Showing posts with label Drink Package. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drink Package. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

The Back to Back- Coco Cay #1

Chill Island and South Beach
June 29, 2025 
Coco Cay, Bahamas 


Hello CoCo Cay... We LOVE YOU! 

Morning
We woke up around 7AM and the Jewel of the Seas had already docked at Coco Cay next to the Oasis of the Seas. We grabbed some breakfast at Café Latitudes and once again it was quick and delicious but the coffee was lacking to say the very least. We got off the ship shortly after 8AM and there were already crowds walking down the pier to the excitement that is Coco Cay. 

TIP- Coco Cay is Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas and offers an entire island of beaches, restaurants, water activities and even a water park offering the tallest waterslide in North America. The island can house 2 ships at one time and up to 12K passengers and crew. The island also houses workers year round in an apartment complex and crew members from every ship will get off the ship to work the bars and restaurants of the island. For the most part, everything is included on the island; such as beach chairs, umbrellas, food and even your Ultimate Beverage Package. The waterpark, Coco Beach (upscale beach club), cabanas at various locations and Hideaway Beach Club cost extra. 


Hello Coco Cay... We are ready for the PERFECT DAY! 


Perfect Day at CoCo Cay really is the best port for your money when sailing with Royal Caribbean! I cannot wait until RCCL has Costa Maya similarly built in 2027. 


Daredevils Tower in Thrill Waterpark- The tallest waterslide in North America! 


The walk from the ship to the shore is my favorite! 


Chill Island is the most attended beach at Coco Cay and directly to your LEFT as your get onto the island from the pier! 


Oasis Lagoon Pool in the center of Chill Island! 

We visited Coco Cay for the first time in 2015 while sailing on the Serenade of the Seas but it was just a strip of land and not the exotic private oasis that it is now. And since we had been to the NEW Coco Cay before in 2024 on the Independence of the Seas we knew what to expect and decided to go a different route this trip. In 2024 we paid extra for the adults only beach Hideaway Beach but this time we wanted to explore as much of the island as we could on our own. 

We started by walking all over Chill Island exploring the beach area, straw market and Snack Shack area before making our way to the Oasis Lagoon Pool- The largest fresh water pool in Caribbean. We wanted to be able to sit at the swim up bar before a lot of the crowds got off the ships and our arrival time was perfect. We got two seats at the swim up bar and loved talking to the bartenders from both ships and workers who lived on the island.  We stayed here until about 11:45AM and it was the perfect way to spend the morning; the drinks were flowing and the vibes were very relaxed. 


Oasis and Jewel of the Seas docked in Coco Cay. 
It is almost laughable how small the Jewel is compared to the Oasis! 


Welcome to Chill Island. 


The walk to Chill Island is SO EASY and quick... You're at the beach before you know it! 


The Oasis Lagoon Pool and swim up bar... The largest fresh water pool in the Caribbean. 


Cheers to two MASTER teachers! 


Up, Up and Away was actually working on this day. 
This is an added cost at Coco Cay and rarely goes up due to wind! 
It is on my "bucket list" for Coco Cay... May in Summer 2026. 


We loved Oasis Lagoon- Be sure to check it out! 

Afternoon
We left the Oasis Lagoon and made our way to Breezy Bay one of the Snack Shacks. These shacks are all over the island and offer FREE food that ranges from chicken sandwiches, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and the best mozzarella sticks ever. Not to mention the star of the Snack Shack... The funnel cake! We grabbed some lunch and the decided to get into the actual ocean at Breezy Bay. TIP- This beach area was not crowded at all and we were able to get beach chairs (with umbrella) even at 12:30PM. The ocean was pretty choppy which we assumed is why it is called Breezy Bay. 


Breezy Bay was legit... Check it out! 


The Snack Shack menu options... We have tried them all between the 2 trips! 
The mozzarella sticks and funnel cakes CANNOT BE MISSED! 


The funnel cake- 5.0+
Seriously, I could eat a dozen of these! 


Welcome to Breezy Bay... We loved the water! 


I am in my happy place... the beach! 

We then decided to take the FREE tram down to the furthest part of the island, South Beach to try out the "Ocean Bar" floating in the middle of a sand bar in the ocean. This was so cool as you had to literally swim way out into the ocean then climb up to the bar. It would only accommodate 36 people including the bar tenders and we were able to sit there for about an hour before getting off and allowing others to enjoy. We then went and swam some more in the much calmer waters of South Beach. The water was warm and just perfect for an afternoon at the beach. TIP- South Beach was VERY crowded and it was much harder to get chairs midday. The water, however, was much calmer than Breezy Bay. 


Greetings from the Floating Bar... This was a cool experience! 


The South Beach Sand Bars were really cool. Easy to swim out to and enjoy the Bahamian waters! Very "chill" vibe! 


Time to ride the tram back to Oasis Lagoon! 

