Half Moon Cay vs. Coco Cay

[CoolOne56]

I would love for Carnival to turn Half Moon Cay or Amber Cove into something similar to RCL's Coco Cay - it looks fanatics!  Yes, there would be a fee to use somethings, like the waterslides, the balloon ride, the zip line. 

 

I have only cruise Carnival, but I may go RCL just to go to Coco Cay.  My extended is family leaving next week on RCL - party of 15, 13 are first time cruisers.  I can't wait for their reviews of Coco Cay. This would be a FUN place.

 

[mredandchis]

WOW,  I havent sailed RCL in a long time.  When i last was at Coco cay it was so quiet.  I walked on to the cay and i felt like i was Gilligan.  They did have a few things like parasailing and snorkling and some other minor stuff.  It was so relaxing and so natural on the cay.   My personal take is it appears more like an amusement park and i really dont care for that.  There is a place in the western carribean that they, carnival, or the local government is doing the same kinda thing.    I do like to go places that are barely touched by man.  I kinda like the way half moon is now.  But it is totally cool that you like it.  

[bjfitz0703]

Looks like fun.  It is also a cash cow for RCCL.  Look at what they charge folks for different things there?  Big dollars.  The cruise industry often follows each other so who knows.  What also would be helpful for half moon cay is a dock like coco has as does Grand Turk.  Never been to coco yet the beach at HMC is simply the best.

[Joebucks]

I'm torn on this. I certainly will visit Coco Cay. I think RCL is really revolutionizing the cruise business here. Especially for families. With that said, I don't know that I want HMC to turn into a mega resort with multiple ships, and a bunch of things I won't use. I might not mind if Carnival had A private island like this, but I don't think it should be HMC. If the Freeport project ended this way, I'd be just fine with that.

[shipshape sam]

21 minutes ago, mredandchis said:

WOW,  I havent sailed RCL in a long time.  When i last was at Coco cay it was so quiet.  I walked on to the cay and i felt like i was Gilligan.  They did have a few things like parasailing and snorkling and some other minor stuff.  It was so relaxing and so natural on the cay.   My personal take is it appears more like an amusement park and i really dont care for that.  There is a place in the western carribean that they, carnival, or the local government is doing the same kinda thing.    I do like to go places that are barely touched by man.  I kinda like the way half moon is now.  But it is totally cool that you like it.  

We have been to Coco Cay when it was just a  island to swim, lay around or walk around.  There are pluses and minuses to the tremendous amount of development.  I have been to Half Moon Cay once about 10-12 years ago.

 

Comparing them back then, I liked Half Moon Cay better.  My favorite part was sitting at the tiki hut bar on the bluff overlooking Half Moon Cay in the shade with a beer in hand and a couple of my friends and I just enjoying the breeze and talking.  Subjective for sure .Never got in water. DW's did.

 

I would say, your extended family will have lots of fun on Coco Cay and if they like the rides, and want extended activities, Coco Cay will be great.  It will be interesting to learn how crowded it is and if so, did that effect their enjoyment.  We actually want to go back Coco Cay now that there is a dock.  Our last 3 trips to Coco Cay, 2 times we could not get to Coco Cay due to not being able to tender due to high winds or rougher seas on even a sunny day. 

[ShakyBeef]

Seeing as how HMC belongs to HAL, I don't see it being turned into an amusement park.  I don't think the majority of the HAL PAX demographic would have a lot of interest in this.

 

Like some PPs, I haven't been been to Coco Cay since this development. It was a lovely, quiet island back then (2010).  DH and I parasailed.  It was a fabulous experience!  I don't think I like what they have done to Coco Cay.  But I'm willing to go back and see for myself. 

 

The thing I really don't like is how their slogan encourages the widespread mispronunciation of the name of the island - "Perfect Day at Coco Cay" makes one want to turn it into a rhyme.  But cay doesn't rhyme with day.  Cay rhymes with sea.  I realize that's just a pet peeve of mine that few people are likely to share.

[mizLORInj]

23 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

. . .

