Princess Cays: Princess Cruises' Private Destination on Eleuthera

All passengers tender ashore from the anchored ship — tenders run continuously and the trip takes about 10 minutes. The beach area is managed by Princess and staffed accordingly: there is a buffet lunch (included in the fare), a bar (charged separately), beach chair rental, and a water sports operation. The site is intentionally uncrowded compared to Nassau or CocoCay; Princess limits the number of ships calling here. The lagoon water is calm and extremely clear in settled weather — the bottom is visible at 15 feet. There is no local town to explore: Princess Cays is a beach day, not a cultural experience, and the cruise line has designed it accordingly.

The main beach is about a mile long and backed by palm trees. The sand is fine and slightly pink — the result of a small percentage of coral and shell fragments mixed with the quartz. The lagoon is shallow close to shore (2–4 feet for the first 50 yards), deepening to 10–15 feet farther out. Snorkeling is available on the reef that lines the outer edge of the lagoon; equipment can be rented at the water sports pavilion. Hammocks and chairs are available in a shaded area at the south end of the beach. The water temperature hovers around 80°F (27°C) in peak season. Rough weather (which rolls in with northers between November and March) can close the tenders and cancel the stop; always have a backup plan in the schedule.

Water sports available at the site: snorkeling tours guided by Princess staff, kayaks, paddleboards, floats, banana boats, and parasailing. Prices are in USD and are higher than comparable activities in Nassau or Aruba; this is captive-market pricing. The snorkeling equipment rental typically includes a guided reef tour option. A small volleyball court and beach games area are available. The shopping pavilion sells Bahamian crafts and Princess merchandise. There is no local town accessible from the site — Eleuthera's closest communities (Bannerman Town and Deep Creek) are several miles by unpaved road and not accessible during a standard visit.

The beach chairs and buffet lunch are included in the Princess fare. Beverages (alcohol and specialty non-alcoholic), water sports equipment rental, and excursion activities are charged separately and can add up. Bring USD cash or have a credit card registered to your ship account for ease. Gratuity for the beach crew (who set up chairs, bring drinks, and manage the facility) of $5–10 is standard. Snorkel equipment rental runs $15–25. Parasailing is $70–100. Passengers with Princess Plus or Princess Premier fare packages may have beverages included — check before departure.

Princess Cays occupies the southern tip of Eleuthera, one of the Bahamas' longest and most historically significant islands. The Lucayan Arawak people inhabited Eleuthera for centuries before Columbus arrived in the Bahamas in 1492; Spanish slavers subsequently depopulated the islands entirely within decades. English settlers — a group of Puritan dissenters called the Eleutheran Adventurers — arrived in 1648, founding one of the Bahamas' first permanent European settlements and giving the island its name (from "Eleutheria," Greek for freedom). Loyalist planters fleeing the American Revolution arrived in the late 18th century, bringing enslaved workers and establishing cotton plantations that ultimately proved uneconomical in the thin island soil. Eleuthera developed as a farming and fishing community after emancipation in 1834, and pineapple cultivation flourished in the 19th century before cheaper canned fruit from elsewhere undercut the trade. Princess Cruises developed the southern peninsula as a private resort beginning in the 1990s.

Princess Cays is a private cruise island — a 40-acre leased property on the southern tip of Eleuthera island, operated by Princess Cruises for day visitors. The broader Eleutherian context gives it more cultural depth than the resort atmosphere might suggest.

Eleuthera was settled in 1648 by the Eleutheran Adventurers — a group of English Puritans and Bermudian dissenters seeking religious freedom, one of the earliest self-governing colonies in the Americas. Their name for the island comes from the Greek word for freedom. The community of Bannerman Town, the small Bahamian settlement at the southern tip of Eleuthera near Princess Cays, is the heir to this long history — quiet, fishing-based, and quietly distinct from the resort area.

Bahamian culture is warm, Christian (the Bahamas has among the highest church attendance rates in the Western Hemisphere), and shaped by the independence achieved in 1973 after centuries of British colonial rule. Junkanoo — the West African-rooted masquerade tradition of costumed dancing and percussion, celebrated at Christmas and New Year — is the national cultural institution. Rake-and-scrape music (saw, goatskin drum, accordion) was the traditional sound before junkanoo brass took over; both are still heard.

