Excursions on 3-night Dream - Suggestions needed!

[newmomtexas]

We are first time Disney cruisers. Just booked tickets for 3-night cruise in December. Two ports will be Nassau and Castaway Cay. We have three families with kids from 5 to 11. Any suggestions on what to do in Nassau and Castaway Cay? How's the weather there in December. Thank you!

 

By the way, is there a formal night during the 3-night cruise? Thanks!

[Shmoo here]

We are first time Disney cruisers. Just booked tickets for 3-night cruise in December. Two ports will be Nassau and Castaway Cay. We have three families with kids from 5 to 11. Any suggestions on what to do in Nassau and Castaway Cay? How's the weather there in December. Thank you!

 

By the way, is there a formal night during the 3-night cruise? Thanks!

 

Well, the only question I can answer is on the the 3 night cruise there is no formal night. There is a "dress up optional" night. You can dress up, or not.

 

We've been to CC twice. First time we did the combo package (snorkle/bike/floats). Second time, we just walked to the beach, did pelican plunge, and relaxed.

 

:)

[newmomtexas]

Well, the only question I can answer is on the the 3 night cruise there is no formal night. There is a "dress up optional" night. You can dress up, or not.

 

We've been to CC twice. First time we did the combo package (snorkle/bike/floats). Second time, we just walked to the beach, did pelican plunge, and relaxed.

 

:)

Thank you for the information. I heard CC is a Disney island. If so, does the island itself provide anything for kids to play/see without extra charge?

[TOlson70]

There is a kids club, water slides, splash zone, and climbing/swinging ropes free of charge on CC.

 

As far as Nassau goes, I am biased, I don't get off the ship if we go to Nassau, just nothing there to get me excited. As a first time visitor with young kids, maybe look into a pirate tour, or one of the glass bottom boats or mini-subs. Avoid the straw market if you can, nothing good comes out of that trap.

[helensut1]

We are first time Disney cruisers. Just booked tickets for 3-night cruise in December. Two ports will be Nassau and Castaway Cay. We have three families with kids from 5 to 11. Any suggestions on what to do in Nassau and Castaway Cay? How's the weather there in December. Thank you!

 

By the way, is there a formal night during the 3-night cruise? Thanks!

 

 

Hi there, we did a 3 night Dream cruise last December, wasn't expecting great weather but it was FAB, had to get in the sea to cool off!

 

We did the Atlantis tour in Nassau, it was ok but with hindsight wouldn't have done it, we heard Nassau wasn't a great place for families but it wasn't too bad. Personally I wish we had got off the ship for a couple of hours and walked round the shops then made the most of the ship being quieter.

 

At CC we hired bikes, would recommend that, $6 per hour I think so relatively cheap, we also hired inflatables on the day, had lunch, relaxed, pelican slides and then it was time to go back :(

 

You will have an amazing time whatever you do, the ship was magical with all the Christmas decorations. We didn't particularly dress up, wasn't even aware there was a 'dress up' night, however we did dress up on our last night as it was our son's 6th birthday.

 

Enjoy ;)

[Skitheboat]

I know many folks aren't interested in Atlantis, but we have taken our 2 kids there, ages 7 & 9, and they LOVED it. (and honestly, we adults had a pretty fun time too). Our family enjoys swimming & our kids love water slides, so they thought it was all that. Our kids also enjoyed the aquariums at Atlantis & the beach.

We did not buy the excursion through the cruise, we just grabbed a cab to Atlantis, proceeded to a customer service desk & purchased day passes for our family. We told our cab driver what we wanted to do & he knew exactly which Atlantis entrance to take us to. This was at a substantial savings over booking through the cruise line.

Our weather was fabulous, so our day at Atlantis was money well spent. December weather is iffy, you may have a 65 degree day or it may be 85. You just never know!

[rstout]

I also second going to Atlantis with kids that age - our kids loved it! We booked through Comfort Suites (much cheaper at the time we went than the cruise excursion or day pass), and you should get a good rate going in December. You basically check in and check out at the same time and walk across the street to Atlantis with a ticket that you trade in for your wristband to use the waterpark. It is good for up to four people in a room though...you would have to pay extra for more people. Check out the Ports of Call Board here on CC...there is a lot of information there.

[rstout]

Also, for a first time at Castaway Cay, there is a ton to do at no cost...Pelican Plunge, the hermit crab races for kids, playing on the beach (you can rent floats easily the day you are there), etc. The water can be cool that time of year...we didn't stay in long on our B2B the last week of November/early December.