Major Changes Coming To Carnival’s Half Moon Cay

[Moriah]

16 hours ago, sevenseasnomad said:

Some people will like the pier for the convenience.  Others, like me, who have been sailing with HAL since 2008 dislike having this little slice of heaven-on-earth tampered with.  

 

I agree. My first time on HMC was in 2006 and I've been nostalgic for that experience ever since. I've been back every year since, and in my opinion it's a little worse every year. First they added more cabanas, then they built larger cabanas, then a bar, and on and on it goes. Now a pier.  I admit the tendering to the island was my least favorite aspect, and the one year that choppy conditions didn't even allow us to have our day in paradise I would have welcomed the pier, and yet... I'm not usually a person who doesn't like change, but HMC was really perfect... until it wasn't.

[Shmoo here]

5 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Disney is coming to Half Moon Cay?

 

5 hours ago, Daisyloo said:

 

OMG. 😱  I hope not!!    What a way to ruin paradise.

 

5 hours ago, Randyk47 said:

 

Why would DCL come to HMC?  Totally separate company and they have their own island.

OK, DCL is coming to Eleuthera.  Sorry, I was confused - that's where Princess stops.  But Half Moon Cay is not far from Lighthouse Point on Eleuthera.

 

http://mickeyblog.com/2019/03/12/disney-cruise-lines-new-private-island-deal-finalized-with-the-bahamian-government/

 

 

[Shmoo here]

Sorry, duplicate

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2019 by Shmoo here

[Sir PMP]

43 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

 

 

OK, DCL is coming to Eleuthera.  Sorry, I was confused - that's where Princess stops.  But Half Moon Cay is not far from Lighthouse Point on Eleuthera.

 

http://mickeyblog.com/2019/03/12/disney-cruise-lines-new-private-island-deal-finalized-with-the-bahamian-government/

 

 

Yes, it's right next door, now they can outdo each other..

[Stakeout]

looks like the powers to be will again ruin a great thing... money rules..  as has been rumored for a while now and what we always used to say.. 'how long before they ruin HMC'... this will be it....  no more super nice pristine island... more and more since the Carnival ships have been stopping there they see the need to expand... and expand they will .. just a shame that a great place will be taken away from us HMC die hards.. been to the island over 40+ times since right after it opened  starting in 1998 ..  for us always a treat.. early mornings I can remember flyfishing the backwaters and lagoon for bonefish..  the tendering doesn't bother us at all..  always walk the entire west end of the island to the 'western point' getting off on the first tender.. have only had to bypass it 4x over all those years and it was always disappointing..  I guess this will go down as the same boondoggle as when HAL decided to take the pools out of the Veendam and Rotterdam expand the cabin #'s  and ruin two good ships.. luckily they wised up and stopped..  we shall see...  sad  😞  

here's a few pics from HMC on our Rotterdam 42 day Atlantic Adventurer cruise from back in 2016 BTW we sailed the Atlantic Adventurer every year they ran it  from 2011 thru 2017 .. 5x on the Maasdam.. 1x on the rotterdam.. 1x on the Veendam

a walk to the West End on Half Moon Cay

Edited August 2, 2019 by Stakeout

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info ..

[3rdGenCunarder]

7 hours ago, rothbury said:

I guess my only concern is where would they put the pier?  Thinking about it, it seems like any pier would have to be pretty long to reach the deeper water for the ships to dock.  If you have to walk a considerable distance I'm not sure it wouldn't prevent some disabled and physically challenged passengers from making a long walk to get on to the island.  I guess they would make it wide enough to accommodate some sort of shuttle to drive back and forth.  Has anybody seen a construction schedule?  I wonder how long and when the construction and completion will take.

 

Grand Turk has a very long pier. It doesn't have to stick out very far for deep enough water, but it's long enough to accommodate two ships (it runs parallel to the shoreline).  I'm trying to remember if they have any kind of little vehicles for people with mobility issues. I recall seeing a service like that on Martinique, and that wasn't nearly as long a walk as on Grand Turk. 

 

I don't usually bother to take the tender to HMC unless I've booked the snorkel trip. I can get a better lunch in more comfortable surroundings on the ship, and from what I've seen a lot of other passengers feel the same way. If we docked, I might go out for a walk on the beach.

 

I hope they don't overdevelop the island, but I do see HAL's point of view. Other lines are adding "features" to their private islands and HAL is playing catch-up.

 

Edited August 2, 2019 by 3rdGenCunarder

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, Stakeout said:

here's a few pics from HMC

 

Wow.  Looks like you had very calm waters for your visit.  Thanks for the pictures.

