Sailaways_

thanks everyone for the hints and tips! I have a few specific replies...

@sparky-elpaso - thanks for the pics! there's a lot of good pics of the island, thanks for sharing.

@fann1sh - it's too late to book a cabana (we leave sunday), and that price seems awfully high to me. I have never been impressed with the princess cays cabanas for the price either, so that's my prejudice I guess. the grand cabana does look very impressive if you have a large enough group, however!

@Aruba - yes, there are graves on princess cays, two to be exact. apparently, they are graves of slaves that used to live on eleuthra. check out this thread, it explains it and has pics of the graves: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=269311&highlight=mystery

@cruisinmaniac - thank you! that's exactly what I was thinking of. the chapel looks adorable, and I love the hammock pic. I will definitely check it out on my visit! :)

@y's owl - I wish I knew how to geocache! that looks really cool. good luck to you on your next geocaching adventure on HMC.

@may4 & airlink diva - great tips! it sounds very similar to what I do on princess cays, minus the bar part, lol. :o I really enjoyed exploring the paved & non-paved trails there, so I will make sure to do the same on HMC. I love a good photo-op of a hidden spot!

so, I've read lots about half moon cay's waters and cabanas, and I get the impression it's a pretty standard private island beach day. but, I want to make sure I'm not missing out on anything! are there any secrets of half moon cay that visitors usually miss? for example, princess cays has the graves if you're into exploring, and the less crowded beach/bbq area on the other side of the dock. does half moon cay have anything like that? I'm not expecting a hidden city or anything ;), but any tips would be helpful. :)

also, while I'm on the topic, how's the BBQ? I've heard it's not that great, unfortunately. what do they typically serve?

Garry, your pictures are stunning! I wish I could take photos half as good as those! What type of camera do you use?

I'll have to look for some of mine to add to this thread, great idea! :)

I've noticed that most of the ship's staff will pronounce it "key", i.e. "Princess Keys", etc. It doesn't really matter, though, either one is right! :)

That is really nice of you to offer, and they're such pretty dresses, too! Congrats on your weight loss!

Thanks for the tips, guys! I just started collecting the charms on my last Caribbean cruise (I know they're totally cheap and cheesy, I just can't help myself!) But I didn't know you could get them in Alaska too, thanks for the heads up!