Half Moon Cay was voted the best private island in the 2013 Cruise Fever Fan Awards. The voting took place during 2013 on CruiseFever.net and concluded on December 31, 2013.
The 2,400 acre island in the Bahamas is owned by Holland America Line. If you would like to visit Half Moon Cay, you do not have to take a Holland America cruise to get there. Since the cruise line is owned by Carnival Corp (parent company of Holland America), several Carnival ships also stop at this slice of paradise.
Half Moon Cay has mile long beach that offers cabanas, beach villas, horseback riding, water sports, a stingray adventure, or the option to just kick back and relax by the crystal clear water. There is also a pirate ship that is a awesome place for a cold drink or to get a great panoramic photo like the one above.
Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s private island in the Bahamas, came in a close 2nd place in voting. One of the best features of Castaway Cay is that is it the only private island that you do not have to take tenders. The Disney ships are able to dock right at the island so passengers can come and go as they please.
Labadee, Haiti, a private port owned by Royal Caribbean International, came in 3rd place. Yes, Ladadee is not an island but it was included in the voting since the only way you can visit this beach is to take a Royal Caribbean cruise to the Western Caribbean.
Rounding out the voting was CocoCay (Royal Caribbean) coming in 4th, Princess Cays in 5th, and Great Stirrup Cay (Norwegian Cruise Line) in 6th. All three of these islands are located in the Bahamas. Great Stirrup Cay and CocoCay are less than a 1/2 mile apart from each other. No private island received less than 10% of the overall vote.
Cruise Fever would like to thank everyone who voted in the 1st annual Cruise Fever Fan Awards. Below is a recap of the categories and the winners of each. Voting in the 2014 Fan Awards will begin in the spring of 2014.
Best Cruise Line in 2013: Royal Caribbean
Best Cruise Line for Families: Disney Cruise Line
Best New Cruise Ship for 2013: Norwegian Breakaway
Best Private Island: Half Moon Cay
Best Cruise Blog: Cruise Currents
Best Home Based Travel Agency for Cruises: Cruise Planners
Best Cruise Destination: Caribbean
Best Port in the Caribbean/Bahamas: St. Thomas
Favorite Dining Choice: Freestyle/Anytime Dining
