Stay onboard on Lookout Cay day?

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Just booked a last-minute 4-night Destiny cruise. It's our first time on this ship and our second Wish-class sailing. I'm debating just staying on the ship on Lookout Cay day. We're fit enough to manage the walk on the long pier, but I think the kids would prefer to enjoy short lines on the Aquamouse and play the Magicband+ game without crowds instead. We live by the beach and the kids can go whenever they want, so it's less of a novelty for us than someone coming from a landlocked state. I've also spent a lot of time in small Bahamian islands over the years and have experienced real Bahamian junkanoos, etc.

I know that the lounges and kids clubs won't be open until 3pm or so, but will they at least be running the Aquamouse? Will the Hero Zone be open? One time on the Dream when we stayed aboard in Nassau they didn't open the Aquaduck until noon, it felt like they were trying to force us off the ship for lack of options. We ended up playing mini-golf.

Would we really be missing out on anything special by staying on the ship? We plan to get off on Castaway and have parasailing booked, even though I expect it might get canceled as it has before.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Aquamouse won't open to sometime in the afternoon. Sleep in, get a late breakfast and be slow then head up to pool deck in the afternoon and it won't be busy at all!

 

[Cfabar1]

We have very young kids...

Getting to Castaway is tricky enough... we've done Lookout once... it was too hard to even consider repeating...

At least given their ages...

We stick to 3-4 night sailings, and never get off the boat...

You'll have a great time even without going to Lookout!

 

[hardcorestitch]

Just booked a last-minute 4-night Destiny cruise. It's our first time on this ship and our second Wish-class sailing. I'm debating just staying on the ship on Lookout Cay day. We're fit enough to manage the walk on the long pier, but I think the kids would prefer to enjoy short lines on the Aquamouse and play the Magicband+ game without crowds instead. We live by the beach and the kids can go whenever they want, so it's less of a novelty for us than someone coming from a landlocked state. I've also spent a lot of time in small Bahamian islands over the years and have experienced real Bahamian junkanoos, etc.

I know that the lounges and kids clubs won't be open until 3pm or so, but will they at least be running the Aquamouse? Will the Hero Zone be open? One time on the Dream when we stayed aboard in Nassau they didn't open the Aquaduck until noon, it felt like they were trying to force us off the ship for lack of options. We ended up playing mini-golf.

Would we really be missing out on anything special by staying on the ship? We plan to get off on Castaway and have parasailing booked, even though I expect it might get canceled as it has before.

I would go on Castaway IMO. The kids may get lonely with the few activities ahead. Their club friends may also be heading off the ship… and if they made any then they’d be gutted.

 

[insureman]

My wife and I were just talking about staying on board next time at Lookout. We've been 3 times and still don't like it. With the long pier and long walking distances when you get off the tram it's just not worth it. I don't know about the eating venues elsewhere but the adult one at Serenity Bay still had fly problem on our visit this past February.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Aquamouse won't open to sometime in the afternoon. Sleep in, get a late breakfast and be slow then head up to pool deck in the afternoon and it won't be busy at all!

I wonder why they do this. It’s so annoying and if it’s a staffing issue they should prio the Aquamouse/duck due to their popularity. These cruises are so expensive every minute counts, especially when they’re only 3/4 nights. When we stayed onboard on our Nassau day and they didn’t open until noon, my kids got in one ride right when it reopened and then the line stretched around the deck.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

My wife and I were just talking about staying on board next time at Lookout. We've been 3 times and still don't like it. With the long pier and long walking distances when you get off the tram it's just not worth it. I don't know about the eating venues elsewhere but the adult one at Serenity Bay still had fly problem on our visit this past February.

I was wondering if that was still an issue! Cookies is even a bit tricky for us because one member of our party is vegetarian, so we have to preorder one lunch the day before if we go there. But it really seems like Mickey’s Festival of Foods would be much better for our family. Kids loved it on the Wish.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

I would go on Castaway IMO. The kids may get lonely with the few activities ahead. Their club friends may also be heading off the ship… and if they made any then they’d be gutted.

Oh we will! Even if they cancel the parasailing the kids like the slides you have to swim out to.

 

[Pixarfans]

We had no issue with flies a few weeks ago. As for staffing the aquamouse, it takes a ton of people especially at start up. It went down one day at startup and I was amazed at the amount of staff working on it.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

I wonder why they do this. It’s so annoying and if it’s a staffing issue they should prio the Aquamouse/duck due to their popularity. These cruises are so expensive every minute counts, especially when they’re only 3/4 nights. When we stayed onboard on our Nassau day and they didn’t open until noon, my kids got in one ride right when it reopened and then the line stretched around the deck.

Because its so dead, the vast majority of the ship gets off. Even in the early afternoon when they do open it there are so few people, like less than 5 min wait. We usually do Castaway Cay day as a half day and then get back on for Lunch and its so quiet. Done that probably 5-6 different times. As you get closer to all aboard it gets busier but still nothing like a sea day or even a day in a regular port.

 

[lanejudy]

I wonder why they do this. It’s so annoying and if it’s a staffing issue they should prio the Aquamouse/duck due to their popularity.

They have to prioritize staffing where the majority of guests are -- which is on the island. It doesn't make logical sense to leave larger number of staff onboard to service maybe a dozen guests.

 

[WinterSolider]

I wonder why they do this.

The private islands are one of the main reasons people choose to sail DCL Bahamas itineraries.

