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[mvf-m11c]

I was wondering the same thing of what does Disney do with the resupply to CC island. CC looks amazing.

 

[DnA2010]

Wow I love the holiday touches on CC, it is such a fun place. Look forward to reading about the rest of your day.
Awesome score of meeting Belle in her holiday clothes, nice one!

 

[afwdwfan]

As soon as we docked, there was a flurry of action. I was completely enthralled by this. I’m not sure why, but it always intrigues me “how things work” and to pull off a day at Castaway Cay like DCL does, every day, it must take a “well oiled machine” to really do it. I mean think about it. They are feeding almost 4,000 people on an island. All the food comes from the ship. What about the plates and utensils and stuff? Do the few people who live on the island spend the evening “cleaning up and doing dishes from a giant picnic”? Or does all this stuff come back to the ship every night? Well regardless I watched as literally a ton of boxes were unloaded from the ship

That really is interesting to think about. I'd have been watching it as well. Look at all those forklifts!

Geez! I feel like I need to take a break before I show you what we ended up choosing!

That is one heck of a breakfast buffet!

Better view, except for that darned umbrella!

Just go take it down...

That’s a little to crowded for my taste.

Olaf had a great time when he visited Castaway Cay.

I'm glad to see that he didn't melt!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Around 6:45 I did check to see if I could take any sunrise pictures, but I was on the wrong side of the ship, so I just crawled back in bed, until I realized that I could take pictures of us pulling into Castaway Cay!

Yes! Such a glorious sight. I love that island.

I was completely enthralled by this. I’m not sure why, but it always intrigues me “how things work” and to pull off a day at Castaway Cay like DCL does, every day, it must take a “well oiled machine” to really do it. I mean think about it. They are feeding almost 4,000 people on an island. All the food comes from the ship. What about the plates and utensils and stuff? Do the few people who live on the island spend the evening “cleaning up and doing dishes from a giant picnic”? Or does all this stuff come back to the ship every night? Well regardless I watched as literally a ton of boxes were unloaded from the ship

I can't blame you, I'm enthralled by this as well. It's one of the things I love most about all of the Disney operations. I'm fascinated at how such a massive operation is run so smoothly for the most part. I would have been out there with you watching the activity.

I’m not even sure what that vat of green stuff is!

"Vat of green stuff" = automatic pass. I bet it was still filled to the same level at the end of the meal.

That’s a little to crowded for my taste.

Yep. But the second photo looked more manageable.

Olaf had a great time when he visited Castaway Cay.

I bet he did what snowmen do in summer.

 

[franandaj]

Maybe so. I am still worried that we would absolutely hate the bigger ships and therefore 4 nights would be a safe option.

Ahhh. I can see where that would be a good idea to test the waters.

I came close. I saw Belle out in this dress once, but it was just as we were heading for dinner and I figured she would be out again later in the cruise. Unfortunately she was out in her yellow dress or the blue dress for the rest of the cruise.

This was the first time I've seen her in this dress on a cruise ship.

Love the CC pics!!! The holiday touches are just too cute.

Great purse!

@Pinkocto We need to go back to CC!

I have more coming too! That's my first DCL Dooney, I have to alternate them. I didn't find one I liked on this cruise, which is a good thing!

Oh, but I am!
I just didn't read it that way at first. But as soon as I read it as U.S. instead of "us" it clicked.

Huh. I got it as soon as I saw it and silently groaned. I heard it with the music and everything.

I made them about a week or two ago.
I loved it. Ruby liked it. Both DDs turned their noses up at the sauce.

Savages.

Wow! I haven't actually made them myself in over 20 years. I guess ever since I could afford to go to a restaurant and pay for them, I haven't needed to make them myself. That's the only reason I actually learned to cook. I couldn't afford to eat like I wanted unless I did it myself!

Oh, okay.
I guess just from the camera angle it looked like there was just the egg and sauce, and the sauce looked like it might have broken.

The sauce does look a little broken.

I love all your pictures of the Dream and CC! I can't wait to get back there, such a beautiful spot!!

