Is Serenity Bay worth it on Castaway Cay?

[seacruise]

Yes, like everyone else has said - totally worth it! If you are on the Dream or Fantasy the family beaches get really crowded so it's a nice place to get away and enjoy the peace and quiet.

There's time to enjoy Serenity Bay and the family beaches. We usually drop the kids at Scuttles, then take a walk out to the lookout tower and down the runway to Serenity Bay. Then we take the tram back at lunch to grab the kids and do family beach time with the kids in the afternoon.

 

[ludari]

Personally I think Serenity Bay is nice but I'm not a lay on the beach type person. When I'm at Castaway Cay I'm busy doing all sorts of other things like the 5K , snorkeling, bicycle riding, and even a kayaking port adventure. Afterwards I do make it over to the adult area to have lunch but it's seems to me that I'm always running around doing something else and don't really spend a lot of time near the adult area. I think that's the beauty of the place... there is something for everyone to do and if nothing suits your mood you can always hand out on the ship, which I've done once while everyone else was enjoying Castaway Cay.

 

[Soontobegoodsell]

Great beach + great BBQ = excellent

I was just about to say this. I love how close the BBQ lunch is to the beach. It's quiet, we've seen alot of sealife and shells that we may not have where kids are around. Also, the bar is great too.

 

[Dug720]

best part about the adult's beach is you don't have to worry about stepping on some kid's sand castle or in a hole where they dug up sand to make castle every where you walk like on the family beach.

No, the best part is not getting sand thrown on you by kids not looking where they are tossing it while digging. Or getting splashed by them. Or dealing with them screaming and squealing!

 

[mevelandry]

(...) Are there usually some lounge chairs still available at Serenity Bay after lunch?

I've been on two sold out cruises on the Dream and there was a lot of lounge chairs available at Serenity Bay.

 

[DisneyPoly]

Is the buffet different at SB than at Cookies?

 

[godde8ss]

My dec 2017 cruise will be my third one. I've yet to get to go to Serenity Bay, due to kids. BUT! after reading this, I intend to go in Dec! Kids will be in Scuttles Cove!

 

[Floridatinaherb]

Is the buffet different at SB than at Cookies?

It's not too different from what I remember, though they did have steak on the SB side

 

[jiminy14]

We head right to SB and stay there through lunch. We also like to snorkel so after lunch we head over to the family beach. Usually, this is the time that most families with early dining start heading back to the ship to get ready for the evening activities.

 

[Bishoparc]

It's not too different from what I remember, though they did have steak on the SB side

That is correct, steak and BBQ ribs

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

We get a cabana ob SB every cruise! I find it very relaxing. You can see from my name that I really am a beach bum.


...Bishoparc...I Grew up in Gulf Breeze, Fl and lived and worked at Pensacola Beach. Salt water is in my veins!

 

[com_op_2000]

Is the buffet different at SB than at Cookies?

Best steaks of the cruise at SB. Ribeyes right off the grill.
Also, this is open ocean not the protected family beach area. So you can "see" any and all kinds of sea life, checkout this tread from 2010; it has my encounter with a Black Tip Shark at CC-SB:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2371788

 

[dsdeleon]

Our kids are not beach people but my husband and I are which makes SB heaven on Earth! I really love how the app and wave phones work from there so we can keep in touch with the kids while sipping an adult drink on a hammock in absolute silence. We don't even bother with Scuttle Cove and just leave them on the boat. The on ship kids clubs are still open (open house mode) so the kids need sign in and out abilities if you do it that way, just FYI, something I didn't realize.

 

[xiphoid76]

One different thing that we liked about the family beach - (Cookies and Cookies 2 compared to Serenity Bay) was the food area. We were starving at 11 AM (well, I am always hungry)...the line at SB was very long at 11 and there is only 1 line since it is a small area and limited tables which people had reserved with towels or bags. The line was barely moving so we hopped on a shuttle to Cookies 2 and like the food area better there - much more seating area, and many different queues - we were able to get our food with no wait. Then you can hop back on the shuttle and enjoy the quietness of SB. This is probably only important if you want to eat right at 11, I am sure the line went down as the day progressed.

 

[bbel]

Our kids are not beach people but my husband and I are which makes SB heaven on Earth! I really love how the app and wave phones work from there so we can keep in touch with the kids while sipping an adult drink on a hammock in absolute silence. We don't even bother with Scuttle Cove and just leave them on the boat. The on ship kids clubs are still open (open house mode) so the kids need sign in and out abilities if you do it that way, just FYI, something I didn't realize.

Just to let you know, kids don't need to be a self check for open house. They don't even need a band or to be registered. Open house is a time when it's open for anyone and everyone. There is no check in or out. But there is also no one looking after the kids.