Scroll to the bottom for my cute 2-minute vlog of our day!
We spent last weekend cruising with Royal Caribbean and spent a day enjoying their newly-opened Perfect Day at CocoCay island escape! CocoCay is a small island in the Bahamas exclusive to Royal Caribbean guests, and in the past year, it has gone through an extensive $250 million transformation that boasts some of the most incredible attractions! With their doors opening just this May, we were so lucky one of the first guests to experience the grand debut of Perfect Day at CocoCay. Let me just say, this is one vacation spot you NEED to have on your bucket list!!
Dress: Amazon EcoWish Striped Dress (S)
Shoes: Steve Madden ‘Survive’ Espadrilles (5.5 / TTS) – (similar)
Earrings: Lisi Lerch ‘Ginger’ in latte
Bag: Amazon Clear Tote
Hat: Hat Attack ‘Lampshade’ (also love this one!)
There are two sides to the 125-acre Perfect Day at CocoCay escape, one for “chills” and one for “thrills,” and it truly redefines the way the notion of beach vacation! Filled with superlatives, Perfect Day at CocoCay boasts the tallest water slide in North America (135 feet!), the largest Caribbean freshwater pool, the highest vantage point in the Bahamas (at 450 feet), the first overwater cabanas in the Bahamas, and the largest freshwater swimming pool in the Caribbean!
Perfect Day at CocoCay Bahamas: Thrill Waterpark
The heart of Perfect Day at CocoCay is Thrill Waterpark, with two impressive towers that offer 13 different waterslides (the most out of any water park in the Caribbean actually!) as well as the Caribbean’s largest wave pool. Our family, especially me and my 6-year old son Dylan, was all about the adrenaline so needless to say we were going non-stop from ride to ride during our time on the island!
Swim: Target Ruffle One-Piece (XS) – (similar, similar)
Shoes: Steve Madden ‘Greece’ Sandals (similar)
Hair: Amazon Pearl Bareettes Set
Up, Up, and Away Helium Air Balloon
wearing Hat Attack ‘Lampshade’ (also love this one!)
The Up, Up and Away helium air balloon ride was definitely a highlight of our trip and one that I highly, highly recommend! Go early as late-afternoon winds may sometimes result in the balloon being grounded. It was an incredible experience to float up to 450 feet above Perfect Day at CocoCay Bahamas and see the picture-perfect blue waters along with a 360-degree panoramic shot of the island. The ride is smooth and the balloon stays firmly tethered to the ground by cable the entire time — it’s a relatively quick 7-minute ride but it’s the perfect duration for letting you soak in the views and snap a few selfies!
Splash Summit
Swim: Target Ruffle One-Piece (XS) – (similar, similar)
Hair: Amazon Pearl Bareettes Set
Splash Summit was where we spent the most time, and it’s the perfect spot if you want to enjoy rides together! I also highly recommend it if you’re not quite bold enough to venture over to Daredevil’s Tower but still want the thrill of a few high-speed waterslides. You’ll find 6 multi-rider slides including:
- Splash Speedway: these 4-lane racing slides had the coolest rainbow lights inside (see my vlog video at the bottom for a peek!). I actually really liked having a mat to slide down these tubes as I’ve gone down similar in the past just laying on my back — with a mat I didn’t have to worry about scratching up my back and felt like I had so much more control! Dylan and I had so much fun racing each other on these slides time and time again!
- The Slingshot: get into a float that seats up to four and feel nearly weightless for a brief second in this ride that goes nearly vertical! I was a bit intimidated by this ride initially but it’s actually so much fun and not nearly as crazy as it looks! Dylan chose this ride as his fave!
- The Twister: this one is a two-person raft and is probably the tamest of the rides in Splash Summit. Still super fun, this ride has all the turns as it winds you down to the main pool.
Splashaway Bay
Swim: Amazon Smocked Bandeau Bikini (S) – (similar, similar)
Hair: Amazon Pearl Bareettes Set
If you have younger kids who aren’t quite ready for the big water slides yet, you better bet that you’ll be spending lots of time at Splashaway Bay! It’s completely free and loaded with fountains, sprinklers, and geysers, plus two massive drench buckets and five water slides. For the parents, the good thing is that Captain Jack’s is right next door so you can hop on over to grab yourself a drink while the kids play!
Adventure Pool
Swim: Amazon Smocked Bandeau Bikini (S) – (similar, similar)
Hair: Amazon Pearl Bareettes Set
Swim Top: Target Cat & Jack Gradiant Rash Guard – on sale!
