Princess Cays Guide: What To Do on Princess Cruises' Private Beach
Princess Cays is the 40-acre private beach that Princess Cruises built on the southern tip of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. It is a tender stop with a long, calm beach, barbecue lunch included, and paid bungalows, snorkel gear, and water toys for anyone who wants more than a lounger and a book.
The bigger story for 2026 is the schedule. Trade reports say Princess Cays drops off Princess Cruises' published Caribbean itineraries after October 17, 2026, while Carnival Cruise Line still lists it on some sailings. Princess has not confirmed the change in a release, and news reports quote the line saying the facility is not closing. This guide covers what the beach offers, who is still going, and how to plan a good day if it shows up on your cruise.
Princess Cays Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Princess Cays |
| Owner and operator | Princess Cruises (Carnival Corporation) |
| Location | Southern tip of Eleuthera, Bahamas |
| Size | About 40 acres of beachfront |
| Pier or tender | Tender (ship anchors offshore) |
| Typical time ashore | About seven to eight hours, per Princess |
| Lines calling | Princess (reported to end after October 17, 2026); Carnival on select sailings |
| Included | Beach, loungers, barbecue lunch, kids' play area |
| Extra cost | Bungalows, clamshell shades, bar drinks, rentals, tours |
Princess Cays and the 2026 Itinerary Changes
Princess has been moving its Bahamas calls to the two newer Carnival Corporation destinations: Celebration Key on Grand Bahama and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. Both now have piers, with Half Moon Cay's opening in June 2026, and both have far more to sell than a tender beach on Eleuthera. Reports say ships including Sun Princess and Caribbean Princess have Princess Cays swapped out of their schedules from late 2026.
News reports quote Princess saying the destination is not closing and remains available to its sister lines throughout the year. Carnival still has Princess Cays on a handful of future itineraries. If you are on a Carnival sailing that lists it, everything below still applies. My Celebration Key guide and the new Half Moon Cay guide cover the two places most Princess ships are going instead.
Pro Tip: Itineraries change after booking. If Princess Cays is the reason you picked a sailing, check the current port list in your cruise line account a few weeks before final payment, and again the week you sail.
Getting Ashore at Princess Cays by Tender
There is no cruise pier at Princess Cays. Your ship anchors offshore and the line runs tender boats to a small landing at the beach. Tender tickets are handed out on board the morning of the call, and the first hour is always the busiest. Bungalow renters get priority tender service, which is one of the quieter perks of paying for one.
I tell travelers to eat breakfast, wait for the rush to clear, and go ashore mid-morning. You still have most of the day, and you skip the longest line of the trip. Anyone with mobility limits should know that tendering depends on sea conditions, and a rough morning can cancel the stop entirely. That is true of every tender port, and it is one reason the pier destinations are winning the itinerary battle.
What Is Included at Princess Cays
The beach itself is free. Princess describes more than a mile and a half of white-sand shoreline, with standard loungers available first come, first served. Lunch is a barbecue at the barbecue pavilions: hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, salads, fruit, and cookies, served without charge, along with water and basic non-alcoholic drinks.
Also included is Pelican's Perch, the kids' play area with a replica galleon, a sand playground, and separate restrooms. Volleyball and basketball courts are free to use. The water along the main beach is shallow and sheltered, which makes it one of the easier swims in the Bahamas for small children.
Cocktails and beer at the island's four bars cost extra and charge to your cruise card. If you have a drinks package, read the terms before you go ashore. Package coverage at island bars varies by line and package, and my Princess drink package guide covers the onboard side of that math.
Princess Cays Beaches and Beach Areas
The beach runs in a long arc, and the crowd thins the farther you walk from the tender landing. The central stretch near the pavilions and bars is busiest, with the most loungers and the shortest walk to lunch. The far ends are quieter and better for snorkeling along the rocks.
Shade is the scarce resource. Palm trees cover some of the beach, but on a full ship the shaded loungers go fast. Princess rents clamshell shades that reserve two loungers under a fabric canopy for a small fee, and daybeds are also available to rent. If you are traveling with small children or anyone who burns easily, that rental is the cheapest upgrade on the island.
Princess Cays Bungalows and Rentals
The beach bungalows are the premium option. Each is air-conditioned, with a ceiling fan, indoor seating, two outdoor loungers, an open-air shower, and a short walk to the sand. Princess has historically sold two versions: a standard bungalow for up to four people and an adults-only version near the quieter end of the beach.
