Ahoy Joseph, and welcome aboard planDisney! Get ready to weigh anchor and set sail for
Disney Castaway Cay - Disney's award-winning private island escape reserved just for Disney Cruise Line Guests!
Ah, the Cabanas at Castaway Cay...this is at once one of my favorite and least favorite questions to answer about Disney Cruise Line! My favorite because it is one of the coolest Port Adventures around - one that takes a perfect day on Castaway Cay to another level...and my least favorite because it's one that I have yet to experience myself, but not for lack of trying!
The cabanas are one of the hot-ticket
Port Adventures on any itinerary that calls on Castaway Cay. The silver lining is if you know how to book a Port Adventure, you know how to book a cabana! We'll go through it step by step to help you have the best chance possible to enjoy this experience with your crew.
First, I always recommend knowing your
Castaway Club status! Since the Cabanas are Port Adventures, Concierge-level Stateroom Guests are able to inform the Concierge Team of their preferences 125 days prior to sailing, who then make reservations on their behalf 120 days before the embarkation date (which is when Platinum Castaway Club members are also allowed to book activities). This is followed by Gold members at 105 days, Silver members at 90 days and then first-time cruisers at 75 days. Oh, and note this assumes your reservation has been paid-in-full as well!
Once you know your status and the day you'll be able to book activities, I always set an alarm for 11:50 p.m. Eastern Time the night before to log into my account and be ready to do some quick navigating of the site once the clock strikes Midnight - but instead of turning into a pumpkin, the website allows you to book activities!
Whenever your booking window opens, visit your reservation and select Port Adventures in the cruise activities menu - then select the day of your itinerary that shows Castaway Cay! Then, it's a lot of "faith, trust and pixie dust" to hope that a cabana is available. If you're lucky enough to snag one, CONGRATULATIONS! You're part of an exclusive club!
If, like I often do, you find that all the cabanas are already reserved, try not to worry! While the cabanas certainly elevate a day on Castaway Cay, they are by no means essential to having an incredible time enjoying all the activities, the amazing lunch at Cookies and Cookies Too, entertainment and excitement the island offers - and not to mention one of the best beaches you'll ever visit! And it doesn't take a cabana to take advantage of the other
Port Adventures available on Castaway Cay, so be sure to check out what is available. Can a cabana cut through the water at high-speed like the a
Crazy Horse Jet Boat? I think not!
A few extra tips:
- If you're traveling with adults only, be sure to check for the Serenity Bay Cabanas, too. They're smaller and more private, but still offer the cabana amenities for your smaller party!
- If you can, consider an itinerary with a "double dip" - usually 5 night itineraries that make not one, but two calls at Castaway Cay - double the stops, double the opportunities to book a Cabana!
I sure hope you'll be able to score a cabana this May, Joseph. I'll be watching for a flare on the horizon for you!
Andrew