As a frequent Royal Caribbean cruiser, one of my favorite ports of call has become Perfect Day at CocoCay, their private island in the Bahamas.
Perfect Day at CocoCay truly has something for everyone. I have been to CocoCay five times and I cannot wait to go back again this year. As a retired woman in her 60s, these are the top things I love about Perfect Day at CocoCay.
1. Safe and well-maintained island
First and foremost, I love how well Perfect Day at CocoCay staff maintain the island.
The island is free of litter and has clean bathrooms, buffets, and eating surfaces. I feel very safe everywhere on the island. I know I won’t be hounded to purchase something as soon as I get off the ship. This is something that eases the anxiety that I often experience at many ports of call in the Caribbean.
There are hundreds of Royal Caribbean employees who live and work on the island. So, there are plenty of staff to keep everything running smoothly, taking care of any questions and issues, and providing great service.
Every time I have visited Perfect Day at CocoCay, I’ve had a great experience with no worries about my safety.
2. The free tram can take you anywhere on the island
There are so many different areas on the island you can explore!
You can grab the free tram that will take you around the island if you first want to check out all of the island before deciding what area you wish to visit.
The tram is also nice to move between the areas of the island if the heat makes it unpleasant to walk very far.
3. Relaxing areas
Since I am not a sun worshipper, I really enjoy the many hammocks in the more secluded spots on Perfect Day at CocoCay. Many of them are in partially shaded areas so it isn’t as hot while I enjoy a good book or even take a short nap.
With two cruise ships worth of passengers all on the island at once, it’s surprising you can find spots where you feel like you almost have the island to yourself.
There are many other relaxing areas on the island, like the private cabanas, but these hammocks at Chill Island are one of my favorite free places to unwind.
4. Free food options
The free food options are plentiful!
Perfect Day at CocoCay is the one place I can get a funnel cake while on a Royal Caribbean cruise. The fried-like donut topped with powdered sugar is always a treat and reminds me of our county fairs back home!
You can find funnel cakes at the Snack Shack. This free venue is located in a few areas of the island, including South Beach, Thrill Waterpark, and Oasis Lagoon. The Hideaway Hut also offers funnel cakes.
The first time we took our parents (in their 80s) to Perfect Day at CocoCay, they claimed they “weren’t hungry,” but the open-air buffet at the Chill Grill surprised and delighted them
They ended up finding many things to snack on throughout the day, including hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, corn on the cob, BBQ ribs, salads, fresh fruit, and soft-serve ice cream. There’s even a full taco bar!
After eating at the Windjammer buffet on the cruise ship daily, eating at the Chill Grill in your swimsuit with sand all over your feet is a nice change!
5. Oasis Lagoon
While at Perfect Day at CocoCay, you’ll have a choice to get into the ocean water or dip into one of the many pools. My family usually gravitates to the Oasis Lagoon, which is very popular. You may have difficulty finding a lounge chair here since it is usually busy. The vibe is always upbeat!
The shallow pool is easy to relax in and enjoy your cocktail while leaning up against the pool’s edge. The swim-up bar is a great place to snag a cold beverage. I love that I can use my Crown and Anchor Diamond Plus drinks at all the bars on the island.
6. Adults-only Hideaway Beach
For between $30 and $50 per person, you can pre-purchase a pass to Hideaway Beach: an adults-only beach club.
Pro tip: The area has a maximum occupancy, so it would be to your advantage to pre-purchase a pass before your cruise. We watch for price changes, and when the price dropped lower than what we originally paid, we canceled and rebooked. This saved us around $20 per person.
Hideaway Beach is home to a heated, infinity pool. The warm water feels good on those days when the temps are slightly cooler. The pool area also has a swim-up bar and a DJ that plays party-like tunes.
One of my absolute favorite foods at CocoCay is only available at Hideaway Beach. All you can eat coconut shrimp at the Hideaway Hut. I devour my fill of the crispy fried shrimp, which in my mind almost pays for the daily admission. Please don’t judge me, but 18 coconut shrimp is my record!
Another favorite spot at Hideaway Beach is On the Rocks shaded bar area. They have live music, pool table and shuffleboard to enjoy.
We usually play Five Crowns and listen to music in the shade after we are tired of the sun. Located at the far end of Hideaway Beach, it’s never too busy, and finding a chair is easy.
I have a funny story to share from my first visit to Hideaway Beach. The infinity pool was packed. The pool’s edge was lined with people holding their cocktails and overlooking the beach. My sister-in-law and I decided to try out the hammocks near the infinity pool.
As we tried sharing the hammock, it flipped us both over, landing us on our butts in the sand. We were both very embarrassed as we felt we were on stage for all the infinity pool railbirds to watch. I slowly got up with my ego and my back (as I landed on the wood support) bruised. I didn’t look back to see the expressions of all the people who happened to witness our mishap.
It still makes me smirk that it happened to us. Every time I return to Hideaway Beach, I secretly hope to see another poor soul have the same mishap, so I don’t feel so clumsy!
All in all, I enjoy hanging out in this adults-only area like the adults-only Solarium on a Royal Caribbean ship.
