As part of our 5-night Western Caribbean Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Magic in December 2017, our ship stopped off at Disney’s very own private island in the Bahamas: Castaway Cay. Of all cruise lines’ private islands in the Caribbean, Castaway Cay is unparalleled in the breadth of its beauty and the wide range of activities and amenities offered.
This was the second time that we had visited the island. The first time was during our first Disney cruise on the Dream in December 2016. During that initial visit, we booked cabana #20 for the day. We were so blown away by how amazing cabana life was that we decided to do it again and get the exact same cabana for our second visit.
Our cabana cost us $549, and included the following amenities: freshwater shower, hammock, unlimited bottled water and soda, fresh fruit, snacks, Coppertone SPF products, insect repellant, snorkel equipment, float and tube rental, bike rental for one hour, sand toys, and a selection of magazines. You receive a lot for this not-so-cheap rental, but to us, it was worth every penny!
Cabana #20 is on the “Family Beach” but away from all the action in the hub of Castaway Cay. No need to worry about walking all the way to the cabana from the ship – there are trams that will take you where you need to go to check in for the cabanas, AND, after check-in, they will drive you in a large golf cart directly to your cabana.
We really like the quiet location and serenity of cabana #20. This cabana is located on a private lagoon, with no waves whatsoever. It’s a shallow lagoon with fish and even a small sting ray (you may want to wear your water shoes and be careful where you walk). We brought bread off of the ship to feed the fish – quite a fun activity for kids!
The private lagoon never seemed to have more than ten people in it at a time. I think a lot of people came and went to different parts of the island. We pretty much stayed put and enjoyed this relaxing spot. Even though the cabanas in this area are somewhat close to each other and there is not as much vegetation as the lower-numbered cabanas (e.g., #1-6) to create a “screen” between the cabanas, the area was very quiet. We never felt like anyone was too close or that we couldn’t seclude ourselves inside the cabana, if needed.
Here are photos of this great cabana…first, here is the entrance (cabana #21, the Grand Family Beach Cabana, is the orange building in the background):
This is the interior, looking out towards the private lagoon (you can see the ship in the distance). The curtain in the corner can be drawn and used as a changing area:
This is the interior looking back to the entrance (the door is closed for privacy). You can see a basket of fresh towels on the floor (really no need to bring any towels off the ship, although we always bring a few extra, just in case). There also is a tablet-like control panel on the wall for you to select music to play and to control the volume. You can’t see this in the photo, but there also is a ceiling fan:
This photo shows our fully-stocked mini-fridge. You also can see some of the Grand Family Beach Cabana next door to us:
Here is a view out one of the windows (towards cabana #19). You can see the pathway leading to the entrance in the background:
You can see the outdoor fresh water shower here. It’s at the bottom of the stairs. There also is a foot wash:
The view towards cabana #19, #18, etc.:
Here is a view of our cabana from the beach. You can see our giant sunshade (it’s translucent, so if you really need shade, go inside the cabana or under an umbrella on the beach):
Every cabana has its own hammock:
Here are some photos of the private lagoon:
And, the very friendly fish:
And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Very Merrytime cruise without our neighbors in cabana #21 (the Grand Family Beach Cabana), showing a little holiday spirit:
If you’re ever on a Disney cruise that stops at Castaway Cay, then try to book a cabana. It’s true luxury in paradise!
This post also may be viewed on the Disney Cruise Mom Blog.