Half Moon Cay number of cruise ships question

[PACD_JG]

According to the cruisemapper website, only one ship is scheduled to be in port on 03/26 2023.  This private island sounds like a great stop if it doesn't get too crowded, especially at the included lunch.  Do you think other ships will arrive on 03/26, or are the schedules locked in already?  Also, I'm going on Holland America.  Perhaps a stereotype, but since the private island is shared by HAL and Carnival...how do the folks feel about the "intermingling"?

[CruiserBruce]

Intermingling is exceptionally rare...because the two cruise lines have different prices and offerings on the island. I think I have heard of two ships from different cruise lines  (but not Carnival and HAL...HAL occasionally allows other cruise lines to stop there when HAL isn't going to be there) less than 5 times in the last 20+ years. 

 

Normally I would say the schedules are pretty locked, but Covid is still a factor, and 2023 is a long way away, so MAYBE they could change. But if there is another ship there, its about a 99.999999999999999% chance it will be a HAL ship.

 

If you read down the board there are many threads on how great HMC is. Been there 10 times, only twice with 2 ships, both HAL. Yes, more crowded, no doubt. But still a fantastic place. As HAL has fewer ships in the Caribbean since Covid, that further drops your chance of having another ship there. 

 

I would be very leery of an aggregator ship/port website being accurate this far out. Their accuracy isn't great (there was one that almost always said HMC would have 4 ships in, which totally freaked a lot of people...you can find the threads if you do a search) overall, and each has certain weaknesses.

[rkacruiser]

Half Moon Cay has experienced the anchoring of two HAL vessels at times.  I am unaware of a mix of different cruise company brands, i.e. a Carnival and a HAL vessel.  I really doubt that a mixing of such with whatever cruise line would occur.  Regardless, there is plenty of space and the dining pavilion and seating area on the island is good sized and ought not to be crowded unless too many just need to have lunch at "prime lunch time".  If so, it would be the same kind of experience that one can experience on a ship of any size in the buffet restaurant at "prime lunch time".  

[PACD_JG]

Thanks so much to both of you.  Wanted to take advantage of the Black Friday sale so I booked a cruise for spring break 2023.  Wasn't too excited about the itinerary: Half Moon Cay, Aruba (2 PM - midnight?), and Curacao, but pretty excited about the ship (Nieuw Statendam) and the fact that "famous" room 4154 was available.

[PACD_JG]

Hey neighbor - forgot to mention.  Any insight into what the actual spring break dates are?  I just guessed as the last weekend in March is usually the start of it.

[CruiserBruce]

10 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Hey neighbor - forgot to mention.  Any insight into what the actual spring break dates are?  I just guessed as the last weekend in March is usually the start of it.

Spring Break is not just one week. It is spread over several weeks depending on the school district and area of the country. It can pretty much be any time in March and the first week or two of April.

 

Holland America is generally not much impacted by Spring Break.

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Hey neighbor - forgot to mention.  Any insight into what the actual spring break dates are?  I just guessed as the last weekend in March is usually the start of it.

 

No.

 

21 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

Wasn't too excited about the itinerary: Half Moon Cay, Aruba (2 PM - midnight?), and Curacao, but pretty excited about the ship (Nieuw Statendam)

 

That's a decent itinerary.  Curacao is a very interesting port.  My favorite is to go wondering about in their markets, particularly soon after the fishermen have brought their catch to shore.  Aruba is also a very friendly cruise guest port.  It's terminals are very well located to the downtown area and have interesting shops within them.  The island manufactured aloe products are excellent, make appreciated gifts for others, and have a store in at least one of the terminals.  Many like the island's casinos; may be a reason for a late departure of the ship.  

 

Nieuw Statendam?  For me, I enjoyed the variety of music venues.  Having the Rolling Stone Rock Room directly across from Billboard on Board was great.  One group began their show when the other group stopped their show.  The additional informal dining venues were a plus.  The New York Pizza and Deli was my favorite as being something different from the other Classes of HAL ships.