According to Carnival Cruise Line’s Chief Marketing Officer, Amy Martin Ziegenfuss, Carnival Corporation is making progress in its project to build a pier in Half Moon Cay.

Originally announced in 2019, the development plan will allow cruise ships to dock while visiting the private destination in Little San Salvador, the Bahamas.

Vessels currently sailing to the island, which serve both the Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line brands, need to use tender boats to bring their guests ashore.

“The tender port is currently located on the south side of the bay, which is where we come in today,” Ziegenfuss told travel advisors during a trade event earlier this month in Chicago.

“This port will stay there and still be available, but we’ll also have a pier on the north side that will enable us to bring more people,” she added.

With the new dock, Carnival will be able to bring some of its biggest ships to Half Moon Cay, Ziegenfuss noted.

The company will develop additional areas in the private destination to welcome a larger number of guests, she said.

“Right now, it’s really the south side that’s developed. We are planning some enhancements on the north side so there will be more things to do,” Ziegenfuss said.

“We are not just going to bring more people and stick them in the small space that we have,” she added, noting that further details of the project will be announced later this fall.

Offering a “lazy beach day,” Half Moon Cay is currently Carnival Cruise Line’s top-rated destination, Ziegenfuss said.

Comparing the destination with Carnival’s new Celebration Key, she added that the ports of call are designed to offer different experiences.

“In Half Moon Cay, you can hang out, have a drink at the tiki bar and enjoy the beach. In Celebration Key, you can do that too, but you can also do so many other things,” she explained, mentioning the more active offerings that will be available on the new private destination.