a350flyer Posted July 4 #1 Share Posted July 4 (edited) Could you elaborate on the decision to include Coco Cay as a destination for Celebrity Cruises? Recent discussions and polls on Cruise Critic indicate that this destination is not particularly popular among the community. Some amenities, like the water park, seem to contrast with Celebrity’s branding, while others, such as the beach club, require an additional fee. Additionally, it’s common to see a Royal Caribbean ship docked alongside Celebrity at Coco Cay. Why choose a private destination that was developed for Royal? Clearly, passengers on Celebrity did not choose a Royal experience, and many may be unaware that thousands of passengers from a Royal ship will share the private destination with them. Can you share how you plan to align Coco Cay’s offerings with Celebrity’s branding and passenger expectations? Edited July 4 by a350flyer 9 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikepmcm Posted July 7 #2 Share Posted July 7 Are the Celebrity cruises to CocoCay working and will they become permanent? Is is possible it will be expanded to include Labadee? And what are the plans to build Celebrity's own island retreat? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Hodges Bethge Posted July 18 #3 Share Posted July 18 Great question. We chose to bring our ships to Perfect Day at Coco Cay because it is the #1 rated destination out of any port that any ship in the Royal Caribbean Group fleet visits. There are so many elevated, relaxing, beautiful, and tranquil spaces for our guests to enjoy. Some charge a fee, but many do not. So far, this is also rated as the #1 destination we visit in the Caribbean. Perfect Day was designed so that you can have “your” Perfect Day, whatever that may be. In addition to the relaxing Coco Beach Club, Harbor Beach, and Chill Island are equally relaxing and offer beautiful views, food and drinks, and amenities at no extra charge. On my President’s Cruise I took our Zenith members on a private tour of the island and the response was tremendous. Many of them thanked me for giving them the opportunity to see the full island because they didn’t realize all the amazing spaces it had to offer for them. And they told me they wanted to come back! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DaKahuna Posted July 18 #4 Share Posted July 18 Don't you feel the demographic for those surveys were a little one sided since only people who sailed on Royal Caribbean could have experienced Coco Cay. One of the reasons we started sailing Celebrity vice Royal Caribbean was becuase of the varied ports of call that did not include Coco Cay. While it does have some nice beaches and activites, if you are looking for peace and quiet you have to pay the price of admission to the Beach Club even when traveling in a suite. Again, I see this as Celebrity targeting a younger demographic of cruisers, especially when combined with the short 4-day cruises. If I wanted that, I would sail Royal Caribbean. We came to Celebrity for something different and we are now finding that we have to look at alternative cruise lines to recieve what we use to get from Celebrity 19 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Norwaylady Posted July 18 #5 Share Posted July 18 Dear Laura Im one of the younger people... We find the 4/n sailings very unattractive, it too much party and nothing X stands for in our opinion. We will never do shorter then 7/days and prefer 10 to 20.nights. We have searched on Coco Cay, watched YouTube , we are really not sold in any way. We see several dollars extra for what we want, how we want to spend our day. So if you really want to listen to your "core" guest who chose X in the beginning over Royal, please rethink Coco Cay or at least make sure its only X ship calling that day. 20 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conquesodor Posted July 18 #6 Share Posted July 18 I truly don't understand why some people object so strongly to the fact that Celebrity is now offering a select number of sailings that stop at Coco Cay. Celebrity also stops at more or less the same ports around the Caribbean that other cruise lines do, so it's baffling that stopping at Coco Cay somehow diminishes the brand, but stopping at other islands does not. If you don't want to go there, choose one of the many more itineraries that don't stop there. Personally, I think Coco Cay is a great destination that does offer something for almost everyone, which is why my family is looking at doing a Celebrity cruise in 2025 that includes Coco Cay. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix_dream Posted July 18 #7 Share Posted July 18 2 minutes ago, conquesodor said: I truly don't understand why some people object so strongly to the fact that Celebrity is now offering a select number of sailings that stop at Coco Cay. Celebrity also stops at more or less the same ports around the Caribbean that other cruise lines do, so it's baffling that stopping at Coco Cay somehow diminishes the brand, but stopping at other islands does not. If you don't want to go there, choose one of the many more itineraries that don't stop there. Personally, I think Coco Cay is a great destination that does offer something for almost everyone, which is why my family is looking at doing a Celebrity cruise in 2025 that includes Coco Cay. One of the reasons is that most (granted, not all) of these are related to 3 and 4 day cruises. A large majority of us hate those short cruises. And it is not just that they exist - it is that they take away options for more 7 night or longer cruises in the Caribbean, which is what the large majority of us want ("us" being the heretofore loyal Celebrity cruisers). 