November 15th, 2024 - 6-Night Bahamian Cruise from San Juan to Galveston (Lighthouse Point, Castaway Cay)

[cindybelle90]

First cruise ever for my boys (3 and 5) and first DCL for DH and me. Let the countdown begin!

 

[scrappinginontario]

You’ll love it!! Have an amazing cruise!!

 

[cindybelle90]

You’ll love it!! Have an amazing cruise!!

Thank you! We are super excited.

 

[DisneyaholicRaquel]

Hello all! I was surprised with this cruise by my wonderful significant other. We have cruised several lines but this is our first DISNEY cruise. I’m so excited. It will just be us no kids.

 

[cindybelle90]

Hello all! I was surprised with this cruise by my wonderful significant other. We have cruised several lines but this is our first DISNEY cruise. I’m so excited. It will just be us no kids.

What a wonderful surprise! We have cruised with Royal multiple times pre-kids. Who have you sailed with?

 

[DisneyaholicRaquel]

What a wonderful surprise! We have cruised with Royal multiple times pre-kids. Who have you sailed with?

RC, Princess, Carnival & Norwegian

We used to cruise a lot but the last 8 years or so we have been doing so much international travel we let the cruises lapse.

It was so out of the blue for this surprise especially since he’s not a huge Disney fan like me. So, it really means a lot that he did this and we even have a verandah (I’m cheap is why I say that)…I’M SO EXCITED!

Do you have any plans yet?

 

[cindybelle90]

I am so excited for you too My husband is not as into Disney as the kids and me. Good match with your significant other. He enjoys it and likes seeing the three of us have a blast.

We got a verandah also! On Deck 7. For us, the price for the verandah was not highway robbery lol.

The flight prices have been all over the place for us but hoping to book them soon. We are flying in the day before. Looking to stay at the San Juan airport hotel or hotel that Disney is connected with for pre-cruise stays depending on price. Either way want DCL transportation from airport or hotel. I do not want to bring car seats so we can’t just grab a taxi or Uber/Lyft. Flying home from Galveston on disembarkation day and looking to take DCL transfer to IAH airport.

What about you?

 

[DisneyaholicRaquel]

I am so excited for you too My husband is not as into Disney as the kids and me. Good match with your significant other. He enjoys it and likes seeing the three of us have a blast.

We got a verandah also! On Deck 7. For us, the price for the verandah was not highway robbery lol.

The flight prices have been all over the place for us but hoping to book them soon. We are flying in the day before. Looking to stay at the San Juan airport hotel or hotel that Disney is connected with for pre-cruise stays depending on price. Either way want DCL transportation from airport or hotel. I do not want to bring car seats so we can’t just grab a taxi or Uber/Lyft. Flying home from Galveston on disembarkation day and looking to take DCL transfer to IAH airport.

What about you?

It’s so weird because he planned everything and I’m normally the one who plans. We arrive 2 days early in SanJuan staying at the Sheraton across the street from the port. Also, staying 2 days in Galveston afterwards not sure where though. Do you have some kind of countdown going for the kids? That has to be so much fun! Who knows we may be neighbors we are on deck 7 also. I’m going to decorate our door. Not sure with what yet but, I have already ordered some matching shirts (I know I’m a big kid)

 

[Professor_Cookie]

This will be the second cruise/DCL cruise for myself, Matthew, and our daughter, Madeleine, 6. I don’t know how many my wife, Heather, has been on, she used to work for Princess in Alaska and went on many with them.

Our first cruise was on the Wonder to Cabo last year, and we didn’t get off the boat as Heather and I had just gone to MX the year before and weren’t especially excited to go to a tourist trap-y area after having spent time taking in art and history there for a week. As much as we enjoyed the empty ship we think we will get off to enjoy the Cays.

It falls between our anniversary and wife’s birthday, so it is kind of a tandem celebration. We plan on spending at least a full day in San Juan eating and taking in the history, and then a couple days in Houston with Heather's family afterwards.

Maddie and Heather are extraordinarily extroverted, and I am painfully introverted.

 

[cindybelle90]

Hi Matthew! I’m not a frequent poster obviously from my delayed response lol.

Update on our end. We have booked our flights. Flying in day before but need to leave on disembarkation day.

How are your families getting from SJU to your hotels and hotels to port? DCL does not provide transportation from the airport to the pre cruise hotel. Was going with that very expensive option because I thought DCL would have transfers from airport to hotel then to port available so now I’m on the search for different options. Appreciate any recommendations or resources you looked into.

154 days to go!!!!

 

[cindybelle90]

It’s so weird because he planned everything and I’m normally the one who plans. We arrive 2 days early in SanJuan staying at the Sheraton across the street from the port. Also, staying 2 days in Galveston afterwards not sure where though. Do you have some kind of countdown going for the kids? That has to be so much fun! Who knows we may be neighbors we are on deck 7 also. I’m going to decorate our door. Not sure with what yet but, I have already ordered some matching shirts (I know I’m a big kid)

We don’t have a countdown going yet. Will once we are 60 days out. They still talk about it every week though

I want to decorate our door too. Need to go on Etsy to explore the thousands of possibilities.

