sunandfunseekers Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 Received this email 3 days before our departure! Had no idea this would happen!!! Disappointed South Beach is closed now until December 2019 REIMAGINING in Process! Inbox x Royal Caribbean International Express Notification Alerts <[email protected]> Tue, Jul 9, 4:25 PM (17 hours ago) to me ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING TRAVELS Dear Guest, Our private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay, is unlike any in the world and has something for everyone. Lounge in our Oasis Lagoon, the Caribbean’s largest freshwater pool, or take the plunge down North America’s tallest waterslide, Daredevil’s Peak! When hunger strikes, indulge in all-you-can-eat tacos and guac at Skipper’s Grill and Chill Grill. Or, swing by Snack Shack, whose array of fresh bites are perfect for those grab & go moments. Need a refreshing beach cocktail? Captain Jack’s is the perfect place to chill with live music and great views. Soar to new heights on Up, Up & Away or just unwind at your leisure. Either way, Perfect Day at CocoCay has you covered! You are going to love it here! The island is pretty darn epic! Not only are we screaming it from the rooftops, but so are they. Oh, and them too. And, we are still at it! We continue to update areas to make sure they are larger-than-life. During your visit, South Beach will be closed to make way for Coco Beach Club and a reimagined South Beach. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. While we work on these areas, we’ve relocated our fan-favorite features for your enjoyment. Our floating bar will be at the beach just past Oasis Lagoon and our Bungalows and Daybeds have temporarily moved to Chill Island. To learn more, visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com/PerfectDayCocoCay, which you can access free of charge while onboard! We can’t wait to have you onboard. See you soon! Sincerely, Royal Caribbean International Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FroggyFlo Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 Thanks for the information! It's my first cruise with RCI, so I don't understand what South Beach stands for in Coco Cay. What kind of beach is ti? What type of cruisers will this closure affect? What will be the side effects for cruisers (more crowds for sure, but where?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunandfunseekers Posted July 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 Last year we rented a cabana at the south beach area - they are moving cabanas, bungalows and beach beds to other areas, which means more crowed areas since the entire south beach is closed... was excited to have the pier for this trip but now bummed with the closure of a pretty area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose City Cruiser Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 I had reservations about the new Coco Cay being crowded with two ships there. But that was not the case when I was there at the end of June. They set up the food spaces similar to how Windjammer is with separate food stations instead of a single line which helps with crowds. There's plenty of loungers around the Oasis Lagoon but go early to get the best spots. Beaches were pretty much empty. So you won't have a problem finding a good spot there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahdoul44 Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 Just received this email today as well. Was looking forward to some relaxing time on the Daybed i reserved for our HOTS cruise in August. Now I am wondering how crowded Chill Island is going to be with all the extra Cabanas and Daybeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondas42 Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 Yup, just got the same email for our beach bungalow when we go on Harmony in two weeks time. Hoping it’s not gonna be too crowded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor in Orlando Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 17 minutes ago, Mondas42 said: Yup, just got the same email for our beach bungalow when we go on Harmony in two weeks time. Hoping it’s not gonna be too crowded. I have a Bungalow for probably the same sailing (7/21 Embark), and was wondering the same thing. The current pics of Chill Island show a LOT of loungers around, and while I'm sure some were moved, I wonder just how cramped the bungalows will be, compared to how they were before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondas42 Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 3 minutes ago, Trevor in Orlando said: I have a Bungalow for probably the same sailing (7/21 Embark), and was wondering the same thing. The current pics of Chill Island show a LOT of loungers around, and while I'm sure some were moved, I wonder just how cramped the bungalows will be, compared to how they were before. Yeah same sailing . Wondering if we should cancel or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshvc Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 4 hours ago, FroggyFlo said: Thanks for the information! It's my first cruise with RCI, so I don't understand what South Beach stands for in Coco Cay. What kind of beach is ti? What type of cruisers will this closure affect? What will be the side effects for cruisers (more crowds for sure, but where?) The short answer is that it probably won't affect most people at all. This is a fairly small portion of the island, and while it could push a few more people into other parts of the beach, all the reports I've seen are that the beaches are much less populated, with crowds distributed to the big pool and the waterpark. The vast majority of the island remains wide open. (the full map from