It takes amazing confidence and a lot of swagger to call yourself perfect. But Royal Caribbean does it emphatically with its fantasy island Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Even while no cruises were visiting, the cruise line was adding a quarter of a billion dollars worth of additions to the most attraction-packed private island in the Caribbean. Now that cruising has returned and Royal Caribbean ships are visiting daily, it’s time to ask: How perfect is a Perfect Day at CocoCay? And can you make a perfect day better?
A lot depends on your definition of perfect, of course. So here’s a rundown of how to get as much of what you want during your day at CocoCay:
1) Start by planning ahead
There are thousands of guests visiting the island on any given day. Whether you want to visit Thrill Waterpark, go for a ride on the Up, Up & Away helium balloon, snorkel or reserve a secluded beach hideout, it’s wise to pre-book before you arrive, because they do book up.
Royal Caribbean also offers early booking discounts for activities at CocoCay, and this means money saved compared to waiting to reserve activities once onboard.
2) Get to the action quicker on a shuttle
Getting off the new Odyssey of the Seas onto a long, long dock there are complimentary open air trams leaving regularly to provide an express way to the action.
I personally found the five-minute walk onto the island with its surf splashing over rocks a beautiful, scenic preview of the island that’s been landscaped with thousands of perfectly tended tropical flowers and plants.
3) Get into your ideal zone
The island has a variety of areas to suit your mood. When you reach the island, simply turn right for the thrills and action, left for chills.
You don’t really need a map, the landmark of the Thrill Waterpark is Daredevil’s Peak, with two tall towers offering 13 waterslides, the most in any waterpark in the Caribbean. Around it are the Adventure Pool and a Wave Pool and above it a Zip Line. Admission to the area costs extra and a full day pass to the Thrill Waterpark costs $44 to $99 per person depending upon the season, and there’s an additional charge for the Zip Line.
A free alternative to Thrill Waterpark is Splashaway Bay, a play area for children with five waterslides, two drench buckets and many more fountains and water cannons for getting soaked.
Hint: Lines for the popular water slides will build as the day progresses, so get off the ship and to the waterpark early to get plenty of rides in before things get really busy from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
One little snag on my planned perfect day was that the Up, Up & Away helium balloon wasn’t actually going up that day. Wind conditions have to be right for the enormous helium balloon to rise 450 feet for a panoramic view of the island and blue ocean around.
4) Choose your chill
There are five beaches and four pools for guest use at Perfect Day at CocoCay, some quieter than others.
You could actually be the only one beachcombing along the sandy coast on the far corner of Chill Island. South Beach is a new sandy beach area with complimentary beach chairs. It features traditional beach sports zone including volleyball courts and basketball and there are activities that include a charge–like glass bottom kayaking, zorbing on water and stand-up paddleboarding.
More popular because of their easy splashing and profusions of beach chairs and umbrellas are Breezy Bay and Harbor Beach, which is an inlet of shallow water ideal for kids.
Newly opened in 2021, Coco Beach Club on the far side of the island that offers guests a less crowded area, complete with infinity pool, beach loungers and an exclusive restaurant.
The most luxurious cabanas (with a price tag to match), the Coco Beach Overwater cabanas cost $999 to $1,599 for up to eight people and, believe it or not, they generally sell out far in advance of the cruise. If you’ve ever wanted to do an ultimate family party and don’t have the time to go to Tahiti, these can be a good alternative.
5) Check out the party
Oasis Lagoon is the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, featuring a swim-up bar, in-pool seating and water sprays. If you are looking for the party, it is usually in and around this pool. A DJ near the pool bar keeps the mood lively. You can find quieter and less-crowded spots in the Oasis Lagoon pool at the ends of the pool, but do check out the beats at the scene.
6) Don’t let hunger spoil the fun
There’s no need to head back to the ship for lunch. The two main restaurants on the island are Chill Grill and Skipper’s Grill and they’re complimentary. Located on opposite sides of the island for convenience, they actually serve the same traditional barbecue food including a range of sandwiches, BBQ chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, tacos, an assortment of salads, beans, corn on the cob, fresh fruit, cookies, chips and brownies with tea or water to drink. A bonus is they now have complimentary soft-serve ice cream machines. Soda and alcoholic beverages come at extra cost unless you have the shipboard beverage package which applies on the island as well.
An alternative lunch spot is Captain Jill’s–a pirate ship that was called Captain Jack’s until Jill boarded and took command. It’s got more of an island bar vibe with music. The food comes at an extra charge, starting at around $3 and around $8 for lunch specials which include a plate of chicken wings.
7) Plan to take a plunge
Even if you’re just on the island to enjoy the vibe, and don’t plan to dive into the water, it generally gets hot, hot, hot most days. You’ll want to wear a bathing suit and have a towel from the ship handy so you can cool off either bobbing on the beach or testing the water in a pool.
8) Have a stash of cash in case
While Royal Caribbean advertises CocoCay as just as convenient as the ship where you can put any of your purchases on the room card, the array of open-air crafts, souvenir and clothing shops called the Straw Market are run by local Bahamians who deal in cash. Having small denomination U.S. bills makes it easy to shop.
But wait, there’s more coming soon!
Perfect Day at CocoCay is about to get an addition: Hideaway Beach, due to open in late 2022. Royal Caribbean president and CEO Michael Bayley says the addition–along with the extra-fee Coco Beach Club with its over-water cabanas and ocean-front infinity pool– will significantly increase capacity of Coco Cay.
Royal Caribbean’s ships visit their private Coco Cay island on most Caribbean itineraries, with some ships offering two stops in one sailing.
Story by Wallace Immen, The Cruisington Times
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