Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private island, is one of our favorite destinations in the Caribbean to visit via a cruise ship.
Here are 18 Fun Facts about Half Moon Cay:
1. Half Moon Cay (Cay is pronounced “key’) is also known as Little San Salvador Island.
2. It is one of about 700 islands that make up the archipelago of The Bahamas.
3. Half Moon Cay is located about 100 miles southeast of Nassau roughly halfway between Eleuthera and Cat Island.
4. Holland America Line purchased the island in December, 1996 for a price of $6 million USD.
5. Before it was purchased by Holland America, Little San Salvador was the private island of Norwegian Cruise Line.
6. Half Moon Cay covers 2,400 acres.
7. Only 50 acres, or about two percent of the island has been developed with the goal of maintaining as much habitat as possible for wildlife such as curly tailed lizards and banaquit birds.
8. The island is a significant nesting area for waterfowl.
9. The developed areas of the island had to be raised 14 feet to be above the flood plain.
10. Half Moon Cay was officially opened as a port of call for Holland America on December 12, 1997.
11. There are nine miles of beach on Half Moon Cay.
12. The main white powder sand crescent-shaped beach is two miles in length.
13. Half Moon Cay has a 1,700 acre interior Lagoon.
14. One of the unique shore excursions is “land & sea” horseback riding during which you ride a horse along winding trails to the highest point of the island, followed by riding your horse into the ocean for a horseback swim.
15. The island does not have deep water docking, requiring the use of tenders for cruise ship passengers to disembark and embark.
16. As the parent company of Holland America Line, Carnival Corporation ultimately owns Half Moon Cay.
17. Ships from Carnival Cruise Lines call on the island when it is not being used by Holland America cruises.
18. The island has no permanent residents.
Have you visited Half Moon Cay, Bahamas? What’s is your favorite activity there?
Other posts on Holland America Line to check out:
- An Improved Signature Beverage Package on Holland America Cruises
- 5 Steps to Faster Disembarkation from a Holland America Cruise Ship
- 11 Hospitality Superstars Who Made Our Holland America Cruise Special
- Menus from a Holland America Cruise in Asia
- Holland America Announces More Details of New Koningsdam Cruise Ship
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