Holland America Line will mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of Half Moon Cay on Dec. 12 when the Amsterdam visits the premium line's private Bahamian island. In December 1996, Holland America Line purchased the uninhabited 2,400-acre island of Little San Salvador from several Bahamian owners for $6 million and debuted Half Moon Cay as a port of call Dec. 12, 1997. The line initially invested $16 million in the facility and developed it according to the guidelines of the Business Charter for Sustainable Development established by the International Chamber of Commerce.

"Dec. 12 celebrates a milestone for Half Moon Cay, and we are extremely proud of what we have accomplished on the island in collaboration with the Bahamian government," said Stein Kruse, president and CEO of Holland America Line. "Not only has the island become a favorite port of call for our guests, but we've also been able to positively contribute to the local economy by providing jobs and tourism income."

Half Moon Cay, located less than 100 miles southeast of Nassau, was conceived to provide an indigenous Caribbean island experience in an authentic natural setting to Holland America guests on Caribbean and Panama Canal itineraries. Amenities that were required to support ship visits included food and beverage facilities, shops, restrooms and other facilities. The island's offerings have steadily expanded to also provide a full beachside water park for children, private beach cabanas and an array of shore excursions that include horseback riding by land and sea, personal watercraft adventures and an opportunity to swim with stingrays.

Although only 2 percent of Half Moon Cay has been developed (50 out of 2,400 acres), Holland America has fulfilled its goal of maintaining and enhancing the island's beauty. Much of the island is a migratory bird reserve and, according to Bahamas National Trust surveys, since Half Moon Cay's inauguration, its water fowl population has significantly increased due to habitat enhancement. The necessary support structures were designed to be compatible with the island's topography and existing flora; plantings were selected to complement existing subtropical foliage.

Half Moon Cay has created nearly 100 full-time, year-round jobs for Bahamian craftspeople and workers from nearby islands. The island generates more than $5.5 million in local purchases and wages annually. To date, $23 million in taxes has been generated for the Bahamas government. Holland America guest surveys consistently rank Half Moon Cay as the highest-rated port on the Caribbean itineraries.