During my October cruise last year, we ported at an island I had only been to one other time before: Half Moon Cay! This is one of Carnival Cruise Line’s private destinations and in my opinion, one of the best beach stops.
The last time I visited was in January 2021 and it wasn’t very mobility aid friendly back then so I was excited to go back to see if things had improved.
So, how accessible is Half Moon Cay for wheelchair users? Keep reading to find out!
Limited Accessible Tender Boats
If you use any type of mobility aid such as a wheelchair like I do, then you cannot go on a regular tender. You must wait for an accessible one to become available and they are extremely limited. The process for people with disabilities to go ashore is that when they are ready, they go down to guest services and wait for a shuttle. They do not go get a zone number.
Most Beaches Are Not Accessible
While we were on the island, we decided to go to the closest beach, which was right as you get off the tender boats. Instead of concreted pathways that lead directly to the beach, there were steps that led down to the beach where the loungers were. These steps were steep as well! Thankfully, a few kind individuals offered to help me but I ended up scooting down them very carefully.
There are beach wheelchairs available on a first come, first serve basis however, even then, there are no ramps that the wheelchairs could go down in order to get to the entrance of the beach. From what I saw, everyone had to go down stairs first before meeting sand. This meant that wheelchairs had to be left unattended on the concreted pathways at the top.
My grandmother and I actually did leave my wheelchair at the top and were lucky enough to get lounge chairs where it was directly in our eyesight the whole time, but leaving and/or asking to have my wheelchair stored was something I didn’t feel comfortable doing. But, you could definitely see if storing your mobility aid is something that could happen!
Once we got down to the sand, there were no pathways to the water or throughout the sand. So just be aware that most beaches are not very accessible. Maybe one day that will change and I hope it does! That would be wonderful.
Any Bags Attached To Your Mobility Aid Are Searched By Customs
Before getting back onboard, all bags attached to your wheelchair or other mobility aid will be searched by customs, including those containing medical equipment. These searches are sometimes quite invasive so just be aware of that.
If your bag(s) cannot be removed, tell the officials multiple times and they will physically search them by hand instead of putting them through the scanner.
How To Get Onto Tender Boats With A Mobility Aid
In order to get onto the tender boat while using a wheelchair, walker, etc, individuals go up this very steep ramp. The staff are extremely kind and even offer to over assistance.
If you’re comfortable, I definitely recommend letting them help because the ramp, especially on windy days, can move and become dangerous for those who try to navigate it by themselves, especially when going downhill into the boat itself.
Reserved Spaces For Wheelchairs Are Limited And Small
Because of regulations, tender boats to Half Moon Cay are only allowed to carry so many passengers at a time using wheelchairs or other mobility aids. These reserved spaces are small! My chair fit perfectly due to its size. However, if your wheels are ‘cambered’ out in any way or if you use a bigger size power chair, it either won’t fit into the space or space will be very tight.
I wish they would consider fixing this (if able) because if your mobility aid doesn’t fit into the reserved slot, then from what I was told, you cannot go ashore.
There Are Accessible Restrooms And Picnic Tables
Where the free buffet is served, there are accessible tables but very few. These tables are directly beside the concrete, which is where those with mobility aids roll under.
There are also accessible restrooms located throughout the island!
Conclusion
Overall, I am a beach person so I absolutely loved my time at Half Moon Cay! The water is beautiful and any time I can be in an environment that involves the ocean, I’m happy and can usually adapt if necessary.
Even though I enjoyed my time, from my perspective, this particular port is not very accessible. I’m very thankful I was traveling with my grandmother because if I was traveling solo, I don’t think I would’ve been able to get off at all. I hope one day the accessibility becomes better because it really is a beautiful port!
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