Perfect Day at CocoCay with Toddlers – Everything You Need to Know
Are you wondering how to do the Royal Caribbean Perfect Day at CocoCay with toddlers so you still have a good time? Let me be your guide!
If you’ve been looking for cruises, you may have seen some Royal Caribbean cruises that feature a “Perfect Day” and may be wondering what that means and whether a Perfect Day at CocoCay with toddlers can be fun. We wondered the same thing when we were booking our cruise! We did all the research possible to make sure that we weren’t wasting our time or money going on one of these cruises. Spoiler! It was so worth it! It truly was the perfect day filled with so many beaches, lots of swimming and playing, some good naps, and so much good (and all-inclusive) food!
This post is all about everything you need to know when deciding whether to book a cruise with a Perfect Day at CocoCay with toddlers!
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Perfect Day at CocoCay with Toddlers
Perfect Day at CocoCay
If you are heading on Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay with toddlers, you may be wondering what there is to do on Coco Cay with young kids. Let me tell you everything about the island and what activities may be toddler-friendly! Are you ready to take a tour around the island with me?
There are 8 main areas to CococCay, so there will be plenty to keep everyone happy! The main areas of CocoCay are:
- Arrivals Plaza
- Thrill Waterpark
- Harbor Beach
- Oasis Lagoon
- Chill Island
- Coco Beach Club
- South Beach
- Cove Beach
Arrivals Plaza
The Arrivals Plaza will be the first place that you see when you get on your Perfect Day at CocoCay. Royal Caribbean knows families because they have two kid attractions right there, so the first things that younger kids see make a great start to the day!
Before we talk about those, there are some big kid things here as well, including the zip line over Coco Cay! The zip line costs money and there is a height restriction. If you are interested in learning about all the things to do in CocoCay for all ages, I’ve got a blog post where I go into everything to do on your Perfect Day at CocoCay in detail!
The Arrivals Plaza also has Captain Jack’s, a delicious restaurant. However, this restaurant is not included in your cruise fare, so if you want to eat there, there will be an extra cost.
Strollers
Strollers are not technically a thing to do, but they can make your time at CocoCay go by more smoothly! Royal Caribbean offers complimentary beach strollers that make navigating the sand on this island more manageable! They are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and can be found at the Arrivals Plaza.
Captain Jill’s Galleon
This little area is located right off the entrance to CocoCay. It is an interactive pirate ship splash zone with several slides and water cannons to shoot water at each other. It is such a perfect place for young kids to play and get all sorts of wet! I would recommend having water shoes though to make walking around the pirate ship safer, especially on the upper decks that may not have water constantly on them to keep them cooler.
The one downside to this area is that there isn’t very much seating around for parents to sit down and watch their kids. Unless, of course, you want to spend some time on the big pirate ship with your kids! Click on the video below to watch a walkthrough of Captain Jill’s Galleon!
Splashaway Bay
Splashaway Bay is a kid-sized water park! There are two giant drench buckets, a ton of water cannons, bridges for your kids to explore, and all of the water a little human can play with. There are even some small slides that allow younger children to get the thrill of going down the water slides on their own! Those do have a height requirement of at least 36” though.
This area does have plenty of beach chairs around for parents to be able to watch their kids while they play. Since this is a big splash pad type of area, kids are fine to go around without shoes.
Click on the video below to watch a walkthrough of Splashaway Bay!
Thrill Waterpark
As you leave the Arrivals Plaza, to your right you will see many, many waterslides. This is all part of Thrill Waterpark. To enter, you will need to pay for admission. I highly recommend booking your tickets to the Thrill Waterpark before you even get on your cruise. When you do so, you can sometimes get your tickets discounted! You also make sure that you get a spot. Depending on how many cruise ships are at CocoCay, spots at Thrill Waterpark sometimes sell out!
What is there to do at Thrill Waterpark? How about riding the tallest waterslide in North America? That’s right. Daredevil’s Peak is the tallest slide and has a home on CocoCay. In addition, there are several other waterslides to keep the thrill seeker happy. Although not for toddlers, that doesn’t mean adults and older kids can’t have fun on a Perfect Day at CocoCay! Aside from waterslides, which many toddlers and younger kids will be too small for, there are plenty of things that young kids can do at Thrill Waterpark.
