From Disney to Royal Caribbean, cruise lines are spending big on ‘private’ island escapes

Turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, sunbeds under swaying palms – and complete privacy. Some celebrities and ultra-wealthy individuals have leased or even bought private islands. For most, however, having their own island will remain a dream. Unless you are a cruise passenger, who can today experience exclusive beaches and resorts as part of their journey. Major cruise lines such as MSC, Norwegian and Carnival have their own islands and operate resorts exclusively for the passengers on their ships, mainly located in the Caribbean, particularly in the Bahamas. Here are some of them: Royal Caribbean In Europe, Royal Caribbean will soon open its first beach club on the Greek island of Santorini. Just before the new year, the cruise line opened a similar beach club on Paradise Island near Nassau in the Bahamas, and a third is currently under construction on Cozumel in the Mexican Caribbean. The company is also developing a major new resort on Mexico’s Costa Maya, Perfect Day Mexico, modelled on its flagship private island, CocoCay, which is already part of the Perfect Day portfolio. Royal Caribbean advertises these stops as full-scale island experiences, featuring restaurants, beaches, water parks, pools and bars. CocoCay is also a popular destination for the group’s Celebrity Cruises brand. Elsewhere, the cruise line operates the private resort Labadee in Haiti, with another resort planned for Vanuatu in the South Pacific in 2027. The company says it continues to expand its portfolio of land resorts to meet growing passenger demand for exclusive experiences beyond the ship. Carnival Carnival has invested more than US$500 million in the Celebration Key resort on Grand Bahama, which opened in summer 2025. Two large ships can already dock at the harbour, and an extension for additional berths is under construction, according to the company. Initially, 2 million guests a year are expected to visit, rising to 4 million by 2028. In the south of the Bahamian island of Eleuthera, Carnival operates another private resort, Princess Cays, which will be called at by Princess Cruises ships on 60 routes by 2028 and will also be used by the group's subsidiary P&O Cruises. However, there is no pier here. The ships anchor and then passengers are ferried ashore in small tender boats. On the Baja California peninsula on Mexico’s Pacific coast, the Ensenada Bay Village at the cruise terminal of the same name is to be built in the coming years as a resort for 9,000 guests a day, with pools, zip lines and a spa. With Half Moon Cay Carnival also has a private island in the Bahamas in operation, which is mainly used by the group’s brands Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line. The island will receive a second pier in 2026 so that Carnival’s large Excel-class ships can dock there for the first time. Norwegian Norwegian’s Great Stirrup Cay, which is also being expanded, offers a wide range of activities, including a large water park with 19 slides. In addition to beaches and pools, the Bahamian private island, which has been in use since 1977, has a zip line that spans almost 1km (0.6 miles) and a bird sanctuary. Norwegian operates Harvest Caye off Belize, another private island with access to the Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest coral reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef off Australia. MSC Corals also take centre stage in the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. According to MSC Cruises, it has leased the Bahamas island on a long-term basis. It was previously an industrial wasteland. Today, there are 3km of sandy beaches for passengers and a coral research centre. Disney Disney Cruise Line also operates a private 4 sq km (1.5 square mile) island in the Bahamas called Castaway Cay. In addition to Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line also offers Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, a private beach area with colourful pavilions and its own jetty. If you walk 2km overland to the other side of the peninsula, you will almost certainly meet other cruise guests: the resort is located on the southern tip of the Bahamas island of Eleuthera, just like Carnival’s Princess Cays. Visits to these islands are usually included in the cruise fare, although Royal Caribbean charges separately for its beach clubs. Guests can enjoy beaches, pools, restaurants, zip lines, water parks, snorkelling, kayaking or simply relax at a water bar with a cocktail. And if you are looking for some quiet time, you can rent a private cabin for the day and retreat there or explore less crowded parts of the island on hiking trails. But there is one thing you will not get when thousands of fellow passengers arrive on the same island for the day: the exclusive privacy that celebrities and the mega-rich can afford.

From Disney to Royal Caribbean, cruise lines are spending big on ‘private’ island escapes

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Norwegian to MSC are investing millions in grand resorts on Caribbean islands. Here are some where you can find relaxation, if not solitude

Royal Caribbean

Norwegian to MSC are investing millions in grand resorts on Caribbean islands. Here are some where you can find relaxation, if not solitude