Cruises are a great deal, because they are “all-inclusive.” That means that your accommodations, meals, and transportation to the ports (once on the ship) are included. However, not everything is included. This series will include lists of items included and not included, so you are prepared. These lists can’t include everything, but I believe they will give you enough information to be prepared.
Castaway Cay
Included
- Beaches (and chairs)
- Water slides
- BBQ Lunch
- Children’s area (Scuttle’s Cove)
- Children’s water play area
- Teen Hideout
- Beach Volleyball and Tetherball
- Game Pavilion (table tennis, foosball, basketball, etc.)
- Character Greetings
- Walking Trails
- Tram
- Strollers
- Sand Wheelchairs
Not Included
- Equipment Rental (snorkel, floats, bicycle, boats)
- Shore Excursions (boat rides, fishing, parasailing, jet ski)
- Cabanas
- Spa Services
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Specialty Beverages
- Shopping
Tips on Castaway Cay
Castaway Cay is the most popular port. You can get off the ship in the morning and get back on in the afternoon without ever having to spend any money. Your lunch is included, as are soft drinks. You can also get from the dock to the adult beach (and places in between) on a tram, so you don’t have to lug everything you want to take with you the whole way.
If you like the beach (like my husband), this is the place for you. Just go and relax, or play in the water.
My husband enjoys biking, so he rented a bike to go on the trails and really enjoyed it. He also enjoyed the beach and lunch.
If you aren’t a beach lover, then staying on the ship is extra special. It will be almost a ghost town! If you need to go to the Customer Service Desk, you’ll be able to walk right up and take care of anything. You’ll also see a number of the staff, as those not ashore will be in the buffet for lunch. You’ll be able to get on the water slides with little to no wait times, too. The movie theater will be almost empty. It will be a quiet day on board the ship most of the day.
While I enjoy being with my husband on our trips, I just HATE the beach. He loves it, so we agree to be apart that day. He will spend several hours on the island and I’ll enjoy my time on board the ship. He’ll come back on board to get on the water slides or Aqua Duck a bit after lunch. We’ll usually take in a movie together in the afternoon while others are still on the island.
It is so peaceful and quiet that I enjoy spending time on the pool deck reading a book and from time to time looking out on the water.