Our agent, Carrielyn Louie (from Seattle, WA)  is sharing her blog with us about what to expect on a Disney Cruise.  This is her last post in a series of seven where you’ll get an inside peek at what a 7-night Disney cruise is like. 

Day 7

You wake up alert and the most excited you’ve been all week because you know that today you are at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private Bahamian island. You dash over to your sliding glass door and push aside the curtains to get a glimpse of the paradise your family will be enjoying today.

You want to spend as much of the day as possible on the island so you rouse your family and rush to get ready for breakfast. You all race up to deck 11 to have the usual breakfast buffet at Cabanas. You eat quickly, keeping an eye on your watch because you’re hoping to catch Captain Jack Sparrow on the pathway between the boat and the beach areas for some photos.

As soon as the family is done eating you grab your day bags and make a pit stop at deck 4 midship at the Future Cruise Desk. You’ve decided you have to do another cruise and with the 10% savings, 10% deposit (instead of 20%) and up to $200 onboard credit you just have to book that next cruise now! You can always change the dates and details later but at least you’ve got this really great deal nailed down.

Now you can head down to deck 1 to exit the boat through the Tender Lobby and get your day at Castaway Cay started!

Earlier in the trip you had thought to purchase some post cards and so your first stop on Castaway Cay is at the post office where you send off your postcards, complete with a Bahamian post mark!

It’s just past 9:30 and you know Captain Jack should be nearby so you all start your way down the pathway that leads to the family beaches. Along the way you do find Captain Jack Sparrow and you pause for photos. Such a scoundrel that Captain Jack, yet so dashing!

Prior to sailing you purchased the rental of a bundle of goodies to use while on Castaway Cay, which includes a bike, an inflatable tube, and snorkeling gear. You swing by Gil’s Fins and Floats to pick up your beach gear and lug the lot of it over to a gathering of suitable chairs and umbrellas. With snorkel gear in hand you walk through the sand to the snorkel lagoon, don your flippers, goggles, and life jacket. You’ve snorkeled before but other members of your family have not so you join them in participating in a brief lesson before the lot of you take off for a snorkeling adventure. Aside from the local fish underwater fauna you’ve heard there is special Disney magic to be on the lookout for.

After snorkeling it’s time to relax on some lounge chairs in the sun while the kids play in the swimming lagoon. A cast member comes along offering to take a drink order. You cast your “no drinks before lunch” rule aside and order the drink of the day, a Bahama Mama (naturally).

Eventually tummies start to rumble and the gang comes in from water play to seek out food. Not too far from where you had set up camp on the beach you find Cookies BBQ. You grab a tray and head for the cafeteria style serving line where you can choose from things like rotisserie chicken, bbq ribs, Cajun spiced Mahi Mahi, hot dogs, corn on the cob, coleslaw, cous cous, potato salad, cake, cookies, banana bread, fruit salad, chips, fresh fruit, and ice cream! You find a table under a covered area to sit and eat, thinking on what to do next!

You decide that after lunch you’ll take advantage of that bike rental you have available to you and head off down the nature trail, eventually winding your way to the observation tour. You climb to the top to take in the spectacular view.

Upon returning the bikes you drop the kids off at Scuttle’s Cove where they’ll enjoy playing with other kids so that you can head to Serenity Bay, an adults only beach. It’s a bit of a walk so you hop on board the tram that will let you sit back and relax as you make your way further up the island. As the name implies, Serenity Bay is quiet, calm, and peaceful and you lay back in your lounge chair and close your eyes. After a little while you catch a cast member and request another Bahama Mama. Once in hand you head down to the serene water to wade in a bit, sipping your drink as you do so. You think about applying to work on Castaway Cay.

About 4:00 pm you notice the beach has emptied out considerably and you realize that all aboard is in an hour. You still have to collect your kids and make your way back to the beach so you reluctantly gather your things and head for the tram that will get you back to within walking distance of Scuttle’s Cove. You gather up your kids and hop back on the tram which will take you back to the ship quicker than walking. You’ve had a fun and relaxing day here on the paradise that is Castaway Cay and you try to take it all in one last time as you approach the Fantasy.

