Coco Cay, Over Used, Or Not?

[Russ Lomas]

4 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I think Coco Cay gets tired after you've been there a couple times, but the frequent cruiser isn't who they're marketing it to.

We have been there twice and look forward to returning there on 2 upcoming cruises we have booked.  I would gladly go to Coco Cay anytime over Nassau and Falmouth personally, but everyone is different.

 

3 hours ago, Ret MP said:

Cozumel is one of those that I try to avoid.  Why?  Because I've been there toooooooo many times.  But, it is a lot easier to avoid today, it's no longer THE THING.

Glad there are lots of choices out there.  I have been to Cozumel about 30 times and love it every time I go back there.  Cannot say the same about other ports I have had enough of (Grand Cayman, for example, for myself).  To each their own.

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, Ret MP said:

1.  Is RCCL over selling/utilizing the island in your opinion? 

2.  If you are one of those that really like Coco Cay, and you cruise often out of the east coast and Galveston, do you think you will get tired of Coco Cay?

3.  If you don't like Coco Cay, what are you going to do?

Royal has made a multi multi multi million dollar investment in the island. 

 

Royal has a couple of hundred employees on contract in the dorms on the island... that cost them money with or without a ship docked. 

 

Royal is going to generate as much money from the island as possible, which means any ship within a few hundred miles will call there. We were on a cruise that stopped there twice in 7 days. 

 

It is a lovely beach day. 

[BlueBayouAZ]

3 hours ago, Ret MP said:

Ya, it looks like they are going to start in July 2024:

 

Actually the Radiance OTS is sailing 9 nights to Key West, CocoCay, Freeport, Nassau, and Bimini later this month (I’ve had it booked nearly a year 🙂 ) and in March too. 

[daninwi]

How does the saying go?  It's all in the eye of the beholder.  

 

As a Midwesterner, any visit to Coco Cay is a value to us.  We've been there over six different times, and each stop has given us something new.  We haven't used every beach area yet, tried less than half the venues for food and drinks, never spent any money on additional excursions, we've never not gotten into the ocean and failed to say 'ahhhhh'.  

 

Are there better, more beautiful, more awe-inspiring venues.  For sure.  But what does it cost to get there and enjoy?  

[SG65CB]

5 hours ago, Ret MP said:

3.  If you don't like Coco Cay, what are you going to do?

 

Book cruises out of Puerto Rico and visit a lot of islands not visited from Florida or Galveston.

 

One nice thing about Coco Cay is you can have a very nice day there without spending any money. As a bonus, the drink package and diamond drinks are available. 

[DallasGuy75219]

Who cares?  If you don't like CocoCay, either stay on the ship or book a cruise that doesn't go there.

Edited February 8, 2023 by DallasGuy75219

[joeyancho]

I'm not a fan of private islands.   A little too Disney for me.   I'd rather visit an island or Port where I can see some history or architecture and eat local food or buy local art and handicrafts.  I do understand why people like the private islands and I do have a good time when I go there.  It is just that I prefer port stops more.  

[Ocean Boy]

11 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

CocoCay is what you want it to be.  It can be a free beach day or you can choose to pay to do a lot of different things.  Quite frankly I'd rather go there than some of the islands where I have to pay to get to a beach and then pay for food at the beach and pay to get back to the ship.  A beach is a beach.

The problem occurs for those folks who have no interest in beach days. At least at a regular port stop there are options for everyone. 

[A&L_Ont]

Even when Royal ships can't dock, due to the weather, Disney ships take their place at Coco Cay.  😉

[sjb317]

We have been to Coco Cay at least 8 times since it became “Perfect Day.”  I tend to be a very cheap person😂, unless it is something I really want.  So no cabanas, beach club, or water park for us, we just relax at the pool or on the beach or both, depending on the weather.  I’m always happy to go there. 
 

Sherri🙂

 

 

[sjb317]

49 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Even when Royal ships can't dock, due to the weather, Disney ships take their place at Coco Cay.  😉

😂😂😂

[moposh]

Ships out of Baltimore also visit Coca Cay.  I'm planning to go on a cruise this summer that visits Bermuda and Bahamas.  I could do without the trip to Nassau, but look forward to visiting CC.