We grabbed the tram back to Oasis Lagoon to try and dry off before making our way back to the ship around 3PM. We took the tram back to the entrance of the island and then walked the pier back to the Jewel of the Seas. Once onboard we exchanged our beach towels and then went back to the stateroom to shower for the rest of the day. Chris opted to take a nap and decided to read in the Safari Lounge until it was time for sail away. 


Our walk back to the ship was just perfect! 


Goodbye Coco Cay... We will see you in 3 days! 


The Jewel of the Seas...not our favorite but not forgotten! 


The walk back to the ship at Coco Cay is so cool! 

Evening
We set sail back towards Ft. Lauderdale shortly after 5PM just after the massive Oasis of the Seas departed Coco Cay. I love sailing away from Coco Cay as you get to see the entire island as you depart. After we watched sail away for a while we went to Pre-Dinner Trivia and drinks in the Schooner Bar. We were able to win another trivia of "general knowledge", making our 2nd win of this cruise. 


The best mail we have ever received on a cruise... Consecutive Cruisers! 

Adios Coco Cay... See you soon! 


I love pier watching at the end of a day in port! 


Oasis of the Seas- She really is a beauty! 


Oasis of the Seas is such a GORGEOUS ship! 
#GOALS- I see an addition to my bucket list! 


Another view of Coco Cay as we set sail to Ft. Lauderdale! 


Coco Cay, Bahamas! 

We had dinner reservations from our Ultimate Dining Package at Izumi Sushi and this turned out to be the biggest hit of the entire cruise (both cruises). We have been to Izumi before but this time the food (and service) were some of the best we have EVER had in 26 cruises. TIP- The Ultimate Dining Package allows you to order from the Pre-Fixe menu which allows 1 appetizer, 2 large plates and 1 dessert. However, the waiter gave us the option for 2 appetizers and 2 large plates and since the dessert were lacking, to say the least, we opted for this. Each of got 2 appetizers and 2 large plates (sushi rolls). Again, this was the absolute best sushi we have ever had and was the HIGHLIGHT of our cruise. Izumi is not to be missed. 


Time for Specialty Dining #5- Izumi! 
I may be hooked on this Unlimited Dining thing... 


The Izumi Sushi full menu


Miso Soup- 4.0
This really hits the spot when having sushi! 


Pork Gyoza Dumpling- 4.5
These were fried perfectly and full of flavor. 
Firecracker Shrimp-4.0
These were great but I preferred the dumplings! 


Truffle Creamy Lobster Tempura Roll- 5.0
Easily the best sushi I have ever had! 
Champagne Lobster Roll- 5.0
Wow... This was a bougie sushi roll if I have ever had one! 


A free lava cake (not on the menu) from the Chef. 
We were just too full for more than one bite! 

After dinner we walked around the upper decks of the Jewel of the Seas enjoying the beautiful weather and the sounds of the waves and open ocean. We made our way back to the stateroom to take medication and then we went to 80s Party in the Centrum! This was SO COOL and we really enjoyed this party in the Centrum! 


We loved this party in the Centrum! 

We then went to the Safari Lounge for the Battle of the Sexes and the Quest Gameshow. These are 2 very popular shows on Royal Caribbean and we really enjoyed them both. We called it a night around midnight as the next day was "turn around day" for us since we would be doing the next cruise as well for our Back to Back cruise. 


Check out our day in Coco Cay! 

We seriously LOVE Coco Cay and this day did not disappoint. We cannot wait to come back.. in 3 short days! 

Up Next... Embarkation Day #2 and "turn around day" on our Back to Back cruises! 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Anthem of the Seas (Alaska)- June 2025








 


Carnival Conquest- 2006

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Friday, August 11, 2023

The Allure of Royal Caribbean- Roatan, Honduras

The Best of the Best
Wednesday, July 5th
Roatan, Honduras 


Coxen Hole, Roatan is truly a GORGEOUS port! 

Morning
We woke up around 8:45AM and got into our swimsuits for the day. We have been to Coxen Hole, Roatan a few times when sailing with Royal Caribbean so we decided to stay on the ship in hopes of fewer crowds at all of the venues on the ship. 

Hello Wednesday! This always means that the cruise is HALFWAY OVER! NOOOOO! 


The elevators on Allure of the Seas were SWANKY! 

We made our way to the Solarium Bistro for breakfast as we knew the Windjammer would still be busy since we were not able to dock until 10AM. This proved to be a GREAT choice at the Solarium Bistro was not crowded at all, offered the same variety of food PLUS an omelet station. It was also much quieter and cleaner than the regular Windjammer. TIP- Be sure to check this place out, especially on busy port days! It is Deck 15 Forward in the Solarium. 

We then lathered up with the sunscreen and spent the next several hours in the Main Pool of the Allure of the Seas. We kept the drinks flowing and really enjoyed the empty pool scene. TIP- If you have been to the port several times, this is a great opportunity to stay on board and really enjoy the ship as most often the ship will be at 30% capacity or less; especially on the 1st port day!  We went back and fourth from the Main Pool to the hot-tubs. But despite putting on a TON of sunscreen, I still ended up burnt on my shoulders and back.


