CocoCay Questions

[Tree_skier]

My first trip to Cococay was the last ship to go to CC before PDCC started at the end of April in 2019.  I could see all the new stuff but it wasn't available to us.  

[ARandomTraveler]

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Lets get the information accurate.  CocoCay was first leased to RCCL in 1988 and it became a private destination port of call shortly after as a regular itinerary visit.  As mentioned, our first visit there was in 1992 and we had visited five or six times since as a tender port (missing one due to high seas).  The pier was built in 2018, and the Perfect Day waterpark renovations were done in 2019, which is the year it was rebranded as Perfect Day. The pandemic interrupted what was expected to be the initial new development ramp up year, but it became a heavily trafficked destination since, to now include Celebrity on a regular bases. Ongoing work continued this past year. We have also been there four times since the restart. 

 

Labadee was acquired by lease in 1985, and has been an active port of call private destination since. It also was very sparsely developed initially, but has had continued development over the years.  Our first visit there also was in 1992 and we have been there many times since.  But it was no more or no less a destination than CocoCay.  CocoCay was always enjoyable as a modestly developed deserted island beach day, with ongoing improvements up to the 2019 build up. 

 

In other words they were both active private destination ports of calls for about 35+ years, which I can confirm from multiple visits to both over the past 32 years of our cruising career.

On my kayak tour on Thursday, the guide said they lease the island for 99 years at a time. He also said the staff lives on the island. They do 4 months on, 2 months off, unless they're Bahamian, in which case they do 2 months on, 1 month off.

 

I always assumed the staff came from the ship, but I guess they don't. 

[leaveitallbehind]

14 minutes ago, ARandomTraveler said:

On my kayak tour on Thursday, the guide said they lease the island for 99 years at a time. He also said the staff lives on the island. They do 4 months on, 2 months off, unless they're Bahamian, in which case they do 2 months on, 1 month off.

 

I always assumed the staff came from the ship, but I guess they don't. 

There is some staff that is based there 24/7 as well as at Labadee. My understanding is they are primarily maintenance and site support. Both locations are also supported by each visiting ship staff, primarily food service and bartending, as well as local day staff. Many of the CocoCay local day staff live in Great Harbour Cay, which is nearby.  And many of the Labadee local day staff are from Cap-Haitien.  Each place has a mix of staff during ship visits.

 

You are correct regarding the CocoCay lease which is a 99 year lease.  Labadee's is currently through 2050.

Edited July 21 by leaveitallbehind

[Hoopster95]

2 hours ago, soremekun said:

Some history (with pictures) of CocoCay.

 

Photos from 2010 & 2012 ... RIP Majesty

 

 

Then Snorkel Beach ... now Chill Island

 

Coconut Willie's Beach ... now Breezy Bay at Chill island

 

 

Close to tender area... this is where you now see the pier extending out to the right

 

 

 

Edited July 21 by Hoopster95

[notscb]

@Hoopster95 amazing photos! I almost wish the island was a bit more...island than six flags if you know what I mean. I wish I would have had a chance to visit when it looked more like a Caribbean natural island 🙂 

Edited July 21 by notscb

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, notscb said:

I almost wish the island was a bit more...island than six flags if you know what I mean. I wish I would have had a chance to visit when it looked more like a Caribbean natural island 🙂 

That was when we liked it the best.  Not our favorite now, but still a good time.  Our recent visits haven't been as a destination of choice but more as a port of call attached to the itinerary we were on.

[TheBeardedCruiser]

1 hour ago, notscb said:

@Hoopster95 amazing photos! I almost wish the island was a bit more...island than six flags if you know what I mean. I wish I would have had a chance to visit when it looked more like a Caribbean natural island 🙂 

I'm with you on that! I did enjoy the pool (except the DJ) and the food options, but the rest I could go without.

 

A couple of months ago I went to MSC's private island. It is what you described, a Caribbean natural island (for the most part). They have food and bars, shopping, and they built a lighthouse. Overall though, it's mostly just beaches.

 

If I had to pick I'd take.... Both!! Because either way, I'm on a cruise vacation 😀

[soremekun]

8 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

On my kayak tour on Thursday, the guide said they lease the island for 99 years at a time.

 

8 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

You are correct regarding the CocoCay lease which is a 99 year lease.  Labadee's is currently through 2050.

