If you want thrills in your private island day on Royal Caribbean, check out Thrill Waterpark at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
With so many slides and pools, you may want to know what is included with a visit to the waterpark, and how to get the most out of your visit. This guide will give you a good overview of what the waterpark offers, as well as tips and tricks for a great day.
Overview
Perfect Day at CocoCay is a private island only Royal Caribbean cruise ships can visit, and one way to spend your day there is to visit the waterpark.
Thrill Waterpark has an additional cost, which means only those that purchase admission can come into the park. Admission to the waterpark is priced per person, and includes full day admission.
Royal Caribbean used to offer a half-day pass, but that is no longer offered. Everyone that wants to come into the park needs to pay for entry, regardless of it they want to ride a slide or not.
Children under age 14 must be accompanied by a ticketed Guest age 14 or older to enter Thrill Waterpark.
To get into the park, you just need your SeaPass card. Scan it as you walk in and you're good to go. No separate admission needed.
There are two entrances to Thrill Waterpark, although nearly everyone uses the main entrance. The main entrance is located to the right of the arrivals plaza at Perfect Day at CocoCay. There is an additional entrance closer to Oasis Lagoon and Splashaway Bay, primarily meant for a convenient way to get back into the waterpark.
It is made up of three basic areas: Daredevil's Peak, Splash Summit tower, and the pools.
You will find chairs, umbrellas, and picnic tables around each of the water slide towers, as well as near both pools. These chairs and tables are complimentary and first-come, first-reserved.
There are complimentary lockers near the main entrance where you can stash your stuff for the day. Restrooms and a first aid station are also located near the lockers.
Thrill Waterpark cost
The exact cost for Thrill Waterpark admission per person will vary from ship to ship and sailing to sailing. In short, there is no set price for every sailing.
You can purchase admission before the cruise via Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner website, onboard the ship at the Shore Excursion desk, or even on CocoCay at the entrance.
How much you will pay is determined by demand, time of year, ship you sail on, and other factors.
Prices usually range between $50 and $100 per person, but there is a great deal of fluctuation.
Admission to the waterpark is included with a Thrill Waterpark cabana (more on that further down this post).
What slides are there at Thrill Waterpark?
Royal Caribbean designed Thrill Waterpark to offer fun and thrilling water slides to enjoy.
There are two towers in the waterpark, with slides of varying speeds and intensity.
Daredevil’s Tower stands at 135-feet high and are all body slides that feature the longest, tallest, and fastest rides in the park.
- Daredevil's Peak: 135 feet tall, this is the tallest waterslide in North America (Rider minimum: 48")
- Dueling Demons: Two drop slides launch riders 75 feet from a vertical position (Rider minimum: 48")
- Green Mamba: A 50 foot tall slide with lots of turns (Rider minimum: 48")
- Screeching Serpent: Another 50 foot tall fully vertical speed slide (Rider minimum: 48")
- Manta Raycers: Twin racing slides (Rider minimum: 48")
Splash Summit is the family tower, where you can ride with other members of your group together.
- Sling Shot: Family raft slide. Up to 4 people in a raft that ride up a wall to provide zero gravity sensations (Rider minimum: 48" or 40" with life vest)
- Splash Speedway: Mat slide, where up to 4 people can race down (Rider minimum: 48" or 40" with life vest)
- Twister: Two riders slide down a tube slide (Rider minimum: 48" or 40" with life vest)
There are also two pools at Thrill Waterpark:
- Wave pool: Royal Caribbean says this is the largest wave pool in the Caribbean
- Adventure Pool: A pool with obstacles you can climb, walk, and swing onto. This includes lily pads, rope swings, and even a rock climbing wall (Guests under 48" must wear a life vest at all times)
Dining
All the slides and pools will generate quite an appetite, so Royal Caribbean included a Snack Shack location inside Thrill Waterpark.