Largest Wave Pool in the Caribbean
At Thrill Waterpark, you will find a wave pool! Not just any wave pool though, this one happens to be the largest wave pool in the Caribbean! Toddlers and younger kids are welcome at this pool as long as they are wearing life jackets if they are under 42″ tall.
Obstacle Course at the Adventure Pool
Another great place for younger children at Thrill Waterpark is the obstacle course! They will love getting to jump around and splash in the water. Like with the wave pool, younger children are welcome but they will need a life jacket if under 42″ tall.
Lounge in Beach Chairs
A toddler, lounging? Not likely. But if you need a place to set up base while at Thrill Waterpark, take advantage of the complimentary lounge chairs scattered throughout the area! Who knows, you may get lucky and get a successful nap time on one of those comfy beach chairs.
Harbor Beach
Now let’s move on to Harbor Beach! Here you will find the major relaxing vibes for you and your family! The beach area is perfect and the lack of waves makes Harbor Beach a great place to swim with young kids! Nearby, you can also find Skipper’s Grill and their soft-serve ice cream machine. The ocean and ice cream. That seems like a perfect way to spend the day.
Oasis Lagoon
CocoCay, Bahamas sure does boast a lot of records, including the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean! That pool can be found in the Oasis Lagoon. Along with in-water loungers, a swim-up bar, and a Snack Shack dedicated to serving this area of CocoCay. The pool is big and is so perfect for young children. Not only is there a sloping entry, the pool itself is not too deep and the little islands throughout the pool provide a lot of safe zones for young kids. In addition to the pool and snacks, there are also plenty of beach chairs that are not in the pool for you to spend some time in.
Right outside of the Oasis Lagoon, you will find Up, Up, and Away, Royal Caribbean’s Helium Balloon Ride!
Chill Island
Chill Island is probably one of the biggest areas on Perfect Day at CocoCay and is amazing for kids. There are plenty of beach chairs, sand, food, and plenty of water activities for the older kids for an extra cost!
Coco Beach Club
Coco Beach Club does require a separate admission, but this area boasts of less crowds and even better food! There is an infinity pool here as well with some pretty cool views of the ocean. The beach area is huge and there is snorkeling gear you can use to swim in the clear waters. Coco Beach Club is also where you can find the overwater cabanas that can be rented for an extra cost. If you are looking for a quieter area to spend your day with toddlers and young kids, the Coco Beach Club is a good option.
South Beach
South Beach is a pretty fun area for the whole family. You have the beach area and ocean that is great for the younger kids, the sports courts for older kids, and the floating bar for adults! Not to mention the Snack Shack nearby and plenty of beach chairs to lounge in.
Cove Beach
Cove Beach is the farthest beach from the Arrivals Plaza, making it the most peaceful. There is not much to do at Cove Beach except relax, so if your toddler or young kids like to play, Cove Beach may not be very enjoyable for them.
Common Questions about Perfect Day at CocoCay with Toddlers
What is the Perfect Day at CocoCay? How do I get to CocoCay?
This is such a great question! And a good place to start. CocoCay is Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’s private island in the Bahamas. It went through a giant renovation in 2019 and is now the home to a ton of pools and activities, including the tallest water slide in North America! I am terribly afraid of heights, but Josh went on it and LOVED it. However, this isn’t really something a toddler can go on… haha, but you can!
The only way to get to CocoCay is by cruise ship and only on cruises that stop at CocoCay, Bahamas. Fancy, huh? If you want to go to this fun island, you will just want to purchase yourself a cruise that includes a Perfect Day at CocoCay. There are even some cruises that stop on the island TWICE. Now, that sounds like a lot of fun!
Within each major area, there are complimentary beach chairs in addition to private cabanas that you can rent for an extra cost. Although not for everyone, private cabanas can be great when traveling with toddlers because it does provide some privacy for nap times. The other thing to note is that a Perfect Day at CocoCay is not a full sun-up to sun-down day. Typically, the time you get at CocoCay is between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm. I wish that it was longer, but with toddlers, it was perfect!
Here is a link to the CocoCay Cruises with Royal Caribbean.
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Is CocoCay good for toddlers?
