I went to Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas. It's not for me, but I get why cruisers love it.

Aug 18, 2026 02:02 AM - 1 hour ago 1

A composite image of the writer successful her snorkeling cogwheel and a position of CocoCay from above

Business Insider's newsman went to Perfect Day astatine CocoCay connected her first cruise pinch Royal Caribbean. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

At first glance, it whitethorn look like Perfect Day astatine CocoCay has thing for everyone. Royal Caribbean's 125-acre private island successful the Bahamas is filled pinch thrilling adventures and relaxing beaches for vacationers.

You'll find overwater cabanas, quiet places to chill, and shorelines bumping statement music. Adrenaline seekers tin title down gigantic waterslides, zip statement crossed the island, and soar supra it successful a basking aerial balloon.

I visited CocoCay during my first cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas successful May 2022. Although it provided beautiful overmuch each activity I could deliberation of for a Caribbean vacation, the land felt for illustration an hold of the ship. I longed for a much authentic Bahamian experience.

Perfect Day astatine CocoCay is Royal Caribbean's 125-acre backstage land successful the Bahamas.

Perfect Day astatine CocoCay land pinch basking aerial balloon and h2o slides seen from supra pinch clear bluish waters surrounding it and partially cloudy skies behind

Perfect Day astatine CocoCay arsenic seen from Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas cruise ship. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Royal Caribbean isn't the only cruise statement pinch a private land successful the Bahamas. Carnival, Disney, and Norwegian each person their ain exclusive Bahamian paradise.

The land is only accessible to cruisers connected Royal Caribbean ships.

Two cruise ships docked astatine CocoCay connected a partly-cloudy time pinch bluish skies

Two ships docked astatine Perfect Day astatine CocoCay. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

CocoCay was the last extremity of my seven-night Caribbean cruise that sailed retired of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We besides stopped successful Roatán, Honduras, and Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico.

As cruisers measurement onto the island, a set greets them pinch Caribbean tunes.

Band plays nether a hut astatine CocoCay

A set plays nether a hut successful CocoCay. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I thought the set group the chill, Caribbean vibe arsenic I walked disconnected the dock.

Most attractions connected the land are complimentary, including the nutrient and galore of the pools and beaches.

Poeple bid from the Snack Shack astatine CocoCay pinch a bluish awning supra and clear bluish skies above

People bid nutrient astatine Perfect Day astatine CocoCay. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Guests could munch connected the island's burgers, basking dogs, salads, and sandwiches. There were besides desserts for illustration cookies, brownies, and chimney cakes.

Some breathtaking features costs extra, for illustration the waterpark and basking aerial balloon rides.

side-by-side photos show ziplining (L) and the basking aerial balloon astatine CocoCay (R)

The island's zip statement and basking aerial balloon. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Other excursions besides incurred an further price, specified arsenic zip-lining, snorkeling, and pitchy skiing.

Maps, signage, and color-coded paths make the land easy to navigate.

A reddish way pinch a motion connected the near directing guests astatine CocoCay connected a partly-cloudy day

Signs nonstop guests astir the island. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Green leads to Chill Island, orangish leads to Oasis Lagoon, and bluish leads to Thrill Waterpark.

Getting astir is easy, too. You tin either locomotion aliases thrust a free tram to different parts of the island.

The tram position pinch thenar trees connected a partially cloudy time astatine CocoCay pinch bluish skies

The tram position astatine CocoCay. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I thought the tram was a bully touch, but I preferred getting astir connected ft truthful I could return my clip enjoying the paths successful betwixt beaches and activities.

If you're looking to relax, caput to Chill Island. It's free to access.

People locomotion done entranceway to Chill Island astatine Coco Cay connected a partially cloudy day

People locomotion into Chill Island. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Chill Island is the spot to walk a laid-back time successful a lounge chair successful the sand. It has nary music, making it the quietest formation connected CocoCay. The formation is lined pinch umbrellas and chairs, each of which are free to use.

If you want much privacy, you tin rent a daybed connected the beach.

You tin besides book an over-the-water cabana for an added price.

Floating cabanas astatine the formation successful CocoCay pinch clouds successful the background

People bask cabanas connected the water. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

These floating cabanas costs $1,000 to rent erstwhile I visited.

Of course, location is simply a swim-up barroom offshore.

People astatine a swim-up barroom successful CocoCay successful the water pinch cloudy skies successful the background

A swim-up barroom astatine the formation of Chill Island. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Cruise vessel portion packages widen to CocoCay.

For a much progressive formation day, cheque retired South Beach connected the different broadside of the island.

People play life-size excavation and volleyball astatine CocoCay pinch thenar trees successful the background

People play billiards astatine South Beach. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Here, you'll find plentifulness of activities, for illustration basketball, volleyball, and jumbo-sized billiards, among others.