 

The thing I really don't like is how their slogan encourages the widespread mispronunciation of the name of the island - "Perfect Day at Coco Cay" makes one want to turn it into a rhyme.  But cay doesn't rhyme with day.  Cay rhymes with sea.  I realize that's just a pet peeve of mine that few people are likely to share.

 

Yep, even the crew doesn't say "key" for Cay anymore.   We were on NCL Escape in  November and the CD kept calling it Great Stirrup Kay.  I guess they just don't know and no one tells them.  

 

I will be on RC's Coco Cay (formerly known as Little Stirrup Cay--right next to NCL's private island) in November and can't wait to see it.  The docking factor is a huge plus.   While I don't mind the amusements and the kids, hopefully we'll find a quiet nook somewhere.  

----

HMC is the most perfect to me.   Much better than Princess Cay, NCL's GSC or even RC's private space on Labadee.  Very rocky on beach and in water there.   

[ShakyBeef]

40 minutes ago, mizLORInj said:

 

Yep, even the crew doesn't say "key" for Cay anymore.   We were on NCL Escape in  November and the CD kept calling it Great Stirrup Kay.  I guess they just don't know and no one tells them.  

 

I will be on RC's Coco Cay (formerly known as Little Stirrup Cay--right next to NCL's private island) in November and can't wait to see it.  The docking factor is a huge plus.   While I don't mind the amusements and the kids, hopefully we'll find a quiet nook somewhere.  

----

HMC is the most perfect to me.   Much better than Princess Cay, NCL's GSC or even RC's private space on Labadee.  Very rocky on beach and in water there.   

 

When we were at Coco Cay on our Celebrity cruise, back in 2010, the Norwegian Pearl, a ship we had sailed a couple years before to Alaska, was anchored off GSC, "next door".  Our ship, Celebrity Mercury, was also anchored nearby, since Coco Cay was a tender port back then.  It was really cool to be flying above two of "our ships".  I haven't been to GSC yet, but hope to someday.  I agree that HMC is just about perfect.  One of my favourite Ports of Call.

[brookeq]

As someone said before, Half Moon Cay is for Holland America and sometimes carnival.  So that wouldn’t likely happen.  And I like it for a nice beach day and wouldn’t want slides and things there.  

 

I could see doing more things at amber cove.  ESP since there isn’t really a beach area.  

[K&RCurt]

4 hours ago, ShakyBeef said:

Seeing as how HMC belongs to HAL, I don't see it being turned into an amusement park.  I don't think the majority of the HAL PAX demographic would have a lot of interest in this.

 

Like some PPs, I haven't been been to Coco Cay since this development. It was a lovely, quiet island back then (2010).  DH and I parasailed.  It was a fabulous experience!  I don't think I like what they have done to Coco Cay.  But I'm willing to go back and see for myself. 

 

The thing I really don't like is how their slogan encourages the widespread mispronunciation of the name of the island - "Perfect Day at Coco Cay" makes one want to turn it into a rhyme.  But cay doesn't rhyme with day.  Cay rhymes with sea.  I realize that's just a pet peeve of mine that few people are likely to share.

 

While I agree with most of your points, (especially the pronunciation!) I think Carnival Corp can pretty much dictate to HAL changes to HMC if they want to.  I am positive that no one at HAL came up with the idea for that stupid "Pirate Ship Bar" as an example of something added when Carnival ships started regularly using HMC.

 

We enjoyed Coco Cay when we were there back in 2016, though not as much as we love HMC.  I am not sure it holds much appeal for us in its present incarnation, although all of those "amusement park" type features may lead to the beach being less crowded.

[ObstructedView2]

13 hours ago, CoolOne56 said:

 

I have only cruise Carnival, but I may go RCL just to go to Coco Cay. 

 

 

Be certain to do your research in regards to Royal Caribbean & Coco Cay. Royal Caribbean ships quite often miss Coco Cay, resulting in a port change. A common complaint on the Royal Caribbean message boards.

 

.

[shof515]

3 minutes ago, ObstructedView2 said:

 

Be certain to do your research in regards to Royal Caribbean & Coco Cay. Royal Caribbean ships quite often miss Coco Cay, resulting in a port change. A common complaint on the Royal Caribbean message boards.

 

.

