Bahamas' Half Moon Cay visitors get free food pavilion and $125 Beach Club

Holland America Line has unveiled upgrades on the south side of RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, the private Bahamian island its ships have been visiting for nearly 30 years. The cruise line made its first call of the season there on 17 October, offering passengers new dining, activities and refreshed surroundings.

Key facts

• First call of the season: 17 October
• Location: south side of RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Bahamas
• New complimentary food pavilion with barbecue, tacos, pizza, burgers, dessert and salad stations
• New Beach Club at $125 per person for the day
• Revamped cabanas, daybeds, clamshells and renovated bars; pickleball courts added last year

What is new on the island?

Holland America has built a food pavilion at no extra cost to guests, designed to work like the Lido Market on its ships. Passengers move between separate stations serving barbecue, tacos, pizza, burgers, dessert and salad, choosing what they want.

Marisa Christenson, the line's associate vice president of food and beverage, said every space has been touched, from new flooring and paint upwards. The company has also revamped its cabanas, refreshed the daybeds and clamshells where guests lounge, renovated bars and installed Strandkorb wicker and canvas beach chairs from Germany — a nod to Holland America's European roots.

How much does the Beach Club cost?

Passengers can book a new Beach Club experience for $125 per person for the day. That price includes access to a private area with waiter service, special food and beverage offerings, all-inclusive alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and priority access to the tender boats that carry passengers from ship to island.

Visitors reach the south side by tender: unlike the north side, which now has a pier, Holland America chose not to build one there in order to preserve the beaches and keep the island's familiar feel, Christenson said.

Can I visit the other side of the island?

Guests are free to walk between the north and south sides of the island, but purchases are not shared between the two operators. Holland America will not honour purchases made by Carnival Cruise Line guests, and Carnival said only its own guests can buy things on its side of RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. Both lines are part of Carnival Corp.

Carnival opened a newly developed portion of the island earlier in 2026, months before the Holland America upgrades were revealed.