WarmWaters

Interesting thread you have going here.

I want it all and I want a good deal. So I wait patiently. I do like balconies. On this ship the insides are something like 132 sq feet which is tiny and the balconies they start at 187 sq ft approx.

So what I do is, wait patiently for the price to drop to where I think its a good deal now and then I book it. This ship does not sell out often. So I book my flights and then I watch and wait.

I booked a few days ago a balcony for 13 Dec sailing for $ 830 per person tax in which I thought was about the normal price for the tiny inside room without a window.. which to me sounds really depressing.

Patience pays off many a time. I do agree if you want a certain room category and you have deep pockets then book at it the high price. But if you are careful with your money and you like to cruise often, then wait till there is some urgency to fill that ship.

On top of this great price, I got $ 150 onboard ship credits. So that is how we go about to make it happen.

Thank you so much for taking the time to put all this together. It has helped me a lot. Thanks again !

Very interesting and informative thread, thank you for all the good ideas. Keep them coming.

On our last cruise 2 weeks ago, I saw op the open sun deck someone had these es 2 very nifty hard plastic clips holding down their towels on either side of the top part of the deck chair ..it makes that your towel does not crawl down behind your back while laying in the sun in an upwards position. It will also keep your towel in the upwards position when you get up to go somewhere. It can even be used on the balcony to keep sun hats etc from being blown away. The clips were in the shape of a crocodile's mouth holding the towel in position.

It was so neat, I have never seen it being sold anywhere. That is something I am now looking for, for my deck chair for our next cruise.

Just returned from AK and there were 2 things that I noticed. 1) the ponchos were pretty much ineffective. We saw lots of ponchos while on rainy tours that the ponchos were just blowing all over and didn't cover what it should have. Rain jacket needed, I had mine and stayed dry the whole time.

Very helpful thread indeed. We returned 2 weeks ago from Alaska and I did not want to buy a rain proof jacket just for the trip, I might not use it ever again. So I bought identical ponchos from the Dollarstore and cut off the bottom part of poncho no 2 and sew it quickly onto the the bottom of poncho no 1 and whala I had a long poncho that cover my whole body down to my feet for $ 4 total.

It rained heavily in Ketchican and my long poncho was fantastic.. it kept my pants and shoes dry and also I had my bag with camera, money, etc over my shoulder and under my poncho. My hubby went and bought an expensive rain coat which kept his top parts dry but his pants and shoes got soaked, while I stayed dry as a bone. its lightweight and packes easily in your bag for when you need it. Its the best $ 4 investment I have made for my Alaska cruise !

For those of you from warm climates, no need to invest in a costly rain jacket, if money is an issue, bring a hooded light jacket that you already have and just layer it underneath with soft nice comfy fleece jacket and a layer or 2 underneath eg short sleeve T shirt and make yourself an inexpensive long poncho and you will save a bundle and be dry all the time.

Something that was very handy is to bring a men's ball cap.. its great to wear on rainy days under your hoody if you wear glasses.. it keeps the rain off your glasses.

Something I will bring next time, is good detailed maps of the route of the ship..I saw people with Garmin satelite, I forgot the word now, and they were mapping our route as we went.. the ships's map on the TV in our room was not detailed enough. So many channels and islands along the way, I would have love to follow our route a bit better.

For the cold days out on deck for the girls, a pair of pantyhose underneath a nice pair or sweats as an extra layer is lightweight and very warm or just wear 2 pairs of pants over one another eg in Glacier Bay.

I used my fleecy head band to keep my ears and forehead warm a lot on the outer decks and thin gloves and a nice soft fleecy scarve to keep my neck warm, was things I used a lot.

Next time I will pack 5 T shirts for hubby, a T shirt during the day was always his 1st layer as its warm inside the ship .. we packed too many warm things and not enough 1 st layers of short sleeves.

Did not use the insulated mugs we packed but used my small alarm clock a lot to see the time during the night.

Bring small amount of insect repellant as we had very hungry mozzies on our days out and about.

Wow you guys are great !

Thank you so much for all the info, its very helpful and just what I needed.

We used to live in North Vancouver about 9 years ago, it will be nice to revisit some of my favourite places, even if time is so short.

Thank you again so much.

I have a few more questions I hope someone can help me.

I am thinking to buy a day pass ( $9 pp) for the train from the airport to the port to use to get to the port and drop off our luggage and then to sightsee by public transit quickly for a few hours.

Things we want to do include:

Going over the Burrard Inlet with the Seabus and seeing Lonsdale Queuy for a bit and coming back with the Seabus.

Maybe walking to Gastown and sightseeing there quickly and then I want to get to Granville market for a bit.

How can I get with the train from the Waterfront area to Granville Market?

I tried to look on the Transit site but I was not able to see it there.. is there a way to get with the train close to Granville Market?

I am thinking to take the train as its so much quicker than waiting for a bus.. we only have about 5 hours to sightsee before we have to be back at the ship.

Thank you kindly for any help or suggestions.

We are thinking to fly into Vancouver early on Wednesday morning for our HAL Volendam cruise and drop off our bags hopefully around 11 ish and do a bit of sightseeing in Vancouver and then board the ship later in the afternoon around 3 pm or so.

My question is how early will HAL Volendam accept luggage ? My plan is to check in later in the afternoon and just to drop off the bags earlier.. Will my plan work ?

We will be the only ship in port that day.

Just won the Sheraton Old San Juan 3.5* for 1 night pre cruise 3 Dec for $ 86 + taxes on Priceline.

I tried $ 84 and was unsussful and then added Zone 5 and was succesful.

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from the most recent thread to the last time I updated this.This now covers all questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from about 2006 I think. Please add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on Princess Cays.

What Did You Enjoy The Most At Princess Cays ?

The beach bungalow - If you get the opportunity to reserve one, I highly recommend it.

We snorkelled right off of beach, in front of the lifeguard.......AMAZING!!! I agree. It was great having a place to store our gear and just relax. The water and beach were beautiful. I really enjoyed the BBQ. Lines will be long but there are usually two sides at each hut. Choices were very good and hot food was hot. Only problem was getting Iced Tea or Water and Ice. Not much room to rest your plate while getting a drink, but it is do able. We went to the Right of the tender pier. Once across the little bridge, turn left and you will find lots of lounges in front of the Clam shells. Entry into the water was fine. There were lots of snorkeling in this area. Our family really enjoyed their time on Princess Cays. I actually went to the beach to the right (looking at beach) instead of the beach to the left where most people were. I found a lounger right in front of the bar area past the BBQ area. It was great looking out on the beautiful beach, lifeguards, the ship at anchor and being able to just jump up and get a mango drink (can't remember the name but loved it) I also really liked the shops by the tender area. At the end of the day I wandered through them and thought they had some really nice things. Also, walked along the beach which was beautiful, warm water, just awesome! The water was so clear... we took the ship's snorkel trip.See under water snorkle picture here : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1209449

We didn't care for it. The water was nice, took our own snorkling gear, not much to see. Pretty beach although you need to use insect repellent. We were bit all over our feet up to about our calves with sand fleas. Now I carry repellent with us. We also went past where they are trying to sell stuff, past the guard to a little area where locals are selling crafts. Bought several items there. The music {local band} {island music} at one of the Tiki Bars was great.... snorkeling. was super..BBQ great....really nice day....kinda set the atmosphere. What I liked most, was doing nothing at all. It was great to just relax and chill. We didn't have any grand expectations for the island and it exceeded them all. Also liked just taking in the beauty from a lounge chair. Seeing the ship anchored out in the ocean, looking at the good looking lifeguards, seeing the palm trees sway in the wind, listening to music, partaking of a Mucho Mango and eating some BBQ. It was a fabulous day.

Anyone been recently? Any tips for the best area to head to?

BBQ was good. Plenty of water stations too.Clear water. Fun snorkeling, not like in the Caymans or Cozumel, but still fun. You may not need the cabana as there is some shade available at a few other locations. Wear water shoes as there is some coral near the edge of the water. You can swim past it though. All in all a good day.

I always pack my water shoes. Plenty of ship bar staff on the island to keep you well hydrated with adult beverages. The snorkeling is ok but not like some of the other calls in the caribbean. If you want to enjoy water sports you may want to book on the ship as we found snorkeling gear and banana boat rides went quick.

Princess Cays Info website-

http://beyondships.com/Princess-PrincessCays.html

Where is Princess Cays ?

I'm trying to find Eluethera and/or Princess Cays with Google Earth and can't. The Princess Cays are between Millars and DeepBay (DavisHarbour ) on the south coast

Map of Eleuthra island : http://www.sunrisevilla.com/paintmap.gif

Go to these coordinates for Princess Cays : 24 degrees 38' 13" N 76 degrees 10' 17" W. You'll even see a Princess ship there. I am using the non-enhanced version (free) of Google Earth. I seem to be unable to type in the coordinates for this. How do you type in the tiny o for degrees? I tried typing out the word degrees, and it didnt work. Use "d" for degrees, so it would be: 24 d 38' 13" N, 76 d 10' 17" W . I could get to it but had to type in 24 38'13" N, 76 10'17" W and it will take you there. Kinda cool looking at the Grand class ship, look closer and you can see a orange tender. Finally got to it, but had to type in 24 38' 01.46" N 78 11'07.75"W. I can only reach it with these numbers: 24 38' 01.46" N 76 11' 07.75" W

Great satellite shot on Google earth - I finally got to the spot on Google Earth by using 24 38'13" N, 76 10'17" W. You can actually see the ship, tenders and all the buildings, way cool! The ship is at 24 degrees 37' 51" N and 76 degrees 10' 58.5" W

Anyone aware of any damage to the island ?

Just back from a 2 week cruise and we couldn't see any damage. Beach and water were simply beautiful, clear and clean. Sept 21 2010

Wheelchair/scooter assessable?

If you can get them on a tender...yes. There are paved paths everywhere to the BBQ/shops etc.My uncle uses a scooter as he is unable to walk for extended periods of time and he has come onto the island twice. He feels a bit limited on the island as he is not able to go to the beach and can only travel just so far on the scooter. He joins us for the BBQ and even took the glass bottom boat trip once. The issue is getting on a tender. If the person can step onto the tender and chair can be folded and put on board then it can work. Princess will not lift the person in the chair and place onboard the tender. Once on the island there are concrete paths. There is a lot of wonderful information on the main board page under "Special Interest" then disability. My Uncle's motorized scooter did not fold up. It was taken on and off the tender by the staff. He did not have to walk on and off the tender by himself. He was assisted by the staff as well as my Aunt or I so that he could walk up the few steps to or from the tender. He was seated in the tender closest to the tender steps so that it was easier for him to leave.

Do Suite people get Priority Tender Passes coming and going?

Priority tender passes are only for disembarking when reboarding it is first come first served.

Soft drinks –

Are at extra charge. And the soda sticker (if you purchased one onboard) is not valid on Princess Cays.

Loungers –

After exiting the tender, turn right and go across the little foot bridge. Less crowded and lots of shade to pull your lounger in to. We made the mistake of renting a clam shell one time and wished we hadn't wasted our money. A lounge chair, even in the sun, is more comfortable than sitting in one of those clam shells....like a steam bath. I always have been able to find empty chairs in the shade.

Clamshells –

Do you know if the clamshells have to be booked in advance or if you can just snag one once you get there? Do they have umbrellas there? I booked a clamshell on the day of. Just got off the ship, went down to the kiosk that sold the clamshells and booked one. I would imagine it depends on your sailing and what is available. My clamshell was way behind many others so didn't have much of an "oceanview' However, I went to the right once exiting the tender, booked my clam shell and then walked a bit further to a bar area I saw and located a lounge chair right in front of the bar. I alternated between this lounge chair - in the sun most of the time and my clam shell out of the sun - during the day. I will say - I couldnt have stayed in the clamshell all day as it did get a bit hot in there. I think I was pretty lucky to have the best of both worlds - a clamshell to get out of the sun and a great lounger in a fab location by the bar.

Bungalows : Difference between Sanctuary and Regular bungalow ?

I am trying to figure out what the difference is between the Sanctuary Bungalow and the Beach Bungalow besides the $50 price difference and adults only? Which ones are closer to the beach access? which ones are closer to the restrooms? Do both have umbrellas? I have only seen pictures of umbrellas at the regular bungalows, not the sanctuary. Food service and a few other little perks for the extra $$$$. They are not on the beach, they are set back and behind a sea wall. The sanctuary ones are for adults only We have had the regular bungalows twice and this year we booked the Sanctuary Bungalow. We did not feel that it was worth the additional $50.00. Yes, it is adult only, but the reality is you do not get many kids down where the regular bungalows are. The beach in front of these bungalows are good for snorkelling, but there isn't a sandy beach for swimming. There is no beach in front of the Sanctuary Bungalows. When we book again, we'll book the regular bungalow and pay the extra $50.00 to have the gourmet lunch delivered to our bungalow. Sanctuary bungalows, almost identical to the regular ones, but with newer loungers.

Don't bother.... .....I was just at PrincessCays on Monday- I would suggest that you not waste your money on either bungalow, or a clamshell....there is enough shade, enough chairs, enough food, enough drinks, enough water, beach, etc....on the main beach area. We had a lot of fun and saved our money for other things (excursions, photos, drinks).

We stayed in a bungalow in Apr 2010 on the Cays. You get priority tender to the Cays which is nice. When you arrive, you ride this shuttle to the bungalows and are assigned one. They look like a storeage shed with A/C. We spent most of the time out of the bungalow on a lounge chair getting some sun. We walked about 100 yards to a BBQ lunch that was nice. There is a bar close by, naturally. We had 6 people to split the cost so it was probably worth it. I don't think I would bother if there was less people to share the cost I think we paid $30 plus pp. Any more that that I don''t think it would be worth it.

2 Pictures of the Bungalows: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1244686&highlight=princess+cays Post #5

Both times we were there we didn't have any trouble getting lounge chairs under palm trees. Try to get off the ship early and head over over the bridge once you get on the island. The clam shells are like little hot canvas caves. They block the breeze as they're providing shade and often you can only see the clam shells in front of you.

Picture of the clam shells : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1244686&highlight=princess+cays posting # 13

Bungalows / Cabanas -

I have youtubed some videos for Princess Cays. My question is are the lounge chairs way in front (edge of water area) of the cabanas for everyone to use or are they reserved for the cabanas use only? There seemed like alot of empy ones in the video. The Cabanas (not in the Sanctuary area , Which is farther down) do have several rows of "free to all" lounge chairs in front of them. We have rented several times and It seems not a lot of people venture that far down the beach. If they do, they don't stay the whole time. If you are looking for a quiet area of Princess cay this is the place to be. With the Cabana rental you have 4 lounge chairs reserved for you (signs on them saying reserved and towel on them for you to use). They are for everyone, but no one but the cabana folks seemed to use them on our recent visit. The cabana area was quiet and really pleasant. Justback - We were on Emerald the week of August 8 and booked a bungalow. Included was the priority tender ( they sent 6 tickets to our room in advance), towels, hand sanitizer. 6 loungers - 2 on deck, 4 in front. Server to attend to your beverage needs. There is an outdoor shower for your use attached to the outside of your cabana. ( we did not have any sunscreen or bug spray as others mentioned having, so be prepared and bring your own). If we wanted lunch delivered it was $50 extra - we did not add on the delivery. BBQ area is an wasy walk from the cabana. Air conditioning and having a place to change was nice. There is a restroom situated in the mid section of the cabana area. The best thing was how quiet the area is. To those asking about use of a CD player, the cabanas only have about 15 feet between them so any music would likely be heard by your neighbors - I pods and headphones may be a better choice. I would book one again in a heartbeat. If you keep your music inside the bungalow, and at a moderate level, it most likely won't be heard by anyone but you.

Taste of Eluretha Island Excursion -

We took the Taste of Eluretha last November. We weren't impressed, but many on the tour were. Tour travelled to the "other side at the ocean." Very pretty. Visited a school, church, a library. Had lunch which wasn't impressive. I understand the tour has improved since then. We took the tour in February 2010. It goes as far as TarpumBay but it does not go as far as Governor's Harbour. The tour goes to Rock Sound and turns around at TarpumBay. There is a visit in Rock Sound of a school, police station, government buildings etc. and a few "scenic" stops. Lunch is served at the Four Points restaurant - it is a "typical" Bahamas lunch with conch fritters, chicken etc. and a "junkaroo" celebration and dance. I thought that it was expensive for what it was however, it provided a good overview of the area which we would not have seen otherwise. I think it was about 3.5 hours. It is a 4 hour tour including lunch. We thought that it was expensive for what it was but it was fun and we had a good presentation of Bahamian life. The lunch was so-so but we are not great fans of conch fritters but the chicken was ok. You will be getting back on Princess so who cares - eat then. I am providing a link to the company that provides the tour. The video is a very realistic representation of the tour that we took a few months back. The tour is a one time experience.

http://eleutheraadventuretours.com/

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Coco Cay from the most recent to the last time I updated this thread. This now covers all questions and answers from about June 2008. Please feel free to add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on this beautiful island.

What to do at Coco Cay?

What is Coco Cay like and what shore excursions are offered ? We love Coco Cay. We usually do the waverunner tour in the morning and then snorkel the rest of the day. They have a good BBQ lunch. You can also do ...parasailing, kayak.etc or just chill on a float mat. It is a lot like Labadee, but the beach and water is allot nicer. The women in our group are not big beach relaxing type. I was wondering what ladies can do while men are enjoying beach activity ? If you're not "into" the beach, then staying on the ship is the best option. The pool is open, there's food, drink, and air-conditioning. They can come and go back and forth as they wish...it's not like they have to stay all day.

Chance of missing Coco Cay in May?

I know that due to high wind that this port can be missed. Does anyone know how often that happens in late May? There's no way to tell....you'll be at Mother Nature's whims.

Where to find the weather forecast for the private islands ?

