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The original beach-day island — five minutes by boat, zero decisions after that. Go right, not left.
Princess Cays isn't technically its own island — it's a private resort on the southern tip of Eleuthera, a long skinny Bahamian island about 70 miles east of Nassau. It's been hosting cruise families since the early 90s, which makes it one of the originals, and it shows in the best way: this place is a beach day, not a theme park. Half a mile of shoreline, a BBQ lunch, and that's the pitch.
Tell your kids this: the ship can't park here — the water's too shallow — so you get to ride a little boat to shore like you're landing on your own island.
The rhythm is simple: tender over, claim your spot, swim, eat, repeat until the last boat back.
Two things to know before you're standing in the tender line. First, it IS a tender port — the boat ride is only about five minutes, but the boarding process adds time on both ends, and if the weather turns, the whole stop can get canceled. That's tender life; have a plan B attitude. Second, when you step off the boat, everyone turns left like a school of fish. Go right instead — over the little bridge — and you'll find the same beach, the same food, and a third of the crowd. That one move is the difference between a chaotic day and a great one.
Pack water shoes — parts of the entry are rocky and more than a few parents have learned that barefoot. The kids' zone (play area, small pool, lifeguard) is genuinely good for little ones. Skip the $400+ cabanas; the ~$45 clamshell is the smart buy — shade plus priority tendering, which means first boats over. And hit the buffet before noon, because everyone eats at the same time.
Do you want a set-and-forget day, or are you winging it?
Either way — we've got you covered.
This is the easy button. Every excursion below is built for cruisers — pickup at the pier, drop-off at the pier, timing that respects your all-aboard, and a day where the logistics are somebody else's job.
Pick one, click, done. Want more options than our three favorites? Everything at this port is one tap away 👇
There's nothing to strategize here — the whole resort is walkable end to end in about twenty minutes, lunch is free, and the day plans itself. A few moves make it better.
**The right-side beach** (over the bridge from the tender pier) is the quiet zone — same water, same included food, fraction of the crowd. **Little Bay Beach**, near the stingray statue, stays shallow forever — the best stretch for wading toddlers and nervous swimmers. **Pelican's Perch** is the kids' area with a small pool and a lifeguard, perfectly placed for a parent to sit down for the first time all week.
Heads up: there's no Wi-Fi out here — ship's signal doesn't reach either — so download the entertainment before you tender over. Honestly? It's kind of the point.
