Fantasy 2026

[radev104]

We are booking the Fantasy in May 2026. Its going to be my parents first Disney Cruise and our little one's first cruise. We are going to have three rooms (not all together from the rooms available right now) but which side, Port or Starboard, would you all recommend, which side looks at the islands, etc? Our Ports are going to be both Castaway, Lookout and Nassau. I remember Nassau we back into the port-or at least we did on the Dream.

Thanks so much!

 

[ZerasPride]

We are taking a similar cruise aboard the Fantasy in February of 2026. We like to book starboard side. This will only be our second cruise so more experienced cruisers will comment but this is the side that faced Castaway on our previous sailing. We have Nassau and Lookout this trip and I am hopeful we will again be island side facing.

Have a wonderful cruise!

 

[OKW Lover]

Our experience has been that in Nassau the ship does back into the port. That would put the starboard (right) side giving views of the port and the port (left) side giving views of the barrier island and perhaps Atlantis. This will depend on what other ships are in port and how they are arranged as they may block your view.

In Castaway Cay the Starboard side is preferred as the ship almost always backs into the birth. Our one experience at LHP we were docked with the starboard side facing the island.

 

[Erica1016]

Our experience has been that in Nassau the ship does back into the port.

In Castaway Cay the Starboard side is preferred as the ship almost always backs into the birth. Our one experience at LHP we were docked with the starboard side facing the island.

I have seen and been on both at Nassau, I don't know that it's very predictable there.

I agree with the statement that at Castaway, the ships almost always back in. It's a pretty safe bet.

From watching a lot of vlogs, I still think it's a bit random at Lookout. Many times it seems to be starboard facing the island, but I don't think it's a given. I don't think I'd select specifically for that.

 

[katyringo]

I just researched this a lot before choosing our room as we booked starboard side.

 

[Dug720]

There is never a guarantee of which side will face the island - I'd certainly never book a room counting on that. With my luck, that would be one of the times that the ship needs to do lifeboat drills with the port side boats and goes in bow first at Castaway.

Nassau, since DCL is almost never the berth closest to the island, odds are high that you'll have a ship on either side and the "view" will only be to that other ship.

 

[jwalk03]

I don’t get the why this matters- but I don’t sit in my room and look out the window (or balcony) in port. I get off the ship and see the ports as quickly as possible, except in Nassau. But in Nassau there are usually many ships you are sandwiched between so the view is of whatever ship happens to be parked next to you on either side.

In general I rarely fret about my cabin location. I just pick one and go. Never had a bad experience.

 

[Girl of the South]

For the West Bound TransAtlantic, we wanted sunrise/sunset views so we picked the PORT (left) side of the ship. And this was the view when we arrived at Lookout very early in the morning.

 

[Girl of the South]

At each end of the pier are these extended, I think floating (?), docks connected by bridges, and that's where the lines are tied up. Suspect it's to not pour even more concrete into the ocean. Pretty clever and fun to watch. This is looking towards the front end of the ship.

 

[Girl of the South]

PS. Probably not floating since they have to hold the ship steady. But I couldn’t tell from my balcony.

 

[OKW Lover]

I don’t sit in my room and look out the window (or balcony) in port.

Lots of people do however. Some have been to the port multiple times. Some find the port to be uninteresting (like Nassau). So they enjoy time on the balcony perhaps having a beverage and reading a book.

 

[Girl of the South]

Personally, I get a bit overwhelmed in crowds. So sometimes I like being in my cabin with a book or I watch Parent Trap because Dennis Quaid was cute!

 

[CamColt]

Many years ago, I had heard starboard is the way to go and I booked that. We ended up pulling into CC the first visit (this was a double dip) and I discovered, I like the view of the port better than the island. We now always try to book portside. I love seeing the action down below as they set up the island for the day. Upon sailing away we can watch as they release the ropes for us to go and have the crew waving and cheering as we leave. Either way I don't think you can go wrong, but my preference, at least for CC, is not the popular opinion.

 

[Dug720]

Lots of people do however. Some have been to the port multiple times. Some find the port to be uninteresting (like Nassau). So they enjoy time on the balcony perhaps having a beverage and reading a book.

Go look at the Port Nassau webcam when a Disney ship is in port. the vast majority of the time it is sandwiched in between other ships - sometimes you can't even see the Disney ship due to the large ones in front. So your view on the balcony will be the balconies of the ship docked next to you. That is one port where it truly doesn't matter since odds are super high your view will be another ship other than MAYBE very early in the morning as ships are arriving and MAYBE in the afternoon for a few minutes as ships are leaving.

 

[radev104]

I don’t get the why this matters- but I don’t sit in my room and look out the window (or balcony) in port. I get off the ship and see the ports as quickly as possible, except in Nassau. But in Nassau there are usually many ships you are sandwiched between so the view is of whatever ship happens to be parked next to you on either side.

In general I rarely fret about my cabin location. I just pick one and go. Never had a bad experience.

We are going with a 9-month-old so we won't be out on the islands as much which is why I would like a nice view. I know Nassau isn't going to be a good view since its most likely going to be another ship on both sides. I have been to all the ports we are going to but I forget which side we liked best and was just trying to get an idea of what will have a better view. Luckily for us we will have three rooms and will be on both sides.

 

[OKW Lover]

Go look at the Port Nassau webcam when a Disney ship is in port. the vast majority of the time it is sandwiched in between other ships - sometimes you can't even see the Disney ship due to the large ones in front. So your view on the balcony will be the balconies of the ship docked next to you. That is one port where it truly doesn't matter since odds are super high your view will be another ship other than MAYBE very early in the morning as ships are arriving and MAYBE in the afternoon for a few minutes as ships are leaving.

I don't disagree with this at all. I've been there more times than I care to count. But even so, I do go out on my balcony there. It's better than actually going into the port.

More to the point, I enjoy being on the balcony when in port and at sea. Love the views to enjoy while I read a book or listen to some music and relax.

 

[enzy65]

Many years ago, I had heard starboard is the way to go and I booked that. We ended up pulling into CC the first visit (this was a double dip) and I discovered, I like the view of the port better than the island. We now always try to book portside. I love seeing the action down below as they set up the island for the day. Upon sailing away we can watch as they release the ropes for us to go and have the crew waving and cheering as we leave. Either way I don't think you can go wrong, but my preference, at least for CC, is not the popular opinion.

We love port side also, so many things happening on CC to watch. We just got off the treasure a few weeks ago and had a stop at Falmouth and the view of the shopping area was great and we could hear the music and see the dancers. We always get entertained if their are pier runners also.

 

[OKW Lover]

We just got off the treasure a few weeks ago and had a stop at Falmouth and the view of the shopping area

We've visited this port many times on various ships (and different cruise lines). I wonder if the DCL ships always dock at the same side of the terminal. It seems to me that we were at the right side (as you look out to sea) on the Treasure. But on an RCL ship we were on the opposite side.

 

[Dug720]

I don't disagree with this at all. I've been there more times than I care to count. But even so, I do go out on my balcony there. It's better than actually going into the port.

More to the point, I enjoy being on the balcony when in port and at sea. Love the views to enjoy while I read a book or listen to some music and relax.

It is fun to watch for pier runners if your ship is leaving later than others.

 

[Dug720]

We love port side also, so many things happening on CC to watch. We just got off the treasure a few weeks ago and had a stop at Falmouth and the view of the shopping area was great and we could hear the music and see the dancers. We always get entertained if their are pier runners also.

I also love that you can watch them wave you off from the port side. If I have a veranda I will wave back and yell “Thank you!”