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DaKahuna Posted July 18 #8 Share Posted July 18 2 minutes ago, conquesodor said: I truly don't understand why some people object so strongly to the fact that Celebrity is now offering a select number of sailings that stop at Coco Cay. Because the atmosphere of Coco Cay is more family, e.g. couples with childeren under the age of 21, oriented and we moved from Royal Caribbean to Celebrity to get away from that. We rasied our children, love them and our grandkids, but we sail maining for the peace, quiet, and tranquility that we enjoy as empty nesters. In other ports there are things to do other that sit on a beach or go to an amusement park. When is the last time you explored a Mayan ruin, or took a boat down a jungle river, etc. at Coco Cay? 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conquesodor Posted July 18 #9 Share Posted July 18 1 minute ago, phoenix_dream said: One of the reasons is that most (granted, not all) of these are related to 3 and 4 day cruises. A large majority of us hate those short cruises. And it is not just that they exist - it is that they take away options for more 7 night or longer cruises in the Caribbean, which is what the large majority of us want ("us" being the heretofore loyal Celebrity cruisers). You have a good point about 3 and 4 night cruises, which I agree have a very different character than longer itineraries. That is something new from Celebrity and I would not choose one either. However, those short cruises are like that whether they stop at Coco Cay or not. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conquesodor Posted July 18 #10 Share Posted July 18 11 minutes ago, DaKahuna said: Because the atmosphere of Coco Cay is more family, e.g. couples with childeren under the age of 21, oriented and we moved from Royal Caribbean to Celebrity to get away from that. We rasied our children, love them and our grandkids, but we sail maining for the peace, quiet, and tranquility that we enjoy as empty nesters. In other ports there are things to do other that sit on a beach or go to an amusement park. When is the last time you explored a Mayan ruin, or took a boat down a jungle river, etc. at Coco Cay? Those are all perfectly valid points and preferences. I'm guessing that Coco Cay or not, you probably are relatively selective in the Caribbean itineraries you choose because Mayan ruins and jungle river trips are not available at Nassau, St. Martin, or many other common Caribbean destinations. I respect that your preferences don't align with what Coco Cay offers, but I also think that it is a smart addition to a wide portfolio of itineraries that Celebrity offers in the Caribbean. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DaKahuna Posted July 18 #11 Share Posted July 18 1 hour ago, conquesodor said: Those are all perfectly valid points and preferences. I'm guessing that Coco Cay or not, you probably are relatively selective in the Caribbean itineraries you choose because Mayan ruins and jungle river trips are not available at Nassau, St. Martin, or many other common Caribbean destinations. I respect that your preferences don't align with what Coco Cay offers, but I also think that it is a smart addition to a wide portfolio of itineraries that Celebrity offers in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. We have done so many Caribbean cruises that we hardly ever leave the port area, except for Cozumel where we have a restaurant that we love to go to for lunch. Otherwise, we get off, walk around the port area for an hour or so, and then hop back on the ship. This is also what I did on my last Royal Caribbean cruise that went to Coco Cay. What we enjoy is relaxing on the cruise. As to it being a 'smart addition' let's just agree to disagree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrhdhd Posted July 18 #12 Share Posted July 18 13 minutes ago, DaKahuna said: Unfortunately, you would be wrong. We have done so many Caribbean cruises that we hardly ever leave the port area, except for Cozumel where we have a restaurant that we love to go to for lunch. Otherwise, we get off, walk around the port area for an hour or so, and then hop back on the ship. This is also what I did on my last Royal Caribbean cruise that went to Coco Cay. What we enjoy is relaxing on the cruise. As to it being a 'smart addition' let's just agree to disagree. Then why does it matter if the ship stops at Coco Cay? