Why no private island?

[Fat Boy]

Carnival owns Holland America. Holland America owns Half Moon Cay. Some (very few) Carnival sailings go to Half Moon Cay.

 

I know now isn't the time to go buying more islands, but is there any chance that the shorter Carnival sailings might start using the island more? I really liked my one Royal Caribbean cruise because it gave me a day of beach time and food without requiring a taxi ride and a $40/person entrance fee. For a family with four kids, the convenience of these private islands is great, and the savings really eats away at Carnival's edge in "value".

[jessemon]

I would write them a very stong letter in complaint about this if I were you....That might help......;)

There are two ships from Carnival that visit there on a regular basis on short cruises. Fascination and Destiny. How many more ships would you like to see visit there on a short cruise....??????:confused:

[Nezmo]

Carnival owns Holland America. Holland America owns Half Moon Cay. Some (very few) Carnival sailings go to Half Moon Cay.

 

I know now isn't the time to go buying more islands, but is there any chance that the shorter Carnival sailings might start using the island more? I really liked my one Royal Caribbean cruise because it gave me a day of beach time and food without requiring a taxi ride and a $40/person entrance fee. For a family with four kids, the convenience of these private islands is great, and the savings really eats away at Carnival's edge in "value".

I think that's a fair question and you make a good point.

[DanJ]

The Pride will also go there this summer from Baltimore, and I am really looking forward to it, even as a non beach type person LOL. I also wonder why Carnival doesn't make use of Princess Cays on certain itineraries.

 

Maybe Carnival is waiting to see if they can snap up NCL's island out of bankruptcy, or maybe get one of RCI's 2 so they can make payments on the Oasis LOL.

[Fat Boy]

I would write them a very stong letter in complaint about this if I were you....That might help......;)

There are two ships from Carnival that visit there on a regular basis on short cruises. Fascination and Destiny. How many more ships would you like to see visit there on a short cruise....??????:confused:

 

 

Easy, there, turbo. I wasn't complaining... Just wondering. ;)

 

I knew about the Fascination, but I wasn't aware that the Destiny also goes there... Any others?

 

I was looking for something like the three and four day RCI sailings out of Miami, but with the Carnival food, entertainment, and value that I prefer. The Destiny sailings look pretty similar, so that may the Carnival option I was looking for. Thanks!

[nolaAlive]

Now actually might be the time to go buying more "private" islands.

 

There is a limit to how many people a given port can handle, and that includes private islands. Scheduling comes into play.

 

Carnival Cruise line does not own Holland America. Carnival Corporation does. The various cruise lines owned by the coporation are separate business entities and are (mostly) operated as such.

[G'ma]

The Pride will also go there this summer from Baltimore, and I am really looking forward to it, even as a non beach type person LOL. I also wonder why Carnival doesn't make use of Princess Cays on certain itineraries.

 

Maybe Carnival is waiting to see if they can snap up NCL's island out of bankruptcy, or maybe get one of RCI's 2 so they can make payments on the Oasis LOL.

 

I'm sure that if/when Carnival decides it would be worth while and enough people would like that...and it's profitable to do so, they will.

 

Frankly, I don't like those island stops..maybe a lot of people don't.

 

I'd rather stay on the ship, lounge at the pool, enjoy the quiet rather than be dumped on a strip of beach with 3000 people.

 

My opinion only......:D

[jessemon]

Easy, there, turbo. I wasn't complaining... Just wondering. ;)

 

I knew about the Fascination, but I wasn't aware that the Destiny also goes there... Any others?

 

I was looking for something like the three and four day RCI sailings out of Miami, but with the Carnival food, entertainment, and value that I prefer. The Destiny sailings look pretty similar, so that may the Carnival option I was looking for. Thanks!

The first line was in jest hence the wink.......;)

And you are welcome. It was very easy to do a little research that took three minutes to find the (short) cruises that go there.....

By the way...I have been to all the private islands that the major lines have to offer and HMC is the nicest in my opinion....

[RAVI360]

Frankly' date=' I don't like those island stops..maybe a lot of people don't.