I also had no idea what the US eggs was about! So funny, I always learn new things on trip reports!!

It is really nice. I'm pretty sure that they have expanded it since we were there in 2001.

 

[orangecats2]

Hi reading along. I'd love to take a cruise some day. The Enchanted Garden restaurant looks so nice. Can't wait for more.

 

[pkondz]

I heard it with the music and everything.

You can't not hear it.

Wow! I haven't actually made them myself in over 20 years. I guess ever since I could afford to go to a restaurant and pay for them, I haven't needed to make them myself. That's the only reason I actually learned to cook. I couldn't afford to eat like I wanted unless I did it myself!

I keep going to places and seeing it on the menu.... then when I get it, it's that crappy sauce that they got out of a package instead of doing it right.

Well, not the better places.

 

[Pinkocto]

Look at how cute CC is all decorated for the holidays! Love it!!!

I would have been watching the unloading process right along with you. They take all the dishes back to the ship, we've asked the Serenity Bay people.

I'm going to have to go find that cute Olaf area.

 

[jedijill]

Love the CC pics!!! The holiday touches are just too cute.

Great purse!

@Pinkocto We need to go back to CC!

@rentayenta There is a 3 day repo cruise from San Juan to PC that stops at CC in Jan 2017....Girls trip?

Jill in CO

 

[dhorner233]

Great update! Loved that breakfast buffet! I could have spent the whole day there!!!

Belle's dress was pretty. Was it hot on the island? The island was interesting. Was your ship the only ship there? So all those people on the beach were all people from your ship? How many people were on your ship?

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Loving CC update. How do you cope with that Trump BS? Worse still the folk that suck it up!

I like how things work also. Last time I found out CC has not got permission for people to stay overnight but that Disney were working on that. If they have it now I don't know. So they did have to bring it all on the Island!

Great photos from the ship. That cabanas breakfast never grows old. I see my breakfast right there on the donut stand... I will disgust you by saying..seperator plate, ice cream from Eye Scream, donuts, strawberry compote , mickey waffles..

Those trams are good for disabled folk. That store is nice she sells seashells. Like Fran for a little store I manage to charge the stateroom for items everytime.

Sandwheels! Cool until you try them... It's like pushing a tank.. Nice that they supply them though.

I like the photo of you both in front of The Dream.

 

[franandaj]

I was wondering the same thing of what does Disney do with the resupply to CC island. CC looks amazing.

Evidently everything that goes on the island food, beverage and plate wise, comes from the ship. According to Pam they take back all the dirty dishes and wash them onboard.

Wow I love the holiday touches on CC, it is such a fun place. Look forward to reading about the rest of your day.
Awesome score of meeting Belle in her holiday clothes, nice one!

It was very nice all decorated for the holidays!

That really is interesting to think about. I'd have been watching it as well. Look at all those forklifts!

It was amazing how quickly they got it all started. They only have about two hours to get things ready for the guests, and four and a half hours total until the lunch service begins.

That is one heck of a breakfast buffet!

It sure is!

Just go take it down...

Ha!

I'm glad to see that he didn't melt!

I guess he didn't do what know does in summer.

Yes! Such a glorious sight. I love that island.

This entire day was my whole reason for really wanting to do this cruise.

I can't blame you, I'm enthralled by this as well. It's one of the things I love most about all of the Disney operations. I'm fascinated at how such a massive operation is run so smoothly for the most part. I would have been out there with you watching the activity.

It's a huge task if you think about it. 4000 people all being fed and taken care, and they do an awesome job. The CMs work very hard.

"Vat of green stuff" = automatic pass. I bet it was still filled to the same level at the end of the meal.

I don't doubt it. I still can't even think what it might be.

Yep. But the second photo looked more manageable.

Just wait, well I guess you have a family so you would be staying put there, but I like the next option better.

I bet he did what snowmen do in summer.

I didn't see any pictures of that. = no proof.

 

[franandaj]

Hi reading along. I'd love to take a cruise some day. The Enchanted Garden restaurant looks so nice. Can't wait for more.

