By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeff, Shari, Bethany and Matthew Rendall
Monday at Coco Cay, the MDR makes an adjustment and wowed by SOL (ice show)
Our group woke up fairly early, having slept pretty well, all things considered. I was impressed with the comfort of the Royal Caribbean bed, which was two twin mattresses pushed together to constitute a King-sized bed. The ambient light from the balcony curtain left slightly open is the perfect amount for an overnight jaunt.
Maybe I was just tired, but I didn’t have trouble sleeping at all.
We had originally thought we would get off the ship as soon as we possibly were able to get a headstart at Coco Cay and reserve a good spot at the pool.
But we needed to resolve the VOOM issue and we dawdled at the Pearl Café and then Bethany had Starbucks. No real sense of urgency among the passengers in this group. That was fine, but so much for the idea of disembarking from Star of the Seas early. This was vacation, right?
It didn’t really feel like Monday, either. That was the nicest feeling of all!
I thought the Pearl Café (located on Deck 6 in the Royal Promenade) was kind of like the Park Café on Oasis of the Seas, with pastries, sandwiches and, of course, specialty coffees. Matthew ordered me the same thing he got, which was a Frappuccino mocha. I said tomorrow that I would like the same drink – a Frappuccino Mocha with a shot of Espresso. It’s my go-to coffee drink now. The “specialty coffee” didn’t have chocolate chips like at Starbucks, but I couldn’t really detect much of a difference to this admittedly non-coffee expert.
Then we went to the Main Dining Room (MDR) for breakfast, again, no hint that we were in a rush to reach Coco Cay.
We’d been to the MDR for breakfast on a few occasions over the years, finding the cavernous eatery with linen table cloths to offer basically the same items the buffet would have but in more limited quantities and cooked to order rather than piled into bins. Supposedly. It was a modest crowd waiting for the restaurant to open. A fairly limited seating area was in use. Clearly, the staff didn’t want to mess up the place ahead of the main attraction of every day, the dinner service.
The single page menu kind of reminded me of the choices in the movie “My Cousin Vinny” when Vinny Gambini, the lawyer from New York and fiancé Mona Lisa Vito had to choose between “Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.” The MDR menu was a little broader than that, but was basically the standard eggs, bacon, sausage links and hash browns. Eggs Benedict was one of the offerings, along with French Toast, pancakes and the like. I 
believe waffles were on the list as well.
A waiter came around and offered coffee and croissants or pastries. Matthew ordered a chocolate muffin. It wasn’t what he anticipated… and looked okay, so I had one, since they brought two. Typical cruise ship – they make such vast quantities of every item that they’re itching to serve them to the guests.
I ordered an orange juice. No need for the Refreshment Package here.
Shari ordered crispy bacon. When it arrived, it wasn’t cooked to her satisfaction and she and Matthew said it had a “funny taste” to it. I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary with the standard breakfast protein accompaniment. They also said the eggs were too mushy and wet. I could see their point on that one. But you get what you get. You can always specify when ordering and Royal Caribbean – or any cruise line – would do their best to accommodate.
The overall satisfaction with the MDR breakfast wasn’t all that high. But we had an island to get to, so it was good enough.
The dining room manager was walking around talking with the guests at each table. She asked us if we had any comments/concerns about the previous night’s meal in the MDR. We truthfully shared that the service was a tad slow, and we almost missed our show because of it. She looked like she was very concerned and mentally documented our impressions. I didn’t realize that they had our names – probably from the Sea Pass card – and the MDR staff clearly had heard about it later in the day when we arrived for dinner. More on this later.
Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s Private Island experience – Crowded, but fun if you looked for it
We’d noticed that Star of the Seas was docked next to Allure of the Seas, which is an Oasis class ship. So, two of the biggest ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet were visiting the private island that day. As mentioned, we’d intended to get off early so as to be able to secure chairs in the Oasis pool area, but it was wall-to-
wall humanity as we exited the ship by the time we actually disembarked. Like Disneyworld, almost.
We walked by Chill Beach on the easy to navigate path. The waterpark, complete with tall slides, was visible and dominating the viewing space. It was only a short walk to the pool area, which was already quite crowded.
To our chagrin, single chairs were readily available but there were no sizable clumps of them. We found two together and put down our towels that we’d borrowed from the ship for our group of four. We left phones and shoes at our chairs and headed for the pool nearby. We’d worn bathing suits onto the island, so there wasn’t a need to change.
The pool water was warm, but we immediately had to dodge kids launching themselves like missiles across the water. At that moment, I kind of understood how buying an excursion might have been a good idea, but decided it is what it is and made a loop around the pool, weaving through happy people in swimming attire and trying to soak up the atmosphere of tropical paradise. Matthew and I stayed in the water for about 45 minutes, then headed back to the chair area, which wasn’t visible from the water. We shared one beach umbrella for the group, which shielded two of the chairs (we ended up with three). A waiter made the rounds. Shari got a Piña colada. I got a diet coke, not realizing that the refreshment package included a number of fruity mocktails. The bar waitress seemed disappointed that I didn’t ask for something a little more noteworthy.
