Half Moon Cay Information??

[jdcml]

Hi All - We are actually booked on a CCL that has just started to add Half Moon to the itinerary. I've tried searching the forums, but haven't had much luck in finding information specific to Half Moon. I thought since it was used by HAL in the past someone might have more information.

 

Is there a "water park" on the beach for children?

 

Any recent experience with pricing of the "excursions" or rentals?

 

We are bringing our own snorkel gear - anything to see here?

 

There are a handful of booked CCL people that are hoping previous HAL experts might have some useful advice. THANKS!

[lougee1043]

you might want to go to the hollandamerica site and under destinatiions you will find 1/2 moon cay and all the things offered there as well as the prices

[sail7seas]

Yes....there is a water park area for the children.

 

HMC is a slice of paradise. It is the softest, most wonderful sand and the clearest most incredible shade of turquoise/blue water you will ever see.

 

HAL puts on a wonderful Barbeque lunch.....it is great. I have no idea what Carnival will serve. The grill/serving area is laid out well IMO and lunchtime is fun. There are various areas with picnic tables for eating.....with shaded roof. The island suffered damage to its wonderful foliage from hurricanes but it is regrowing and should be back to blossoming and filling in the bare spots. The last time we were there, we already saw considerable regrowth.

 

Bring your snorkel gear. Lots of people snorkle on their own and don't do the excursion offered by the cruiseline.

You should be pre-warned there is are some cruises that the ship is turned away and no one can go to the island. Even though it might be a bright, gorgeous, sunny day, the seas may be too rough to drop tenders. If the Captain thinks it possible someone could be injured, he makes the call to not allow tendering. We have been there many,many times and have been turned away about 20% (? give or take ? ) of the time but we understand it is always 'conditions permitting'.

 

Enjoy.......and please urge your fellow guests to 'keep it beautiful' for all of us.

 

Have a geat time.

[Krazy Kruizers]

They have fishing, glass bottom boats, horse back riding, agua trax and of course the wonderful white soft beach.

 

There are cabanas that you can rent and clam shells can also be rented.

[K&RCurt]

It is my understanding (Carnival cruisers please correct me if I'm wrong) that Carnival ships typically do not use modified lifeboats as tenders as many other lines do, but usually use larger boats from the ports they are in. I read last year that HAL had two large tender boats built for HMC to handle the tendering duties when Carnival Ships are there (and, hopefully for the HAL ships too). With these new tender boats available, it may make the wind / wave conditionas less of an issue.

 

Here is a photo of the water park area form January 2005.

[infopaul]

Plus they now offer scuba diving on a limited basis. HAL does put together a great lunch buffet/ BBQ. It's a great place to relax with white sand beach. I can only imagine that CCL will do the same but with more people...Paul:)

[Randyk47]

As of two weeks ago the new, bigger tenders were not at HMC. Just about broke my leg when a wave caught the Volendam tender just right and bounced me against one of the seats....still have a knot on my shin. One of those lingering memories of our cruise. :o

[sail7seas]

I think they have started to 'test' the Henry Hudson. I'm not sure she is being fully used yet but should be very soon.

 

[sail7seas]

As of two weeks ago the new, bigger tenders were not at HMC. Just about broke my leg when a wave caught the Volendam tender just right and bounced me against one of the seats....still have a knot on my shin. One of those lingering memories of our cruise. :o

 

 

Ouch........ That sounds sore. Happy you weren't injured more seriously.

[Randyk47]

Thanks Sail....only hurts when I wash my left leg. :rolleyes: Of course, it would have to happen on the way to the island. I went and stood in the ocean for 15-20 minutes when we got ashore and it didn't bother me much that day.

[gjtla]

Half moon cay realy dosen't have anything on it except

buitiful beach & sea.Snorkling, swimming, BBQ , ect

[kryos]

They have fishing, glass bottom boats, horse back riding, agua trax and of course the wonderful white soft beach.

 

There are cabanas that you can rent and clam shells can also be rented.

And don't forget ... parasailing and SCUBA for certified divers.

 

I loooooooove Half Moon Cay.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

HAL does put together a great lunch buffet/ BBQ.

LOL ... oh, yeah ... I forgot all about that. Of course, I can't say I ever ate their buffet lunch ... I was always too busy having fun with other diversions to bother with lunch. Heck, I can eat anytime ... including when I get back to the ship.

