CocoCay is Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, about 55 miles north of Nassau. Ships tie up at a dedicated pier and you’re ashore in around six minutes, no tender. Entry, beaches, pools and most food come with your fare; the waterpark, Coco Beach Club and Hideaway Beach cost extra.
Where is CocoCay and how big is the island?
CocoCay sits in the Berry Islands in the Bahamas, under a mile east to west and under 480 yards north to south, roughly 50 hectares all in. It used to be Little Stirrup Cay, so CocoCay, Coco Cay and Little Stirrup Cay all mean the same island, and Royal Caribbean uses both Perfect Day at CocoCay and Perfect Day CocoCay for what sits on it.
Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s private island, is right next door. That’s why the two get mixed up in conversation.
Private islands are not interchangeable. Disney’s Castaway Cay and MSC’s Ocean Cay are the two most often weighed against CocoCay, and the differences that matter are what’s included, how big the island is and whether you walk off at a pier or tender in.
CocoCay cruise port map
Ships dock at CocoCay cruise port. From there, Thrill Waterpark is about a 4-minute walk, Oasis Lagoon about 5 minutes and Harbor Beach about 6 minutes. Tap a pin for directions.
- CocoCay cruise portWhere ships dock
- Thrill WaterparkWaterpark · About 4 min walk from CocoCay cruise port
- Oasis LagoonPool · About 5 min walk from CocoCay cruise port
- Harbor BeachBeach · About 6 min walk from CocoCay cruise port
- Captain Jack’sBar & grill
Who can visit CocoCay, and how you get there
Only guests sailing with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises can set foot on CocoCay. There’s no ferry, no airport and no day pass for anyone who isn’t on a ship. At peak, Royal Caribbean has up to 11 ships calling at the island, sailing from Florida ports including Port Everglades and Miami, and from the Northeast US.
Celebrity turning up there surprises people who assume the island belongs to Royal Caribbean alone. Celebrity Reflection sails year round from Port Everglades and calls at CocoCay on several of its short Bahamas sailings, Celebrity Summit carries the island on its Caribbean programme, and Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Eclipse have both appeared on sailings calling there.
A call typically runs from about 7am to 5pm, and no ship stays overnight. If one call isn’t enough, Royal Caribbean sells Two Stops at Perfect Day sailings that call twice on one cruise.
On five-night western Caribbean runs the island is paired with ports such as Bimini, Cozumel, Grand Cayman or Key West. The Caribbean cruise port guide covers the others you’re likely to see on the same sailing.
What is free at CocoCay and what costs extra
Entry to CocoCay costs nothing. There’s no admission fee, and the beaches, pools, beach chairs, umbrellas, island trams, complimentary lockers, freshwater showers, restrooms, beach strollers and five complimentary places to eat are all covered by your cruise fare. Beach-access wheelchairs are free too, first come, first served.
| Area | Cost |
|---|---|
| Chill Island, South Beach, Harbor Beach, Oasis Lagoon, Breezy Bay, Cove Beach | Free |
| Splashaway Bay and Captain Jill’s Galleon | Free |
| Thrill Waterpark | Paid day pass |
| Coco Beach Club | Paid day pass |
| Hideaway Beach (18 and over) | Paid day pass |
Beyond those three pass areas, you pay for cabanas and daybeds, the zip line, the Up, Up and Away balloon, snorkel gear and floating mat rental, jet ski, kayak and parasail excursions, and the swim-with-the-pigs excursion. None of it is compulsory, and the free side of the island fills a port day on its own.
Private islands differ from line to line, and what counts as included changes with them. Here the free list is long and everything charged for sits on top of it.
The pier, the trams and how long the walk takes
Royal Caribbean’s ships berth at a single dedicated pier on the island rather than anchoring, so you walk off the gangway onto CocoCay with no tender wait. The walk from the ship to Arrivals Plaza takes about six minutes and there’s no shade at all, which is the bit most people underestimate. You’ll feel it by the time you reach Arrivals Plaza.
A complimentary Pier Tram runs a continuous loop up and down the pier if you’d rather not walk it. From Arrivals Plaza a complimentary Island Tram runs all day, stopping every 15 minutes at South Beach, Oasis Lagoon and Breezy Bay at Chill Island, with a separate tram for Hideaway Beach.
Walking times from Arrivals Plaza, which also appear on the signs around the island:
- Thrill Waterpark: about 3 minutes
- Harbor Beach: about 5 minutes
- Chill Island: about 5 to 10 minutes
- Oasis Lagoon: about 8 minutes
- Breezy Bay at Chill Island: about 10 minutes
- South Beach: about 10 minutes
- Coco Beach Club: about 10 minutes
- Hideaway Beach: about 7 minutes along the shore west of the pier, or the second tram stop
The island is wheelchair accessible apart from the Oasis Lagoon pool itself and the Thrill Waterpark and zip line towers.
