Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

HALF MOON CAY : Overview

OVERVIEW

Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private island in the Bahamas, is a surprisingly nice stop. Considering the island is located in the middle of the Caribbean, where ADA laws do not apply, it is mostly accessible, and offers plenty to do for people with mobility challenges. The Holland America tender is also very wheelchair accessible, so getting on and off the island in a wheelchair or scooter is doable.

LANGUAGE

The official language of the Bahamas is English.

CURRENCY

Although the official currency of the Bahamas is the Bahamian dollar, US dollars are accepted on Half Moon Cay, as Holland America owns the private island.

QUICKLINKS

LOGISTICS: Air – Water – Ground
ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels – Resorts
ENTERTAINMENT: Tours – Activities – Restaurants & Nightlife
EMERGENCY SERVICES: Hospitals – Medical Equipment
ABILITYTIPS: Precautions

HALF MOON CAY : Logistics

AIR TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORT

There is not access to the island via air travel for tourists at this time.

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BOAT (Cruise Tender)

The island is only accessible through a tender, as there is no dock large enough to support a cruise ship. Holland America has tenders with two levels, and both levels are accessible for wheelchairs and scooters. Upon embarkation, a level ramp is placed between the cruise ship and the tender, which leads right on to the top level. There is quite a bit of seating reserved with the handicapped symbol, and there is plenty of room for wheelchairs and companions. At the island, the tender enters a small, manmade marina, and docks at a wooden dock. To disembark onto the island, there is a ramp on the rear of the tender which goes down to the lower level. The exit of the tender is located on the lower level at the front of the boat. At the bow, a ramp folds open, allowing wheelchairs and scooters to disembark the tender with ease, without assistance.

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GROUND TRANSPORTATION

TAXI

There are no taxi services on the island.

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SHUTTLE

If planning an excursion, there are shuttles that run to and from the areas where the excursions are taking place. The shuttles also run between the plaza and the BBQ/restaurant area. Unfortunately, the shuttles are not wheelchair accessible, as there are three large steps to access the vehicle.

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RENTAL CAR (Wheelchair Van)

There are no rental cars on the island.

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BUS

There is no bus on the island.

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HALF MOON CAY : Accommodations

HOTELS

There are no hotels on the island.

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LUXURY RESORTS

The island does not have a luxury resort.

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HALF MOON CAY : Entertainment

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

There are no sightseeing tours offered.

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ACTIVITIES

Bahamian Church: The Bahamian Church is located near the plaza. Weddings can be performed in the church, if arranged in advance with the cruise line. Unfortunately, the Bahamian Church is not wheelchair accessible. There are quite a few stairs which prohibit access.

Beach: The beach can be accessed via a beach wheelchair, which can be rented from the First Aid Station. The easiest path to the beach is to follow the paved path, and then veer left at the palapa covered tropical mist station #1. The path has a small section of sand, but the beach wheelchair can handle it easily. A landmark in the area is a yellow building marked “Water Sports and Lockers.” Around the yellow building is a wooden platform/deck where the ramp is located to access the beach. For those who would prefer not to use the beach wheelchair, the wooden platform is a great location to enjoy the sun, beach, and views of the ocean. There are pictures on the top right of this page which give a better perspective of the area.

Beachside Water Park: Located near the jetty and the Water Sports and Locker building, there is a water park with water slides, floating animals, and a fountain for families to enjoy. Note that it is only accessible by beach wheelchair.

Beach Wheelchair Rentals: Holland America has three beach wheelchairs available for use and they are located at the First Aid Station, in the plaza. The beach wheelchairs are free to borrow and are first-come-first-served. Note that although there are three chairs, they are in different states of repair. There are pictures of the chairs on the top right of this page.

Excursions: The island features a variety of excursions, however none are wheelchair accessible. There is one cabana on the island, the taupe cabana, which is supposedly wheelchair accessible. To book the taupe cabana, guests must sign up (as an excursion) well in advance of the cruise to reserve it. Please note that Holland America does not give guests with disabilities priority to reserve the cabana.

Hair Braids: One way to keep cool is to have your hair braided, Bahamian style, by one of the local people on the island. Braiding is located in the plaza.

Nature walk/stroll: The island has many paths and roads which are accessible, and lead to many of the land based excursions. The area where the string rays are located is also accessible, so wheelchair dependant guests can see them and watch people snorkel and feed them. The island has many birds and fauna to observe and admire along its paths. Note that the temperature can get quite hot, and there are no misters to cool off at nearby (only around the beach area trail). It’s about a 10-15 minute walk from the plaza to the sting rays.

Shopping: The plaza has limited shopping, amounting to one small store and a few kiosks. The small store is wheelchair accessible, but the kiosks have a small step.

Snorkeling: Snorkel gear and mats can be rented at the Water Sports and Locker building. The water is crystal clear and beautiful. Farther out near the water park, fish can be found swimming around man made reefs. Assisted snorkeling is not offered.

Welcome Plaza: Upon disembarking the tender, visitors arrive and pass through the San Salvador Arch, into the Welcome Plaza. The plaza has a bar, shops, a First Aid Station, Post Office, accessible restrooms (no companion restrooms), and an ice cream shop. There are plenty of places in the plaza to escape the sun if needed.

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RESTAURANTS/NIGHTLIFE

Bar: The main bar is located in the center of the plaza and is wheelchair accessible. On the right side of the bar there is a ramp. If your wheelchair doesn’t elevate, there are also tables underneath the adjacent patio cover to sit at to enjoy a drink.

Tropics Restaurant: Half Moon Cay has a large, open air BBQ area, known as Tropics Restaurant, which is wheelchair and scooter accessible. There are four or five stations that offer identical types of food. The restaurant offers hot dogs, hamburgers, ribs, various salads, chips, and snacks, to name a few. Along the patio there are plenty of picnic tables to sit and enjoy lunch. Note that these are standard picnic tables, and they are not wheelchair accessible.

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HALF MOON CAY : Emergency Services

MEDICAL SERVICES/HOSPITAL

There is a First Aid Station located on the island, in the center of the plaza.

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MEDICAL EQUIPMENT RENTALS

Beach Wheelchair Rentals: Holland America has three beach wheelchairs available for use and they are located at the First Aid Station, in the plaza. The beach wheelchairs are free to borrow and are first-come-first-served. Note that although there are three chairs, they are in different states of repair. There are pictures of the chairs on the top right of this page.

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HALF MOON CAY : AbilityTips

PRECAUTIONS

Typically, there is plenty of sunshine on this island, but not a lot of shade to go with it. Be sure to bring sunscreen protection. There are also clam shells you can rent for shade (listed as an excursion), but be sure to plan ahead as they get booked fast. Note that a beach wheelchair must be used to access the clam shells. There are misting stations located on the trail to the beach, and the misting stations are wheelchair accessible.

There are wheelchair accessible bathrooms with an accessible stall located in the plaza area. Unfortunately, there are not any companion bathrooms.