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When was your first visit to CocoCay? (a.k.a. Little Stirrup Cay)


Jill

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My first visit was way back in 1987! It was known as Little Stirrup Cay and I was there aboard Admiral Cruises “Emerald Seas.” She was an old military supply ship turned cruise ship. 
 

The island was a beach with heavy mangrove trees. Of course the “sunken plane” was the highlight of the island. 
 

Present day CocoCay bears little resemblance to her original self. 
 

Any other old timers visit her way back when? I’m really not THAT old! College spring break. $137 for 3 nights. 
 

I just remember the actual old people upset with us rowdy college kids. 

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1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

Actually, I've never been there (until Adventure in July happens).  We're always partial to the western/southern stops

Same! Never had an interest in going until the kids came along, and we were never really the type to do a short cruise just to do it (not that we have the means to do so, either). Our first time was supposed to be in Aug 2020 on Mariner (now Nov 2021 on Indy and then heading back in Dec on Harmony)

Buuut, we were cleaning and I was going through some of my husband's old college stuff (at his request), and found one of those souvenir pictures of him at Coco Cay while on a short cruise aboard Enchantment (I think). This after he let me gush about taking the kids there and nary a word that he had already been. I suppose I can't fault him for that given how much it has changed recently.

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Long before it was a gleam in the cruise industry's eyes... Used to fish the flats for bonefish as well as harvest conch. Where we used to ancho is very close to some outstanding wahoo fishing. We came from Great Harbour Cay or even from Chub Cay at the far end f the Berry Islands...  I'm kind of surprised that somebody didn't piece together fishing excursions based at Great Harbour that could service the ships. Fishing was excellent.  And I believe would still be good. Exposure to north and east quadrant  winds would result though in a few weather cancellations... 

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2009 for my college senior trip! My first ever cruise where I became hooked! We were on Majesty for 3 or 4 days (Nassau, Coco Cay and Key West)! For an inside cabin I think I paid $438 (also no drinking even if you were 21 because I went to a private Christian college and we had to represent the school ??) We had to take a boat from the ship to the island! I loved it then but glad they made some changes!

My husband and I went back in Jan of 2020 and I love how they developed the island! I love it more now! We had a blast and cannot wait to go back! We both had a blast and loved the swim up bar at the Oasis pool!!

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I went to Coco Cay on my verrry first cruise in 1998. I gotta look through my old photo albums to find some pics of that trip on Sovereign of the Seas!

I went with my grade school best friend and her family. Her grandma was the cruise master and paid for us all, I remember hoping that one day I would see as many Caribbean islands as she had! So far I've got 8 under my belt with 6 more scheduled between now and April 2023. ?️?️?️

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We were off the Mariner in April 2019, one week before the grand reopening. Most of the basic activities seemed open but we had little time to do everything. I had gotten a daybed on the far beach and they upgraded us to a first level cabana with food and wait service and all that. We spent most of the day floating and walking around. We did not sample but a fraction of the food and the pool bar was impossible to get to. People were walking out past the floating bar a 1/4 mile or more on the spit of sand. A great day that I would repeat in a heartbeat.

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1992 on Empress (I think) for me. Snorkled the day away and swam to the sunken plane spot. I remember eating some delicious BBQ chicken on the island and having to get on a small landing boat to get to and from the island. 

Needless to say, visiting the 2nd time in September of 2019 was a TOTALLY different experience! LOL ? 

 

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Our first, and only, visit to date was back in June 2010 on Majesty. We had a great time, but I don't remember too much (probably because there was no "wow" factor back then like we had previously experienced at Castaway Cay during our honeymoon). Also, we had to tender back then... a little bit of a pain in the butt.

Can't wait (fingers-crossed) to go back for the first time in 11 years this OCT on Oasis for the ultimate "wow" factor! We really enjoyed Labadee, so we expect this to be even better!  ?

 

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2015 - my first ever cruise, on Freedom.

It was gorgeous.  So relaxing and serene.

I was wading in the water, just amazed at how clear it was, and totally forgot my phone in my pocket.

At least it died a heroic death in a glorious place.

 

God willing, I'll be back (although in a theme park instead of beautiful, quiet greenery) in just over 2 months.

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I visited on my 3rd Royal sailing and honestly was blown away.  Being an avid Disney Cruise person  (30+ cruises) and enjoying Castaway Cay many time, I wondered how Coco Cay would compare.  To me, hands down Coco Cay tops Castaway Cay.  Such an amazing island with an awesome food selection and a wonderful pool option.

 

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2009, before the remodeling.  Snorkeling was a bit better then.  Had to deal with tenders, which a couple of years later led to a missed port (waves too high).

Frankly, I favor the more primitive settings, but I understand that competitors like Disney drive an effort to create a theme park atmosphere.  I love the fact that we have a pier and don't tender anymore.

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  • 2 years later...

We’re newbies.   Our first visit was in September 2021.  We stayed the night at the pier.
 

We were on Adventure out of Nassau. Jumping through the hoops necessary to fly to The Bahamas and cruise during the pandemic made us realize we had become “Cruisers”.  

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August of 2021 (2 times in one sailing) when we were allowed to sail again from Nassau, Bahamas prior to the US allowing us to go. Could not wait for the US opening and Royal offered us such a deal on the airfare after having 10 cruises cancelled during the pandemic to get us to sail. Not everything was open but enough with almost no one there (40% occupancy on a smaller ship) that we could explore the island and have our pick of any spot to lay out and swim. Would like to go back in the future. Closest we have come since then is within sight at Great Stirrup Cay with our son and grand kids this past July (he decided the cruise, not us).

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