Eleuthera, Bahamas would be the closest populated area. Try a search for that. Weather underground is a great site to check weather conditions worldwide.

Lounge chairs & Cabanas

There is no charge to use the chairs or loungers. There are a ton of clam shells and a few cabanas in the spa area that weren't even used, maybe they were too far from the main beach. We hung out in a cabana all day and it was wonderful - shady and breezy. It looked like there were plenty of lounge chairs on the beach. Where are the cabanas located and what is the shortest route to make sure I can claim one ? There are several different kinds of cabanas. There are some that are enclosed on 3 sides and some that just have curtains on 4 posts that surround a couple of lounge chairs that are set up on cement. As you get off the tender head toward your left. They are near the "lookout tower" and face out to where the ship is anchored. There are also lounge chairs with covers over them (clamshells) in that same area. And there is a bar there also! The cabanas are free, first-come-first serve. When we were there in June, they were hardly used. I loved the cabana, it was so breezy and peaceful.

Drinks

When you order a Coco Loco, order it with Coconut rum. One hundred times better. These drinks have a very strong liquor taste if you order it the regular way. RCC just pours the alcohol on top of their frozen drinks. Be prepared to mix it up after you get it. "Floating" the booze on top is an old bar tenders trick to make you think your drink is stronger than it really is! I found that if you mix it up, take a good sip, and tell your server on the island/cruise to "Make It Right" ; they will normally top of your drink with another bit of rum! The Coco Locos are very good! The reason they put the liquor on top....many people get them for their kids as a virgin drink and so they add the liquor last. If you don't ask for the "coconut rum", what alcohol do they normally put in it? They will use "bottom shelf" rum.

Soda Fountain Packages work on Coco Cay?

If I purchase a soda package, will I be able to use it on Coco Cay? Yes you can show your card on the island and get soda at no charge. The only time it doesn't work is for room service!

Fisher Price Power Wheels Track ?

Does anyone know if this is something they still have, what the ages are, and any pictures? We were there in October and they had the power wheels track, my girls 6 and 13 just loved it, they had a great time! If I remember right they had about 12 differents cars for the kids to choose from. Although my 13 year old participated I do think the age cut off was 12.

Water shoes or not?

I am not particularly fond of water shoes and wonder how rocky/hard on the feet the walk into the water is. Unless you plan on being VERY active in the water, flip-flops will do on the beach...I go barefoot into the water. Don't bother with them. I was just at Coco Cay (april 12) Coco Cay does have rocks for the first 2-3 feet walk into the water. I was barefoot and I must say I had to pick my way out to go swim. Once you are out in the water it's great... no rocks. And there are no rocks on the beach in Coco Cay, I was barefoot the whole time. I did pick my way out in Coco Cay. You won't need them at any other ports... so I would say go without. Or buy some with the intent of throwing them out later... they take up too much space in my suitcase. Usually this time of year we take our yearly trek to Wall Marts to purchase their cheap water shoes. After we travel, we throw them away, thus having less to bring home. This year Lands End had an offer for free shipping for their sturdy water shoes. We bought a total of three pairs, and they look nice. We use them on the excursions that we will be doing beach days, or snuba. They are comfy. I'm wearing a pair...Even though they're ugly I'd rather be ugly than worry about stepping on a sea creature. I always wear them.

Best bug spray ?

I use Repel Lemon Eucalyptus and it works extremely well to keep all kinds of bugs away. I have purchased it at Target and Walgreens. Target I found it in the camping section, Walgreens had a special display near the other repellents. Usually it is a seasonal issue and only a problem in the shade or cabanas/bungalows. We've never had a problem with any sort of bugs in the spring/early summer....sometimes, late summer/fall will have more "pests" ...they've had time to mature! On those private island "beach days", you want something to spray on skin....you won't be wearing long pants and such! Cutter is now selling a Lemon Eucalyptus repellent. Saw it today at my local grocery store with all the other repellents.

Jelly Fish ?

I was there once before in September and was so bummed because I was so afraid to go into the water due to those jelly fish. We snorkeled in early May with no Jellyfish problem. It was a cool day and the water it still not very warm so we rented wetsuits.

From what i have been told by my aunt (did Coco Cay 8 times last year) the Jelly Fish are around early fall area. I was there in December and there wasn't any. We've never had a jellyfish issue in either April or May....that doesn't mean you CAN'T have some...we just never have! We were at Coco Cay in June 09 and I was concerned about the little "jellies" while we snorkeled. My husband dismissed my fears when he ID'd them as ctenophores (the "c" can be a "p" in science journals but neither one is pronounced...so it's TEN-O-FORES). Google either spelling and look around for indications of stinging--we couldn't find any in a quick look there and in an invertebrate zoology text. I enjoyed our snorkel time a lot more after he told me they weren't jellyfish. The cruise line would probably close the water if there were actual jellyfish in the water.

The first two times I went there, I never saw the first jellyfish, yet last August it was a jellyfish minefield. I have heard that they can get bad during late summer early fall. We were there a few years ago and my daughter got stung when we were snorkling in the area just off the beach. I recently found a product that is suppose to be effective for protection against jellyfish stings. It is called Safe sea. Here is the link: http://www.buysafesea.com/ .

We were there at the end of May. There were many jelly fish but they were very small out by the plane wreck. My kids and husband swam to the wreck and saw them but were not bothered by them there. A couple of hours later both of my girls were stung by them on the opposite side of the water park play area. My kids are young and complained a bit but never even cried. They felt like it was not as bad as a bee sting. We got them some of the spray at first aid and they were fine. We got vinegar from first aid and saline, it stopped the sting immediately. It didn't hurt as bad as a bee sting. I don't think it should keep people from enjoying themselves. Don't let it keep you away it was a lot of fun. We usually cruise in the spring, and haven't noticed any jellies....If there are a lot, I won't go in the water....they are quite a bit more painful (IMO) than a bee sting! My girls both were stung by jellies this past week the May 23, 2010 sailing. I have to say though that they were very mild. I never saw any jellies myself I swam out to one of the floats from the first beach and had no trouble. We were there at the end of May. There were many jelly fish but they were very small out by the plane wreck. My kids and husband swam to the wreck and saw them but were not bothered by them there. Jellies migrate there in early to late fall Aug - October. We were swarmed with them in September and again in October. Locals explained that this is typical for that time of year. So many that you couldn't even rent the $10 mat to try to avoid them, they were everywhere. We just sat at the water's edge and built a few sandcastles We were at Coco Cay on July 5th. Thankfully, NO jellies. Have been there five times including in the fall and have never seen one. We have seen lots of stingrays though. Swimming right along the shore. We were there August 09 and it was a jellyfish minefield. Just watch out for the jelly fish, we swam right through a large school of them while snorkelling when we were there May 2010.

Lockers available for rent ?

Are there lockers available to put your stuff in if you want to do any snorkeling? I hate the thought of just leaving a bag with a camera on the beach. I know they have lockers if you're doing one of the water excursions....don't know if you can rent one if you're just snorkling on your own! I was there in December 09 , and we left our things on the beach, and had no problems. My Aunt and Uncle are there 5-8 times a year and do the same thing, they have never had a problem with their stuff being bothered. I know that excursion lockers run around $5 to lock it, so if you plan on going into a couple times a day be prepared to fork over a whole lot of cash! I had my own snorkel gear and was able to rent a locker.

Snorkeling

Where is the snorkel area in relation to the tender landing? I think I read that the area is roped off so they can enforce the rule about life vests. Is there any shade around the snorkel area for those in the group that don't want to snorkle? The snorkel area is directly in front of the "main" beach on the busy side of the island. As you get off the tenders head to your left, and follow the beach area. The snorkel area is the first beach area you will pass. The area isn't really roped off, but there are several lifeguard stations that form imaginary lines around the swim/snorkel area. They do enforce the vest rule, but only if your are snorkeling, if you are just swimming they leave you alone. Most of that beach area has tons of palm trees providing shade for the non-snorkeling members of your party.

We liked snorkeling around the rocks on the left side and even out into the ocean. Many folks will bring their own equipment...and just rent the vest... You can rent it when you get there. There's a snorkel shack where you go to pick it up the equipment. You have to rent a safety vest and sign a waiver. My husband and I both rented vests and he rented fins. It was $6 for the vest, $15 for vest and fins. We brought our own masks and snorkels.

How would you rate the snorkling on Coco Cay? Is it better for just a relaxing beach day? There's plenty of time for both! And, the water's so clear, you can stand thigh deep and watch any "sealife" swim past. 1 to 10 scale I would put it around 6 or 7. While there is a whole lot to see fish wise, there isn't much to look at besides that. Also it seem that the more people that were out there the less you saw. I'm very much a person who tries to no disturb what i'm looking at, however while the large numbers of people who aren't that courteous the marine life seems to shy away. Get there early and you should be able to see lots of fish. Not much of a reef experience.. There isn't any of that type....lots of grass, and plain rocks. There are lots and lots of fish out there. I did see an eel, as well as a sting ray, don't know how many but saw them of 4 occasions within an hour or so, but like i mentioned before that was before most of the people got to the island....ahhhh the joys of the first tender! I liked snorkeling there. Make sure to take a couple bananas to feed the fish. They have a fake shipwreck and an airplane out in the water. Lots of snapper and other small fish. Even saw a hogfish. In the shallower spots you can see bonefish, small sharks, 'cuda DO NOT TAKE HUMAN FOOD AND FEED THE FISH! It dangerous for the fish, as their bodies aren't use to human food, and cannot digest it as well as their normal diets. It also causes the fish to become VERY aggressive, and many times inviting more aggressive species to take over the area. You know the life guard throws fish food at people while they snorkel? Having snorkeled places like Kona Hawaii, CozumelMexico, St. Maarten. I would rate Coco Cay's snorkeling as quite low. We did snorkel a bit and saw very little. A few fish, no coral, and jelly fish. You might as well give it a try but the beach is much better than the snorkeling. We have our own masks and snorkels so I just rented the kids a snorkel vest. I do know that more than once I have chased (followed) octopi and rays across the bay there. It was my only experience and I thought it was great, but I have nothing to compare. was there May 2010 and enjoyed the snorkeling. I have video posted at the link in my signature below and pictures at the webshots link in my signature below. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1195024. Both the stills and the video were shot with a pentax optio w80. I was real happy with it.

I snorkeled when we were there May 2010. Not the best snorkeling, but much better than I thought it would be. I was just about the only one snorkeling out in the deeper part. Even tho the boat and plane are planted wrecks, they were still pretty neat to see. They have nice snorkeling and have a sunken plane you can snorkel to. They also have a platform to rest on in the water. Just watch out for the jelly fish, we swam right through a large school of them when we were there. Is there a charge to use the snorkeling equipment and where do you get it at? There is a charge. You would be better off (if you cruise or like snorkeling) to purchase your own. You will get better equipment, and you won't be making out with the person that used it before you!

YUK. Do I need to rent my snorkeling equipment before I get off the ship or can I rent it on the island? You can rent it on the island...we always wait until we're there,, to see if we really want/need what is offered.

Is renting a vest a requirement and what does it cost ?

Normally I just float around and enjoy, bringing my own mask and snorkel. No flippers. Yes! It's required. I'm an excellent swimmer and dove over 500 times. But, when the lifeguards saw me snorkeling without a vest, whistles were blowing like they sighted a Great White Shark! It all comes down to that pesky liability issue. You can rent the vests for around $7-8. You can rent all the snorkel equipment as a package or just the pieces you need. We now rent fins and vests to save room in the luggage. We've snorkeled on Coco Cay 3 or 4 times and loved it every time! My MIL isn't really comfortable in the water (says she can't swim) but she snorkled with us for hours! The vest made her feel more secure and she could lift her head up anytime she wanted. I really wouldn't take my 3 yo out there. Mine are 5 & 7 now. Whatever you do, don't forget to reapply the sunblock to your calves over and over! Was there July 7th, had a fantastic time snorkeling. Rented the equipment onboard the day before for $29 pp. There were lots of fish and the Cessna wreck was cool. Here are some pics from Cozumel and CoCo Cay. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...&id=1611355574

Can you wear Rx glasses when snorkeling?

First timer at snorkeling on Coco Cay, can't see well without my glasses. Was wondering if wearing your Rx glasses under the snorkel mask is possible ? No, you cannot wear glasses with a snorkel mask -- it won't seal around your face, and will bend the glasses! I need my glasses for everything (I am nearsighted and wear bifocals), but can see better than I expected with a snorkel mask. I've been told that it has something to do with the light, the mask, and the water. Very few places have what are known as "optical masks" which have built-in prescription lenses. You can also buy your own prescription mask. As stated above, no, glasses won't work. Contacts work great. The water magnifies so the objects you are looking at will seem bigger than they are. You won't need your glasses to snorkle. My wife is all but blind without her glasses and could see fine through the goggles without them. I have astigmatism, and the magnification provided by the mask and water is of no help what so ever. If you google search prescription goggles you can order a pair at a reasonable price as long as you know your prescription for your eyes. I just ordered mine last week online and saved 73% from what I would have paid at a local vision store. While we now have dive masks with prescription lenses, we used to use our glasses with the masks. However, to do that, we had to unscrew and remove the ear pieces (don't lose the tiny screws and bring along an eyeglass repair kit just in case) and tape (using medical adhesive tape or duct tape) the glasses inside the mask. Didn't always work perfectly, but it was better than nothing. The mask has to be a high-volume type and wide enough to be able to fit the glasses. Newer masks are low-volume and won't fit. I would suggest you buy your own mask and snorkel before the cruise and make sure the glasses will fit inside it (also for sanitary reasons as the masks/snorkels rented out aren't always cleaned well between uses). Do a google search for prescription snorkel mask - I bought mine 3 years ago for under $50 and it works fine. My husband has contacts only for snorkeling--but many of the excursion providers have special masks that have magnifying lenses for customers use. If you are booking a ships tour, the cruise line should be able to find out if they are available. My wonderful hubby bought me a prescription snorkel mask and it was the best gift I've ever received! I could see ok with just a regular mask but I can see perfectly with the prescription mask. It was such a difference that I started crying at how wonderful everything looked! If you like to snorkel it is well worth the money to buy the prescription mask (it's easy too!). The jet ski excursions are follow the leader. You will follow the person in front of you, and so on. There is NO opportunity to go off on your own. For the price of the excursion you can easily jet ski 2-3 times on non royal excursions.I have only done the excursion on Coco Cay and can tell you I felt very safe since there was a leader an 2 guides with us (10 jetskis) They took a headcount at each stop and were very experienced, you are following each other but still from quite a distance No matter where you do it, you will have no freedom to do your own thing....either/or! It really is a "follow the leader" sort of thing....if you go too fast, you'll end up waiting for the slowpokes, and if you're too slow, everyone will be waiting on you. If you want to get out and do your thing your way, do it at another beach...almost every public beach has waverunner/jetski rentals.

Jet ski / Wave Runners

Is the waverunner rental done as a group activity as a follow the leader type ? Or perhaps a go where you want type of thing? Follow the leader....too me that is just a waste of time and money to do that. Almost every public beach in every port will have waverunners to rent...there's no need to do it at Coco Cay, if you want to go on your own! My husband and daughters did this tour the last two times we went. They loved it. We have rented jet skis on other island beaches but they thought this was a lot of fun. You went pretty far and got a nice tour. We booked the latest time and then they took them by golf cart to make the last tender. Would do it again. It's follow the leader, but since you keep a huge distance between you and the the person in front of you - there is plenty of opportunity to go full speed and have a blast. I've done it both times I've been to CocoCay and will do it everytime we visit there. Royal Caribbean has a tour that includes these vessels but my son does not want to participate in a 'tour' and would rather just rent a watercraft for a while. Does anyone know if these are offered as individual rentals on this island? It's a "follow the leader" thing....he will NOT be able to go off on his own. If that's his desire, it's best to do that at a different port/beach! Almost every public beach in the Caribbean will have watersport equip. for rent. The jet ski excursions are follow the leader. You will follow the person in front of you, and so on. There is NO opportunity to go off on your own. For the price of the excursion you can easily jet ski 2-3 times on non royal excursions. I felt very safe since there was a leader an 2 guides with us (10 jetskis) They took a headcount at each stop and were very experienced, you are following each other but still from quite a distance No matter where you do it, you will have no freedom to do your own thing....either/or! It really is a "follow the leader" sort of thing....if you go too fast, you'll end up waiting for the slowpokes, and if you're too slow, everyone will be waiting on you. If you want to get out and do your thing your way, do it at another beach...almost every public beach has waverunner/jetski rentals.

Jet Ski - Age requirement ?

How old do you have to be to drive the jet ski? My daughter is 14 and really wants to do this. You have to be 16 and a licensed driver to drive the waverunner. They will check ID for your teen, they did for mine. This is a "follow the leader" sort of thing....if you go fast, you'll be waiting for the slowpokes most of the time....If you go slowly, you'll be holding up the rest of the group. If you want to "do your own thing", this is NOT the place to do it. Almost every public beach in every port will have waverunners to rent...no "excursion" needed. You can go at your own pace, and do what you want. A 14 yr old will not be allowed to drive then either. Most beaches require you to be 18 and some 21 to be drivers. I found that weight limit is like 300 lbs total weight. I thought it sounded a little light for 2 people.

Doing both waverunners and parasailing - too much?

I want to do both of these, and can't choose. Would it be too much to do both? I know that tenders run from 7:30 to 3:15. Has anyone done either of these excursions? If you had to choose, which would you pick? Neither take much time...if you're willing to spend all that money, then go for it! Just know that the waverunners is not a "go it alone" thing....it's "follow the leader", so faster riders will spend a considerable amount of time waiting on the slowpokes, and the slower riders will be continually encouraged to "catch up"....if you want to do your own thing, a different port will be best!

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from the most recent thread to the last time I updated this thread. This now covers all questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from about 2006.

