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CRUISING TO THE BAHAMAS:
COCO CAY |
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OVERVIEW
Coco Cay is a private island leased by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, which is a frequent port of call on cruises to the Caribbean and/or the Bahamas by ships of Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.
One of the small islands and cays that make up the Berry Islands, Coco Cay is located in the Bahamas and is approximately 50 miles north of Nassau. The neighboring island is Great Stirrup Cay, which is easily
visible from Coco Cay. Since that island houses Norwegian Cruise Lines’ private resort, NCL ships and tenders are often on the horizon.
The island was known as Little Stirrup Cay when the first cruise line to use the island Admiral Cruises operated a private beach there. However, following that line’s acquisition by Royal Caribbean, the island was re-named Coco Cay. Royal has invested millions of dollars upgrading the island.
Coco Cay is only about a mile long by 200 yards wide. The water surrounding the island is remarkably clear
even in the more developed part. There is lots of thick white sand. However, Royal Caribbean cautions that
guests should be mindful that there is rough coral underneath.
After an extensive $250 million redevelopment program, in 2019, Royal Caribbean unveiled a new Coco Cay. Whereas the island had had a beachcomber-style charm, the venue is now a sophisticated island resort that is much larger than before with upgraded facilities and attractions. Convinced of its new resort's attractiveness, Royal markets the destination as: "Perfect Day at Coco Cay."
The resort now covers most of the island. It still has pretty beaches but now it also has large swimming pools, sports options, bars and dining and amusement park attractions. There are plenty of ways to have a day in the sun.
One of the small islands and cays that make up the Berry Islands, Coco Cay is located in the Bahamas and is approximately 50 miles north of Nassau. The neighboring island is Great Stirrup Cay, which is easily
visible from Coco Cay. Since that island houses Norwegian Cruise Lines’ private resort, NCL ships and tenders are often on the horizon.
The island was known as Little Stirrup Cay when the first cruise line to use the island Admiral Cruises operated a private beach there. However, following that line’s acquisition by Royal Caribbean, the island was re-named Coco Cay. Royal has invested millions of dollars upgrading the island.
Coco Cay is only about a mile long by 200 yards wide. The water surrounding the island is remarkably clear
even in the more developed part. There is lots of thick white sand. However, Royal Caribbean cautions that
guests should be mindful that there is rough coral underneath.
After an extensive $250 million redevelopment program, in 2019, Royal Caribbean unveiled a new Coco Cay. Whereas the island had had a beachcomber-style charm, the venue is now a sophisticated island resort that is much larger than before with upgraded facilities and attractions. Convinced of its new resort's attractiveness, Royal markets the destination as: "Perfect Day at Coco Cay."
The resort now covers most of the island. It still has pretty beaches but now it also has large swimming pools, sports options, bars and dining and amusement park attractions. There are plenty of ways to have a day in the sun.
THE CRUISE PORT Building the pier.
For many years, Coco Cay was a tender port. Guests had to take a boat to get to and from the island from their ship. As a result, if the weather was bad or too windy for the boats to travel back and forth between the ship and the island comfortably, the call at Coco Cay had to be cancelled.
To alleviate this problem, in 2019, Royal Caribbean opened a pier that juts out into the sea from the northern side of the island. Ships now tie up at the pier and guests can simply walk ashore. Inasmuch as the pier is somewhat exposed, there are times when a ship cannot dock due to strong winds. However, the pier has significantly reduced the number of missed calls and has made the process of going ashore much easier. Once ashore, most guests walk to the island's various attractions. However, Royal also operates a tram service, which runs from the tram station near the pier to the other side of the island. |
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Docked at Coco Cay: Majesty of the Seas (above left); Mariner of the Seas (above right); Symphony of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas (below).
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For more about cruising to Coco Cay:
Click here for Coco Cay beaches and other areas Click here for Coco Cay bars and dining Click here for Coco Cay shopping and other attractions |
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Cruise destination - Coco Cay, The Bahamas - Coco Cay Overview