 

now that coca cay has a pier where ships can dock, this is no longer case. It used to be a tender port like what half moon cay, great stirrup cay and other island islands are. Weather and strong currents can effect tendering operations which means you can skip the port

 

Edited May 9, 2019 by shof515

[ShakyBeef]

5 minutes ago, K&RCurt said:

 

While I agree with most of your points, (especially the pronunciation!) I think Carnival Corp can pretty much dictate to HAL changes to HMC if they want to.  I am positive that no one at HAL came up with the idea for that stupid "Pirate Ship Bar" as an example of something added when Carnival ships started regularly using HMC.

 

We enjoyed Coco Cay when we were there back in 2016, though not as much as we love HMC.  I am not sure it holds much appeal for us in its present incarnation, although all of those "amusement park" type features may lead to the beach being less crowded.

 

Yes, although Carnival Corp. could dictate to HAL, one of its owned cruise lines, what HAL will do with HMC, my point is that turning it into what Coco Cay has become would turn off (and most likely infuriate) the vast majority of the HAL PAX, and so would not likely be done.  It's in Carnival Corp.'s best interest to keep its HAL customers, as well as its CCL customers, happy.  And it seems to me the vast majority of CCL HMC visitors love the place how it is.  So why mess with success?

 

I remember well the fire storm of indignation and affronted sensibilities on the HAL boards when that Pirate Ship Bar went in.  People were sooooooo angry.  And that was just the construction of one bar that the "Carnival trailer park trash" coming to their island had brought about.  There was also a lot of backlash about the Villas being built a few years ago.  Can you imagine the uproar if they started turning the place into an amusement park ala the new, "improved" Coco Cay?  They'd break the internet.

[ShakyBeef]

Another reason why this will (hopefully) never happen is that as part of the sale (99 year lease) agreement, HAL promised to maintain the vast majority of Half Moon Cay as a nature preserve and wild bird sanctuary.  This wild area is of “extreme importance” as a bird sanctuary, especially for nesting seabirds, according to leading Bahamian conservationists.  Building a huge amusement park / water park area would certainly affect the nature preserve, possibly cutting into it in a devastating way.  For the sake of the nature preserve that supports several threatened species it should never be allowed to happen.

 

It's a bad idea in so many ways.  HMC is just practically perfect how it is.  Why destroy it?

[bjfitz0703]

1 hour ago, ShakyBeef said:

Another reason why this will (hopefully) never happen is that as part of the sale (99 year lease) agreement, HAL promised to maintain the vast majority of Half Moon Cay as a nature preserve and wild bird sanctuary.  This wild area is of “extreme importance” as a bird sanctuary, especially for nesting seabirds, according to leading Bahamian conservationists.  Building a huge amusement park / water park area would certainly affect the nature preserve, possibly cutting into it in a devastating way.  For the sake of the nature preserve that supports several threatened species it should never be allowed to happen.

 

It's a bad idea in so many ways.  HMC is just practically perfect how it is.  Why destroy it?

I agree.  Leave it.  I would build a pier, if feasible. We are sailing next month (Sunrise) yet will miss HMC this go around.  Grand Turk will be a stop.  Not bad yet not HMC yet GT does have a pier.  Would like them to clean up GT a bit.

[Aquahound]

12 hours ago, ShakyBeef said:

Seeing as how HMC belongs to HAL, I don't see it being turned into an amusement park.

 

Period.  That's it, right there.  The Perfect Day transformation of Coco Cay is great for the RCI crowd (as it would be for the Carnival crowd).  There's still plenty of relaxing beach real estate available, but also a bunch of really cool attractions for those looking to do something more active. 

 

But like you said, HMC is HAL's island.  HAL is an older demographic.  I'm one who loves waterslides, but I wouldn't want to see HMC transformed.  It's got the best beach of any private island, and I'd like it to stay that way. 

 

If Carnival went the way of Coco Cay, it's my opinion they should get their own island. 

 

Just curious though....for a little while, RCI was allowing Carnival to visit Coco Cay.  Are those days over?

Edited May 10, 2019 by Aquahound

[bakersdozen12]

Omg, no, no, no, no, NO!!!  Half Moon Cay is literally heaven on earth. It’s appeal is that it’s such a relaxing beach day. I would NOT want to see it built up more than it is now. 