Please add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on this beautiful island.

Where is Princess Cays?

“Princess Cays is located at the southern tip of Eleuthera just due North Half Moon Cay. On a good day it is visible from Half Moon Cay. Princess Cays, constructed in 1999, is located in the South western area of BannermanTown.

Princess Cays exists exclusively to serve the traveling tourists stopping over on day trips aboard Princess cruise ships. This large playground area on the beautiful south western shore Bannerman town is worth the trip up to the southern end of the island to see and feel. Princess Cays has the best beach on this side of the island for those who want to just lay out and catch the sun and employs a major portion of the work force in South Eleuthera as well as many vendors of unique Bahamian gift ideas and artefacts.

Source: http://www.tarpumbay.com/

Adults-only / Quiet Beach area?

I believe that the only adult’s only area is the adult’s only bungalows that you have to rent through Princess as a shore excursion. However, if you want a quieter beach area without many kids when you get off the tender go right instead of left. It is a much quieter strand of beach and when we were there in November there were no kids to the right and more to the left where there were more loungers, etc.

As you leave the tenders, head left and follow the chairs and blue clamshells. You'll see the bungalows for families first, then a fenced-in area for the adult’s only section. There is a 'guard' there to keep the kids away. Totally agree with going to the right for peace and quiet.

There is an Eleuthera tourism booth with free maps. Get one and head towards the lighthouse area. Only about a dozen people go that way. Watch out for broken glass, nails in planks from old ships, and the stingrays if you go that way. I almost stepped on all 3, but was saved by a friend that shouted, "Is that a stingray?"

Insect Bites?

I spent the day there in November and didn't use insect repellent. No bites.

Several threads have mentioned insect bites, mostly near the bungalows to the left as you look at the shore. Are they bothersome if we go to the right? Should we plan on taking repellent? Take the bug repellent even though it doesn't always work. We were at the Cays the last week of November. Didn't think we were being bitten, didn't feel a thing, but we did end up scratching that night. Not as serious as some reports I've read but itchy all the same.

Hammocks -

Where are the Hammocks located from the pier? If it's like every other "Private Island", they will be scattered about, wherever trees are!

Sanctuary Bungalows -

We have always booked a bungalow when we go to Princess Cays. This time we decided to try the new Sanctuary Bungalows. Other than it being a bit quieter, we do not believe it is worth the additional $50 if we go back again, we will just book one of the regular bungalows. What we definitely thought was worth the money was paying for the "gourmet lunch". Not having to walk to the BBQ and having everything delivered was well worth the $50 it cost us.

Cabanas / Bungalows -

Is renting a cabana is a good idea- if anyone could give me more info on food and drinks that are available and exact proximity to beach? We rented one last year with a group of 5. Loved it. We will get one again next week with only 2 of us. No searching for chairs, AC (if you want it) both sun and shade, bar service....just all around nice.

The cabana was nice but I wouldn't do it again. They are really cute outside and very cool inside. The beach was very quiet and private. The area in front on the cabana was infested with fleas. If you do rent one, make sure to take insect spray.

If you really want a memorable experience, go with the beach bungalow. It was great.

How far in advance do you have to book? Or does it have to be done on ship...it sounds like a great way to relax...

We just got back (Mar 2010). I rented two bungalows (18 people) and we had them side by side. I was able to choose which ones I wanted and given priority tickets for all (we had 3 kids). You can hear the music from other bungalows. We walked down to the sanctuary ones and someone was playing music loud enough to be heard a couple of bungalows away. The bungalows are close together. Maybe 15-20 feet apart. They had towels, bug spray and sun screen already inside. There was an air conditioner and ceiling fan with a table and 6 chairs. Two private cots inside the fence and more outside of it with a shower. We were given a ride down to and back from our bungalow. We got our own food. The walk was less then 5 minutes away. It was a little quieter then the rest of the beach. Its $249 for the day for one bungalow for up to 4 people. They have a nice lunch there too!

Your should reserve ASAP as they are very limited. If you wait until you get on the ship it is unlikely you will get one. We didn't notice any bugs. There were 6 of us and we got so much food that we felt like Weebles. No standing in line for the hot dogs and burgers. Again, way too much food. No stress. No hassle. Private. Serene. We would book it again.

Beach Wheelchairs?

Are there beach wheelchairs on Princess Cays? This is the answer that I received yesterday from the access department: "Yes there are a few of the beach wheelchairs available", it's my understanding that it is on a first come basis.

Sidewalks at Princess Cays -

Are there sidewalks as we are bringing a wheelchair for my elderly father and it would be tough to use if all sand. Yes there are sidewalks at Princess Cay. You shouldn't have any problems.

The New Taste of Eleuthera Island Excursion -

In my opinion this is a real looser of an excursion. The cost was $99 per person and there is absolutely nothing else too see on this island. Save your money and just lay on the beach or do some type of water sport. In all of our years of excursions this was the worst. Remember this is just my opinion for what ever it is worth.

We took the Princess tour of Eleuthra in April 2009. It was great seeing the Island towns, the deep ocean hole that Jacques Cousteau has dived in, toured a school, saw women cleaning conch on a dock by the most beautiful blue ocean, visited the police department, saw the home of an Olympian runner. Yes the Island is flat and brushy but the view of the ocean was amazing. When we got back we had time to walk about the beach area and swim if we wanted but we had had enough beach time.

Sightseeing on your own on Eleuthra Island -

Has anyone doing any sightseeing on Eluethra? I wonder if we could hire a cab.

We did not do a tour or such on Eleuthra - we were there on a land trip (looking at property to buy). To be honest I was not impressed with the island as such...... lots of pine trees, flat and not much else to see. Now the water and beaches were gorgeous. The north end has nice resorts etc. but the rest are pretty unimpressive. We flew in just for the day from Exuma on a private jet to one airport at the south end and drove all the way up to the north end so did get to see quite a bit of the island.

Now that Princess is offering an island tour (Taste of Eleuthera $99) for your day at Princess Cays are you able to just get a taxi or tour operator on your own to do the same tour???? If so any recommendations?? Has anyone done this on their own???

When we were there last month, some of us walked through the Princess barricade/fence to see where the locals live. I only saw one taxi waiting. It's not like the Caribbean ports where you have dozens of taxis or independent tour operators waiting for you to arrive. So I don't think you can do a tour on your own. At least not cheaply with only one taxi waiting.

As I look at the map/info pamphlet we received from the tourism booth there, it does appear that there are some sights to see and other beaches on EleutheraHarbourIsland. Now that I have done Princess Cay and saw it all already, an island tour sounds very interesting.

What are water shoes?

Rubber type shoes you can wear in the water. Kind of like rubber fin material. They have holes in them on top. Protects you from coral, rocks, etc.

Aqua Chair or Float?

What exactly is the Aqua Chair (any pictures)? And, do you prefer it or a float rental at the beach?

There should be a picture in one of the brochures, but it’s got huge wheels on the side and you peddle to make it go. Its kind of goofy looking but it looks like fun.

http://www.princess.com/learn/shorex...orexId=RSD-980

Wait until you get there to book it...you may find you don't need (or want) either!

The aqua chair is a long foam flexible board that you lay on & float on, was quite comfortable.

How much is the Banana Boat Ride?

We did it about five years ago. We had a blast-probably because we tipped over on a turn and everyone fell in the water. It was one of those double side by side bananas so there were lots of people in the water. The current cost is $19 per person as I just reserved it for our June cruise. That is for a 15 minute ride. My grandson and I did it about 5 years ago and felt that it was lots of fun. However, we got lots of salt water in our eyes so this year, we will wear our goggles.

Renting snorkelling equipment ahead of time?

Can you rent snorkelling equipment, floats, etc. once you get on Princess Cays or do you have to do it ahead of time? You can do it when you get there...after you see if you really need them! Yep, you can do it there as well as renting the loungers that have sunshades for $20.

Scuba Diving -

My son and I went diving in Princess Cays in late December 2009. Here are my thoughts:

1. It was COLD! Too cold for my son and I both, and he rarely gets cold. We were wearing shorties but both had toes go numb because it was so cold.

2. The dive boat was small, crowded, and we had to drop off and pick up the people from the deep sea fishing excursion on the way to and from the dive site.

3. The boat ride was about 25 minutes along the shoreline to the dive site to the "hole" which was salt water and fresh water mixing according to the dive master. The hole itself was too deep to see the bottom, and maybe 6 feet wide.

4. We did not see many fish larger than a foot long - mostly smaller fish and coral and seaweed.

5. There was "miscommunication" according to the dive master regarding the BCD and wetsuit and tank sizes onboard. My 12-year-old son and I both had all three items mentioned above too big for us because they did not have any tanks but full size, and I think only 2 small BCDs, no extra-smalls, and the shorties were loose fitting in the legs so they didn't help as much as good fitting ones. In their defence, it was the 2nd day of the cruise, but we did fill out our required paperwork by dinner with this information and you would think they would have smaller sizes anyway.

6. There was one dive master only who dove with our group of 9. He was very patient with my son who for the first time ever had trouble with his ears.

7. It was about 40 minutes of diving.

8. The internet said it was $160, but for whatever reason we were charged $110. Still a lot for a single tank dive.

Conclusion: I would not recommend this dive. There are so many better, more reasonable dives.

New snorkelling excursion at Princess Cays -

DH and I took it last week. We thought it was good. Much Much better than snorkelling off the beach. They took us up the coast about 15 mins and let us out over a small reef. I think the water might have been 10-15 feet. Water was not rough We saw lots of fish. It was about 60 mins altogether (45-60 in the water). We met in the Wheelhouse bar and then tendered over. The time we chose was 10-11:30 which was perfect. We came back in, had lunch and were back o the ship by 1:30. Great way to start the cruise.

We did this also. Click on this link for beautiful pictures:

http://www.panraven.com/visitor/VisitorViewStory.epage?sp=Sview&sp=154975

What kind of a camera did you use for the snorkelling pics, I will be taking underwater shots for the first time on our cruise with a regular Canon in a water proof case. How deep is the water where they take you and how deep were most of your shots. I will try it out in the pool before we leave to see how it works; it is supposed to be good for pics under water to 100'. It sounds like this is the thing to do at Princess Cays and we will still have time to do the beach thing also.

I had the Canon D10 which is a digital camera that is waterproof. I've seen people get great photos with the water-tight cases also.

I was buying a camera just for the trip, and the D10 was new so I picked it, and was happy with it. It was only good to 30 feet. All of my photos are 5-15 feet deep.

Snorkel trip is worth the money, Reef is small (15 -20 minutes worth) but it was my second time swimming around it that I found all the cool fish. You have to look close

Plenty of time for lunch and the beach after. It was a nice day!

I took the ships snorkel tour, and was so impressed with how clear the water was! Best water quality of the entire 10 day trip. The reef was a bit small (meaning that I could cover it in 25 minutes) but it was very nice! After I checked out the entire reef, I took my time to find a few really nice fish and take their photos.

We had a lot of fun! I thought you could snorkel on your own, do you need to take the ship's tour to see what you did?

I noticed that you both were wearing a suit when you were snorkelling.. Did they provide you with that or did you bring it with you?? No...You have to bring your own. They are just thin cheap Lycra material... I wear it to keep from getting a sun burn... I'm so pale. But my wife finds it keeps her just a few degrees warmer than the water temp (not real wet suit) but just enough to help her because she gets cold easy, even when the water isn't that cold. They now sell them with SPF sun ratings for people who burn easy, don't buy one unless it has a rating. I was surprised how the price has dropped over the years. Not that expensive anymore. You can get them on-line at www.coolibar.com or scuba.com both site have a lot of good information.

Because everyone else was diving from shore... so I thought I'd give a review of what the ships tour looked like. I couldn't find anyone who posted about it before. So most people just snorkel on the beach and see some great fish. But I am a big fan of coral, so since it’s just me and the wife, we didn't mind paying extra for a 10 minute boat ride out about 600 yards to a nice coral patch of reef. I really can't tell you how they compare... since I didn't do the shore dive??? Usually more rocks and less coral if I had to guess?

We had about 12 people on our boat. But I bet they could have taken up to 30 to fill the boat. From reading reviews here, it seems like most people snorkel from the beach and consider that good enough. I think you only get the people on this tour that really like snorkelling, so maybe that's why it’s not so crowded? I'm guessing the water was 6 to 20 feet deep. Most of it felt more like 7-12 feet deep.

I think the cost was $50 each. But I don't remember?

I know most people snorkelled from the beach...but usually you just see rocks with fish around them (just my guess...haven't seen photos from shore diving?). I wanted to see coral reef with fish. So I was willing to pay for the guide and the boat to take us out 10 minutes away from the beach. Water temp was fine for swimming. I only wore my dive skin (type of wet suit) because I didn't want to get a sun burn. We went in January and Florida was locked in a big cold front. Some of that record cold air made it all the way down to the Bahamas, but the water was still warm. My wife wore her dive skin because she didn't want to be cold getting out of the water on the boat ride back. “

Bumping it up

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Coco Cay from the most recent to the last time I updated this thread. This now covers all questions and answers from about June 2008. Please add any useful info that might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on this beautiful island.

What happens if we miss Coco Cay?

" Do we just head to Key West a day earlier then scheduled? If we do dock at Key West early, are we allowed off the ship before the scheduled 10am time the following day? If the weather prevents you from disembarking at any port, you will most likely get another sea day. While it is possible for the ship to just continue on to the next port, it is unlikely. There might not be dock space at the next port for the ship to arrive a day early. If you get there earlier, you'd be allowed off the ship earlier. Getting there earlier is a big if. We missed Coco Cay due to winds. Seems like it's frequently missed. What we did was float around out there for a few hours, with the island in the distance, & then started back north after awhile. I've notice a lot of posts saying this stop is often cancelled when the winds kick up. It the seas are even a little rough, they won't tender over there. Rough seas make it dangerous to transfer back and forth from the tender to the ship. We missed it last week on the Celebrity Mercury. FWIW, we were told the previous day around 5 PM, that based on forecast winds of 20 to 25 MPH, we were going to stay in Nassau another day rather than even attempting to go to Coco Cay. The problem is that to increase tendering capacity, the cruise lines use vessels based on the island(s) that are more like ferry boats and which are not as sea worthy as the tenders that travel with the ships. If there are 25 mph winds, a beach day isn't going to be that enjoyable anyway.

Coco Cay Pictures –

Beautiful pics here: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/569878382IABeyE?start=12

Navigator of the Seas - Grand Suite Album.

More info - www.cococay.info

Food / Drinks / Shopping / Free Activities –

There will be a nice BBQ lunch served that is free. Think of it as an extension of the ship ... they have food to eat and alcoholic drinks to purchase with your ship's card. Bars/waiters are there to sell beverages. There will be bars set up and your Set Sail card will be used for purchases.

If you like fruity drinks there is a staff member that walks around with a pitcher of drinks called coco locos, very recommended you can get them virgin or full strength. Had forgotten about Coco Locos ... always a must buy for me and I hardly ever purchase alcohol onboard. When you order a Coco Locos, order it with Coconut rum. One hundred times better. These drinks have a very strong liquor taste if you order it the regular way. I still don't understand why they do not mix the alcohol in their drinks. RC just pours the alcohol on top of their frozen drinks. Very strange. Be prepared to mix it up after you get it. A very frozen drink almost like Ice cream, not at all like slush Ice or frozen margarita and a pour of hard liquor over it. I could have used a spoon to eaten it since it was impossible to drink it all thru the straw. I believe it is called a "floater". My DH loves them that way but, I like you, don't care for it.

I've had both sinker and floater. The time I had the booze on the bottom was when we went to the bar instead of getting a mostly melted one from the guys walking around. The bartender poured the rum before adding the slushy part from the machine. He got distracted and kept up the pour until it was a good 1/3 of the container. It didn't mix with the slushy addition, and the first sip was all rum! I only needed the one to make me Loco that day.

In addition to the bars, there is a little market area with shops. You can buy lot of souvenirs at Coco Cay. I was looking for some of those eye glasses holders, the ones that you attach to each side and then you can hang them around your neck. I think they sell some at the wave runner hut. If not, I bought mine in the gift shop on the Monarch.

Does anyone know if they have free activities, like stuff they would have by the pool. I thought I read somewhere there is a volleyball tourny anyone knows? I believe there is volleyball. Coco Cay is a beach day... most folks just chill on the beach, eat, drink and relax!

Massage on Coco Cay?

Yes, there is a spa set up there (sort of by the tip of the island). Exit the tender to the left and you will find it. It is near the cabanas. I had an excellent massage there - it was not outdoors but the room had a very nice sea breeze. Enjoy! Seem to recall it being a special - maybe 50 minutes for $99 - I thought the price was fair. The therapist was from the ship.

Will the casino be open on the ship?

Can anyone tell me if the casino is open when a RCCL ship stops at Coco Cay? Neither the casino nor the shops were open when we were at Coco Cay. The casino and shops were open on the Monarch last week.

They should be open...Coco Cay is "part" of the ship...it's not really a "foreign" port. Coco Cay is NOT part of the United States and it is NOT part of the ship. It very much IS a foreign port. I believe the shops remain open, but I'm not exactly sure about the casino. Coco Cay is nice though, why would you want to stay on board? The ship isn't American....RCI owns (or leases) Coco Cay....it's not a "foreign" port, to them! Coco Cay is an island that part of the country of Bahamas. So to a US citizen it is a foreign port.

Cabanas / Loungers / hammocks beach chairs?

Cabanna's are free to use. As are the clamshells. Since discovering them on my last cruise I will be sure to always try and snag one. Such a beautiful view. Do you reserve/pay for any of the Loungers / hammocks / beach chairs? I am so looking forward to sitting on the beach and having a shady spot if needed. I'm not really sure but I think they're all free & first-come. I slept on a lounger in a clam shell (for shade) & there was no fee. The clam shells are to the left as you get off the tender. There are MANY loungers around all the beach areas. It's very nice. The hammocks are located to the left of the tender - no fees for hammocks, loungers, etc.

