All private Islands

[leaveitallbehind]

6 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

I really don't know because I haven't been paying attention......but has Carnival stopped renting Coco Cay from RCI?  I know they were going there for a little while.

 

They did for some itineraries that I am aware of a while back but to my knowledge since the redevelopment it is back to being exclusively RCI - as it was originally.

Edited November 26, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[Tapi]

2 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

Well HAL, Princess, NCL, and Disney, Seabourn, and Silversea all have itineraries that include a stop at Falmouth as well. 

You’re correct once again. And Royal Caribbean is laughing all the way to the bank. 😀

Edited November 26, 2019 by Tapi

[spookwife]

On 11/24/2019 at 7:55 PM, SoloSenior said:

I would love to go on a 7 day cruise that only stops at private Islands. Do you think that will ever happen? 

I wouldn't care if they spent the 3 days at the same island. They are the most fun.

my idea of pure hell.   none of the private islands hold  any  long term interest to me.  I might get off to wander around for a couple of hours but spending days there?   I'd avoid that itinerary like the Plague.  

[spookwife]

23 hours ago, Joebucks said:

I'll never understand the people that don't like the private islands. It is usually the perfect beach day. No time and money wasted on access fees and transportation. With that said, I wouldn't want an entire cruise of them. It would ruin the variety that cruising offers.

 I live   on the Emerald Coast where the beaches are  well maintained and gorgeous.   I rarely go.   a beach day would be the absolutely LAST way I'd want to spend my vacation.  the only beach I  visit with any regularity is the Dog Beach.   Rex loves the waves.   and since Rex is a pet and NOT any sort of service animal and I won't be so crass as to pretend he's an ESA , he won't be joining us on any cruises.  

[George C]

2 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

Well HAL, Princess, NCL, and Disney, Seabourn, and Silversea all have itineraries that include a stop at Falmouth as well, whereas Coco Cay and Labadee are RCI specific destinations. 

Really dislike Falmouth would be ok if they had  included a beach area, preferred old stop of Ocho Rios . Rccl shares private islands with celebrity. Was surprised to see a Disney ship there on last rccl cruise.

[leaveitallbehind]

8 minutes ago, George C said:

Really dislike Falmouth would be ok if they had  included a beach area, preferred old stop of Ocho Rios . Rccl shares private islands with celebrity. Was surprised to see a Disney ship there on last rccl cruise.

 

Correct as RCCL and Celebrity are both owned by the same parent company.  Both lines typically call at Labadee.  There have been instances with Carnival (and I guess as you mention Disney?) where Coco Cay has been a stop arranged through RCI as well.  But that is increasingly rare since the redevelopment at Coco Cay.  Odd that that would happen with Disney as they have their own private Bahama's island destination.

Edited November 26, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[Tapi]

1 hour ago, spookwife said:

 I live   on the Emerald Coast where the beaches are  well maintained and gorgeous.   I rarely go.   a beach day would be the absolutely LAST way I'd want to spend my vacation.  

I grew up in a Caribbean island, with the coast visible from my neighborhood, and beautiful, postcard perfect beaches just a few minutes away. I took these for granted until I moved away from the beach. I now live in the state of Georgia, with the closest beaches 4-5 hours away. 
 

I get that, for people like you who are blessed to live near the ocean, going to the beach on vacation may be the last thing in their mind, but for those who live hundreds or thousands of miles away, and in colder climates, going on a cruise that takes them to beach destination after beach destination may be heaven on earth. 
 

As mentioned before, when I lived by the ocean, I took it for granted and didn’t particularly care to go to the beach on vacation. Now it’s something that I crave and can’t get enough of. I can sit at the beach for hours and do nothing but stare at the ocean while enjoying the warm breeze. I understand the desire of the OP and others to go on a cruise that calls on private islands. 

Edited November 26, 2019 by Tapi

[ldubs]

39 minutes ago, Tapi said:

I grew up in a Caribbean island, with the coast visible from my neighborhood, and beautiful, postcard perfect beaches just a few minutes away. I took these for granted until I moved away from the beach. I now live in the state of Georgia, with the closest beaches 4-5 hours away. 
 

I get that, for people like you who are blessed to live near the ocean, going to the beach on vacation may be the last thing in their mind, but for those who live hundreds or thousands of miles away, and in colder climates, going on a cruise that takes them to beach destination after beach destination may be heaven on earth. 
 

As mentioned before, when I lived by the ocean, I took it for granted and didn’t particularly care to go to the beach on vacation. Now it’s something that I crave and can’t get enough of. I can sit at the beach for hours and do nothing but stare at the ocean while enjoying the warm breeze. I understand the desire of the OP and others to go on a cruise that calls on private islands. 

 

Like the old song, we don't know what we have until it is gone!  The white sand beaches and emerald waters are pretty spectacular.    

[Cruzaholic41]

6 hours ago, George C said:

Rccl shares private islands with celebrity. Was surprised to see a Disney ship there on last rccl cruise.

You saw a Disney ship at a RCI private island, while you were also there on a RCI ship?  

[George C]

10 minutes ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

You saw a Disney ship at a RCI private island, while you were also there on a RCI ship?  

