Princess Cays is Princess Cruises’ private beach resort on the southern tip of Eleuthera in The Bahamas, and no, it isn’t an island of its own. No ship berths there: you tender into Love Boat Marina, about 15 minutes, and step off into a fenced strip of sand, barbecue pavilions and bungalows, listed at 30 to 40 acres depending on the source.
Where is Princess Cays?
Princess Cays sits on the southern tip of Eleuthera, one of The Bahamas’ Out Islands, a sliver of land about 100 miles long and 2 miles wide at its narrowest. The name does a lot of misleading: this is a fenced resort on Eleuthera itself, not a cay floating off on its own.
Nassau is between 30 and 70 miles to the west, so don’t build a plan around a single number. What you can count on is the neighbour: Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney’s Bahamian destination, sits immediately to the south-east along the same shore.
Is Princess Cays Carnival’s private island?
Princess Cruises owns and operates Princess Cays, and Carnival Corporation is the parent company behind both brands. That’s why Carnival Cruise Line ships call there too, selling shore excursions through Carnival’s own programme, while Princess’s fleet uses it as its Bahamas beach stop.
So yes in the corporate sense. No if you’re standing on the sand.
It was built as Princess’s resort, Princess runs it, and a Carnival ship alongside is calling at somebody else’s beach. Princess ships including Sky Princess, Regal Princess, Sun Princess and Star Princess use it, and the wider fleet is covered in our Princess Cruises guide.
It also means the call isn’t nailed on. Princess has pulled Princess Cays off at least one Sun Princess itinerary and sent the ship to Half Moon Cay in The Bahamas instead, refunding shore excursions automatically. Watch the app as your sailing gets close rather than assuming the beach day is fixed.
Map of Princess Cays: what sits where
Tenders bring you ashore at Princess Cays cruise port. From there, Bannerman Town is about a 29-minute walk. Tap a pin for directions.
- Princess Cays cruise portWhere ships dock
- Bannerman TownAbout 29 min walk from Princess Cays cruise port
- Lighthouse BeachAbout 5 km from Princess Cays cruise port, taxi or bus
- Rock SoundAbout 33 km from Princess Cays cruise port, taxi or bus
- South Eleuthera Airport
- Lighthouse Point
- Ocean Hole Park
- Windermere Island
- John Millars Beach
- Deep Creek
- Tarpum Bay
Neither Princess nor Carnival publishes a printable resort map, so picture one fenced strip behind a long beach, with a paved path running through it and everything sitting off that path. Princess’s own figures run from 30 to 40 acres and from half a mile to a mile and a half of shoreline.
| Area | What you find there |
|---|---|
| Tender landing | Love Boat Marina and the Welcome Centre, where you step ashore |
| Along the main paths | Four bars, the Tropical Treasures and Bahama Treasure shops, the observation tower |
| North side of the resort | Grill Crazy, the north barbecue pavilion |
| South side of the resort | Sea Breeze Grill, the south barbecue pavilion |
| Beachfront row | 18 numbered bungalows, with the adults-only Sanctuary bungalows beyond number 18 |
| Opposite bungalows 8 and 9 | Steps down into the water |
| Behind bungalows 12 and 13 | Bathrooms |
| Near the beach | Pelican’s Perch kids’ area, with its replica galleon and sand playground |
| Watersports base | Davy Jones Locker, for snorkel gear, kayaks, paddleboards and sea bikes |
| Back gate | The local craft market and taxi drivers |
Free shuttle trams run the main paths between the beaches, the lunch pavilions and the excursion meeting points. That matters more than it sounds when you’re carrying a bag in full sun and the two barbecue pavilions are at opposite ends of the resort.
Getting ashore at Princess Cays: tenders, queues and the last boat back
Ships anchor offshore and tender passengers into Love Boat Marina, because Princess Cays has no berth for anything larger. Princess quotes 15 minutes for the crossing; allow 20 to 30 once loading and queuing are counted, and more on the way back late in the afternoon.
- Tender tickets are issued on board. Bungalow rentals come with priority tendering, which is the single biggest time saver on this call.
- No last-tender time is published for Princess Cays. It appears in the daily programme and the app, and it varies by sailing, so write it down rather than assuming it matches the time you arrived.