It's fine that you don't enjoy them but a huge majority of people onboard do and they need to schedule their programming based on the majority, not the exceptions.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

They have to prioritize staffing where the majority of guests are -- which is on the island. It doesn't make logical sense to leave larger number of staff onboard to service maybe a dozen guests.

That might be logical on an island they have to staff, but they closed it for us on a Nassau day.

The private islands are one of the main reasons people choose to sail DCL Bahamas itineraries.

It's fine that you don't enjoy them but a huge majority of people onboard do and they need to schedule their programming based on the majority, not the exceptions.

I mean, why not both? If they didn’t charge such a premium price I could justify the closure of one of the only major amenities while at port. But this isn’t Carnival. It’s not like a RC ship where they’ve got a climbing wall, surf rider, etc to staff as well. The Aquamouse is pretty much it.

Disney has trained its clientele to always accept long lines for everything so they can save costs, but it’s not like they’re lowering prices. They built that half mile pier and instead of making it strong enough to be load bearing for trams they went the cheap route. I’m sure some board member was like “it’ll be better for their waistlines.”

I don’t care about saving Disney money. Hire more staff if you need to in order to provide the services you advertise.

 

[lanejudy]

I believe Nassau day is one of the very few days when some CMs are given time off to leave the ship. The CMs onboard work long shifts often weeks straight without time off; they deserve the limited amount of time they are given.

Hiring more staff -- while it sounds logical and may work for a land-based business -- has severe limitations onboard. There are only so many rooms in the CM quarters, bringing on more CMs means taking away passenger staterooms, taking away passenger staterooms means raising rates even more.

At some point we each decide whether what we get for DCL rates is worth it. We all have a different tipping point on that scale because we all consider different things to be "most important" for our cruising enjoyment.

 

[WinterSolider]

That might be logical on an island they have to staff, but they closed it for us on a Nassau day.

I mean, why not both? If they didn’t charge such a premium price I could justify the closure of one of the only major amenities while at port. But this isn’t Carnival. It’s not like a RC ship where they’ve got a climbing wall, surf rider, etc to staff as well. The Aquamouse is pretty much it.

Disney has trained its clientele to always accept long lines for everything so they can save costs, but it’s not like they’re lowering prices. They built that half mile pier and instead of making it strong enough to be load bearing for trams they went the cheap route. I’m sure some board member was like “it’ll be better for their waistlines.”

I don’t care about saving Disney money. Hire more staff if you need to in order to provide the services you advertise.

DCL charges a premium price in large part BECAUSE people love the islands. If you don't love the islands then I agree, DCL probably isn't worth it. If you want to sit on a lounge chair on a pool deck for a few days, there are much more affordable ways to give you that experience. Royal Caribbean and Carnival are going to make up for that revenue at the bars and casinos, but I prefer not to sail with that crowd of people.

And you're just wrong on the facts. Disney ships have a higher staff-to-guest ratio than Royal and it's not close. Everyone is entitled to their opinions but "Disney ships are understaffed compared to peer cruise lines" is false and not up for debate.

 

[IrishEye]

We have been to Lookout 3 times, last time we stayed on the Ship (Destiny) and were glad we did. Never has the water been calm enough to enjoy and all 3 times too windy to put umbrellas up. Our diner table mates were on the beach the time we did not leave the ship and had nothing god to say about their day. We were lucky the first time to get a seat at a table for lunch in the adult area, the second time no seats available in adult or either family area. We did enjoy the uncrowded ship on Lookout day and do not recall anything not being open.

There were also limited activities on the Cay with no bikes and most of the trails not yet open. Walking along the beach up past the adult beach toward the rock point has lots of trash washed in from the sea. I can say we have been there, done that, and are not interested in going back.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

DCL charges a premium price in large part BECAUSE people love the islands. If you don't love the islands then I agree, DCL probably isn't worth it. If you want to sit on a lounge chair on a pool deck for a few days, there are much more affordable ways to give you that experience. Royal Caribbean and Carnival are going to make up for that revenue at the bars and casinos, but I prefer not to sail with that crowd of people.

And you're just wrong on the facts. Disney ships have a higher staff-to-guest ratio than Royal and it's not close. Everyone is entitled to their opinions but "Disney ships are understaffed compared to peer cruise lines" is false and not up for debate.

Everyone has different reasons to choose DCL over other lines. For some it’s the experience of lying on a beach chair by the ocean all day, for others, like our family, it’s the Disney at sea experience, which includes the shows, kids clubs, the themed dining, the Aquamouse, etc. Both are valid.

If their guest to staff ratio is so high, they can spare 6 people to staff the Aquamouse during non-peak times. End of. Closing amenities is just their way of discouraging people from staying onboard.

 

[WinterSolider]

If their guest to staff ratio is so high, they can spare 6 people to staff the Aquamouse during non-peak times. End of. Closing amenities is just their way of discouraging people from staying onboard.

It would be much cheaper for Disney if everyone stayed on board than to serve them across the island. Your conspiracy theory is exactly backwards.

 

[jwalk03]

This is just crazy talk to me. I love Lookout Cay- can’t imagine wanting to skip it to ride a water slide…. But to each there own I suppose.

 

[WinterSolider]

This is just crazy talk to me. I love Lookout Cay- can’t imagine wanting to skip it to ride a water slide…. But to each there own I suppose.

No no no you see, people secretly hate Lookout Cay and they only go there because Disney forces them to get off the ship by closing things.