Is it worth going to Serenity Bay?

[martel-luv-wdw]

We have all been to Castaway Cay before, However only to the family beach.

Just the adult girls going for a quick Wonder-ful cruise in March.

Read on this board sand is rough, hammocks/chair hard to get, long walk/tram ride, and Cookie's BBQ was better.

Would like to see it, just don't if worth the time?

 

[kcashner]

Oh yes!!! FOr the first time, DD was old enough for the teen excursion, so I went to Serenity Bay. It was calm and relatively quiet. No problem getting a lounge chair. Yes, there is a second tram ride, but it's only a few minutes. The bike paths go there, but no kids are allowed at any of the facilities.

There is also a small buffet there at lunch time. The food was steak and salmon sandwiches! Wow...I'd expected it to be the same as Cookies. ALso had salad stuff, fruit bar, ice cream, etc.

Serenity Bay has become my favorite part of Castaway Cay.

Went back to the family beach after lunch....crowded!

The only "surprise" was that Serenity was either the grandparent set or the 20 somethings. It took me awhile to realize that the "parent" set (which I still consider myself a part of) were all at the family beach.

Another neat area is the far section of the family beach near the teen beach--not so populated.

 

[tigger53]

yes its definitly worth the time. we always use to do the family side but once we went over to serenity bay we were hooked. the tram ride is not long at all and while cookies bar-b-q is better it's not all that hard to just hop on the tram and head over there for lunch and go back. we used to get a hammock but found we liked sitting with our chair in the water(yes in the water) with a nice konk cooler in hand and simply relaxing with the warm sun and cool gentle water , ahhh what a life.

 

[inkkognito]

The adult beach is definitely worth it. True there are only 4 hammocks, but there are plenty of chairs. You might just have to walk a little way down the beach, but the chairs and umbrellas are plentiful.
I like to go early in the morning when it is quiet and crowded. There is beach yoga there, and when doing water jogging early, I have seen such critters as an ink squirting squid, lots of stingrays, and even a nurse shark on our last trip. My hubby likes to go further out and do a little snorkeling. Sometimes there are lots of fish and he's seen a barracuda a few times too.
Things tend to pick up in the afternoon, with more and more people drifting over and moving little chairs into the water for a dip. The bartenders walk down the beach to take your order, so you don't even have to get up to get your Konk Kooler.
We usually stay there for lunch, too, although the number of benches is very limited and they don't have lobster burgers. But the spread is still fine if you don't want to take the tram to Cookies.
For a very brief time, DCL had boat rentals and banana boat rides at Serenity Bay, but they wisely switched it back to true serenity. Definitely give it a try.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[WDWLVR]

Both beaches have their advantages. The family beach has the snorkeling trail, a great view of the ship, and Cookies. Serenity bay however has a wonderful view of just water. On our first visit we went over to Serenity Bay. I had trouble snorkeling and came back to the beach while DH snorkeled. His parents were with us and went on a bike ride. I was left alone with a great book on that beautiful beach but I had a hard time reading because the beauty of the sand and water in front of me.

Give Serenity bay a try - it is beautiful!

 

[4nana]

DEFINITELY!!!!

When we did our family reunion cruise we did the family beach. Later I did a 'Golden Girls' cruise with my Mom and sister.
My DMom had not been in a bathing suit or the ocean in over 50yrs. Needless to say, she was not anxious to hit the crowded family beach. We took the tram to S. Bay and took quite a hike down the shore to the other end that was totally private. There were plenty chairs....we sat our chairs on edge of water, waded, and had much fun playing and making memories of a lifetime in the beautiful Caribbean.

You can't go wrong!
~ Sandie

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Just got back tonight(2-26) from the Wonder...........Serenity Bay was breathtaking!! It was our favorite part of the 4 day cruise!!

There are plenty of chairs and the lunch was very good as stated above.We got there around 9:00 am and stayed until 2:30 pm.

 

[jwann]

You'll be shoked how much different serenity bay is from the family beach - I could hardly beleive it was on the same island! It is quiet and fabulous! Don't miss it!

