Cruise line private islands are beach destinations that a cruise company owns or leases, so only its own ships call there. In late 2026 the main ones are Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day CocoCay, Disney’s Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay, Norwegian’s Great Stirrup Cay and Harvest Caye, MSC’s Ocean Cay, Virgin’s Beach Club at Bimini, and Carnival Corporation’s Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. Most are in the Bahamas, and almost all of them add paid extras on top of a free beach day.
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A lot has changed since these lists were first written. Labadee in Haiti has had no ship calls since April 2025. Princess is moving its guests away from Princess Cays. Carnival opened Celebration Key. Royal Caribbean launched its first Royal Beach Club, and CocoCay quietly lost a word from its name. Here is the current picture, island by island.
Cruise line private islands at a glance (2026)
| Island / destination | Owner (who visits) | Location | Opened | Key features | Extra-cost highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect Day CocoCay | Royal Caribbean Group (Royal Caribbean, Celebrity) | Berry Islands, Bahamas | Perfect Day version 2019 (leased since 1990) | Oasis Lagoon pool, seven beaches, Up, Up and Away balloon | Thrill Waterpark, Coco Beach Club, adults-only Hideaway Beach |
| Labadee | Royal Caribbean | North coast of Haiti | Mid-1980s | Dragon’s Breath zip line, beaches, barbecue | Closed. Calls suspended through June 2027 |
| Royal Beach Club Paradise Island | Royal Caribbean | Nassau, Bahamas | December 2025 | Three zones, each with a pool and swim-up bar | Pass required. Adult pass with drinks launched at $169.99 |
| Celebration Key | Carnival Corporation (Carnival, plus sister lines) | Grand Bahama | July 2025 | Two huge freshwater lagoons, two-ship pier | Pearl Cove Beach Club from about $100, Suncastle slides $15, cabanas |
| RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay | Carnival Corporation (Carnival, Holland America, Princess) | Little San Salvador, Bahamas | 1997 (pier opened June 2026) | Long crescent beach, new tram, new bars | Cabanas, day beds, horseback riding |
| Princess Cays | Carnival Corporation (Princess) | Eleuthera, Bahamas | Early 1990s | Half-mile beach, barbecue lunch | Bungalows, water sports. Being phased out from fall 2026 |
| Great Stirrup Cay | Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCL) | Berry Islands, Bahamas | 1977 | New pier, 1.4-acre Great Life Lagoon | Great Tides Waterpark, Vibe Shore Club, Silver Cove |
| Harvest Caye | NCL (island owned by Belize) | Southern Belize | 2016 | Big pool, lagoon, Flighthouse zip line | No free lunch, villas, excursions |
| Castaway Cay | Disney Cruise Line | Abaco, Bahamas | 1998 | Family beach, Serenity Bay adults-only beach | Cabanas, bikes, water sports |
| Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point | Disney Cruise Line | Eleuthera, Bahamas | June 2024 | Bahamian-designed spaces, long beach | Cabanas, excursions |
| Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve | MSC Cruises | Near Bimini, Bahamas | November 2019 | Eight beaches, lighthouse light show, late stays | Cabanas, drinks outside packages |
| The Beach Club at Bimini | Virgin Voyages (adults only) | Bimini, Bahamas | 2023 | Lagoon pool, DJs, included food | Cabanas around $630 a day |
| Motu Mahana | Paul Gauguin (Ponant group) | Off Taha’a, French Polynesia | Long-standing stop | Snorkeling, kayaks, floating bar, barbecue | Massages and some extras |
Prices are what cruise news outlets and the lines reported during 2025 and 2026. Several lines now use dynamic pricing, so check your cruise planner before you sail.
