HMC vs Princess Cay

[POA1]

Which beaches in the region would you consider better than Half Moon Cay?

That's a great question. I'd like to hear/read the answer. You'd have to spend a lot of time on some spectacular beaches to dislike Half Moon Cay.

 

The nicest beach I know of in the Caribbean is on Peter Island in the BVI. However, I can't see dissing Half Moon Cay. It's a really, really pretty beach. (And we have a beach downstairs, so we're kinda picky.)

[iancal]

What would we prefer....

 

In Cuba, Veradero. In Granada our favs would be Grande Anse (far end well away from the dock), or BBC. On St. Lucia it would be Reduit (sp). Also a black sand beach in St. Vincent that we were on but I do not remember the name.

Edited July 21, 2015 by iancal

[Boytjie]

What would we prefer....

 

In Cuba, Veradero. In Granada our favs would be Grande Anse (far end well away from the dock), or BBC. On St. Lucia it would be Reduit (sp). Also a black sand beach in St. Vincent that we were on but I do not remember the name.

 

 

Thanks for responding. I have not been to any of them but they all seem very nice - I would not say no to spending time on any of them. :)

[Alabaster Cruiser]

What would we prefer....

 

In Cuba, Veradero. In Granada our favs would be Grande Anse (far end well away from the dock), or BBC. On St. Lucia it would be Reduit (sp). Also a black sand beach in St. Vincent that we were on but I do not remember the name.

 

 

 

We've been to 3 of the 4 (have no interest in Cuba) and I would have to say that Half Moon still has them beat. At Princess Cay you also have the option of snorkeling from the beach. But to each his own.

[Aquahound]

What would we prefer....

 

In Cuba, Veradero. In Granada our favs would be Grande Anse (far end well away from the dock), or BBC. On St. Lucia it would be Reduit (sp). Also a black sand beach in St. Vincent that we were on but I do not remember the name.

 

Thanks for responding. By "region," I probably wasn't alone in thinking you meant the Bahamas. If we're talking the entire Bahamas and Caribbean area, yeah, I agree there are better beaches. St. John, Tortola and Virgin Gorda come to my mind. But speaking just in the Bahamas, HMC is up there with the better Bahamas beaches.

[S&M in Pgh]

HMC wins it for us because of the easy tendering process, better beach to water access, lots of shade and the private cabanas (which we try to rent) seem more o pen and airy.

 

PC is a bit more organized, better bar and food service and overall activities.

 

We like to go over to both, snorkel (or dive if offered) then relax in a cabana and maybe float in that aquamarine water until they drag me back to the ship, kicking and screaming.

 

I have often said, I could spend the entire week at HMC. And I would like to take that pirate ship and turn it into an artificial reef and maybe use the 2 story hideous cabanas for a nice bonfire. I know Carnival owns HAL, but the Carnivalization of HMC has not been a plus.

 

Just my $0.02.

 

Mike

[iancal]

For us it is as much the number of people streaming off the ship/tender and the crowds that gather close to the bars/food/dock. We much prefer a more serene beach environment.

[rafinmd]

I have only been to HMC. Do any of the Islands have a large pier for a ship to tip up at or are they all tender ports?

 

Wrong...

 

You no longer have to tender to Labadee, Royal/Celebrity's private island...they built a pier when Oasis was launched......

 

I'm not ready to call Typhoon1 wrong. While Labadee is a private enclave it is not really an island. It's an area of Haiti that's isolated by topography but not a separate island.

 

Does HMC have large boats or do they use the ship's tenders?

 

Roy

[Aquahound]

I'm not ready to call Typhoon1 wrong. While Labadee is a private enclave it is not really an island. It's an area of Haiti that's isolated by topography but not a separate island.

 

Semantics. It's a peninsula, but it's still a cruise line private destination. By that definition, Princess Cays wouldn't be a private island either. In fact, the only "private island" I'm aware of where the cruise line uses the entire island is RCI's Coco Cay.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Aquahound

[RuthC]

Does HMC have large boats or do they use the ship's tenders?

HMC has some very large tenders of its own.

When more than one ship is there, one uses the island's tenders, while the other uses ship tenders.

[Typhoon1]

Wrong...

 

You no longer have to tender to Labadee, Royal/Celebrity's private island...they built a pier when Oasis was launched......

 

Labadee is not a private island.

 

It is a private port on the North Coast of Haiti. The cruise lines will call them what they will after they pour millions of dollars into them.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Typhoon1