Royal: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/perfect-day-at-cococay-wayfinding-map.pdf) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunandfunseekers Posted July 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 Thanks joshvc. That rendering shows umbrellas all over the beaches and pool areas. Does anyone know if there are actually umbrella's set up now? Or if they are not set up all the time, are they available complimentary or for charge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyking89 Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 So is the entire Chill Island beach open to anyone and not just people who rented cabanas etc? We have a large group and rented 3 beach beds for our 7/21 sailing to use as a home base and I am debating cancelling one of them since everyone will be coming and going to the pool and splash pad but I want to make sure everyone will be able to access the 2 remaining beds without a reservation of their own if that makes sense ..TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koki Posted July 10, 2019 Report Share Posted July 10, 2019 bummer. RCL ought to provide a special a discount on something on Cococay for South Beach closing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted July 11, 2019 Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 Why? They added so much stuff that wasn't there before. South Beach is simply the next phase they couldn't do before without impacting the old beach area. Now that there is so much going on, losing South Beach for a few months is not a big deal. spiralqueen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FroggyFlo Posted July 11, 2019 Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 Thanks Joshvc for the map, it is vey helpful. So, I can see there are 3 beaches to choose from: Chill Island, Oasis Lagoon and Harbour Beach. What are the differences between them? Oasis Lagoon seems like a pool, and the other 2 sandbeaches upon sea water? Chill Island may have the prettiest view on the sea and natural surroundings? Can you snorkle for free in any of these places? I will bring my own equipment, but of course if it is worth it and there actually are some exotic fish to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted July 11, 2019 Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 10 hours ago, twangster said: Why? They added so much stuff that wasn't there before. South Beach is simply the next phase they couldn't do before without impacting the old beach area. Now that there is so much going on, losing South Beach for a few months is not a big deal. South beach remains the best part for me ... walk right through all the other crap that distracts everyone else and go enjoy South beach ... really wishing i hadnt just booked a group for November on the promise of relaxing out in the quiet south beach area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor in Orlando Posted July 11, 2019 Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 15 hours ago, Mondas42 said: Yeah same sailing . Wondering if we should cancel or not? I don't plan on cancelling. While I would have preferred a more secluded area, I feel that my family having that dedicated space and shade is too important for our day at the beach. Besides, I see the bungalows are currently going for $399 for this cruise, and I was able to get for $219, so I still think I'm getting a pretty good deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted July 11, 2019 Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 13 hours ago, sunandfunseekers said: Thanks joshvc. That rendering shows umbrellas all over the beaches and pool areas. Does anyone know if there are actually umbrella's set up now? Or if they are not set up all the time, are they available complimentary or for charge? Yes! They have added tons of umbrellas at both the beach and pool areas and they are complimentary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BethinGr Posted July 11, 2019 Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 We were at Coco Cay yesterday and it was a blast!! We went to the opposite side from the main dock, by the jet ski dock. They had just moved the floating bar the day before, they said. We got there about 9:30am and snagged chairs with an umbrella right by the water. But it filled up fast. Not sure about the other beaches, but most chairs on ours were taken. 2 boats at coco cay - ours (Majesty) and Navigator of the Seas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monctonguy Posted July 11, 2019 Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 12 hours ago, twangster said: Now that there is so much going on, losing South Beach for a few months is not a big deal. I disagree....chill island area was always the BUSY area......before anything changed....noisy....lots of kids and families.....close to the buffet etc and the first beach area ppl see when they arrive on the island. The south beach area was a nice quiet and relaxing area...and while it wasn't packed, there were always quite a few ppl there(and this was with ONE ship in port) I can only imagine what it will be like with TWO ships in port some days...NO south beach....waterpark sold out...and everyone else cramped into Chill Island area.... I am guessing it will be a big deal on many occasions for many people...time will tell. You cant take away and expect it not to have an impact...if that was the case, then just keep it closed if it was no bearing or impact on the rest of the island. Of course this will create more demand on other areas of the island..thereby raising prices and brining in more revenue for Royal...win win for them...lose lose for the customer.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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