First week of January - Bahamas/Castaway Cay - not recommended?

[Silvermist999]

Will it be typically too cold during the first week of January to enjoy Castaway Cay/Bahamas? How would it be on deck or on the beach? Windy, too cold to sunbathe? We want warmth and sun...

We are deciding between WDW (been many times) or our first Disney cruise to take advantage of school holidays that week! Thx!

 

[Budzooka]

It’s hit or miss from what I have heard. We went in mid January a few years ago and it was windy and cold. Still had a great time on the cruise, but didn’t stay on the beach for very long.

 

[Mommb]

We have taken at least 7 cruises in January and early February, and only once was it too cold to swim at Castaway Cay. It is sometimes chilly in Orlando/Port Canaveral, but warms up as the ship heads toward the Bahamas. There are no guarantees, of course, but I wouldn’t let weather stop me from cruising in January (as we are planning to do again in a few months).

 

[auntlynne]

Here are air and water ranges for the year. It will depend on where you are from. Northerners quite often find the temperatures to be great.

We go to the USVI in mid-December and are quite happy with the weather. and CC mid-January. I don‘t remember coming out of the water chilled - probably helps that water and air aren’t too different in temp.

I find summers at the beach to be too hot; same goes for WDW from Spring to late Fall.

WDW may be jacket weather during that week.

I’d vote for the new experience of cruising. There’s more to do than just sunbathing

 

[auntlynne]

Just noticed - the difference in average air temp is 12 degrees F between Aug (84) and Jan (72) hottest-lowest.

 

[loislane]

January is going to be cooler, yes, but likely still warmer than most places at home. We were just on Castaway on Aug. 25 and honestly, it was crazy hot. And I am a person who likes the heat! That day just seemed oppressive to me and we didn't feel up to exploring the island as much in that heat.
So I would 100% cruise in January. If it's too cold to swim, I'd just enjoy exploring the island. Or swim but make sure I had a lot of towels ready for when I got out!

 

[revdon64]

I cruised in January of 2018 with my son. He loved playing in the water although I thought it a bit too cool. Took the whole family in January of 2020 and it was warm and pleasant if just a bit windy (our stingray adventure was cancelled because of the wind and the ship experienced very rough seas). All that is to say, it's hit or miss.

 

[auntlynne]

January is going to be cooler, yes, but likely still warmer than most places at home. We were just on Castaway on Aug. 25 and honestly, it was crazy hot. And I am a person who likes the heat! That day just seemed oppressive to me and we didn't feel up to exploring the island as much in that heat.
So I would 100% cruise in January. If it's too cold to swim, I'd just enjoy exploring the island. Or swim but make sure I had a lot of towels ready for when I got out!

It was hot at the end of April this year, too. Last September was practically perfect. I never know exactly what to expect - other than I will have fun.

 

[happycamper47]

Jan 24th this year we had 30 degree temps at WDW with frost and a hard freeze in other areas, so no matter what you choose it could not turn out as you hoped.

 

[tvguy]

We were at Castaway Cay on a January 2nd. It was sprinkling and the air temperature was near the water temperature so when you got out of the water it felt cool. We spent the morning snorkeling, so being wet wasn't an issue, and rented bikes for the afternoon, staying in our bathing suits. We have a great time but lots of folks headed back to the ship early.
Really a personal choice I guess. As the charts show, the water temperature is never colder than 72 degrees, and that is plenty warm to swim in my book. That is what my gym keeps their outdoor pool heated to in the winter and I swim year round.

 

[closetmickey]

We were at CC around January 10 last year and it was beautiful. Water was fine once you got in and we are from the west coast

 

[Silvermist999]

We really want to do a cruise that week, you all are really convincing us to do it! We could choose a different itinerary but we also want to check out Atlantis, and this would be the perfect chance to. Being from Ontario, Canada, it sure will take really cold temps to stop us from swimming.

 

[Kwami]

I visited Castaway Cay twice this past February. The weather was quite warm (over 80F both times), but the water was way too cold to be enjoyable. We swam anyway, but... It was definitely cold water.

 

[HeatherLassell]

January is going to be cooler, yes, but likely still warmer than most places at home.

haha right? January in Manitoba is -40 so I'm having a blast on the beach at Castaway!! Jumping from -40f to 74 is amazing!

 

[HeatherLassell]

We really want to do a cruise that week, you all are really convincing us to do it! We could choose a different itinerary but we also want to check out Atlantis, and this would be the perfect chance to. Being from Ontario, Canada, it sure will take really cold temps to stop us from swimming.

As a fellow Canadian who has done January cruise...do it!

 

[holula]

I’ve been twice in January and twice in December. I’ve had one day which was cooler and windy and it was too cold to go in the water. The other three times it was hot and the water was cold but not uncomfortable.

It can be hit or miss that time of year.

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

We were at Castaway Cay in December 2019 and found that the water temperature wasn’t a problem for us, but the wind was definitely an issue. When we came out of the water, the wind was strong and it cooled us down so rapidly that it wasn’t comfortable to relax on a lounger after swimming.

 

[SnowWhite2]

If you want warm, go on a Western (or Eastern) cruise. The temps in that area are always in the 80s. Castaway can be hit or miss in early January. This year it was mid-upper 70's, windy and cloudy.

 

[auntlynne]

If you want warm, go on a Western (or Eastern) cruise. The temps in that area are always in the 80s. Castaway can be hit or miss in early January. This year it was mid-upper 70's, windy and cloudy.

The USVI is a day’s sailing south of the Bahamas - and it is fairly predictable for weather.

I’d still take the cruise over WDW. Maybe any month.

 

[Silvermist999]

If you want warm, go on a Western (or Eastern) cruise. The temps in that area are always in the 80s. Castaway can be hit or miss in early January. This year it was mid-upper 70's, windy and cloudy.

Unfortunately those dates don’t work us, since our kids are back in school after the first week of January.