Mercury: Coco Cay, Etc.

[vcdarty]

We're booked for the Dec 12 sailing out of Baltimore: C'ton, Key West, Nassau, "Coco Cay." (I'm told that this is an itinerary developed because of a lack of sales for an Australian schedule.) Anyway.

 

Any feedback on the Coco Cay stop? Looks pretty grim to us, and heaven knows, we've done Key West and C'ton any number of times. Family circumstances dictate this voyage. The Baltimore port is convenient, in a word.

 

Comments, please?

[angelpug]

Coco Cay is the RCCL/Celebrity Private Island in the Bahamas. It's actually a nice beach stop. They set up a barbecue for the passengers, and the bar crew is there to serve (sell) drinks. There's a few vendors set up with some souvenirs..not a lot though. There's also a kids area with water trampolines, and a thing to climb on. They also have snorkling gear to rent, and para sailing. We had a nice day there when we went a few year back on the Galaxy...oh yeah...PLENTY of beach chairs in the sun and shade!

 

Hope this helps!

Jaime

[Rysyonok]

Is Coco Cay a better (safer, cheaper, more fun) alternative to, say, St. Thomas or some other Carribean island?

[CrabbyHarper]

Depends on what you want. I've been to St. Thomas three times and once would have been enough, but I am not a shopper and don't like crowds. On one trip, there were eight! other cruise ships in port.:eek:

 

Been to Coco Cay once, and liked it very much. A laid back beach break, not expensive at all unless your bar bill is high, or you buy souvenirs, or take some of the "shore excursions". At our age - just over Medicare age - we love lying in a beach chair under the trees and watching the world go by.

 

Hoping to book the same cruise on Mercury that OP is taking.

[Straughn]

Angelpug's description of Coco Cay sums it up perfectly. The only thing I would add is that I don't like the entry from the beach into the water- it is rocky and slippery. You can't really compare it to St. Thomas as Coco Cay is only a beach; St. Thomas has more options. As a shopper, I would take St. Thomas over one of the private islands any day. That is my personal taste, so don't flame me. I know a lot of cruisers really enjoy the private islands.