How busy it feels depends on how many ships are in. The pier was built to take Oasis-class ships and two large ships at once, with island capacity in the region of 10,000 guests, so on a two-ship day the beaches nearest Arrivals Plaza fill first. If you’d rather have a quiet beach than a waterpark, small ship cruising gives you a very different sort of port day.
Thrill Waterpark
Thrill Waterpark is the island’s headline paid area, with 14 waterslides including Daredevil’s Peak at 135 feet, the tallest in the Caribbean, plus the Caribbean’s largest wave pool and the Adventure Pool obstacle course. It’s about three minutes from Arrivals Plaza, so it fits comfortably inside a standard port day even if you only go for the morning.
You need a day pass. Buy it before you sail in the Cruise Planner, or buy it on the island and swipe your SeaPass at the gate. Daredevil’s Peak has a minimum height of 48 inches and a maximum weight of 136kg (300lb).
Anyone under 14 has to be with a ticketed guest aged 14 or over to get in and to stay in. Phones, cameras and GoPros are banned on every waterslide and at the Adventure Pool, so leave them in a locker rather than carrying them up the stairs.
Splashaway Bay and Captain Jill’s Galleon are the free water play, and the shipwrecked galleon at Arrivals Plaza carries more than 30 water cannons. That free splash area is why the island works so well on family cruises with toddlers, and it costs nothing beyond your fare.
Oasis Lagoon
Oasis Lagoon is the free counterweight to the waterpark: the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, about eight minutes from Arrivals Plaza, with three coves, in-pool loungers, a swim-up bar, free loungers and umbrellas around it. It also has an underwater sound system, so the music follows you into the water.
Coco Beach Club
Coco Beach Club is the island’s premium beach club and needs its own day pass. That pass is separate from a Hideaway Beach pass; buying one doesn’t get you into the other. It has a private beach, a clubhouse, an infinity-edge pool and an upgraded restaurant menu that comes with club admission.
The draw is the water. Coco Beach Club holds The Bahamas’ first overwater cabanas, 20 of them, reached by a floating walkway, each taking up to eight guests with a two-person overwater hammock, a private slide into the sea, a changing room with shower and snorkel gear included.
Book tickets in My Royal Cruise and they’re delivered to your stateroom the night before. The club is about ten minutes from Arrivals Plaza.
Hideaway Beach
Hideaway Beach is the adults-only side of CocoCay, 18 and over, capped at 1,800 guests a day and reached in about seven minutes on foot along the shore west of the pier or by the second tram stop. It has a DJ, five bars including a swim-up bar, two dining venues included in the pass, and its own cabanas.
Hideaway cabanas sit at the centre of the pool action by the DJ and the infinity pool; Hideout cabanas are the quieter option, with access to an exclusive pool and a dedicated sun shelf per cabana. A Hideaway Cabana or Hideout Cabana booking includes Hideaway Beach admission for up to eight guests.
The age rules stack here: 18 to get into Hideaway Beach, but 21 to buy or drink alcohol anywhere on CocoCay, Hideaway included.
How much are the cabanas at CocoCay?
CocoCay cabanas don’t have a fixed price. Royal Caribbean prices them by the ship you’re sailing on and by season, and the only figure that means anything is the live one in the Cruise Planner once you’re signed in to your booking, so a number quoted for someone else’s cruise is not yours.
Cabanas are available at Oasis Lagoon, Chill Island, South Beach, Hideaway Beach, Coco Beach Club and Thrill Waterpark. Standard cabanas take up to eight guests; Thrill Waterpark cabanas take up to six and include up to six waterpark tickets. The overwater cabanas exist only at Coco Beach Club.
What comes with one is fairly consistent: a dining area, lounge chairs and a sofa, a ceiling fan, a mini fridge or cooler, lockable storage, towels, a Bluetooth speaker, charging outlets, a call button and an attendant who brings food and drink. You tip the attendant separately, on top of whatever you paid, and the overwater cabana slides have a maximum weight of 350lb.
Because the price moves and the stock is limited, timing is the workaround. Book as early as you can after you’ve confirmed your sailing, and treat the overwater cabanas as the first thing to go.
RoyalUp bidding now covers cabanas, beach beds and casitas, but bids are blind, can be withdrawn before acceptance and guarantee nothing, so bidding is not a way to secure one. Buying in the Cruise Planner is.
Paying for things on CocoCay
Everything on the island is charged to your SeaPass card, and US dollar cash is accepted everywhere too. The one quirk is the Bahamian Straw Market, the only locally run shopping on CocoCay, which takes the SeaPass card until 2:30pm and cash after that.