Glad to see you over here! I've got plenty to come!

You can't not hear it.

Pretty much.

I keep going to places and seeing it on the menu.... then when I get it, it's that crappy sauce that they got out of a package instead of doing it right.

Well, not the better places.

Hmmm...Long Beach is really a "breakfast town". We have lots of restaurants that close by 2:30PM, and I'm not sure any of them would make it from a package mix. I've had pretty good luck with it around here, so no need to go to all the trouble myself.

Look at how cute CC is all decorated for the holidays! Love it!!!

Disney does such a great job.

I would have been watching the unloading process right along with you. They take all the dishes back to the ship, we've asked the Serenity Bay people.

It is just so fascinating! Thanks for clearing up what happens with all the dishes and stuff!

I'm going to have to go find that cute Olaf area.

It's just off where you transfer trams to Serenity Bay. Go past the little souvenir store and look to your left, you can't miss it!

@rentayenta There is a 3 day repo cruise from San Juan to PC that stops at CC in Jan 2017....Girls trip?

Jill in CO

Too short for my taste!

Great update! Loved that breakfast buffet! I could have spent the whole day there!!!

The buffets on the ships are great.

Belle's dress was pretty. Was it hot on the island?

No it was very nice on the island, not hot at all.

The island was interesting. Was your ship the only ship there? So all those people on the beach were all people from your ship? How many people were on your ship?

There is only one dock. The Dream is there on Wednesdays and Sundays, the Fantasy is there on Fridays. Depending on the itinerary, the Magic and Wonder sometimes visit. Although I had not been to CC on the Wonder since 2001. There can be as many as 4000 passengers on the Dream or Fantasy. The Wonder and Magic hold half as many.

Loving CC update. How do you cope with that Trump BS? Worse still the folk that suck it up!

Ignore it. Or just roll my eyes.

I like how things work also. Last time I found out CC has not got permission for people to stay overnight but that Disney were working on that. If they have it now I don't know. So they did have to bring it all on the Island!

Huh. I didn't know that no one was on the island at night. I thought there were a handful of folks that were like caretakers/security guards.

Great photos from the ship. That cabanas breakfast never grows old. I see my breakfast right there on the donut stand... I will disgust you by saying..seperator plate, ice cream from Eye Scream, donuts, strawberry compote , mickey waffles..

Doesn't disgust me at all. I'm hoping that on the Fantasy, there will be more days to eat from there. There wasn't enough room in my tummy to try everything I wanted!

Those trams are good for disabled folk. That store is nice she sells seashells. Like Fran for a little store I manage to charge the stateroom for items everytime.

The Tram was a lifesaver! Yes, she charged quite a bit back to the room!

Sandwheels! Cool until you try them... It's like pushing a tank.. Nice that they supply them though.

Huh. I didn't think of that. I bet it would be tough to push, especially if the person weighed more than you did!

I like the photo of you both in front of The Dream.

Thank you!

 

[franandaj]

When I left off we were on our way to Serenity Bay, the adults only area of the island. No Disney location would be complete without all kinds of “set decoration”. And a backstory that you’ll find here. http://www.disneycruiser.info/stateroom/legend_of_castaway_cay.pdf

Actually the island has quite a past, it’s rumored that Pirates frequented the island in the 1700s, later it was used as farmland by farmers from the mainland. In the 60s the island was purchased by a businessman who put in the runway, but soon in his absence the runway was used by drug smugglers to bring narcotics into Florida. Eventually the island was sold to a private company owned by one of the main drug smugglers. This continued well into the 1980’s until he was arrested and put in prison where he died. Years later Disney purchased the island and created the backstory in the link above. Why go into all this? Because there are all sorts of “things” around the island that are supposedly left over from that backstory. I’m sure these cannons are part of that story. They were across from the tram stop where we waited for the Tran to Serenity Bay.



After we boarded the tram, and drove around the loop, we could see that the second canon was a dragon canon.



The runway that was previously used by drug smugglers for landing planes is now the road where the trams drive to get to and from Serenity Bay.



Here’s Fran on the Tram.



