Menu Home The ship Life on board Ft. Lauderdale Half Moon Cay - Bahamas Georgetown - Gr, Cayman Costa Maya - Mexico Cozumel - Mexico Veracruz - Mexico Ft Lauderdale (disembark) Cruise FAQ About/Info   Half Moon Cay - Bahamas The first stop during our cruise is Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. This is an uninhabited private island owned by Holland America Line. That means sun, sand, watersports and food and drink. The beach is one of the most beautiful beaches found in the Bahamas. The only people you'll find here are the cruise passengers and part of the ship's crew, who are responsible for the food and drink on the island. It's a great way to start a cruise and start relaxing! Half Moon Cay doesn't have space large enough for cruise ships to dock. In that case, 'tenders' are used. These tenders are also used as life boats in case of emergencies. Here you walk from the tender to the side-entrance of the ship. You're almost at sea level, and now you realize how big the cruise ship is. A view from within the tender out of the doorway. At the pier on Half Moon Cay. The tenders are shutteling between the pier and the cruise ship the whole day long. You can go to and from the ship any time you like. The white, fine grained sand of Half Moon Cay's beach. There's plenty of space for everyone. There are beach toys for rent and you can participate in several excursions or water sports activities: parasailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, glass-bottom boat…. …or you can walk half a mile and come to a more quiet part of the beach and just relax! Behind the beach there are some shops, restrooms, bars en a few buffets, scattered between the trees and bushes. They are all manned by the ship's crew. At noon a barbeque is started. A nice view from one of the places to sit and have a drink. Half Moon Cay is a small piece of paradise. In the afternoon the Volendam's sister ship, the Zaandam, has left already so it's becoming really quiet right now.