 

I'd rather stay on the ship, lounge at the pool, enjoy the quiet rather than be dumped on a strip of beach with 3000 people.

 

My opinion only......:D[/quote']

 

I agree we normally stay on the ship when they visit the Private Islands,

not much of a beachperson

[kjunea]

I know you were looking for short cruises, but the Liberty is going there when they take over the Pride's Eastern route after the Pride moves to Baltimore.

[Brizzygirl]

We'll be at HMC on the Liberty in June and will be the only ship in port.

Can't wait!!

[cookc61462]

Imagination also goes there.

[frayedend]

The first line was in jest hence the wink.......;)

And you are welcome. It was very easy to do a little research that took three minutes to find the (short) cruises that go there.....

By the way...I have been to all the private islands that the major lines have to offer and HMC is the nicest in my opinion....

 

 

Please don't take offense to this, but... Why do I see so many people telling others, "If you just searched..." etc. How do you get over 10K posts without answering a lot of questions that could also be answered by searching. I'm not trying to attack you. I see lots and lots of people doing this. Your wink may have been in jest, but you did sound pretty harsh to a simple question that actually seemed pretty good. There are probably people here that have answers. Maybe the island just can't accomodate more than one ship, etc, etc...

 

In my opinion people come to a specific forum to get quick answers and more personal answers and ideas rather than just the dry information found on the cruise website.

[NCTribeFan]

I most definitely am not a beach person, but I am when I go to HMC!

 

I went there again in December (my 3rd time) because, to me, it is paradise. I only booked that cruise because it went there (and I got a fantastic price, and can drive to Jax).

 

You don't have to hang around up where the kiddies are. You don't have to sit at the bar and get hammered. You can go way down the beach, rent a clamshell, and just relax all day.

 

But if you can't appreciate HMC, I gotta wonder why you're on that particular itinerary? To go to Nassau and pay a fortune to go walk around a resort with a man-made water park? To go shopping at Diamonds International and overpay for jewelry because the cruiseline pimps their stores? Whatever. None of my business. Don't really care. Just don't understand.

 

I'm a "get out there and see the ports" cruiser, myself. I would never, ever dream of staying on the ship (yes, even in Nassau, which I've been to many times).

 

There are things to do at HMC. You can snorkel. You can visit the stingrays. You can ride the horses in the surf.

 

It is an absolutely beautiful island.

 

I've only been there on Fantasy-class ships, and there are times and places where it is crowded. A packed Glory visiting might not be my idea of Paradise on that particular day, though.

 

I would love to see them incorporate HMC into more Bahama and Eastern Caribbean itineraries.

 

I'd sail to HMC every month if I could. I'm astounded that there are cruisers who don't appreciate this place. I wonder if maybe those folks have never been there?

[G'ma]

I most definitely am not a beach person, but I am when I go to HMC!

 

I went there again in December (my 3rd time) because, to me, it is paradise. I only booked that cruise because it went there (and I got a fantastic price, and can drive to Jax).

 

You don't have to hang around up where the kiddies are. You don't have to sit at the bar and get hammered. You can go way down the beach, rent a clamshell, and just relax all day.

 

But if you can't appreciate HMC, I gotta wonder why you're on that particular itinerary? To go to Nassau and pay a fortune to go walk around a resort with a man-made water park? To go shopping at Diamonds International and overpay for jewelry because the cruiseline pimps their stores? Whatever. None of my business. Don't really care. Just don't understand.

 

I'm a "get out there and see the ports" cruiser, myself. I would never, ever dream of staying on the ship (yes, even in Nassau, which I've been to many times).

 

There are things to do at HMC. You can snorkel. You can visit the stingrays. You can ride the horses in the surf.

 

It is an absolutely beautiful island.

 

I've only been there on Fantasy-class ships, and there are times and places where it is crowded. A packed Glory visiting might not be my idea of Paradise on that particular day, though.

 

I would love to see them incorporate HMC into more Bahama and Eastern Caribbean itineraries.

