Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, The Bahamas
MSC is a somewhat new cruise line to US Markets and you will find their cruises are much more value friendly compared to some cruise lines. They have spent a lot of effort on their Private Island Ocean Cay. Once an industrial island and now a recovering island for Marine life its a great place to visit and one that we highly recommend if you want to go to a beautiful island to relax for a little while. We have only been to the island once but look forward to going again in the future.
Island Information
Ocean Cay is located in the Bimini Island chain that is the furthest West Islands and only around 50 miles from Florida. The main Island of Bimini is a few miles North of Ocean Cay. MSC leased the Island and worked on an ambitious cleanup project from what was a former Sand Mine. Due to the industrial activity sea life had fled the area but after the transformation that has occurred the sea life is starting to come back. They have aggressively worked to bring Coral back and make the island a sustainable one. Its a small island with an area less than a quarter of a square mile. Even with its small size there is plenty of beach to enjoy. The island has 8 different beaches that all have a different character.
Country Information
The Bahamas do not require US citizens to get a visa before visiting. The visa is on arrival and granted for 90 days. The Bahamas are in the Atlantic Ocean but are closely associated with Caribbean Nations. As one would expect the climate is one similar to other Caribbean Nations. It is warm pretty much all year round so you can swim in the winter just as you would in the summer. The national language is English as The Bahamas were part of the British empire up until 1973. The national currency is the Bahamian Dollar and it is always equal to the US Dollar in value. So any price you see in The Bahamas is basically in US Dollars. Because of this the US Dollar is accepted pretty much everywhere we have been in The Bahamas.
Costs on the Island
Most everything is included in the cost of your cruise including lunch at the buffet or food trucks and most other amenities on the island. Extras would be any equipment rentals, alcoholic beverages, and any souvenirs you might want to purchase. Any shore excursions and cabana rentals will also cost extra. There are a few MSC run stores that use your cruise card for payments and there is a small Artisan Market run by local Bahamians that will most likely take cash only. Otherwise there is no reason to worry about costs unless you want some food from a specialty dinning or coffee shop.
Amenities on the Island
Ocean Cay is an island to relax on and forget any troubles you might have back in the real world. Its not as flashy with excitement like CoCo Cay but it is a very well done island. There are 8 different beaches to enjoy. The lagoon in the middle of the two islands (Ocean Cay is actually two small islands) is the calmest beach. Others can have larger waves and be a little more rocky. In the center of the island is the buffet that serves hotdogs, pizza, hamburgers and plenty of other grill style foods. The island has paved pathways to walk on and the cruise docks so you are able to walk right off the ship. They have carts that will move people around the island as well. Not far from the ship is a large lighthouse that has a bar and great views of the island and ship. For around $20 you can take a tour of the lighthouse and walk up to the top. You stop at three different levels so you can catch your breath and take pictures. Our guide gave great information about the island and all that MSC has done to clean up the area. Some MSC cruises give you the option to overnight on the Island and you can have a party at night on the beach. The real show at night is the LED light show on the lighthouse that is set to music. You aren’t allowed to stay on the island all night and around 11pm or so you head back to the ship until the morning. The following day you get a short day on the island before you head to your next port of call. MSC has a few air conditioned shops where you can buy MSC and Ocean Cay logo gear and another shop that sells local Bahamian goods. There is a mostly cash only artisan market available to buy different things as well. You can also rent cabanas for you and your group if you choose to on the island. The island in general is a place to relax at and if you want take an excursion you can but otherwise you enjoy your time in the water.
What we Thought
MSC has done a great job turning an industrial waste site into a wonderful island to visit. We really enjoy the more natural side of a Bahamian Island. We love theme parks and adventure but its good to come to places like Ocean Cay that is relaxing with not a tremendous extra to do. The overnight stay is very nice with the extra time and the night activities like the LED light show. The food on the island is typical of what you will find on a private island we found but is good. We really enjoyed MSC and found the island and cruise to be of high quality even with the affordable price of the cruise. If you want time to de-stress and to relax give Ocean Cay and MSC a try!