This was my second question and I can attest, from personal experience as well as the experience of countless other people that I’ve talked to, that the answer is YES! Perfect Day at CocoCay with toddlers is so worth it. It is like going to a splash pad on the beach with free food. Well, food that you paid for in your cruise price that is.
There are sections of CocoCay, Captain Jill’s Galleon, and Splashaway Bay, that are designed for toddlers that, at first glance, may not seem like a lot compared to Thrill Park. However, you only have one day at CocoCay and little toddlers get tired quickly, especially being in the sun. We found that what CocoCay had to offer for little toddlers was perfect!
If you want to pay extra, you can get into the Thrill Waterpark section of the island go down all of the water slides, and swim in the pools there. Those do have a height requirement, so just keep an eye on that. I would hate for you to buy a water park ticket only to realize that your little toddlers are too short to ride any of the water slides.
Pools
Aside from these kid-specific sections, your toddler is allowed in all of the pools! In some pools, like the Wave Pool and the Adventure Pool, they do need to have life jackets on at all times if they are under 42”. For these pools though, you do need to purchase a Thrill Waterpark ticket since both are in the waterpark section of the island.
All other pools are fair game with toddlers though! Aside from the Infinity Pool in the Coco Beach Club, they are all complimentary.
Beaches
Since it’s an island, you don’t have to go far to find a beach! Ollie loved the beach most of all which was funny to us given that he could explore a pirate ship or get soaked in the Splashaway Bay. Nope. The beach did it for him. If you ask a worker, they can usually find some sand toys too if you forget yours!
Can babies and toddlers in swim diapers swim in the pools at Coco Cay?
Yes! Unlike the cruise ship where swim diapers were only allowed in the baby splash zones on certain ships, babies and toddlers in swim diapers are allowed in all of the pools and beaches at CocoCay. Another great reason to book a cruise to CocoCay if you ask me!
Where can my toddler nap?
The age-old question when traveling with kids! Don’t worry, there are a few options for dealing with naps while on your Perfect Day at CocoCay with toddlers!
- Bring a stroller for your toddler to nap in. Although not always ideal to have your toddler or young child nap in a stroller, if they can, this is a good option!
- Go back to the ship for nap time. Taking your toddler back to the ship for naptime is another option for dealing with naps while at CocoCay. We didn’t want to miss out on the beach and vibes, so we didn’t do this. We do know of others that have though and they didn’t mind it!
- Have your young children nap in a cabana. If you are already planning on renting a private cabana, having your toddler sleep on the chairs/couches in there is another option. I don’t recommend renting a cabana solely to have a place for your toddler to nap though because they do cost quite a bit extra.
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What can a toddler eat at the Perfect Day at CocoCay
For the most part, all of the food is included! So anything that you were feeding your toddler on the boat, you would be able to feed them at Coco Cay. There are, of course, some upgraded dining options, but you can eat and be very satisfied with the food included in the price of your ticket.
- Chill Grill
- Skipper’s Grill
- Snack Shack – 3 on the island!
- Captain Jack’s (extra charge)
Can I take a stroller to CocoCay and how do I get around?
You can most definitely take a stroller to CocoCay! There are paths all over that you can use to get around the island. However, some of the paths are covered in sand. This made pushing a stroller through some sections a little difficult. Well, mostly slow. Really slow. But it is manageable! Especially if you have a sleeping toddler in the stroller and don’t mind walking slowly so he can get the longest nap after a fun day in the sun.
If you’re not a fan of having to push a stroller through some sandy parts though, there are two alternatives to dealing with this! You can get one of the complimentary strollers on CocoCay that has giant sand wheels. They are pretty cool! Those will not get stuck in the sand which is amazing. They just glide right over like it’s no big deal.
Beach strollers can be found at the Arrival’s Plaza and since it’s on a first-come, first-serve basis, they do get snatched up quickly though. The second alternative is to take the trams! Some trams will take you all over the island. There are also tram stops throughout the island that you can wait at if you want a ride somewhere.
Overall, is the Perfect Day at CocoCay worth going to with toddlers?
There are definitely plenty of things to do with your toddlers on your Perfect Day at CocoCay and it’s a great atmosphere. We were able to do fun things as a family as well as do things that were more catered towards a toddler. For us, it was totally worth it, but you be the judge!
