I really like the food you can find around Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas, and there's a clever hack I've begun to embrace.
There are a few different spots around Perfect Day at CocoCay where you can get lunch or just a snack, and it goes well beyond just burgers and hot dogs.
As part of the major makeover the island got when Royal Caribbean poured $250 million into it, they also increased their food game substantially.
Almost immediately, guests started coming up with fun ways to make the food even better, including at the ice cream station.
Once I saw a few people doing this hack, I had to try it out myself.
The Ice Cream Sandwich Hack: How to DIY
At either Skipper's Grill or Chill Grill, there's a soft service ice cream machine. Crew members will serve you as much of it as you like.
There's no cost to the ice cream or anything else in this hack, so let the kids go at it!
It's similar to what you'll find on your cruise ship near the pool, and most people get their ice cream in a cone by default.
However, the hack here is to stop by the dessert station first.
Grab two chocolate chip cookies and then go to the ice cream station and ask them to dispense the ice cream directly onto the cookie.
Put the second cookie on top, and you have your own ice cream sandwich!
It tastes as good as it looks, and I like that the ice cream helps soften up the cookie a bit.
This is a fun and customizable treat, and it's the perfect way to cool down in the Bahamian heat.
Admittedly, it gets messy quickly, especially because the crew member wasn't holding back with the amount of ice cream she served.
While it may not top a Cookiewich (because it's not totally frozen to begin with), it's the next best thing.
You can also re-create this hack back on the cruise ship in the Main Dining Room.
The kids menu has ice cream and chocolate chip cookies as dessert options each night that can be ordered.
A variation on this is to get the ice cream dispensed onto a plate, and then use the cookies to either scoop it up or spoon smaller amounts of ice cream onto the cookie to keep it manageable.
Another idea is to forgo the cookie all together and grab a water cup and have the ice cream poured directly into the cup. No cone or mess, and you can travel more easily with it.
More sweet treats available at CocoCay
If ice cream isn't your thing, you'll find other fun desserts around CocoCay.
As previously mentioned, there are a few different restaurants included in your cruise fare around the island.
Both Chill Grill Skipper’s Grill have cookies, brownies, and fruit too.
A real hidden gem among the desserts is at the Snack Shack.
While there's no ice cream at the Snack Shack, they do have funnel cake and it smells as good as it tastes.
Funnel cake is served hot, and it's an ooey gooey mess but so good.
If you happen to buy admission to the Coco Beach Club, I think their rum cake is heavenly.
You'll definitely smell the rum before you taste it, but it's about the best rum cake I've had.
There's also gelato and couple of cakes to sample here too.
More ice cream cruise hacks
This got me thinking about other ways to make the complimentary soft serve work better.
Most ships have an ice cream machine on the pool deck, usually just outside the Windjammer buffet.
If you have a beverage package, bring your Coca-Cola Freestyle cup that comes with your drink package purchase to the Main Dining Room, Windjammer, or anywhere else they serve ice cream.
Order a scoop of vanilla ice cream to put into your cup to create an ice cream float. This works great with Fanta Orange or Coca-Cola.
Another cruiser told me they like to take a scoop of ice cream and add it to their coffee from the Windjammer.
If you want to spice it up, try to make your own version of Affogato, which is an Italian dessert coffee.
You'll need to combine espresso, ice cream, and a shot of liqueur. If you have a drink package, this should be something you can order in the Windjammer and then grab the ice cream too.