The abandoned planes you see here, are part of the backstory as the planes were “retired” when the Castaways living on the island abandoned the runway and opted for only boat traffic to the island.



Here’s how the loading of the scooters works on the trams.



Another thing that the abandoned runway is used for are the bicycles available on the island.





Here’s a peek out to the ocean.



But first we’re going to have lunch.



They had a fairly extensive buffet for an island paradise.















They had buns for the burgers and dogs.









The ribs were pretty picked over, but they refilled this quickly enough. I wasn’t interested in those, so that was OK.



Chicken pickens were kind of slim, but there was enough for me!



Hot dogs and brats.



I didn’t get a picture of the steaks, and they served baked potatoes and mahi mahi from behind the counter. I got both of the latter. They also had a whole section of fruit.





And condiments for your meal.



When we had chosen our food, we headed to the tables, but they were all occupied. However, as we were looking for our table, we spied our tablemates, and asked if they minded if we shared their table. They were more than happy to let us join them, so that worked out well for us.

My plate.



Fran’s lunch. She didn’t get a lot because my plate was so full, she knew I couldn’t finish it all.



They had a soft serve ice cream machine, and there were probably four different flavors.




Also there was a section with cakes and breads.



I grabbed us some of the sweets.



[Continued in Next Post]

 

[franandaj]

[Continued from Previous Post]

Then we headed over to the beach area, or the bar. Fran doesn’t like to walk on the sand, so I found her a place to sit. We had a bit of trouble figuring out how to get to the bar. One of the bar waitresses told us that the only way was to walk on the sand. Well that wasn’t technically correct. The way there was paved, but it was covered in sandy water. A treacherous combination for someone walking on two canes, but I stuck close to her, we took it slow and she made it through. This route was passing by the entrance to the women’s restroom. It turned out that on the other side of the building was the men’s restroom, and because it was farther from the beach, the shower was used less and it wasn’t nearly as wet and dangerous. There might have even been a ramp on that side. Well, now we know for next time.





She had her tablet, and I decided I was going to go stick my feet in the water. I hadn’t brought my swim suit, because I really didn’t fancy getting “all wet”. So I took off my sandals and walked down to the water. It was cold! I asked her to take a picture of me in the water, but because it was so cold and I didn’t want to go very deep, I never actually made it into her field of vision, the fence at the bar blocked her from being able to see me. Plus I stumbled a bit and almost fell, and I decided that I’m not a “beach person”. Unless that means sitting at the bar having a drink or a meal!

Here’s a few shots of the view.











Pam, Pinkocto, raves about the Konk Koolers, she gets the virgin variety, but she says they are her favorite Castaway Cay drink. I was reluctant to try it because one of the ingredients is Coconut something. Fran said she would drink it if I didn’t like it. I ordered one, and took a sip before I had been charged for it and immediately ordered myself a Deep Blue Sea. Much more to my liking!





By this time it was about 1PM and the sun and food was making me tired. We decided to catch the trams back to the ship, but not before stopping at Scuttle’s Cove to check out the shops. To do this you catch a tram from Serenity Bay back to Pelican Point, and then from Pelican point you catch the tram back to the ship, but you get off at the first stop which is Scuttle’s Cove. We had a nice view of the ship from here.



Here is an abridged version of the history of CC that I posted a link to earlier.



And the iconic buoys.



Here is the shop where we did some more damage. I’m glad we stopped here. There wasn’t a lot of merchandise at the other shop and nothing that either fit me or interested me. Here at this shop I found at least one T-shirt, maybe two that said, “Castaway Cay” on it, so now I can prove I’ve been there!



After we boarded the ship, I took a shower and a short nap. The sun really wiped me out that day and I was tired. We had a big night and I didn’t want to sleep through it or not enjoy it!

After I slept for a bit, I decided that I was hungry. Dinner wasn’t until 7:00 and it was probably around 3:30 or so. I went up to Deck 11 hoping for something small to tide me over. At first I thought some fruit or a small salad would be good, but they didn’t have anything that fit the bill, so I ended up with this.