Drink packages and VOOM Wi-Fi bought onboard or in the app work across the island, so you’re not paying per drink at the beach bars if you already have a package. Glass bottles of any kind are banned on CocoCay, and alcohol is 21 and over throughout.
Money in CocoCay: currency, cards and cash
The local currency is the Bahamian dollar, which is worth about the same as the US dollar, and US dollar cash is accepted everywhere on the island.
You pay for everything on CocoCay with your SeaPass card, so you don’t need cash for food, drinks, cabanas, Coco Beach Club or Hideaway Beach. The one exception is the Bahamian Straw Market. It takes SeaPass until 2:30pm, then it’s cash only, so keep some US dollar notes with you if you want to shop there later or leave a cash tip. There’s no sign that euros are accepted anywhere on the island.
Is CocoCay safe for cruise passengers?
CocoCay is a safe, easy port day. Only cruise passengers and Royal Caribbean staff are on the island. There’s no public access, no taxi rank and no town to get lost in, so the pickpocketing and taxi overcharging you might come across elsewhere in the Bahamas don’t happen here.
You’ll find lockers at the beach and the pool if you want to leave your valuables somewhere. If you book a jet ski, kayak or parasail trip, treat it the way you would anywhere in the Bahamas. Water sports there are loosely regulated, so stick to the booked, supervised activities and don’t take anything offered informally.
Where to eat on CocoCay
Food on CocoCay is island grill and beach-bar cooking rather than a Bahamian town, and most of it is included: five complimentary places to eat spread across the island, plus one that charges. The free ones are Skipper’s Grill by Arrivals Plaza, Chill Grill beside Chill Island, and three Snack Shacks.
- Skipper’s Grill sits on the harbour by Arrivals Plaza, with burgers, barbecue chicken, tacos and guacamole, salads, sandwiches, tropical fruit, cookies, brownies and soft serve, plus a full-service bar.
- Chill Grill is the biggest restaurant on the island, steps from Chill Island, doing burgers, hot dogs, build-your-own tacos, shaved rib eye cheesesteak, country potato salad and vegetarian options, with picnic tables in the shade.
- Snack Shack has three locations, at Thrill Waterpark, near Oasis Lagoon and at South Beach, and is where the Shack Burger with its secret Shack sauce, the crispy chicken sandwich, mozzarella sticks, funnel cake and cookies come from.
- Captain Jack’s, next to Skipper’s Grill and Splashaway Bay, is the one food venue that charges: chicken wings and steak fries a la carte with mango-habanero, Caribbean jerk, parmesan, peppercorn, honey mustard or sambal garlic aioli, served at a skiff-shaped bar with rope-swing seats and live music.
Two drinks to try: the Coco Loco, the island’s signature cocktail, poured at Captain Jack’s row-boat bar, and a Bahama Mama at the Chill Grill bar. Inside the paid areas there’s more, with the Hideaway Hut and a Slice of Paradise pizzeria at Hideaway Beach and a surf-and-turf restaurant at Coco Beach Club.
Gluten-free and vegetarian options appear at every island dining venue. Kosher food isn’t prepared on the island, but it can be arranged through your ship before you go ashore.
Royal Caribbean doesn’t publish island dining hours, so plan to eat in the middle of the day rather than late, and check the times posted around the island when you land.
Weather in CocoCay for a cruise port day
It’s hot and humid rather than cold or grey. Daytime temperatures sit in the mid-20s°C in winter and climb to the low 30s°C from June to September, and humidity stays around 70 to 75 per cent most of the year.
When it rains, it’s usually a short afternoon shower or thunderstorm that lasts up to an hour. They’re more common from June to October, and August is the wettest stretch. Trade winds average around 8 knots, and they pick up to around 25 knots behind winter cold fronts. Hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, and the Bahamas Met Office puts the highest risk in August, September and October. None of this usually stops a cruise call, but it helps to know before you spend most of the day outdoors.
What to wear in CocoCay: outfit ideas for a port day
Dress for sand, boardwalk and a long open pier: swimwear with a cover-up, and flip-flops or water shoes rather than anything you’d wear into town. The pier walk is about six minutes each way with no shade, so a hat and a rash guard earn their place.
There’s no church or sightseeing dress code to work around here, but a cover-up makes the restaurants and the trams more comfortable. Leave phones and action cameras behind for the waterpark, where they’re banned on the slides and at the Adventure Pool, and pack reef safe sunscreen, because so much of the day is spent in the open.
For more inspiration, see these Bahamas cruise outfit ideas.
Best photo spots at CocoCay
The best photographs on CocoCay come from height, from the water and from Arrivals Plaza, and all three are within a few minutes of the pier. Start at Arrivals Plaza, where the welcome junkanoo band, the shipwrecked Captain Jill’s Galleon and the Sprayaway Geyser that fires water 82 feet into the air all give you something moving to shoot.
