DCL info for 1st time cruises

[jns]

I am going to post here as I would like views from this side of the pond

For anyone that has done the Disney cruise line

what shore excursions have you done on Nassau and casaway cay
and how did you find the kids club

and anything that we should not miss

we are going the 3 day only
wish now i had booked the 4 day


and one got a trip report done on the cruise

thanks again for any info

 

[florida sun]

Hi Jackie

I have just moved this over to Trip Planning for you.

Im in work at the moment, but will try and give you some ideas when I get home.

 

[jns]

Thanks Sue

sorry for posting on the wrong board again

 

[disneyholic family]

I am going to post here as I would like views from this side of the pond

For anyone that has done the Disney cruise line

what shore excursions have you done on Nassau and casaway cay
and how did you find the kids club

and anything that we should not miss

we are going the 3 day only
wish now i had booked the 4 day


and one got a trip report done on the cruise

thanks again for any info

we did the 3 day first and then did the 4 day two years later....
both were lots of fun, so don't be too sad that you're only doing the 3 day...

although is there any chance of changing to the 4 day?

i don't think you said when you're going....maybe you can change your reservation to the 4 day?

but to answer your questions....
keep in mind that our last cruise was two years ago, so there are some excursions that have been added since then..

on Nassau we reserved a room at the Comfort Inn so that we would have the right to use the swimming pools and slides at the Atlantis resort.....the kids had fun, but i don't really think it was worth the cost of the room at the comfort inn (over $200 for a day room that we didn't use - we just picked up the wrist bands to give us access to the atlantis).....
some people really enjoy spending the day at the atlantis using the pools and slides....we only spent 2 hours there ....while it was fun, i wouldn't ever do it again...

i believe there's a dolphin encounter in nassau that's supposed to be good...

by the way, on our second cruise, we stayed on board the ship...nassau's not really anything to write home about....kind of a dump....lots of repeat cruisers just stay on board the ship...
since you're only going on a 3 day, you might want to stay on board and pretend that it's a day at sea....you'll have most of the ship to yourself i think...

as for castaway cay...
if you're just adults, then be sure to get yourself over to serenity bay, the adults only beach on castaway cay......it is so quiet and wonderful there....and you can have lunch over there as well......paradise..

however if you''re with kids younger than 18 years old, then you have to stay on the family beach side if your kids stay with you....and you have to eat on that side as well....
it's also very nice, but nothing like serenity bay for peaceful quiet...
however you could always put your kids into the childrens programs (or areas or whatever there is) and then you can go to serenity bay without them (my son was 17 so he went with the teen program....and my daughter who was 20 came to serenity bay with us)......

ok...as for things to do....on our first cruise we snorkeled....it was ok, but we didn't do it again the second time....
on both cruises we rented bikes and rode over to serenity bay and then on the trail.....we really enjoyed that, even though it was so hot (July both times)....there are water stations along the trail so you won't drop dead in the heat..

on the second cruise we went on the banana boat ride....lots of fun , but you get super splashed if that matters to you..

also on the second cruise we did the parasailing thing (you get pulled up into the air by a parachute....you take off from a boat and land back on the boat)... GREAT!!!!.....really highly recommended.....and what a view..
a definite must do...

i think that's all we did on castaway cay..

oh.....also, you can have a massage on castaway cay (by the spa staff from the ship.....there are special cabanas by serenity bay where they give the massages.....they're not air conditioned, so that bothers some people, but i thought it was wonderful.....one half side of the cabana is open to the sea....with a ceiling fan overhead....very lovely.....i much prefer getting a massage on the island to being in a massage room on the ship....although those new private spa balconies sound nice...

i think that's all we did.....we had a really nice time on castaway cay...

also there are some nice souvenir type things to buy, that are only available on CC....

by the way, be sure to go to all of the big evening shows (they have one each night)...they are really well done...

 

[jdybnsn]

We enjoyed the Pirate Museum (and attached shop & pub !) in Nassau. This is not an organised trip as far as I know.

Its particularly good if you have Pirate crazy kids ...but interesting for adults too - very inexpensive and full of interesting pirate facts. The shop had loads of good stuff too...pirate t shirts and other pirate themed stuff. Wish we had tried out the pub - it too looked good.