Best bug spray ?

I think any bug spray with Deet in it should do. Be sure to try it ahead of time if you haven't used a product with Deet before. Some people are allergic to it. I just purchased some Off deep woods with 25% deet. Deep woods off? Can you spray that onto your skin or do you have to spray it onto your clothing? The directions say hold container 4 to 6 inches from skin or clothing and spray. Do not apply over cuts, wounds, irritated or sunburned skin. Use just enough to cover exposed skin or clothing. To apply on face, spray a small amount on hands and apply sparingly avoiding eye area.

Snorkelling - Which area is best for snorkelling at your own?

The more populated beaches are the worst, on satellite pics it looks like the area to the right of the tender area (if heading ashore) is less populated, so I suppose the snorkelling would be better there? How about the area called "Lands end"? If you come ashore, and basically hug the shoreline to your left, you will get to a pretty good area, past a lot of sea grass. Last time I snorkelled there, we saw a bunch of fish and some "artificial reefs" (basically lounge chairs thrown in the water). I did snorkel, and saw tons of fish, and other sea life including an eel, and sting ray. It going to be cheaper to snorkel and my guess is you are going to see most of the same things.

We want to snorkel but don't have our own equipment. Is it ok to not sign up for the snorkelling excursion, but wait to rent equipment once we're on the island? Would we still get the orientation for beginners? I'm hesitant to sign up in advance in case it's too cold to want to snorkel. Wait at least until you're on the ship to book...you'll have a better idea of the weather and if you really want to do it. Rent the equipment once you get to the island if you think the water might be too cold for you. We bought our own equipment at BJ's since we snorkel on every cruise. I can't use a snorkel someone else has but that is just me. The plane isn't too far out but if you try to snorkel out where it is without a vest, the will send you back Yes; you can rent the Snorkel and most of the equipments required. I'd recommend this site for more info www.cococay.info Do you have to rent the vests or are they free?? Yes, you can rent the vests for around $7-8. You can rent all the snorkel equipment as a package or just the pieces you need. We now rent fins and vests to save room in the luggage.

They have nice snorkelling and have a sunken plane you can snorkel to. They also have a platform to rest on in the water. Just watch out for the jelly fish, we swam right through a large school of them when we were there. The water is so clear, that you really don't even need to stick your face in the water to see what's there...just walk out, and stand, and look! Wait till you get there. You can not stand and look at the fish out by the plane, the water is too deep. The water is also too deep to stand out by the boat that is submerged too. To snorkel out where the plane is, you are required to wear a snorkel vest or a lifejacket. If you don't have one on, the lifeguard who is stationed out there will send you back. They will require you to wear a snorkel vest that you can inflate as little or as much as you are comfortable with.

Snorkelling with small kids –

Are there any areas to 'snorkel' that are extremely shallow (< 3ft)? I'm wondering if I should bring snorkels for my children (7 & 3.) There are several areas where I could see a bunch of different fish (sting ray, and eel included) where I could reach the bottom with my hands. The submerged boat, and plane will be too deep for you children, however there is a large rock wall that protect the beach, and most of that area is very shallow 1-3 feet, and IMO you see more around that area. Why do you think the submerged stuff is too deep for the children? Are they not permitted to go out there? My kids at 6 and 8 snorkelled off Kona HI in 50-75 deep water, they learn to snorkel young -they won't be afraid if they can swim. 6 year old wore a life vest but 8 year old did it entirely independently. Is there something I need to know?

If you are comfortable with your children's ability, I would say go for it. I don't see any issue with a 6 or 8 yr old if they are comfortable in the water. The day we were there, the water was very calm and perfect for snorkelling. My son and I just floated around for hours looking at fish. Is it safe to snorkel if you can't swim? Obviously with a life vest on. My 7 yr old can swim (better than I actually.) But my 3 yr old...well, she's 3! Neither have been snorkelling before. If your 3 yr old is a non-swimmer, then no, I wouldn't go out to the plane snorkelling. I would try a mask and snorkel in shallow water and see if she can get the idea of how to use it. Have her look for rocks or shells. As for your 7 yr old, if she can snorkel and not panic, then go out a little over her head and see how she handles it. I would just make sure you can still touch so if she panics, you can grab her. I would think it would be quite hard for a non swimming 3 year old. Our kids swam VERY young and very comfortably at a young age. Adding the breathing through a snorkel is a different skill totally. You will also have a hard time finding equip. for a 3 year old that will fit, especially the face.

Plane wreck at Coco Cay

The "plane wreck" is just off the beach about 100 yards and is easy to get to without any excursion required. The plane wreck is just a collection of several different pieces of various planes that were placed in the bay.

Is this a requirement if you use your own mask and snorkel? What if just using a mask or swim googles? If so, how are they enforcing that rule? You are required to use a snorkel vest which you can rent on the island for about $ 7 each. There is a lifeguard tower out by the plane; they will send you back in if you do not have a snorkel vest on. We used our own equipment but rented snorkel vests. Anyone can use their own equipment but they enforce the wearing of snorkel vests. Is this just by the plane? I can’t imagine that the lifeguards would be checking every swimmer with goggles or mask on the different beaches?

You don't need a vest if you're just playing in the water. If you're snorkelling in deeper water, they want a vest on you...saves them from rescuing out of shape vacationers! No, it is not just by the plane that they require snorkel vests. There is also a part of a ship that is out to the right of the plane that people like to snorkel around. There are also areas to the left of the plane that are shallower and grassy that we saw fish. If you are snorkelling, they require a snorkel vest. There are lifeguards on every beach that will tell you if you need a vest; we saw them call people in that were snorkelling without them. If you are just swimming with a mask or goggles, they shouldn't stop you. I was just there last weekend, and here is what I observed. If you had a snorkel mask, snorkel & fins with no jacket they sent you back in to get a vest. I saw this with any or all of the equipment listed.

If you were out "playing" in the water with no equipment they left you alone to enjoy your day.

No, you don't need to pay for that excursion. If you have the proper gear they can't force you to leave that area. It’s only in the snorkelling area where they have lifeguards where they enforce the vest rule.

We walked all the way to the other side of the island, and there were no people there except a few persons also walking. I jumped in and snorkelled and saw a shark for the first time in my life! My heart doubled but it turned around faster than a torpedo and was out of sight in a split second. But the snorkelling wasn't anything special in this area. Even though it was artificial it was better in the snorkelling area, I saw squid, octopus, stingrays and a lionfish there

Wave runner tour

On this tour, you need to state if you are a driver or passenger. For those that choose to drive, will they be paired with a passenger even if they don't know the person nor will they let one person take the wave runner by themselves? In our group everyone wants to drive but didn't know if we would have someone else with us. No, they will not pair you with anyone. Having a passenger is optional. But there are a limited number of wave runners. Book early. When we did this excursion, there were 10 wave runners in each group. One excursion is out while another is seeing the movie and getting ready to go out. Just make sure that everyone who will be a driver has their license with them. We were told they check ID for anyone under 21. The day we were there they would not let an 18 yr old drive because she hadn't brought her license ashore. I don't know if I would have thought about the driver’s license. Did you enjoy the tour? Did you think it was worth the price? Do you have free time on the wave runners to just have fun? I have read it is very popular. It's a "follow the leader" sort of thing...you don't get to go and do what you want. The faster folks are always being made to stop and wait for the slowpokes. The slowpokes are always trying to catch up to the group.......no free time to do as you wish...stay in line! I really liked it and would do it again. My husband drove and I hung on for dear life. There is a line-up. Everyone is given a number - that is the order you ride in. There are 2 tour guides. They will ask who in the group will want to go fast and will put them in the front of the line (we were #3), the people less experienced or slower will be at the end. One guide will lead and one will be at the end to help the slower riders catch up. I didn't mind stopping every now and then to wait up for them. I got to take a dip, our guide dove down and brought up a couple of starfish for us to pass around and he pointed out some landmarks on land. It was beautiful being out there on the water. Even though it is follow the leader, you are able to go full throttle and you keep a big distance between one another. Well worth it. I have done it both times in Coco Cay and it's probably an excursion I will do every time in Coco Cay.

Eco Adventure Boat Tour –

The boat tour is the only authentic "Bahamian" experience on the island. It's a 90 min. narrated tour through the Northern Berry Islands where you will learn about the culture and history from Lucayans to pirates and view marine life in the shallows such as stingrays, sharks and turtles. The guides will also stop and pick up giant starfish, conch and land crabs to pass around the boat. The tour is informative and entertaining. "

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from the most recent thread to the last time I updated this thread. This now covers all questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from about 2006.

Please add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on this beautiful island.

Beautiful pictures –

Here's a link to a great photo tour of Princess Cays.

http://www.beyondships.com/Princess-PrincessCays.html

2 ships at Princess Cays

Has anyone else been there when there is more than one ship and is there plenty of room, shade etc for everyone?

Everything is crowded. If you've never been there in the past, go to the island and take a look, however, when we visit a private island with more than one ship we normally stay on board the ship.

Didn’t realize that there was ever more than one ship at a time at Princess Cays. It's a tender port so take the tender to shore and go to the left. As you walk further away from the dock, it will be a little less crowded...but unfortunately still a very crowded day.

It's really just a beach day. I wasn't impressed with the BBQ lunch or the long lines to get it.

Using cell phones -

I posted this question about cell phones awhile back and didn't really get a definite answer. Now that I'm back, I'd like to share what I discovered. I have Verizon. The ship's cell service is apparently turned off when tendered at PC. I could get no service while on the ship. There was also no service once I got to the island.

Cab to Eluethra?

Has anyone ever tried to get a cab from the gate at Princess Cays? There are a few beautiful unspoiled beaches a few miles from the Princess Cays area. Has anyone ever done this? It would be nice to escape the "beach camp," [not a big fan of the "private island" experience] and go to a local beach. Are there local taxis around?

The private area is walk able...no taxis--no need! Just walk past the 1st beach you come to...that's where the majority of folks will plop themselves! You'll find some "seclusion" and fewer crowds! You will be on the southern tip of the island. There is a small bridge going over to the main land you can walk over. I saw no one using the bridge. We've been there a number of times and have never seen any taxis.

Taste of Eluethra excursion Reviews

I had a broken foot and couldn't do the usual water/beach stuff so we booked the Princess excursion "Taste of Eluethra ", and it was GREAT. New clean air conditioned bus, wonderfully fun tour guide and driver, and a fun 4 hours. Learned a lot about the Bahamas, got to see "beyond the gate", had a yummy lunch on the beach, and again, did something other than the regular Princess Cay stuff. If you want a little something different, I highly recommend this tour.

We recently took this Tour and have decided that it is over priced at $ 99 per person. Yes, it is quite interesting; however, IOHO not worth the cost.

Personally, I don't think paying additional money to go to another beach is worth it....the private beaches/islands are wonderful, and you've already paid for the use of it in your fare. Fortunately, you do not go to another beach on this tour. You go into the interior of the island.

Insect bites?

Several threads have mentioned insect bites, mostly near the bungalows to the left as you look at the shore. Are they bothersome if we go to the right? Should we plan on taking repellent? We have booked the bungalows for the last 2 years. We have never had any problems with insects. We always go the last week in January so maybe it has something to do with the time you are there? I was there in Late October and early November and don't remember any insects really. Near the bungalows - Make sure to take BUG SPRAY! Put this on immediately without hesitation. My friend had over 100 bites. She waited about 10 minutes after arriving at the bungalows and it was too late. I put the spray on immediately when we arrived at the bungalow so I had no bites.

BYOB/Bringing your own wine?

I was wondering if anyone knew if you could bring your own wine onto Princess Cays? We were thinking of bringing a cooler and putting some of our allotment of wine in the cooler to drink on the beach. We weren't sure if this was prohibited considering it's in glass. Does anyone know if there's a policy against glass?

Glass is NEVER a good idea where folks might be barefoot.....it's dangerous!

Bungalow Info

We have booked the bungalows for the last two years and we love it. The first year they delivered our food right to the bungalow. Last year, we had to either go to the BBQ our selves or pay extra for delivery of an upgraded BBQ. We made this choice and the meal was excellent. There was lobster and shrimp in one of the courses. I believe the cost was $50 p person. Do you get your lunch and drinks delivered to the Bungalow? This is without up grading to the gourmet picnic. Just there on the Crown last week and we did. Great fun.

You might, you might not....apparently, it depends on your server, and you’re sailing!

Lunch for the two of us was delivered and for our two friends who were stopping by. This was October 09 on the Emerald. We had a bungalow in December and were not served lunch. We went to the buffet ourselves and brought the food back to the bungalow to eat. Servers from the dining rooms are assigned to these bungalows. They are not locals so the level of service will very depending on the server assigned to you and his instructions. Tipping is always appreciated for good service.

SanctuaryBeach Bungalow -- adults only

I'd love to hear feedback from any recent cruisers who did the adult only bungalows... The pics I've seen really show the bungalows very close to each other. Do you know if there is food service (i.e. the bbque) or do you have to go to the lunch area for your food?

I heard that it's new, so it may be the first time offered. Sounds like they have an adult’s only area now. Bungalows are awesome. We had a bungalow for the 7 of us (u are only supposed to have 6) nobody said anything. We did the $199 for the group to split it was well worth it. We had plenty of drinks, and tipped the waiter to bring us food as well. Snorkelling out in front of the Bungalow area is great there are less people on that end of the beach because of the bungalows. An adult only area seems ridiculous why pay extra for that. It was nice too cool off with the air-conditioning and the shower. Also a big plus for us was a safe place to set all of our stuff. I will get a bungalow every time.

They did not have the adult’s only bungalow when I rented a bungalow so I do not know anything about them. Make sure to take BUG SPRAY!! Put this on immediately. My friend had over 100 bites and it ruined the rest of her vacation. I have never seen anything like it before. I put the spray on immediately when we arrived at the bungalow so I had no bites. She waited about 10 minutes and it was too late. As of 10/19/09 the Adult Sanctuary Bungalows have not been built. You can book them online as I did. Once on the ship you will get a notice of cancellation to your excursion. There will be no explanation. The adult area has not been built.

Snorkelling on your own –

We snorkelled right from the beach. When you get off of the tender, face the land and walk all the way to your left. There is a rocky area where there are lots of fish. They even sell fish food on the island. The fish will eat out of your hand. You don't need to PAY to snorkel! Just go it on your own, if you have the equipment! I have done the snorkelling from the beach before - in the area you suggested. Frankly, it wasn't great either time. Snorkelling out in front of the Bungalow area is great there are less people on that end of the beach because of the bungalows.

Snorkel Excursion -

Would like to hear from anyone who has done the new Princess snorkel excursion by boat from Princess Cays. DH and I have snorkelled there once off the beach, which was just ok. We hope it's better if we go to different site. It only last 1 1/2 hours so they can't travel very far.

Glass-bottom Clear kayaks?

Are they available? Don't know, but the water is so calm and clear, you can walk out knee-deep, stand there, and see what swims up to you! You really don't have to go out deep or put your face in the water!

Parasailing?

I was there in November and there wasn’t any parasailing there. Since Princess Cays is a private Princess cruise line "island", all of the activities/options there are offered and available only through Princess. Check Princess' Shore Excursion options to see what Princess offers on the island.

Bumping up

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Coco Cay from the most recent to the last time I updated this thread. This now covers all questions and answers from about June 2008. Please add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on this beautiful island.

How big is the island of Coco Cay?

I love to go hiking and explore new places. I know there are nature trails, but how many miles of trails do they actually have? Can you walk anywhere on the island or do you have to stay on designated trails?

You can wander about, but it's probably best to stick near any trails....the island isn't huge.

There are some trails that you can wander around, but should have some sturdy shoes on as they are rocky. When I parasailed on CocaCay recently you could see from one side to the other - the island is about a mile around.

Hiking - Do not try the trail without tennis shoes. Apparently the trail starts off fine, but gets rockier further away from the dock.

While you can do some hiking and exploring around you'll find some path's marked "Do Not Enter." Seems some of the people you'll encounter working on the island live there for period's of time and their quarters are somewhere in the middle of the island. You'll be able to get an idea of the layout from the ship. It's a really great spot to just chill and soak up the sun or make use of the jet ski's, kayak's, snrorkle gear, etc. they have for rent.

The island is part of the Berry Isles. From the web :

"Little Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, is one of the Berry Islands, a collection of cays and small islands and is located approximately 55 miles north of Nassau.[1] The island is less than a mile (around one kilometer) wide from east to west and less than a 200 yards (meters) from north to south. The east end is the center of recreational activities with beaches fronting a coral basin where manatee, rays, and numerous fish can be seen. There is a rocky inlet on the north side of the island large enough for the tenders operate from. Nature trails run the entire length and width of the island. The island was previously used by Admiral Cruises (which was later acquired by Royal Caribbean) which renamed it Coco Cay.

Royal Caribbean which owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity and Azamara leased the island and renamed it "Coco Cay", one of the first cruise lines to lease islands for their exclusive use. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise ships frequently anchor off the island and bring passengers ashore by tenders. Activities available to guests include swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, parasailing, scuba diving, and Waverunner piloting. Royal Caribbean extends its children's programs onto the island including a Fisher-Price sponsored Power Wheels track for young children.

Little Stirrup Cay is adjacent to Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cruse Line's private island.

The attached image from google maps shows Coco Cay, aka Little Stirrup Cay marked with an "A". Next to it in the image is Gret Stirrup Cay - NCL's Private Island. I arranged the view with the scale of miles right below the Island.

As you can see Coco Cay is a bit less than a mile in length and a bit less than half a mile wide.

Map and pictures in this thread :

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1089309

What to do in Coco Cay?

