BREAKING NEWS: Princess Cruises Is Dropping Princess Cays From Its Itineraries Starting This Fall
Princess Cruises appears to be ending visits to its very own longtime private island destination.
The cruise line has removed all scheduled calls to Princess Cays from its itineraries beginning in November 2026, replacing those visits with stops at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key in The Bahamas. While Princess Cruises has not publicly announced the change, Princess Cays no longer appears on any currently published Princess Cruises itineraries after November 2026. Reports from booked guests and travel advisors also indicate that affected sailings are being updated with alternative port calls in the Bahamas.
The move raises major questions about the future of Princess Cays, a destination that has served as Princess Cruises' signature private island experience in The Bahamas for decades.
Princess Drops Princess Cays From All Itineraries Beginning November 2026
A review of Princess Cruises' published itineraries shows Princess Cays disappearing entirely from all sailings beginning in November 2026.
Princess Cruises still has multiple scheduled visits to Princess Cays throughout September and October. However, once those sailings conclude, the destination no longer appears on the cruise line's schedule for any ships in the fleet. Many of those former Princess Cays calls have been replaced with visits to RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, while others have shifted to Celebration Key, the two other private Bahamian resort destinations owned by sister cruise lines Carnival and Holland America Line.
The experience at these destinations will be slightly different for Princess cruisers. Like Princess Cays, beverage packages will be honored at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. However, Celebration Key operates differently, and Princess beverage packages will not be accepted ashore, meaning drinks will be an additional cost during the visit.
For cruisers searching for a cruise visiting Princess Cays, Princess’ private island, this represents one of the most significant itinerary changes the cruise line has made in recent years.
The change also comes as Carnival Corporation continues expanding and promoting its growing collection of private destinations across The Bahamas and the Caribbean.
What Is Princess Cays?
Princess Cays Bungalow Beach © Freestyle Travelers
Princess Cays is a private beach destination owned by Carnival Corporation and located on the southern tip of Eleuthera in The Bahamas. Despite the name, Princess Cays is not actually a separate island but rather a private resort area on Eleuthera that has served Princess Cruises guests since the early 1990s.
For decades, Princess Cays has been one of the most recognizable Princess Cruises destinations, appearing on nearly every Caribbean cruise itinerary from Florida.
The destination offers beaches, cabanas, water activities, shore excursions, shopping, and dining exclusively for cruise guests. Unlike newer cruise destinations such as Celebration Key, Princess Cays does not have a pier or newer amenities like a pool or splash pad, which gave it a much more relaxing and laid-back atmosphere.
Guests looking for information about the destination can still view our complete Princess Cays guide, which covers everything from beaches and excursions to cabanas and dining options.
Why Is Princess Cruises Dropping Its Private Island as a Port?
At this point, Princess Cruises has not publicly explained why Princess Cays has been removed from future itineraries.
However, the timing is notable.
Carnival Corporation has invested heavily in its Bahamas destination portfolio over the past several years. Celebration Key has quickly become one of the company's flagship destinations, while RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay is currently undergoing major enhancements designed to accommodate additional ships and guests.
Princess Cruises is also preparing to begin regular visits to Half Moon Cay for the first time later this year.
Another interesting development came on August 31 when Carnival Corporation promoted its collection of private destinations through new marketing materials and guest communications. While destinations such as Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key were prominently featured, Princess Cays was notably absent.
On its own, that omission does not confirm anything about the future of Princess Cays. However, when combined with the complete removal of future Princess Cays calls from Princess Cruises itineraries, it adds to the growing speculation that a larger strategic shift may be underway.
Is Princess Cays Going to Be Sold or Will It Come Back?
Carnival Paradise Collection © Carnival. Princess Cays is notably absent from this latest marketing graphic.
That is currently the biggest unanswered question.
Neither Princess Cruises nor Carnival Corporation has announced plans to sell Princess Cays, permanently close the destination, redevelop the property, or return it to future itineraries.
As of now, all that is confirmed is that Princess Cruises will stop visiting Princess Cays after October 2026 and that future sailings are being redirected to other private destinations in The Bahamas.
Several possibilities remain on the table.
Carnival Corporation could choose to redevelop the destination, reposition it for use by another cruise brand, integrate it into a broader Bahamas strategy, or eventually bring it back to Princess Cruises itineraries. Alternatively, Carnival could retire the destination and sell the entire resort to a different cruise line or entity entirely. At this stage, however, there is no public evidence confirming any of those outcomes.
Until the company provides additional details, the future of Princess Cays remains uncertain.
Bottom Line: Princess Cays Disappears From Princess Cruises Itineraries After October 2026
Princess Cruises has quietly removed all scheduled visits to Princess Cays beginning in November 2026, marking a major change for one of the cruise line's most established Bahamas destinations.
Many affected sailings are now scheduled to visit RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay or Celebration Key instead, signaling a significant shift in how Princess Cruises is utilizing Carnival Corporation's private destination portfolio.
What remains unclear is what happens next.
With Princess Cays missing from future itineraries and absent from Carnival Corporation's latest destination marketing efforts, the future of the longtime Princess Cruises private island destination is now one of the biggest unanswered questions in the cruise industry.
We will continue monitoring Princess Cruises itinerary updates and any official statements from the cruise line and Carnival Corporation and will update this story as more information becomes available.
