Half Moon Cay Excursions

Half Moon Cay is Holland America's exclusive "Out Island" playground in the Bahamas; the island is also used by Carnival Cruises. Half Moon Cay is considered by the cognoscenti as the best of the islands owned by the cruise lines. You come here to get away from it all, enjoy your time in the sun, and have some fun to boot.

Your ship will lay anchor offshore, and the island's fleet of 4 double decked ship's tenders will take you to the Half Moon Cay Tender Pier marina, which is a less than 1-minute walk to the island's Fort San Salvador Welcome Center. The tenders from your ship will take about 10 minutes to bring you ashore.

If you have taken any of the tours listed below, we'd like your feedback on your experience. Please click on the link of the tour you took, and then click the "Write a Review of This Tour" link to tell us what you think.

Last Updated: May 12, 2012

Beach, Snorkel and Sailing Tours

AquaTrax Watercraft Adventure/ Aqua Trax Adventure
1 to 1¼ hours

Climb aboard a Honda AquaTrax watercraft for a fun and informative 50-minute guided tour of the waters of Half Moon Cay. You'll cruise past the island's coral reefs, inlets, islands and a buoyed course.

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Eco Lagoon Tour/ Eco Lagoon Cruise
1¼ hours

Learn about the history and ecology of Half Moon Cay as you sail on a glass bottom boat. You'll see a variety of marine and bird critters as you traverse the lagoon, visit a nursery and see an Arawak village.

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Glass Bottom Boat
1 hour

Explore the undersea world of Half Moon Cay as you sail on a state-of-the-art glass bottom boat. You'll marvel as you view the unique coral formations and colorful tropical fish in this aquatic environment.

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Half Moon Cay Snorkel by Boat/ Snorkel by Boat
1½ hours

Board a boat for a fun snorkeling adventure off the coast of Half Moon Cay. You'll explore the island's unique coral formations and colorful tropical fish; you may even see a friendly stingray or two.

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Hobie Catamaran Sailboat
1 hour

Climb aboard a Hobie Cat for a great time sailing in Half Moon Cay. Hobie Cats are the gold standard for small catamarans; they're easy to handle, exciting in a good wind, and a blast to sail.

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Parasailing
1 hour

Soar over Half Moon Cay in a tandem parasail. The view in every direction is spectacular, and you'll see the length and breadth of the island and your ship at anchor in the azure waters of the Bahamas.

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Stingray Adventure
1 hour

Enjoy an unforgettable encounter as you mingle with the tame southern stingrays at Stingray Cove. You'll learn all about these sea creatures, then feed and touch them as you snorkel in the cove.

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Tropical Kayak Adventure/ Eco Lagoon Kayak Adventure
1¼ hours

Hop aboard a two-person sea kayak for a guided tour in the beautiful protected turquoise waters of Half Moon Cay. In the shallows, you may encounter a variety of the island's marine life.

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Biking Tour

Island Bike Tour/ Guided Tour by Bicycle - Men's Bike/ Guided Tour by Bicycle - Women's Bike
1¼ hours

Explore Half Moon Cay as you pedal from the Sports Rental Center to Bone Fish Lagoon. The road has been resurfaced, and your guide will fill you in on the flora and fauna of the island, as well as the birds.

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Combo Tours

Combo, Eco Bike & Hike/ Eco-Bike & Hike
1½ hours

This fun adventure begins with a bike ride to Pegasus Ranch. Next up is a hike up a ridge for great views of Bone Fish Lagoon. You'll see old ruins and encounter some of the island's unique bird species.

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Eco-Bike & Kayak Adventure
1½ hours

Your day's adventure begins with a bike ride, and you'll stop along the way to view Stingray Cove, the nursery and visit old ruins. Then take a fun 25-minute kayak in Half Moon Cay's saltwater lagoon.

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Fishing Tour

Deep Sea Fishing
2 hours

It's time you caught the "big one." Relax and enjoy the sun and the crystal clear waters as you head out to sea in search of mahi mahi, wahoo, snapper and grouper. All fishing is catch-and-release.

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Hiking Tour

Historic Nature Walk
1¼ hours

Spend an unforgettable day as you take an informative 1½-mile hike on Half Moon Cay. Led by the island's naturalist guide, you'll learn about the island's history as well as its tropical flora and fauna.

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Horseback Riding Tour

Horseback Riding by Land & Sea
1¼ hours

Saddle up for an experience of a lifetime. You'll begin with a ride along winding trails to the highest point on the island. Then venture into the ocean, where you'll ride as your horse enjoys a swim.

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Island Extras

Carnival Extras
Varies

Carnival offers a couple of "extra" services that can make your time on Half Moon Cay an unforgettable experience. These include a Private Cabana package and a Private Oasis package.

Holland America Extras
Varies

Holland America offers a number of "extra" services that can make your day on Half Moon Cay a day you'll never forget, including a bevy of Private Cabana and Private Oasis packages, plus upgrades that include Private Butler Services.

Important Information

Notes on the above cruise excursions:

• The information on the cruise excursions listed above was developed from publicly available sources.
• The cruise lines may elect to add to, change, delete or otherwise alter the itineraries of the excursions above;
• The cruise lines may restrict the number of passengers allowed to go on any particular excursion.
• The cruise lines may impose other restrictions on any particular excursion, including height, weight, minimum age, etc.; make sure to check with them to determine if there are such restrictions.
• There may be seasonal limitations on certain excursions or tours, such as whale watching. Be sure to check with your cruise line to determine if the tour in which you're interested is available when you're on your cruise.

Why buy a tour through the cruise lines?

• They have selected tour operator partners who are safe, reliable, licensed and insured.
• They offer a wide selection of tours, purchasing convenience and can provide expert advice on the most appropriate tour for you.
• They offer a one price, no surprises policy, with no hidden fees.
• They will be happy to credit your onboard account if you've already booked an excursion and there is a change in itinerary of the ship.
• They will wait for you if your tour is late.

Footnotes