Hello gorgeous! 


The Sports Pool- Deck 15 Midship.
This was at 10:30AM on a port day! EMPTY! 


And our home for 3+ hours.. The MAIN POOL! I seriously LOVED this pool! 
It was HUGE and offered walk-up water like an actual BEACH! 

Afternoon
We took a break from our swim time and went to the Windjammer for lunch around 1PM. We had reservations at Chops Grille at 8:15PM but we wanted to eat as little as possible as Chops is always our favorite meal of the cruise. The options for lunch in the Windjammer were plentiful and we each found a small plate of options before heading back to the Solarium to try and lay out. 

It's time for lunch! 


We love Coxen Hole- just not enough to get off the ship this time! 


Selfie time! 


A view of the Coxen Hole port area. There's lots of little shops and a few restaurants! 

The Solarium on the Allure of the Seas is HUGE but is not shaded hardly at all. We ventured up one deck to Deck 16 in the Solarium and found a HUGE bar and about 20 chairs IN THE SHADE! It was PERECT and we laid out here for about 3 hours before realizing it was time to go back to the room and get ready for dinner. 

It's time to LAY OUT! I loved this area of the Solarium! 

Evening
We got ready for dinner and then tried to call the kids via signal from the nearby port WIFI but it was not successful. We were able to get a few texts but could not re-send them. We then went down to Vintages for our Pre-Dinner wine and cheese. This turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the entire cruise and we loved meeting new couples and trying new (and our favorites) wines every night. 

We left Vintages a little early to go to the 80s Trivia in Dazzles on Deck 8. We sat at the bar due to lack of seats but had a GREAT spot to see and hear all the songs. We only scored 18/25, which is very low for us but we still had a GREAT time. We left Dazzles around 8PM for our reservations at Chops Grille. 

Chops Grille is my absolute favorite dining experience on a cruise and perhaps EVER in my life. The food, service and atmosphere are phenomenal and cannot be beat. TIP- This is Royal Caribbean's most popular Specialty Restaurant and a great value of $49.99/ per person. We used this as one of our 3 Night Specialty Dining Package. It is a GREAT value! 


The Chops menu 
They say one item per section but they have allowed us to order a soup AND salad every time we have asked including this time! 


Chops Signature Pretzel Bread- 4.5
Try not to eat more than ONE BITE! (Seriously, you'll need the space)


Jumbo Lump Crab Cake- 5.0
This is PERFECTION! It tastes as if it had been caught THAT DAY! 


Wild Mushroom Soup- 5.0
Easily the BEST soup I have EVER had! Creamy, rich and velvety perfection! 


Crispy Goat Cheese Salad- 5.0
And perhaps the best salad I have ever had as well. The goat cheese is a surprise and just a perfect addition to the crispy apples and crunchy pecans! WOW... SO GOOD!  


Chops Filet- 5.0
HOLY MOLY this was cooked PERFECTLY and melts in your mouth! 

We tried incredibly hard to go into chops "hungry" and we thought we did. But 5 courses later and we left food on the plate and needing a wheel Barrell to get back to our room. In fact, we were SO FULL that we opted to get our desserts to-go! 

TIP- When you book a cruise, the cruise line will ask what you are celebrating. We almost always answer "Anniversary" as we do celebrate this on our cruises but this also means that the cruise line will help you celebrate one night of the cruise on board. This is usually a cake or dessert of some kind and singing. On our last cruise on the Adventure of the Seas we learned that we really don't need the cake or singing. I forgot about this and Chops asked us if we were celebrating and I explained we had already celebrated. But at the end of our meal while we were waiting for the ticket and our desserts to go, our waiter brought over a plate decorated and they all sang to us. It was so sweet and even though we didn't need it or really want it, it was really special to me. Thank you Chops! 



The Chops Dessert Menu 


Our Anniversary dessert! CHOPS DID THIS SO WELL! 

After dinner we walked around Central Park (just one small lap to the opposite elevators this time) and then went back to the stateroom for Chris to take his medication and of course, we passed out! In fact, we slept right though our reservation for "Blue Planet" in the Main Theater. We did wake up in time to go and see Iputu in Schooner Bar and once again shut the place down shortly after 1AM. 


Our 2nd towel animal of the cruise! 


Our nightly tradition... we LOVE this bar and the live music! 


PERFECTION- Made by Iputu


It's 1:30AM and we are still smiling! 

It was a GREAT day on board the Allure of the Seas experiencing the BEST OF THE BEST with not only the Main Pool and Solarium area but my favorite experience of them all at Chops Grille! 

Up Next- Massages on the Beach in Costa Maya 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Adventure of the Seas- February 2023




 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 



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