Perfect Day at CocoCay does not have a dedicated 'Pig Beach' swimming experience like the Bahamas' Exuma. The island's premier swim spot is the 13.5-acre Oasis Lagoon, free with your cruise fare, though premium beach club access and water park admission cost extra.
Photo: Travel Mutiny
Let me set the record straight: CocoCay does not have swimming pigs. The famous 'Pig Beach' experience — where you swim with semi-wild pigs — is located in the Exuma Cays, Bahamas, not at Royal Caribbean's private island. If you're planning a CocoCay day hoping to recreate that viral Instagram moment, you're going to be disappointed. Here's what the island actually offers for swimming, and what it costs.
What CocoCay Actually Has for Swimming (And What It Costs)
Perfect Day at CocoCay has one of the best free swimming setups in the Caribbean — a 13.5-acre freshwater lagoon called Oasis Lagoon — plus paid options that range from solid value to genuinely extravagant. Here's the full breakdown:
| Experience | Cost Per Person | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Oasis Lagoon | Free (included with cruise fare) | Largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, swim-up bar, floats available |
| South Beach | Free | Ocean swimming, lounge chairs (limited, first come) |
| Thrill Waterpark | $44–$109 | 13 slides including Daredevil's Peak, wave pool, lazy river |
| Chill Island | Free | Hammock beach, calmer ocean swimming area |
| Floating cabana (Oasis Lagoon) | $399–$799/cabana/day | Private float, dedicated attendant, up to 6 guests |
| Overwater Cabana | $999–$2,199/cabana/day | Overwater bungalow, 6 guests, butler service |
| Beach Club (if/when open) | Separate admission | Premium seating, upgraded food/bev |
Waterpark pricing is dynamic — buy through your Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner before sailing to lock in the lower end of that range. Onboard purchases run 15–25% higher.
Photo: Travel Mutiny
Key Factors That Drive Your CocoCay Swimming Costs
Your drink package matters at CocoCay. The Deluxe Beverage Package ($56–$120/day pre-cruise, typical ~$80) works at Perfect Day at CocoCay — including the swim-up bar at Oasis Lagoon. That's a genuine perk. If you're a drinker who planned to buy the package anyway, poolside cocktails are effectively included.
Chairs are first-come, first-served at free beaches. On a busy port day with 6,000+ passengers offloaded, free lounge chairs at South Beach and Chill Island disappear fast. If you want guaranteed shaded seating with your swim, you're paying for a cabana or beach club access.
The 18% service charge applies everywhere. Any beverages you buy individually at CocoCay bars — domestic beer ($7.50), cocktails ($11–$14) — get hit with Royal Caribbean's standard 18% gratuity surcharge on top of the sticker price. Budget accordingly or pre-purchase the drink package.
Waterpark vs. lagoon is a real decision. If you have kids or thrill-seekers, the Thrill Waterpark's wave pool and slides justify the price. If you just want to float and drink, Oasis Lagoon is free and genuinely excellent.
Photo: Travel Mutiny
How to Actually Swim With Pigs in the Bahamas
If the pig swim is the goal, you need to plan differently:
| Option | Details | Cost Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Nassau shore excursion (pig swim day trip) | Third-party boat charter from Nassau to Pig Beach, Exuma | $150–$275/person |
| Dedicated Exuma itinerary | Book a separate trip; fly into George Town or Nassau | Varies — typically 2–4 night package |
| Royal Caribbean Nassau stop | RC does not offer a Nassau → Exuma pig swim excursion through the ship | N/A |
The swimming pigs at Pig Beach (Big Major Cay, Exuma) are ~55 miles from Nassau by boat. It's a full-day excursion and not something you can realistically do as a cruise port day add-on unless you're independently booking a fast charter from Nassau. Royal Caribbean doesn't include Nassau-to-Exuma transfers in their excursion catalog, so you'd be arranging this entirely on your own at your own risk if your ship calls at Nassau.
Tips to Get the Most Out of CocoCay Swimming Without Overpaying
- Book Thrill Waterpark early through Cruise Planner — it's the biggest discount window, and it does sell out on busy sailings
- Get to Oasis Lagoon chairs by 9 AM — the free floating mats are first-served and gone by mid-morning
- Pre-purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package if you plan to drink at the swim-up bar — the ~$80/day pre-cruise rate is meaningfully better than the onboard price of up to $120/day
- Avoid the overwater cabanas on a budget — they're spectacular but the $999+ price tag for a single day is hard to justify unless you're celebrating something significant
- Skip the ship's Nassau excursions for pig swim — if that experience matters to you, it requires a dedicated trip to Exuma, not a CocoCay cruise day
CocoCay is genuinely one of the best private island stops in cruising — the free lagoon alone is better than most Caribbean hotel pools. Just go in knowing what you're getting, and don't pay overwater-cabana money for something you could have enjoyed from a free lounge chair.
Use CruiseMutiny to run the full cost breakdown on your Royal Caribbean sailing before you book a single add-on — the waterpark, drink packages, and cabanas add up faster than the cruise fare itself on a CocoCay-heavy itinerary.