 

[sbatty]

On our 2/7 cruise I left the kids with my DH and went and checked it out. The tram ride over was nice and the beach was beautiful. What surprised me was the smell. It was very strong and not enjoyable. Nobody else has commented on this so I don't know if the winds and tides were unfavorable that day but I wouldn't have been able to hang out for long.

 

[Dreamer04]

This was my second trip to Castaway Cay, but my first at Serenity Bay. It was the most relaxing time I had the whole cruise. The kids were with their clubs, so DH and I headed over. We napped, read, swam and ate lunch. Perfect. No noise, just the waves, lapping at the shore. Sigh

 

[Hercules10]

Take LOTS of sun block! It's so relaxing there you'll completely forget the time!

 

[DVCanuck Jr]

I didn't like serenety bay as much as the family beach. Sure it was much quieter, but I found it dirtier than the family beach. Maybe it was luck of the draw, but there was seaweed (yuk!) all over the beach and it was a mile hike to get a hammock... the family beach had no seaweed and I found a hammock in no time. I suppose if I would have wanted to nap S.B. would have been better, but the family beach was much more entertaining... even just to people watch.

 

[gometros]

We're not the in grandparents set, but we do have older kids, so we have no reason to go to the family beach. We love Serendity Bay for its peace and quiet and quite frankly, we love the lunch better, since there are more non-meat choices and no lines to stand in. We have found that people we've become friendly with on the cruise are all in the same age group, so we have no problem getting chairs and chaises together to sit and chat.

 

[Dodie]

Originally posted by martel-luv-wdw
Read on this board sand is rough, hammocks/chair hard to get, long walk/tram ride, and Cookie's BBQ was better.

Wow! I've NEVER heard Serenity Bay get such a bad rap! It's simply gorgeous! So peaceful. So quiet. There are more "adult" choices at the lunch. The servers circulate frequently to take drink orders. I could go on and on.

I would think it would be the perfect destination for your group.

 

[erminda]

Serenity Beach was a little bit of heaven on earth! I felt like I was truly in a magical paradise. I went snorkleing for the first time that day. When I walked out into the water that morning I could'nt believe my eyes, there were starfish everywhere. I don't mean little itty bitty ones that I was use to seeing in the shell shops here at our beaches, but large colorful ones all over the bottom of the water. The water was so clear you could see them from the top without even putting your face in the water. They were orange, blue and even red!! I also had two stingrays swim with me for a while. I stayed on my belly and my face in the water most of that day! Just floating on the rafts and soaking up the sun, I don't know if there are words to express how beautiful it was that day. Don't miss going there, you won't regret it.

Erminda

 

[karebear1]

That sound so magical! I can hardly wait unitl I get to see Serenity Beach!

 

[wltdsnyfan]

Ok! I am hooked. I must try in August. Thanks!!

 

[julie junebug]

YES! For sure try it out. If you don't care for it, it doesn't take long to return back to the family beach.

We've been to the family beach 2 times with our kids and had a great time. But the day my husband and I spent there in September 2002 was my favorite vacation memory EVER!

We walked all the way down to the end of the beach and sat in the last few chairs and we felt like we had a private beach. The water was clear and beautiful and it was just so relaxing. The worst part was having to walk back for lunch (the beach is kind of difficult to walk on for a distance because of the slope) but we needed the exercise to work off part of our lunch - cheeseburgers in paradise indeed!

 

[Mickeylover]

DH and I call it "Senility Bay"...no harm meant, we'll hang out there some during the day, but out last trip it was even a bit too quiet for us!

 

[inkkognito]

Here's another option for those who are undecided between the family beach and Serenity Bay (or those who have kids but want a quieter spot). Walk all the way to the end of the family beach...just past the in-water play area the beach curves around and you'll see restrooms and a bar. That area rarely fills in until quite late in the day, and there are even some "hidden" hammocks. If you have kids, it's close to the play area, restrooms, and game room. If you are adults who want some quiet time but still like to be near the action, it's perfect.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com