tracyanns,  I know you didn't say old, that came out of my fingers, feeling a bit old today, need my cruise to get here quickly...lol.   I also agree that the upgraded service is worth it, fresh flowers and fruit in your cabin, tea/broth with sandwiches in the afternoon, are nice.  And HAL now isn't anymore expensive than CCL if you watch for a sale.  I've agree about them sharing Half Moon, but I have a feeling its a branding thing, exclusive island, etc.   That's how they used to advertise it, seems they haven't changed much.  RCCL has a private island too, it's quite nice too.  I never made it the NCL's private island, have you.

Eileen

RCCL actually has 2 islands, one part of a country where people live but this area private to RCCL customers.  I have actually been to NCLs island 3 times, would have been 4 but we missed one time due to the high seas and not being able to tender.  NCLs island is nice, but it is not as nice as RCCL and no where near as nice as CCL.  They just need a little time to get it set up right, it is definately smaller, and the worst part is they only have about 400 lounge chairs and the rest are the upright beach chairs so if you don't get the first tender, you don't get a lounge chair.  Kind of stupid on a ship that can accomodate well over 2,000 people. 

We will be on the Dream in November from NY so Half Moon for us, I think we are going on the Miracle in April or May, depending on how the stock market does, so that itinerary  does go to Half Moon Cay and in October we go on the RCCL Oasis of the Seas, so we will get to go to their private island on that one also.