How often do ships miss Coco Cay?

If the ship in unable to stop, would we get reimbursed for the activities we planned? The Cabana and slide/water playground? Or is it a wash?

If the ship in unable to stop, would we get reimbursed for the activities we planned? The Cabana and slide/water playground? Or is it a wash?

Yes, you will get reimbursed

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

If the ship in unable to stop, would we get reimbursed for the activities we planned? The Cabana and slide/water playground? Or is it a wash?

As Coco Cay is Royal's private island you would get reimbursed by the ship on the credit card you used if the ship does not do a stop there. If the Captain does a switch of Nassau and Coco Cay (determined by weather conditions) and you have something you booked and paid for in Nassau (not thru the cruise line) you would need to reach out to where you did your booking and see if they would alter the date.

We did not get into Coco Cay on our Anthem Cruise because of weather related issues. Rough weather on entire cruise but were on the Anthem - great ship - lots to do. So we had an extra sea day (weather in Nassau also was not good but we were in port there.) That would have been our first time at Coco Cay. We are going on a (quick) 3 day cruise on the Enchantment in April - Coco Cay and Nassau - hoping the weather will be better. I have B2B for Nassau and Coco Cay on Mariner in August. Maybe the Coco Cay pier will be done by then....

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

You can't control the weather. Our options are relax on the beach with the ocean, food and drink, or relax on board with a pool, food and drink. Unless you planned on snorkeling or a fancy shore excursion, it doesn't even qualify as a first world problem.

Ahh, but the snorkeling at Little Stirrup Cay (Cococay's true name) is awesome, out by the sunken planes and the cannons. Hundreds of fish!

I'm 1-for-1 there, and really want to go back, primarily for just the snorkeling.

It's great that they're building a dock there. It will eliminate misses when the sea-state is too rough for tendering, but ships will still miss when the prevailing winds are too high to safely dock.

And ships larger than Anthem will finally be able to stop there. We had hopes that our annual charter cruise on Independence would stop there next February, but alas, we're going to Labadee instead.

We missed it on our Transatlantic last year. I had booked a bungalow and was looking forward to a day at the beach. They refunded my money immediately and we spent the day at the pool.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Excluding a Hurricane, I would say that the odds are greater to miss Coco Cay during the Winter Months. Winds are typically higher in Winter months. Been there at least 8 times now and never missed. Months sailed were May-September.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I have 3 for 4 odds at getting to Coco Cay.

Love Coco Cay. Great beach stop.

I'm 0/1 in the recent years and have stopped booking Bahamas cruises because of it. I'd rather be guaranteed a stop in Labadee (plus an extra cruise night or 2 can't hurt). We're trying again in September on Mariner when the dock was *supposed* to be done. With my luck it'll be a cruise or 2 after that actually docks for the first time. I guess Royal is going to rope us into another one. ;)

Labadee is not a guaranteed stop, we skipped it this January on Navigator, Seas were rough and tides were high. We're told the beach would not be good. We had an extra sea day, got to Curaçao early and overnighted there (around 10:00 PM - should have been there early the next morning).

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I wish Labadee WAS a guaranteed stop. We found out otherwise in January 2016 when we couldn't stop there because of political unrest. I was totally crushed. :loudcry: I am hoping for better luck this coming October (yn)

That happens every few yrs in Haiti. Missed one myself same reason in 1990's

As Coco Cay is Royal's private island you would get reimbursed by the ship on the credit card you used if the ship does not do a stop there. If the Captain does a switch of Nassau and Coco Cay (determined by weather conditions) and you have something you booked and paid for in Nassau (not thru the cruise line) you would need to reach out to where you did your booking and see if they would alter the date.

Small correction: If your excursions are cancelled, the money will go back on your SeaPass account.

If you don't spend it, it IS refundable.

