All the Islands and Beaches Owned by Cruise Lines

Feb 1, 2025 - 18:33

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All the Islands and Beaches Owned by Cruise Lines

By Morgane Croissant

Photo: MSC Cruises

Vacationing on a remote, private island or an exclusive beach is the stuff of dreams. But unless you’re a lucky multi-millionaire, or a not-so-lucky castaway, that particular fantasy isn’t likely to become a reality. Or is it?

Eight major cruise lines own or lease islands and beaches whose access is reserved to their guests, and becoming one of their guests is neither difficult, nor expensive — all your have to do is book the right sailing. Of course, you have to share the island or beach with the rest of the passengers, but still, it’s a great way to while away the hours in a paradisiacal setting with your toes in the sand and a lovely cocktail in the hand. You can even go swimming with sting rays, zipline, take a balloon ride, or even snorkel among corals if you prefer a more adventurous experience.

While most of the private islands and beaches owned by cruise lines are located in the Bahamas, there are also some in Belize, Honduras, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and even French Polynesia — so take your pick.

What Does a Private Cruise Line Island or Beach Even Mean?

Cruise lines have been purchasing, leasing, and co-owning islands and beaches for decades, starting in 1977, when Norwegian Cruise Line purchase Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. Since then, more than eight cruise lines have acuired 13 private destinations, seven of which are in the Bahamas, a country whose economy predominantly rely on tourism. And the numbers keep growing. Carnival’s 65-acre day resort Celebration Key is set to open in summer 2025, and Royal Caribbean has another three private destinations in the works that will open in the next two years.

The cruise lines’ goals in getting their hands on little slices of paradise for the exclusive use of their guests, is not just to give passengers a good time. Their objective is to profit from their spendings even when they are on land, as well as to make their own operations a lot easier.

By building their own piers, cruise lines know that there won’t be a size problem for their ships to dock, they won’t have to compete for a docking spot with other companies, and they won’t have to pay a docking fee. By running their own day resorts filled with restaurants, bars, and activities, they know that the destination can cater to the exact number of people who are disembarking. Also, when thousands of guests arrive at cruise lines’ private destinations, the companies don’t have to deal with the ever-louder accusations regarding overtourism.