Is it is just me or is CC not that great as it should be..

[eyeheartgoofy]

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[lbgraves]

CC is the only beach I like. We didn't have to haul chairs, umbrellas, a cooler, or all the other stuff needed when we take the kids to the beach at home. The shallow water at the family beach was great when the kids were young. I haven't been in the water there much because it was too cold for me, but the kids and DH loved it. I was content sitting in a lounger on the beach in the sun while our friends back home were experiencing winter.

 

[kiford]

been to Castaway Cay twice and both times didn't have a great time.
the water is not deep enough for me to stand in and be covered - i think they did that on purpose

Did what on purpose? Made the water shallow? There's nothing deliberate about it - water depths in the Bahamas close to shore are typically shallow. Disney didn't change the depth of the water except where they dredged out near the pier so that the ship can dock instead of taking tenders.

I can take or leave the place myself but I'm not really a beach person. We usually just go out to Serenity Bay for lunch and a drink and spend the rest of the time on the ship.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

There is no place better then CC.

No tendering, great beachs, food, activities, just flat out no.other resort beach area around.

AKK

 

[Amw1064]

I am still confused on the bugs part. Been to Castaway over 20 times and never had a bug problem. We love Castaway and we live in Florida with beautiful beaches. It is my favorite port and reason why we do Disney cruises.

 

[EllinK]

I agree completely. I don't get CC. It's beautiful but swimming and snorkeling are not very satisfying (for the reasons you describe), the food is not very good and I feel like a sardine in a can when I lay on the beach with 1000s of other people. So not relaxing.

 

[phinz]

Unless I have a cabana, I couldn't care less about CC.

 

[Ashley Silva]

The water was clear enough for me to easily see small schools of fish and a few starfish.

 

[ivanp91]

I've been to CC three times and I think it's a case of the specific day you are there as it can vary so much. My first time I hated SB, it was far too rocky and I really hurt my feet but what I kind of liked the rest of the island. The second and third times were much better, it must have been an 'off' day my first time. SB was nowhere near as rocky and the water was much nicer to swim in. Never had an issue with bugs.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Never had a bug problem there. Personally, I love CC.

Although it's also a good time to hang on the ship if you want.

 

[shelbell77]

Yup it's just you. After 20 years of cruising CC remains my favorite port. And same goes for most of my DCL loving friends and family.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

My dad loves to snorkel - what he finds is that at CC, you have to be one of the first off the ship to get good visibility. He gets off the ship the earliest allowed and heads straight out to snorkel.

Once the kids/families get in the water and start stirring up the sand, the visibility shrinks to next to nothing.

 

[suebedo]

If you get off the ship first thing, you will have crystal clear beautiful water for an hour or two. Once the beach gets crowded the sunscreen & sand clouds it right up.

 

[JJsmama]

Is it is just me or is CC not that great as it should be..

I think it is just you. While living overseas, I have had the wonderful opportunity to holiday at some of the world's best beaches, including the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo, and CC is my favorite beach experience. I love that it is so EASY there. No beach vendors, no separate chair vendors, no need to carry tip money, clean restrooms, clean food, clear water, snorkeling equipment, calm seas and easy to go back to the room when you want, plus no 17 hour flight or immigration. The combination of all that is hard to find.

For anyone wondering, my favorite beach resort is in Phuket, Thailand
Second favorite, which has better beach, but inferior resort than above is in Cebu, Philippines.

 

[FLVacationGirl]

My family loved CC! All 4 of us agreed that it was the best part of our cruise. It was a gorgeous, beautiful, sunny, tropical island with great service and tons of activities and it was probably -45C at home that day for us. So yeah, complete bliss.

 

[shelleyr25]

Been there numerous times and never once had a problem with bugs. Nor have I ever really noticed too many rocks in the swimming areas. Hmmm...were we at the same place as you were????

 

[Amw1064]

Haha, I was wondering about the rocks as well. Never had bug or rock issues and I was just there on Tuesday. Also could see my feet while standing up.

Been there numerous times and never once had a problem with bugs. Nor have I ever really noticed too many rocks in the swimming areas. Hmmm...were we at the same place as you were????

 

[Starwind]

I am still confused on the bugs part. Been to Castaway over 20 times and never had a bug problem. We love Castaway and we live in Florida with beautiful beaches. It is my favorite port and reason why we do Disney cruises.

We did b2b Disney Dream cruises Dec 11-14 and Dec 14-18 2015.

My sister got bug bites on her ankles and feet while at Castaway Cay on the second cruise. She wore water sandals. I wore Crocs with no holes (unintended, but bad things happened to the water shoes I had been going to wear, so Crocs it was). She is a mosquito magnet at home. No idea what the bugs were, but she easily had a half dozen bites per foot. She did not feel them as they were happening, only that night when her feet were itchy and she took a look were they discovered.

I am thinking maybe sand fleas or something similar ?

While annoying, it will not disuade us from really liking CC. Next trip we will bring bug wipes and apply often.

As for water depth: on previous cruises we have:

- snorkeled the snorkel lagoon first thing in the morning; once you got out into deeper water it was pretty clear; we saw many things, lots of fish including ones that liked to follow me around; and the water was over my 5'4" head in many places

- swam off Serenity Bay - depth was comfortable for using floats

- swam off the family beach cabanas beach -- water did not get very deep, but was nice to putter in

- swam off the beach they take you to when you do the hike and kayak adventure: water got deep, was VERY clear, and seemed colder than the family beach water (could be a depth issue, plus it is not sheltered)

- on the hike and kayak adventure, for the kayaking part, the explained the water is stand-up-able, so if we toppled the kayak, just stand up (and then the guide would come help get you back in); we did NOT topple, but I did note that in addition to the wildlife we saw, there was quite a bit of coral in places, so dumping in the water could have been unpleasant from a coral POV even if wearing shoes

SW

 

[Sytrace]

Sounds like you encountered sea lice, which are quite painful and itchy. There is a spray that you can get from dive shops that will help with that.
However, showering off the sand and water will help immensely until you can get back onboard to soap up and shampoo.
The water can get chilly in the winter months but is incredible in the spring, summer and even the fall. My kids will go in at anytime of the year, but then they are crazy that way. lol
We have been lucky that in our six trips in two years we have not encountered rocks, sea lice, cloudy water or over crowded beach spots. (Knock on wood here as we are headed back at the end of January.) We always get at least two sets of snorkel gear and enjoy going out to look at sealife and the fun statues out there. My 14 year old loves getting the floats and will stay out there for hours at a time. We live in Florida near Cocoa and getting on a float for hours is just not possible. But floating on CC is among her must do items.

Perhaps the next trip out there will be better for you!

 

[eskimoinparadise]

There are really two Serenity Bay's: The one that existed before the hurricanes pushed tons of sand into the bay and created that huge ugly sand bar (and destroyed almost all of the sea life), and the natural bay that existed before all that happened. On one trip (2009), DW and I counted 15 different types of star fish, and 4-5 different types of sand dollars. I have literally hundreds of pictures that I've taken while snorkeling in the old bay, but when we were there this May I never bothered to even unpack my gear - there was nothing left but sand and rocks. We just enjoyed the beach.