Snack Shack is complimentary, and offers hot dogs, salads, burgers, and lots more. The chicken sandwich and mozzarella sticks are must-trys.
In addition, it is very easy to depart the waterpark and get food from elsewhere on the island. Skipper's Grill is the closest option, and offers more variety.
There is also a bar in the waterpark for any cocktails, beers, or non-alcoholic drinks you may want. If you have a drink package purchased from your cruise ship, the benefits work here as well.
Cabanas
In addition to purchasing admission to the park, you could opt to rent a cabana for the day.
CocoCay Cabanas provide a private space to enjoy throughout the day, along with a cabana attendant who can bring food and drinks whenever you need it.
Thrill Waterpark cabanas can accommodate up to 6 guests and offer a lush sectional sofa and 2 resort-style chairs, as well as power outlets. Your Cabana Concierge will provide you with 8 towels and stock your cooler with 8 complimentary water bottles. Additional water bottles will be available for purchase.
Included with your cabana purchase is admission to the waterpark for up to six guests.
Royal Caribbean has placed cabanas in three clusters around the waterpark:
- Near Daredevil's Peak
- Near Family Tower
- Near the wave pool
The price of a cabana usually ranges between $499 - $899. Just like the cost of admission to the water park, the exact price will vary from sailing to sailing.
The reason to book a cabana is to have a dedicated space for your family, as well as the service provided by the attendant. In many cases, the cost of the cabana becomes negligible when you factor in admission it includes for larger families.
Tips and secrets
1. Don't bring towels from the ship
Save the effort of going to get towels to bring with you to the waterpark.
There is a towel station near the wave pool where you can get towels, as well as exchange them for fresh ones.
If you rent a cabana, towels are provided for you at the cabana.
2. Adults can use the Adventure Pool
While it may look like the Adventure Pool activities are for kids, adults can use them too.
The rope swing is a lot of fun, and you can race your kids on the lily pads.
3. Best times for short slide waits
When your cruise ship is sailing to capacity, there are two good times to beat the lines for the popular slides.
First and foremost, get off the ship early and hit Daredevil's Peak and Sling Shot as fast as you can. Lines for these two slides will always be the longest.
The best times to ride slides with a short wait are:
- Before 11am
- After 3pm
4. Your drink package works here
If you have an unlimited drink package already, then you can use the benefits while in the waterpark (and everywhere else at Perfect Day at CocoCay).
5. Look for chickens
If you hear a rooster, it's not your imagination.
CocoCay is home to a variety of animals, including wild chickens. They walk around the island, but tend to frequent the waterpark the most.
Look for them darting in and out of the bushes.
Regardless of which animal you see, please do not feed any of them.
Is Thrill Waterpark worth it?
Royal Caribbean delivers on thrills and fun with Thrill Waterpark, so the decision to go depends on what you want to do and the price.
There are enough waterslides and pool activities to keep you busy all day long during your visit. When the park is full, lines can develop for the popular slides during the day, but you should still have enough time to experience them all.
The wave pool in particular is underrated as a fun activity, and some of the waves get very high in the deep end.
When deciding if it's worth it to go to the waterpark, you have to consider what else there is to do at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Royal Caribbean packs in a lot of fun on its island, and you can find some really compelling alternatives at the beaches, pools, and beach club.
When Royal Caribbean opens Hideaway Beach in late 2022, there will be another compelling alternative to consider.
If you have only children under the age of 6 or so, you may consider skipping the waterpark and instead taking them to nearby Splashaway Bay and Captain Jill's Galleon. Both are complimentary and aimed at younger/smaller children, and still have slides for them to enjoy.
If you have 4 or more people in your group, be sure to price compare buying admission for everyone versus booking a cabana. In many cases, the cabana makes a lot of sense to reserve because it includes admission, as well as the amenities it offers.
Ultimately, if you want to ride a lot of really fun waterslides and splash your way around everything else, Thrill Waterpark delivers it all.
