Questions re: CC--help me set the record straight

[ohiominnie]

Hanging over my verandah last week watching the docking of the Magic at CC I started talking with the elderly man in the next verandah. It was my 4th DCL cruise, his 1st. I have the DIS boards, he doesn't....So I'm pretty sure I was right about a couple of things, but didn't want to argue with him so I let it go.

#1, He couldn't understand why they back into CC. I told him b/c of hurricane damage a few years ago. Heard that on the DIS somewhere as that being the reason they have to back in. He immediately snapped back that he knows they *could* go in forward if they wanted to, he's seen pictures. I explained that those were all taken before the hurricane damage and that now they *always* back in. He told me that was ridiculous b/c the back of the ship is actually lower than the front of it.

Anyone??? Why do we back in all the time now?

#2, we had been watching for about 30 minutes and there were some little boats coming from seemingly nowhere but probably from a far out island you could just barely make out in the distance. He told me "looks like the natives are showing up for work today." I kind of just looked at him. He said "there's about 15 people who work for Disney that actually live out here, but they live on that island out there." I said "No, I thought they lived on CC." He said that was riduculous, they lived on the neighboring island and took speed boats to work. Couple problems with that theory.....why would they just be showing up to work 30 minutes after we docked? Who was on the island to grab the mooring lines before we docked??

Anyone? Are there DCL crew members who actually LIVE *on* CC or do they come in from a neighboring island?

I knew it was no use arguing with him. He was sure he was right. Of course, so was I!

Thanks in advance for any insight on these two issues...

 

[GrumpyMom1]

In July of last year, we pulled in forward to CC. I was kind of surprised because I thought they always backed in now too. But I think I read it has something to do with the weather and the currents.

 

[jilljill]

About 35 cast memebers live on CC full time. They live on the other side of the island.
There are some Bahamians that arrive by boat to work when the ship is docked. They are mainly the hair braiders.

 

[tkd lisa]

Minnie, the answers you've gotten here are right.

for the 1st question, sometimes you go in backward, sometimes forward. Totally the captain's call, based on the tide, wind, etc. Occasionally people will ask this in relation to whether they will see CC from their verandah. I'm sure that in that survey where people responded to whether they had missed CC on their cruise there is more info on how often the ship backs in vice going forward.

For the 2nd question, the answer is you're both right. Some people do live on the island. They are probably the ones who catch the lines. Others live off island. I'm pretty sure the people who work on the fishing boat live off island, and I've heard that the ones who do the jet ski tour live off island. Most of these activities don't start until 9 or so, therefore they had plenty of time to come to work after the boat docked (usually about 7 or so).

 

[CRB#33]

The people who operate the boats and jet skis for the Banana Boat and parasailing are paid by Disney as are some of the hair braiders, but they are native Bahamians and live on neighboring islands.

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

There was an article in Disney Magazine a year or so ago about the "natives" of Castaway Cay. I think it said there were 40 or so of them. They are responsible for cleaning up, grooming the beaches, cleaning up the kelp and seaweed that storms and tides bring in, maintaining the buildings and other equipment, etc.

The tour operators and post office employees come over from the island you see in the distance; Abaco Island, if I recall my Bahamian geography.

 

[debm]

We saw the boats too this time--and an island out in the distance that looked tiny. I asked the lady at one of the little stores next to the hairbraiding and she is from that island. She says they come by boat over here and have been for many years. I was curious as to what she thought of CC. She didn't answer me too thouroughly but she did say that all that was here before were bushes. And that as a kid they would come over to CC all the time. She says her "tiny" island is a lot bigger than I thought. We only saw the short end. There is even an airport on it.

 

[howardk613]

ohiominnie -
On one of our early cruises we went on a tour of the bridge conducted by the 1st officer and the question of how the ship came into CC was raised. He said that it was up to the captain on each docking and depended upon weather conditions , tides , currents etc. He did say that the preferrable method was to back in so if the ship had to leave quickly for any reason later on , it would just go forward instead of having to back out and then turn around. Makes sense to me.

 

[izzinmac]

Howard's answer matches what we were told by the Captain at the CC get together. They prefer to back in if weather allows in the morning so that if weather deteriorates during the day, it is easier to depart going forward rather than backing out. They can pull out faster and have more control over the ship going forward.

 

[WDWLVR]

They usually only pull in now when they want to for promotion purposes. For example the two days we visited CC on the DVC Member cruise they pulled in both days because they were doing photo shoots.

They can go in both ways, but the captains choose to back in more often then pull in for all the reasons listed above.

 

[Zandy595]

On the Travel Channel DCL special, I remember Castaway Cay's "Manager" (don't remember what his title actually is) being interviewed about "the natives". I'll have to watch more closely the next time it's on.

 

[ohiominnie]

Thanks all for your answers. They were very helpful!

 

[LAMPSKIES]

............I Wonder if on our 11/20/04 Western sailing that has 2 stops at CC...heheheheheh........they will back in once and nose in the other time just to let everyone get to see the island from their rooms? I actually hope they back in both times......that's why I book our rooms to that side!!!

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by LAMPSKIES
............I Wonder if on our 11/20/04 Western sailing that has 2 stops at CC...heheheheheh........

Just had to slip that in, didn't you Lampskies???!!!


LOL -- It's okay, though, because I'll be there WITH YOU!
2 days at CC...whatever will we do with our time there???

I have a feeling we'll become very spoiled!

 

[invaderzim]

Why are they making two stops at CC on 11/20? Just curious.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by invaderzim
Why are they making two stops at CC on 11/20? Just curious.

There are boat races at Key West every year at this time. So instead of another day at sea, we get another day of Castaway Cay!

 

[jrabbit]

I'll bet that some of the people that come over on the small boats in the morning are bahamian customs officials. The ship (Magic) still has to clear customs of the bahamas because she has come from a forgien port.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

The ship (Magic) still has to clear customs of the bahamas because she has come from a forgien port.

Even when the ship has come from Nassau, there is still some clearance procedure that is required.

 

[LenDVC92]

If you take a look at this map you'll see that Castaway Cay (AKA Gorda Cay) is part of the Abaco Islands. It is located about seven miles off of Sandy Point on Great Abaco where the native cast members live.

Also, check out the article "Blackbeard Doesn't Come Here Anymore" from the January 1999 edition of Outside Magazine. It gives a really interesting first-person view of the island both before and after Disney arrived.