Swim Bottom: Target Cat & Jack ‘Shiver Me Timbers’ Trunks – on sale!
Located right next to Splash Summit is Adventure Pool and here you’ll find mini obstacle courses with floating lily pads, a rock-climbing wall, and two swing ropes to launch yourself into the water! Dylan LOVED the lily pad obstacle course, and I’ll admit it was a fun challenge even for me and Adrian as we maneuvered and balanced our way through!
Captain Jill’s Galleon
Swim: Target Cat & Jack Popsicle Swimsuit (also love this lemon one and this ice cream one) – on sale!
Swim Top: Target Cat & Jack Gradiant Rash Guard – on sale!
Swim Bottom: Target Cat & Jack ‘Shiver Me Timbers’ Trunks – on sale!
Captain Jill’s Galleon is another haven for the kids and this one is perfect if your little one prefers not to get too wet. Climb through a shipwrecked pirate ship decked out with three dry slides, 16 water cannons, a splash pad, and climbing net!
Perfect Day at CocoCay: Chill Island
On the other side of Perfect Day at CocoCay is Chill Island, and if you’re more of the lounge / relax kind of beach vacationer, this place is for you! Snag one of the 20 beach-side cabanas and enjoy the crystal-clear tropical waters alongside white powder-like sand. South Beach and Coco Beach Club will also be opening up in December 2019 to offer volleyball, paddle boarding, and the first overwater cabanas in The Bahamas!
Swim: Amazon Smocked Bandeau Bikini (S) – (similar, similar)
Hair: Amazon Pearl Bareettes Set
Swim: Target Cat & Jack Popsicle Swimsuit (also love this lemon one and this ice cream one) – on sale!
Perfect Day at CocoCay Bahamas: Food
And of course, the food!! We ate at Skipper’s Grill which offered complimentary lunch in a buffet-style setting. Options included roasted chicken, burgers, hot dogs, a build-your-own taco bar, and of course salads, fresh fruit, and desserts. Let’s just say soft serve ice cream almost became a lunchtime staple on this trip too! #cruiselife 😋
Other dining options include Captain Jack’s where you can chow down on specialty items like the chicken wings and fries dipped in signature sauces like mango-habanero and Caribbean jerk. On the Chill Island side, you’ll find the largest dining venue on the island at the complimentary Chill Grill. Lastly, three Snack Shack food trucks are also scattered throughout the island and also completely free. You can’t say no to the funnel cakes from Snack Shack and I’ve even been told that there’s an incredibly delicious off-menu chicken parmigiana sandwich you can order (tastes like a cross between a crispy chicken sandwich and mozzarella sticks).
I experimented with a GoPro for the first time on this trip and captured some footage that I thought would be fun to compile into a vlog! Check out the 2-minute video below:
Tips for making the most of your visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay Bahamas:
- Look for discounted admission to Thrill Waterpark before the cruise departs. I personally cannot recommend Thrill Waterpark enough and would say it’s worth paying the extra few dollars for admission. Waterpark passes are sold through the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner and tickets do go on sale regularly — be sure to stalk for discounts!
- Check out the Up, Up and Away helium air balloon early. Gusty winds make the helium air balloon a gamble in the late afternoon so take advantage of calmer mornings for this adventure!
- Bring closed-toe shoes for the zipline. A 1600-foot long zipline course also crisscrosses the island, beginning near the arrivals plaza and ending across the harbor. We didn’t get a chance to take the zipline but it looked so much fun!
- Water slide towers are busiest in the afternoon. If you’re wanting to minimize your time spent waiting in lines, head to the water slides before 11am or after 3pm.
- Your drink and internet package apply on the island. If you purchase a drink package for the cruise ship, the same free drinks apply while on the island (Coco Loco is a must-have!). Similarly, the entire island is equipped with Voom WiFi service — you can Snap, Insta, and share to your heart’s content!
- Lockers and beach towels are available on the island. You can take a towel with you as you leave the boat, but they are also easily available free towel stations throughout the island. Lockers are also available to stow away your belongings.
- Bring cash for some straw market shopping. Just as you enter Chill Island, there is a small straw market with super cute local souvenirs and beach essentials. These stands take cash only.
- Look for the surprise goodbye message on the island! As your day at Perfect Day at CocoCay ends and you are back on the cruise ship, be sure to look out the side back at the island for a surprise goodbye message from the approximately 367 employees who live on the island!