 

I hope they don’t overdevelop/further develop the island.  That would be sad.  ☹️

[G&G]

7 hours ago, rothbury said:

I guess my only concern is where would they put the pier?  Thinking about it, it seems like any pier would have to be pretty long to reach the deeper water for the ships to dock.  If you have to walk a considerable distance I'm not sure it wouldn't prevent some disabled and physically challenged passengers from making a long walk to get on to the island.  I guess they would make it wide enough to accommodate some sort of shuttle to drive back and forth.  Has anybody seen a construction schedule?  I wonder how long and when the construction and completion will take.

 

Good question. If you have ever snorkeled at Grand Turk near the cruise ship, Carnival dug out a deep channel for the cruise ships. With the shallow water near HMC I expect another deep channel excavated near the island.

[Himself]

23 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Yes.  It goes all the way around the island.

Good answer. There are two pools on most HAL ships.

[Himself]

I think the pier will be put in in such a way it will not destroy the beauty of the place.  Many times I have seen HMC cancelled because the water is too rough to safely tender.  I also remember negative comments when Captain Morgan's Boat went in and now most love that bar.  

[SumoCitrus]

HMC is beautiful. If they do this right, they may even improve upon the beauty by reducing the noise and exhaust of the ferry boats. I was worried OP was going to say that they are turning HMC into an amusement park like the other cruise line has.

[Copper10-8]

Well, there goes the neighborhood!

[Aquahound]

14 hours ago, Randyk47 said:

 

Why would DCL come to HMC?  Totally separate company and they have their own island.

 

It's not unheard of.  Up until very recently, Carnival visited RCI's Coco Cay.  

[sppunk]

$80m for a pier installation isn’t much actually so the other changes will likely just be updates. 

 

But yes let us freak freak out because they’re adding something that on'y enhances the stop for both crew and customers. 

Edited August 3, 2019 by sppunk

[Aquahound]

28 minutes ago, sppunk said:

$80m for a pier installation isn’t much actually so the other changes will likely just be updates. 

 

But yes let us freak freak out because they’re adding something that on'y enhances the stop for both crew and customers. 

 

I'm not in the freak out group because I don't mind change, but with NCL, MSC, Disney, and RCI (x2) all having their own islands with piers, the writing is on the wall with what HMC will eventually become.  Right now its a $80m renovation but just wait.....

[the2ofus]

Only the section of the beach nearest the inlet where the tenders dock is really crowded, even when two ships are in.  A trolley that would take people farther along the beach and an additional station to access more clamshells would relieve any potential crowding if more people go ashore.  I'd like to see a sketch of the proposal.

[*Miss G*]

7 hours ago, sppunk said:

$80m for a pier installation isn’t much actually so the other changes will likely just be updates. 

 

But yes let us freak freak out because they’re adding something that on'y enhances the stop for both crew and customers. 

 

Your “freak freak out” standards are set very low.

[ksmaxey]

There is also the positive environmental impact of not needing to use fuel to keep the ship in position.

[Sir PMP]

13 hours ago, SumoCitrus said:

HMC is beautiful. If they do this right, they may even improve upon the beauty by reducing the noise and exhaust of the ferry boats. I was worried OP was going to say that they are turning HMC into an amusement park like the other cruise line has.

Don't worry they won't do this right..

[Himself]

13 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

Well, there goes the neighborhood!

Co come now.  You don't really believe that!

[Himself]

FYI:  Carnival Cruise Line can only use HMC when HAL is not using the Island.

[sail7seas]

23 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Grand Turk has a very long pier. It doesn't have to stick out very far for deep enough water, but it's long enough to accommodate two ships (it runs parallel to the shoreline).  I'm trying to remember if they have any kind of little vehicles for people with mobility issues. I recall seeing a service like that on Martinique, and that wasn't nearly as long a walk as on Grand Turk. 

 

I don't usually bother to take the tender to HMC unless I've booked the snorkel trip. I can get a better lunch in more comfortable surroundings on the ship, and from what I've seen a lot of other passengers feel the same way. If we docked, I might go out for a walk on the beach.

 

I hope they don't overdevelop the island, but I do see HAL's point of view. Other lines are adding "features" to their private islands and HAL is playing catch-up.

 

While on various HAL ships at HMC, I have asked if t hey could dredge  to deepen  the water and several  times was  told yes.  I think it terrific hey  will be able to dock. and no tenders     needed.    Some of the Captains will be happy.  🙂
 

 

 

I think of it as a very welcome upgrade.

 

Edited August 3, 2019 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

4 hours ago, Himself said:

FYI:  Carnival Cruise Line can only use HMC when HAL is not using the Island.

 

 

That is also my understanding.  Of the great many times we were at  HMC  we shared  the island with other HAL ship (s)  but Never a Carnival ship.

 

I think   they go there more during the summers when HAL is absent   from    the Caribbean  

[bEwAbG]

Hopefully this means more time in port, too.  I loved the cabana experience I had this year but having to pack up and get in line at only 2pm seemed cruel.  Then of course we stood in line forever and a day waiting for the tender.  The tender process puts a damper on almost all wonderful days.