How important is CC to you when booking?

[NokOnHarts]

I know there will be a variety of answers, but curious how important Castaway Cay is to you when booking your cruise? I have never been on a Disney Cruise and part of the draw for me would be seeing CC, as well as having my kids have a safer beach to explore. That said, some of the cruises out of TX are a much better deal (naturally) and most do not hit CC. DH and I are going back on forth on if the savings is worth skipping CC, as much as we want to see the island! Is it top priority for you? Thanks for your thoughts...

 

[Dug720]

I love Castaway and would personally not cruise without it on the itinerary for a Caribbean or Bahamas itinerary. Of course I'll only sail out of PC or Miami (I'd do NYC if they'd sail out of here when school is NOT in session), so it's pretty much always on there.

That said, I do always go in with the knowledge that it could be skipped depending on weather.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

yes it is THE priority as far as the port stops for us. Without having to worry about natives pestering you to buy their goods and services, without having to take local transportation anywhere, and without having to pay for food (other than adult beverages), it makes it an ideal port stop.

 

[mandylovesdisney]

It's important to me, but not a deal breaker. I am sad when it's not on my itinerary lol

 

[remlap]

It was the #1 priority for me on my first Disney cruise. We had so much fun, we've now also cruised West Coast, Alaska, and soon, Europe.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

I will jump into this discussion with the very unpopular response that a stop at CC would not be a deal breaker for us at all. However, we've been there a bunch of times and you have not. We would prefer a port at an actual "real" island. But I don't know your other choices or what excursions you would pick or the ages of your kids. We like having the BBQ on the island, that's about it. We don't love the fake, "Disneyfied" feel of the island, but that's just us. We have taken our girls to all sorts of adventurous excursions on the islands DCL.stops at starting at a very young age but i know some aren't comfortable with that. Plus, I just saw that CC won an award as best private island amongst other lines. So i guess to sum up, i think your decision might have to do with not only the price but your expectation of the activities you'd do or sights you'd see on the itineraries without. Either way, you'll have the best time! Happy cruising!

 

[tlprice]

We've been to CC on both of our cruises and my daughter was upset that it's not on our upcoming Southern Caribbean so I booked a quick 3 day a month before our Southern Caribbean that includes CC so she can have it right before and not be so disappointed.

 

[NokOnHarts]

It was the #1 priority for me on my first Disney cruise. We had so much fun, we've now also cruised West Coast, Alaska, and soon, Europe.

On your West Coast and Alaska, did you miss CC or was it a great cruise experience without it?

 

[RedStars]

It's my #1 priority. My dream cruise is a double dip on Dream or Fantasy.

 

[NokOnHarts]

I will jump into this discussion with the very unpopular response that a stop at CC would not be a deal breaker for us at all. However, we've been there a bunch of times and you have not. We would prefer a port at an actual "real" island. But I don't know your other choices or what excursions you would pick or the ages of your kids. We like having the BBQ on the island, that's about it. We don't love the fake, "Disneyfied" feel of the island, but that's just us. We have taken our girls to all sorts of adventurous excursions on the islands DCL.stops at starting at a very young age but i know some aren't comfortable with that. Plus, I just saw that CC won an award as best private island amongst other lines. So i guess to sum up, i think your decision might have to do with not only the price but your expectation of the activities you'd do or sights you'd see on the itineraries without. Either way, you'll have the best time! Happy cruising!

Our kids would be around 10 & 6 when we cruise. We honestly don't plan to do many excursions, we just would love to let them play on the beaches at whatever ports we end up at. I would love to see Grand Cayman but from what I've read, you would need to take some form of transportation to get to decent beaches.

 

[Steve Dexter]

It's a high priority for us for sure. We have been there many times, 15+, and it's so relaxing and happy and wonderful, it's great every time, even when the weather isn't great. I love running the 5K and getting a cabana. Just walking around, or riding a bike. It's a special place.

 

[Dug720]

On your West Coast and Alaska, did you miss CC or was it a great cruise experience without it?

Ok, that was not the initial question. The question was - at least since you were talking Galveston it read as for Bahamas/Caribbean itineraries.

If I'm not looking at an itinerary that *could* include it, that is something else all together.