- Give yourself 60 to 90 minutes before all-aboard. The queue at the marina is the bottleneck, not the crossing itself.
- Rough seas suspend tendering. A private beach call is the one on a Bahamas itinerary most easily dropped, and there’s nothing to be done except watch the programme.
- The back gate leads out to the craft market and local taxi drivers, with a security officer checking ship cards as you come back in.
What is included at Princess Cays and what you pay for
Beach access, a sun lounger on a first-come basis, the barbecue lunch, Pelican’s Perch, volleyball and basketball cost nothing extra. Drinks from the four bars, bungalows, watersports rentals, lockers and excursions all go on your ship card.
- Lunch at either pavilion: hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, ribs, salads, fruit and cookies. Water, tea and lemonade are free at the picnic areas.
- Princess drinks packages and MedallionNet Wi-Fi work ashore. Princess billed Princess Cays as the first cruise-line private island with connectivity on land.
- Towels come from the ship, not the island. Carry them off and bring them back.
- Lockers rent by the day, first come first served, at three locations on the island. They measure 12 inches wide, 18 deep and 72 high, which swallows a cabin bag rather than a suitcase.
Bungalows at Princess Cays: 18 numbered and the adults-only Sanctuary
Eighteen numbered bungalows line the beach, with the adults-only Sanctuary bungalows beyond number 18. They’re why plenty of people book this call at all, and they go early, so reserve before you sail rather than at the shore excursion desk on board.
The Sanctuary bungalow takes up to four guests, has a minimum age of 18, is ambulatory accessible and comes with priority on the water shuttle; Carnival describes it as a three-minute walk from the beach. Two details decide which bungalow suits you: the steps down into the water are opposite numbers 8 and 9, and the bathrooms sit behind 12 and 13.
What to do on Princess Cays
Most people do the beach, and the beach rewards an early tender, because the first boats of the morning get the sand and the photographs to themselves. Water shoes are close to essential: there’s coral and rock directly offshore, especially on the rockier right-hand side.
Before you sail
- Book a Sanctuary bungalow or the dune buggy tour before you sail; both sell out.
- Check the app for the last-tender time once on board, since it isn't published early.
- Bring cash for the craft market and food vendors outside the back gate.
Short port day: under 6 hours
- On dockingTender to Love Boat MarinaGo earlyPriority tendering comes with a bungalow rental; otherwise aim for one of the first tenders ashore.
- +20 minClaim a beach spot and swimLoungers near the marina go first come, first served. Water shoes help on the rockier right-hand side, so keep them on once you're in the water.
- +1 hrObservation towerA short walk along the main path for panoramic photos before the beach fills up.
- +1 hr 30 minConch at the craft marketCash for conchWalk to the back gate for conch from local vendors, The Bahamas' national dish. Cash only out here.
- +2 hr 30 minFree drinks at a pavilionLemonade, tea and water are free at either barbecue pavilion on your way back toward the marina.
- All-aboard minus 75 minBack at the marinaCheck appLast-tender time isn't published anywhere except the daily programme, so confirm it before you relax.
The time on the map is the whole walk, every stop added together.
Open this walking route in Google Maps
If plans change: If tenders are suspended for rough seas, the call can be dropped entirely, so watch the app for updates.
Long port day: 8 hours or more
- On dockingTender to Love Boat MarinaGo earlyHead straight to the excursion meeting point near the marina once ashore.
- +30 minDune Buggy Heritage AdventureBook aheadOne of Princess's most popular trips, running down Eleuthera towards Bannerman Town and Lighthouse Beach.
- +2 hrsBannerman TownChurch ruins in a historic settlement, the first stop on the dune buggy run.
- +3 hrsLighthouse BeachPink sand, dramatic cliffs and turquoise surf at the far end of the route, before heading back.
- +4 hr 30 minConch at the craft marketCash for conchBack at the resort, walk to the back gate for conch, The Bahamas' national dish, from local vendors.
- +5 hr 30 minBeach and snorkellingSwim near the marina before the queues build. Water shoes help over the coral and rock.
- All-aboard minus 90 minBack at the marinaCheck appNo last-tender time is published, so confirm it in the daily programme and leave a buffer.
This map shows the taxi ride from the ship. The time is the drive only, not your time ashore.
