Castaway Cay

Like almost every cruise line that sails in the Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line has it's own private island it stops at on most cruises over three days.Unlike most cruise lines the Bahamian island called Castaway Cay has undergone a magical Disney transformation. When Disney went looking for a spot for Castaway Cay it had some specifics in mind. It needed to be within a certain mileage from Port Canaveral (at the time the main port of departure for DCL in Florida). They also wanted to be able to dock the ship to the island so passengers would not be subject to tenders like some other cruise lines are.

Once they found this tropical island they started sprinkling pixey dust. This doesn't mean they made a Disneyland in the Caribbean. They worked with the nature of the island they created a lagoon that passengers could snorkel, jet ski, aqua-bike, and sail in. Along with the great tropical fish they added some wonderful extras to their snorkel park. At one point you could even see The Flying Dutchman from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies anchored there. While that has moved on to haunt sailors there still a ton to do and see on island, or on an excursion you can book.

Now if you are like most people, you are there to hang at the beaches on the island. These have been conveniently broken into separate beaches for families, adults (Serenity Bay), and families teens (as well as a sports beach for all you beach athletes (volleyball, or tether ball anyone?). Each of these beautiful white sand beaches are furnished with lounges and most have shade. They have a limited number of beach cabanas on the family and adult beaches (one of the family beach cabanas is wheelchair accessible) which at first glance are a bit pricey but it includes bike and snorkel gear rentals, beach toys, a semi-private beach, beverages and snacks already in place, AND you don't have to fight for a shady place to lay out. It is actually quite reasonable. You MUST book these early if you want one because they go fast. Also if the mood strikes, you can book an in-cabana massage in the Serenity Cove (go ahead, splurge a little). Bliss!

This island may now be home to a well known mouse now, but at one point is was used for some unsavory business dealings that left its mark on the island. The airstrip was there before DC, and was used in themeing quite well. It is the main path to get to the adults only beach Serenity Cove and is criss-crossed by bike trails that will take you around the island. Do not worry about the bikes they have an on-site rental which my wife and son will be taking full advantage of. Bike riding not adventurous enough for you? Book a para-sailing session, glass bottom boat, or personal watercraft for the afternoon. More of the relax and have a snack traveler? They have you covered there too, with restaurants serving food and drinks at each of the three main beaches. This leaves you the ability to read, nap or just sun bake yourself.

Disney Cruise Line has also considered the plight of the people who may need a wheelchair to get around. They have quite a few sand wheelchairs that you may use while on island. Picture a reclining beach chair on wheels. These are great when you are on the sand with their big bouncy tires, but can prove a little tricky when you are on pavement. My advise, bring someone strong to push. There are also paved and hard packed walkways that a person using a mobility device can use to explore and take in the wonderful surroundings and don't worry, if you get all the way to Serenity Cove and cant walk back. There's a tram that you can ride.

On the whole this was one of my favorite spots on the eastern Caribbean cruise we took, and most likely will be on this up coming Nassau one also. It is like you have been invited to a giant party on a private island with tons of food, sun and fun. There really is a magic to the place and I recommend anyone thinking about taking a cruise on DCL to make sure they have a Castaway day.. More to come later.

Disney Cruise wear. 5 clothing items for guys to bring

Like most people we have a tendency to over pack. This is especially true for the first Disney Cruise we took back in 2008. We had been given advise about cruise wear from people who had not been on a Disney Cruise, and therefore were a bit more formal than you need to be on a Disney cruise. Now that isn't to say that you can or should be a total slob on a DCL boat. But unless you really want to put on the Ritz you can leave your tux at home. I do want to quantify I am not saying that you should dress tacky or in any way against local customs. I am going to give you my own personal ideals of what you should bring.

1. A nice polo shirt or short sleeve button up shirt (no Aloha shirts please). This will usually get you into all the dining rooms and also into Paulo without any fuss. It should be clean, free of holes, and logo free if possible. I like the polo option because it folds nicely and because you are in the tropics cotton will be your friend.

2. Cargo shorts. I actually like cotton cargo shorts for the obvious reason, storage. I have several nice pair that are no issue for going to lunch or a casual dinner. Also cotton not denim because it dries faster and stays cooler. Add this to the fact that they pack tightly and you have a winner.

3. Sandals. Sandals ( not flip flops) are a great option to sneakers when traveling in the tropics. A good pair of Keens will set you back $70.00 but are sturdily constructed and offer what few sandals can, toe protection.

