Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island in the Bahamas, is the only private island we have not visited yet. So today is the day! First off, I LOVE that we have a very long day in port which is past sunset! Why can’t all the cruise lines do this?? We dock at 9 am and do not leave until 10 pm.
So we are able to leisurely get off the ship as we know we have plenty of time here. This is great so that we don’t feel rushed and there isn’t a mad dash of 4300 people trying to descend the island all at once! Looking at the island from the top of the ship, it seems small. But once you get off the ship it’s bigger than you think! Especially if you walk all the way to North Beach which is the furthest point from the ship. We decided to rent a cabana for the day. This was a fabulous decision! And the price was not bad at all!! Pre-booking we were able to get the cabana for $250. This is a lot less than other cruise lines on their private islands! And we had some friends with us and we split the cost so it was only $125 per couple. This is definitely the way to go!!
The island is beautiful and well laid out. There are several beaches to choose from and the further away you get from the ship, the less crowded they become. For food, there is one large buffet at the center of the island but also many food trucks serving burgers, hotdogs and fries all over. So this was the best option for us on North Beach. For drinks, the bars are plentiful! And if you have a drink package, it does extend to the island.
Around 5 pm, most of the island shuts down and only the beach near the ship and the lighthouse is open, along with the Lighthouse Bar. This will stay open until the all aboard is called for the ship. We enjoyed this area as well as swimming right next to the ship is a pretty cool experience. And most everyone had gotten back on board so it was not busy at all. We got back on the ship for dinner at Ocean Cay (yes the specialty dining seafood restaurant onboard carries the same name as the island) and then back off for the 8:15 lighthouse show. It was really cool and unique to a private island. I have seen the projections at Disney, etc, but not even at Castaway Cay. In between lighthouse shows in a beach party... if you are so inclined. We were wiped out from being in the sun all day so called it a night. We definitely enjoyed our day here!
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