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Coco Cay Big Reveal - Let the Speculation Commence


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Yesterday @Matt informed us of a big reveal planned by RCI next week on Nov. 7.  Watching his periscope yesterday and in response to his call for speculation and guessing what could possibly be announced in the big reveal next week, I put my thinking cap on and started making wild guesses.  One guess is that Coco Cay may be making some big news soon.  

This post is purely speculative with no basis in fact or inside knowledge.  It's almost certainly going to be proven wrong next week, but let's have some fun!

What got me thinking last night was Matt's comment about a concept of staying overnight on Coco Cay and possibly arriving on one ship but departing on another as mentioned in this blog.  

  • Guests on CocoCay may be able to get off the ship and stay there overnight, "we will be adding some private cabana accommodation for Suite Class guests who may want to get off and stay for a few days in total luxury and privacy before hopping on another ship to come home."

Coco Cay is also known as Little Stirrup Cay and it is located right beside Great Stirrup Cay (GSC) which is a private destination for Norwegian Cruise Lines.  Last year NCL announced plans to refurbish GSC including a private lagoon retreat for certain suite guests.  I had also heard rumors about a hotel operation on GSC although finding information on that is more difficult. 

On a recent trip to Coco Cay aboard Grandeur of the Seas I spotted construction on GSC. 

In this photo of GSC just right of photo center you can see construction trailers and right of that a row of concrete buildings.  Left of the trailers is the beach that GSC visitors use when visiting there.

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Here is a closer photo of the GSC beach area showing row and row of loungers.

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Here are those concrete building under construction in an undeveloped area of GSC.

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These are presumably building to fulfill the NCL vision of a lagoon retreat but could they also be part of that rumored future overnight hotel operation on GSC? 

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A distinct disadvantage for any port of call is the lack of a pier.  That has an impact to daytime visits and lacking a pier it makes the idea of overnight stays from a cruise ship very challenging.   

All too often cruise ship visits to tender ports are called off due to slight seas.  That moment of stepping off a large and stable cruise ship onto a tender bobbing up and down in even a small amount of waves can be very dangerous.  Not only do you need calm seas in the morning but if seas are forecast to become larger later in the day that can also impact a visit to a tender port.   

That soon won't be an issue for Coco Cay, the pier is under construction and scheduled to start receiving ships in June 2018.  A pier will be a game changer for Coco Cay.

Maybe the big reveal next week is going to announce some very big upgrades for Coco Cay.  Will that overnight Coco Cay hotel hinted at earlier this year become a reality?   

Wouldn't that be the ultimate back to back cruise adventure?  Arrive to Coco Cay on one cruise ship, spend a few days and nights on Coco Cay, depart on a different cruise ship! Will we get Crown & Anchor points for Coco Cay?  :1_grinning:

Maybe Mariner's post dry-dock relocation to Miami plays a role in this concept.  

What other new and exciting features will Coco Cay receive?

Back in 2013 Matt wrote a blog describing how Carnival would be making some stops at Coco Cay.  What if NCL was to use the Coco Cay pier as a mean to access GSC on less than perfect days?  Both have sheltered harbors were boarding a water taxi can be done safely and it would be a short ride between islands.  What if the cruise lines shared island resources?  Highly unlikely but hey, this is all about wild speculation. :10_wink:

So let's hear from you.  What wild and crazy ideas can you come up with for the big reveal next week?

Dream on...

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Interesting...I know Carnival has had rumors going like this for Amber Cove in the DR.....they built a huge port area and was rumored they were going to buy the RIU resort/hotel next to it to offer their guests this kinda experience. However, some years have passed and this hasn't happened yet.

 

I would think they would need something on a pretty large scale to hold guests overnight...from restaurants to bars to activity centers etc.....would take up a large footprint on the relatively small island....and to offer this to just suite guests would require some pretty hefty costs and charges I think to make it viable?!

 

I am not that hepped up on making all these islands like floating resorts. I have to admit that I prefer Coco Cay over Labadee..simply for that reason. I feel like I am on a deserted island in the Caribbean on Coco Cay...on Labadee, I feel like I am in Florida at a theme park/resort type thing.