 

I'd sail to HMC every month if I could. I'm astounded that there are cruisers who don't appreciate this place. I wonder if maybe those folks have never been there?

 

That's what's so great about cruising. There is something for everyone. Some enjoy the ports, some the beaches, some like sightseeing. I cruise for the sea....long lazy days of serenity on an ocean is heaven to me....I spend a lot of time on my balcony just gazing. I wouldn't care if the ship made any ports. They could cruise out to sea and do figure 8's for a week as far as I'm concerned..:p

 

To be fair, I've traveled to the Caribbean and the Bahams and Mexico so many times in the past 35 years or so...both cruising and land vacations. There are only a few ports where I have interest in getting off...usually to have lunch at a favorite place or to meet friends.

 

I don't do "beach" anymore. I might take a dip and lay in a lounge chair for an hour or so but that's it. But, I don't enjoy being on a beach with a couple of thousand people....at all.

[tef43]

The private island experience is no big deal. Too many people in too small a space.

 

NCL had serious problems with sand fleas on Great Stirrup Cay a few years back, not a way to endear yourself to your customers.

 

On balance though, it's still better than RCCL's Labadee. The barbed-wire fencing and machine gun-toting security guards really add to the ambience there. :eek:

[DanJ]

How do you get over 10K posts without answering a lot of questions that could also be answered by searching.

 

That's easy, you rack up the posts by telling people to go use the search LOL.

[frayedend]

That's easy, you rack up the posts by telling people to go use the search LOL.

 

LOL Good point!

[lettienets]

...........I'd rather stay on the ship' date=' lounge at the pool, enjoy the quiet rather than be dumped on a strip of beach with 3000 people.

 

My opinion only......:D[/quote']

I think that is exactly why there aren't more stops at Half Moon Cay. Holland America ships stop there. It is very crowded when two 2 HAL ships are there. And they are smaller than Carnival. Three would be ridiculous.

[palmtre2]

My feeling on the private island thing is that I have been on their ship for whatever number of days enjoying myself and spending money, why do you also need me to spend on your private island???? I will NEVER cruise an itinerary with a private island, it seems a little greedy to me on the cruise lines part. I live in a coastal state and can go to the beach anytime so that does cloud my opinion a bit, I would rather see and do other things.

[manmtnmike]

Half Moon Cay is the perfect "post card" pic for a Caribbean/Bahamas first-timer.

I'm looking forward to it again this July.

 

Mike

[Cruise Organizer]

I've been to a few private islands - HMC was the favorite by far.

Beautiful beach, big barbarque, plenty of room and no hassles from vendors.

The only costs are cocktails and excursions - they cost on every port and on the ship. This was the cheapest stop of the cruise by far.

 

I now look to see if the itinerary icludes HMC and I would gladly go back.

[VolzCruiser]

This thread got me to thinking. I got to wondering if Carnival couldn't do the same thing as Half Moon Cay in the Western Caribbean. It would add another stop to what seems to be an over cruised area.

[noblepa]

<snip> ...why do you also need me to spend on your private island???? ....

 

Have you ever been to HMC? Apparently not. I've never visited HMC on a Carnival cruise, but I have been there on Holland America. While there are a few things to spend money on at HMC, there is a beautiful beach that is absolutely free. They bring a huge, well-stocked barbecue over from the ship, that is also free.

 

There is a nominal charge for a clamshell, which covers two beach chairs. I think it was $14 when we were there a couple of years ago. We rented the clamshell and bought a couple of drinks, which we probably would have done, had we stayed on the ship, so our total expenditure was $14 for the two of us for a day on the most beautiful beach I've ever been on.

 

We were there on the Zuiderdam, which is similar to the Spirit, and carries a little over 2,000 passengers. The beach was busy, but if you went a little way down the beach, there was plenty of free space.

 

But then, to each his own.

 

Paul

[tef43]

This thread got me to thinking. I got to wondering if Carnival couldn't do the same thing as Half Moon Cay in the Western Caribbean.

Which uninhabited island would you have in mind for them to buy? :confused: