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[title]Cruising from Miami is an attractive vacation proposition for families and out-of-towners. But when you’re a single adult and your proverbial backyard is home to numerous Miami swimming pools and Miami beaches, you need more than a buffet and bingo on the deck to persuade you. Enter Perfect Day at Cococay, Royal Caribbean’s private island that recently underwent a massive, million-dollar revamp. It’s a popular port of call on most itineraries, especially the easy weekend cruise from PortMiami, and a one-size-fits-most destination for kids, families and even grown-ups just looking to day drink.
Perfect Day at Cococay is split into two areas, a chill zone with a laid-back vibe and plenty of lounge chairs to rest on (more on that later), and the Thrill Waterpark with 13 (!!) waterslides, including the family-friendly Splash Summit for multi-riders.
One of the best bets in Splash Summit is the Slingshot, a terrifying zero-gravity slide for four. It literally shoots your raft in the air and just as you’re screaming your face off, fearing you’re about to be flung into space, gravity brings you back down and into the wading pool, safely. It’s all kinds of scary fun.
Get those legs ready to hike up many, many flights of stairs to the top of Daredevil’s Tower, featuring the 135-foot-tall Daredevil’s Peak—the tallest waterslide in North America. The initial drop isn’t as terrifying as the series of dark tunnels it takes you through. Just as you think you’re going to lose it from all the turns, the slide opens up and gives way to one last exhilarating drop. It's steep but by this point, you’re just happy to be breathing fresh air again.
If Daredevil’s Peak wasn’t tall enough then there’s the zip-line course: strap in and prepare to soar across the island on a scenic 1,600-foot course. It’s fun, though you’ll need to remember to bring close-toed shoes with you when you disembark, which is easier said than done when you have waterslides on the brain.
Down below at Thrill Waterpark, paddle away at the wave pool where a timer cues the swelling water, and the adventure pool boasting a rock-climbing wall and a mini obstacle course that’s way harder to complete than it looks.
Families will likely spend the most time hanging at Captain Jill’s Galleon and Splashaway Bay, where a splash pad for little ones and water cannons for kids of all ages make for a fun way to spend the afternoon.
Once you’ve slid, battled waves, climbed the wall and let your kids soak you with one of 16 water cannons, you’ll need a cocktail and a lounge chair—stat. That means it’s time to make your way to the Oasis Lagoon, the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, featuring a swim-up bar and a DJ. No shoes or shirt required for this party.
Before getting back on the ship, it behooves you to get one good look at Perfect Day at Cococay. The best vantage point is on On Up, Up and Away, a tethered helium balloon that takes you 450 feet above ground level to the highest vantage point in all of the Bahamas.
Photographs by Tim Aylen/Courtesy Royal Caribbean International
Ready to spend the Perfect Day at Cococay? Click for the best deals online and don’t forget to explore our other favorite water parks in Miami, too!