To get there ....turn right off the quayside and it is along the second row of streets (behind the main street) about 5-10 mins walk.

There is also a good T-shirt / gift shop - "Pirannah Joes" to your right as you leave the quay.....(particularly if your child happens to be called Joe like mine) - loads of funky fish T shirts , hats and alike.


My only few tips for Castaway Cay (we did not do any excursions);

- If you have kids don't settle on the beach immediately by the food and bar area...walk 3-4 minutes further down the path, near the last of the shops...much less crowded and better views of the shop IMO

- the food, drink and icecream stations pack up around (2.30pm- 3.00pm) ..quite a bit before you are due back on ship (4.00pm) so do get your last orders in EARLY !

- if you like coffee in the morning do get your fix before you leave the ship ..there is no coffee served on CC.

Judy B

 

[Celestine]

We did the 3 day & enjoyed it so much we're doing the 7 night Western this summer. In Nassau DD (5 at the time) did not want to leave the kids club, so we did a walk around Nassau (I got a route from a Lonely Planet thing online). Even though it was December it was still very warm.
We were lucky to get to CC because of the weather & just spent the day chilling whilst DD joined in the kids club activities before heading back for the kids club show (if you have kids, this is a can't miss). This summer we are also opting to do it ourselves as our youngest is not yet 1 & many of the excursions preclude one or both of them due to age & those we can do are a trip to the beach! On board we did the bridge tour & this year we plan on the wine tasting. Didn't do Palo as the food is all in & of such a high standard...why pay more (maybe I'm just a skinflint)?!?! What ever you do, I'm sure you'll have a great time - the ship is as much of the holiday as the ports of call

 

[jns]

Thanks everyone for all your replys
Always get good answers to questions on this board

I have been kind of thinking on staying onboard when we are at Naussa and making most of the ship , but then when you go so far it would be nice to see some of the island
Looking forward to Castaway Cay

will see what the others say when ever I get round to telling them I have booked the cruise

It's a secert surprise

 

[mandymouse]

Hi Jackie

I've had a good search for my old trip reports for you, the first one is a summary of my first two cruises, and the 2nd one is from last year

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=562127&highlight=DCL

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=829776

We have never done any excursions at Nassau or Castaway Cay, we just like to sunbathe and chill, though we do get off the ship at Nassau to take photos, but we don't go far.

If you need to know anything else, just let me know

Mandy

 

[disneyholic family]

I have been kind of thinking on staying onboard when we are at Naussa and making most of the ship , but then when you go so far it would be nice to see some of the island

you could do what Celestine and Judy did....get off the ship and walk around a bit right near the port - that's where the market is..
so you could walk around that area, do a bit of shopping and then get back on the ship.....you can get back on the ship any time you want, so it's not as if you're committted to being in nassau the whole day once you've left the ship..

you'll get a pretty good feel for the place just from that market area....
and if you want to keep exploring you can, or you can get back on the ship and enjoy yourself there...

on nassau day we got up early and went to Triton's for breakfast. I prefer having a nice sit-down meal, served by waiters (not a buffet). We had a nice liesurely breakfast, then went back to our room to get our stuff together.

I think we were off the ship by about 9 AM. Got to the Comfort Inn about 10 AM. Finally made it to the Atlantis swimming pool area by about 11 AM. Swam for 2 hours and then decided it was time to get back to the ship (so that we would be in time for the special showing of lilo and stitch in the big theatre).

After going back to the comfort inn to check out, we were back onboard the ship by about 2:30. We ordered room service for lunch while we all showered. Room service was there in a flash, we ate (yummy) and were done in time to make it to the 3:30 showing in the Walt Disney theatre (i think that's when it was).

On our second cruise we stayed on board the ship and just relaxed. It was very nice.

So getting back to you, what the other posters suggested sounds good to me. Get off the ship and walk around in the market area that's right near the port. Then get back on the ship. You'll have visited a new place and still get to enjoy the ship. This is really the only day you'll have to enjoy the ship. The first day you're just getting settled in and the last day you have to be off the ship first thing in the morning. And on CC day you'll be on CC. So the Nassau day is your only day to have the run of the ship during the day.