Royal Caribbean: Perfect Day CocoCay, Labadee and the Royal Beach Clubs
Perfect Day CocoCay (Bahamas)
Royal Caribbean has leased Little Stirrup Cay since 1990 and turned it into Perfect Day at CocoCay in 2019. In August 2026 the line dropped the “at”, and the island is now branded Perfect Day CocoCay on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity bookings. It is still the most built-up of all the cruise private islands: a free Oasis Lagoon pool, Splashaway Bay for kids, several free food venues and beaches. The big draws cost extra. Those are Thrill Waterpark (home to Daredevil’s Peak), the Up, Up and Away balloon, Coco Beach Club and the adults-only Hideaway Beach.
Labadee (Haiti): closed for now
Labadee is a fenced peninsula on Haiti’s north coast that Royal Caribbean has used since the 1980s. Because of security problems in Haiti, ships stopped calling in April 2025. In July 2026 the line extended the suspension through June 2027. Older itineraries that showed Labadee now get a substitute port.
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island and what comes next
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opened in Nassau in December 2025. It is a 17-acre site a short water-taxi ride from the cruise pier, split into Chill Beach, Party Cove and Family Beach, and each zone has a pool and swim-up bar. Entry needs a paid pass, which includes food and drinks. Royal Beach Club Cozumel is scheduled for December 31, 2026, and a beach club on Lelepa in Vanuatu is planned for 2027. One plan has stalled: Mexico’s environment ministry said in May 2026 that it would not approve Perfect Day Mexico at Costa Maya. Royal Caribbean said it would look for another approach, but any new plan needs fresh government approval, so don’t book around it yet.
Carnival Corporation: Celebration Key, Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays
Celebration Key (Grand Bahama)
Carnival opened Celebration Key on Grand Bahama in July 2025. It is the company’s biggest destination project, and its pier can berth two ships at once. The island is split into themed “portals”. Starfish Lagoon is for families, Calypso Lagoon is livelier with a DJ, and Paradise Plaza and Lokono Cove are for shops and food. The lagoons, beaches, loungers, trams and one Island Eats meal per guest are free. Carnival’s Cheers! drinks package does not work there, and cocktails are roughly $12.50 to $16. The Suncastle waterslides are about $15 for the day. Pearl Cove Beach Club (adults only) starts around $100, and cabanas run from about $450 to well over $1,000.
RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay (Little San Salvador)
Holland America bought this 2,400-acre island in 1997. Carnival rebranded it RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay in late 2024. A new pier opened in June 2026, so the long tender rides are over, and even Carnival’s largest Excel-class ships can dock. The beach is still the star. It also has a new tram, upgraded bars and grills, and reservable cabanas and day beds. Holland America and Carnival both call here, and Princess now sends most of its Bahamas calls here too.
Princess Cays (Eleuthera)
Princess Cays is a 40-acre beach on the southern tip of Eleuthera, known for its colorful bungalows and barbecue lunch. Starting in fall 2026, Princess is moving its calls to Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key, and the site is no longer in Carnival’s Paradise Collection of private destinations.
Norwegian Cruise Line: Great Stirrup Cay and Harvest Caye
Great Stirrup Cay (Berry Islands, Bahamas)
Great Stirrup Cay was the first cruise private island, used by Norwegian since 1977. It has just had its biggest overhaul. A pier opened in December 2025, which ended tendering. The heated, 1.4-acre Great Life Lagoon with swim-up bars opened around the same time, and it is free. Great Tides Waterpark followed on September 4, 2026, with 19 slides, cliff jumps and an 800-foot action river, and it needs a paid day pass. The quieter Vibe Shore Club (adults) and Silver Cove areas also cost extra. NCL’s Free at Sea drinks benefit can be used at many bars on the island.
Harvest Caye (Belize)
Harvest Caye opened in 2016 on a 75-acre island owned by the government of Belize. Its large pool, saltwater lagoon, 3,000-foot Flighthouse zip line and mainland excursions make it more of a resort port than a desert island. One catch first-timers miss: there is no free lunch ashore, so eat on the ship or plan to buy food.