Open the taxi route in Google Maps
If plans change: If the dune buggy tour is full or cancelled, swap in the Rock Sound and Tarpum Bay scenic drive instead.
Beyond the sand:
- Princess Cays Coastal Cruise: an hour on the Reef Princess, a 35-passenger open boat, bookable on its own or bundled with snorkelling and a float.
- Dune Buggy Heritage Adventure: the run down to Bannerman Town and Lighthouse Beach, one of Princess’s most popular excursions. Dress for dust.
- Rock Sound and Tarpum Bay scenic drive: colourful Eleuthera settlements and a natural ocean blowhole, with a Bahamian lunch and a Junkanoo performance.
- On the water: snorkelling, kayaks, paddleboards, Hobie sailboats, banana boat rides, a glass-bottom boat, clear-bottom kayaking and a Stingray Beach Encounter.
- On a bike: an island bicycle adventure, if you want to see past the fence.
Davy Jones Locker rents the watersports kit, with reservations taken on board and leftovers rented on the island. Lighthouse Beach is the one sight worth booking rather than improvising, since the dune buggy trip is the straightforward way there.
Where to eat on Princess Cays
Lunch on Princess Cays means the barbecue, and there are two of them so you never have to trek across the resort for a burger: Grill Crazy on the north side and Sea Breeze Grill on the south. Both are included in your fare and both serve the same hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, ribs, salads, fruit and cookies.
- Conch: The Bahamas’ national food, and the thing to try if you have never eaten it. Look to the vendors outside the back gate, who take cash.
- A Bahamian lunch: served as part of the Rock Sound and Tarpum Bay scenic drive, alongside a Junkanoo performance, which is the easy way to eat properly local on a port day.
- Free soft drinks: water, tea and lemonade come with lunch at the picnic areas. Anything from the four bars is charged to your account.
What to wear in Princess Cays: outfit ideas for a port day
Swimwear with a cover-up is the uniform, because the tender, the paths and the shops are all part of the same day as the beach. There’s no dress code on the island itself.
- Water shoes: coral and rock sit directly offshore, particularly on the right-hand side of the beach.
- Reef-safe sunscreen: the reef is the reason you’re here, so bring a formula that doesn’t damage it.
- Something you can dust off: the dune buggy tour runs on Eleuthera’s tracks, and the dust gets everywhere.
- Long trousers and a proper top: only needed if your day includes a village excursion on Eleuthera.
For more inspiration, see these Caribbean cruise outfit ideas.
Best photo spots on Princess Cays
The best photograph on Princess Cays comes from the observation tower, which gives panoramic views over the whole island. Go early, when the first tenders land and the beach is still empty.
- Observation tower: the one spot that takes in the resort, the paths and the water in a single frame.
- Lighthouse Beach: pink sand, dramatic cliffs and turquoise surf at the far end, reached on the dune buggy tour.
- Bannerman Town: church ruins in a historic settlement, on the same excursion.
- Rock Sound: colourful buildings and a natural ocean blowhole, if your day runs that far down the island.
Princess Cays cruise port FAQs
Do people live on Princess Cays?
No. It’s a fenced resort with no residents. Bahamian employees and the ship’s crew staff it on call days, and it empties when the last tender leaves.
How many cruise ships are at Princess Cays at once?
One. Port schedules show a single ship per call day, mixing Princess and Carnival vessels. The beach only ever holds one ship’s passengers, which is why it never feels like a shared port.
Does Princess Cays take cash?
Inside the fence, no. Drinks, rentals and lockers go on your ship card. The craft market and food vendors outside the back gate are the exception, so carry a little cash for them.
What happens if the ship cannot tender at Princess Cays?
Tendering is restricted or cancelled when the sea is up, and the call can be dropped altogether. When Princess has swapped Princess Cays for another port, shore excursions booked through the line were refunded automatically.
Can you use a Carnival drinks package on Princess Cays?
Princess drinks packages and MedallionNet Wi-Fi work on the island. If you’re sailing with Carnival, bring your ship card, since Carnival drink packages don’t reliably work here.
Is Princess Cays the same as Half Moon Cay?
No. Half Moon Cay is a separate Bahamian private destination, and Princess has used it as the substitute when Princess Cays came off an itinerary.
Last Updated: 1 November 2026