Coco Cay was nicely set up. There were just a lot of people there. It didn’t look like there were too many takers on the water park excursion. The slides looked intimidating.
After having been at the pool for about an hour and a half, we started walking back towards the dock where the ships were “parked”. Along the way, we sought out and found a Snack Shack on the beach, stood in the modest line and ordered a “Secret Sandwich” – it was a chicken sandwich with mozzarella sticks added and marinara sauce. It came with lettuce, a tomato and pickles. Gotta try to order it with just the chicken and cheese sticks the next time, the burger-type accompaniments didn’t really belong there. We had water with the meal.
We asked a staffer where the shopping portion of the island was found and was informed that it was on the way to the pier where the ships were. There was a series of small buildings with fans going full blast and t-shirts and hats, etc. on display for passersby. This wasn’t quite what I’d expected, but … I’m not sure what I expected that would’ve wowed me more.
Go to a touristy place and you’re going to get souvenirs by the hut-full. No surprise there.
There’s a population that lives on the island and they ran the shops. The small, open-air shops had typical Caribbean island souvenir stuff. No jewelry that I could see. Or remember. The members of the group were hot and wanted to go back to the air-conditioned ship. The poor proprietors of the shops… they just sweated and waited for potential customers. It didn’t look like there were many on this day despite the large mob of passengers from the two massive ships having disembarked for the advertised cruise ship private island excursion.
I could see why various bloggers and vloggers had said they would skip a day at Coco Cay if they’d already been there more than a couple times. The island itself was well planned out with plenty of swimming – both pool and ocean – offered to visitors. Purchasing an excursion at one of the adults-only areas could be advisable because it might provide some relief from the crushing crowds. The food was pretty good, though not especially noteworthy. But it was included with the cruise fare, so the price was definitely right!
Matt from Royal Caribbean blog had said not to bother purchasing a snorkeling or jet skiing-type excursion on Coco Cay. This was best left to other islands. To each his own. For non-beach people, the pools and jacuzzis on the ship seemed more welcoming along with the fabulous array of dining choices on the enormous – and new – floating palace.
Since it was our first trip to Coco Cay, we opted not to seek out a day pass at any of the “pay” venues, of which there are several, including the aforementioned water park with a hugely tall slide. I would think that you’d have to devote an appropriate amount of time to them if you buy a pass, or do something more substantial, such as rent a Cabana.
I can’t see doing that, especially since we’re not sit in the sun and drink type tourists. Maybe in our younger days!
It might help to go to Coco Cay with people who ARE beach people, since it could inject a little life and enthusiasm where there was none. This was true for most of the Caribbean destinations, though we did book a couple tours more to our liking in the coming days. On Coco Cay… there’re the pool and beach activities, and not much else. Towels were available onboard. That was nice.
It was no trouble getting back aboard Star of the Seas once we reached the gangplank. We hadn’t purchased anything and our bathing suits had dried by the time 
we went back to the ship. We weren’t coated with sand, either, which is always one of the biggest drawbacks of visiting the beach.
On the way up to the room, we decided to stop by Guest Services on Deck 5 to “complain” about the lack of free milkshakes included in the refreshment package. We’d called Royal Caribbean twice to check and make sure that the specialty shake shop “Desserted” (near Base Camp) included free basic milk shakes. We told the Guest Services representative that we’d called twice and also did the AI chat, and miraculously, the computer system had documented all of those calls and what we had asked for during the conversation.
The staffers apologized for the mix-up. Here’s thinking the cruise managers will do something about the complaint. Royal Caribbean is that thorough with the guest experience, and here was direct feedback for them. We felt good about it.
The Guest Services agent offered a free meal at a specialty restaurant as compensation for the mix-up. So, we chose Pier 7 (in the Surfside neighborhood), since we already had reservations at Giovani’s, Hooked and Izumi Hibachi. We might have had Izumi in the park, but opted for Pier 7 because we knew it was recommended by Brian and Kerry of Views and Queues.
It was only mid-afternoon at this point, so we went back to Playmakers. The kids and Shari played pool. People were steadily filing back onto the ship. We had three bottles of wine that we’d taken onboard – one each for Shari and me, and one for Bethany. We also took three 12-packs of La Croix Selzer water onboard, since Bethany didn’t purchase a beverage package.
Back in the room, it was cool and comfortable, perfect for a short nap. I sent Bethany down to have one of the wine bottles opened, which she did so at Playmakers. No corkage fee on this day – more on this later.
Star of the Seas sailed at around five. We watched as the ship slowly drifted away from Coco Cay, bound for the long journey to the southern Caribbean. Next stop, Puerto Rico.
Shari and I had a glass of wine on the balcony. We were facing west, essentially, so it was very hot on the deck. But the wine was pleasant. Who needs a bar? There was time for a shower and got ready for dinner.