Disney, MSC and Virgin: the best cruise private island for each kind of traveler
Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay (Disney)
Castaway Cay opened in 1998 and is still a favorite for families. It has a dedicated family beach, teen and kids’ areas, the Pelican Plunge waterslide and Serenity Bay, an adults-only beach. Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on Eleuthera opened in June 2024. It focuses on Bahamian art, music and design and has a long, wide beach. Lunch is included at both, and cabanas and some water sports cost extra.
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (Bahamas)
MSC turned a former industrial sand-mining site into a marine reserve, which opened in 2019. It has eight beaches, a lighthouse that hosts a nightly light show, and many sailings stay into the evening. MSC Yacht Club guests get their own private beach area.
The Beach Club at Bimini (Virgin Voyages)
Virgin’s adults-only Beach Club at Bimini is a resort-style club, not a whole island. It has a lagoon-style pool, included food, several bars and DJs in the afternoon. Ships anchor and guests tender in. Cabanas cost around $630 a day with a drinks credit.
Motu Mahana (French Polynesia)
For something completely different, the small ship Paul Gauguin, now part of the Ponant group, takes guests to Motu Mahana, its private islet off Taha’a. Expect a barbecue, a floating bar, snorkeling and kayaks in a South Pacific lagoon.
How to choose the best cruise private island for you
- Thrill seekers and teens: Perfect Day CocoCay and Great Stirrup Cay have the biggest waterparks. Both cost extra, so budget for the passes.
- Young families: Castaway Cay, Lookout Cay and Celebration Key’s Starfish Lagoon all have shallow water and a lot of free fun.
- Beach purists: RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay and Ocean Cay have the most natural-feeling sand and water.
- Adults only: Virgin’s Beach Club at Bimini, or the paid adult areas at CocoCay, Celebration Key and Great Stirrup Cay.
- Value for money: If you skip the extras, a day on any of these cruise line private islands costs very little. The free lagoons at CocoCay, Celebration Key and Great Stirrup Cay are the best free options right now.
Most of these islands appear on short Bahamas and Caribbean sailings from Florida. Our guide to the cheapest 7-day cruises out of Florida shows which lines give you the most island time for the money. If you want a mix of private island days and real ports, see our list of Western Caribbean cruise ports worth visiting, and watch our 2027 cruise deals for early fares on itineraries that include the new beach clubs.
Tips the brochures don’t mention
- Your drinks package may not work. Carnival’s Cheers! is not valid at Celebration Key. Royal Caribbean beach club passes include drinks, so a separate package doesn’t help there.
- Weather can cancel the day. Docking piers at Great Stirrup Cay and Half Moon Cay make cancellations less likely than with tenders, but strong winds can still stop a call.
- Book early, but check refunds. Prices often rise as the island day sells out. Most lines refund prepaid extras if the call is cancelled, but confirm this in your cruise planner.
- Two-ship days get busy. CocoCay and Celebration Key can host several ships at once. Reserve a cabana or day bed if shade matters to you.
If you are choosing between Castaway Cay and Perfect Day at CocoCay, our Disney Cruise vs Royal Caribbean guide compares the two lines in full.
For a full rundown of beaches, excursions and the new pier, see our guide to the things to do in Half Moon Cay.
FAQs
Which cruise lines have private islands?
Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, Holland America, Princess, Norwegian, Disney, MSC and Virgin Voyages all use private islands or private beach clubs. Most are in the Bahamas. Paul Gauguin has one in French Polynesia.
What is the best cruise private island?
It depends on your group. Perfect Day CocoCay has the most attractions, Castaway Cay is the strongest for families, and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay and Ocean Cay have the most natural beaches.
Is Labadee open in 2026?
No. Royal Caribbean has not called at Labadee since April 2025 and has extended the suspension through June 2027 because of security concerns in Haiti.
Which Carnival private island is best?
Celebration Key is the best choice for lagoons, activities and walking straight off the ship. RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay is better for a classic, quieter beach day, and it now has its own pier too.
Are cruise line private islands free?
Getting ashore, the main beaches, loungers and usually lunch are included in your fare. Waterparks, beach clubs, cabanas, water sports and most alcohol cost extra.