I took it back to the room, and offered some to Fran, but she was good. I took the time we had to use up some internet moments and I think that’s when I posted an update on the previous trip report. Then I woke up Fran and she took a shower, and we got dressed to go see Pirate Mickey. I wore the dress that I had purchased earlier that day on the island. It was Pirate Night and I don’t like that menu so we had other plans for dinner. But first it was pictures. But before we could even get pictures we had to wait in line. Fran held our spot while I snuck outside for some sunset pictures.





While waiting in line, both Donald and Minnie were downstairs. I knew that we would never get down to their lines before they were done. That was one thing about the Dream, there are so many people on board, the character lines were incredibly long.















After Mickey we went back to the room. I was able to get one last shot of the sunset.



She took a nap and I put on The Princess & the Frog.

 

[rndmr2]

Great update! Castaway Cay is so pretty, I love to see pics of Serenity Bay, I really want to get there some day.

Cute dress that you got on the island!

Fun pics with Mickey!

 

[Steppesister]

Someday.... someday....

Meanwhile, I will soak all the beachy photos and CC info I can get. I read back a little bit, and was found the topic of re-stocking the island fascinating as well. Hmmm... one wonders. So glad you had a nice day all-in-all, even if there were some issues with walking on sand to get to where you wanted to go. Cute dress! And super awesome sunset photos! Can't beat tropical sunsets!

 

[afwdwfan]

Why go into all this? Because there are all sorts of “things” around the island that are supposedly left over from that backstory. I’m sure these cannons are part of that story. They were across from the tram stop where we waited for the Tran to Serenity Bay.

Ok... I've got to admit. I actually find the real story about pirates and drug smugglers to be more interesting.

When we had chosen our food, we headed to the tables, but they were all occupied. However, as we were looking for our table, we spied our tablemates, and asked if they minded if we shared their table. They were more than happy to let us join them, so that worked out well for us.

Lunch looks good. I'm glad you can find a table. I'd be in a meat coma by the time I ate there though... give me ribs, chicken, a burger, a dog, a brat and a steak. Why? Because I can!

It was cold! I asked her to take a picture of me in the water, but because it was so cold and I didn’t want to go very deep, I never actually made it into her field of vision, the fence at the bar blocked her from being able to see me. Plus I stumbled a bit and almost fell, and I decided that I’m not a “beach person”. Unless that means sitting at the bar having a drink or a meal!

Well, thankfully nobody took a spill. Either Fran getting to the bar or you in the water. Your drinks look good though, so I think making use of your time to sit at the bar and enjoy them was probably a good idea.

Here at this shop I found at least one T-shirt, maybe two that said, “Castaway Cay” on it, so now I can prove I’ve been there!

Not only can you prove you've been there, but you've been there and actually got off the boat!

While waiting in line, both Donald and Minnie were downstairs. I knew that we would never get down to their lines before they were done. That was one thing about the Dream, there are so many people on board, the character lines were incredibly long.

Yuck... hadn't thought about that, but it is a valid point. I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to meet Donald and Minnie, but at least you got some nice pictures with Mickey!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Fun read. It's funny about CC because I am not a beach person. I do not like sand like Fran, water or getting wet. Why do I enjoy CC? I don't know I just do! It has something about it. Like you two we enjoy a morning there then go back to the ship. I do not like the BBQ so we go back for lunch then enjoy the adults only area on The Dream that is empty. Oh those day beds! Plus the view of CC and the colour of the water!

Nice you made it to serenity bay. Have you ever had a cabana? People rave about them but have you seen the price? Hard to justify for 2! Might be good to share for more though.

I love the 'history' they invented for the island thank you for including that. Lol the signs with 'Bahamian time' always make me laugh.

Love the iconic buoys!

Oh that darn Pirate night menu. We always try to book Palo I can tell you that much. Curious if you have done the same for your dinner.

Love the photos of you with pirate Mickey too cute.

 

[jedijill]

I love Serenity bay! I'm sorry you didn't like the Konk Kooler...they are my favorite!

Jill in CO