I was on Majesty in October and we got a surprise tropical storm which forced us to miss Coco Cay. I have been there before and was looking forward to going back but needless to say with a tropical storm, I totally understood why we would not be going given the circumstances. I will say the staff and crew did a wonderful job and overloaded the activities on the surprise day at sea and really stepped it up for us. Glad to see a dock is being built, although even the idea of being out on Coco does not sound fun in a tropical storm LOL

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Out of all of the cruises I have been on in Feb-July I have never been to CocoCay once. I am one of the people that jokingly think CocoCay is just a myth. I have been on 8 cruises which were supposed to stop at CocoCay. I guess that makes me 0/8. Trying one more time the first week of April with Enchantment. I just wish that CocoCay was our first stop that way if we have to miss it then we could split Nassau into part beach day part walk around day. I actually wouldn't have even booked another cruise going to CocoCay other then the fact it's a group of us going and I didn't get to pick the cruise. I'm really, really, really, really hoping we get to stop there this time.

That happens every few yrs in Haiti. Missed one myself same reason in 1990's

I'm assuming that was before the pier was built

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

And not just Coco Cay and Labadee, Key West and Grand Cayman is often missed due to high winds.

... I just wish that CocoCay was our first stop that way if we have to miss it then we could split Nassau into part beach day part walk around day. ...

The 4-day itineraries out of Port Canaveral have Coco Cay as the first stop. If they miss Coco Cay on that first day, they get another shot on the last day.

The 4-day itineraries out of Port Canaveral have Coco Cay as the first stop. If they miss Coco Cay on that first day, they get another shot on the last day.

That indeed has happened to us several times.

And not just Coco Cay and Labadee, Key West and Grand Cayman is often missed due to high winds.

Yep, we've missed both of those

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

Yep, we've missed both of those

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

Me too.

Actually, we have never missed any scheduled port, period. I guess we have been lucky.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

If the Captain does a switch of Nassau and Coco Cay (determined by weather conditions) and you have something you booked and paid for in Nassau (not thru the cruise line) you would need to reach out to where you did your booking and see if they would alter the date.

This is good advice. I have a private snorkel booked this June through Stuart Cove, Nassau. Never have done a private excursion there before, other than a resort for a day on our own. Thanks!

I'm hoping to make Coco Cay in June, of course we'll have fun regardless. I get a chuckle out of those that give Coco a 1star review just because they couldn't make it.

Small correction: If your excursions are cancelled, the money will go back on your SeaPass account.

 

If you don't spend it, it IS refundable.

Thanks...

Actually, we have never missed any scheduled port, period. I guess we have been lucky.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I'm guessing you should either play the lotto more OR go on more cruises. You either have the touch or you just haven't cruised enough. Either way GO YOU!!!!

And not just Coco Cay and Labadee, Key West and Grand Cayman is often missed due to high winds.

One of the times I missed Grand Cayman, they added Key West for us. It was the best debarkation ever. Our last stop was Grand Cayman and then returned to Miami. That night, we were informed that Grand Cayman was closed and would have an extra day at sea. (we were supposed to have a day at sea before returning to Miami). The next day, they told us we would be stopping at Key West the next day instead AND to prepare to be processed through immigration in Key West. We had to go through the immigration check point at Key West on the ship. We all lined up in the morning. Once we did that, we were free to disembark and enjoy Key West. When we returned to Miami, there was no check point. All we did was walk off the ship and hand our declaration form to the guard at the door as we left the terminal.

One of the times I missed Grand Cayman, they added Key West for us. It was the best debarkation ever. Our last stop was Grand Cayman and then returned to Miami. That night, we were informed that Grand Cayman was closed and would have an extra day at sea. (we were supposed to have a day at sea before returning to Miami). The next day, they told us we would be stopping at Key West the next day instead AND to prepare to be processed through immigration in Key West. We had to go through the immigration check point at Key West on the ship. We all lined up in the morning. Once we did that, we were free to disembark and enjoy Key West. When we returned to Miami, there was no check point. All we did was walk off the ship and hand our declaration form to the guard at the door as we left the terminal.

Nice! We were on board one Brilliance 5 night cruise with scheduled stops in Key West and Cozumel. Had to skip Key West due to high winds that closed the port to cruise ships, then ended up with only one port of call. Nothing was subbed. :(

Though lately, now that you don't have to fill out custom forms for U.S. to U.S. cruises...it goes pretty quickly at disembarkation to just present the passport and go. Has sped things up a bit I think.