I've visited Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay dozens of times since the island was revamped, and I've been to the Coco Beach Club a few times.
On my most recent visit, I booked a cabana instead of just buying passes because of a lucrative Black Friday sale that cut the price down considerably compared to what it usually sells for.
I booked the Coco Beach Club Beach Cabana to use for the entire day our ship was docked at Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas.
The cost of one of these cabanas is usually priced over $3,000 for the day, as demand for cabanas has skyrocketed in recent years. But I was able to get it for just $1,448.99.
I picked the beach cabana instead of the overwater cabanas because they are cheaper and I assumed it might not be hot enough in February to spend time in the ocean. The beach cabana accommodates up to 8 people, and includes passes for each person into the Coco Beach Club.
When my family and friends arrived at Coco Beach Club, check-in for the cabana was easy
Once you walk down the pier, Royal Caribbean offers trams around its island at no cost. This makes getting to the beach club much faster and easier.
The short two minute ride stops near the club's entrance, where you are greeted by the club staff at the entrance.
In order to gain access to the Coco Beach Club, you need a day pass. Since a cabana rental includes admission, I mentioned we booked a cabana and they welcomed us with a cooling towel and complimentary welcome drink.
At this point a cabana attendant is assigned to you, and escorts you to the cabana.
My cabana was steps from the infinity pool, restaurant, and bathrooms
We were assigned cabana 23, which is the closest one to the restaurant and infinity pool. The convenient location was fantastic, and I'll request this one every time in the future because of how easy it was to get back and forth.
One advantage of the Beach Cabanas over the over the Overwater Cabanas is how much less walking is involved when leaving the cabana.
Since we preferred the infinity pool over the ocean anyway, and the ocean temperatures were a bit too chilly for our comfort, being mere steps away was lovely.
The pool is heated, so it's the perfect alternative.
Plus, our cabana is the closest one to the main set of rest rooms.
Each cabana has many amenities
I was impressed how much seating this cabana included, beyond of course the array of wonderful things that come with a rental.
There was a large couch inside the cabana, along with two chairs facing the couch. Then there were four loungers facing the ocean, along with two beach loungers outside the cabana.
And there's even a hammock that you can use too.
We had four adults and four kids, and there was enough seating for everyone and so many of the choices were quite comfortable.
Cabana rentals include towels for your use, so there was a pile of them available and our cabana attendant would replenish them at any point.
There was also a cooler filled with complimentary bottled water we could use. There's also a mini-fridge full of beers, soft drinks and soft drinks that cost extra (unless you have a drink package).
In the middle of the cabana is a table that doubles as a safe where we could store our wallets, phones, and other valuables. There's more storage space in the closet, which is includes complimentary snorkels to use.
Our cabana attendant was superb
One of my favorite perks of any cabana rental is the attendant that brings you anything you may need.
The cabana attendant can bring more towels and water, as well as deliver food, snacks, and cocktails to the cabana.
After being escorted to the cabana, she explained how everything in the cabana works, patiently answered any questions we had, and offered to bring us anything else we needed.
The only complaint I had was cabana attendants require everyone wear a bracelet during your stay, which is impossible to remove until you get back to the ship and track down scissors. I'd prefer not to wear it until I left my cabana.
She stopped by our cabana periodically to check if we needed anything, but there was an intercom we could use if we needed her attention quicker.
I was able to have lunch delivered to our cabana
The Coco Beach Club food is legendary for how good it is, and it's so convenient having food brought when you have kids and they prefer to take a few bites and then go back to playing.
It was so nice having mozzarella sticks and other snacks delivered when we needed it, as well as having lunch brought to our cabana.
There's a table and chairs you, as well as the cabana table/safe where you can have lunch delivered as part of the service.
The lunch menu is the same as what they serve in the restaurant, which includes filet mignon, lobster, and more.
I spent about more time in the cabana than I expected
I brought my laptop with me off the ship and started off my day working from the comfort of the cabana, which is the best kind of office.
Even after I finished my work, it was nice to play music through the cabana's Bluetooth speaker and hang out with our friends and otherwise relax.
While visiting CocoCay in February meant the ocean water was too chilly for my preference, the benefit was it was quite comfortable to simply be outside. I enjoyed lounging in the chairs, and my wife spent most of the afternoon in the hammock reading her book.
I still prefer the Hideout Cabanas, but with kids this is a great option
My favorite cabanas on CocoCay remain the Hideout Cabanas that are inside the adults-only area because they have their own plunge pool to enjoy.
Since we travel with kids, getting into Hideaway Beach isn't an option. Luckily, kids are welcome inside the Coco Beach Club.
Compared to the Overwater Cabanas, there's no denying how idyllic those look. I know our staff loves them because it situates you right on the ocean with amazing views.
The advantage the Beach Cabana has is it's closer to all the facilities, and no less worry about someone going in the ocean accidentally.
Cabana life is wonderful, but I'd only book it again for the right price
The Beach Cabana rental was a great choice for our group as a way to enjoy not only the Coco Beach Club, but fun day together.
Admittedly, the price of this cabana is usually too much to justify. I wouldn't pay $3,000 or more for this cabana. But with the right sale price, I think it's well worth it for families.
Considering it can handle up to 8 people, you could easily invite friends and help split the cost.
The convenience of having food and drinks delivered while providing a base for the kids to come and go easily is lovely. Plus, having the shade it provides is a welcome refuge.
The next time I get a push notification from the Royal Caribbean app of a new sale, I'll definitely check the price of a cabana to see if it's been discounted so we can come back again.
