Princess Cays: Private Beach Day on Eleuthera, Bahamas
Princess Cays is a beach day, plain and simple. It sits on the southern tip of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, and you reach it by tender.
Bring your swimsuit, a little cash, and a relaxed plan. Here is how I would spend the hours ashore.
My quick take
Think of Princess Cays as your ship’s own stretch of sand rather than a town you go explore. There is no port district here, just palms, water toys, and easy swimming.
Because ships anchor offshore, the whole visit hinges on the tender boats. If you are new to that, my guide to what a tender port really means is worth a two minute read before you go.
The quick facts
- Where you land: The private resort on the southern end of Eleuthera, roughly 60 miles east of Nassau.
- Dock or tender: Tender only. Ships anchor offshore and ferry you to the beach in about ten minutes.
- Into the “town”: There is no town. This is a beach day, so plan around sand, water, and shade rather than streets and shops.
- Currency: US dollars work everywhere, and the Bahamian dollar is pegged one to one. Bars and rentals charge to your ship card, so bring small bills only for the craft market.
- Headline activity: Swimming and snorkeling off a long white-sand beach, with water sports and glass-bottom boat rides on top.
- Accessibility: The core beach is flat and paved, but the tender boarding and the quieter far end involve steps and soft sand.
Tendering and logistics
Everything at Princess Cays starts with the tender. Your ship drops anchor a short distance out, and small boats shuttle guests back and forth all day.
Early boats usually go to booked excursions and top loyalty tiers first, then open up to everyone. The ride itself is quick, so the real wait is the queue during the first rush and the last hour.
You step ashore at a sheltered marina with an info desk, first aid, restrooms, and a towel exchange. A big map shows the main beach to one side and the quieter Little Bay area across a footbridge.
Keep your day loose on the timing. Join the return line 60 to 90 minutes before the last tender, because surges happen and you do not want to be watching the queue instead of the water.
Getting around
Once you are ashore, you get around on foot. The resort is flat and paved from the marina along the main beach toward the bungalows.
There is no public transport and no hop-on tram, because this is a private resort rather than a settlement. Courtesy carts mostly serve booked bungalows and mobility requests, so ask at the welcome desk right after you land.
The one uneven stretch is the Little Bay side, which sits across a footbridge with steps and a sandy path. It rewards you with quieter chairs, but it is a walk.
Anything beyond the gate, like Rock Sound or the island’s blue hole, only works as a ship-run tour with a guaranteed return time. Independent taxis and rental cars are not part of the picture here.
The stops I would actually spend time on
The half-mile beach. The heart of Princess Cays is a broad arc of white sand, and the main swimming stretch runs about half a mile. Grab two chairs, drop your bag, and let this be your basecamp for the day.
Walk a few minutes past the first cluster and the crowds thin out fast. That short stroll is the single easiest upgrade to your day.
Fun fact: According to Princess Cruises, the resort covers about 40 acres with more than a mile and a half of shoreline, and it has welcomed guests since 1992.
Snorkeling. You can rent gear and float over the reef right from the beach. Enter near the marina rocks and drift along the edge, where schooling fish gather in the shallows.
Mornings tend to be calmer and clearer, so I snorkel early before the wind picks up. If you would rather stay dry, a glass-bottom boat covers the same coral without the mask.
The Sanctuary adults-only area. If you want quiet, the adults-only Sanctuary section sits farther along the path and is tied to its own bungalows. It trades the family buzz for calmer sand and a slower pace.
Fun fact: Princess lists the adults-only Sanctuary Bungalows at around 249 dollars with upgraded furniture and water misters, while a standard beach bungalow for up to four people runs about 199 dollars.
Water sports. The lagoon is built for play. You can rent kayaks, paddleboards, aqua bikes, and banana boat rides, or just grab a floating mattress and drift.
Lines for the water toys ease off in the mid-afternoon as families regroup. That lull is a good window if the morning looked busy.
The bar and BBQ pavilion. Lunch is simple and included, with grilled chicken, burgers, hot dogs, salads, and fruit at the pavilions. Four beach bars are scattered along the sand for something cold.
Fun fact: Princess counts four bars and two barbecue pavilions across the resort, plus the Pelican’s Perch kids area built around a replica galleon.
The local craft market. Near the gate you will find a small straw and craft market run by local makers. Look for simple straw work and shell crafts, and bring small US bills, since there is no ATM on site.
How I would plan the day
Ships usually stay for seven to eight hours, which is plenty for a beach day. I like to tender on an early wave, claim two chairs, and get in the water before it warms up and the surface gets choppy.
Snorkel first, then dry off and browse the market or climb the lookout tower for the classic ship-in-the-lagoon photo. Hit the barbecue right when it opens to skip the midday rush.
Save the afternoon for a slower stretch of sand and one water toy for fun. Then wander back toward the marina with time to spare rather than racing the last boat.
If you want more than beach time, book a single ship-run tour to Rock Sound and be back for a swim after. One excursion plus sand is a nice balance.
A realistic word on accessibility
I want to be honest here, because tender ports ask more of you than a pier. Boarding a small tender boat means stepping on and off with the swell, and in rough seas the captain can restrict or cancel that entirely.
Once ashore, the main path from the marina along the beach is paved and mostly level. That part is manageable for many wheels and strollers.
The Little Bay side is the tricky one, with steps up to a bridge and soft sand beyond. It is not wheelchair friendly and awkward with a heavy stroller.
Beach wheelchairs and cart help can be available, but supply varies. Ask at the info desk the moment you land rather than later in the day.
When to go, and the weather
Princess Cays is a year-round call, and the sea stays swim-friendly most of the time. The most comfortable window runs December to April, when it is drier and tendering is usually easier.
Winter highs sit around the mid 70s Fahrenheit, and summer climbs into the high 80s. Summer is the wetter, windier season, with hurricane season running June to November.
Wind is the factor that matters most. Trade winds keep the beach pleasant but can stir up chop that cuts snorkel visibility, so the early and late hours are often the clearest.
Eleuthera is more than a backdrop for the resort. The Bahamas government calls it the longest island in the Bahamas, over 110 miles long and barely a mile wide at most points, and it was settled more than 300 years ago by the Eleutheran Adventurers.
The island is also famous for its produce and its sand. The official Bahamas tourism site notes Eleuthera grows some of the sweetest pineapples in the world and is fringed by pink-sand beaches and over 100 shores across the island and its cays.
Quick answers
Can the tender day be canceled? Yes, and it is worth planning for. Strong wind or high seas can delay or cancel tendering for safety, so pack your day with a possible sea-day Plan B in mind.
Is there a town to explore? No. Princess Cays is a private beach resort, so the day is about sand, water, and a small craft market rather than streets or shops.
What is the best single thing to do? Snorkel the near-shore rocks in the morning, then climb the lookout tower for the iconic shot of your ship behind the lagoon.
Do I need cash? Bring a little. Bars, rentals, and activities charge to your ship card, but the local craft market prefers small US bills and there is no ATM on site.
How it compares to other Bahamas stops
If you are weighing your Bahamas beach days, Princess Cays sits at the mellow end. For a livelier private-island feel, compare it with Half Moon Cay, which many cruisers rank among the prettiest in the region.
For the opposite energy, Nassau gives you a real city, forts, and shopping instead of a single beach. You can see how all of these fit together in my overview of Caribbean cruise ports by region.
How this guide was researched: Unless a first-hand visit is explicitly identified above, this guide is based on independent research using official port, tourism, transit, government, and attraction sources where available. Logistics and time-sensitive details were reviewed in August 2026. See our Editorial Policy.
