Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas has become the standard all other cruise lines compare their beach days to, and it's clear Carnival is taking notice.
Ever since Royal Caribbean overhauled CocoCay, it seemed to leap all the other private islands by going well beyond a beach and BBQ lunch offering.
Carnival announced on Tuesday its plans to upgrade Half Moon Cay, which is shared with Holland America Line.
Just like Royal Caribbean, Carnival is renaming its island. The new name will be "RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay." You would not be alone in noticing "RelaxAway" rhymes with "Perfect Day".
Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy said in a statement, "Calling this piece of paradise RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay reinforces our commitment to preserve the attributes that make the destination so appealing as we expand access and welcome more guests to the destination’s crystal-clear waters, white-sand beaches and lush landscapes."
"Many of our 2026 and beyond itineraries will feature both RelaxAway and Celebration Key, providing guests with complimentary experiences enjoying both idyllic and ultimate beach days."
The new enhancements will begin to be completed by summer 2026 and continue through the end of the year.
What's coming to RelaxAway
Because Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line share visits to the island, the upgrades will be a joint operation.
When the work is done, the island will have an expanded beachfront experience, lunch venues, a variety of bars and, "other features that will reinforce the destination’s natural beauty and tropical appeal."
Another page out of Royal Caribbean's playbook is to add a pier to the island. This will allow cruise ships to dock instead of tendering to the island.
The newly-constructed pier will be located on the north side, and can accommodate ships as large as Carnival’s Excel class ships. This will be the first time those size ships can visit the island.
When guests walk down the pier, they'll get to the welcome plaza on the island’s south and north sides.
The south side will "receive a refreshing Bahamian touch-up", a new beach club, an updated lunch venue and renovated facilities.
On the newly developed north side, there will be two lunch venues and a variety of island-themed bars.
There will also be a new tram service to make it easier for guests to get around the island.
In addition, lounging areas will be expanded, cabanas added and a new shore excursion pier on the north side will connect guests with recreational activities.
Carnival says all of these upgrades are designed with nature in mind, "including architecture that complements the island’s stunning authenticity."
Expect further details to be revealed in the coming months.
Private islands are big business
Cruise line private islands are not a new concept, but offering more than just a swath of beach is different.
All the major cruise lines have at least one private destination, and many lines are up to two. Royal Caribbean has CocoCay and Labadee, with a third coming to Mexico.
Private islands make good business sense. They capture more of their customers spending, the capacity and amenities are directly controlled by the cruise line to ensure it matches up with their standards, and it delivers high guest satisfaction rates.
Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said their private island is at the very top of guest approval rankings, "CocoCay is the number one destination that Royal Caribbean goes to in the world out of 100 global destinations, because it’s a curated experience designed and built to deliver a high-level experience to the customer. At the end of the day that’s all that matters."
With overtourism concerns and votes to limit cruise ships abound, private islands are seen as a safe bet to ensure ships have a good fallback if itineraries need to be altered.
Plus, it's generated extra revenue for the cruise lines. At a time when all cruise lines are paying back hefty loans incurred during the cruise industry shutdown of 2020-2021, increasing revenue anywhere possible is a smart move.
Carnival isn't just working on Half Moon Cay. They've already announced a $600 million project to build its private destination at Celebration Key on Grand Bahama, which is set to open in 2025.