 

 

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10 minutes ago, bhageerah said:

I was looking on another website and this was posted.......interesting and informative!  

 

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/277322/big-interview-michael-bayley-president-and-chief-executive-of-royal-caribbean-international

Good find.  Quoted from that article:

The deal will also see the creation of “a unique and phenomenal vacation experience” on Coco Cay in the form of a massive water park, which, Bayley says, will eclipse any other water park in the world.

“It is going to be the capital city of fun,” he promises.

“It’s located less than a day from Miami or Fort Lauderdale, and guests will have the choice of chill or thrill when they get there.

“You can still have a beach experience. And we will be adding some private cabana accommodation for Suite Class guests who may want to get off and stay for a few days in total luxury and privacy before hopping on another ship to come home – or you can go and have a total thrill adventure. This is another example of our continuous drive to offer an out-of-the-ordinary vacation.”

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I like the thought of getting off, staying a while, then getting on another ship to come home, but the whole luggage thing is a problem for me.  If I'm on a seven night cruise with my family, that's a lot of bags to re-pack from my cabin to the island to another cabin.  I'm not sure I'd want to live out of my suitcases for a week. 

 

The whole logistics of it is tough; what if the ship you need to get on is fully booked?  I can't believe RCCL would keep empty cabins for this. 

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There are land-sea cruises in Alaska that are popular for those that have the time for longer adventures.  I'm assuming these might be something you book well in advance, not on a whim, when cabin availability can be secured on both ships.  Not unlike booking a B2B now.  Booking one on short notice often means changing cabins, booking far out means your pick of cabins.  

I'm doing a B2B in December and changing cabins.  Just missing the Coco Cay stay in the middle.  I'm actually looking forward to changing cabins, 19 nights in one cabin is great, but trying something new is what I love about cruising.

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On ‎11‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 8:41 PM, twangster said:

Good find.  Quoted from that article:

The deal will also see the creation of “a unique and phenomenal vacation experience” on Coco Cay in the form of a massive water park, which, Bayley says, will eclipse any other water park in the world.

“It is going to be the capital city of fun,” he promises.

“It’s located less than a day from Miami or Fort Lauderdale, and guests will have the choice of chill or thrill when they get there.

“You can still have a beach experience. And we will be adding some private cabana accommodation for Suite Class guests who may want to get off and stay for a few days in total luxury and privacy before hopping on another ship to come home – or you can go and have a total thrill adventure. This is another example of our continuous drive to offer an out-of-the-ordinary vacation.”

I really hope they find another island then to visit as well...this is exactly what I was hoping WOULDNT be happening at Coco Cay...wish they would have done this at Labadee.

 

Guess I better try and get back to Coco Cay one last time before it changes to Disney world....

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3 hours ago, monctonguy said:

I really hope they find another island then to visit as well...this is exactly what I was hoping WOULDNT be happening at Coco Cay...wish they would have done this at Labadee.

 

Guess I better try and get back to Coco Cay one last time before it changes to Disney world....

I've only been twice, and loved wandering around the far end of the island with no people.  So peaceful, and a great view, unhindered, of the massive big-blue-wet-thing.

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25 minutes ago, RestingBirds said:

Seeing a Quantum class with snow in the background...Could a Quantum visit Alaskan ports?  That'd be a fun (expensive?) cruise!

Could one? Yes, they're build for the cold weather and go up to Canada in the late fall for foliage peeping.

But should one? That's a big question mark.

I think they're far too big to see the most impressive sights that the smaller Voyager and Brilliance class ships can go to, such as those runs into the narrow channels (fjords?) around the glaciers, and in my mind that would mean far more limited itineraries with much less of the natural beauty on display that folks specifically take those cruises to see.

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  • 11 months later...

I've been looking up "Perfect Day at Coco Cay" because several families from church are going there in June 2019 and they wanted me to tag along .  The more I looked at the pictures online of the ongoing construction, the more I got the feeling the place looked very familiar.  Then I looked at the invoice for my cruise on the Majesty last year... lo and behold ... I was indeed on Coco Cay ... on my birthday!!!  How could I ever forget that???
 

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Well, I kinda know why... I was more fascinated with the iguanas than with the island.

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