Harvest Caye is Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island that was opened in 2016 and
is located off the southeast coast of Belize, about 70 miles south of Belize City.
In this video, we’ll provide an overview of our December 2019 visit to Harvest Caye
aboard the Norweigan Escape.
Cruise ships visiting Harvest Caye dock at a pier that is located at the southern edge
of the island and passengers can enjoy the day relaxing or playing at the beach, exploring
the island, or taking part in various shore excursions.
Ship-sponsored excursions include visits to Mayan archaeological sites, jungle river rafting,
glass bottom boat rides and more.
A quick note about the name of the island.
While we heard several passengers on the ship call the island Harvest “Kay,” the info
sheet and map that NCL handed out to guests states that the island’s name is pronounced
Harvest “Key.”
Before you leave your ship, it can be helpful to generally locate each area of Harvest Caye
from the top of your ship.
The entrance to the island is located at the end of the covered walkway that leads from
the pier.
Just beyond the entrance, the shopping village is located toward the left side of the island.
The pool area is located toward the center.
And the beach area is located toward the right side of the island.
The lighthouse is the location of the Harvest Caye Flighthouse zipline.
And the zip line structure peeking up behind the greenery in the distance is a good marker
for spotting the Luxury Beach Villas, which are located on a private beach beyond the
end of the public beach that is available for all guests.
Also, before you leave your ship, be sure to pack some cash and credit cards for purchasing
souvenirs, drinks, and food while visiting Harvest Caye.
There was no complimentary food provided by the ship when we visited the island.
You’ll also want to pack your beach towel from the ship because the island does not
provide towel service.
After you leave your ship, you’ll follow the long covered walkway to the entrance of
the island.
Shuttles are available for guests with special needs, but all other guests will need to make
the roughly five to ten minute walk from the ship.
As you’re walking toward the island, make sure you stay to the right side of the path
to avoid the shuttles that use the left side of the path.
We were passed by three shuttles when we made the walk.
When you enter the island, you’ll find a Harvest Caye Information Center on the right
side of the brick walkway.
The building is also home to the Beach Villa check-in.
On the left side of the walkway -- opposite from the Information Center -- you’ll find
men’s and women’s restrooms available.
Take note that large, clear directional signage is plentiful as you explore the island of
Harvest Caye.
While the island is relatively small and easy to navigate, it’s not always immediately
obvious which walkway you need to follow to get where you want to go and the signage is
extremely helpful.
Additionally, there were several restroom buildings located throughout the island
and locker stations that provided unlimited locker rental for $5.
In addition to the permanent signage, a sign posted on the brick walkway -- near the entrance
to the island -- pointed guests toward the meeting point for “Mainland Excursions”
at the Harvest Caye marina.
The covered marina is located just beyond the small shopping village and includes a
counter for parasailing check-in and tickets,
as well as a counter for purchasing tickets for the ferry to Placencia Village, which
is located on the mainland of Belize.
During our visit there were four ferry times available on the hour, with the first ferry
departing at 9 AM and the last departing at noon.
Tickets could only be purchased with your ship card and no cash was accepted.
Just to the left of the marina -- near the parasailing counter -- a beautiful and colorful
Belize sign makes for a wonderful photo op.
The large Travelers Palms that are located nearby -- closer to the entrance -- were also
popular photo ops when we visited.
The shopping village on Harvest Caye is located just past the entrance to the island and all
of the stores and restaurants are locally owned and operated, according to NCL.
In addition to some gift shops, clothing stores, and jewelry stores, there was also a Harley-Davidson
store, a chocolate shop, and several booths with various items for sale.
Between the shopping village and the main beach area, Harvest Caye features a 15,000
square foot swimming pool that is surrounded by complimentary loungers and umbrellas, as
well as some cabanas that are available to rent.
A large restaurant -- the Landshark Bar & Grill -- is located at the northeast end of the
pool and offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and a swim-up bar.
Beware that you will need to cross a golf cart path to get from the shopping village
to the pool area.
The golf carts aren’t a problem, but the brick golf cart path looks exactly like the
brick walkways that weave throughout the island, so most guests don’t realize there’s any
difference and get surprised when a golf cart is heading their way.
Beyond the pool area is the beach area of Harvest Caye.
There are seven acres of beach and, during our visit, we never saw any part of the beachfront
getting overly crowded by guests, but the further we walked away from the ship, the
fewer guests we saw on the beach.
In fact, many of the lounger areas at the far end of the beach were still almost completely
empty several hours after guests first arrived on the island.
In addition to many complimentary loungers and umbrellas, there were also a lot of clamshells
with loungers that guests could rent at the nearby Beach Rentals building.
A couple of beach volleyball areas were set up on the beach and the beach area was monitored
by lifeguards during our visit.
Signs along the beach indicated guests should beware of jellyfish, so make sure you pay
attention when you’re in the water or consider swimming in the jellyfish-free pool.
Directly behind the beach area, you’ll find a large game area with oversized chess and
checkers,
showers available for rinsing off,
a First Aid building,
a kids splash pad that DID have a lifeguard on duty,
The Laughing Bird Bar & Grill,
and Horse Eye Jack’s Bar & Grill, which was practically empty of guests when we visited.
Very close to Horse Eye Jack’s is the end of the Harvest Caye public beach and the start
of the private beach, which is reserved for guests who have rented a Beach Villa.
The area is roped off and signs are posted to inform guests that it is a private beach area.
Beach Villas can be booked as a shore excursion and each one includes an air conditioned interior,
a private restroom, indoor and outdoor showers, and plenty of ways to relax in the sun and shade.
When you visit Harvest Caye, it’s hard to miss the white and green Flighthouse, which
is the home of the island’s zipline adventure.
The experience can be booked as a shore excursion and features a total of four zips and 3,000
feet of zipline.
Next to the Flighthouse is the lagoon, which has several rentals available, such as stand-up
paddleboards, kayaks, and more.
If you’re looking for something a bit less adventurous, the complimentary Harvest Caye
Wildlife Experience is located between the shopping village and the lagoon and is a great
way to explore the local plants and animals, mostly in the shade.
In addition to exploring the area on your own, a free tour and presentation with the
chief naturalist was also offered three times throughout the day.
We particularly enjoyed the butterfly habitat and the butterflies didn’t seem to mind
us getting up close and personal while they dined on watermelon and bananas.
Finally, on a bit of a humorous note, pay attention to where you’re throwing out your
trash because there were several “Coconuts Only” bins located throughout Harvest Caye.