For Carnival guests, Carnival lists the Private Bungalow Rental at $399.99 for up to four people for about six hours, as of October 2026. That price includes a cooler of soft drinks and water, chips with salsa and guacamole, fresh fruit, snorkel gear for four, two floats, towels, and priority water shuttle service. Bungalows are assigned first come, first served, so the location is luck of the draw.
Princess's own bungalow pricing varies by sailing, and with Princess calls winding down, I would check the shore excursion list in the Princess app for the exact price on your date.
| Option | What you get | Cost |
| Standard lounger | First come, first served | Included |
| Clamshell shade | Two reserved loungers with canopy | Small fee, varies by sailing |
| Private bungalow (Carnival) | A/C bungalow, drinks cooler, snacks, snorkel gear, priority tender | $399.99 for up to four |
| Bungalow (Princess) | A/C bungalow, outdoor shower, priority tender | Varies by sailing |
Princess Cays Water Sports and Excursions
The water sports kiosk rents snorkel gear, kayaks, paddleboards, Hobie Wave sailboats, paddle wheelers, and floats. Banana boat rides run from the same area. Guided snorkel tours and a glass-bottom boat trip head along the southern coast, which is a good choice for anyone who wants to see the reef without swimming far.
The land excursions leave the beach and see the real Eleuthera. Princess has offered a Dune Buggy Heritage Adventure through Bannerman Town and Lighthouse Beach, plus a scenic drive to the settlements of Rock Sound and Tarpum Bay with lunch. Because Princess Cays sits on a real inhabited island, these are some of the more authentic tours you can take from a cruise line beach.
Independent operators on Eleuthera are limited, and the beach is gated for cruise guests. For most people the line's own excursions are the practical choice. If you want to compare Bahamas tours across your whole itinerary, you can browse options on Viator, which is especially useful for the Nassau day on most of these sailings.
How I Would Plan a Day at Princess Cays
For couples, I would skip the bungalow, go ashore after the first tender rush, and walk to the quieter end with a clamshell shade if one is still available. I would have lunch at the pavilion, snorkel in the afternoon, and take a tender back before the last-boat crowd builds.
For families with young kids, the math changes. The air-conditioning, private shower, and priority tender of a bungalow are worth more when a toddler needs a nap. Split across four people, the Carnival price works out to about $100 each for a full day with snorkel gear and snacks included, which is reasonable against what the same shade and gear would cost separately.
Princess Cays Compared With Other Private Islands
Princess Cays is a simpler place than the newer destinations. There is no water park, no pool, and no pier. Against Perfect Day at CocoCay or Celebration Key it feels like an old-fashioned beach day, and some people prefer exactly that. Against Disney's Castaway Cay, it gives up the pier and the polish.
My ranking of every major cruise line private island puts it in context, and the new guides to Great Stirrup Cay, MSC's Ocean Cay, and Royal Beach Club Paradise Island cover the rest of the Bahamas lineup.
If a Bahamas sailing is still on your list for this season, you can check current Princess Cruises offers and compare them with the Carnival sailings that still call. My Princess cruise cost breakdown shows what a Bahamas week really runs once drinks, tips, and excursions are added.
Princess Cays Frequently Asked Questions
Is Princess Cays closing? News reports quote Princess saying the destination is not closing. Trade reports also say Princess's own published itineraries stop calling after October 17, 2026, which Princess has not confirmed, and Carnival still lists it on some sailings.
Do you need to tender at Princess Cays? Yes. There is no cruise pier, so ships anchor offshore and run tender boats to the beach. Bungalow renters get priority tender service.
Is food free at Princess Cays? The barbecue lunch at the pavilions is included, along with water and basic non-alcoholic drinks. Cocktails, beer, and specialty drinks from the island bars cost extra.
How much is a bungalow at Princess Cays? Carnival lists its private bungalow rental at $399.99 for up to four guests as of October 2026, with snacks, a drinks cooler, and snorkel gear included. Princess pricing varies by sailing.
Can you leave the Princess Cays beach on your own? The beach is a gated cruise facility, and independent options on that part of Eleuthera are limited. The ship's tours to Rock Sound, Tarpum Bay, and Lighthouse Beach are the practical way to see more of the island.
Booking a Princess Cays or Bahamas Cruise With Jackson Jetsetting
With Princess shifting its Bahamas calls, the itinerary on a sailing you book today may not match the one you sail. My pricing is the same as booking direct, I can often add group rates or promotions the cruise line's site does not show, and you have a person to call when a port gets swapped. Send me your dates, and I will tell you which ships still call at Princess Cays and which private island is the better fit for your group.