Drink cocoloco's, ride waverunners, take a small sailboat out, snorkel, walk all the trails, eat the bbq lunch, play in the floating playground. You don't have to stay all day! You can come and go on the tenders as much as you want!There is a barbeque available for lunch free of charge. You can then play volleyball, limbo, or whatever RCCL offers that day, listen to the band, or go for a nature walk around the island.

You shouldn't have any problem finding shade. There are picnic tables and hammocks scattered around under the trees and there are 4-5 cabannas near the spa building (free, first come first served). The eating areas are also covered by a roof which will help a little.

Coco Cay or Great Stirrup? Which do you like better ?

I like Coco Cay better. Even though it is smaller, it is spread out more and has more activities. Grand Stirrup has some good beaches on the east end if you're up for a mile or 2 hike and walking along the shore line (coral rock).

Independent tour operators in Coco Cay?

Or do i need to buy my excursion with Royal caribbean ? Everything on the Island is through RCCL. The only excursions are through RCI since it is their private island.

Coco Cay weather in Feb?

It will be warm enough to sun...whether it's warm enough for swimming...depends on where you're from! Lots of "northeners" will swim in 60 degree oceans and think it's fine! I don't enjoy the water until it's in the 80's!

Unless it's really hot, you probably won't NEED to get in the water, if it's too chilly for you! The weather is summery all year round, but the seas do cool some!

Low mobility/ Balloon wheelchairs

My mom can walk a little, but needs a wheelchair most of the time. Some people have mentioned wheelchairs with large "balloon" wheels that are available on the island as you get off the tenders, did you see any of these? or any idea how to reserve them? Also, how easy do you think it will be to get around the island pushing her? I think that the main path is paved, anything else?

I noticed the wheelchairs with the big wheels on them as we got off the ship, there was maybe 6 or more off to the side. However, I dont' know if you can reserve them or if there is a fee. If you can't reserve them in advance then I would suggest signing up for the early tour. Thats what we did and their were not many people on the island when we arrived so there were plenty of wheelchairs avaialble. I don't remember seeing a paved path, but I don't think the wheelchairs would be difficult to push around with the big balloon wheels on them.

Taking the early tour also worked out well because when it was over there was only 30 mins till lunch. So we found a picnic table in a nice shady place and waited till they started serving. Once the food service started all the tables filled up very quickly

Clamshells at Coco Cay ?

I understand that shade is available on this island but since I can't walk very far I might rather know I can have a clam shell fairly near the tender drop off.

I don't remember seeing any. There is PLENTY of "free" shade---there's really no need to pay for something when you can get it at no charge! The 1st beach you come to has trees all around the outer edge...plenty of shade!

Clamshells are located next to the cabanas - no charge. Beautiful view in this area, but you can not get into the water there. When you get off the tender, go to the left (the side of the island nearest the cruise ship) just past the snorkeling shack area. I don't recall being able to see the clamshells from afar, but look for the cabanas which are located where they do massages. Walk up into that area and keep left.

This thread has pics of the cabanas. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1022526

Can you swim next to where the cabanas are?

From the pix it looks like they are on a platform? one of the pix looks like a nice distance from the beach swim area. We were able to get one w/o any problem. There are cabanas on a platform and to the left of them there are lounge chairs and clam shells on a small piece of beach. You can not get to the water at all. You'd have to walk over to the right to the snorkeling area, etc. I highly recommend grabbing a cabana or clamshell (free) on the side of the island closest to the ship - great view and very quite and peaceful. Or head to the other side of the island where there are less people and lots of hammocks and loungers to enjoy a peaceful day. A beautiful site, no doubt. If I were alone and wanted a nice peaceful relaxing sun and sand day, this would be it! I think it is so easy to miss because you can't really see them too well. I'm really glad that they are free to use.

We went over to the cabanas and grabbed one to take a nap until lunch. We had the waverunner tour booked right after lunch so we took our stuff with us to lunch so others could use the cabana. You get a great view of the ocean and ship from the cabanas. Those cabanas are so beautiful. Might make for a nice photo op with the kids for a few minutes with the ship in th background.

Secluded Beach area ?

We were wondering if there were any secluded beaches where the two of us could be alone and enjoy the solitude....

Possible maybe but remember, it isn't huge and a couple of thousand people may be getting off the ship with you.....good luck with it. The further you walk from the 1st beach you come to, the fewer people...If you're hoping for "total" seclusion, you'd best stay on the ship in your cabin....there is no total privacy on Coco Cay!

Shells on the beach?

I would love to look for shells on the beach - will I be able to find them there?

I didn't see many shells--just bits and pieces---as a matter of fact, the "sand" is ground-up shell/coral or some sort of limestone based stuff----it's not the same sort of sand we have on the East Coast!

Been to Coco Cay twice and never found any shells

On my first trip tp cococay I found some beautiful shells, including some very large ones. On my next two trips I didnt find as many but I wasn't looking as hard either. Walk down the water on the far side of the island. Anything on the beach will already be picked up so check the water. I also watched a woman snorkel on that side of the island and came back with her arms full. On the beach all you find is broken shells and coral. Just walk the ankle deep water and you might have some luck.

Heard theres schools of jellyfish?

We were there on Sept 17th. We did the kayak and waverunner tours and saw jellyfish on both. don't know about the snorkeling area. but we didn't worry about it - the kind you find there is like a mosquito bite if you get stung.

I guess it depends on the time of year, and the currents...we've never seen jellyfish on our visits....

On my cruise last year (mid-October) I saw thousands while snorkeling. My secretary just returned last week and reported lots of jellyfish as well, but they allowed swimming/snorkeling.

Jelly fish are abundant in Sep and Oct in all the north Atlantic waters. At Coco Cay, they are very large (like a plate) and called Moon Jellyfish. All jellyfish sting, but these are very mild. However, they are scary when there are so many.

I was there over Labor Day this year and the moon jellyfish were everywhere. I wore jeans and a long sleeved shirt to go into the water with my snorkle equipment so that they wouldn't touch my skin. The problem with that is that you must take (or wear) jeans and long sleeves to the island because of the tendering process.

The personnel there will have a spray bottle to stop the sting - vinegar and water works. I heard many people say that it burned for a minute, then went away.

I am fairly adept at navigating through them, but I still got stung by some of the smaller ones. You really need to pay attention because I saw several with long tentacles. Again, what I saw was further out (not in the swimming area) and nobody in the swimming area was affected. Where I saw the "thousands" was in about 15-30 feet of water, well past the swimming area, just past the breaker wall.

On the beach where they rent snorkel gear they have some jellyfish sting stuff that they give you for free if you tell them that you got stung. The stings felt like a wasp or hornet sting, so don't think that they aren't worth worrying about.

Would a wet suit help guard against stings (same concept as jeans and long sleeve shirt?) IMO wearing a wetsuit thick enough to protect you 100% would result in you overheating very quickly. Also some jelly fish (mainly the box jellies in Australia) have tentacles that can penetrate wetsuits. If you are snorkeling and see jellyfish, just stay away. If you are just swimming, you have nothing to worry about because the life guards will close the beach if a lot of jellyfish float into the swimming area.

Also, in case anyone ever deals with sea lice (google them as you may be surprised as to what they actually are) if you wear clothing in the water, you actually make the itching worse since they get stuck underneath your bathing suits, long pants, shirts, etc. and are trapped between them and your skin.

I was there a week ago( Beginning of November). Didn't need water shoes. Never saw a jellyfish in the morning, but went back in after lunch and saw several. We had a school of Yellow-fin Snappers (purple & yellow fish) swimming with us, we saw them go ahead and eat any jellyfish that were in our path. It was pretty cool!

Around 3pm there were Jellyfish everywhere! We went back to the boat after that. I don't know about the water park/slide area, we didn't go in there, just went in the regular swimming/snorkel area.

We were just there one week ago and I never saw one single jellyfish the entire time. I did hear from one of our dinner companions that the childrens area/slides were completely surrounded by jellyfish and were even on the equipment itself, they had to canoe the people back because it was too dangerous.

I would think you would only need watershoes if you don't like the feeling of seaweed in your toes, other than that we thought the water and sand were perfect.

We were in Coco Cay in Mid November. We got off the ship early and swam in 2 different areas and snorkeled close to shore. Never saw a single jellyfish.

Mainly swam on the third beach area when you take a left off the pier. My husband snorkeled out farther than I did and also never saw any.

Watershoes ?

Someone told me not to bother with water shoes. I wish i took them as there are some area with coral/rocks in case you are trying to make a decision on that.

Can you bring your own float?

Sure! And if you decide NOT to bring your own float, do NOT "pre-reserve" a floating mat...you can get one on Coco Cay---IF YOU NEED ONE---they have PLENTY!!! Don't pay in advance for it! We paid for a float in advance, and when we got there (in September) there were jellyfish all around. We couldn't even float, swim, or snorkel w/out getting stung

Snorkeling / Snorkeling Vests

Where is the best place to snorkel ? As you leave the tender area, and walk to the left.... there are several areas which are separated by short breakwaters. The cruise sponsored snorkeling tour went out in the areas between the second and third beach areas...so i would have to say that is where the best snorkeling is. We did not take the excursion but my husband saw a huge variety of colorful fish and marine life etc off the third beach area. Tried the snorkeling the first time I went there - thought it was okay.However, if you are only looking at snorkelling, don't bother with their excursion, it is a waste of money. Bring your own equipment and snorkel at your leisure. There is a ship and a plane that you can go out to, both are marked with a buoy. The plane is out by the lifeguard platform that is offshore to the left as you come off the tender. There are lots of fish out there. You are required to snorkel with a dive vest, if you don't have one, you can rent one for around $7.

I would recommend bringing your own snorkel, fins, and inflatable life vest (required) and snorkel for free and hang on the beach. Cococay was enforcing the vest rule while we were here so if you brought your own snorkel equipment, they required that you rent one of the floatation vests from them. We actually snorkeled really early unaware of this but several people were called from the water if they did not have a vest later in the day.

Has anyone done the scuba excursion on Coco Cay? At $55. it does not sound like a bad deal. You have to be certified to do that diveI'm pretty sure I saw that you can rent just the vest from RCI. It would make sense since a lot of people will bring some of their own equipment from home.

Aquatic Adventure Tour ? Plane wreck

The snorkel excursion mentions being able to snorkel around a plane wreck. If you have your own equipment do you still have to pay to enter the area the plane is in?

The "plane wreck" is just off the beach about 100 yards and is easy to get to without any excursion required. You are required to use a snorkel vest which they have at the island for (I think) $5. The plane wreck is actually just a collection of several different pieces of various planes that were placed in the bay but there were still quite a few fish around when I was last there. Is the water deep where the plane is located ? Yes, it is 15-20 ft probably. I couldn't swim all the way down but my son could. For a non-swimmer, not a good idea even with the required dive vest.

Best tour that we've done in the Bahamas. The guides really made the tour entertaining and informative. We've been to CocoCay dozens of times and would highly recommend the boat for repeat cruisers who have been there/ done that. According to the Capt., the tour is new so you probably won't find much info onboard the ship. Oh, bring a camera for some spectacular photo ops like giant starfish, stingrays, blue hole etc.

I did the Aquatic Adventure Tour Last week ( middle of August.) I was traveling with my family including my elderly parents that have limited mobility. So I was looking for something they could do besides lay on the beach. The Aquatic Adventure Tour turned out to be the perfect solution. They take you on a boat tour of all the surounding islands telling you a little about the history and the vegetation on the islands. They also stop occationally to point out sting rays, sharks, jellyfish etc. At one point we stopped above a sand bar and the guide fished 2 star fish the size of dinner plates out of the water. He let everyone hold them and took peoples pictures with the passengers own cameras. He also found a crab that he passed around and took everyone's picture with. He was very nice and tried to make the tour fun for everyone. The tour was on a pontoon boat so its flat surface was even with the dock, so there was no climbing stairs to get on or off. The boat had metal bench seats with seat backs. Each seat held 3 people. It was completely covered with a canopy and had a restroom in the back. They had some water and Bahama Punch for sale onboard. Forget how much it was but the water was cheaper than on the boat and my sister loved the Punch so much she bought a six pack in Nassau to take home. But if you plan to buy a drink be sure to take some 1's with you, they didn't have any change for bigger bills. It turned out being the perfect excursion for our situation.

Kayak tour

Just did the and loved it more than I thought I would. Lots of fun. I've heard it recommended to do this early in the morning before the waverunners stir the waters up too much.

Parasail - age/weight restrictions?

Is there an age limit? And/or a weight they need to be (DD is less than 70 pounds now). Do they do tandem with a parent ? Is the price the same for single versus tandem if they offer it?

I'm pretty sure they will be able to go "solo", or at least, together at the same time....I'm sure there's a "heavy" weight limit....you wouldn't want a 400lb person flying overhead! Can someone please tell me if you need to book the parasailingwhile onboard or onshore? The excursions for our Dec cruise is up and parasailing is not an option. Any feedback would be great. If you can't do it online I would suggest booking on the ship as soon as you board. Parasailing is a popular excursion - weather permitting of course.

Waverunners Questions

Did they have lockers at the place you did the orientation to put your stuff while you ride the waverunners? Also, do you wear shorts or just a swimsuit.

They do have lockers for rent, I think they were almost $5 additional (which ticked me off since we already paid for the excursion). We just wore our swimsuits, but if you are more comfortable with shorts on you will be fine.

I have done the waverunners both times and highly recommend it. Even though it is a tour you have so much space and room to have fun. This fills up fast so I'd recommend booking in advance just to be sure you get a spot.

Hehe it might be true but for that reason plus the airline can lose our bags too, we always cross pack plus have at least some clothes in our carry on as well.

I have found a friendly smile and a truely appreciative thank you goes a long way with those porters.

Have you ever watched other cruisers at the port where you drop off the bags? A big surprising number does not tip ! I am thinking very few bags goes missing on every cruise.

And then when you read a thread like this, it seems almost 99% of people tip very generously . Interesting !

We have been on 3 cruises and have never tipped those luggage handlers at the port. Why do you need to give someone money who is handling my bag for less than 20 seconds and moving it 4 feet into a bin ? Its absurd !

Those union workers gets paid very well. If my bag was very heavy or they needed to move it very far, I will be the 1st one to tip.. but heck no for the amount of work they do there is really no need to tip them. That is my opinion and we have never had a bad experience with them. They are friendly and dont expect a tip for light bags that they hardly have to put any effort into getting it in the bin. Our bags arrive early at our door and no worries, no need to part with your hard earned money in this way. Save it for the ship.

Hello Kitchen Sink -

Thank you for your kind words.

Doing travel research is a hobby of mine. I just love it. I wish I had more time to do the same for a lot more ports of call.

I havent done any for the islands you mentioned. Hopefully in the near future we will book a cruise down there and I will make the time to do some of it.

The whole idea started out when I realised that with only a few hours in every port and with many of these places I will never get the opportunity again, to get there, I felt we need to be well prepared to hit the ground running when we set foot on land. We are not excursion people and doing your own thing in every port does take a lot of research.

We have had such interesting times, I recall many a night after a port day getting to our dinner table and sharing our day with our table mates and they go: Oh Wow if only we knew beforehand a little bit more of what this port had to offer, we could have gotten a lot more out of the few hours we had there. Its many a time the difference between having a wow day on land and someone telling you : I got off the ship and wandered around the touristy area for a bit and then I got back to the ship.. this place didnt have much to offer.

Cruisecritic has a wealth of information that has been shared over time by so many people. It all started when it dauned on me to combine some of the info for my travel companion who does not have time to read up on things before we go somewhere, so I got the idea to cut and paste it for him to read on the plane on our way down south. Then I thought it might be useful to share my findings with the board, and then I thought if I can every couple of months update the thread with the lastest findings of other members the info might stay current. And so it all started hehe

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from the most recent thread to the last time I updated this thread. This now covers all questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from about 2006.

Please add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on this beautiful island.

"Princess Cays Sanctuary Beach Bungalow -- adults only

Saw this listed on the shore excursions page for Princess Cays. It costs $249.

A gourmet picnic lunch is available as an option. Could it be that certain bungalows are now roped off as "adults only?" None are any farther or closer to the water than the others. They all seem to be the same size and have the same amenities.

Here are the blurbs of each from the personalizer:

Beach Bungalow (Up To 6 People)

Enjoy your own private beach bungalow while at Princess Cays. The colorful beachfront bungalows are perfect for families or for those who want to make the most of their visit to Princess Cays. Located in the picturesque palm grove just behind the beach, each bungalow features air-conditioning and ceiling fan, a table and four chairs inside, two sun loungers outside on the deck, and a private shower. Additional amenties may be included for a supplemental charge such as a gourmet picnic. Ask for details at the Shore Excursion Desk onboard.

Sanctuary Beach Bungalow (Up To Six People) -- New!

Finally, a private island experience which is truly private. Enjoy your own beach bungalow situated in the new adults-only area--The Sanctuary at Princess Cays, an extension of the onboard experience. The colorful beachfront bungalows are perfect for those who seek privacy and seclusion. Each bungalow features air-conditioning and ceiling fan, a table and four chairs inside, two sun loungers outside, and a private shower. Additional amenties may be included for a supplemental charge such as a gourmet picnic. Ask for details at the Shore Excursion Desk onboard.

Princess Cays Bungalows

I did a search on the bungalows and saw alot of good info. I'm not sure, though, if there has been some changes to the amenities. Can anyone who might have been in the bungalows this Spring answer to what amenities were provided ie.... Priority tender, lunch service, etc.

You probably saw the same info? But here anyways:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=453306

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=449005

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberre...?EntryID=36595

What to do in Princess Cays...

