Castaway Cay in Feb. and Wonder Ship Questions?

[Chandra C]

So, my family and I have only been one one cruise which was on the Dream and loved it! I was just looking around on the website and see there is a cruise for Feb on the Wonder. The price is good, so I am wondering maybe that's because Castaway Cay is too cold in feb and no one wants to go? Also, I don't see any slides similar to the Aqua Duck which my son loved. Is the big yellow slide the only one on the Wonder? We really wouldn't object to going on the Dream again but I was thinking different shows, restaurants would be nice since it hasn't even been a year since we went. Any advice, Please? Thanks

 

[Cackyschmackers]

We've been to CC three times, once in early Jan, once in mid Jan, and once in late Jan. We swam the whole time, Pelican Plunge and all (and I usually won't swim unless it's August at the Shore). Weather was perfect, not too hot, nice and sunny. I can't chime in re:the Wonder; haven't been on that ship....yet...

P.S. LOVED the smaller size of the Magic over the Fantasy, just like Wonder would be vs Dream

 

[GoofyLovingFamily]

We love the Wonder. The reimagination looks great. The twist and spout slide is fun. There is also a splash pad area. The new Frozen show is spectacular.

 

[Quellman]

Not sure of the origination point, but Galveston cruises tend to be cheaper since they have a hard time filling the ship with passengers.
We have done Castaway in Feb and found the water to be chilly, you can acclimate and enjoy it, but also remember you have to get out, and if the air outside is cold... brrr

 

[OKW Lover]

We've been to CC in just about all the winter months. Only once was the weather bad enough to affect our enjoyment of the beach. That trip was in early December a few years ago and the "problem" was that the wind was coming in from a direction that put it blowing directly onto Serenity Bay. We simply got back on the tram and spent that day at the Family Beach.

 

[MABrentwood]

We took our first cruise on the Dream three years ago, and went in February. CC was great - we had a wonderful beach day, and the weather was great. I just booked another cruise for the Wonder in February - I like the prices I get at the last minute, and I LOVE getting out of the cold in the midwest.

 

[Marc D]

Also, I don't see any slides similar to the Aqua Duck which my son loved. Is the big yellow slide the only one on the Wonder?

The only slide in the Wonder is the one you describe. They didn't add an Aquadunk during the latest refurb like they did on the Magic some years ago.

Btw, they have a harder time filling the Galveston cruises but they still sail at near full capacity all year round.

 

[CamColt]

We have cruised in February twice(presidents week both times). Once we made it to CC and it was beautiful but the next year we didn't make it and went to Nassau instead. It was cold there so I assume if we had made it to CC it would have been about the same.

 

[Naterfan]

Every trip is different. We hit CC in February and it was in the low 60's with heavy clouds and crazy winds. Not the best day, so bad in fact, that we couldn't dock and missed out island day.

 

[Shanti]

I was just looking around on the website and see there is a cruise for Feb on the Wonder. The price is good, so I am wondering maybe that's because Castaway Cay is too cold in feb and no one wants to go?

Castaway Cay will likely be fine in February, but no way of knowing for sure in advance. We sailed in over New Years' last year with balmy, sunny, calm Castaway Cay weather. The water was chilly at first, but felt fine after a few minutes in the water. The reasons the Wonder in February is cheaper is because:

1. February is in the middle of the school year (and not part of a nationwide school break) and DCL prices hinge greatly on whether most American schools are in session during a given sailing, or not.
2. The Wonder is a classic ship, so lacks the bells and whistles of the Dream class, such as magical portholes for inside staterooms, on-demand Disney movies in all staterooms, Midship Detective Agency, miniature golf, etc., etc. It also doesn't have a major water slide, which is a big minus for families with water-slide loving kids. This doesn't matter so much during its summer cruises to chilly Alaska, but it does while cruising the Caribbean.
3. The Wonder often sails from Galveston, Texas, which for most travelers is a less familiar & accessible location than Port Canaveral near Orlando. (Not for us, though- we're Texans.) Texas also has less temperate weather than Florida, so cruising from Galveston mid-winter also raises the chance of experiencing a day or two of chilly weather on the cruise.

 

[bumbershoot]

My cousins went on their first cruise feb of 2012 and it was rally cold and they wore jeans to the beach and no one loves it much. But then it was super cold in Florida, too! We were in Orlando at the same time and drove out to Daytona to see them when they got home, and I was nearly blue from cold because I'd run out of long pants lol.

The same weekend the following year we all went on the same basic cruise and the weather was gorgeous. We all swim and got some sun and it was terrific.

You just can't tell.

 

[squirk]

I, too, am sailing in Feb., so the issue of CC water temperatures has been on my mind.

I always find CC water to be chilly, even in June. Not to the point of being unpleasant, but I always think "If this water was 5° warmer, it'd be perfect". If I find June water a little cool, I am wondering how February water will feel.

But I live in Louisiana. Maybe CC feels just fine in Feb. to someone from up north.

 

[bumbershoot]

I always find CC water to be chilly, even in June. Not to the point of being unpleasant, but I always think "If this water was 5° warmer, it'd be perfect". If I find June water a little cool, I am wondering how February water will feel.

The water felt warmer at the Cay during the high 70s February cruise than our high 80s October cruise. I think the water itself doesn't change temperature all that much, and therefore if the sun is hotter on your skin when you get in, the water will actually feel colder.

 

[Trera]

we are going 2/2, so I will let you know.

it will be our earliest visit in the year to CC. March 20th I think was our previous early visit.

 

[anniepoppins]

We have cruised 8 times in Feb. it's just the right length of time after Christmas and gets us out of sub zero temps in the Midwest. I will not lie to you, the water is downright chilly at Castaway because it's so far north. The water temp is usually 70 degrees or in the low 70s when we go, always during the 1st or 2nd week of Feb. That said, the air temp has always been nice at Castaway, we've made it to port there every time, and if you are willing to get in and stay in for more than 15 minutes, your body does acclimate to it. My DH spends a minimum of 2 hours in the water snorkeling at Serenity Bay. I go in for shorter periods and it's just the first shock that you have to get over. It really helps if it's a sunny day!