By the way, what are the ages of the others in your group?

 

[jns]

I like the idea of just getting off the ship and having a walk around and then going back to enjoy the ship

There will be me and DH and 2 DS age 8 and 15

Don't know if oldest DS will join in the clubs (very quite)but he will make a pretty good job of emptying the Kitchen
I think we will have a hard time keeping the Youngest DS out of them

It is very hard to decide as like I said they do not know anything about it

I am planning on telling them about 3 weeks before
as that is our 20th wedding Annivairary


Mandy thankls for the links to your TR
Looking forward to a good read
But I have to go to work now
So I have something to look forward to this evening

Thanks again everyone

I Love This Board

 

[disneyholic family]

that is so cool that you're going to surprise them only a few weeks before..
how wonderful...

regarding the clubs, it's quite possible your older son will disappear into the teen club...

my son was 15 on our first cruise and 17 on the second...
on both cruises, every second that he could, he spent with the club..
he loved it...and he adored the counselors.....he still occasionally quotes funny things they told them during the cruise...
and he enjoyed meeting all the kids from different places (of course he was the only one from quite so far away, but it made it interesting for the others in the club)...

even on CC he spent all of his time on the teen beach (except to go on the banana boat ride and parasailing with us)....

of the 4 of us, he by far had the BEST time on the ship....loved every second of it...we loved it too, but on a scale of 1 to 10, he would rate it about a million.....

on your first day on the ship, be sure to sign both of your sons up for the clubs....and be sure that your 15 year old goes to the "411" in the evening in the teen club...that's when everyone meets everyone for the first time....

 

[jns]

that is so cool that you're going to surprise them only a few weeks before..
how wonderful...

on your first day on the ship, be sure to sign both of your sons up for the clubs....and be sure that your 15 year old goes to the "411" in the evening in the teen club...that's when everyone meets everyone for the first time....

Hopefully I can keep it surprise until then
good I have theses board to share with or else i would have told by now

thanks for the tip on going to the clubs the first evening
makes sence as everyone will be there for the first time

Mandy just finished reading your report
thanks they were great
Lots of info

 

[LynnTarrant]

Not been to Nassau as we did 7 nights but have been to CC twice we're 2 young at heart adults
First time we went parasailing wonderful experience loved it, did the snorkeling trail great fun finding Mickey had lunch and then headed to the adult beach on the tram we chilled for a bit before our cabana massages, I wouldn't do this again sounds romantic but there was a stiff breeze blowing and I got chilled, save it for the comfort of the spa. Then we strolled back to the ship taking photos etc.

Second Time we were with friends who had teens with them we all headed for the far end of the family beach and camped out where it meets the sports beach there are hammocks and loungers there plus bathrooms and a bar, it's only a short walk back for food. Chilled out for a while walked back to the snorkeling beach and did the trail again. Had Lunch then did the personal watercraft tour, fun but a bit scary for this wimp ( it was very choppy and lots of the am excursions had been cancelled!!), wouldn't do it again but glad I did it once type of experience.
Hope this helps
Lynn

 

[florida sun]

Hi Jackie

Im so sorry it took so long to get back to you.

We have not done any excursions niether, but did get off the ship at Nassau for a look around the market and a spot of shopping, on Castaway Cay we were one of the first of the ship and bagged a lovely hammock and bed right by the waters edge, anyway here is a copy of my trip reports from the cruise, I hope they help you. I remember you first booking this surprise for the family and can not get over how quick it is coming around.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=638237

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=638545

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=638842

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=640254

 

[disneyholic family]

thanks for the tip on going to the clubs the first evening
makes sence as everyone will be there for the first time

be sure to take the kids to the clubs already in the early afternoon when you explore the ship. That's when you sign them up (before the safety drill, when everything on the ship shuts down).

 

[mandymouse]

Thanks for putting the links to your trippie Sue, I'd not seen them before and I enjoyed reading them

 

[jns]

Sue

Thank you so much for posting the link to your wonderful report

really enjoyed the read

hurry up Oct