Ocean Cay questions

[cmp03]

Are the chairs free on every beach?  I know umbrellas are only free and first come first serve on the one beach and I feel like I have seen people say you have to pay for chairs at the other beaches but I have only seen umbrella rentals listed online.

Are there trams that will take you to beaches if you are not YC or would you have to walk to all of them?

Are there areas worth snorkeling at from the shore?  Should I bring fins or would just mask be ok?

If you're staying over night at the island, I think I read you have to be back on boat by 11:30 pm, how early can you go back onto island the next morning.  I saw you could book a sunrise cruise but can you just go onto island and watch sunrise from there?

[shipgeeks]

It has been 2+ years since we were at Ocean Cay, but at that time chairs and loungers were free.

We saw trams running around to take people to various areas.

We snorkeled at Snorkel Beach.  We don't use fins.  Saw a few fish; others said they saw a bit more. I think the sealife population is growing, as the turtle hatching program continues, etc.

Ocean Cay is our all-time favorite destination.  Can't wait to get back there again.

[sammee]

New to MSC and Ocean Cay. I rented the cheapest cabana for my cruise next month. Now I'm seeing posts about small sharks, jellyfish, itching, etc on the South Beach side. I have no idea where my cabana will be, if I'll be effected or be on a better side. If anybody has more info for me, it would be much appreciated as now I'm wondering if I made the right choice. I haven't run into this on Half Moon or Coco Cay or maybe I have and just didn't know it, lol.

[ucmom3]

There is a tram that can take you to a tram stop that is close to where you would like to go. Most cabanas are on South Beach, except YC of course. Chairs are free, rent umbrellas. We saw lots of people snorkeling under the bridge that goes over to YC, they said they were seeing lots of fish. We did see a shark from our ocean facing balcony while docked there. There is lots of sea grass, or was when we were there, we had cabana 25, right by the bar. We bought inflatable rafts off Amazon and floated right over the grass, there’s no way I would put my feet in it. 

Edited August 16, 2022 by ucmom3

[2cruiseluvrs]

On 7/3/2022 at 3:55 AM, shipgeeks said:

Ocean Cay is our all-time favorite destination.  Can't wait to get back there again.

 

I am excited to visit OC sometime in the future, but I find your statement a little surprising. I don't doubt that it is a good location, but I don't understand why going to a larger port isn't more interesting. I am not questioning your judgment, but I am curious why you say this is your all- time favorite destination? What makes it the best of the best? 🙂

[2cruiseluvrs]

On 8/15/2022 at 5:15 PM, ucmom3 said:

We ... floated right over the grass, there’s no way I would put my feet in it. 

 

What happens if you put your feet into the sea grass?

[shipgeeks]

On 9/25/2022 at 1:50 AM, 2cruiseluvrs said:

 

I am excited to visit OC sometime in the future, but I find your statement a little surprising. I don't doubt that it is a good location, but I don't understand why going to a larger port isn't more interesting. I am not questioning your judgment, but I am curious why you say this is your all- time favorite destination? What makes it the best of the best? 🙂

We are not even beach people anymore, but we found OC just so beautiful and magical.  We've been to the "larger ports" so many times; no longer interested in passing a Caribbean KMart to get to a beach, or being surrounded by taxi stands, noise, vendors, or day resorts with unlimited drinks.  OC is quiet, and free of all the commercial stuff.  Just turquoise water, white sand, palm trees, and sky.

I do have other favorite cruise destinations (Naples, Italy would be one); but as far as beaches/islands/Bahamas or Caribbean ports, Ocean Cay is at the top for me.

[Gambler458]

On 7/9/2022 at 9:44 AM, sammee said:

New to MSC and Ocean Cay. I rented the cheapest cabana for my cruise next month. Now I'm seeing posts about small sharks, jellyfish, itching, etc on the South Beach side. I have no idea where my cabana will be, if I'll be effected or be on a better side. If anybody has more info for me, it would be much appreciated as now I'm wondering if I made the right choice. I haven't run into this on Half Moon or Coco Cay or maybe I have and just didn't know it, lol.

Hi,

How did you pick which cabana you wanted?  Was it worth it?   I'd like to get one next month.

Are they near a bar and food?

Thx

[sammee]

8 hours ago, Gambler458 said:

Hi,

How did you pick which cabana you wanted?  Was it worth it?   I'd like to get one next month.

Are they near a bar and food?

Thx

They picked the cabana for me. I don't know if you can choose your own, our instructions were not clear. We got to the rental desk on the island. They brought us to one. We didn't pick, but it was near the food and bathrooms. I didn't buy any bar drinks, so I can't answer that. On day 2, we just got one of the free umbrellas and chairs that are the first section when you get off the ship. To me, I could have gone without the cabana, except for the bathroom and lunch convenience.

[noshoobie]

Can you rent snorkel gear at Ocean Cay? 

[celestialcruiser]

We saw two small lemon sharks (I think that's what they were called) at South Beach. The lifeguards call them their pets, Salt & Peppa. They aren't dangerous and about a foot long maybe. 

[2cruiseluvrs]

[Hlitner]

On 3/28/2023 at 9:23 AM, noshoobie said:

Can you rent snorkel gear at Ocean Cay? 

Yes.

[DataDon]

How is the wifi on OC? Free?