MSC Breaks Ground on Sandy Cay
MSC has started building Sandy Cay, a quieter private island for MSC and Explora guests next to Ocean Cay, but there are no itineraries to sell before 2028.
MSC Group‘s cruise division now has two private islands in the Bahamas: one open and one being built. The company held a groundbreaking ceremony on 28 September for Sandy Cay, a second private island next to its existing Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. MSC says site work is already well under way and the island will open in 2028 for guests of MSC Cruises and its luxury brand, Explora Journeys. Advisors can’t sell it yet, but it shows where MSC is taking its Caribbean product: a separate, quieter beach day for higher-paying guests, away from the main private-island crowd.
What MSC announced
Sandy Cay was first announced in April 2026. MSC describes it as more “intimate” than Ocean Cay, focused on wellness, relaxation and the beach, with curated dining, places to relax, “private retreats” and attentive service. Executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis, attended the ceremony.
The release doesn’t give the island’s size, how many guests it will take, how guests will get there or which ships and itineraries will call. Those details will decide how advisors sell it.
MSC is also adding to Ocean Cay. It plans more places to eat, separate beach areas for families and for adults, more space to relax and new activities linked to marine conservation. No timeline was given.
Why the neighbour matters
Ocean Cay sits in the Bimini district, about 32 kilometres south of Bimini itself. It started life in the late 1960s as an artificial island dredged for sand mining. In 2015 MSC signed a 100-year lease with the Bahamian government to turn the abandoned industrial site into a private island, a project it planned to spend about US$200 million on. Ocean Cay is now a regular stop on MSC’s Caribbean itineraries.
With Sandy Cay, MSC will have two islands it can position differently: Ocean Cay for families and mainstream MSC guests, and Sandy Cay for its premium cabins and for Explora. Explora currently has three ships and plans six by 2028, according to the release, so the island’s opening matches the brand’s growth.
If you’re travelling: Nothing changes yet. Sandy Cay is due in 2028 and will be open only to MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys passengers. If you sail MSC to the Bahamas before then, Ocean Cay is the private-island stop, and MSC says new beaches and restaurants are coming there.
For advisors
- Don’t promise Sandy Cay on any current booking. It isn’t on sale and MSC hasn’t said which ships will call. Recheck when 2028 Caribbean itineraries open.
- Ask MSC who gets access. The release says Sandy Cay is for “MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys guests”. Before you sell it as a premium perk, find out whether access will be limited to suite categories or certain itineraries.
- Explora clients are the long-term fit. A luxury brand with a private beach day in the Bahamas is a new option for clients who have avoided big-ship private islands.
- Ocean Cay is the product today. Expect the upgrades to show up in MSC’s sales material over the next seasons. Ask for dates before you quote anything new.
Sources
- MSC Group Cruise Division, ‘MSC Group’s Cruise Division marks groundbreaking ceremony for Sandy Cay in The Bahamas’ (PUNCH Canada), 28 Sept 2026
- https://www.mscpressarea.com/press-releases/msc-groups-cruise-division-marks-groundbreaking-ceremony-for-sandy-cay-in-the-bah/
- https://www.caribjournal.com/2026/09/29/msc-just-broke-ground-on-a-new-private-island-in-the-bahamas/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Cay
Jeff Cameron is a chief operating officer who writes about the business of travel: operations, pricing, loyalty and the decisions behind the trips, seen through an executive lens.