Carnival Planning Their Own Half Moon Cay

[alwaysfrantic]

They get a dock. I'm a little jealous.

[3rdGenCunarder]

They get a dock. I'm a little jealous.

 

That's one of the reasons I like Grand Turk. It's so much easier to stroll off the ship, spend some time ashore, then go back to the ship for lunch. I also like that it's real. There's something sort of fake about the cruise lines' private islands. Maybe sanitized is the word I'm looking for? On Grand Turk, you can get out and about--even if it's just walking down the beach and looking at the little beach bars--and not be totally in the cocoon of HAL/CCL.

[Boytjie]

That's one of the reasons I like Grand Turk. It's so much easier to stroll off the ship, spend some time ashore, then go back to the ship for lunch. I also like that it's real. There's something sort of fake about the cruise lines' private islands. Maybe sanitized is the word I'm looking for? On Grand Turk, you can get out and about--even if it's just walking down the beach and looking at the little beach bars--and not be totally in the cocoon of HAL/CCL.

 

That's interesting; I thought that Grand Turk's cruise port looked pretty much like a lot of other

 

Caribbean cruise ports! Yes, it is different from HMC because of the dock and access to the "real world" but it's the same set-up with Margaritaville and the same shops. :)

[Aquahound]

I was wondering the same thing.

 

Glad I'm not the only one trying to figure that one out.

 

That's interesting; I thought that Grand Turk's cruise port looked pretty much like a lot of otherCaribbean cruise ports! Yes, it is different from HMC because of the dock and access to the "real world" but it's the same set-up with Margaritaville and the same shops. :)

 

I agree. The main attraction is a huge Margaritaville complex. To me, that's about as fake as they come.

 

I guess you can stroll down the beach to Jack's but even that place has been discovered. It's not very authentic when 100% of the clientele is from the ship.

[avian777]

How does a Carnival ship calling on HMC affect HAL cruisers (and HMC itself) since there is never a case where both a Carnival ship and HAL ship are there at the same time?

It's really quite simple: the more CCL ships that stop at HMC, the more wear and tear (including additional encroachment on the natural tranquility of the island itself) the island experiences and the more pressure on HAL to further encroach on the natural tranquility of the island by adding more and glitzier attractions. (How about a gigantic Ferris wheel a la the Seattle Great Wheel, another "authentic" Pirate Ship bar, Dune Buggy trails, a Go Kart race track, an El Diablo roller coaster ride, or maybe a Trader Vic's bar/restaurant?) For me, HMC is fine just the way it is, thank you very much! YMMV

[djhsolara]

Glad I'm not the only one trying to figure that one out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree. The main attraction is a huge Margaritaville complex. To me, that's about as fake as they come.

 

 

I couldn't care less about the restaurant and bar, but we love the pool at Margaritaville. The beach in GT is pretty rocky/coral so the pool is good for us

 

HMC is all about the beach for us. The way I look at it, the more ships that stop at HMC, the better the upkeep. When there would be several days with no ships, the island just sits there but when ships come more often they need to have it ready more often, hence better upkeep.

 

 

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