[Kadeeu]

The success of the revamped Coco Cay may prompt them to make changes to the the new cruise port on Grand Bahama Island to include more water park like attractions.  It does though already sound like the plans are pretty ambitious.  I doubt anything happens the HMC for reasons others have mentioned.

 

Here are what they plan on building near Freeport:

The new cruise port development here in Grand Bahama will encompass multiple projects inclusive of construction of the channel, docks, water taxi and work boat piers, berthing platforms, seawalls and turning basin to accommodate two super post Panamex Ships.

The expansive Shore Project will comprise a 20-bed hotel, an 18-hole miniature golf course, restaurants, food and beverage pavilions, shops, nightclubs, amphi-theatre, aquatic and other recreational and sporting facilities as well as pedestrian and cycling trails. There will also be interactive amenities, such as stingray and dolphin encounters, animal exhibitions and petting zoo.

[czechcruzr]

Freeport transformation for the win!

[OCruisers]

 

Half Moon Cay vs. CoCo Cay 

 

May be best for people to actually try both now that CoCo Cay has been revamped before deciding. 

[CoolOne56]

14 hours ago, bjfitz0703 said:

Looks like fun.  It is also a cash cow for RCCL.  Look at what they charge folks for different things there?  Big dollars.  The cruise industry often follows each other so who knows.  What also would be helpful for half moon cay is a dock like coco has as does Grand Turk.  Never been to coco yet the beach at HMC is simply the best.

 

Definitely a cash cow! I only suggested HMC or GT because I thought these were Carnival's private islands.

 

It would be nice if they did something like this at the new Grand Port in Freeport, Carnival is building/revamping. 

[CoolOne56]

14 hours ago, Joebucks said:

I'm torn on this. I certainly will visit Coco Cay. I think RCL is really revolutionizing the cruise business here. Especially for families. With that said, I don't know that I want HMC to turn into a mega resort with multiple ships, and a bunch of things I won't use. I might not mind if Carnival had A private island like this, but I don't think it should be HMC. If the Freeport project ended this way, I'd be just fine with that.

 

Yes, if they did this for the Freeport project, it may give people reasons to get of the ship. 😉

[ShakyBeef]

3 minutes ago, CoolOne56 said:

 

Definitely a cash cow! I only suggested HMC or GT because I thought these were Carnival's private islands.

 

It would be nice if they did something like this at the new Grand Port in Freeport, Carnival is building/revamping. 

 

Grand Turk is not any cruise line's private island.  It is the capital island of the Turks and Caicos, a British Territory.

[xDisconnections]

48 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

Period.  That's it, right there.  The Perfect Day transformation of Coco Cay is great for the RCI crowd (as it would be for the Carnival crowd).  There's still plenty of relaxing beach real estate available, but also a bunch of really cool attractions for those looking to do something more active. 

 

But like you said, HMC is HAL's island.  HAL is an older demographic.  I'm one who loves waterslides, but I wouldn't want to see HMC transformed.  It's got the best beach of any private island, and I'd like it to stay that way. 

 

If Carnival went the way of Coco Cay, it's my opinion they should get their own island. 

 

Just curious though....for a little while, RCI was allowing Carnival to visit Coco Cay.  Are those days over?

You and @ShakyBeef put it very well.

[CoolOne56]

13 hours ago, ShakyBeef said:

Seeing as how HMC belongs to HAL, I don't see it being turned into an amusement park.  I don't think the majority of the HAL PAX demographic would have a lot of interest in this.

 

Like some PPs, I haven't been been to Coco Cay since this development. It was a lovely, quiet island back then (2010).  DH and I parasailed.  It was a fabulous experience!  I don't think I like what they have done to Coco Cay.  But I'm willing to go back and see for myself. 

 

The thing I really don't like is how their slogan encourages the widespread mispronunciation of the name of the island - "Perfect Day at Coco Cay" makes one want to turn it into a rhyme.  But cay doesn't rhyme with day.  Cay rhymes with sea.  I realize that's just a pet peeve of mine that few people are likely to share.

 

My bad, I thought HMC belong to Carnival.