I'm of the belief RCG owns CoCoCay.  Perhaps RCI leases CocoCay from RCG?  That I do not know.

[leaveitallbehind]

3 hours ago, soremekun said:

 

I'm of the belief RCG owns CoCoCay.  Perhaps RCI leases CocoCay from RCG?  That I do not know.

Good point. I know that originally it was a 99 year leased island in 1988.  Perhaps with the $250 million investment in 2019 upgrading the island to the Perfect Day waterpark that it is today they assumed ownership of the property?  I have seen it reported both ways - "leased" and "owned". I always thought it was still under lease but clearly that may not be the case and I am not any authority to be certain of its' true status.  Perhaps others can confirm.

 

Royal Caribbean Group (formerly Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.) as the parent company of RCCL would IMO be the likely controlling entity either way.  

Edited July 21 by leaveitallbehind

[ARandomTraveler]

3 hours ago, soremekun said:

 

I'm of the belief RCG owns CoCoCay.  Perhaps RCI leases CocoCay from RCG?  That I do not know.

The tour guide said they lease it from the Bahamian government, but who really knows. He also took us all the way to NCL's private island just to tell us a story about Pablo Escobar and his downed cocaine plane, and then told us to look around and turn in anything we found to him. So he might not be all that trustworthy 😂

[Hoopster95]

21 minutes ago, ARandomTraveler said:

The tour guide said they lease it from the Bahamian government, but who really knows. 

 

@soremekun posted a thread last year about CocoCay which included a link to a great article on the history of CocoCay, it's timeline, and plenty of incredible historical photos. I saved that link....

 

https://www.cruisetricks.de/how-little-stirrup-cay-became-royal-caribbeans-private-island-coco-cay/

 

I had always thought prior to reading this article that RCG leased CocoCay from the Bahamian Government, but according to the article and a couple of others I've tried to look at, RCG actually owns CocoCay.

 

"In 1985, Neil P. Ruzic finally sold most of Little Stirrup Cay to the newly emerging cruise line Admiral Cruises –  Admiral Cruises, in turn, merged in 1988 into Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, today’s Royal Caribbean Group.

 

David Ruzic tells how it came to the sale of the island at that time: "My dad talked to other ships, too, to sell out every day. Some smaller ones took him up on the offer.... Once we started talking to Admiral’s direct competitors, they decided to buy the island in a hurry.“

 

"In 1988, Admiral Cruises was taken over by Royal Caribbean and with it Little Stirrup Cay. The cruise company soon began with larger reconstruction measures, which essentially were completed by 1990. At that time, Royal Caribbean invested a total of seven million dollars in the expansion of the island.

 

In 1990, the island also got a new name: Coco Cay. For marketing purposes, Royal Caribbean has consistently used the name Coco Cay since then, even though the geographical name of the island remains Little Stirrup Cay."

 

 

Edited July 21 by Hoopster95

[kittyraptors]

21 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I think they start closing up the buffet and snack shacks around 230 and completely closed up by 3 pm.    

Thank you!

 

21 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

You may want to check out the adult only beach area called The Hideaway.   More of a party atmosphere with live DJ.  

There is a charge that varies per cruise.  I've seen anywhere from $15 to $45.   Different food options there too

My friend isn't really a partier so I think we're going to skip this one. I watched a few reviews and it doesn't seem to be her style. If I was going with someone else I would probably go though. 

[kittyraptors]

19 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

Photos from 2010 & 2012 ... RIP Majesty

 

 

Then Snorkel Beach ... now Chill Island

 

Coconut Willie's Beach ... now Breezy Bay at Chill island

 

 

Close to tender area... this is where you now see the pier extending out to the right

 

 

 

That picture of Snorkle Beach is exactly how I remember it! I guess it was a tender then, totally forgot that! Looking forward to going back. 

[steveru621]

On 7/20/2024 at 8:29 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

Huh, apparently you haven’t been to Coco Cay in at least five years. Perfect Day at Coco Cay (not to mention the altered song) has been drilled into passengers heads since the revamped Coco Cay opened in 2019. Just an FYI, Labadee isn’t an island. 

 

OK the OP said 10 years ago not 5.  It just so happens I've been to CocCay a lot in the last 5 years, so we agree on the song.  Only 2 failed attempts in 15 years when there was no pier.