Who doesn’t want to own a private island in the Caribbean, a secluded place to get away from it all? When I cruise, I always appreciate the cruise lines that have their own exclusive stopping places with no one else but the cruisers on our trip.

Located in the Bahamas, Princess Cays belongs to Princess Cruise Line. Situated on the southern portion of the island of Eleuthera, Princess Cays is about 80 miles from Nassau.

Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the island is 100 miles long and 2 miles wide. It is graced with gently rolling hills and miles of sparkling white sand beaches and mangrove trees.

The private Princess Cays covers more than 40 acres and features over a half mile of white sand shoreline. Facilities are linked by walkways. The resort has all the amenities you would expect from Princess Cruise Line, yet it still retains its natural paradise ambiance.

As with all shore stops, passengers can stay aboard a Princess ship for a huge choice of shipboard activities or they can go ashore for even more things to do. I’ve done a little of both.

On Princess Cays, activities include swimming at the private beach, kayaks,  paddleboards, wind surfers, banana boats, shopping at the island marketplace, dining at the barbecue lunch and snorkeling. Excursions offer deep-sea fishing with custom boats and surf fishing.

Princess Cays has a coral reef teeming with schools of tropical fish for snorkeling and provides all the necessary equipment, including a small bag of fish food to ensure that snorkelers see plenty of fish up close. A waterproof identification card helps snorkelers verify the, marine life they see. Because of the subtropical location, water temperatures around Princess Cays seldom vary far from 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

Since Eleuthera Island is surrounded by living coral reef, cruise liners must anchor about a half mile offshore to protect the reef. Passengers are shuttled ashore aboard tenders. Some people don’t like to mess with the tenders. I find the ship-to-shore tender ride and back often give me a chance to take photos of the ship that I might not get otherwise.

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

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