[superduper123]

I have never been to Coco Cay, and have no desire to go. I purposely avoid booking a cruise that stops there. I don't cruise to go to the beach; I cruise to see other countries /cultures. 

[Ret MP]

9 hours ago, Russ Lomas said:

We have been there twice and look forward to returning there on 2 upcoming cruises we have booked.  I would gladly go to Coco Cay anytime over Nassau and Falmouth personally, but everyone is different.

 

Glad there are lots of choices out there.  I have been to Cozumel about 30 times and love it every time I go back there.  Cannot say the same about other ports I have had enough of (Grand Cayman, for example, for myself).  To each their own.

LOL, a perfect example of: "To each their own", as you said.  In contrast, I really enjoy(ed) Grand Cayman.  And, I never felt safe, for my family, in Falmouth. So, again, "To each their own". 

 

That's what life is all about and how it should be.

[Ret MP]

9 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Royal has made a multi multi multi million dollar investment in the island. 

 

Royal has a couple of hundred employees on contract in the dorms on the island... that cost them money with or without a ship docked. 

 

Royal is going to generate as much money from the island as possible, which means any ship within a few hundred miles will call there. We were on a cruise that stopped there twice in 7 days. 

 

It is a lovely beach day. 

Okay

[Ret MP]

9 hours ago, SG65CB said:

 

Book cruises out of Puerto Rico and visit a lot of islands not visited from Florida or Galveston.

 

One nice thing about Coco Cay is you can have a very nice day there without spending any money. As a bonus, the drink package and diamond drinks are available. 

All good points.  And if it wasn't for flying to Puerto Rico (I really prefer not to fly), that's exactly what I'd do.  

[acuprulez]

I like the island but they really need to add a suites only area like labadee.

[Denversail]

55 minutes ago, acuprulez said:

I like the island but they really need to add a suites only area like labadee.

I thought the suites were given access to the beach club?  I know you can buy access to the beach club but also thought it was included with certain suites.

[The Fun Researcher]

I just don't like when they tack it onto the first day, or last day of the cruise.  I MUCH prefer having at least one sea day at the start, and preferably two sea days at the end of an itinerary.

 

I'm not mentally prepared when it's day 1, and when it's the last day it's way too crammed considering you have to pack that evening.

 

I do feel like it's overcrowded many days though, especially to your point, when you have a mega Oasis class ship with another large ship in port.  There are days when you have an Oasis class and a Quantum Ultra class at port the same day!  That's just too much.  It took us 30 minutes just to find a lounger this past June when we were on the Allure docked with the Mariner.  Granted it was 10:30 am by that time, but still, this is NEVER a problem at Labadee and the lovely Columbus Cove beach area and their loungers.

[not-enough-cruising]

15 hours ago, Ret MP said:

Ya, it looks like they are going to start in July 2024:

 

There were a few last fall as well 

[SimonStern]

I love Coco Cay, and look for itineraries that include it (yeah, they are easy to find. 🙂 )

I suspect Royal will buy more private islands and offer different experiences on each.  Eventually all of their cruises will be from RCL owned private islands to RCL owned private islands.  I look forward to that personally.

[hotsauce126]

I like having it compared to places like Falmouth or Freeport but living near the beach makes coco cay not all that exciting

[kmpjdd]

I love Cococay and purposely booked my next trip to include it.  I think it is so perfect for people with young kids- there is no private transportation to worry about (what about car seats?), I'm not locked into some 6 hr Royal-sponsored beach trip when my child decides they are done for the day, and I don't have to worry about finding food for lunch or snacks.  I love that I can do the whole day without spending any money if I want to.  Even without a young kid, I would love it just because it is easy and a day that I don't have to plan anything.  I would go there every cruise if I could haha.

[Ocean Boy]

15 hours ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

Who cares?  If you don't like CocoCay, either stay on the ship or book a cruise that doesn't go there.

Pretty good generic statement that could apply to 90% of the stuff talked about on CC. 

[PompeySailor]

6 hours ago, Denversail said:

I thought the suites were given access to the beach club?  I know you can buy access to the beach club but also thought it was included with certain suites.

No suites get beach club access included, all ships all classes No Bueno

You don’t even get it sailing in Star Class