This week Beyondships focuses on Coco Cay, a private resort in the Bahamas developed by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and used as a port of call by that company’s cruise lines, principally Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, during cruises to the Caribbean and/or Bahamas. The ships stop for the day and transport passengers, food, and beverages to the island via tenders. Then, in the late afternoon, the tenders take the passengers and what remains of the supplies back to the ship. No guests sleep at the resort. .
Coco Cay is a man-made a tropical paradise created for the pleasure of the cruise ship’s guests. The island itself is a relatively small outcropping of coral that has been transformed into an appealing venue with sandy beaches shaded by tall palms. In the developed area there are a wide range of facilities including bars and places to have something to eat. One can hire all sorts of watercraft including catamarans, jet skis, and kayaks. One can swim, snorkel, scuba or fly above the water on a parasail. Alternatively, one can lie on a deck chair or in one of the hammocks strung between the palms.
Much of the island has been left relatively undeveloped, however. As one gets further away from the developed area, the beaches become less crowded until there is only the occasional fellow passenger passing by. Alternatively, there is a nature trail that one can follow to the other end of the island. This takes one through the dense indigenous vegetation and over numerous (and often slippery) rocks. The rewards for such an expedition are some very nice views and something that one does not often find these days: silence - - there is no sound of cars, airplanes, or music. It can be quite startling to hear nothing but the water lapping against the shore..
Places like Coco Cay are fantasies. They are created by the cruise line. As a result, they are not cultural experiences.. However, they also do not have the poverty and crime that plague the so-called real world. They are places to come for a day just for the enjoyment - - an escape if you like. Like a tropical Brigadoon, they disappear when the cruise ship sails.
Beyondhips’ photo tour of Coco Cay begins at . http://beyondships.com/RCI-CocoCay.html
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Turning to items in the news . . .
During Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd’s fourth quarter conference call with securities analysts, RCCL Chairman Richard Fain indicated that even though Oasis of the Seas has been a big hit with customers and is commanding premium prices, the company will probably not build another such ship after Allure of the Seas, which is currently under construction in Finland. This should not be too surprising as the size of the Oasis class ships limits where the ships can go and they are very expensive to build. Fain gave no indication of what type of ship would be built for the company’s Royal Caribbean International subsidiary after Allure of the Seas. Three Solstice-class ships are currently on order for RCCL’s Celebrity Cruises subsidiary.
During her recent Panama Canal cruise from California to Florida, Coral Princess diverted to participate in a rescue at sea. A Columbian fishing boat had sunk and the cruise ship, various other vessels and aircraft made a search for survivors. Three people were rescued.
Coco Cay is a man-made a tropical paradise created for the pleasure of the cruise ship’s guests. The island itself is a relatively small outcropping of coral that has been transformed into an appealing venue with sandy beaches shaded by tall palms. In the developed area there are a wide range of facilities including bars and places to have something to eat. One can hire all sorts of watercraft including catamarans, jet skis, and kayaks. One can swim, snorkel, scuba or fly above the water on a parasail. Alternatively, one can lie on a deck chair or in one of the hammocks strung between the palms.
Much of the island has been left relatively undeveloped, however. As one gets further away from the developed area, the beaches become less crowded until there is only the occasional fellow passenger passing by. Alternatively, there is a nature trail that one can follow to the other end of the island. This takes one through the dense indigenous vegetation and over numerous (and often slippery) rocks. The rewards for such an expedition are some very nice views and something that one does not often find these days: silence - - there is no sound of cars, airplanes, or music. It can be quite startling to hear nothing but the water lapping against the shore..
Places like Coco Cay are fantasies. They are created by the cruise line. As a result, they are not cultural experiences.. However, they also do not have the poverty and crime that plague the so-called real world. They are places to come for a day just for the enjoyment - - an escape if you like. Like a tropical Brigadoon, they disappear when the cruise ship sails.
Beyondhips’ photo tour of Coco Cay begins at . http://beyondships.com/RCI-CocoCay.html
.
Turning to items in the news . . .
During Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd’s fourth quarter conference call with securities analysts, RCCL Chairman Richard Fain indicated that even though Oasis of the Seas has been a big hit with customers and is commanding premium prices, the company will probably not build another such ship after Allure of the Seas, which is currently under construction in Finland. This should not be too surprising as the size of the Oasis class ships limits where the ships can go and they are very expensive to build. Fain gave no indication of what type of ship would be built for the company’s Royal Caribbean International subsidiary after Allure of the Seas. Three Solstice-class ships are currently on order for RCCL’s Celebrity Cruises subsidiary.
During her recent Panama Canal cruise from California to Florida, Coral Princess diverted to participate in a rescue at sea. A Columbian fishing boat had sunk and the cruise ship, various other vessels and aircraft made a search for survivors. Three people were rescued.
Norwegian Cruise Lines announced that Norwegian Epic, scheduled to enter service later this year, will be sailing in Europe during part of the 2011 season.
Cunard’s Queen Victoria made her maiden call in San Francisco on January 27 as part of her world cruise. Queen Victoria is scheduled to do a series of cruises from California in 2011.
1 comment:
Reading about coco cay tourist spot...was very fascinating and exciting.Hence I wanted to inquire that do every royal Caribbean cruise take to this specified island??? Else we need to inquire about it during booking the cruise tickets.
royal caribbean cruises
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