With this upgrade, we had unlimited access to bottled water, soda, wine, beer and drinks made with house-brand liquors, as well as the aforementioned lunch. Your third option, however, is to purchase a butler add-on for the Beach Villa. If you’re looking to booze it up, you’ll either have to purchase your own beverages a la carte or buy a shoreside package for use at the bars on Half Moon Cay. If you purchase an alcohol package for your cruise, it doesn’t carry over to the island. Our villa was also equipped with an eight-person table and chairs, so it was easy for all of us to dine together. The main perk was we didn’t have to venture back to the more populated parts of the island (the villas are set a distance away, with tram service) to wait in line at the buffet. The dishes weren’t super fancy but they were tasty. In our case, they included mango gazpacho and sandwiches (a choice of fish or beef, with chicken tacos and veggie burger selections for picky eaters or folks who don’t eat meat). If you’d rather skip the shoreside beach buffet lines and opt instead for butler service - which includes a served lunch for an additional fee - you’ll also get an appetizer, main course and dessert for each person. The items are placed on a counter in the villa’s kitchenette, which includes a sink and minifridge. (Photo by Ashley Kosciolek/The Points Guy)Īll Beach Villas come with complimentary snacks that include an assortment of fruit, crudite, and chips with guacamole and salsa. In This Postįood without the lines Snacks like fruit, crudite, salsa, guacamole and chips are included in the cost of a Beach Villa rental on Half Moon Cay. Here’s why I enjoyed the experience overall.įor more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s new cruise newsletter. Even though I didn’t use all of the amenities, I got a lot out of the villa stay. The two-story space holds up to 18 people, with an additional per-person charge for each cruiser after the first eight.ĭo I think it is worth the money? Definitely. The price starts at $600 per group of eight but varies from voyage to voyage, based on demand, amount of time ashore and add-ons like butler service. While the space was given to us at no charge, it usually comes at a cost of $1,000 ($125 each) for 5 hours. I accepted an invitation from a friend to share the space with seven of my travel companions. For the first time, I got to experience the swanky VIP lifestyle in an air-conditioned Beach Villa. (Photo by Ashley Kosciolek/The Points Guy)ĭuring a recent sailing on Holland America’s Rotterdam, I visited Half Moon Cay, a private island that the cruise line shares with Carnival. Our Beach Villa (Villa C) on Half Moon Cay, a private island Holland America Line shares with Carnival Cruise Line.
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At a higher level, some of the most lavish ones include TVs, beds, air-conditioning, hot tubs, private bathrooms, alcohol and butler-catered lunches that beat the pants off what you’ll find at the free beach BBQs to which all passengers have access.Īs you would imagine, the structures are limited in number and book up quickly, despite the fact that they don’t come cheap. If that’s not exclusive enough, you can up your VIP status for the day by renting a cabana or villa - a dedicated space where you and your gang can hang out during your time in port, rather than mingling with your shipmates in the main lounge chair-strewn beach area.Īt the most basic level, these extra-exclusive areas provide shaded space with seating for occupants to leave their belongings and enjoy each other’s company for the duration of the rental.
Most cruise lines operate private beach destinations in the Caribbean and Bahamas that you can only visit if you’re sailing on a ship that calls there. Looking for an exclusive experience within an exclusive experience that doesn’t require you to be a billionaire? Do what my friends and I did, and rent a villa on a cruise line’s private island. The opinions expressed below are entirely Ashley’s and were not subject to review by Holland America.
Editor’s note: TPG’s Ashley Kosciolek experienced Half Moon Cay’s Beach Villa as a guest of Holland America Line, which paid for the cost of the villa rental.