 

They also have the most beautiful "church on a hillside" ... I think they use it for renewal of vowels and wedding ceremonies. But when it is not in use for those things, passengers are more than welcome to retreat into there and have a quiet moment in their faith. I always make a stop there ... if for nothing else than to thank my Savior for giving me such a beautiful place to spend a day.

 

Then, of course, Half Moon Cay has that wonderful bar area ... a group playing ... nice fruity drinks ... but, man ... be careful. On one of my visits there it was hotter than hades and I must have been extra thirsty. I kept ordering those fruity drinks (heck, it was so easy ... just flash my cruise card) ... and I figured that since they didn't seem to be affecting me, they probably had a very low alcohol content. WRONG. When I went to get out of the tender upon return to the ship, I got "woozy" and almost fell flat on my face. Seeing that I was "compromised," HAL had an officer escort me back to my stateroom to ensure I got there safely. Next thing I knew ... I woke up ... and it was something like 10:00 p.m. So much for dinner that night. :(

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[days628]

We just returned from our cruise and Half Moon Cay was the last stop. It was also the first time that the New Tender, Henry Hudson was used. It is larger than normal tenders and moves between the ship and island quickly. I should mention that we were the only ship on Half Moon. I do not know what it is like if there are numerous ships.

 

The sand at Half Moon is the so soft and the water is Crystal clear. I do not snorkel but I still could see many angel fish swimming through the water. It was just the most beautiful place!

 

There is a water park for children and there is a special area buoyed off for snorkelling. There are many venues available that can be rented on the island. There are two or three rental areas for floating mats and other water gear. The serving area for food is large and covered.

 

Bring your sunscreen, the sun is very hot, even in March.

 

Enjoy Half Moon, it is a little piece of Paradise.

 

Days628

[Bodger]

 

This is the Henry Hudson taken from the Volendam last Wednesday. You walk out from the side of the ship onto the upper deck of the HH. No stairs to contend with coming down the side of the ship.

 

When you arrive at HMC the front is lowered and you walk of from the lower level. They have to practice a bit to become more familiar with the process, but all in all it wasn't bad.

 

I believe the capacity is 250 people which is 2.5 times the normal tenders.

 

Bodger

[aaerobear]

OK Rita,

 

Which vowels were you going to renew? A E I O U or sometimes Y or W?

 

Teasing, of course. The little chapel is a very nice picturesque place to renew your vows.

 

Ed

[redshoe]

Just returned from the Zuiderdam March 17th cruise. We took the smaller tender boats over but they used the big Henry for the later afternoon trips back.

 

We rented the pink cabana and loved it. It's so worth the money in terms of having a place to get out of the sun (we had a toddler with us so it provided a place for his nap with dad).

 

Holland offered horse back riding, sting ray swiming, snorkeling, parasailing and other small excursions.

 

The barbeque lunch was good. Nothing super fancy but you know how things taste better at the shore than anywhere else. They served fresh fruits, hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, ribs, beans, assorted salads, corn on the cob and rolls/chips. And sodas, juice& ice tea. I don't know if they charged for the sodas.

 

There are also chickens, roosters and baby chicks runing around. that was fun and lizards that my son loved to watch scurry by.

 

The island is beautiful and you sure want to make a full day of it. Bring lots of sun screen. I'm going to dream of that place and will post pictures soon.

[kryos]

OK Rita,

 

Which vowels were you going to renew? A E I O U or sometimes Y or W?

 

Teasing, of course. The little chapel is a very nice picturesque place to renew your vows.

 

Ed

LOL ... got me. Another example of "I forgot to proof."

 

On one cruise, it was so nice ... we went up to that little church, and it wasn't in use. So a woman who was a passenger on our cruise got up and conducted an impromptu "praise and worship" service. We all gathered in a circle, held hands, gave testimonies and then sang songs. One of the nicest visits to Half Moon Cay I've had yet.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[con3]

Does anyone know if there is a charge to use the waterpark on Half Moon Cay?

[Sayyadina]

OK Rita,

 

Which vowels were you going to renew? A E I O U or sometimes Y or W?

 

Teasing, of course. The little chapel is a very nice picturesque place to renew your vows.

 

Ed

 

It's the "O, Y U?" vowels. :D