The Up, Up and Away balloon is tethered and rises to 450 feet, the highest vantage point in The Bahamas, with a ride of around ten minutes and a basket that holds about 30 people. It’s a paid add-on and it doesn’t fly in wind or doubtful weather, so book it early in the day if the balloon is the shot you want.
From the water, the 1,600-foot zip line crosses the harbour around 50 feet up and finishes in a splash water landing, the only one of its kind in the region. At Oasis Lagoon the underwater sound system is the reason to put the camera under the surface, and it’s the shot most people forget.
Royal Caribbean also lists a swim to a shipwreck and a floating bar as island experiences. Ship photographers are on the island and photo packages are bought onboard rather than ashore.
How to spend a port day at CocoCay
A port day at CocoCay comes down to one choice: stick to the free beaches and pools, or add a paid pass for the waterpark, Coco Beach Club or Hideaway Beach.
Before you sail
- Book Thrill Waterpark, Coco Beach Club or cabana passes in the Cruise Planner
- Check which areas are free and which need a paid day pass
- Pack reef safe sunscreen, as the pier and beaches offer little shade
Short port day: under 6 hours
- On dockingWalk the pier to Arrivals PlazaNo tenderShips berth at a dedicated pier, so you walk straight off; the walk takes about six minutes with no shade.
- +15 minHarbor BeachA short, five minute walk from Arrivals Plaza to a quieter stretch of sand, good for an early dip before the day gets busy.
- +1 hrOasis LagoonAn 8 minute walk from Arrivals Plaza to the Caribbean's largest freshwater pool, with a swim-up bar and underwater music.
- +2 hrs 30 minLunch at Chill GrillTry the cheesesteakWalk on to Chill Island for the shaved rib eye cheesesteak or build-your-own tacos, free with your fare.
- All-aboard minus 1 hrBack at the pierAllow time for the walk back from Chill Island to the pier, or ride the free Pier Tram if you're short on time.
The time on the map is the whole walk, every stop added together.
Open this walking route in Google Maps
If plans change: If Oasis Lagoon feels crowded, South Beach is a short walk further and usually quieter.
Long port day: 8 hours or more
- On dockingWalk the pier to Arrivals PlazaNo tenderShips berth at a dedicated pier, so you walk straight off; the walk takes about six minutes with no shade.
- +15 minThrill WaterparkBook aheadA 3 minute walk from Arrivals Plaza. Buy the day pass in the Cruise Planner before you sail, since it is not part of your fare.
- +2 hrsOasis LagoonAn 8 minute walk away for a swim in the Caribbean's largest freshwater pool, with underwater music.
- +3 hrsLunch at Snack ShackTry the Shack BurgerGrab the Shack Burger with its secret sauce at the Snack Shack by Oasis Lagoon, included with your fare.
- +4 hrsHideaway Beach18 and overA 7 minute walk along the shore west of the pier to the adults-only beach; a day pass is required.
- +5 hrs 30 minBahamian Straw MarketWalk back towards Arrivals Plaza, on your way to the pier, for Bahamian crafts; pay by SeaPass card or cash.
- All-aboard minus 1 hrBack at the pierAllow time for the walk back, or take the free Pier Tram if you're pressed for time.
The time on the map is the whole walk, every stop added together.
Open this walking route in Google Maps
If plans change: If Thrill Waterpark passes sell out, spend the morning at Oasis Lagoon and head to Hideaway Beach in the afternoon instead.
CocoCay cruise port FAQs
Is CocoCay a US territory?
No. CocoCay is Bahamian sovereign territory in the Berry Islands, not US soil, even though Royal Caribbean runs the whole resort and everything on it is priced in US dollars.
Are there lockers on CocoCay?
Yes, and they’re free and first come, first served. Lockers are spread across the island, Hideaway Beach has its own, and cabanas come with lockable storage, so you don’t need to carry valuables around all day.
Can I fly a drone on CocoCay?
No. Drones may be brought on the cruise for land use only and outside the port area, and the whole island is the port area, so they stay in the cabin.
What happens if the ship cannot call at CocoCay?
Royal Caribbean has no set compensation rule for a missed CocoCay call. If weather cancels the stop, check your booking conditions to see what you’re entitled to.
Do I need my own snorkel gear?
No, but it isn’t free. You rent snorkel gear on the island as a paid extra, and full-face snorkel masks aren’t available there, so bring your own if that’s what you use.
Are towels provided on CocoCay?
Yes. Beach towels come from the ship and can be exchanged on the island through the day, so you don’t need to pack one for the beach.
Last Updated: 5 November 2026