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How cruise lines are creating a new wave of private 'desert islands' for passengers to enjoy

By Renee Ruggero
Updated: 10:55 EST, 8 July 2010

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The appeal of Caribbean cruising is simple - sun, sand, tropical drinks and exotic stop- offs. Unfortunately, many of the port towns on cruise ships' itineraries become so crowded that the experience bursts the vacation bubble for passengers.

Some Caribbean islands welcome at least six mega cruise ships each day, which can mean an influx of more than 10,000 tourists queuing for taxis, tour buses and beds on the beach.

So does that idyllic island setting still exist on today's cruise itineraries?

Well yes it does, as cruise companies turn increasingly to private islands to provide their guests with the quintessential beach experience.

£13m revamp: Cruisers canoeing on Disney's island, Castaway Cay, which is undergoing extensive improvements

These islands are self-contained resorts owned or leased by various cruise lines and they operate as an extension of the cruise ship itself.

Passengers are able to walk right off a ship or a tender directly on to a clean, safe beach. There are no hawkers or taxis, just miles of white sand, all-day barbecues - and ample opportunities for spending money.

Just like on the ship, guests have to pay for the extras. Bottled water, excursions, snorkel gear rental and floating beach mats are all going to cost. Those who want privacy have to pay for it, too, with add-ons such as private waterfront cabanas.

Half Moon Cay is Holland America Line's private Bahamian island. There, luxurious beachside cabanas, equipped with a fridge, an indoor dining room, an outdoor shower and a terrace with sun beds, can be booked at various prices starting from around £200 a day. The rate also includes bottled water, soft drinks, fresh fruit and other nibbles.

Spend an extra £80 and you get butler service, which includes a lunch for four brought to the cabana and unlimited beer, wine and house brand liquors.

A ship belonging to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines anchors off Labadee Beach, near Cap Haitian, Haiti, as passengers enjoy the water

Only 48 acres of the 2,400-acre island have been developed and highlights including an exquisite two-mile, crescent-shaped beach and, for families, Half Moon Lagoon where there is a pirate-themed aqua park that's part in the water and part on the beach.

Guests can also choose from a dozen different excursions, including a guided watercraft tour where they navigate reefs and sand spits in eco-friendly boats, horseback riding in the sand and surf, a stingray adventure-biking, kayaking and deep-sea fishing.

Not surprisingly, Half Moon Cay is one of the highest-rated private islands in the cruise industry, receiving Porthole Magazine's annual Reader's Choice Award for the last nine years in a row. See www.hollandamerica.com for more details.

But as other cruise lines ramp up their island facilities it is facing growing competition. Royal Caribbean has spent £33 million since 2007 upgrading its private beach resort, Labadee, on the north coast of Haiti.

One of the improvements was a new cruise ship dock, completed in December 2009 and used to unload emergency supplies after the devastating earthquake in January.

Passengers on Royal Caribbean International's Mariner of the Seas relax on the secluded Labadee beach

Royal Caribbean says the Haitian government is happy for cruise ship visits to continue because they bring economic benefits and also deliver relief supplies.

Other upgrades at Labadee include a 2,600-foot long zipline over the water, an alpine roller coaster, a new aqua park and the addition of a number of new private cabanas.

The cabanas are available for rent both on Columbus Family Beach and at the Barefoot Beach Club, an exclusive area for the use of guests using suites. For more details visit www.royalcaribbean.co.uk.

This summer Disney Cruise Line will finish a £13 million expansion project to their private island, Castaway Cay.

Disney's 1,000-acre island already has separate areas for families, teens and adults-only. Castaway Cay in the Bahamas also features a cruise ship dock, eliminating the need to tender, making the ship easily accessible throughout the day.

Upgrades to the island will include an expanded family beach with new water features located within swimming distance of the shore. Scuttle's Cove, the supervised child care area, will also get a new water play area.

Young passengers enjoy themselves as Disney's first cruise ship sets sail

Castaway Cay will also offer private beach cabanas available for rent. The cabanas will have a large deck with sun beds and an outdoor shower. Inside there will be a dining area and fridge.

Activities for guests include snorkelling in the island's 22-acre lagoon - looking for sunken treasure - and a stingray adventure which allows guests to swim with and feed docile stingrays. More information at www.disneycruise. disney.go.com.

Not to be left behind, Norwegian Cruise Line recently announced plans to invest £13 million upgrading its private Bahamian island, Great Stirrup Cay. NCL was the first line to introduce the private island concept, back in 1977.

The 250-acre island will undergo a two phase renovation, the first to be completed by this autumn and the second by the end of 2011.

The main beach areas will be expanded and new food and bar areas added. A children's play area, a floating aqua park and a stingray-encounter experience will also be created along with a development of private beachfront cabanas. See www.ncl.com.

Princess Cays, located on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, is operated by Princess Cruises but also visited by Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Costa Cruises.

This private destination features a supervised children's area with a playground and small freshwater swimming pool. Cabanas are also available for rent. Details at www. princess.com.

Costa Cruises operates a private beach resort on Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic, which is also used by P&O Cruises. Compared to other private island destinations this one lacks amenities.

Catalina Island is less than 10 square miles in size and is a natural reserve surrounded by a reef, which is ideal for snorkelling. Guests can enjoy simple private luxuries such as sun beds, umbrellas and a barbecue lunch with bar facilities (www.costacruise.com).

Last October, the government of the Dominican Republic granted Costa Cruises a five-year extension for the use of Catalina Island. Could this mean that Costa will also be announcing a renovation project soon, too?