When you get off the boat go to the RIGHT, up and over the little stairway and bridge, it is not nearly as crowded over there. We never did have the BBQ lunch, we couldn't be bothered with eating when we had a perfect spot underneath a bushy palm which had a table built around it, perfect to hold our cold coladas. It had 4 loungers, 2 on each side of the tree. We were about 15 feet away from the water in the perfect reef area for some GREAT snorkeling. Got some great pictures with our new underwater camera. Very relaxing. This was my fathers first time snorkeling as he would rather stay dry, he's not much of a water person, but we couldn't get him out of the water once he started! We couldn't get him to go back to the ship, he floated around watching the fish for about 4 hours!!! Its a beautiful place, really it is. People say to wear water shoes but I have VERY sensitive tootsies and never had a problem in that area. If anyting eat a large breakfast and swim a while or just relax, I do reccomend a try at snorkeling even just with the mask, they have beautiful Seargent Majors, striped fish that look like angel fish. We have a lot of fun there and always talk about going back.

New Tour - A Taste of Eleuthera Princess Cay Excursion

I like the beach but not I am not a sun person. A couple of hours and I am done. I saw this tour on the Princess website for the island. Has anyone been on this tour and if so what did you think? It is $99 pp so kind of steep. It came out in December of 2008 so kind of new from what I have read. It is 4 hours long.

It is by Princess and it last for 4 hours and tours the island. It costs $99 pp.

I guess they take you into the interior of the Island and you see some historical sights and then you stop for lunch and are entertained. Here is the description. I just wish I could find someone who has taken this tour and see what they thought.

Come along and discover Eleuthera, one of the islands of the Bahamas, on a sightseeing tour in a land that time has almost forgotten. This 110-mile long island is too large to see in a day, but this excursion will serve up a delightful taste.

Once ashore at Princess Cays, board your air-conditioned transportation. Travel through wide open spaces, past lush vegetation with glimpses of ponds. See the national flower called Yellow Elder. Pass through quaint villages with small pristine churches, like the seaside St. Columba in Tarpum Bay which dates back to the 1800s. Enjoy photo stops at Rock Sound Harbor and Castle MacMillan. In the town of Rock Sound, visit the South Eleuthera Mission Library and Museum and visit one of nature's wonders---an ocean hole of which the bottom has yet to be found. At Four Points Marina Village, experience an extravaganza of Eleutheran culture. Enjoy a taste of the island with an authentic native lunch and be entertained with Junkanoo, the Bahamian tradition which incorporates music, costumes, and dance---prior to your return to Princess Cays.

Shady spots and the Clamshells

Can you sit where you want or does princess set up the clamshells in a certain area?

Usually the clamshells are all in a row. You can do some relocating but not much.

I was looking into a clamshell with 2 chairs because I am an Irish whitey. Is that my only hope of nice shade?

We've been there on a couple of Princess Sailings. We are not big beach people but actually enjoyed it. You can sit around if you would like and of course have lunch there. You can also go into the water as you noted. There are some areas with shade but get them first.

We've been to Princess Cays four times and have never had a problem finding shaded loungers. The clam-shells tend to become mini ovens on sunny days. We've only been to the left of the tender area on our last 3 trips.

I highly recommend getting one of the Cabanas. They come with water, Ice, Soft Drinks, Snorkle Gear and Floaties. Get someone else to go in with you and you will love it. Get one down the beach away from the crowds. Everyone seems to just go to the closest area of the beach and it gets crowded.

Music on Princess Cays

I wonder what type of music is playing at lunch at Princess Cays... Where the bands are located, etc...

Beach BBQ - Three bars and live music compliment lunch and the authentic Bahamian barbeque on the beach. Feast on hamburgers, chicken, bratwurst, salads, and fresh fruit. Water, tea and lemonade are available at the picnic area for no additional cost, and a full staff of drink servers is on hand to serve cocktails and soda.

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Coco Cay from the most recent thread to the last time I updated this thread. Please add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on Coco Cay's.

Tell me about Coco Cay!

Tell me some things I should or would want to know about this island. I'm very curious! Coco Cay is beautiful! Don't stop at the 1st beach area you come to, unless you like crowds! (Most folks won't walk an extra few steps and bunch up at that 1st beach and are all on top of each other!!!)

Don't rent a floating mat in advance---you may find you don't need one, and if you do want one, they are readily avail. on the island.

There is a BBQ lunch which is included in your fare. Just like on the ship, alcohol and sodas can be purchased with your seapass.

The waverunners are a "follow the leader" sort of thing---you can't go off on your own, so if that's not what you want, wait until another port to do that!

Consider this a "sea day" on land! It's one of my favorite days! DH and I did the waverunner excursion. We loved it!!! It was a great adrenalin boost. If you do it though, don't forget your sunglasses. Between the sun and the water spray you will be squinting your eyes the entire time.

What to do in Coco Cay?

Drink cocoloco's, ride waverunners, take a small sailboat out, drink cocoloco's, snorkel, walk all the trails, drink cocoloco's, eat the bbq lunch, play in the floating playground, drink cocoloco's.

Considering a RCCL trip and can't tell what else there is to do on CocoCay other than beach activities? Does anyone know if this island has a similar activities center such as on Castaway Cay? Its the perfect beach day. You can snorkle right from the shore and see fabulous fish. There is a large floating inflatable for the kids (at a charge.) Parasailing, jet skis, kayaks, or just lazing on a beach chair with a fruity drink. I went with older teens who had a great time. The younger kids all seemed happy-why not, with sun, sand and no responsiblities?

Sand volleyball court with shaded bleachers and a basketball court to the right of the sport beach (equipment rental area).

Coco Cay transfers -

How often will the transfers run from the ship to the island ? Will we be able to come and go several times during the day or once there are we stuck?

There are three tender boats and they run constantly from about 7:30 AM until 4:00PM. Of course, those times may vary slightly. But you can come and go as often as you please. It does take awhile, though, because you have to wait until the tender boat is sufficiently full and it takes awhile to unload the tender boat also.

You can make as many trips as you want, but it would eat up a lot of time to take several trips. You won't be "stuck" at the island though. In the middle of the day, they generally don't wait for a full boat---but toward the beginning and end of the day, they will!

Cabanas at Coco Cay -

Does anyone have pictures of the Cabanas?

Lovely pictures of the cabanas here : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1022526

I wasn't aware that there WERE cabanas! We never needed any--there's PLENTY of shade! There are 6-8 (I can't remember exactly how many) cabannas near the spa building.

How do you rent them and what is the cost? I don't recall a Spa building when i was there. Whereabouts is that?

There is no cost for the cabannas, first come first served.

To find them, walk towards where the ship is anchored. (I think it was turn right at the signs and then keep straight.) You will see a "lighthouse" type structure and there is a small building that houses a spa, open air bar and the cabannas are in that area.

No need to rush. They were still available @ 12:00pm and we got on the island at 9:30am. We got our cabanna around 1:00 while we were doing alternating spa appointments. We did get the last one available, but I think the majority of people don't know they are there. Most of them are hidden by the spa building and most people head to the main area where the chairs are.

Coco Cay - Wheelchair Accessible?

Will be visiting in September and have one person in our party in a wheelchair. She can walk a few steps, but mostly will need the chair. I read that the main path has been upgraded to a hard-top. Any tips, ideas, etc. I would appreciate any thoughts on this.

I'd check with the "special needs" dept. and see if they have those "big-wheeled" wheelchairs---good for soft surfaces, for rent. That would enable her to go "off-path".

But, if she can walk some, you could get her near to a chair, and then she could sit there all day. Last time I was on Coco Cay, Jan 2009, there were the big balloon-wheeled chairs that are able to roll over sand. I think there were four lined up near the dock where the tender boat lands.

Also on the tender boat there is a large area in the front where the folks in wheel chairs sit while the boat sails. That saves such folks from having to struggle with the steps and stairs in the tender boat.

Coco Cay- parasailing, jet ski's or both?

We will be in Coco Cay from 7am to 4pm. I am interested in doing both jet ski's and parasailing if possible- since they are both listed as 1- hour long excursions. Anyone taken these? If so, were they worth the money? Is it possible to do both?

Two final concerns -

1) I don't want to get off the ship right away- if possible. I've heard of long lines and thought maybe if we waited 1 hour it wouldn't be that bad? Can we do this if we have booked excursions?

2) Is the bbq lunch the only option? Reports of flies on the food grosses me out.

The jetsking is a group tour....you must follow the leader and leave plenty space between each other, you can't go off on your own and there is an short instructional thing you do first.

As far as getting off I have never had a problem with lines getting off the ship early....actually an hour or two later is usually the busiest or around 11am....but in any case I haven't found any of the lines annoyingly long at any time...but I have always been off Sovereign or Monarch...may be longer if you are going to be on Freedom or a bigger ship...they usually do run plenty tenders and have one waiting to pull up as soon as one leaves. You don't have to get off in the first group if you have an excursion later in the day! And, many times, you don't have to book the excursions in advance...we've always been able to do a "walk on" booking....just decided to do something, and they have room!

Yes, the BBQ is all that's avail. on the beach. You can always go back to the ship and eat---you can come and go as you please. We never saw flies on the food!

Both excursions you want to do are popular, I would recommend reserving your slots early if you decide to do these.

I did notice on our May 11th sailing that if you reserved the first jet ski excursion (I think at 8:30) that you got a free passenger ticket.

Snorkeling - Coco Cay -

We have our own masks and snorkels but no fins and vests. I've read that we can rent the vests for $6 but can we also rent the fins? Does anyone have any experience with this? Yes you can.

There are three lifeguard piers in the snorkeling area. Each pier has a sunken object that has a lot of fish.

When looking out from the beach, the pier in the middle has a sunken airplane many fish in this area. Pier on the right has part of a ship.

The lifeguards throw food into the water when you're around the pier, so you'll see a lot of fish up close and personal.

The drop off area is on the left between the two sets of rocks. You must go in between the rocks and you'll see the dropoff. The current is a lot stronger out there as well. I saw about 4 sting-rays and a fished that looked like a Barracuda (not a fish expert so I don't know), sea turtles, octopus, nurse shark and various fish.

This was only my 2nd time snorkeling in my life. I tested the equipment by the piers and then spent the most of my time past the rocks (drop off area). You HAVE to do a 3-5 minute orientation on the beach and the tour guide will go over the areas again with a map of the snorkeling area.

2 Snorkeling Pictures in this thread : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=908645

Actually, there are lots of other things if one looks close enough. This is a dinner plate sized star fish in 2 ft of water. This is an Octopus clutching a mussel shell not 20 ft from the loungers. If you are patient and alert you will be rewarded.

On Youtube, there is a movie of a small shark in only a foot of water :

CocoCay : Cash and passports

Not including the mini- straw market - but basically dealing with the snorkel vests, locker rentals and drinks - are they all charged to your seapass card? If so, is there any reason to bring cash off the boat (unless you wanted to go the mini-straw market?

Also, since this is a private island - are passports required? from what I have read, it isnt like you have to clear customs or anything like on Nassau. So, if I dont need cash or passport, then I can leave the boat with nothing more than my seapass card. . .

Am I correct in thinking this way?

No--there's no use for cash at all, since Coco Cay is the same as being on the ship. As long as you don't plan to purchase anything at the market, no cash is needed.

You do NOT need to bring a passport---for all purposes, you're still on the ship! (Even Nassau doesn't require you to have a passport--none of the countries do) It's our OWN country that is making us have a passport---not the cruiseship or the Caribbean countries! You don't need a passport on Coco Cay but you DO need your Sea Pass. That is the way the ship keeps track of who is on board and who is on the island and who has come back to the ship. So as you leave the ship and as you return, your Sea Pass will be run through that machine with the funny bell sound.

You will need cash if you want to buy souveniers at the Bahamian Straw Market. Dollars are fine. Other things on the island such as the famous Coco Loco drinks, you use your Sea Pass. I hope you like Coco Cay as much as I do. It is such a special place.

Blackbeard's grave?

Is it true that Blackbeard's grave is on Coco Cay? Just wondering? Thanks for the help!

I'm certainly no expert, but I highly doubt it as according to historic accounts he was beheaded on a Royal Navy ship off the coast of North Carolina. If true, I'm not sure how he would have found his way to the Bahamas - or that anyone would have cared to bury him...................

Feel free to dig in the sand. I'm pretty sure if Blackbeard's grave WAS on Coco Cay, RCI would charge you to see it...so far, no such "excursion"!!! No. Blackbeard was killed in Beaufort Inlet in North Carolina. He was beheaded and his body was was thrown in the water. His head was taken to Portsmouth and hung from the top of a large pole as a warning to others. Rumor is that his skull became a ceremonial goblet for a college of William and Mary fraternity.

Which do you like better...Cococay or Great Stirrup?

Hate to say it but Stirup Cay was horrible.. sand chairs IF you can get one, don't think about getting a lounge chair unless you are on the first boat over. No where to really explore If you do snorkle out to the break front, Yes there is good snorkling there, but watch out you don't drift back out to the ship or elseware. The BBQ was decent, but long walk back to your chair, Not enough area to eat at a table!

Coco Cay - Aquatic Adventure Tour?

Anyone this? Is it worth $39.00? How is the Boat? I would appreciate any info on this excursion. Would love to do it, if it is worth it.

I had been looking at that myself and it seems to me that it may be a new addition. I have been exporing my options on and off for over a month at RCI website, and I don't recall seeing it there in June.

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Coco Cay from the most recent thread to the last time I updated this thread. Please add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on Coco Cay's.

Coco Cay...what are the odds of missing this port ?

“Private islands are missed stops 20% of the time due to unfavorable sea conditions. The only compensation you would receive is a refund of any scheduled shore excursions. .

Coco Cay is a flat tropical island surrounded by beautiful jewel-toned blue sea water. For free, you can walk the nature trail at the island. There is also a swimming area with huge toys such as the pyramid, a kind of giant seesaw, a giant trampoline and similar contraptions. There are many hammocks under shady palm trees and Australian pines, also more than enough lounge chairs. The beach is great and the water is very clear so if you want to rent a floating mat ($10 US for all day rental) it would be very relaxing.

Just kick back and relax with a book at a shady spot and a restful view of the ocean. It's a beach day! You can find a lounge chair or hammock...swim, eat, drink....whatever strikes your fancy. It's just like being on the ship---the food is included, but alcohol and sodas will be charged to your room account.

If lazing around isn't for you, they have waverunners, parasailing, etc....that you can book. They have floats for rent (but wait until you get there to decide if you need them!!) if you just want to float in the clear water!

You can come and go as much as you want, or stay the whole day...it's up to you!

All you need to bring is your pool towel, sunscreen, book...that's it! Don't bring anything expensive (cameras, camcorders....) if you plan on leaving your stuff lying around while swimming. No one will bother your old book or flip-flops!

Great Stirrup Cay is RIGHT next to Coco Cays!

Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island is in the BerryIslands of the Bahamas. CocoCays, Royal Carribeans private island, was once called Little Stirrup Cay, and is also in the BerryIslands. The two islands are only about 2000 feet from each other.

Heres a pic. CocoCays is on the left, and Great Stirrup Cay is on the right. http://i39.tinypic.com/igaz6a.jpg

You absolutely do see the ship visiting at Coco Cay if one is visiting the same day. When at Coco Cay, you can see the NCL ship at Big Stirrup Cay if one is visiting the same day. If you sit on the beach at Coco Cay, you can look over and see Great Stirrup Cay in the distance.

This pix shows just how close they are....this is a pix of NCL tendering taken from CoCo Cay.

http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/45...600x600Q85.jpg

Comparison between the Private Islands

I find Coco Cay a little more restful than RCC’s Labadee. My first private island was Labadee and I was in love but then we went to Cococay I was a little disappointed it was a little too rocky and sea weedy for me. It was going to Half Moon Cay I wasn't expecting much...I was wrong out of the three it is the best.

NCL’s Great Stirrup Cay compared to Coco Cay : Which do you like better ?

Both islands are fine, but my personal preference is Coco Cay. It seems more comfortable. I mean folks are not all jammed into a few places, but RCI has activities more spread out. I also think the BBQ is superior to that of Great Stirrup Cay.

Hands down Coco Cay! Great Stirrup Cay is nice, but they only did two excursions (snorkel and parasail). Additionally, they did not have much shade and the beach area was lined up with chairs and people stealing others' umbrellas all day. The snorkeling wasn't near as good, although if you swim all the way out to near the lifeguard, you get to see a few neat fish.

Coco Cay has a much larger island with much more to offer. People are split up around the island doing different things, so it is not as crowded. There are also a large amount of excursions offered there. Even without the excursions, there is much shade, hammocks even, many beach spots, a nature trail, much snorkeling to see including a sunken airplane, and other items, and just so much more to offer.

We like NCL better, less expensive, freestyle cruising(eat when/where we want, no suits for him, no dresses and heels for me). The islands are about the same, and close enough, you could almost spit and hit the other. The water has been pretty rough, currents go around the islands, and wham into the tender.

Half Moon Cay or Coco Cay?

I've been to both and Half Moon Cay is much better than Coco Cay. Both private Islands are great.

Hands down Half Moon Cay!

I have been to both Cococay and Half Moon and of course they are both beautiful but Half Moon is right out of a magazine. The beaches are powdery sand that extends far into the water so there is no sea weed or rocks. The bar is right on the beach so you can hear the live music all along the beach. All in all it is the perfect idyllic beach.

I've done both as well and have to admit.. I thought Half Moon Cay was much nicer!!! It is simply paradise! HMC is consistently mentioned as "The Best" private island in the cruise industry publications.

CoCo Cay is much bigger then GSC and there is a lot more beach space and activities. GSC is cool because you can walk around the entire island and find some really private places. There is a really cool light house in the center of it. I also think the reef is nicer off of GSC if you are in to snorkeling.

Have been to both islands and feel that Coco Cay is far better and offers more activities. Also I felt the BBQ on Coco Cay is much better than the one offered by NCL. There is a very tame and adorable cat on GSC, however.

If you have been to Coco Cay already and would like to try something different, check out NCL's Great Stirrup Cay.