We went down to the MDR for our 6:45 dining time. Since we already had our “regular” table, we entered with the hungry crowd of fellow passengers and headed directly to our assigned four-seater. Right away the wait staff was at the table, asking if we had show tickets and wanting to make sure we were served in time.
They must’ve got word of our almost being late to our comedy show from the MDR lady from the breakfast service. Word travels fast, but in a good way.
It was “Italian Night” in the MDR, which I’d remembered from the Oasis of the Seas Rome cruise we’d taken. I knew they had chicken parmesan that was really good. It came with spaghetti. Had a Caesar salad and ordered the same spritzer as the previous night, which our waiter’s assistant, Joan, managed to get for us.
Shari ordered vegan spaghetti, which she said was, “Not very good.” Matthew had lasagna, which he seemed to like. A pretty large portion, too.
I thought the chicken parmesan in the MDR was as good as at specialty restaurant Giovanni’s, which we had the next evening. Two nights in a row. But it would’ve beaten the spaghetti bolognese. Why go basic?
The MDR menu seemed broad enough for people to have a choice, including a couple standard offerings like New York Strip Steak.
The MDR manager came by and checked on us several times, and our waiter, Arnello, was very conscientious about getting us served in time. It took about 45 minutes total, which left us ready to leave at about 7:30.
We went up to the venue with the Absolute Zero Ice rink and selected good seats for SOL, though there was a pillar in front of me which kind of obstructed the view in some ways.
SOL was the entertainment highlight of the cruise. Spectacular athleticism and choreography – Not your typical ice show, for sure
I didn’t know what to expect from the SOL event, which billed itself as an Ice show. We hadn’t been able to go to the ice show on Oasis of the Seas two years before, so this was our first try at the genre. I thought it 
would be better than an Ice Capades-type performance and guessed it also would be superior to “Grublets on Ice”, which was in the movie “Blades of Glory”.
The show began promptly at 8, with the entire cast taking the ice roughly at the same time. These were professional skaters. It reminded me a little of the movie, “I, Tonya”. Ladies and male skaters were doing Salchows and axles and back flips and twirls and lifts and all sorts of fancy maneuvers set to music, most of which I didn’t recognize.
The show had several distinct parts (or “acts”). Apparently, the plot had been explained in one of the promo documents. I didn’t really understand the show theme at the time I watched it, but it didn’t detract from the enjoyment and the admiration I had for the athleticism and talent of the skaters.
Description of the SOL plot from the Royal Caribbean website:
“Sol is the ice skating spectacular performed nightly in the Absolute Zero rink aboard Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas. The show features the largest ice-skating cast in the fleet and tells a story that traces the sun’s path from coast to coast, combining high-energy choreography with extreme stunts and immersive visuals.
“Venue: Absolute Zero, the largest ice rink at sea, designed with strategic seating for optimal viewing.
“Performance Style: Described as a fast-paced, modern spectacle rather than a traditional ice dance, featuring daredevil jumps and synchronized routines.
“Guest Reception: Early reviews from August 2025 sailings praise the show’s professionalism and visual effects, with many cruisers rating it among the best entertainment on the ship, alongside Back to the Future: The Musical.
“Production: The show is produced by Willy Bietak Productions, known for casting Olympic-level and professional ice skaters.”
–The crowd really got into the act, particularly a pairs performance in the middle of the presentation and then a ramp show with three guys doing incredible stunts that kind of defied belief near the end – on skates.
Where do they get these guys and gals? Were they Olympic athletes? The performers were introduced at the end, but we couldn’t hear the names clearly and probably wouldn’t have recognized them even if we had.
The show itself was very intense, and about as enjoyable as Aqua 80 (Aqua show) was on Oasis of the Seas. I’m very impressed with Royal Caribbean’s entertainment productions. And all of this is included in the cruise fare. I liked Aqua 80’s music better than SOL’s. But the athletes and artists – they’re good-looking dudes and ladies. Wow. We’d definitely see the show again, and tried to get tickets for later in the cruise, but couldn’t. Every seat was taken at every performance.
After the show, we were spent from the long day, the hot weather, the food and the wine. And the intensity of the show program, which left me with a little bit of a headache because it was so… overwhelming.
Once back at the room, we opted to turn on the closed-circuit TV, where there was a Hallmark movie that was shot on Harmony of the Seas, starring Alexa Pena Vega, called “Love at Sea”. I’d seen her before, and she’s truly one of the world’s most beautiful women. We were glad that tomorrow was a day at sea.
On Royal Caribbean, the ship’s activities are a large part of the attraction, particularly on Star of the Seas.
Can you pack more into a day? You can try. Cruising is as good as billed.
Next up: Tuesday, our first full day at sea. Fitness, Pier 7, The Sexiest Man in the World, Giovanni’s and Back to the Future the stage musical
Previous Star of the Seas blogs:
Star of the Seas Caribbean Vacation Blog, Part I – Coming face to face with a giant —
https://www.golfintheusa.com/star-of-the-seas-caribbean-vacation-blog-part-i-coming-face-to-face-with-a-giant/