CocoCay Day Beds - Details to Help You Choose

[BlueCattleDog]

Hi all! I visited CocoCay for the first time this year.  I knew I wanted to rent a day bed, but had a really hard time finding the detailed information I was looking for to help me select which location to choose (Chill Island, Breezy Bay, or South Beach).

 

I ended up choosing the Chill Island location, but wanted to share what I learned so hopefully that will help someone else.

I saw this map online while I was researching, but the key colors were so similar I thought it was hard to read.  I’ve marked the three day bed locations below.  That South Beach area is a little off in this map, but it’s roughly there at the end of that beach. Also note, there is a check-in stand for each day bed area right next to the beds.  Don’t walk around like I did trying to find some central check-in building.

 

 

 

Chill Island

 

These day beds are the closest to the ship, if that’s important to you.  Chill Island day beds are set up in three rows.  (The other two areas are set up in two rows.)  I ended up with a bed in the back row, which I thought I would hate, but it was actually the quietest row being in the back, which I liked.  I couldn’t really see the water very well in front of me, but I had a cool view of the water and ships behind me which you can see in these pictures.  You don’t get to pick your bed location, and I thought the least desirable ones for this location were the beds in the middle row.  

 

 

Chill Island: View behind my back row day bed 

 

Chill Island: View looking forward from my back row day bed

 

Chill Island: Three rows of beds

 

Chill Island: View of the free chair rows starting next to the day beds

 

Chill Island: Looking back at the Chill Island day beds, you can see them in front of the ship here.

 

 

Breezy Bay

 

These beds are set up in two rows.  Over water cabanas are out in the water in front but off the the right a little bit.  Free chairs are set up behind this grouping of beds as well as a snack shack.  The two rows of day beds are offset, so each bed should have a view of the water.  Of the three day bed locations, these are the second farthest from the ship.  
 

Breezy Bay: Photo from behind of two rows of beds

 

Beezy Bay: View of staggered beds, so each will have a water view.  Overwater cabanas in the distance.

 

Breezy Bay: View of overwater cabanas off to the right of the beach bed area

 

Breezy Bay: View of free chairs behind the beach bed area

 

Breezy Bay: View of snack shack behind the day bed area.

 

 

South Beach

These beds are the farthest from the ship.  They are set up in two rows.  The two rows of day beds are offset, so each bed should have a view of the water. There are bushes/trees behind the back row of beds.  There isn’t much past these beds on the beach.  There is a little nature trail through the trees that takes you to the beach beyond them, but not much else.

 

South Beach: Two rows of beds.  You can see the bushes/trees behind.

 

South beach: View down the beach to the right

 

South Beach: View to the left from the beach beds.  You can see the south beach cabanas on the beach and the Coco Beach club overwater cabanas in the distance.

 

South Beach: View looking forward from the back row

 

South Beach: View of the free chairs to the left of the beach bed area

 

 

 

My Final Thoughts

 

I was a solo traveler on this trip and don’t usually travel with kids, so your needs and priorities may be different, but if I go to CocoCay again and want to rent a day bed I would choose in this order, depending on availability:

 

1) South Beach  - this area felt the quietest, and with only two rows every bed has a good view of the water.
2) Chill Island - close to the ship, and you have a 66.67% chance of getting the front or back row.  Neat photos of the ship from the back row
3) Breezy Bay - If this was the only option, I wouldn’t book one.  There just seemed like a lot going on in this area (two ships were in port that day and we were the second to arrive).  

 

Hope this is helpful to someone. 
 

Edited July 3, 2023 by BlueCattleDog

[5xGrandma]

Thank you for the info. I am sure you have helped someone making plans.

[Merion_Mom]

This is great (and thorough!) information.  Thank you for posting.

[ShillyShally]

Thanks so much, this is super helpful!  Appreciate the time and sharing what you found!

[simon.hed]

I can't tell you how much I searched for EXACTLY the information you have posted here.  Many, many thanks for this.

[TequilaJane]

Thank You for great information and pictures. 

[ATG]

4 minutes ago, simon.hed said:

I can't tell you how much I searched for EXACTLY the information you have posted here.  Many, many thanks for this.

Me too.  We had a Breezy Bay booked, but changed it to South Beach.  After reading your comments I’m really glad we did.

[simon.hed]

1 minute ago, ATG said:

Me too.  We had a Breezy Bay booked, but changed it to South Beach.  After reading your comments I’m really glad we did.

literally exact same thing here. South Beach wasn't showing in CP for us. Breezy Bay was $100 cheaper and I couldnt find any (what I felt like was) actionable info on which was 'better'. So I booked BB.

 

A couple months later South Beach showed up in CP and I canceled BB and booked SB because that is our favorite area of the island.  

 

This post makes me feel better about that.  More kudos to @BlueCattleDog

[not-enough-cruising]

@BlueCattleDog fantastic post. Thanks for taking the time and effort!

[ShillyShally]

Am I looking at them right?  Each bed also includes 2 loungers with an umbrella?  I'm debating beach club right now which is $160.99 per person, but South Beach has the $199 beach bed rental available which looks even better if you also have your own loungers.  They provide towels too?  Would love to not worry about bringing any off the ship!

[ATG]

25 minutes ago, ShillyShally said:

Am I looking at them right?  Each bed also includes 2 loungers with an umbrella?  I'm debating beach club right now which is $160.99 per person, but South Beach has the $199 beach bed rental available which looks even better if you also have your own loungers.  They provide towels too?  Would love to not worry about bringing any off the ship!