Any update on your cruise prep?

 

[Professor_Cookie]

Hi Matthew! I’m not a frequent poster obviously from my delayed response lol.

Update on our end. We have booked our flights. Flying in day before but need to leave on disembarkation day.

How are your families getting from SJU to your hotels and hotels to port? DCL does not provide transportation from the airport to the pre cruise hotel. Was going with that very expensive option because I thought DCL would have transfers from airport to hotel then to port available so now I’m on the search for different options. Appreciate any recommendations or resources you looked into.

154 days to go!!!!

I think we are just going to Uber

 

[cindybelle90]

Found a company with good reviews that provides car seats (Wilbert Taxi Services). Will let you know how it goes in case you need in the future.

My TA just got back from a Lookout Cay cruise. Either of you have any questions? I’m going to ask if they are providing wagons at the beginning & end of the pier or if we should take our stroller off. I don’t want to be carrying either of my kids for half a mile lol.

 

[PBandJFamwich]

This will be the second cruise/DCL cruise for myself, Matthew, and our daughter, Madeleine, 6. I don’t know how many my wife, Heather, has been on, she used to work for Princess in Alaska and went on many with them.

Our first cruise was on the Wonder to Cabo last year, and we didn’t get off the boat as Heather and I had just gone to MX the year before and weren’t especially excited to go to a tourist trap-y area after having spent time taking in art and history there for a week. As much as we enjoyed the empty ship we think we will get off to enjoy the Cays.

It falls between our anniversary and wife’s birthday, so it is kind of a tandem celebration. We plan on spending at least a full day in San Juan eating and taking in the history, and then a couple days in Houston with Heather's family afterwards.

Maddie and Heather are extraordinarily extroverted, and I am painfully introverted.

Hi Matthew! My husband (Joe) and I (Bobbi Jo) just booked this cruise a week ago and also have a 6 year old daughter, Phoenix. It is our first cruise, and are so excited for the ship and for Lookout and Castaway Cays. Joe is also painfully introverted; Phoenix and I are quiet at first but become quite chatty quickly. Maybe we will see you all on the ship, the beach, or the girls might meet in the kids club! We love meeting other families when we’ve stayed in the bubble and are hoping the cruise will be an extension of that.

 

[cindybelle90]

Hi Matthew! My husband (Joe) and I (Bobbi Jo) just booked this cruise a week ago and also have a 6 year old daughter, Phoenix. It is our first cruise, and are so excited for the ship and for Lookout and Castaway Cays. Joe is also painfully introverted; Phoenix and I are quiet at first but become quite chatty quickly. Maybe we will see you all on the ship, the beach, or the girls might meet in the kids club! We love meeting other families when we’ve stayed in the bubble and are hoping the cruise will be an extension of that.

Welcome! We like meeting other families when at the park too. My boys are Zachary (3) and Conor (turns 6 week after cruise). Hoping they will meet everyone’s kids here at the kids clubs if they go. Not sure if they will be hesitant to stay without us or not. Will see how things go. If they don’t meet up in the kids club, hopefully we will meet around the boat.

Did everyone get to book their activities they wanted to? We skipped any extras this time around. Only looking to get tickets for Royal Gathering which we cannot book until check in.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

Hi Matthew! My husband (Joe) and I (Bobbi Jo) just booked this cruise a week ago and also have a 6 year old daughter, Phoenix. It is our first cruise, and are so excited for the ship and for Lookout and Castaway Cays. Joe is also painfully introverted; Phoenix and I are quiet at first but become quite chatty quickly. Maybe we will see you all on the ship, the beach, or the girls might meet in the kids club! We love meeting other families when we’ve stayed in the bubble and are hoping the cruise will be an extension of that.

Maddie is a Mayor. I’m sure they’ll meet. She is very outgoing

 

[Professor_Cookie]

Welcome! We like meeting other families when at the park too. My boys are Zachary (3) and Conor (turns 6 week after cruise). Hoping they will meet everyone’s kids here at the kids clubs if they go. Not sure if they will be hesitant to stay without us or not. Will see how things go. If they don’t meet up in the kids club, hopefully we will meet around the boat.

Did everyone get to book their activities they wanted to? We skipped any extras this time around. Only looking to get tickets for Royal Gathering which we cannot book until check in.

We booked for BBB, the only other thing we were interested we knew wouldn’t happen realistically, which was cabanas at Lighthouse or Castaway, since we are not concierge

 

[cindybelle90]

We booked for BBB, the only other thing we were interested we knew wouldn’t happen realistically, which was cabanas at Lighthouse or Castaway, since we are not concierge

Glad you got the BBB you wanted. I was surprised that there was still Palo dinner reservations available for 1st time cruisers. Based on above is your family Silver Castaway Club Members?

 

[cindybelle90]

If interested, an Etsy shop creator made the following custom magnet for our sailing. I don’t think we should be advertising on here so PM me if you want details.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

Glad you got the BBB you wanted. I was surprised that there was still Palo dinner reservations available for 1st time cruisers. Based on above is your family Silver Castaway Club Members?

Yesh