CoCo Cay for free?

[elaine5]

Can we just get off ship, grab some chairs in the shade (under a palm tree, etc.) and hang for the day at the beach, swim, eat the BBQ lunch without spending extra $? Or do we need to get a clam shell? If so, can we pick which one or is it assigned? Are there certain places/beaches that we'd need to pay an entrance fee? We don't care about water toys, zip lines, etc. Just a great beach day for 2 60 yr olds. 

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, elaine5 said:

Can we just get off ship, grab some chairs in the shade (under a palm tree, etc.) and hang for the day at the beach, swim, eat the BBQ lunch without spending extra $?

That’s exactly what the great majority of cruisers do. 

[ZoeyVictoria]

We take a few dollars for Diamond drink tips, otherwise no money at all. We always have a great time. 

[SG65CB]

There are tons of free lounge chairs with umbrellas. 

[GimmeOcean]

50 minutes ago, elaine5 said:

Can we just get off ship, grab some chairs in the shade (under a palm tree, etc.) and hang for the day at the beach, swim, eat the BBQ lunch without spending extra $? Or do we need to get a clam shell? If so, can we pick which one or is it assigned? Are there certain places/beaches that we'd need to pay an entrance fee? We don't care about water toys, zip lines, etc. Just a great beach day for 2 60 yr olds. 

Yup. Easily doable. Lots of lounge chairs with umbrellas everywhere.

[OCSC Mike]

57 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

We take a few dollars for Diamond drink tips, otherwise no money at all. We always have a great time. 

 

Same M.O. for us.

[cruisegirl1]

1 hour ago, elaine5 said:

Can we just get off ship, grab some chairs in the shade (under a palm tree, etc.) and hang for the day at the beach, swim, eat the BBQ lunch without spending extra $? Or do we need to get a clam shell? If so, can we pick which one or is it assigned? Are there certain places/beaches that we'd need to pay an entrance fee? We don't care about water toys, zip lines, etc. Just a great beach day for 2 60 yr olds. 

All the beaches are complimentary  ( except the Coco Beach Club) - and all beach chair sets ( sets of 2 or 4) include a complimentary umbrella in case you want to be in an area with no trees.

 

Bonus -  if you have the internet package it works there.  And, if you have a  drink package  or  have daily loyalty drinks available,  you can get them on Coco Cay as well. 

 

Considering what we pay at other ports to get to the beach, rent chairs/umbrellas, have lunch,  a day at Coco Cay or Labadee is terrific for us.

 

M

 

 

Edited January 18 by cruisegirl1

[elaine5]

2 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

and all beach chair sets ( sets of 2 or 4) include a complimentary umbrella

are those chairs free, or do you reserve them for a fee? 

[GimmeOcean]

19 minutes ago, elaine5 said:

are those chairs free, or do you reserve them for a fee? 

They are free. You only have to pay if you want a day bed or a cabana.

[hapster85]

2 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

All the beaches are complimentary  ( except the Coco Beach Club) - and all beach chair sets ( sets of 2 or 4) include a complimentary umbrella in case you want to be in an area with no trees.

 

Bonus -  if you have the internet package it works there.  And, if you have a  drink package  or  have daily loyalty drinks available,  you can get them on Coco Cay as well. 

 

Considering what we pay at other ports to get to the beach, rent chairs/umbrellas, have lunch,  a day at Coco Cay or Labadee is terrific for us.

 

M

 

 

The new adult only Hideaway Beach also requires a fee. 

[Mum2Mercury]

5 hours ago, elaine5 said:

Can we just get off ship, grab some chairs in the shade (under a palm tree, etc.) and hang for the day at the beach, swim, eat the BBQ lunch without spending extra $? Or do we need to get a clam shell? If so, can we pick which one or is it assigned? Are there certain places/beaches that we'd need to pay an entrance fee? We don't care about water toys, zip lines, etc. Just a great beach day for 2 60 yr olds. 

Yep, no problem.  Well, we might buy a couple drinks (which cost about $1 more than they do on the ship ... something to do with VAT), but that's it.  