I don’t believe that the towels are provided, but if I’m wrong someone will chime in.  It also includes floating mats.  The beach club has a “fancy” lunch that is very good.  But the difference in price just doesn’t seem worth it.

[ShillyShally]

1 minute ago, ATG said:

I don’t believe that the towels are provided, but if I’m wrong someone will chime in.  It also includes floating mats.  The beach club has a “fancy” lunch that is very good.  But the difference in price just doesn’t seem worth it.

We're vegan so I don't expect we'd get our mileage out of the fancy lunch though some have reported they have had good success (I'd be thrilled if I could get fresh veggies and hummus which I did see someone report in a picture).  The description says towels are included but I don't trust what they say either lol!

[teddybear231]

We stayed at the Chill Island day beds and Breezy Bay and personally I like Breezy Bay better. There was more room in between in day beds, the water was cleaner, and we had better views. We were also close to the snack shack and pool area which was nice. I guess it's all about your personal preference.

 

We haven't been back to the South Beach day beds yet, but I do hear they are nice and quiet. My worry is since they are so far from everything, not very ideal.

[ATG]

2 minutes ago, ShillyShally said:

We're vegan so I don't expect we'd get our mileage out of the fancy lunch though some have reported they have had good success (I'd be thrilled if I could get fresh veggies and hummus which I did see someone report in a picture).  The description says towels are included but I don't trust what they say either lol!

Lol, well the lunch would be a loss for you.  If I remember from the time we did it there was hummus and babba ganoush (I know that’s not spelled right but I’m too lazy to look it up).  But that definitely isn’t worth the cost.

[BlueCattleDog]

42 minutes ago, teddybear231 said:

We stayed at the Chill Island day beds and Breezy Bay and personally I like Breezy Bay better. There was more room in between in day beds, the water was cleaner, and we had better views. We were also close to the snack shack and pool area which was nice. I guess it's all about your personal preference.

 

We haven't been back to the South Beach day beds yet, but I do hear they are nice and quiet. My worry is since they are so far from everything, not very ideal.

Thanks for sharing your perspective! I tried to be careful to say my selections were based on my personal preferences. And I would certainly rather be farther away from things to be in a quieter area. I'm certain their are some who would prefer Breezy Bay for exactly the reasons you have said. There is food at South Beach, but it's certainly farther away from other things and activities.

[BlueCattleDog]

55 minutes ago, ATG said:

I don’t believe that the towels are provided, but if I’m wrong someone will chime in.  It also includes floating mats.  The beach club has a “fancy” lunch that is very good.  But the difference in price just doesn’t seem worth it.

I brought towels off the ship, but I do recall you could change them for fresh towels at the check in kiosk if needed.

[BlueCattleDog]

1 hour ago, ShillyShally said:

Am I looking at them right?  Each bed also includes 2 loungers with an umbrella?  I'm debating beach club right now which is $160.99 per person, but South Beach has the $199 beach bed rental available which looks even better if you also have your own loungers.  They provide towels too?  Would love to not worry about bringing any off the ship!

They include two loungers, umbrella, two floating mats, and a cooler with waters. 

[ShillyShally]

6 minutes ago, BlueCattleDog said:

They include two loungers, umbrella, two floating mats, and a cooler with waters. 

Great, thank you!  I'll grab ship towels for loungers and a bed and not having to remember to hunt down water ahead of time!

[ShillyShally]

9 minutes ago, BlueCattleDog said:

I brought towels off the ship, but I do recall you could change them for fresh towels at the check in kiosk if needed.

Oh, good to know too!  Thank you again!

[BlueCattleDog]

2 hours ago, simon.hed said:

I can't tell you how much I searched for EXACTLY the information you have posted here.  Many, many thanks for this.

Glad its helpful to you! I was so frustrated trying to find this info before I left, I made sure to go look at all the beach beds while I was there so I could report back haha

[didicruiser]

Thank you for posting!
 

[KBS1607]

This was so helpful. We splurged on an over the water cabana so I was excited to see them in the distance. I am looking forward to this day the most of our cruise. 

[cangelmd]

 

“Breezy Bay - If this was the only option, I wouldn’t book one.  There just seemed like a lot going on in this area (two ships were in port that day and we were the second to arrive). “

 

First, thank you thank you! I was just about to start searching for various questions on CC (which I hate doing, never works well) and your thread pops up, full of excellent info. Mods should make this one a sticky!

 

In regards to the quote above, can you explain a bit more? I’m assuming your main point is quiet vs noisy, or is it crowds? Why do you say no way?

Thanks again, super helpful.

 

[celestialcruiser]

This is excellent information and the photos very helpful.

[BlueCattleDog]

6 hours ago, cangelmd said:

 

 

“Breezy Bay - If this was the only option, I wouldn’t book one.  There just seemed like a lot going on in this area (two ships were in port that day and we were the second to arrive). “

 

First, thank you thank you! I was just about to start searching for various questions on CC (which I hate doing, never works well) and your thread pops up, full of excellent info. Mods should make this one a sticky!

 

In regards to the quote above, can you explain a bit more? I’m assuming your main point is quiet vs noisy, or is it crowds? Why do you say no way?

Thanks again, super helpful.

 

 

Glad it was helpful to you! I personally wouldn't book Breezy Bay because it felt like it was in the middle of all the activity to me. My preference would be quieter, less busy areas. (I actually took a nap in my beach bed lol) If you WANT to be close to things, with a snack shack right behind you, some people might like this location like the commenter above.