Storage Lockers available ?

I am trying to figure out where to put my camera when I ride the waverunners. Don't want to leave my camera & clothes laying open free!!

No one will take your clothes...I promise. There are lockers for those on excursions...you really don't need one if you just plan on playing in the water. Don't bring an expensive camera--something cheap is fine and no one will take a cheap camera.

Are there changing facilities on the island itself? Is there a secure area to stow my camera bag while in the water snorkeling or should I just leave it on the ship?

Leave the expensive cameras on the ship--bring a disposable if you must...no one will bother cheap stuff!

There are restrooms--you could change there. You can always go back to the ship to change, and then come back.

They had lockers for rent ($4) if you were doing a water excursion, so you can lock up valuables of you need to. We rented one while we were out on the jet skis. Personally I thought it was insane that we were paying $104 for the tour (total for 2 people) and had to pay extra to secure our stuff for an hour.

Snorkeling on our own - I would recommend bringing your own snorkel, fins, and inflatable life vest (required) and snorkel for free and hang on the beach. There is a barbeque available for lunch free of charge. You can then play volleyball, limbo, or whatever RCCL offers that day, listen to the band, or go for a nature walk around the island. If you go past the snorkel shack, past the area where you catch the tender back, and stay on that line, there is shopping and a walkway that goes past iguana alley. Also, right behind where they usually hang out is a "lagoon" that manatees sometimes visit.

Coco Cay Review - The water was smooth as glass and we had no problems tendering into port.

We were on the 9:00 tender and we had booked the Wave Runner excursion for 10:30. We walked around for about an hour before signing in at the Wave Hut at 10:00. Once we were signed in we explored a little more before we had an orientation and safety meeting at 10:30. We were on the Wave Runners (Erin drove since she has driven one before, I was the picture taking passenger) around 11:00. We were on the Wave Runners for a little over an hour, we had several opportunities to go full throttle (fun, but a little scary trying to hang on from the passenger seat) and the course we took to each stopping point included twists and turns. At one stop our guide got off the wave runner and picked up to Caribbean Stars (looks like giant star fish) that we could hold and get pictures of. This tour was the first time we had done an excursion through the ship and we had a great time! My only complaint was that it was only an hour, it was slightly overpriced for the amount of time spent out on the water.

Lunch was VERY crowded and the sea gulls were pretty aggressive. We each got a Coco Loco which was pretty good, but very sweet. We tried to get one in a regular glass, but there weren't any available so we ended up with a souvenir mug.

Pictures : http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/10...%20May%202009/.

Coco Cay - fishing?

Is there a place on Coco Cay to fish from the beach? Is it allowed? Is a permit needed?

It can be done. I fully understand why RCCL would not want a bunch of people wandering around with fishing rods on the island, but they don't seem to mind a person that goes about it staying out of others way as much as possible.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/wat...=125181&size=1 Bonefish, 21", Coco Cay Bahamas

I did pretty well with a few good sized bonefish, barracuda, also hooked and lost a decent permit. Only had good water till noon when the tide really dropped and the flats disappeared. I hit the water first thing on the island and headed to the farthest point. A few RCCL employee's saw me at the far end but no one gave me any trouble. As for legal regulations, a shorebound angler in the Bahamas does not require any license of any type. If you know what you are doing there are some excellent flats fishing opportunities on that island.

Did you just take a fishing pole with you? I told my dad to get a Pocket Fisherman pole if he wanted to try his hand at a bit o fishing on the island but like you said you would have to get out early and go to the other side where not many people venture.

I took : 2 travel spinning rods/reels 8lb and 10lb class, 2 travel fly rods 7wt and 8wt, Waist belt tackle system, Wading boots,Tackle boxes. All fit very neatly into a modified backback that I use for fishing excursions.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...i/IMG_0462.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...i/IMG_0460.jpg

It's not really an environment where you can just cast out some bait on a bobber and catch fish. The bonefish are extremely spooky and take a real eye to spot them and get a lure infront of the school before they see you. The barracuda are a little simpler to catch and can be done on a light spinning rod with a tube lure. There are alot of cuda's in the shallows and they make great sport.

A pocket fisherman would be fine for catching some smaller cuda's and maybe some puffers, but not up to snuff for the larger fish that inhabit the shallow flat on the southern side. To really be successful there you have to put in some research time about what your actually trying to catch.

Pic of the bonefish:

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...i/IMG_0739.jpg

Bonefish are catch and release. They are just a blast to catch as they can rip off 100yds. of line in a few seconds, fastest fish on the flats. Barracuda are the same, great sport fish but with the worries of ciguatera poisoning, they aren't worth the risk.

I did talk with one guy and he evidently caught a nice mutton snapper out of one of the deeper holes on the flat. It was of legal size so he took it up to the kitchen area and they offered cooked it up for him. The key is to know the laws for where your fishing and what is legal.

Topless @ Coco Cay - Is it possible ?

I would say it could be done easily on the far side of the island where not many people go. ive seen several people there befor wearing thongs The island is surprisingly large and although you can try to circle the island to the farthest side it seems that there are always others strolling the island themselves so you would never be alone.

Let's not forget these private islands are a "family" environment. I emailed RCI for a clarification on whether the dress code for CocoCay was topless or not and the following statement was sent back to me: "Of course not, the proper attire is bathing suits, shorts, tank top, and all summer clothes."

I have seen it before, if you walk down the beach awhile, there will be very few people. Those that are walking stay at the waters edge so if you lay at the top of the beach you will be left alone. If someone from RC comes by the mosty they are going to do is ask that you put your top on.

RCI will not intervene, unless someone complains. As a matter of FACT, there were two topless sunbathers ON the Rhapsody several days last month. A lot of staring but no one confronted them . . . including RCI staff.

I say that if you make an effort to separate yourself from the crowd, then it should not be a problem. There is plenty of room to keep a distance from someone who holds different values than yourself.

Just returned from Coco Cay and yes it is possible. We walked a good ways down the beach away from everyone and had a nice little "private" area of beach to ourselves.

If you walk down the nature trail for a bit, there are shoots off to the beach and I think you could definitely find some private beaches back there. We didn't see any children on the nature trail...it is pretty boring and I can't imagine the kids last more than the first few hundred feet.

Excursions -

The excursions are all "follow the leader" style---you can't use the waverunner and go off on your own...you will spend most of your time either waiting for the "slowpokes" to catch up, or (if you're a slowpoke) trying to catch up to the speedier folks! The only money you need to spend on Coco Cay is for alcohol or sodas!

What about the kayak excursion? The trip includes a lesson in how to kayak. Another option is Hobie Cat sailing.There is also parasailing.

Jet ski excursions

We enjoyed the jet skis! I did see in the cruise compass that if you signed up for the 9:00 excursion your passenger rode for free. That might help you save a few dollars. The jet skis were follow the leader, but unless you are a very experienced driver you still had fun. They liked to keep 100 yards between each jet ski and you were instructed to follow the wake of the craft in front of you. They did lots of turns so it wasn't just riding in a straight line.

Parasailing looked like it was a lot of fun, but it is just as expensive as the jet skis and the excursion isn't as long.

DO NOT rent jet skis in Nassau. If you visit the Bahamas board you will see where a lot of people get ripped off. They don't keep a proper time log and call people in early or say they returned the jet ski late in order to get more money out of you.

I've read about two different jet ski excursions on Coco-Cay, one official RCCL excursion ($95 for driver, $25 for passenger) and one that seems to be on the island that you can just walk up and get a 50 minute guided tour.

We were at Coco Cay a couple years ago and did the jet ski's. We just walked up to the area that had them and presented our ship card and they charge it to our room. It was $85 per person a couple years ago. You each had your own jet ski or you could double up, and they took you out in follow the leader fashion and the a tour around the island. They would stop ever once in awhile so you could enjoy the view and the sites below in the water.

CocoCay is RC's private island. They own it. Therefore, all excursions are "official". You probably can walk up and sign up for the tour, but if you want to do it at a certain time, I would book it early.

Snorkle Excursion

The excursion says "At your leisure". I know that means we can start whever we want, but does that mean the equipment is ours for the day? Can we go in for awhile, take a break and go out again? Can we stay out as long as we want?

but when we did, it meant for the day. We didn't turn our equipment in until right before we left the island. If you enjoy relaxing, you'll love this excursion!

The snorkeling excursion is done from the beach. You're paying for gear rental and an orientation lecture. I've heard if you bring your own gear, they require you to rent the safety vest. As of last may snorkel vest were still required, and could be rented for $6 if you didn't need any other gear. You can get by without a vest if you snorkel on the opposite side of the island, as there are very few people in that area.

Waverunners

It's actually a tour around some of the islands. You start out with an instructional safety video and then they pick the order of riders. It's follow the leader type. They go in order and you raise your hand for the position you want. I'm more experienced and wanted to go fast so I raised my hand first an got it.

There were two guides and you make a few stops on the way. One guide is the leader and on some legs of the tour he'll go full throttle and the more experienced can keep up but the second guide is in the rear to make sure the less experienced don't get lost or hurt. When you make stops the guides gather everyone up and talk about the history of the islands and will dive down and bring marine life up to show and talk about. They'll also let you get off and swim around a little until everyone catches up.

It was a lot of fun. It's a lot harder to tip one than you think...unless you're trying to.

The water wasn't super deep in most places though you are wearing a life vest so it doesn't really matter. The guides were really good too!

My DH and I did the waverunners. We each rented our own, and it was 79 a piece, I think. .

I had a bit of an issue with mine... There is a safety mechanism that shuts the waverunner down if you do do fall off. On mine, the key was attached to my lifevest, and everytime I would hit a large wave, I would bounce off the seat and the life jacket would pull the key out of the ignition. In an attempt to switch to an operational jet ski, they made me get off the jet ski I was on, and swim to another. Because the key needed to stay with the waverunner, they made me take my life vest off first. However, between being slippery from my suntan lotion, choppy waves, and a lack of upper arm strength, I had difficulty getting on the second jet ski. I spent about eight minutes treading water with no life jacket. Had we been able to wait until the first stop, where the water was shallow enough for me to touch bottom, it might have gone a little better.

If you're not a strong swimmer, I would skip it.

Why did they attach the key to your lifevest and not your wrist? We did this excursion and it was attached to our wrist.

We were first timers when we did this excursion. We each chose to drive our own waverunner. DH was about 5th in line since he said he would go fast and had shown he could drive. My DS, 16 at the time, was second to last and I was last in line (fine by me ). They are really not hard to drive, just stay in the middle of the wake the one in front of you makes. If there is a big swell coming, back off the throttle a little and pick your butt up off the seat a little so your legs act as shock absorbers.

No one in our group flipped over though one person did lose their passenger when they hit a swell. You do need to turn gently if you are going fast just like you have to in a car so it really isn't hard. I don't think I would have been able to get myself back on the waverunner though had I fallen off but I could have had DH push

As far as being a non-swimmer, you will be required to wear a life jacket, everyone has to were one. As long as you are comfortable floating in water over your head and won't panic, then go for it. If you are going to be at all nervous, then don't waste your money.

The waverunners don't go out towards the ship rather away from it. Don't think you can get a really good picture in front of the ship. You go out to a small island and at that point you could stop and take a picture but the boat is pretty far back. The tenders leave early. I believe we were on the first one at 8 or 8:30 a.m. “

I have cut and pasted all the questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from the most recent thread to the last time I updated this thread. This now covers all questions and answers regarding Princess Cays from about 2006 I think.

Please add any useful info as this thread might be helpful to those going for the first time as a one stop shop regarding info on Princess Cays.

"Princess Cays - Kids Area -

Does anyone have pictures and/or can give a detailed accounting of the children's area at Princess Cays and their experience there. I'm just wondering what there is for them to do and what its all about.

Here's a great website with photos and descriptions: http://beyondships.com/Princess-PrincessCays.html

Princess Cay - Banana Boat –

Is it necessary to reserve this advance or are there plenty of openings once we arrive at Princess Cay?

We reserved so that we have the time that we would want to go and one can cancel the reservation while on board if you were to change your mind.

just don't wait too long. I think that you are able to cancel 24 hours or more and won't get charged.

Some of the Princess Cays can be cancelled up to 24 hours but many of them CANNOT. Be sure to check the Princess write-up for specific excursions before you book if you're not sure you want to do it.

If you're iffy, you might consider waiting until you're onboard to book something that has a "no cancellation" restriction. It may be all booked so you won't get to do it, but that may be better than booking (and paying for) something you decide you don't want to do. Just an option. Ok, I just checked my excursions.

I am able to cancel/delete/edit my pre-reserved items before boarding the ship.

Once on, I am not able to get a refund for the Bannana Boat ride. I just might cancel just for me but I know that the kids and hubby will still want to go.

Princess Cays snorkeling -

I'm just curious if snorkeling from the shore is available at the island without taking an excursion.

You can snorkel from shore. It wasn't the best snorkeling from shore, but it can be done, and you will see some fish. They sell fish food on the island. The fish will come and eat out of your hand. If I recall, the best snorkeling was to the left of the tenders, as you face the shoreline, as far down the beach as you can go. Have fun. Make sure you wear aqua shoes as it is rocky the further down the beach you go.

Aqua Bike vs. Paddle Wheeler on Princess Cays -

Can anyone tell me the difference between the Aqua Bike and the Paddle Wheeler listed under shore excursions on the Princess website?

It says the Aqua Bike must be resereved 'on board' whereas the Paddle Wheeler can be reserved on line.

My family is wondering if the Aqua Bike is some type of motorized equip? I think I've seen pics of what appears to be an aqua bike that's really a big bike you pedal the old fashioned way and it has "monster truck" style wheels so most of the bike is out of the water, whereas a paddle boat is usually manned by a couple and it sits in the water.

Princess cays toilets -

Does anyone know if there are toilets and changing facilities on Princess Cays. If so, where are they located? Yes, there are failities there and they were within close distance to the area that we were dropped off.

Princess Cay - Deep sea fishing -

Has anyone tried this excursion? Since it's a private island and unless someone knows of "outside" tours, it would seem they have a lock on the market. Just don't want to waste $200+ on a trip that is not worth it. Plus it seems pretty short, so thought I would check it out.

Princess Cays Waverunners/Jet Skis? –

I have noticed that there is no waverunner/jet ski excursion offered at Princess Cays. If that is correct, does anyone know why? Has anyone heard any news that this might be added as an excursion in the near future?

Lastly, if anyone has any active/adventure excursion recommendations for this port, please feel free to share... Heard there are no power toys at PC

No waverunners but they do have banana boat rides.

Walking-princess cays -

Are there any walkways on Princess cays if so what are they made of? Need to know if I'll be walking on concrete, sand, or cobblestone.

I would say all of the above actually depending on where you are. Add wood to the mix too. I tried to stick to the sand as much as possible.

Soda card princess cays -

Can you use the soda card on Princess Cays?

The soda sticker is NOT valid on Princess Cays. Although, I read somewhere there is one available for an additional fee valid on the ship and the island. Check when you get aboard.

Princess Cays shops -

Do any of the shops have Christmas ornaments in the off season? There are no real shops on Princess Cays. There are kiosks that sell local trinkets. I have not seen any Christmas ornaments at those kiosks.

In addition to the locals selling their wares at the little huts, Princess runs a souvenir shop on Princess Cays with similar stuff as what you'll see on board the ship. I'm pretty sure I have seen Christmas ornaments in there but I wouldn't bet the ranch on it!

Yes, they don't change out their supplies in their one enclosed shop, and yes they have ornaments

Kiosks are natives and their wears and I don't believe I saw any in them.

Also there is a tiny post office attached to the enclosed shop for those who want to buy Bahamian stamps.

Yes you can purchase a christmas ornament there. We bought one on our Caribbean Princess cruise back in April, go into the store that's actually a building....not one of the kiosks that were set up further down.

I was there for Thanksgiving. I was thinking the same thing...I'm pretty sure I saw ornaments but I got there right as they were closing and my shopping was limited by the time.

Princess Cays - clamshell? –

For everyone who has visited Princess Cays, were there ample umbrellas or did you rent a clamshell? I just noticed "Clamshells for rent" on the my shore excursions page. Must have some shade through the day.

The clam shells were pretty nice, but they can get rather hot from the sun beating on them.

I booked one and only stayed for about an hour. They are placed much too close together. Also, the beach in that area is not as nice as the one that has just lounge chairs. If you get off the ship in the morning, you will find lots of shaded areas where you can find a lounger. Personally I found the clamshell to be a waste of money.

Princess Cay vs. HMC –

Considering a couple cruises, one stops at Princess Cay, one at HMC. For those of you who have been to both, which do you prefer? We are especially interested in info on snorkeling, water temp, covered patios, walking paths and ease of tendering from/to the ship.

We found Princess Cay to be a little more crowded than HMC. It seemed as though we were on top of one another to get in the shade. Snorkeling was better at Princess Cay. You could snorkel from shore,at Princess Cay and see some sealife, but not much to see from the shore at HMC. Did the snorkel excursion there and that's were we saw some fish and a turtle. Food at both was your basic BBQ (hamburger, hot dog, salads, cookies). Been to each island only once. Someone with more trips to the islands may have other opinions or pointers for you. HMC used larger island based tenders while Princess used life boats from the ship. You will enjoy either island.

IMO, HMC is so much nicer. The sand on the beach is lovely, soft, and white while the PC beach sand is quite course.

I'd easily choose HMC over PC, especially if I could reserved a cabana for the day.

Been to both. HMC is definitely the better beach. Previous polls on this board have confirmed this. But PC is OK too.

HMC is the place to choose. Princess Cays didn't impress me. It was just like any other beach here in the U.S.

Princess could use some work in the beach maintenance and grooming department.

Great stirrup vs. Princess cay –

I have read that Half Moon Cay is far superior to Great stirrup and Princess, but how do princess and GSC compare?

