CC vs. staying on ship

[queenof4hearts]

I was curious to hear about exp. for those who stay on board instead of going to CC?

I have never cruised before.

Can you go to CC and come back to the ship early or is this not feasible due to time?

Is the ship very quiet that day? And is CC a DO NOT MISS kind of thing?

I am so curious about cruising, I can't wait!! I think exploring the ship while it is quiet would be great fun!

Thanks

 

[kcashner]

The ship pulls up to the dock at CC, so you can get on and off the ship as often as you'd like. We frequently come back about an hour before the "all aboard" to order a snack, avoid the rush, etc.

 

[NCRedding]

CC is absolutely worth it, especially since it is so easy to get off and on. We stayed onboard one time after most people docked, and it was deserted, but I would not miss CC.

 

[zcubed]

We got off the ship early (advantage, my kids got photos right away with Donald Duck and Goofy and we got a great photo with the ship in the background) and stayed on the beach, in the water, until lunch. (I was getting sunburned anyway!)


We then had lunch, packed up our belongings and returned to the ship.

My girls went up to the pool and had a great time, because it was not too crowded... the Mickey slide was pretty wide open. I took a much needed shower and then joined them at pool side.


Later we played some ping pong (what a joke, we ran after the ping pong balls my seven year old kept hitting off the table!!) and got some fresh fruit!

All in all, another perfect day.

 

[Muushka]

We got off the ship at CC at around 10:00. Walked around a bit, ate an early lunch and got back on a very nice, uncrowded ship. It was the only time we used the Jacuzzi on board because it was so deserted.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

It's a 5-10 minute trip to get between the family area to the ship. It's about a 20-30 minute trip to get between the adult beach and the ship. You have 6-7 hours at the island.

 

[ragdoll]

To me CC is paradise. DH and I are among the first off the ship and among the last back on. I will take every minute I can on that peaceful tropical island paradise. Yes, the ship is great too, but you will find me on CC.

 

[aprilgail2]

I couldn't imagine not getting off the ship at CC...it is a beautiful place! I love laying on the beach and having them bring me drinks LOL...can't do that at home! Also I would never go there and not take the banana boat ride! Next time I may try the jet ski excursion too!! The beaches here have big waves and for my daughter to even play at the waters edge I have to stand in the water in case she gets knocked over and swept away..at CC she can play and I can sit and watch her and relax...what a change!

 

[mickeyboat]

Another CC lover here. We got off early and stayed there until the last minute. It was paradise and my kids thoroughly enjoyed it too. I would not consider myself a beach person, but I would have stayed there forever if they would have let me.

We went to the far end of the family beach where it was not crowded at all (and close to the bar). We set up our chairs at the edge of the water and played with the kids all day.

Brings back happy memories.

Denae

 

[TheWog]

We got off right away in the morning. Spent the morning on CC and relaxed. Rented the water trikes did some swimming, floating, etc., then decided we had way too much sun for the week. We ended up going back to the ship for lunch and enjoying the pool. The stack shaded the entire pool area and for about almost 2 hours it was only me and my DS6 in the pool. It was a great day and we got to enjoy CC.

 

[dclwdwlover]

I think your questions have been answered, but I'd like to add:
CC is a very beautiful, peaceful place. It is different from the other islands that the ship stops at in that it is non-commercialized, i.e. no automobiles, no shops (ok, other than the ONE very small one at the beginning), and the only people on the island are the ones that come from the ship you're on (& of course, the workers there).

It is definitely worth experiencing, especially since you can come & go at your leisure.

 

[WDWLVR]

I agree that Castaway Cay is worth getting off the ship for even if only to walk around a little. It is so beautiful!

We love to snorkel off the family beach in the morning and then head over to Serenity Bay after lunch.

 

[minniemouse1]

CC was wonderful for me, DH and our 2 DDs 2 1/2 and 1 1/2. It was the least stressful day of our vacation. The kids played on the waters edge with sand toys we brought and didn't say a word from 9 am until we returned to the ship at 330 pm. I wish we could of had another day there instead of going to one of the other islands. Its a wonderful relaxing place for families and esp mothers of small children. The sand and calm water keeps them sooo entertained. I wouldn't miss a day there for a million dollars!!

 

[antmaril]

We are cruising for the first time on the Wonder in February and I plan to stay on the ship while we're in Nassau, (not a favorite of mine) but I wouldn't want to miss CC. Years ago we cruised on the Big Red Boat (when our now 18 year old son was 4) and our favorite day of that cruise was our day on Disney's "island".
I think it might be a mistake to miss Castaway Cay.

 

[queenof4hearts]

Thanks for all the great info. I am sure I will not want to leave CC!!

 

[Dodie]

Castaway Cay is the best part of the entire cruise. I can't imagine why anyone would choose to miss it.

 

[gonna go cruising]

Originally posted by Dodie
Castaway Cay is the best part of the entire cruise. I can't imagine why anyone would choose to miss it.

I agree. I would love a vacation just on CC. It is worth it to be in paradise for awhile.