I've only done DCL (other than when I was in 6th grade and Big Red Boat didn't even exist) for Bahamas/Caribbean. Alaska and the Med I've done on RCCL. I'm doing Greece on RCCL. But those are not itineraries I would EXPECT Castaway on, even on Disney because it wouldn't make sense. In 2019 I am going to be trying Celebrity on the Edge which is a Western, but it doesn't stop at a RCCL-company private area, which makes it more tolerable - I don't have to be all comparing them (cause let me tell you, Amber Cove at the DR was a JOKE - went there on a hybrid Cuba/DR cruise on fathom...that itinerary was all about Cuba as was obviously the ALL Cuba itinerary I was on over Christmas).

If I'm on Disney in the Bahamas or Caribbean, I'm going with an itinerary that has Castaway on it. Period. (Unless it's a Southern...but then I'd probably look for a Southern that was hitting Castaway.)

 

[NokOnHarts]

Ok, that was not the initial question. The question was - at least since you were talking Galveston it read as for Bahamas/Caribbean itineraries.

If I'm not looking at an itinerary that *could* include it, that is something else all together.

I've only done DCL (other than when I was in 6th grade and Big Red Boat didn't even exist) for Bahamas/Caribbean. Alaska and the Med I've done on RCCL. I'm doing Greece on RCCL. But those are not itineraries I would EXPECT Castaway on, even on Disney because it wouldn't make sense. In 2019 I am going to be trying Celebrity on the Edge which is a Western, but it doesn't stop at a RCCL-company private area, which makes it more tolerable - I don't have to be all comparing them (cause let me tell you, Amber Cove at the DR was a JOKE - went there on a hybrid Cuba/DR cruise on fathom...that itinerary was all about Cuba as was obviously the ALL Cuba itinerary I was on over Christmas).

If I'm on Disney in the Bahamas or Caribbean, I'm going with an itinerary that has Castaway on it. Period. (Unless it's a Southern...but then I'd probably look for a Southern that was hitting Castaway.)

We have been on a couple cruises (before kids) that were not DCL and we weren't all that impressed... they were OK, but we began loving Disney park vacations much more so. We would like to try a DCL because it's Disney and are open to West Coast and Alaska only because we are located in the West. So it's part of the conversation... do we do DCL for that experience alone or do we do it for CC. I asked the above question because for those who have done DCL in multiple locations, I am curious if they missed CC or if the DCL experience was enough on it's own.

 

[CamColt]

In general we cruise for the cruise experience, not the ports. CC is the only port I really care about...missing that would make me sad, but skipping another island wouldn't bother me so much. However we cruise enough that if I found a good deal on another warm weather itinerary, I would probably do it. If I were only going on a 1 time Disney Cruise, I would book something that includes CC, even though it's never guaranteed.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

It's my #1 priority. My dream cruise is a double dip on Dream or Fantasy.

I have to say we did our first double dip on the Dream the beginning of this month and it was pretty awesome

 

[darnheather]

I'm hoping next year to do a cruise out of San Diego so no CC. This makes me sad but the new experience outweighs it. If you can only afford to do a cruise out of TX that skips CC then do the cruise! You won't regret it and maybe like me you'll realize how much you love it and save more for the next trip.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

If I had never cruise Disney cruise and had never been there it would be high on my priority list. Since I have been there numerous time if it is skipped on the scheduled I don't care...

 

[phinz]

How important is it to me? It isn't. I couldn't care less about the ports generally, including Castaway Cay. The best thing about Castaway Cay to me is that everybody else can't wait to get off the boat and let me have it to myself.

 

[Chemist]

I'm in the "don't fully understand the appeal" category.
I mean, its definitely EASIER than beaches on other islands. Food is there, paid for, etc.
We did have a nice time there.

However, as far as beaches go, there are so many other nicer beaches. Megan's Bay in St. Thomas was just beautiful. We loved Devil's Bay in Tortola as well.
Tulum in Mexico is just amazing (we didn't go there on a cruise). Heck, even the beach near our house ALWAYS has dolphins playing right off shore.
The sand isn't that nice, my kids miss playing in the surf. And the beach itself isn't terribly pretty.

 

[KristiMc]

On your West Coast and Alaska, did you miss CC or was it a great cruise experience without it?

Not the original poster, but my Alaskan cruise was my favorite cruise I've done. I would take the sights of Alaska over a stop at CC.