2023-12-02 21:14:00
It is small, long and narrow: the small island is only one kilometer long and almost 200 meters wide. In the middle of the turquoise sea, 90 kilometers north of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, lies the island of Little Stirrup Cay. The US shipping company that leased it calls the area Coco Cay.
There are only a few residents here. But every day thousands of cruise passengers arrive in the morning hours on the white ships of the shipping company Royal Caribbean International. The jetty takes you into a world that wants to top your vacation on a fun ship with a water slide, climbing wall and surf simulator on land.
The island, which was previously used by the shipping company, was recently completely redesigned and the pier was made fit for the largest passenger ships in the world, such as the “Freedom of the Seas” and Schwetsern ships, which will call at the island in the 2022 season.
Everything is even bigger and flashier than on the ship
When Royal Caribbean International’s 360-meter-long Oasis-class mega-liners moor, a crowd of more than 6,000 day visitors pours onto Coco Cay, who would otherwise crowd one above the other on 16 ship decks – now there are slightly fewer in Corona times.
The shipping company had invested $250 million in renovating the island, which now offers a wide range of relaxation and thrills. From the freshwater pool in the center of the island and the sandy beaches on Chill Island to attractions such as the zip line, a helium balloon ride up to 137 meters above sea level or Daredevil’s Peak, the highest water slide in North America.
But Coco Cay is also a cash cow for the shipping company. Most attractions that promise action are chargeable. The day pass to the water park costs between $44 and $99. Prices vary depending on the time of booking and occupancy. The “Perfect Day at Coco Cay” has an additional charge.
With the upgrade, the shipping company has made its island fit for the needs of North American cruise tourists in particular. Because the competition never sleeps: the neighboring island to the east is firmly in the hands of Norwegian Cruise Line, the competitor for cruises from Miami.
And MSC Cruises opened the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in early 2020. The private island belongs to the Bimini group of islands in the Western Bahamas and focuses on a natural experience instead of superlatives and attractions like on the deck of a fun ship.
Also read:
– Miami: Where 15,000 passengers check in in one day
– Ocean Cay: From industrial wasteland to Caribbean paradise – a tour of the island in pictures
– Backbreaking jobs on cruise ships: “Wages between $3 and $5 are not uncommon”
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