Cococay...new theme song, money, money, money

[Cruising Latitude]

This was from our Symphony sailing over last Memorial Day weekend. Talk about sticker shock!  🤑

 

 

Edited August 19, 2019 by Cruising Latitude

[OneWord]

3 hours ago, mco_rich said:

Got off the Mariner this morning, apart from using drink package spent nothing and had a great day, plenty of sun and shade, pool is amazing 

This😀

[OneWord]

5 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

The place is free.  Free beach, free pools, food included, beverage package included.  People by business class airline tickets and pay 10 times more than me for a flight.  So if someone wants a cabana, they can have it.  I'll take the free chair.

Amen😃

[karena1]

On 8/18/2019 at 1:09 PM, Floridadude said:

So I cruise a lot on RCCL, just checking to see whats new on my cruise planner for my December Symphony cruise.

I tend to go all out, since it is a vacation.

I booked the Key, Specialty dining, adult beverage pkg, etc.

Back to the reason for this post.  Why is Cococay cabanas so expensive.

This is $500 more than my OV balcony cabin cost.

I would take that money and donate with a chance of winning to the Casino.

I realize they have to pay for this 200 million dollar upgrade somehow, just not getting it from me.

The nice thing, is you can go to CocoCay and spend nothing.  We already have the package, we go get our lounger/umbrella on the beach, eat at the "included" buffets, and spend absolutely zero on the island.

[Maverick61]

6 hours ago, brillohead said:

I continue to be amazed that people are paying that much, ESPECIALLY because loungers and umbrellas are available for free everywhere.  

But as long as people are willing to pay it, what do I care?  It subsidizes my free umbrella and lounger!

 

Indeed.  They will help Royal make up for when I enjoy Coco Cay for free

[karena1]

6 hours ago, brillohead said:

I continue to be amazed that people are paying that much, ESPECIALLY because loungers and umbrellas are available for free everywhere.  

But as long as people are willing to pay it, what do I care?  It subsidizes my free umbrella and lounger!

I agree!  Let everyone else pay for me to enjoy my free lounger and an umbrella for husband.  Now there is even bar service on the beach which is great!  We love the new buffet areas, so many choices.  With already have the bev pkg, and I take my own mesh mat when the water is warm, we don't have to spend a dime out there

[young_ens]

1 hour ago, jptoz said:

Your must be on sale. Took this screenshot a couple of weeks ago.

 

 

 

All I can say is (hope this works):

 

[orlandok]

Those make my sailing look reasonable.

[bobmacliberty]

Just wait until they open the over the water cabanas on South Beach!  Cha-ching.

[doones2]

I haven’t been to Coco Cay yet and not really in a hurry to do so. It looks like a theme park.   I miss the old Labadee too.  Remember, the one that had a few excursions but mainly it was a definite beach day with family and friends.   I realize that many of you are looking for that and that’s why RCCL built it.  Boy....I’m showing my age here.  Lol 😆 

[Tapi]

Dang, and I thought that the $159 Margaritaville Pool Cabana in Grand Turk for our upcoming Holland America cruise was insulting 😂

[doones2]

5 minutes ago, Tapi said:

Dang, and I thought that the $159 Margaritaville Pool Cabana in Grand Turk for our upcoming Holland America cruise was insulting 😂

Now that’s a bargain.  HAL obviously doesn’t know how much they can really get for that cabana.  Keep it a secret

[sjb317]

I got off the ship at Coco Cay in June just knowing I would hate all the changes to one of my favorite beaches and was pleasantly surprised.  It does look like something Disney would build until you get to the pool area, then it becomes very nice.  The pool is great, especially if you go to the end under the bridge that is close to the swim up bar, the music is not as loud there as the speakers are on the other side of the bridge.  The beaches were very nice and the food areas are definitely improved.  The only money we spent was $30 for 2 margaritas😳.  This was the one time I wished we had a drink package😀

 

We are taking our grandchildren on Harmony next summer and I know they will want to go to the water park but at $99 for a full day pass, I’m thinking we will try to skip that.  Do they not have half day passes anymore? These are not showing up as an option on my cruise planner.