After boarding the boat you head to your room to take showers and ready for your final dinner of your cruise (a fact you are trying hard not to think about but are failing). You dress in appropriate “cruise casual” attire and head to Royal Court where you’ll be enjoying the “See Ya Real Soon” menu (along with the rest of the ship). By now you are old pals with your serving team and they’ve come to know you usually ask for one of the specialty drinks. They ask what you’ll be having and you ask for the Kissss, which blends vanilla ice cream, mango puree, and muddled peach and tops that off with pomegranate syrup.

Time to pick an appetizer and you’re feeling a bit adventurous so you go with the “Guests’ Favorite” of Sesame-crusted Tuna Sashimi, Wakame salad, and American caviar with pickled ginger wasabi and soy sauce. It is a wonderfully spicy and tasty pay off!

For the second course you decide on another seafood dish of Crawfish and Lobster Bisque (served with roasted corn-chili relish).

For your final main course on your cruise you take your time choosing. After all there’s so much that sounds delicious. How do you choose between a roasted cornish hen, seafood linguini, center cut grilled beef tenderloin, and the garlic and rosemary-marinated lamb sirloin (among other things)? You decide to go with the “Guests’ Favorite” Yachtsman Steakhouse center cut grilled beef tenderloin, which is served with William potatoes, asparagus spears, baby  vegetables, and a bearnaise sauce.

You are uncomfortable about half way through and decide to save room for one last amazing dessert. There are cakes, mousses, and pies, but you settle again on the “Guests’ Favorite” Baked Alaska; sponge loaf layered with chocolate, vanilla, strawberry ice cream, covered with burnt meringue. As you spoon the last bite full into your mouth you are not sure how you are going to go back to normal food ever again. You might just have to hire a personal chef.

Just before leaving Royal Court you thank your serving staff and give them their tip envelopes, complete with a personal note of gratitude on the inside. You know that the service that was given to you and your family through out your cruise was something special.

You do have some time before the evening show at 8:30 so you head to The Tube to join in the family dance party currently going on. You’re feeling sluggish so you figure some dancing might help you work on all the food you ate. You and your family wiggle and shimmy and jive, thoroughly enjoying this stress free family time. Before you know it’s time to head to the Walt Disney Theater for this evening’s show; An Unforgettable Journey – a show that celebrates your magical voyage, inspired by the words and wisdom of the man himself, Walt Disney. The show is excellent, as you’ve come to expect and you wipe away a few tears as you get up and exit the theater.

Your family heads to the room for a bit to start packing. If you can get your bags packed and in the hall in time the crew will take your bags off the boat for you and have them ready for you at the cruise terminal when you get off the boat. You manage it just in time, reserving one bag to leave behind for overnight essentials.

You get all done in time to head to the lobby at 10:30 for the “See Ya Real Soon” Farewell show. The characters glide down the stair case and position themselves around the lobby, creating lines of photo and autograph seekers as they go. You hit up all your favorites one last time. When the meet and greets are over the characters entertain you with a musical number on the stair case before ascending and saying farewell. You wave good bye and cry (just a little). Everything here has been so very magical.

Not quite ready to say good night you head to D Lounge for “Farewell Karaoke” (ok, you get it… it’s almost time to go!). Your family enjoys singing along with the crowd, and maybe one of you enjoys the spot light for a little bit, before you finally decide it’s time to return to your state room for one final sleep aboard the Fantasy.

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Day 8

It’s a forced up and at ‘em early this morning to shower and pack up the day bags before heading down to Royal Court (the same restaurant you ate at the night before). You have your final meal aboard the Fantasy, a sit-down breakfast served by your amazing serving team. You eat and hug them all one last time, posing for final photos before you make your way to the Lobby Atrium with bags in tow, debarking the ship with one last swipe of your key to the world card. You find your bags right where you were told they would be and make your way outside to the transportation that will take you on to your next adventure.

It was hands down the BEST vacation you ever took and you can’t wait for your next cruise with the Disney Cruise Line!