Andrea Zelinski
When Carnival Corp. finishes with its expansion at its rebranded Bahamian private destination, "RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay," more will change than just its name.
The crescent-moon-shaped destination long known as Half Moon Cay is largely used now by Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line. Working together, the two brands will enhance and expand the cruise destination to feature essentially two ports of call: a south end for HAL and a north end for Carnival Cruise Line.
The enhancements are expected to begin to be completed in summer 2026 with additional work continuing through the end of that year.
RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay is a significant part of parent company Carnival Corp.'s strategy to raise awareness and consideration among vacationers to take or try a cruise that includes access to private island destinations. When the work is completed, Carnival Cruise Line will have exclusive use of the north side, which will include a dedicated, two-ship berth large enough for Carnival's Excel-class ships, including the Mardi Gras, Celebration and Jubilee.
More details are still to come about what the Carnival side of the island will look like, but we know the area will have lunch venues, island-themed bars, a shore excursion pier and a tram service.
One advisor is concerned that the island may not be as relaxing for HAL guests when Carnival Cruise Line moves in on the north side.
"I think the changes that they're making to Half Moon Cay are going to be a hit or miss, even with me," said Kelly Brewer, a Cruise Planners franchise owner based in Lowell, Ark., who sells mostly contemporary and premium brands.
Brewer likes that the company is paying more attention to its private ports of call, but she said that her HAL guests were "pitching a fit" over some of the changes, namely given that the north side of the island will have a pier and the south side won't. Should the weather be windy, it's possible that HAL guests wouldn't be able to tender in.
She also said that the different target markets of the brands -- Carnival emphasizes that it's the "fun" line, while HAL promises tranquility -- might disrupt the atmosphere HAL guests expect should some of the 6,500-passengers from an Excel ship walk over to the south side.
I asked Holland America Line what they thought about this critique of the changes for one of its highest-rated destinations.
A spokesman said the line hasn't heard these kinds of concerns from travel advisors.
Rob Coleman, HAL's senior vice president of sales, said that the north and south arrival plazas where each brands' ships or tenders will arrive are a mile-and-a-half apart, which will allow for "separate and fully encompassed beachfront experiences to create the ideal beach day, their way."
He added that each side will have "plentiful new and renovated facilities of their own" with the beach between the two sides creating a natural separation.
On the weather concern, Coleman said experience tells him it will be "very rare" for HAL to have to cancel calls to RelaxAway while Carnival guests can continue to visit.
Carnival Corp is betting on this destination working for these two brands. The company has begun to increase its marketing around this rebranded destination, and HAL plans to include a call at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay on nearly every Caribbean itinerary.