An even more Perfect Day
Royal Caribbean developing Mexican water park with record-breaking attractions
With onboard roller coasters, water coaster dark rides, and a slew of other fun diversions more typically found at parks, the cruise industry is fully embracing rides and attractions as a way to entice customers and entertain passengers. When Royal Caribbean launched the world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, last year, it boasted Category 6, the biggest water park at sea. The ship’s 7,600 passengers can take the plunge on a launch capsule water slide, family raft slides, and a Flowrider surfing simulator, among many other ways to get wet.
Recently, Royal Caribbean revealed that it is building Perfect Day Mexico, a private destination on the country’s Caribbean coast in Mahahual. The 200-acre retreat, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027, will include an impressive collection of water park slides and attractions, some of which will give the cruise line major bragging rights.
Dominating the skyline at Perfect Day Mexico will be Jaguar’s Peak, a colorful tower stacked with ten water slides. At a height of 170 feet, it will be the tallest water slide tower in North America.
“It’s going to be about a two-minute ride to the bottom,” says Alexandra Del Valle, project manager for Royal Caribbean, describing the slide at the apex of the tower. “There will be boosters throughout, so it’s going to speed you up,” she adds.
When it opened Perfect Day at CocoCay, its first water park-packed destination in 2019 (and the inspiration for the Mexican getaway), Royal Caribbean deemed the Bahamian island’s 135-foot Daredevil’s Tower as the tallest in North America. It’s since been eclipsed by the 142-foot-tall Thrillagascar and Jungle Jammer slides at DreamWorks Water Park in New Jersey’s American Dream retail, dining, and entertainment center and the 145-foot-tall The Rise of Icarus that opened last year at Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells. They all fall far short of Icon Tower at Meryal, the water park that opened last year in Qatar. That beast reaches a staggering 260 feet into the air. Still, Jaguar’s Peak will be quite a sight and should offer some wild rides.
“We’re giving guests more of what we know they want,” says Emily Rodriguez, manager of thrills and attractions for Royal Caribbean. (How’s that for a title?) “Perfect Day Mexico is going to offer the perfect blend of thrill and chill.”
On the more chill side, the water park will offer the longest lazy river in the world. If folks get parched floating around on their inner tubes, there will be three swim-up bars strategically placed along the more-than-one-mile route. Guests will be able to ply the entire river, which the cruise line says will take one hour to complete, or opt to take a detour into an inner loop that will deliver some “crazy” gotcha elements to complement the otherwise lazy vibe. Spectators alongside the river will be able to target hapless inner tubers with water cannons. (This thing is sounding less and lazy, isn’t it?)
Perfect Day Mexico will include five slide towers in its Loco Waterpark. One of them will feature HydroLaunch slides that will end above the splash pool and angle up, thereby catapulting guests into the air before they plunge into the water. There will also be two of the world’s tallest family raft slides, one of which will send its six-passenger rafts hurtling up a half pipe ramp for some free-floating G-forces. Younger visitors will be able to head to Splashaway Bay, which will offer pint-sized slides and a large interactive water play structure. Instead of a tipping bucket, kiddos will be able to get doused by a huge tipping sombrero.
The Mexican outpost is being designed by Legacy Entertainment. The complex will include seven thematic neighborhoods. In addition to the water park features, there will be other things to do, including the tethered hot air balloon, Up, Up, & Away. There will also be beaches and pools, some of which will be targeted to families, while others, such as El Hideaway beach, will be reserved for adults. Perfect Day will offer 12 eateries and 24 bars–because if there’s one thing cruise ship passengers love more than record-breaking water slides, it’s eating and drinking.
Have you been to Perfect Day at CocoCay? What are your thoughts about the growing trend of cruise lines incorporating themed attractions?
Arthur, I hope you'll go on a cruise and visit "Perfect Day Mexico", so you can tell your readers all about it!