Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas is well-known for offering cruise ship passengers a great time, so should you pay extra for its exclusive beach club?
Perfect Day at CocoCay is divided up into different areas, including the Coco Beach Club that offers an elevated beach day experience and comes with an admission cost.
I've been to the Coco Beach Club a few times over the years, but hadn't gone recently because of rising costs and other areas competing for my attention.
Royal Caribbean has done such a good job with the places around the island that have no cost, so it seemed almost unnecessary to pay for a beach club.
But when I was able to find a great deal on Coco Beach Club passes and even a cabana during a recent sale, I thought now was the right to return and see what it's like now.
The Coco Beach Club is resort life meets cruise ship fun
In describing the Coco Beach Club, think of it like a less crowded, slightly more upscale beach day.
Located between Chill Island and South Beach, Coco Beach Club is a short 10 minute walk from where your ship docks.
You can buy a day pass for every person, or rent a cabana, which comes with admission for its guests. Kids are allowed, and welcome, within the club.
The exact price of a day pass varies, but the average price without a good sale going on is $200 per person or more.
That cost gets you into the club, lunch at its restaurant, and access to the beach or heated infinity pool.
There's also a pastry cart and coffee that's complimentary, but all your other drinks within the club will cost extra. If you have a Royal Caribbean drink package, your benefits work here too.
There are beach chairs and some chairs by the pool, and it's all first-come, first reserved.
There are a few beds near the pool, and these are the most highly coveted spots within the Coco Beach Club. Some guests will pretty much run in as soon as their ship docks to reserve one for the day. You can expect them all to be reserved by 9am.
When you check-in, you're greeted with a cool towel and welcome drink.
If you booked a cabana, your cabana attendant will escort you to them. Otherwise, guests with a day pass can walk in and pick a spot.
Cabanas offer privacy and views
There are two types of cabanas inside the Coco Beach Club.
The standard beach cabanas are adjacent to the main beach, and it's a secluded area just for you to enjoy.
Each cabana has plenty of space, including a couch, four loungers, a hammock, and a few chairs too.
A cabana rental includes floating mats, snorkel gear, Bluetooth speaker, ceiling fan, and of course the cabana itself that provides shade.
Your cabana attendant will come by periodically to see if you'd like any food or drinks brought over.
The other type of cabana are the floating cabanas, which are split up into two sections.
These are some of the biggest and most expensive cabanas you can rent.
Each cabana is situated over the ocean on a floating pontoon, so it looks like something out of the Maldives or Bora Bora.
Their layout is similar to the beach cabanas, but they're bigger, have a shower, and even your own slide to go right into the ocean.
Without a doubt, the cabanas are lovely and a great place to spend your day, but they're going to be the most expensive cabanas on the island.
I've seen prices recently for a floating cabana of more than $5,000 for each one. That's a really high price.
A beach cabana will cost less, but it's not uncommon to see both types of cabanas well north of $3,000.
I love the seclusion and service you get with a cabana. Without a doubt, it's the most relaxing way to spend a day with someone else bringing everything you need.
If there's one thing I don't like about the cabanas it's the lunch situation, where your cabana attendant delivers the food to your cabana.
On the surface, this is a great idea. But I don't like the pacing of the service and more importantly, your food becomes an instant magnet for a flock of seagulls who will dive bomb your table the second you step away.
I've gotten around this issue by requesting to dine at the restaurant instead, but the staff sometimes seems resistant to the idea.
The perfect pool and beach
If Royal Caribbean got something right about the Coco Beach Club, it's how you can spend your day in the club.
The infinity pool is located behind the beach, and it's easy to hop between both.
The entire premise of this area is that you're paying for the exclusivity. There's no crowd of people to contend with and try to find a chair.
You can easily roll in at lunch time and still find plenty of chairs around the beach.
The pool area doesn't have much seating, and it's probably something I'd love to see them improve on.
The infinity pool is heated, and that means it's always the perfect temperature. This is such a boon when I visited in January and February and the ocean was chilly.
I like how large the pool is, with plenty of space. No matter which day I've been to the club, the pool never felt crowded.
Over on the beach, you'll find lots of space to spread out.
Something really neat is each beach chair has a flag you can put up to indicate you'd like to have service from a waiter.
The beach has beautiful white sand that is manicured each day, and there's enough room for leisurely walks.
Fences on both sides of the beach club ensure only beach club guests have access to it.
Come for the beach, stay for the restaurant
While the beach may be the primary selling point of paying to come into the Coco Beach Club, I think the restaurant is a close second.
Included in your fare is a restaurant (it has no name, just Coco Beach Club restaurant) where each guest can go for lunch.
You'll need to make a reservation for a table, and you can do that when you enter the club. Some people make reservations on the ship at the Shore Excursion desk, but I've never done that.
It's a sit down meal, but everyone is in their bathing suits. Nonetheless, it's a standout meal.
There's a choice of lobster, filet mignon, salads, and more.
I was very impressed with the food, and I really think the steak served here is better than the steak on your ship.
And yes, they'll serve you as much of the food as you like so you can get a second serving.
If there's a gripe about the food in the Coco Beach Club from guests, it's not about the food served, but rather, the food not served.
CocoCay is well-known for its great fast food choices, but you won't find all the choices of the Snack Shack inside the club, as you would at the extra cost adults-only area, Hideaway Beach.
Our cabana attendant was able to bring us mozzarella sticks, but I don't think they're available to day pass guests otherwise. You can certainly walk out of the club and over to the Snack Shack in about 5 minutes, but it requires leaving the grounds.
My advice is make an early reservation for lunch and don't miss out on it.
Why you should pay extra to go to the Coco Beach Club
The appeal of paying for the Coco Beach Club is for you can enjoy a less crowded day with enhanced options than anywhere else around Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Kids can come too, and you're going to get significantly better food, great service, and a less crowded day overall.
It reminds me a bit of first class seating on an airplane, where the core experience is the same, but those within the club feel a little more special.
I love the heated pool and restaurant, and I'd book the day pass just for those. Plus, the cabanas are so beautiful, especially those floating cabanas.
The real reason not to book the Coco Beach Club is the price you'll see when you go to buy a pass.
I spot checked prices for a few upcoming cruises, and it's not cheap.
- Icon of the Seas March 2025 sailing: $206.78
- Star of the Seas November 2025 sailing: $194.68
Cabana prices start at about $3,000 for one, and while that includes admission for up to eight guests, it's still quite pricey.
You're not going to be disappointed once inside the Coco Beach Club, as it offers a very serene and relaxing day.
There's no DJ or loud music, but everyone is there to enjoy a fun day in the sand, water, and around.
While you don't need to pay for the Coco Beach Club in order to have a really good time on Perfect Day at CocoCay, it's a lovely way to spend it too.
Ideally, you'll nab a good deal on admission like I did for my visits. But that's not always practical.
Ultimately, I'd recommend paying to go to the Coco Beach Club if you truly value exclusivity and being somewhere uncrowded. If that describes you, then I think even the price tag can be justified.
đź‘ŤLess crowds
đź‘ŤBest food available on the island, rivaling specialty restaurants
đź‘ŤHeated pool
đź‘ŤBragworthy cabanas
đź‘ŤGreat service
đź‘ŤFloating mats included
đź‘ŤTowels provided
đź‘ŽExpensive
đź‘ŽVery little seating near the pool
đź‘ŽNot as many casual food choices as Hideaway Beach