Conch is the national food and symbol — conch shells appear everywhere, conch salad and cracked conch are the benchmark dishes. The Queen conch is a protected species; sustainable sourcing is a genuine local concern. The electric blue of the Bahamian ocean here is not a filter — it is one of the most concentrated concentrations of cerulean water in the Atlantic.

Princess Cays is a private island destination on the southern tip of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, operated exclusively by Princess Cruises. All guests tender ashore from the anchored ship — accessible tender boarding is available via a dedicated accessible gangway with crew assistance; confirm arrangements with Guest Services before arrival. Princess Cruises has invested specifically in accessibility at this private island: **beach wheelchairs** (wide-wheeled beach-capable chairs) are available on request at no charge from the beach services desk near the tender landing. The **main beach area** is reached via a flat, firm path from the tender dock to the beach pavilion. The **pavilion complex** (dining, bar, changing rooms, showers) is fully accessible with flat pathways and accessible restrooms. **Lounge chairs** are available on the beach near the water's edge; beach attendants assist with positioning. **Saltwater pool** adjacent to the pavilion is accessible with pool steps and a pool lift (confirm pool lift availability directly with the ship). The **volleyball court** and **playground** areas are on firm flat grass. **Ocean kayaking and snorkelling** water activities depart from the beach in front of the pavilion — snorkel gear is available for visitors who can self-support in calm water. The surrounding island beyond the Princess Cays facility is undeveloped and not accessible by path. Princess Cays is one of the best private-island experiences for accessible beach visits in the Caribbean.

Princess Cays is Princess Cruises' private beach destination on Eleuthera island in the Bahamas, and all dining here is cruise-line operated. The island hosts a large beach barbecue spread as the centerpiece meal — grilled burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fish, and the occasional Bahamian specialty like cracked conch (pounded conch, battered and fried) and peas and rice, served buffet style and included in your cruise fare. Additional dining venues (beachside bars, specialty food stalls) charge separately. Conch fritters are the best thing on offer and the most genuinely Bahamian — crispy, pillowy, with a squeeze of lime and a dash of hot sauce. Alcoholic drinks from the beach bars run USD 8–12 per cocktail; Kalik (the Bahamian national beer, light and refreshing) is the best value. The standard is acceptable rather than exceptional — this is a beach day rather than a culinary destination. Focus on the powdery sand and clear water. Vegetarians will find the buffet accommodating.

Princess Cays is a private island operated by Princess Cruises, so the retail experience is curated and contained. The **on-site craft market** is the highlight: Bahamian artisans sell handwoven straw bags, shell jewellery, conch-shell carvings, and hand-painted calabash gourds — genuine local work, not mass imports. Prices are tourist-market level; friendly negotiation is expected and welcomed.

The Princess Cays boutique carries cruise line branded merchandise, duty-free jewellery, and resort-wear essentials. USD is the only currency needed and is universally accepted.

This is one of the better private-island shopping experiences for authentically Bahamian crafts — the straw-weaving tradition is meaningful here. Pick up a market bag or a painted conch shell and you'll have something genuinely made in the Bahamas rather than a factory import.

Princess Cays is a private island resort on the southern tip of Eleuthera, operated exclusively for Princess Cruises passengers. The entire beach day is designed for families, and it is one of the more reliably satisfying private-island experiences in the Caribbean circuit.

The beach is calm, shallow, and long — ideal for children who are still building confidence in the water. Aqua Park, a floating inflatable course anchored in waist-to-chest-depth water just offshore, is the centerpiece for older children and teenagers: climbing walls, slides, balance beams, and a blob that launches participants off a platform. Rental gear for snorkeling, kayaking, pedal boats, and paddleboarding is available at the waterfront stand.

For younger children, the hammock field and shallow water nearest the dock are the main draws; lifeguards are stationed throughout the beach day. The included barbecue lunch is served from multiple stations around the beach. A small shopping area with local vendors sits near the pier for families who want Bahamian crafts at the end of the day.

**Practical note:** The Aqua Park has a minimum height requirement; confirm the current requirements before promising it to younger children.