If you’re headed to The Bahamas on aboard Carnival or Princess, then there’s a good chance your ship will make a stop at a private destination called Princess Cays.
Sitting on the southern end of Eleuthera in The Bahamas, this spot isn’t a private island, but a carve out of the larger island that’s then separated to create a destination only for Carnival or Princess passengers.
If you’re taking a cruise and picturing soft white sand beaches, crystal clear water, and a laid-back vibe, Princess Cays is exactly what you have in your mind’s eye. It’s a near-perfect place to spend a day relaxing.
But before you go, there’s plenty you should know to make the most of your day.
The Lay of the Land at Princess Cays
Let’s begin with just getting a lay of the land. As mentioned, Princess Cays sits on the larger island of Eleuthera, about 80 miles southeast of Nassau in The Bahamas.
The private area is about a half-mile long and a narrow, thin strip of beachfront property. It sits right next to Disney’s Lighthouse Cay, so it’s possible that when you visit you’ll see a Disney cruise ship in the distance.
Princess Cays features two sides (more on that in a moment) and a middle harbor area. For the beach, there are six different small coves where you can sit right at the water. There is also a stretch of longer shoreline that’s a bit rocky where cabanas sit at the north end.
Your Ship Uses a Tender to Get to Shore
Due to the shallow waters just offshore, your cruise ship can’t make it close enough to dock, even if there were a pier. Instead, passengers use a tender to get back and forth from the ship to the shore.
A tender is just a smaller boat that ferries passengers. If sailing Carnival, you’ll find that they make a big fuss about reserving a time to go ashore through the Carnival Hub app. We did so and were surprised when no one checked our reservation at all before getting on the tender. So if you don’t have a reservation, it likely doesn’t matter.
From the ship, it’s about a five-minute ride into shore. You’ll dock at a small harbor in the middle of the beaches. From there, you can decide to go left or right to find a beach spot.
If you want to get a good picture of the ship, try to sit at one end of the tender or the other so you can get a clear shot without other people in the way.
The Two Sides of Princess Cays
When you arrive in the marina area of the Princess Cays, you have a decision to make: Go left, or go right. So what’s the difference? Overall, not that much but there is some things that you should know.
Princess Cays is cut into by the marina. About two-thirds of the resort is to the left and one-third is on the right. Which way you go depends a bit on what you want.
To the right, the smaller side of the destination, is Serenity Beach. Like the rest of the area, it has white sand, blue water, loungers, sport court, and a food pavilion where lunch is served. During our time here, we found it to be the less busy side of Princess Cays.
To the left, you’ll find much more area, but also many more people. There are shops, the larger food pavilion, and multiple different coves for you to enjoy. If you rented a bungalow, you’ll also find it on this side.
Personally, we preferred the quieter, less busy side of Princess Cays. If you do head to the left, going past the food pavilion will give you more space and fewer people as most seem to cluster closer to the entrance to the area.
Food Is Included (But Prepare to Wait in Line)
Hungry? A day at the beach can work up an appetite. Included with your stay at Princess Cays is a meal. There are two large Food Pavilions, which serve the same fare. You have your choice of salads, burgers, dogs, and a chicken and rice dish that’s a bit more local.
One thing to know is that the lines can get long at lunch time and there’s not always shade to stand in if you’re waiting. Also, there are multiple serving lines, which the crowd doesn’t always know. If the line you’re in seems unnaturally long, look to see if one of the other lines is shorter. Usually it is (though still a wait.)
Don’t like lines? Try to be the first to get served when the food opens up at 11 a.m. or wait until after the lunch rush.
You Can Drink (But Your Drink Package Doesn’t Work)
Nothing beats a cold drink in your hand while sitting on a beautiful tropical island. The bad news is that if you have the drink package on the ship, it doesn’t extend to Princess Cays. You’ll have to pay out of pocket (or more accurately, with your ship keycard).
The good news is that you aren’t far from a drink as there are bars dotted all along the beach. In addition there are waiters that walk around offering drinks so you don’t even have to get up if you don’t want to.
What to Know About Kids and Princess Cays
If you’re bringing kids to Princess Cays, what is there for them to do? Unlike some private destinations that are essentially beach amusement parks, Princess Cays is much more laid-back.
There are no waterslides or ziplines. There’s no massive pool. Instead, it’s really about enjoying the beaches and water.
For small kids there is a small playground area with a kid-sized pool. For bigger kids there are sport courts where they can play basketball. Snorkeling is a popular activity and there are rental stations dotted around. There are also rentals for things like banana boat rides and water tricycles.
So yes, there are things for kids to do but it’s more about having a beach day than all the wild rides and activities like you find on some islands.
Be Ready for Spectacular Beaches and Water
If it’s beach that you’re after, Princess Cays is really second to none. It’s literally postcard perfect.
For one, the sand is among some of the softest and whitest we’ve ever seen. Many beaches have a layer for rock right underneath the sand, which can be tough on feet. Here, you can almost think of it as like powdery snow. Step in and your feet sink.
The water is amazingly crystal clear. Just for reference, we are nearly 6 feet tall. Walking out into chest-deep water, we could easily see our feet on the bottom.
One thing you should know is that if you head down toward the bungalows the beach becomes a rocky shore. Elsewhere, however, it’s a wonderful sandy beach.
Yes, There Is Wi-Fi at the Beach
Hopefully you’re able to visit the private destination and be totally disconnected. However, it’s also nice to keep in touch back home and sometimes you just have to stay connected whether it be for work, school, or other reasons.
In that case, there is wi-fi available. During our cruise we paid for the ship’s wi-fi. When we went ashore, the ship’s wi-fi no longer worked but a new connection named “Ocean Wi-Fi” was available. We were able to connect freely.
It was an open network, so we’d be careful about the information that you send. However, if you need service, it was available.
Too Many People? Just Keep Walking
There’s one rule to pretty much every private destination you visit and that’s the fact that the closer to the entrance you are, the larger the crowds will be. People always seem to just take the first spot available for a lounger and Princess Cays is no different.
We found that people tend to clump closest to the seating areas right near the marina where they are dropped off by the tender.
Instead, all you have to do is walk down a little bit and the crowds start to thin out. There’s plenty of room for everyone.
Shade: Either Pay or Go Natural
Shade on Princess Cays is at a premium… literally. First, you should know that there are free loungers — seemingly thousands of them — available to passengers who come ashore. From one end of the beach to the other, you can find a spot to sit.
But these loungers usually don’t have umbrellas. There are clamshell covers you can rent, as well as daybeds and bungalows.
Unless you want to spend the extra dough, however, you want to be strategic about where you set up your camp. Try to find an area underneath a tree unless you don’t mind baking in the sun.
The good news is that the farther down the beach you go, the fewer people there are and more options for seating.