While the island name of Perfect Day at CocoCay gives it a lot to live up to, at the end of it all we really did have the perfect day! Nearly half of Royal Caribbean’s fleet (12 out of 26 ships) will include a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay by the end of 2019 and I’m already thinking we need to plan a return trip!
pin for later!
edited using Dreamy Presets – Millenial Pink (tutorial)
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Thank you to Royal Caribbean for incredible opportunity to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay Bahamas.
I was provided with VIP wristbands to enjoy the island in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
Lisa Autumn says
OMG this looks like paradise!
x Lisa | lisaautumn.com
Marta says
That seems incredible! I love beach vacations and that one seems packed with sun and fun so I’ll definitely think about going one day, I’ve always wanted to go on a cruise.
Marie says
Beautiful family! Glad you enjoyed, and I love the dress!
Marie
The Flower Duet
Sarah Lindner says
What a fun family adventure! I’ve been to cococay but I had no idea they offered so much to do with kids!
xoxo Sarah
Lizzie says
This looks like so much fun!! I’d love to do something like this!
Lizzie
http://www.lizzieinlace.com
Lee says
Aw it looks like you guys had the best time!! <3
darleen says
What an amazing island! The kids probably loved it so much!!
Jerrieal Lumar says
wow! this looks like so much fun, just added to my bucket list! <3
Erin A Smith says
This looks AMAZING! I love that its kid friendly. Def going to check this out for a trip with my crew.
Carolyn says
Wow, the amount of fun in this post looks out of this world! Looks like the perfect day spent with family!
Mariya says
It looks so beautiful!
Mariya | https://www.brunetteondemand.com/
Kelsie says
WOW! This looks SO amazing! Cruises are so fun!!
Nailil says
This seems like so much fun! My family went to Coco Cay and it didn’t look like this! So it may be time to visit again soon! 🙂
Xx, Nailil
http:/thirtyminusone.com
Lindsay says
What an incredible trip!! My daughter would love all of these fun activities
Greta says
What an awesome trip! So fun making these memories with your family.
Laura S says
This looks amazing and I LOVE your style! So cute!
Deborah says
Wow! What an amazing trip!
Madison Fichtl says
This looks like such a fun place! The air balloon ride sounds like a blast!
xo,
Madison | Madison-Fichtl.com
Stephanie says
It looks like your entire family had so much fun together here! I’ve never been much of a waterpark person, but my husband loves them!
Summer says
I have been needing another cruise so bad lately! Your photos are gorgeous!
Jamaria says
Omg this looks like the best day! So much fun. I love waterparks and I’m glad you got to experience it as a family! Xo
Erica @ Coming Up Roses says
OMG what a fabulous!!! I’ve never been on a cruise – sign my family up STAT! I’ve heard nothing but great things about Royal Carribbean.
Coming Up Roses
Julia Comil says
This is so cute!! Love this family trip! Need to try it!!
Morgan says
That waterpark looks awesome!! The little kid in me is dying over these pics .. I want to go!
-Morgan
How 2 Wear It [] http://how2wearit.com
Taylor Mobley says
This looks like SUCH a blast
Anna English says
I’ve only been on a cruise once, and this post is making me want to do it again soon! It looks like y’all had the best time.
Laura Leigh says
Oh my gosh I want to go here! This looks and sounds absolutely amazing!
xo Laura Leigh
http://www.louellareese.com
Kenzi - Life of a Sister says
This looks so incredibly amazing! I wouldn’t mind going there for the day, it looks like that there is so much to do.
Carrington says
I was literally JUST saying how I wanted to go to the Bahamas soon!! This looks like such a fun time! I’ll definitely have to check this out if we end up planning a trip! 🙂 XX
Amanda says
This looks like heaven! We have been dying to go back to the bahamas
Emma Peach says
What a fantastic trip! The water slides look so much fun! Great video!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
Tanvi Rastogi says
Looks like so much fun. Your pictures are screaming summer, beach and sun.
❥ tanvii.com
Jasmine Vargas says
Completely jealous. Everything looks like so much fun. My boys would love to go there.
rebecca says
oh my gosh how FUN is this!!!! looks like the perfect place for adults and kids alike! xx
Laura says
What an incredible experience for you and your family!! Definitely will be adding this cruise to CocoCay to our list of family trips!
xo, Laura
Julia Comil says
This place is so beautiful! Love these tips! Great blogpost!
Deanie says
Looks and sounds like it was a blast!! I bet your kids loved it!! I’m going to bookmark your post to reference your tips.
Xo, Deanie
Deanie Michelle
Kristina says
What an amazing family trip- the water slides look so fun!
Miley says
That looks like a load of fun and adventure.