And while itineraries can change year to year, most Disney cruises sailing the Bahamas and Caribbean will include a stop at Castaway Cay. Depending on your ship’s specific itinerary, you can expect to have around eight hours to explore the island during a typical stop. Mix up your water intake with some of the sports drinks at the soda machines to keep your electrolytes up.
10 things Disney got right about their private island Castaway Cay - Cruise Blog
10 things Disney got right about their private island Castaway Cay.
Posted: Tue, 07 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
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Full Guide to Castaway Cay: Disney Cruise Line's Private Island in the Bahamas - WDW News Today
Full Guide to Castaway Cay: Disney Cruise Line's Private Island in the Bahamas.
Posted: Sat, 07 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Castaway Cay has something to offer everyone, from family-friendly activities to adult-only seclusion. The Disney private island offers unique locations for weddings, vow renewals, and commitment ceremonies with a base price of $4,500 for 16 guests. With additional guests costing just $20 per person (age three and older), Disney Castaway Cay is definitely worth considering for the couple looking for an exquisite Disney experience.
Things to Do on Castaway Cay
The Bahamas is subject to hurricane season, which runs June through November. The peak time for tropical storms and hurricanes is August through October. Disney's Wi-Fi is not available off the ship at Castaway Cay, so if you wish to use your phone, you'll need to have a plan that works in the Bahamas.
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Rotational dining means you’ll enjoy dining at different restaurants each night, but your serving staff stays with you. It made our meals more enjoyable because they got to know us and what we liked. It’s this short break from reality that makes a Disney vacation so unique. It allows us to (mostly) forget about our everyday worries and concerns and really just enjoy being with our family on vacation. In June 2024, Disney Cruise Line will debut its new private island destination, Lighthouse Point, on Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Well, Disney cruisers, that concludes our deep dive into all things Castaway Cay.
More experienced swimmers can snorkel the Explorer Trail, where they can spot a wide variety of fish and sea creatures who make their home in the waters around the island. Whether you’re traveling as a family or doing a Disney cruise for grown-ups, Castaway Cay offers an adult escape from the craziness of the family beach. Honestly, since Disney provides most of the beach necessities like lounge chairs and towels, you don’t need to bring too many things for your day at Castaway Cay besides a few essentials. You’ll also need some cash for Bahamian stamps from the post office if you want to mail a postcard and snag a covetable Castaway Cay postmark. Castaway Cay was the first of the cruise line private islands where the ship could dock directly on the shore. As a result, since guests don’t need to ride a tender to the island, getting to and from the beach is about as easy as it gets.
Parasailing, fishing, snorkeling by boat, glass bottom boat, and other port adventures are also available. At Gil’s Fins and Boats, guests can rent snorkel gear, kayaks, paddle boats, aqua trikes, and other water equipment. Snorkel gear is also available at Flippers & Floats, along with fins and inner tubes. At Serenity Bay, float rentals are available from The Windsock Hut. The Discover Trail is for novices while the Explorer Trail is for more experienced snorkelers. Disney Cruise Line will soon honor Castaway Club members who have sailed with the cruise line 50 or more times with a new commemorative display on Castaway Cay.
Before returning to the ship, I send a postcard from the island and check out the special merchandise
One thing I love about Disney Cruise Line and Castaway Cay is that there are plenty of adults-only spaces where kids are strictly not allowed. Ultimately, Lighthouse Point looks like it’ll be a fantastic destination for Disney Cruise Line guests. The environmental issues it poses do give me pause, and I hope Disney wasn’t just paying face to these issues in order to secure approval.
Note this is how the ship usually docks, but it is not always the case — the ship may dock differently if needed — but a starboard stateroom is usually your best bet for having an island view. Castaway Cay is not currently included in Disney cruises from Galveston, New York, and New Orleans. If you’re feeling energetic, try the Castaway Cay 5k challenge, where you can run or walk the island’s 5k course at your own pace. Planning a getaway to Castaway Cay can be confusing, but the Disney travel agents at The Vacationeer are here to help.
Or, if you’d rather get your steps in after all that soft serve, Serenity Bay is just a well-marked, 20-minute walk away. Bars all over the island serve specialty cocktails, beer, soda, and other drinks. Castaway Cay is known for its beaches and water sports, but there is no pool on the island. Among the other activities on the island are land and water equipment rentals, water slides, water jets, volleyball, basketball, and soccer. Visiting Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, is an unforgettable and magical experience.
For this reason, I recommend carefully considering if you are someone who would like the earlier or later dining time. Each time is scheduled to accommodate the multiple theater show times each night, so you won't have to worry about missing any other exciting onboard activities! Most families with young children tend to prefer the earlier dinner dining time.
Hayley Phillips is a military spouse currently living in Florida and loves all things travel and travel planning. Disney Fantasy, for example, has 10 bars and lounges onboard, as well as two adult pool areas. I have found that sailing with Disney Cruise Line involves a bit more planning a preparation than other cruise voyages. Some of Disney's staterooms even feature split bathrooms that help make getting ready in the morning or for bed easier for families with children, couples, or even friends traveling together.
Don’t forget to check out our past editions of the Disney Cruise Line pocket guides, where we cover the basics of each ship in the fleet. Complete your pocket guide collection with the Disney Resort hotel pocket guides to help you plan your next vacation ashore! For more fun tips and great advice for planning your next Disney vacation stop by @planDisneyPanel on Instagram, @planDisney on Twitter, or planDisney.com.
While Disney does cover an impressive percentage of the globe, there are simply not as many itinerary options to choose from as some other large-scale cruise lines. When the primary pool gets overly crowded and busy, I recommend adult guests check out the adult-only pools. Additionally, if guests particularly enjoy a specific dining room, they are not able to dine at these venues whenever they desire. Guests can only dine in dining rooms that they have been assigned to for that evening. Fortunately, the island has a complimentary tram that I always use to get around the island.
There is so much to see and do at Castaway Cay, from swimming and snorkeling in the blue lagoon to setting out on an adventure in a kayak or paddleboat. If you’re looking for a thrill, swim out to Pelican Plunge and hit the waterslides! Once you’ve had your fill of sunshine, head over to the In Da Shade Pavilion, where the whole family can enjoy various games like ping pong, basketball, and more. They aim to help you find a cruise that will fulfill your vacation dreams. Approximately 140 Disney Cast Members live on the island year-round.
Best of all, as with the likes of the Oceaneer Club, access to these youth-focused spaces is completely free. While you will find a fair few freebies at Castaway Cay, some of the island’s available activities do come with a cost. Castaway Cay excursions, including sea kayaking and parasailing, as well as rentals like bikes, tubes and cabanas.
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