 

Sherri🙂

 

 

[A&L_Ont]

1 hour ago, bobmacliberty said:

Just wait until they open the over the water cabanas on South Beach!  Cha-ching.

 

Indeed.

 

44 minutes ago, Tapi said:

Dang, and I thought that the $159 Margaritaville Pool Cabana in Grand Turk for our upcoming Holland America cruise was insulting 😂

 

If it was the same as before, each one had a porch with a full inclosed cabana with AC.  We enjoyed our day there when we went on Princess.

[island lady]

51 minutes ago, doones2 said:

I haven’t been to Coco Cay yet and not really in a hurry to do so. It looks like a theme park.   I miss the old Labadee too.  Remember, the one that had a few excursions but mainly it was a definite beach day with family and friends.   I realize that many of you are looking for that and that’s why RCCL built it.  Boy....I’m showing my age here.  Lol 😆 

 

I am in there with you.  IMHO they ruined Coco Cay, ....worse even than Labadee.   Now we will simply get off the ship early, take a walk for a little exercise after breakfast, then return to the empty ship for a quiet lunch and afternoon.  😉  It's the same thing we do at Labadee now.  Though I am happy to see limited visits to Labadee as of late.  

 

When we used to tender at Labadee, our favorite place was the little beach where the pier is now.  It was great for snorkeling and away from most of the crowds further in... by Nellies.  

 

The changes at Coco Cay took out the nice nature trail to the other side.  Was always something we looked forward to...but now...sigh...  😞  Theme park.  

Edited August 20, 2019 by island lady

[brillohead]

1 hour ago, doones2 said:

I haven’t been to Coco Cay yet and not really in a hurry to do so. It looks like a theme park.   I miss the old Labadee too.  Remember, the one that had a few excursions but mainly it was a definite beach day with family and friends.   I realize that many of you are looking for that and that’s why RCCL built it.  Boy....I’m showing my age here.  Lol 😆 

 

How are Coco Cay and Labadee not considered beach days anymore? 

 

Nobody is holding a gun to your head and making you go to the waterpark on Coco Cay or do the zipline or hill coaster in Labadee.... there is a TON of beachfront for swimming or sunning or building sand castles with the kids or whatever you want to do on a beach.  

The way I look at it, the new construction at Coco Cay made the beaches BETTER -- with many of the people in the freshwater pool with the swim-up bar or at the waterpark, there's a lot more room on the beach.  There are now WAY more loungers available all over the place, with umbrellas available (for FREE now) every couple of chairs... no more dragging a lounger way to the edge of the beach to try to get some shade.  

It's still an island (or peninsula, in the case of Labadee) with several beaches to hang out on for free.  I never spend a dime and have a marvelous time!  You are only going to be unhappy on Coco Cay or Labadee if you CHOOSE to be unhappy in a tropical paradise, IMO.

[Iamcruzin]

21 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

The place is free.  Free beach, free pools, food included, beverage package included.  People by business class airline tickets and pay 10 times more than me for a flight.  So if someone wants a cabana, they can have it.  I'll take the free chair.

I agree. Let rich subsidize the the build. It didn’t cost me a dime on Labadee and unless they start charging for lounge chairs on Coco Cay I expect it to be the same experience.

[starrcards]

Wow! I paid $200 for a Labedee cabana on our Oasis cruise (on sale) a year and a half ago and had to think long and hard about spending the money.  It turned out to be worth it but I wouldn't have paid $899 or $1,299 or more for it.

[RG306]

For our November sailing, the water park at Coco Cay was 51.99 for a full day pass (other ships were much less). Coco Cay used to just be a lovely beach day for us so my hubby wasn’t sold on the water park  idea so we held off. It is now on “sale” for 88.99 down from 96.99. So Royal has made the decision for us. I’ll now be on the beach for free 😊

 

The games they’re playing with pricing this year is worse than it has ever been (at least in our experience). It’s leaving a sour taste in my mouth and making it less likely for me to spend the money for the extras.