TRAVEL LOG: Day 3-Castaway Cay & Pirate Night – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream
On day three of our Very Merrytime Cruise, we enjoyed our time on Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island, Disney Cruise Line’s popular Pirate Night, and more. Learn more about our day below.
1 – Castaway Cay
Located in the tropical waters of The Bahamas, Castaway Cay provides the ultimate escape, whether you are seeking adventure, relaxation, or quality time with the family. The dock built at Castaway Cay eliminates the need to tender, making the ship easily accessible throughout the day. Transportation is provided to and from various points on the 1,000-acre island, including a special tram to Serenity Bay – a beach area reserved exclusively for guests 18 years of age and older. However, there are plenty of walking paths and even a 5k course if you want to get some more steps in your day!
Like the Disney ships, Castaway Cay is designed with unique activities and areas for every age group, providing an exceptional experience for all guests. Whether you’re looking to spend time at the family beach or the adult area of Serenity Bay, you won’t have trouble finding things to do! Youth activities are also available, giving kids some extra fun and adults some time to enjoy the island by themselves.
Click here to learn more about Castaway Cay!
2 – Holiday Celebrations on the Island
During Very Merrytime Cruises, when visiting Castaway Cay, you can enjoy the island’s holiday decorations. While you won’t see a lot of decorations, there is a Christmas tree near the ship and a snowman photo op next to that. You’ll also see wreaths and garland decorations throughout the island. It’s not much, but it’s a nice addition when visiting during the holiday season.
3 – Characters in Tropical Island Wear
In our Day 2 Travel Log, I mentioned greeting Disney characters in unique outfits. Castaway Cay offers special meet-and-greets and photo opportunities with many of the characters wearing tropical island gear. Captain Jack Sparrow often makes an appearance as well. Do be aware that the characters are only out in the morning and not in the afternoon. Be sure to check the DCL Navigator app for greeting times and locations. I made the mistake of not checking on our first Disney cruise and missed them.
Greeting locations are typically at the Post Office near the ship and Scuttle’s Cove and Mount Rustmore near the family beach area. Most families will just greet the characters as they walk to the beach areas, but if you are interested in greeting them all, you’ll need to plan ahead. You’ll want to be up early and out ready to greet at the Post Office and then walk to the other locations. I was able to greet seven characters in about an hour and a half (Donald, Mickey, Chip ‘n Dale, Minnie, Goofy, Daisy, and Jack Sparrow) by starting at the Post Office, greeting characters at Scuttle’s Cove and Mount Rustmore and then heading back to the Post Office for the last two. I with Donald at 8:45 and ended with Jack Sparrow around 10:20 a.m. I then caught up to the rest of my party to enjoy the rest of the island.
4 – Castaway Cay Getaway Package
There are a few “port adventure” options for Castaway Cay that guests can purchase if you’re looking for even more things to do. One package we love is the Castaway Cay Getaway Package, which costs $50 per adult for this cruise. The package is a discounted 3-in-1 rental that includes snorkel equipment, a float or inner-tube rental for the day, and a one-hour bicycle rental. The island features a 12-acre snorkel trail dotted with sunken treasures, including a submarine from the classic Disney attraction 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and statues featuring the likeness of several favorite Disney characters. This package allows you to enjoy water activities and allows you to see more of the island by bicycle. If you want to do at least two of these rentals, you are better off getting the package.
5 – Lunch and Drinks on the Island
While it’s easy to get back off and on the ship, it’s really nice that you don’t have to go back to the ship to eat lunch. There are three quick-service dining locations that serve typical backyard barbequed fare such as ribs, hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken sandwiches etc. The food choices of all three are the same at each location, so head to the one closest. Cookie’s BBQ and Cookie’s Too also have self-serve ice cream machines, drink machines, and a fruit stand.
Adults enjoying Serenity Bay have their own dining location, Serenity Bay BBQ, that includes ribeye steaks grilled to order, as well as a smaller lunch buffet. Bahamian specialty drinks, beer, and mixed drinks are served at the nearby Castaway Air Bar.
There are also more lounges and places to get frozen treats on the island. There are a variety of novelty items you can purchase with the drinks. There are also water bottle refill stations at most of the water fountains.
We enjoyed a few drinks at the Heads Up Bar, which is near Pelican Plunge. We love this location because it has a spot that is perfect for photos – the beautiful water and the ship in the background! Even if you don’t plan to have drinks, we highly recommend you stop by photo a photo!
5 – Vanellope’s Sweets and Treats
While the ship offers so many dining options that are included in your cruise fare, one place we wanted to try out was Vanellope’s Sweets and Treats, inspired by the whimsical candy land of the Sugar Rush race car game in “Wreck-It Ralph.” This shop offers handmade gelato and ice cream, an assortment of candy, and delectable novelty treats are available for purchase on Deck 11. We tried one of the signature sundaes: Vanellope Von Schweetz’s Race Kart Sundae, served in Vanellope’s very own race car. It includes three scoops of ice cream with your choice of five toppings. It was deleicious! We also enjoyed a milkshake and a holiday treat. While we didn’t quite have the appetite for it, next time we want to try Ralph’s Family Challenge Sundae, presented in a trophy cup and made with eight heaping scoops of ice cream. It looked amazing. Next time!
6 – Pirate Night
Pirate Night is a fun night that is offered on most Caribbean cruises. You’ll find the characters dressed up in pirate outfits, a special pirated-themed dinner, a fun stage show for kids, and ends with a pirate deck show with Jack Sparrow with fireworks at sea! It’s a fun night that many people really enjoy and go all out in their outfits.
Click here to learn more about Pirate Night on Disney Cruise Line.
Our Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream
Learn about Very Merrytime cruises along with cruise tips and advice in our travel logs below!
Travel Log Articles with Cruise Tips
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Follow Along on Our Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Getting Ready to Sail-Part 1 – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Getting Ready to Sail-Part 2 – Packing for a Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Day 1-Part 1 of Embarkation Day – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL DAY: Day 1-Part 2 of Embarkation Day – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Day 2-Port Day – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Day 3-Castaway Cay & Pirate Night – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVEL LOG: Day 4-Sea Day – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
TRAVE LOG: Day 5-Debarkation – Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Dream!
Our Review & 13 Tips & Tricks for the Best Very Merrytime Cruise on Disney Cruise Line!
Instagram Story Highlights
Click here for our Day 1 Instagram Story Highlight for photos and videos from our first day!
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Editor’s Note: Disney Cruise Line provided a complimentary Very Merrytime Cruise and special media-specific events during the cruise. However, as always, the thoughts and opinions about Disney Cruise Line contained in this article are entirely our own.