Reports on Half Moon Cay

[Peggy Sue]

wow, that is fantastic news ... I've been away on business, anxious to check in here to see if there was any news on the status of the beautiful island. Happy to hear we will all be able to visit the island on our upcoming Nov. cruise. I pray this hurrican season comes to a swift end and islands and states are no longer faced with so much destruction and clean-up..

 

Coming home from CT back to MA today I saw a convoy of electric trucks heading south to help out in Florida. Heard today over 200 trucks from MA and NH for a 3 week trip to assist. seeing that many trucks heading south really brought it home how much damage these hurricanes have already done...

[jhannah]

HALLELUJAH for HMC!!!!!

[Nautical Wheeler]

God is Great......God is Good.....

NOW..........If He will just keep Ivan away from Florida

[sail7seas]

What great news!!! Soooo happy we shall get to visit HMC in October.........:) conditions permitting.

 

While I would have been sorry to hear there was more damage than apparently exists, I would have sick to hear the beach was badly eroded or badly messed up. As long as the beach remains beautiful, the rest can be repaired/replaced.

[CruisinNana]

Wonderful news about HMC!!!!!!!! I was truly concerned about this beautiful paradise, and now I am looking forward to being there in November. WAAAHOOOOOOOOOO!!! :D :D

[Toad]

I am one happy toad! I may even become a princess in anticipation of our upcoming trip to HMC!

[imsulin]

HMC - one of the best reasons I book HAL!

[Lois R]

So, I miss the Island:( ...oh well, the last time I was in San Juan arrival time was late and I couldn't visit at all......

At least it will give us some time there...and maybe I will go to the fort...that is supposed to be something to see:)

[LoveLifeAtSea]

This is such GREAT NEWS!!! What a wonderful gift handed back to us! :)

[Debi_D]

Wow this is really great news, my sister will be so very happy. My sister has never been on HAL and all I have talked about was HMC and what a great place it was. We even rented a Cabana (hopefully they made it) and she was so excited she bought some cocktail napkins that say "Oh Cabana Boy":D on them just for our Cabana. So I am going to forward this thread to her and make her day....

 

Thanks everyone for the information.

 

Deb

[merryecho]

I sure hope Francis did away with the canvas cabanas. At $200+ per day I couldn't figure out why they never replaced these with the plywood ones.

[RevNeal]

Lois, I'm very sorry that you won't get to visit HMC. She's a wonderful place ... very relaxing and enjoyable place to visit.

 

However, I'm VERY happy that the word is that the damage was only minimal. I'll look forward to hearing other reports once people have a chance to visit it. I can't imagine that I'll be the very next! :D

[dakrewser]

:( Oh well......I doubt I will get to see it then either......

 

So, do you think that will be an extra day at sea?:D ......that will be good too....

I may be the only person on these boards who isn't enthralled by HMC. Yes it's a private beach, but it's also a crowded beach. Many other ports can offer you secluded, uncrowded (or crowded, if you prefer) beaches which look remarkably alike. Yes, you can get a cabana and a butler (for $500) and feel like a Rockefeller or a Vanderbilt. I'll bet you could spend $500 on Grand Cayman's seven mile beach and get at least as much if not more.

 

Feel a little disappinted that you won't be able to 'see for yourself', but only give it a passing thought and go on and have a glorious time on the rest of the cruise!

 

-dave

[RevNeal]

I may be the only person on these boards who isn't enthralled by HMC. Yes it's a private beach, but it's also a crowded beach.

 

In my experience, I have never found HMC to be crowded. Of course, what constitutes "crowded" will vary from person to person, but when one ship is at HMC I cannot imagine anyone thinking of the beach as being "crowded." I've been there with two ships in, and even then I've not thought of the beach as being "crowded." Here's a picture of the beach with two ships (the Maasdam and the Zaandam) in.

 

HMC Beach Photo

 

Now ... I'm not a "beach person." I abhor baking myself in solar radiation, and much prefer the cool shade over the hot sun, but I love HMC.

[jhannah]

I was there on the Zuiderdam and the Zaandam was there, too. I didn't find it crowded. People were spread out so it wasn't uncomfortable. Didn't have any problem getting beach chairs or finding a place to eat, either. Maybe many people just stayed on the ships.

[dakrewser]

Here's a picture of the beach with two ships (the Maasdam and the Zaandam) in.

 

HMC Beach Photo

 

QUOTE]

 

Way too crowded! :) My idea of an uncrowded beach is more like this:

 

 

:D -dave

[sail7seas]

Many times we have been there on Maasdam and the beach most assuredly was not what most people would call crowded. Nor was it deserted, either. :)

 

Of roughly 1,200 pax, normally maybe 60-70% even leave the ship to go to the beach. Many go first thing in the morning and return to the ship for lunch. Others don't come to the beach UNTIL lunch time, so one shift is leaving and the other is coming but it is rare when there would all that many there at the same time.

 

We have been there on Amsterdam and Zaandam arrived. The beach and everything else on the island was crowded!!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We have been there on Amsterdam and Zaandam arrived. The beach and everything else on the island was crowded!!

It is even a little worse when the Zuirderdam and another ship is there since Zuirderdam has 500 more passengers.

 

I have to admit when we were there there were 2 ships and it was a little bit crowded.

[RevNeal]

I imagine that the Vista ships to tax the island's space.

Again, "Crowded" is in the eye of the beholder. Dave's example is a DESERTED beach ... mine shows people, true, but look at the picture again: MOST of the crowding is in the form of EMPTY lounges. Count the number of people in the water, on the beach, etc. Sorry ... IMHO that's not crowded.

[gliles]

Rev - I would be happy if there are no more people than that when we go, you are right, it doesn't look bad.

[peaches from georgia]

The Vista ships have 1800+ pax versus 1200-1400 on the older ships. With younger families and more kids on the Vista ships you are going to have a greater % of Vista pax using HMC, which will make it more crowded when a Vista is there, especially with a 2nd ship there also, normally the case in the fall/winter.

[dakrewser]

Again, "Crowded" is in the eye of the beholder. Dave's example is a DESERTED beach ...

You say deserted, I say uncrowded

You say POH-tay-toe, I say pah-TAH-toe

 

:)

 

-dave

[Giorgi-one]

We visited HMC this summer and had a good time. However, I agree with posters here that beach was crowded. Only ship in port was the Zuiderdam. I also do not think there is anything special about 7-mile beach on Grand Cayman. Just hotels and condos as far as the eye can see. If you want to understand the difference, visit one of the beaches on St. Johns (not Trunk Bay) or Tortola. We were at Cinnamon Bay in St. Johns in January 2003 and there were about 20 people on the beach. Threre was also a family of donkeys (Dad, Mom and junior) on the beach. I'm sure there are many other islands with similar relatively secluded beaches and I intend to find every one before I die.

[Orcrone]

It is even a little worse when the Zuirderdam and another ship is there since Zuirderdam has 500 more passengers.

 

I have to admit when we were there there were 2 ships and it was a little bit crowded.

Bummer. I'm going to arrive at HMC on November 1, 3 hours after the Zuiderdam arrives.

 

Edited to say: Not really that bummed as long as we get there. We don't arrive until 11, Zuiderdam leaves at 4. Could probably spend time on the ship, have lunch there and head there early afternoon. Zuiderdam crowd will probably be thinning out.

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is absolutely wonderful news that HMC had only minimal damage.

Sounds like they will be able to continue working on all the new projects as scheduled.