I went to Royal Caribbean's $250 million private island in the Bahamas and was shocked by how much I loved it

Sat, 03/18/2023 - 06:33

Tech Insider

Travel

• Many of Royal Caribbean's North American cruises stop at its private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
• The cruise line has seen "exceptionally high" demand for the destination, CEO Michael Bayley said.
• I visited the island in December 2022 and saw why travelers have been loving the Bahamian getaway.

What would you do if you had $250 million lying around? If you're Royal Caribbean International, you'd use it to build a private island — exclusive for your guests.

That's exactly what the mega cruise brand did in 2019 when it unveiled its own private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

And so far, it's been money well spent: CocoCay's financial returns have been "exceptionally high and significantly above its targeted returns," Naftali Holtz, Royal Caribbean Group's CFO, told investors in February.

Source: Royal Caribbean Group

The island — accessible on Royal Caribbean's itineraries — is filled with complimentary beaches, food stands, bars, and paid destinations like a private beach club and a water park.

All of this has attracted a swath of travelers, leading the cruise line to see "exceptionally high" demand for this Bahamian destination, Michael Bayley, its president and CEO, told investors in a recent call.

Source: Royal Caribbean Group

Many of Royal Caribbean's North American cruises stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. And this year, Bayley said the getaway will likely see 2.5 million to 3 million travelers.

This private island has generated plenty of buzz for Royal Caribbean. And after visiting it in December 2022, I now see why.

Perfect Day at CocoCay was the only port of call during my complimentary Wonder of the Seas sailing for media and travel agents.

Before I arrived, I expected an island with amusement park energy: Plenty of attractions for children and plenty of headaches for parents.

And while some amenities did feel like a theme park, overall, my afternoon on CocoCay was a surprisingly peaceful reprieve from life beyond the waters.

There was already another Royal Caribbean vessel there when my ship docked. But because the Wonder didn't sail at full capacity, the island wasn't cramped with visitors.

There was the option to take a tram from destination to destination. But I, like the star athlete that I am, decided to walk. Yes, I did regret this.

At least it brought me through tree-lined walkways and throngs of excited travelers.

In between the island's hot attractions — the water park, private club, and beaches — CocoCay had several small slices of respite …

… like these quiet hammocks and the open-air lounge with live music and views of a sandy lagoon.

Let's start with the Coco Beach Club, which members of the media got to tour.

The cost of a day pass varies by season. Royal Caribbean did not respond to Insider's inquiry about the prices of the island's paid attractions.

Here, paying guests have access to the beach club's restaurant, infinity pool, lounge chairs, and bar. The latter is one of 10 on the island.

You could also ball out on an overwater cabana with a slide into the water.

If you have the additional money to spend, the beach club could be good for guests who want a quiet afternoon.

But several of its amenities — like the beachfront lounge chairs and a pool — are already complimentary at other parts of the island.

If all you want during your trip is a nap on the beach under the sun, just head to the complimentary Chill Island or South Beach.

Source: Royal Caribbean Group

With rows of brightly colored lounge chairs and umbrellas, these two destinations looked nearly identical to hotel-owned beach clubs that cost a pretty penny to visit.

But here, I didn't have to open my wallet to breathe in the salty air and snag a seat on the beach.

I managed to find a spot in front of the water, giving me an idyllic break from my walk around the island.

The palm tree-lined walkways, bright blue sky, and quiet buzz from people chatting and laughing made these two complimentary destinations feel like a tropical getaway.

Sure, it's not as exclusive as Coco Beach Club. But it gets the job (relaxing by the beach) done.

For travelers who'd rather move around, there's also the option to rent snorkeling gear, take a jet ski tour, or even play giant billiards.

But as someone who was still sweating from her walk under the sun, nothing seemed more appealing than laying on a beach chair.

If my cruise itinerary had stopped at another island, my afternoon likely would have looked the same: lounging by the water.

And for this reason, I wouldn't have substituted my day at Perfect Day at CocoCay with another more publicly accessible destination.

I've always enjoyed going to the beach more than going to a pool.

But for people who can't stand the feeling of sand (I'll never understand you), there's also Oasis Lagoon.

Royal Caribbean says it's the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean. And at its peak, this "Oasis" felt more like a pool party with loud music and free-flowing booze.

Ironically, the children's water playground is right next door.

Media was given access to Thrill Waterpark during the later half of the afternoon. So off I went, abandoning my prime seat on the beach.

Like Coco Beach Club, a day at the water park and its pools, beach chairs, and 13 water slides costs extra.

But once you're in, you'll have access to Thrill Waterpark's crown jewel: Daredevil's Peak, which Royal Caribbean says is the tallest waterslide in North America.

After warming up on a few shorter slides, I decided to scale the several floors of stairs and stares to the Daredevil's Peak slide. At the top, I knew the 135-foot descent would probably be faster than my jaunt up.

But after convincing the operator I was "cold, not scared," I quickly realized the slide was no more terrifying than the other ones at the park …

… although the fall did feel significantly longer. I might as well have answered a few emails on my way down.

The second structure at Thrill Waterpark had less intimidating and more family friendly options, including a two-person rafting slide and racing slides.

Because it wasn't crowded, I probably could have tried every waterslide in under an hour.

For the less bold, there's also a wave pool and a separate pool with an interactive obstacle course.

Thrill is a great place for families. Teenagers can spend their afternoon on the slides, younger children can wade around the pools, and parents can relax on the beach chairs.

And much to my surprise, it was also a great place for this mid-20s-year-old to feel like a child again.

But after I had my turn down the slides, there wasn't much left for me to do there. I can only bop around the wave pool for so long before wanting a break.

And I'd much rather take this break on a lounge chair by the beach than by the water park filled with loud music and rowdy children (sorry).

After jaunting around the island and down a few slides, I decided to pass on the 1,600-foot-long zipline and helium balloon ride. These both cost extra, anyway.

But I don't feel like I missed out on attractions during my time at Perfect Day at CocoCay. As an older Gen Z, I wanted nothing more than to spend my afternoon laying out by the beach.

Sure, Perfect Day at CocoCay had all the bells and whistles of a cruise line-owned private island.

But I didn't feel the need to ball out on a cabana at Coco Beach Club, nor did I want to spend hours at the waterpark.

The smell of the saltwater, sight of the waves, and pain from the potential sunburns made me enjoy the island's complimentary beaches more than its paid amenities.

As far as cruise ship ports go, Perfect Day at CocoCay isn't rich with Bahamian culture and food.

Yet, while there was no historic architecture to explore or local culture to immerse myself in, I still found myself enjoying my relatively slow afternoon on the beach.

There was no need to run around from destination to destination like I have done at other ports of call.

Here, I could just splash around, take a leisurely stroll, and hope that my sunscreen is doing its job.

And for that reason, I understand why the cruise line has seen high demand for this slice of Royal Caribbean paradise at sea. This was one of the most leisurely afternoons I had in all of 2022.

From now until April 2025, 127 cruises will sail with a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Source: Royal Caribbean International

And in 2024, the cruise line will unveil an extension of the private island: Hideaway Beach, an adults only section with amenities like a pool and more private cabanas.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Tags

Travel, Real Estate, Royal Caribbean, Royal Caribbean International, Perfect Day at CocoCay, Private Island, Transportation, Business Visual Features

Source

I went to Royal Caribbean's $250 million private island in the Bahamas and was …