Two suggestions for setting up a no-cost base: 

Chill Island:  nearest the ship, quiet, near hammocks in the shade, near one of the large buffets

South Beach:  a little less crowded, a little less quiet, has a cool bar out in the ocean, has games, near one of the large buffets 

I also suggest you get out early to get a good spot.  And choose your destination before you get off the ship; the best, ocean-front chairs go quickly.  

[Merion_Mom]

4 hours ago, schooner_Drinker said:

You don’t even need tip Money if you are not Diamond 😎

 

If not drinking alcohol- punch drinks come out of dispensers , that don’t accept tips 

 

Nancy 🍸

 

@Biker19 never seen a thread completely not about tipping , hit the tip by post #3

 

Most people cannot fathom a full day at the beach without SOME sort of alcoholic beverage.

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 hour ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Most people cannot fathom a full day at the beach without SOME sort of alcoholic beverage.

Unless you go to Ocean City, New Jersey, and you have to bring your own!

 

🤣

[jean87510]

6 hours ago, elaine5 said:

Can we just get off ship, grab some chairs in the shade (under a palm tree, etc.) and hang for the day at the beach, swim, eat the BBQ lunch without spending extra $? Or do we need to get a clam shell? If so, can we pick which one or is it assigned? Are there certain places/beaches that we'd need to pay an entrance fee? We don't care about water toys, zip lines, etc. Just a great beach day for 2 60 yr olds. 

yes.  It's what a lot of us do.  

 

Edited to add and if you only drink water or the provided free beverages, no need to tip unless you want to.  

 

We are not big fans of PDCC and thankfully only have one more time there off of a Celebrity cruise.  When we are there next, we are going around noon after lunch onboard as far to the right on South Beach as we can and relaxing for 3 or 4 hours with our water bottles and towels and our phones.  

Edited January 18 by jean87510

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Unless you go to Ocean City, New Jersey

 

Fond memories of my youth (along with many other parts of the Jersey shore). The food-stealing seagulls on CocoCay always make me think of that. 😁

[Engineroom Snipe]

6 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Fond memories of my youth (along with many other parts of the Jersey shore). The food-stealing seagulls on CocoCay always make me think of that. 😁

The seagulls are one and the same: aggressive and fearless. They will swoop in and take the food out of your hands within inches of your mouth. 

 

The Birds, by Director Alfred Hitchcock, 1963.

[gatour]

We have never had problems getting a pair of free chairs with free umbrella on the beach.  One hint is to pass by the first beach and walk a bit further for less crowded optons.

 

Ahh seagulls or as I call them rsts with wings.  Living fairly close to the beach here in Florida I can tell the mon locals as they are feeding the rats err seagulls.  There have had to ask people to stop feeding them when the people are upwind of us.

[Another_Critic]

27 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Fond memories of my youth (along with many other parts of the Jersey shore). The food-stealing seagulls on CocoCay always make me think of that. 😁

 

17 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

The seagulls are one and the same: aggressive and fearless. They will swoop in and take the food out of your hands within inches of your mouth. 

 

The Birds, by Director Alfred Hitchcock, 1963.

 

We went to a park on the west coast of Ireland.  There were seagulls there, but they sat there with an expression of "I'll be happy to help you eat your lunch", but they were not aggressive at all.  We commented to each other that they definitely weren't from New Jersey.

 

On another trip to Mont Saint-Michel in France, the seagulls were even more aggressive than NJ seagulls.  My brother was walking and eating a pastry, a seagull flew by and snatched the pastry as he was eating it.

[Engineroom Snipe]

3 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

 

 

We went to a park on the west coast of Ireland.  There were seagulls there, but they sat there with an expression of "I'll be happy to help you eat your lunch", but they were not aggressive at all.  We commented to each other that they definitely weren't from New Jersey.

🤣

On another trip to Mont Saint-Michel in France, the seagulls were even more aggressive than NJ seagulls.  My brother was walking and eating a pastry, a seagull flew by and snatched the pastry as he was eating it.

My guess, the Irish seagulls had a "nip" from a wayward cup of Irish Whiskey and were bidding their time.

 

The seagulls from France were enraged that an American was eating one of their country's prized pastries.

 

🤣