February Cruising

[walterm]

We are thinking about taking a cruise in mid-February 2019 with stops in Nassau & Castaway Cay. Any advice and/or thoughts on what we can expect weather wise? Will being in the ocean at Castaway Cay be a no-go for all except the very brave?

 

 

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[DCLCrazy]

We are thinking about taking a cruise in mid-February 2019 with stops in Nassau & Castaway Cay. Any advice and/or thoughts on what we can expect weather wise? Will being in the ocean at Castaway Cay be a no-go for all except the very brave?

 

 

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We cruise in February all the time. It’s a great time to go bc the rates are lower, but so is the water temp! Brrrr! Just don’t plan on the swimming with sting rays excursion and you’ll be fine. :). Have fun!

 

 

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[moki'smommy]

We also have done many February cruises as it is a birthday month for our family. The weather is variable. We had one cruise where the crew told us it was the first decent week since Christmas....but it was warm and lovely. There have been other cruises where I didn't get in the water. The one thing I would suggest is that you avoid "President's week." The ship tends to resemble a summer cruise in terms of both prices and ages of kids on board on that week.

[luvincruising]

I agree with DCLCRAZY. On our last Feb. cruise, the water in Nassau was unpleasantly cold. It was a bright and sunny day, about 78 degrees. You could not stay in the water for more than a few minutes. Our beach day was a bust.

:)

[chemistrynerd]

It's a good time to cruise, but I've only been on a late-Feb cruise. Yes, the water will be cooler, but lots of folks will get in the water (especially if it's a sunny and warm day).

 

Will this be your first Disney cruise? If so, I'd propose that the weather really won't matter. Maximize your time on the ship because that's really what you're paying for with Disney. It depends on your family, but see a movie, spend time on the pool deck, relax in the stateroom, check out some of the programming, etc. I'm in the minority here (even within my own family), but I'd rather be on the ship than on Castaway. I can go to better beaches for less money, but the ship is what makes the trip special.

 

Again, if this will be your first Disney cruise, a 3- or 4-nt trip is perfect. You'll go at a time of year that minimizes cost. If you love it, you can always come back again. If it's not for you or your family, at least you learned without breaking the bank.

[moki'smommy]

One comment on the above. If at all possible, I'd start with at least a 4 night cruise. A 3 night cruise is really only 2 1/2 days long; yes, I know the ship schedules all the most popular activities...but it is non-stop. You don't have a real sea day (staying on the ship while in port is different than a sea day). It is hard to understand unless you've done both, but there is a huge difference between a 3 night and a 4 night cruise. And, there are fixed costs with any cruise--you pay to get to the port city and you pay to get from the airport to the cruise terminal. That won't change, nor will the hassles of travel and transportation. Take time to enjoy it once you get there.

 

And again, the best thing I can say about February weather is that it is variable. It can be great...or it can be cool.

[Qbie]

We only sail in late January or early February. We've been very fortunate and the weather has always cooperated at Castway for us so far....(knock on wood!) We generally try to pick more southern destinations (Grand Cayman and Cozumel) to give us a better chance for heat. I've left out of Pt Canaveral when coats were required and I've left when it's crazy hot. The weather is truly random near Florida at that time of year.

 

We've gone swimming and snorkeling at Castaway every year but i do agree the water can be chilly at first. This past year was the coldest I remember the water at Castaway out of our last 4 years but it was 'swimmable' and lots of people were in. I agree with moki'smommy about 3 day cruises. I'd definitely suggest going with a 4 day cruise as the 3 days is really a massive tease and is so rushed.

[robhawk]

We have been on many Presidents week cruises. The air temp is usually around 80 degrees. We are from New England and find the water to be marvelous! Someone from a southern state would probably feel otherwise.

 

 

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