Both beaches connection complimentary amenities, including life vests.

A motion says "Cleaned and fresh for you" supra a rack of bluish life vests connected the formation astatine CocoCay pinch thenar trees and cloudy bluish skies successful the background

Life vests astatine CocoCay. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

This could beryllium particularly useful for families walking pinch kids.

Both beaches person snorkeling shacks. I was capable to rent cogwheel for $37.

The writer goes snorkeling astatine CocoCay

The writer went snorkeling. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I went snorkeling astatine Chill Island and saw immoderate neat food adjacent to the shore.

The beaches person vibrant souvenir shops.

Shops successful the soil betwixt thenar trees astatine CocoCay connected a partly-cloudy day

Shops connected the formation nether the thenar trees. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I spotted T-shirts, beachy accessories, and essentials, specified arsenic sunscreen, for sale.

If you for illustration the pool, caput to Oasis Lagoon.

A excavation pinch 5 mini fountains astatine the entranceway astatine CocoCay pinch thenar trees and cloudy bluish skies successful the background

Guests bask the excavation successful Oasis Lagoon. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

It is location to the largest freshwater excavation successful the Caribbean, according to the cruise line. The excavation features respective inviting coves and upbeat music. There's besides a swim-up bar.

Next to Oasis Lagoon, Splashaway Bay is simply a h2o playground.

People locomotion astir Splashaway bay astatine CocoCay connected a partially cloudy day

Guests bent retired astatine Splashaway Bay. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The playground resembles the Splashaway Bay recovered connected Royal Caribbean ships. It is free for guests.

Next doorway is Thrill Waterpark, wherever you'll find the waterslides for the "big kids."

Several colorful waterslides astatine CocoCay pinch with thenar trees betwixt them and water waters successful the background

Guests thrust waterslides astatine CocoCay. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

This area is location to waterslides and a activity pool. When I visited, entree costs up to $140.

Thrill-seekers whitethorn besides beryllium willing successful the basking aerial balloon thrust that reaches 450 feet into the air.

The basking aerial balloon connected CocoCay from supra pinch thenar trees surrounding it and clear water waters successful the background

The basking aerial balloon astatine CocoCay. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

When I was connected the island, it costs up to $84 per person. I booked a ride, but unfortunately, the winds were excessively precocious for the balloon to operate. Royal Caribbean refunded my ride.

Back connected the ship, I took successful a panoramic position of CocoCay earlier departing.

The separator of CocoCay seen from supra pinch clear water waters successful the foreground and background

CocoCay arsenic seen from the cruise ship. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I could spot immoderate of the different 700 Bahamian islands successful the distance, and I wondered what it would beryllium for illustration to sojourn them.

While I had a nosy and relaxing time astatine CocoCay, it felt much for illustration an hold of the cruise vessel than a sojourn to different country.

Thrill Waterpark (L) and the writer successful beforehand of the statement astatine the formation successful CocoCay

The newsman astatine CocoCay. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Since I'm not into the thrills of waterslides and zip lines, I would person alternatively spent clip connected a Caribbean land wherever I could person learned much astir the culture.

For those looking for a resort-style destination, CocoCay has it all. From sports to serene beaches, the land is judge to fulfill each your picnic desires.

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Joey Hadden is simply a recreation newsman and photojournalist astatine Business Insider based successful NYC. She covers proscription modes, replacement lifestyles, and luxury travel. Many of Joey's stories are ocular features that springiness readers a front-row spot to her individual experiences astatine location and astir the world.Joey graduated from St. Edward's University successful May 2019 pinch a BA successful Photocommunications. Since joining BI successful 2019, Joey has traveled by train successful 7 different countries, from day trips to overnight rides arsenic agelong arsenic 30 hours. She's ridden connected galore different train lines, including Amtrak, Via Rail, and the iconic Orient Express of the 21st century, among others. During her travels, she's slept successful countless accommodations — five-star hotels, unique mini homes, and backstage train cabins, to sanction a few.When walking successful North America, Joey takes readers wrong the continent's wealthiest enclaves wherever billionaires hide away, from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Medina, Washington. She spends her free clip singing and playing drums for the indie-rock set Blanket Approval. You tin travel Joey connected Instagram or nonstop her an email at [email protected].Popular ArticlesI spent $1,000 to person a room to myself connected a 30-hour Amtrak ride. It was the champion acquisition I've had connected an overnight train successful the US.I booked basal system flights pinch Delta and United. They felt for illustration 2 wholly different classes.I went connected an adults-only cruise for the first time, and 8 things amazed meI spent 2 nights successful a 2-story, 100-square-foot mini location successful Germany that was smaller than immoderate I've seen successful the USStep wrong the richest metropolis successful Arizona, wherever able Californians are flocking for backstage mountainside estates

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