4. Khaki or linen pants. These types of long pants will be the most versatile and easiest to pack and most likely to be wrinkle resistant or steamable. they are going to look the nicest so you can wear them to your nice dress up dinner as well as other meals. They can be washed so you can take advantage of laundry service if you get curry sauce on them and they are breathable and look pretty nice with just about anything.

5. Sun Glasses (extra sunglasses). This is a must as sunglasses (as well as batteries, film, SD cards, band aids, etc) can be very pricey when you are in a touristy area. I was forced to buy a pair of sunglasses on St Martin and it ran me about $40 for a cheapo pair. Be prepared for the fact that you may leave them somewhere and buy a pair for in case of emergency.

Honorable mentions:

A. a Hat. You are not going to be used to this type of sun and you will need covering of some type. That is unless you like a third degree sun burn.

B. raincoat. It does rain and if you happen to be in a down pour you will want to have a light rain jacket to keep dry. If you are visiting WDW you should consider a poncho (I know dorky but you will be dry)

C. Age and status appropriate swim wear. What does this mean? Simple, (Guys) no one wants to see a man in a pair of Speedos. No one wants to explain to their child why that man is wearing his undies on the beach. (Ladies) think about what you will be doing on the beach. Are you going to be playing with your kids around other kids/tween/teens/adult males? Do you really want to be in that string bikini and have a body part fall out? Maybe a nice one piece would be a better idea. You can still look like the hot mom but respect your children enough to cover up some. Also please cover up, I really don't want to have to talk to my son about a thong.

Disney Holiday Events on land or at sea.

On occasion when we travel to one of the Disney resorts it happens to coincide with a holiday. We have been to Disneyland during the Christmas season (usually between Thanksgiving and Christmas) when they bring out the winter holiday theming. 

However this is the first time that we will be traveling there during the fall close to the Halloween holiday. Because of this and the fact my son is 4 years old we have decided to take advantage of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. This is essentially an after park hours special event that has spooky theming, special fireworks, and what I think is the coolest feature your ability to dress in costume and trick or treat in WDW. This is not a cheap outing and you really need to address whether or not it is appropriate for your group. In our case it is. Not only do we have a young child who likes to dress up, but my wife and I are extreme Halloween fans ("I am the pumpkin king!").

So we were all set for this special treat, when the Disney Cruise Line gave us an extra surprise. Because we are sailing The Disney Dream in between September 22 and October 31 they are going to be holding special Halloween events. The pirate party will be replaced by a Halloween party hosted by Jack Skelington and Sally (complete with meet and greets), there will also be kids club events, as well as some spooky fun for us adults. Now for those of you who are wondering about the other ships, they will also be getting some holiday fun although no specifics have been announced as of this date. 

The official announcement also hinted at winter holiday events that will be taking place during those holiday time periods so take heart you travelers going in November through January.

More to come soon.

Where to vacation next?

There are so many places that I would like to take my family on vacation I just do not know how to narrow them down. My wife is graduating next year with her masters degree and i really want to take her on a special vacation that will also be fun for my son. Here are some of the places we are discussing.

5. San Diego, California Pros: Sun, Beaches, Zoo and aquarium, Legoland, Comic Con (during summer) Con: not really relaxing, can be an expensive place, no place where we can drop the kid off.

4. Yellowstone National Park Pros: beautiful natural surroundings, sty in a lodge, plenty of space for kid to run around, peaceful and relaxing. Cons: can be expensive, we would have to drive to see places, no place where we can drop the kid off.

3. West coast cruise Pros: Be pampered and only have to unpack once, get to see more than one destination, Kids clubs, almost everything is inclusive. Cons: limited number of places to sail to (Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, up the coast (transition cruise)

2.Sanibel Island, Florida Pros: relaxing, warm, kid friendly Cons: long flight, can be expensive, no place where we can drop the kid off.

1. Bahamian or Caribbean cruise: Or maybe both. We decided to book a cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line that departs from New York and visits Nassau, Bahamas fir two days then their own private Bahamanian island, Afterwards it loops over to Port Canaveral for some theme park fun, or beach combing, and back to New York. The itinerary really spoke to us as we are on a mission to take my son to every state in the U.S. before he is 18 years old (at the ripe old age of three he has already been to Washington, California, Hawaii), and this will knock two more off the list.

I am so excited about our next big adventure! I will make sure that I post more information as I find it. As always happy travels!

