Almost every CocoCay guide leads with the Thrill Waterpark and the overwater cabanas. Those are real, and for some families they are worth it. But if you arrive assuming you have to buy something to have a good day here, you will spend money you did not need to spend. Start with what is included.
✅ What Is Free at CocoCay
Oasis Lagoon
The largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, with a swim-up bar, in-water loungers and genuinely shallow family areas.
Splashaway Bay
A full kids’ water park — slides, spray features and splash pools. Free, and it covers most of what younger kids want.
Captain Jill’s Galleon
A large pirate ship structure with slides, climbing nets and water cannons. A reliable hour or two.
Beaches and loungers
Beach and pool loungers, and umbrellas, are free to use outside the reserved private beach club areas.
Food
Chill Grill, Skipper’s Grill and the snack shacks are included, the same as dining on the ship.
The tram
A free tram runs around the island, which matters more than it sounds when you have tired kids and a long walk.
💡 The one thing worth knowing
Splashaway Bay is free and Thrill Waterpark is not. For children roughly three to twelve, Splashaway Bay delivers most of the same experience. Families regularly report paying for Thrill Waterpark and then finding their younger kids preferred the free one. Look at both before you buy.
💳 What Costs Extra
- Thrill Waterpark. The big slides, including Daredevil’s Peak. A day pass per person, with cabana options that bundle admission for a group. Best for confident older kids and teenagers.
- Up, Up and Away. The helium balloon ride. A short experience at a per-person price.
- Coco Beach Club. The premium beach area with the overwater cabanas. A separate reserved space.
- Cabanas and daybeds. Reserved shade across various parts of the island.
- Alcohol and speciality drinks. Unless you have a drinks package, the same as on board.
Prices for all of these move around with the season and the ship, and Royal Caribbean discounts them in the Cruise Planner before sailing. If you think you want the waterpark, watch the price in advance rather than buying on the day.
👪 How to Plan the Day by Age
- Toddlers and preschoolers. Splashaway Bay and the shallow end of Oasis Lagoon. You will not need to spend anything, and the tram saves your arms.
- Roughly five to eleven. Splashaway Bay, Captain Jill’s Galleon and the beach. Thrill Waterpark is usually unnecessary at this age and some slides have height minimums anyway.
- Twelve and up. This is where Thrill Waterpark starts to earn its price. Daredevil’s Peak is the draw.
- Mixed ages. Split up. One parent at Splashaway with the little ones, one at Thrill with the older kids, meet at Chill Grill.
⏰ Get off the ship early
CocoCay is a tender-free dock, so you walk off. The first hour is the emptiest the island will be all day, and the free loungers in the good spots go quickly on a full sailing.
🧴 What to Bring Ashore
Because it is a walk-off island, you can go back to the ship easily — which means you do not need to carry everything. Take reef-safe sunscreen, water shoes if your kids dislike sand, a hat each, and a change of clothes if you want to avoid a damp walk back. Towels come from the ship.
Give them their own island day.
The Passport Pal CocoCay Port Pack gives kids a scavenger hunt, island facts, a colour-your-own map and memory pages built for Perfect Day. Print it before you sail.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
CocoCay on your itinerary? 🇧🇸
Turn the island day into something your kids record themselves — scavenger hunt, island facts, map and memory pages, ready to print before you sail.
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