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DaKahuna Posted July 18 #13 Share Posted July 18 30 minutes ago, hrhdhd said: Then why does it matter if the ship stops at Coco Cay? It's the demographic of the passenger make up for cruises that include Coco Cay. If I wanted to sail on a ship that went to Coco Cay, I'd choose Royal Caribbean. Yes, I know the majority of Celebrity sailing in the Caribbean do not go to Coco Cay and I could sail on those, and I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ReneeFLL Posted July 19 #14 Share Posted July 19 (edited) It's all about how much money they can save since it isn't to far of a destination and how much people will spend. Cha ching. Edited July 19 by ReneeFLL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConnMom Posted July 19 #15 Share Posted July 19 I am aware that a number of longtime Celebrity cruisers do not enjoy Royal Caribbean Cruises and are unhappy with Coco Cay as a port stop. My perspective is a little different. Celebrity has been our favorite cruise line for over 25 years, but we also still enjoy occasional Royal Caribbean sailings, both with and without the grandchildren. I generally like a somewhat quiet and relaxing vibe, and appreciate that it is not impossible to find on Royal. I think Central Park on the Oasis class ships is as lovely as any Celebrity venues, and I love my evenings at the Schooner Piano Bar, which attracts a wide variety of guests. Likewise, we have had quiet days enjoying the beautiful beach at Coco Cay and look forward to our stop there on the Equinox next spring. It is so convenient for a relaxing beach day, finding chairs, beverages and food is easy, and we have found areas at no charge that are quieter and less crowded than some of the other beautiful Caribbean island beaches. As long as it does not become too crowded with multiple ships, I will happily enjoy it as a port stop on either Celebrity or Royal ships. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conquesodor Posted July 19 #16 Share Posted July 19 1 hour ago, ConnMom said: I am aware that a number of longtime Celebrity cruisers do not enjoy Royal Caribbean Cruises and are unhappy with Coco Cay as a port stop. My perspective is a little different. Celebrity has been our favorite cruise line for over 25 years, but we also still enjoy occasional Royal Caribbean sailings, both with and without the grandchildren. I generally like a somewhat quiet and relaxing vibe, and appreciate that it is not impossible to find on Royal. I think Central Park on the Oasis class ships is as lovely as any Celebrity venues, and I love my evenings at the Schooner Piano Bar, which attracts a wide variety of guests. Likewise, we have had quiet days enjoying the beautiful beach at Coco Cay and look forward to our stop there on the Equinox next spring. It is so convenient for a relaxing beach day, finding chairs, beverages and food is easy, and we have found areas at no charge that are quieter and less crowded than some of the other beautiful Caribbean island beaches. As long as it does not become too crowded with multiple ships, I will happily enjoy it as a port stop on either Celebrity or Royal ships. Well said. My view is very similar to yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conquesodor Posted July 19 #17 Share Posted July 19 22 hours ago, DaKahuna said: This is also what I did on my last Royal Caribbean cruise that went to Coco Cay. What we enjoy is relaxing on the cruise. As to it being a 'smart addition' let's just agree to disagree. We can agree to disagree, none of us has to like the same things, but it sure is difficult to figure out your argument. You don't seem to like Coco Cay or Royal Caribbean and their "demographic," yet you recently sailed on Royal Caribbean to Coco Cay. Huh? The only thing I can think of is that you don't want to be on a Celebrity cruise with people who want to go to Coco Cay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ggo85 Posted July 19 #18 Share Posted July 19 When any ship stops at their private island, we just stay onboard. Often have much of the ship to ourselves until at least early afternoon. We've been there and done that with private islands. Not our thing. But we don't begrudge those who enjoy them. Let them go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Norwaylady Posted July 20 #19 Share Posted July 20 For those thinking of a screaming choir and angry grumpy ladies... @conquesodor and for cooperate ( Laura) when it comes to Coco Cay and the shorter cruises..... See this from our point of view. -First of all, you need to fly far away to be able to do a warm climate cruise. In the winter season we have 2 options. Eiter Asia or Caribbean. The Mediterranean are not shorts and sandals. For us to go to MIA or FLL it takes us at least 15h if we get a easy going flight each way. Singapore is 12/14hours on a decent routing. We need to travel from Norway OSL. -Then we need to adjust our timezone pluss or minus 6/7h. For me personally I have no problems to adjust the time. But my Mr is having a bit more difficulties. - To travel all this way to do a 3-4-5/n cruise is crazy for us. Then it needs to be a part of a b2b of a longer cruise. So it ends up as at least 12/14N cruise. So every time they roll out the new itineraries and I see a long line of shorter cruises on several ships, I know this means less options for us to pick from on 7days+. AND