We were there in 2003 for our honeymoon. It was just a relaxing little island with a wonderful beach with snorkeling, hammocks, tide pools & a bar. You could swim over and around a "shipwreck" and a "sunken plane." We saw sting rays and lots of beautiful fish just hanging out, doing their little fish thing! We loved it because it was so peaceful, uninhabited (at least that we could tell) and natural. Now it looks all touristy and citified. Look at all those beach chairs. I would hate trying to relax with that many people all around me.
So do you still ride in from the ship on a smaller boat? It kinda looks like the cruise ships are docked right there on the island. In 2003 it was too shallow for them to do that.
No; they really built out the island including a deep water dock so that the ship's can dock directly at the island. No more ferry boat rides and it's got A LOT more buildings and touristy stuff on the island now :(