We loved Princess cays. GSC is a beautiful beach with clear water but NCL has a lot of nerve putting that many people in such a small area (we were on the Pearl). By 11:00 it was unbearably crowded with people literally plopping their chairs inches in front of us. Also, lunch was not good- ice cold burgers.

We enjoyed Princess Cays. The BBQ was good (and free) and the beach was quiet and enjoyable.

Not even close IMHO. Princess hands down much nicer, though not as nice as Half Moon. As Neptune said, GSC is not set up to handle the amount of passengers that these new mega liners bring in. It looked to me that it was put together in 70's and very little done to it since then.

Princess Cays Bungalows -

Has anyone used one of the "new" bungalows yet? Any difference from the "old" ones that have been there for awhile? Also, does anyone have a map or list of the order of the bungalows by color? For example, what color is closest to the ship, then the next, etc. up to the color of the bungalow furthest from the ship?Is there still just one restroom for the bungalows or was one built when the new bungalows were built?

We were there in Feb. The "new" look exactly like the old. They are the farthest down the beach from the tender landing. On Crown first folks got number one, next got two, etc. We arrived, maybe 9 AM and got the red one that was near the "new" ones. There wasn't a nickel's worth of difference from one to the other so just relax and enjoy.

Any updates, new experiences or hearsay to what you get when you book a bungalow ?

Not sure if I still want to keep reservation. We were on the Emerald Princess in early December. When we got to our room on embarkation day, there was a letter asking us how many tender tickets we needed. I went down to the desk and said 6 and also asked if we could have a specific bungalow. We had no problem getting the one we wanted.

On the day we arrived, we walked over to the bungalows, promptly met our server who stayed with us all day. He provided us a sample of the bbq lunch and drinks (which we paid for of course). We tipped him generously at the end of the day, because his service was outstanding.

This is the 2nd time we have booked a bungalow- the first was on the Grand Princess in december 2007 and we received exactly the same service- except that we didn't request a specific bungalow, but that was only because we didn't know which one we wanted!!!

Are some bungalows better than others? We have one reserved also and if I can request one which would be the best?

We liked "pineapple" (I believe it is # 9), because it is opposite the stairs to the beach.

We have reserved a Bungalow on Princess Cay and wondered if we would be able to take a small cd player? Does anyone know if there is a power outlet. I know there in an air conditioner so was hoping there was an outlet. Would be nice to have some music.

Feb 09 - I would like to know if anyone that has rented a bungalow recently can give me information on the upgraded lunch. I know the bungalow service has changed over the last few months. If anyone has gotten the upgraded lunch, etc. it would really help to know how much it cost and exactly what you got for the price. Also, if it was worth it. We have a bungalow reserved for an April trip and are still trying to decide if it's worth the money. Thanks so much!

I would think one of the issues with bringing music with you is, what happens if you neighbors don't like your music taste and want some peace and quiet? The thing I hear about one of the reasons that people like being over by the bungalows is the peace and quiet compared to the other beaches. Now if a few people bring cd players and play their music loud enough to hear outside the bungalow what is it going to be like if there is country playing in bungalow 1, rap in bungalow 3, rock in another and so on. Personally I wouldn't want to be stuck in between or next to it and would be upset that I spent the $199 plus for the day.

I would hope that the bungalows aren't that close together that soft music would be that big of a problem. For that matter....loud screaming kids and obnoxious loud adults could be even more annoying. I think just being respectful all the way around is the way to go.

From looking at the pictures they are that close. In order for the music to be heard outside of the bungalow the volume will have to be put up to some degree.

I agree, loud screaming kids and obnoxious loud adults are very annoying. But, it would be even more annoying if on either side I had different music playing at the same time. Think about it, what if a young group on one side had head-banging or rap playing and you're just not that into that kind of music and then you had country music on the other side which you're also not into....that would be difficult to handle.

Many beaches do not allow radios, especially state beaches.

I do agree, respect is a great thing. It's just not something that I've always witnessed while cruising. Most cruisers are very respectful of their fellow passengers and then well....you get the rest.

Posted Nov 2 08 - Princess Cays Bungalow Review for 10/27/2008

Just thought I would post some info about our rental of a bungalow on Princess Cays this week. We were on the seven day Crown Princess cruise out of Fort Lauderdale on Sunday 10/26/2008. Our first port was Princess Cays on Monday 10/27/2008.

We had reserved a bungalow via the Cruise Personalizer on the Princess website, largely based on the wonderful reviews we read here on cruisecritic. Well, all of the wonderful accommodations that past cruisers received from the bungalow rental are gone, at least on our visit this week.

Past cruisers had reported getting called before arrival at the island to pick out which color bungalow that they wanted - no more - now when you get to the island you get a golf cart to a check in stand where they tell you which you have been assigned.

Past cruisers had reported getting a ticket to allow up to six persons to have priority boarding on the tenders - no more - now you wait in line with everyone else.

Past cruisers had reported getting delivery of food from the barbeque, plates overflowing with some of everything available - no more - now you get a pitcher of water and a bucket of ice. We asked the cabin attendant who would get drinks (for a fee of course) if there was still food service to the bungalows, and got a terse no.

The cost of the bungalow is still $199 for up to six persons but for that you pretty much get an airconditioned room, guaranteed loungers, a table and chairs, some ice and water.

Princess provides a letter with the bungalow ticket indicating that for $245 total ($199 plus an additional $46 for the first two persons) you get priority boarding and a deluxe lobster salad lunch. Additional two persons cost an additional $48.

When we returned to the ship we inquired at the tour desk to see if we should have gotten better service. We were informed that all of the previous accommodations had been dropped. In Princess' defense, I do have to say that the description of the service in the shore excursions listings for the bungalow rental does NOT include all of the goodies past cruisers reported.

If any of this may change your feeling about having pre-reserving a bungalow, please also be aware that once you board the ship any Princess Cays "excursion" such as the bungalow or rental of any watersports equipment cannot be cancelled for refund.

I guess the experience is different for each party. We were on the Emerald 10/22/2008 and we were given the opportunity to choose which bungalow we wanted (that were not already spoken for). We asked for, and were given, bungalow #12 which is the very last one. (6 more have been built and are awaiting completion). My guess is if you want a particular bungalow you must call the excursion desk and ask. Don't wait! We also had priority tender tickets. As for food service our attendant, Claudio, took very good care of us. We knew going in that drinks were extra including soft drinks. We got all the water we wanted. Claudio came with us to the barbeque and insisted he carry our food back to our bungalow. We did not take advantage of the cart ride in either direction as some did. They were there on request. While we were there it did rain quite heavily for a time and we were glad to have a place to go, as well as store all our stuff, and felt it was safe. In all, we will rent one again on our next trip to Princess Cay. By the way, Claudio is also a waiter in Sabatini's. Ask for him and you will see how attentive he can be. We had a great time.

I looked at reserving a bungalow for our 12/20 Emerald cruise and changed my mind since this is our 1st visit to Princess Cays and I'm not sure how long we will want to stay on the island. However, I guess the good news is, it sounds like the Emerald is still providing priority tender service when you reserve a bungalow. That just sounds like the right thing for Princess to do.

Princess definitely needs to develop some uniform standards for bungalow rentals.

Some people get the royal treatment one week, the following week, others get the royal shaft. Not very good business IMO.

We had a bungalow for our 10/19/08 Crown sailing, and we WERE given priority tender tickets, but did not have a choice of bungalows, however I asked, and our waiter brought us all sorts of food. He earned a tip for his efforts! For the six of us, we considered it a very worthy investment.

We were on the Emerald Princess 10/21-10/31. We reserved the bungalow for $199. Since there were 6 of us the price was most reasonable. We received everything that Princess described on their website. We weren't asked what color bungalow we wanted but who cared about that? Our waiter was great, he worked his butt off to accommodate us. Made several trips (in the rain) to bring us food, water, etc. In fact we tipped him extra for his efforts, it was well deserved. We weren't the only ones who were getting great service. All of the bungalows around us were being attended to by other waiters. I didn't hear of any complaints about the service or that people felt they didn't get their money's worth. Granted the weather could have been more pleasant what with the downpour of rain we had for about 20 minutes (mother nature at its finest!). But we were very happy to have had the bungalow while the water was pouring down from the clouds.

I don't mind getting my own food, but there are still waiters to get the, ahem, beverages, then, at least?

Just not sure if I will be pushing to get one now, especially being first time there. As someone said earlier, who is also going first time, not sure how much time they're/we're going to spend there. Just know that I do enjoy the idea of sitting in a/c and having someone bring me drinks all day.

Just had a call from Princess, I had emailed them to find out exactly whats included with the beach bungalows in the princess cays ? (after all the mixed reviews above)

they had to call their Los Angeles Office to confirm, its basically just the bungalow we will be getting, no luch, no early tender etc

I am afraid some people out here may be having fun providing mis-information about what is available concerning bungalows. Maybe available benefits for these are, indeed, determined by ship. As stated in my post, we felt we were very well taken care of by the crew of the Emerald. Had I listened to some of the "bad information" previously posted and I cancelled, we would have missed out on a great day on Princess Cay. We were even lucky enough to have fellow CC folks next door. Maybe this thread can be kept open by those returning from various ships with their own personal experiences who will give more objective answers. One post stated he/she didn't get a preference of bungalows, where I did. Good luck with your decisions and hope they work out to fit your needs. Happy Cruising!!

Posted - Nov 14 08 - We also rented a bungalow on Princess Cays and got full service. We had 6 priority tender tickets, were offered a golf cart ride to the bungalow, full wait service and our own personal waiter. We were asked when we wanted to eat lunch and it was ready at that time, complete with table linens. We were given more platters of food than the table could hold, so we had to place some on the corner shelves until we were ready for them. Yes, you will pay for your drinks and the soda sticker will not work on the island...because they only have canned soda there, but you do not have to go to the buffet. You will be served a full lunch at no additional fee. You are offered a gourmet picnic lunch when you get your tickets, but it is up to you whether you want to add this item. The bungalows are still full service, so someone is spreading rumors...probably by someone trying to stir up trouble, or who got wait listed. And, you all should know better than to listen to Princess customer service reps. Everytime you call, you get a different answer. Don't cancel your reservations and relax. No services have been taken away from the bungalows.

Princess provides a letter with the bungalow ticket indicating that for $245 total ($199 plus an additional $46 for the first two persons) you get priority boarding and a deluxe lobster salad lunch. Additional two persons cost an additional $48.

That package is optional.

Im just back, and we did get everything for the $199, I will try and answer some of your questions

Will we be able to get all 3 together? think you would have to be 1st off the ship, we didnt know what one we had until we arrived, and didnt get the choice, but in fairness we didnt ask for a specific one, but when we did get to the bungalow the table was only set for 2...so not sure how it worked

How many loungers are there? I have heard 2,4 and 6 which is it? there is 2 on the front porch, and 4 more directly in front on the sand with an parasol, also beach towels were there 4 of them im sure

table for 4? but bungalow for 6? where do the other 2 eat? not sure, maybe they will add 2 more seats

How far are the restrooms? about a 2-3 min walk behind the bbq area

How far is the BBQ (food)? see above, but out waiter brought us a selection, so we didnt go

Is the swim/beach area right there or how far to walk? just a walk through all the loungers to the water in front of the bungalows

Can you see the water? yeah right in front of the bungalows, as they are all set along the back of the beach front

Are the clamshells on the beach? are they closer to the facilities? yes i think they were but not 100% sure

Would we be better off getting several clamshells next to each other?

I know splitting the bungalow between 6 people cuts the cost, but we don't want to be far from the fun either. all the fun was at the other end of the beach (where you get dropped off) we didnt even know about all the games we missed until back on the ship

we were in bungalow 10 called sugarapple (pink one) this was 3rd from the end, there is 3 new bungalows at the very end, but havent been used yet, not got furniture, names etc

I just got off the Ruby and had a fantastic experience at Princess Cay, thanks to getting the bungalow. We had one of the newer bungalows. They are now open. They are just past the older bungalows but offer a very peaceful and relaxing environment. We had full service from our bungalow attendant. He brought us our lunch, drinks etc. It is true that you are a bit further away from the action but quite frankly there were so many people in the main area that I appreciated being able to retreat to the bungalow for some quality R and R. For my family this was money well spent.

Can anyone who has been to Princess Cays, tell me which of the bungalows are closest to the access point to the water? I think I'll be spending 50% of my time in the water, but want to be close to the bungalow as well. I don't care about privacy or being in a quiet area.... anyone know?

Bungalow #1 is closest to the action and water access. Although we were in #12 we didn't feel we were too far away either.

Just an update for those of us keeping track of these things-On the main board today 12-9-08 Princess Cay question-someone off the Ruby reported that they did not get a ride or food service.

Posted - Dec 08 - Yeah, we could have gotten a ride (I did ask), but if there was a designated spot for bungalow renters to be picked up and dropped off, I didn't see it. The walk wasn't bad at all though.

And no, our waiter wasn't able to bring us food from the buffet, he could only get us drinks. (Our waiter was Alessandro from Sabatini's, whom we'd seen nearly every day either for breakfast or dinner, which makes me wonder if we even got beverage service only 'cause he'd known us). Again, the walk wasn't bad and the lines at the buffet weren't very long (there's 4 stations) but it's apparant they've discontinued the service from the way it used to be. (We ended up in #10, the pink-purple one called "SugarApple", and on the real my biggest regret about getting a bungalow was that it wasn't hotter outside, which Princess really can't do much about )

Posted - Dec 13 08 - Just got back from 10 Day Emerald. I went on the cruise w/ 3 retired friends. The Bungalow worked out perfectly for us as one of my friends just had surgery and would have been unable to walk to the Bungalow w/o the golf-cart ride. It was an overcast day w/ some sprinkles so we were able to go inside when necessary. Had full service lunch w/ waiter, drinks, and sort of our own private patio/ beach front. Also had the priority tender tickets so went right to the gangway on Deck 4 of the Emerald, rather than wait for the cattle call in the Princess Theatre. At $50 bucks a pop, we felt spoiled and loved the privacy and convenience. There was a young family w/ kiddos next to us and I know they appreciated it too. Very fun!! I love Princess Cays! Should I cruise again I will not hesitate to get a Bungalow.

Posted - Dec 22 08 - Well, we were in bungalow #14, and it was fine! They gave us a ride and took us right up to the front door. Until the ride, I didn't know which one we would be in. No food service, but I needed the walk anyway (lost a pound on this cruise!). Access to the water was not far away at all. It was slightly chilly, but once you got in, it was wonderful.

Beautiful day, not too awfully hot, but I don't sit in the sun, so as my daughter sun bathed outside, I read my book and gazed out the open doors at the beautiful ocean. It was great to have the privacy of the cabin for changing. My daughter told me that the stop at Princess Cays made the entire cruise for her (even AFTER having kissed a stingray two days before!)

Being in the bungalows.. Are you far from the 'excitement' and fun? Is it too far away, for those that want to participate, yet close enough for those that more enjoy the quiet? Just another question that was brought up in our group.

Posted - Dec 29 08 - I am just back from my 7 day trip on the Crown Princess 12/21-12/28. We reserved a bungalow for Princess Cays and here is what we received.

6 priority tender passes

We were also given a letter that let us know about the added amenities that we could pay for. All of this for $48 per person (children under 12 are free) minimum of 2 people maximum of 6

Deluxe Bungalow Package!

- reserved beach loungers and umbrellas

- beach towels provided

- complimentary signature series Island Cocktail (alcoholic or virgin)

- bottled water

- dedicated and attentive service staff

- Served gourmet picnic luncheon

- Italian Style Antipasti

- Lobster and Mango Salad

- Artisan Cheese Board with Tropical Fruits and Fig Bread

- Island BBQ Selection

- Petite Pastry Specialties

We chose not to upgrade and thought I would post my additional comments. We did have 6 beach towels in our cabin, we did have reserved beach loungers and umbrella, we had regular ice water served to our cabin, we did have servers passing by the cabins all day - no problem to order what you would like to drink. We had cabin 6 and were within walking distance of the buffet and washroom facilities. We thought it was well worth the $199 price tag for what we received. If we had not received the priority tender tickets I would question whether it was worth it or not.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sCLlQQ5Uelo/SV...2/IMG_4799.JPG

The picture above shows most of what is available on the island. The far right is where the tender boats dock and the far left is the last of the beach cabins. The middle area with the dark red roof is where the BBQ is served. Most of the activities take place in the beach area between the tender dock and the BBQ area.

We are waitlisted for a Bungalow, we are hoping we will get one. What are people's experiences with being on the waitlist? Do you generally get one or not? To answer my own question... I just checked My Princess and we are now confirmed for a bungalow, so I guess you can get one even when waitlisted.

Crown seems not to do food service without paying the extra money and so far NO ONE has posted that experience. The BBQ food is often served by staff on other ships. The tender tickets are tipping the scales in favor of keeping the reservation. We go in Feb. and I'll let you know our experiences. Thanks to all of you for posting.

Goumet Picnic at Bungalow on Princess Cays –

I have experienced the regular bungalow service at Princess Cays. Can anyone tell me what the Goumet Picnic is like? I read once about one dish being a lobster salad, but that's all I can remember. Does anyone know for sure what is served for this extra upgrade?

If you look for the thread titled "Princess Cays Bugalows?" someone posted a PDF of the upgrade package and the cost - which is $295 per couple.

I found the thread by searching for "Princess Cays bungalow upgrade" From reading what you get with the upgrade, I think my husband and I will just book the bungalow. The upgrade package just seems worthless. "

Bumping this one up as it might be helpful to anyone going for the 1st time. Its a post of last year, if some of the info has changed, please feel free to ad new info or edit some of this.

Bumping this one up as it might be helpful to anyone going for the 1st time. Its a post of last year, if some of the info has changed, please feel free to ad new info or edit some of this.