Yes first time I saw a non RCCL ship there , it was within last two years , I know I sent my niece a picture of the ship

[George C]

Disney was there on our Oasis cruise last year the week after thanksgiving 2018

[pacruise804]

On 11/25/2019 at 12:31 PM, Joebucks said:

 

I get the different strokes inference, but I still don't get going on a cruise and not enjoying the beach. The beaches in the US are not a good comparison to beaches at these islands. Most 7-day cruises, you get 3-4 chances to go to the beach. I'm with you if that was every stop, it would be boring. But one, relaxing stop without extra costs? Sign me up!

 

Lots of cruises don't go to a beach - or at least not a Bahamian, Caribbean, or pink sand Bermudan beach.  Even for those beaches, if the passenger has limited mobility the beach might not work as well.  I love relaxing beach and snorkel time on southern cruises, but also can understand others enjoying different aspects of cruising than I do.

[Hidden Minnie]

On 11/26/2019 at 4:47 PM, Cruzaholic41 said:

You saw a Disney ship at a RCI private island, while you were also there on a RCI ship?  

 

Disney stops at Falmouth, not Royal's private islands of Labadee or CoCo Cay. We stopped at Falmouth on our last Disney cruise.

[leaveitallbehind]

21 hours ago, Hidden Minnie said:

 

Disney stops at Falmouth, not Royal's private islands of Labadee or CoCo Cay. We stopped at Falmouth on our last Disney cruise.

 

...which would not be unusual.  Falmouth, while developed in a partnership with RCI, is not an exclusive port of call for RCI.  As mentioned before HAL, Princess, NCL, and Disney, Seabourn, and Silversea all have itineraries that include a stop at Falmouth.  Coco Cay and Labadee are the only current RCI leased private destinations, and stops there by other cruise lines would be rare. 

 

Also as mentioned, I am aware of Carnival arranged some stops at Coco Cay some time ago, but since the re-development there it is - to my knowledge - once again an exclusive RCI port of call.

 

Edited December 6, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[Vexorg]

On 11/25/2019 at 7:16 PM, Aquahound said:

I think it's possible Carnival could have something similar.  They could go to Half Moon Cay, Princess Cays, Grand Turk and Amber Cove.  It would be about as close to an all private island cruise as one could get.  

 

Geographically, Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay are only a few miles away from each other.  In theory you could just anchor the ship somewhere between the two and just run tenders to both.  In practice they're probably similar enough to each other that there wouldn't be much point.

[Vexorg]

(Duplicate post removed)

Edited December 6, 2019 by Vexorg
Delete duplicate

[pacruise804]

3 hours ago, Vexorg said:

 

Geographically, Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay are only a few miles away from each other.  In theory you could just anchor the ship somewhere between the two and just run tenders to both.  In practice they're probably similar enough to each other that there wouldn't be much point.

 

I think many would disagree that those two Cays are interchangeable.  Princess Cay has a much rockier beach but is great for snorkeling, while HMC has powder soft sand and super clear water which many prefer.

[Aquahound]

6 hours ago, pacruise804 said:

 

I think many would disagree that those two Cays are interchangeable.  Princess Cay has a much rockier beach but is great for snorkeling, while HMC has powder soft sand and super clear water which many prefer.

 

I agree there is no comparison.  Half Moon Cay has the best beach of any private island I've been to.  In my opinion, Princess Cays kinda sucks.  

 

[geoherb]

We did 3-day and 4-day cruises back to back one year on Princess. We went to Princess Cays, back to Fort Lauderdale, then to Princess Cays and Grand Turk. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, Aquahound said:

 

Half Moon Cay has the best beach of any private island I've been to.

 

Wow! You really need to take a trip to Polynesia and experience some local family's motu. Even a public beach there would be a vast improvement on some contrived private Caribbean island.

[Aquahound]

11 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Wow! You really need to take a trip to Polynesia and experience some local family's motu. Even a public beach there would be a vast improvement on some contrived private Caribbean island.

 

What do you mean "wow"?  The discussion is about cruise line private islands, not every beach in the world.  Do you really have that much of a problem following context?  

 

By the way, have you ever been to Half Moon Cay?

[Flatbush Flyer]

31 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

What do you mean "wow"?  The discussion is about cruise line private islands, not every beach in the world.  Do you really have that much of a problem following context?  

 

By the way, have you ever been to Half Moon Cay?

Actually, we dropped a lunch hook at Little San Salvador a few years back oh a yacht charter. Not much to look at - just another scrub island ("dime a dozen").

BTW, your post cited "any" private island without specifying where or by whom owned. My point is that most cruise ship private islands (at least those I've seen) are nothing spectacular.  

[leaveitallbehind]

39 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

What do you mean "wow"?  The discussion is about cruise line private islands, not every beach in the world.  Do you really have that much of a problem following context?  

 

By the way, have you ever been to Half Moon Cay?

Consider the source. Very typical response.....

Edited December 7, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[Aquahound]

9 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

BTW, your post cited "any" private island without specifying where or by whom owned. 

 

Again, thread context seems to be lost on you.  Oh well.  🙄

[CruiserBruce]

14 hours ago, geoherb said:

We did 3-day and 4-day cruises back to back one year on Princess. We went to Princess Cays, back to Fort Lauderdale, then to Princess Cays and Grand Turk. 

Except Grand Turk is not really a private island. Yes, Carnival built the dock and port facilities. But Grand Turk is an established country, and you could go there on your own, separate from a cruise. Can't do that with most "private islands".