Cruisin on a sunny afternoon.

I have touched on taking cruises before, so I thought I would go back and revisit this subject in more detail. I love the whole idea of taking a cruise. You get on the ship, unpack once, same room the whole vacation. No worries about food,(most of it is included (except alcohol and possibly soda on some ships). You get taken to the destinations without having to put much effort into it. You can even leave the preparations up to the activities desk. Bad weather ahead they usually steer the ship around it. Brilliant! Plus with so many different cruise companies out there you are most certain to find one that fits your desires. Are you a college student looking for a good party? Carnival Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean are your ships. Are you a senior looking to get a quiet getaway with people your age? Try Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity, Cunard, Viking, or Holland America. Want some adventure, try a South American cruise that visits the Galapagos Islands with ports near the Amazon rain forest, the Andes, or the southernmost tip of the continent and see the penguins, or take a ship that relies on sails to get from place to place. Are you a family with kids? Try Disney, Royal Caribbean, Princess, or even Carnival Cruise Lines all of which have kids clubs of some sort.

Even better than that there are also theme cruises. If you are a foodie, sports fan, wine connoisseur, murder mystery fan, sci-fi or comic book fan, or single looking to meet other singles they probably have a cruise for you. You can gamble, see shows that compare to Broadway’s best, comics, and live music all without getting off the ship. There are great amenities such as movie theaters, pools, dance clubs, basketball court, rock walls, gyms casinos, bars and lounges, and my personal favorite: the spa.

Cruise lines offer a ton of excursions for just about everyone’s tastes. Want to scuba or snorkel, hike, picnic, explore historic towns, walk on glaciers, dog sled, gamble, or shop. They will be able to assist you in doing that. Don’t want to do any of that, stay on the ship and take advantage of the ship being empty and most likely on ship services will be discounted.

You can cruise the tropics (Hawaii or Caribbean), the north (Alaska, New England/Canada, or Norway), Asia (China, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore) even river cruises (Thames, Rhine, Danube, Ganges, Yangtze), transitional cruises (from Pacific to Atlantic Oceans through the Panama Canal, or across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean), or the great lakes and smaller seas. I know several people who try to take a cruise every 2-3 years just because it is so much fun and they get to see much more than if they were to just go to a destination and stay there (although used a cruise to scout out places they really liked and took a longer vacation there later).

In these economically difficult times if you are able to take a vacation you want to make it a great deal for your dollar. I totally recommend cruises because they are a great get away and you can just relax and enjoy the surroundings. See you at the midnight buffet!

Won't you let me take you on a sea cruise...

I have been on lots of different types of vacations and I must say that I have really taken a great shine to cruises. Now my experience is limited to just one Eastern Caribbean cruise. However my wife and I have done quite a bit of research for the cruise line, ports of call, and excursions. So we have a bit of knowledge on the subject. I will just give you my own opinion, take it in the way it was intended.

First off, consult a professional (my trusty AAA travel agent Theresa and Mary). These folks have extensive knowledge on ALL the cruise lines so they can direct you to the right one. This is important because if you are wanting to relax, perhaps the Spring Break Carnival Cruise with tons of college kids isn’t what you want. A travel expert will be able to let you know what the facilities will be on the ship, if the ports of calls are dockside or tendered (this is when they take you from the ship to a little boat and then to the dock..Most cruise lines will NOT assist you with this). The more information you can get the easier it is to start doing your own research (and you will need to do research).

So the great thing about cruising is that you only have to unpack once. For most lines the food and most of your entertainment in also included in the price of the ticket. All this plus there are partner airlines that will offer deals for your airfare. It is a great deal.

As I said I took an Eastern Caribbean cruise on Disney Cruiselines and I had an incredible time. We booked last minute but it was still a pretty great deal that included airline and a hotel for the night before the ship left. We ended up splurging on a wonderful couples massage (I totally reccommend if you can swing it. I was totally spasm free at the end of it). I have made some inquiries on other lines and have heard that Princess ships going to Alaska even hook up with an accessable rail line to their own private resort. Royal Caribbean is the nice halfway point between Carnival Cruiselines and Norwegian Cruise lines.

Now here is the beautiful thing. If you don't feel like getting off the ship to battle the throngs of shoppers most lines offer discounts on shipboard services. You may even find duty-free liquor and other goodies for the same prices as at the island shops. Just something to think about. I will talk more about this in detail in another post.