I'm not travelling all this way to go to an aqua park...... Then I could just visit my local aqua park (I go there when my nephews are visiting and we are together with friends and their children in the weekends) Im not grumpy, but if you have followed my lives, you know what I want from a cruise and my holiday time. If you read my live thread from SIL Easter 2023, we did this combo. It did not call at Coco Cay. What you will find is that the ship went from an elderly demographic to a very young demographic. Several families and young people on a party mission. And what happens is that the vibe on the ship completely changes. For some it might be better but for our wish, it's not for the better. Im not joking when I say we where vitnes of no more then 4 "will you merry me?" questions on our short 4/n sailing. A big congratulation to all the happy couples❤️ Sky lounge is a popular place to ask the big question💍 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spif Barwunkel Posted July 23 #20 Share Posted July 23 (edited) For very obvious reasons, as Laura has explained in her post, Coco Cay is apparently a very popular Caribbean venue for the Royal Caribbean Group. Hence, Coco Cay will remain as such - despite the naysayers - with continued visits from more RCG ships. It is a lovely island where one can be as chill or as active as one wishes. Never mind other parts of the world, Coco Cay is a perfect fit for its location in the Caribbean and provides a beautiful place to relax and enjoy it's part of the world. Not for everyone? Okay. There are more folks who are fans than are not, and others who want to be. They are spread out across all RCG ships and age groups. I am sure that no one travels great distances just to experience Coco Cay. At the same time, it is quite a nice addition to whatever your preferred itinerary might be. Relax, and enjoy. Edited July 23 by Spif Barwunkel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BazingAu Posted July 23 #21 Share Posted July 23 IMHO, Celebrity needs a different type of private island for its targeted cruisers. Ironically, MSC has the type of private island that would be PERFECT for Celebrity - MSC's Ocean Cay. Or Disney's new Lookout Cay (although that walk on the pier - ouch). These islands are relaxing. They're also marine reserves. They're subdued with no over the top water park or extreme activities. THAT is what Celebrity needs for its 5+ night cruises. The 3-4 night cruises are a waste for Celebrity. I would think their constant reduction of fares for the 3-4 night sailings would show that these sailings don't work for the Celebrity brand. You want to go to a private island in the Bahamas? Do a 7 night from NY/NJ, not a 3-4 night from FL. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. B. Posted July 24 #22 Share Posted July 24 On 7/18/2024 at 7:14 AM, Laura Hodges Bethge said: Great question. We chose to bring our ships to Perfect Day at Coco Cay because it is the #1 rated destination out of any port that any ship in the Royal Caribbean Group fleet visits. There are so many elevated, relaxing, beautiful, and tranquil spaces for our guests to enjoy. Some charge a fee, but many do not. So far, this is also rated as the #1 destination we visit in the Caribbean. Perfect Day was designed so that you can have “your” Perfect Day, whatever that may be. In addition to the relaxing Coco Beach Club, Harbor Beach, and Chill Island are equally relaxing and offer beautiful views, food and drinks, and amenities at no extra charge. On my President’s Cruise I took our Zenith members on a private tour of the island and the response was tremendous. Many of them thanked me for giving them the opportunity to see the full island because they didn’t realize all the amazing spaces it had to offer for them. And they told me they wanted to come back! The short answer is They Own and Control IT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. B. Posted July 27 #23 Share Posted July 27 On 7/23/2024 at 1:00 PM, BazingAu said: IMHO, Celebrity needs a different type of private island for its targeted cruisers. Ironically, MSC has the type of private island that would be PERFECT for Celebrity - MSC's Ocean Cay. Or Disney's new Lookout Cay (although that walk on the pier - ouch). These islands are relaxing. They're also marine reserves. They're subdued with no over the top water park or extreme activities. THAT is what Celebrity needs for its 5+ night cruises. The 3-4 night cruises are a waste for Celebrity. I would think their constant reduction of fares for the 3-4 night sailings would show that these sailings don't work for the Celebrity brand. You want to go to a private island in the Bahamas? Do a 7 night from NY/NJ, not a 3-4 night from FL. The reason for the 3-4 night cruises is because X did their Market Research and hope to use these short cruises to Introduce the X product to those not willing to risk a longer cruise and possibly be stuck doing something they could find not to their liking. That and working guests have less free time than more "Mature" guests who like longer cruises. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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