I Visited All 7 Major Cruise Private Islands - Here's My Honest Ranking

Life Well Cruised

Life Well Cruised

👁️ 89K views📅 1 years ago⏱️ 24:05

Royal Caribbean Group

Holland America Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

MSC Cruises USA

Princess Cruises

Key Moments

Editorial Summary

The creator provides a detailed ranking and review of seven major cruise line private islands, offering personal scores and community feedback. The assessment covers Princess Cays, which receives a 6.5 out of 10 due to its rocky beaches and tender port status, and Norwegian Cruise Line's Great Stirrup Cay, currently rated a 7 out of 10 while undergoing renovations. Holland America's Half Moon Key is noted for its idyllic atmosphere and stunning beaches, earning a 7.5. Carnival's new Celebration Key also receives a 7.5, with the creator noting the lack of unlimited dining as a primary drawback. MSC's Ocean Cay Marine Reserve is highlighted for its eco-friendly approach and calm atmosphere, earning an 8. Virgin Voyages' Beach Club at Biminy is also rated an 8, characterized by an adult beach club vibe. Finally, Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay receives the highest personal score of 9 out of 10 for its variety of activities and amenities. The video concludes by revealing the top three islands according to the LifeWalk Cruise Facebook community: Ocean Cay, Half Moon Key, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.

How This Review Compares

This review's score for Royal Caribbean Group

4 Happy Bacon

Seriously Tasty

All-time creator consensus for Royal Caribbean Group

2 Happy Bacon

A Nibble

This review is more positive than the all-time creator consensus.

What This Creator Said

2½ Happy Bacon

Creator RecommendsShip Comparison🏅Authority Creator

Veteran Cruiser

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

We've been to every cruise line private island, some more than once over the years.

All cruise private islands are not made the same.

I ranked Princess K's as a 6.5 out of 10.

I rate Great Strob Key a seven out of 10 at the moment.

Creator's Tips & Advice

✓Check if your drink package works on the private island.

✓Use towel stations on the island to avoid carrying wet towels back.

🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Private islands are not all the same — Research each island's features and plan accordingly.

Tendering can be inconvenient — Allow extra time for tender queues and plan activities accordingly.

Questions This Creator Answers

QWhich cruise line private islands are best and worst?

QWhat are the pros and cons of each major cruise line private island?

Topics Covered

Port Destination4 Happy Bacon

Port Highlights

Alra, Bahamas1 Happy Bacon

Bimini, Bahamas3 Happy Bacon

CocoCay, Bahamas4 Happy Bacon

How to read the Trip Bacon Score

Happy Bacon — creators loved this aspect

Sad Bacon — creators took issue with this

Meh — no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology

Video content sourced from the creator's original upload. Watch on YouTube