear, sunburn while in the water is a real concern. No need for a snorkel on this beach because you can often see all the way to the bottom!

Of course, time of year and storms in the ocean can impact the clarity of the water but generally it is very clear water.

Is there a bar at Half Moon Cay?

There are a few. The main feature of the beach is the ruins of a pirate ship. This serves as the main bar for the island. There is also a bar right when you step onto the island (or right before you leave) in the “town square.” You can also find a bar near the food pavilion.

There is also usually a limited amount of service to the beach chairs. It may not be consistent and there may not be all the choices, but there are usually a few bartenders walking up and down the beach selling drinks.

Will my Cheers! Package work on Half Moon Cay?

No. Cheers! Does not work at Half Moon Cay. It doesn’t work for water, sodas or alcohol. You have to pay full price, Bahamas taxes and a tip while you are at Half Moon Cay.

Do people live on Half Moon Cay?

No. Half Moon Cay is an uninhabited island. The workers either come from the ship (recognize your favorite bartender walking up and down the beach?) or boat over from neighboring islands in the Bahamas to staff the island.

Do you have to go through security to get back on the ship?

Yes. You will have to go through a metal detector to get back onto the ship. They will have you line up in a large open air building and go through a couple of metal detectors. Don’t ask me what they are looking for because I don’t know, but you do go through security before you get on the tenders!

Are there places to wash the sand off your feet at Half Moon Cay?

This is a very important question about Half Moon Cay. I think it is impossible to make it back from the beach without an unreasonable amount of sand on your feet. Yes, there are foot wash stations along the pathway towards the tender. These are AFTER the metal detectors.

Will there be long lines to get on a tender to return to the ship?

Sometimes. Carnival wants to get people back to the ship as quickly and efficiently as possible, but there are still times when you may end up in a line to get onto a tender to return to the ship. This usually happens around an hour before the last tender. If you want to dodge the lines to return to the ship, plan to go back either a little earlier or a little closer to the last tender.