Lighthouse Point to welcome guests in Summer 2024

[Tiggerish]

I haven’t done it but my Gf has, we chose Princess specifically because they offer land and sea packages and my GFs big regret from her previous cruise was she didn’t see enough of Alaska. We’re doing a 7 day cruise from Vancouver to Anchorage followed by 5 days in Princess lodges at Denali, Mt McKinley, and Fairbanks. It was nice to let someone else take care of the travel and lodging aspect and just pick which excursions we wanted to do.

She said we can do a more relaxing DCL cruise “next time”, which made me laugh because she already knows I’ll want to go back.

You are going to LOVE it. Alaska is amazing. Aside from the glaciers and the mountains, there's this really cool bookstore in Ketchikan...

I will say, having done Alaska twice with DCL, I would like to try it with another line such as Princess. Because Love Boat was a thing when I was a teen.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

You are going to LOVE it. Alaska is amazing. Aside from the glaciers and the mountains, there's this really cool bookstore in Ketchikan...

I will say, having done Alaska twice with DCL, I would like to try it with another line such as Princess. Because Love Boat was a thing when I was a teen.

It’s my first non Disney cruise so I’m both excited and a little nervous about stepping out of my comfort zone and trying another cruise line, the ship looks really nice though (despite being older), the food reviews are good, and one unexpected benefit of not doing Disney is we booked a ton of excursions. We’re so busy on DCL cruises we tend not to book a lot of excursions so we can spend more time onboard, this time we’ve got a whale watching excursion, a bear watching excursion, horseback riding, a side by side adventure, a couple train rides, a dogsledding excursion, a paddle boat ride, some hikes… if there’s a way of moving in Alaska we’re probably doing it.

Writing that reminds me why I’m already looking at a couple DCL Christmas cruises to relax and recover from our Sept Princess cruise.

 

[Tiggerish]

It’s my first non Disney cruise so I’m both excited and a little nervous about stepping out of my comfort zone and trying another cruise line, the ship looks really nice though (despite being older), the food reviews are good, and one unexpected benefit of not doing Disney is we booked a ton of excursions. We’re so busy on DCL cruises we tend not to book a lot of excursions so we can spend more time onboard, this time we’ve got a whale watching excursion, a bear watching excursion, horseback riding, a side by side adventure, a couple train rides, a dogsledding excursion, a paddle boat ride, some hikes… if there’s a way of moving in Alaska we’re probably doing it.

Writing that reminds me why I’m already looking at a couple DCL Christmas cruises to relax and recover from our Sept Princess cruise.

Whales are very cool in action, but don't discount the seals!!!

Pic from our glacier day, there were hundreds of seals lounging on the tiny bergs that had calved from the giant one, and diving and swimming about...

Here's the glacier...the black dots you see in the foreground are all seals!! Totally awesome. This was 2022

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

I'm not a fan of the Wish, but for some reason I'm looking forward to giving the Treasure a try

True for us also, Wish is our least favorite ship but we’re looking forward to trying the Treasure.

Curious why you don’t like the Wish?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Curious why you don’t like the Wish?

It felt very crowded compared to the other ships, little things like not being able to find seats for trivia, the dining room tables were so close together the servers would often accidentally bump your chair trying to get past, grabbing a drink at a lounge and having to leave because there’s nowhere to sit, the rainforest room was often so busy you couldn’t get in the hot tub or find a seat, etc.

It’s a beautiful ship, it just feels like there’s too many guests onboard for how much public space it has.

I’d rather be on a smaller ship, with fewer guests, and have more elbow room.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

It felt very crowded compared to the other ships, little things like not being able to find seats for trivia, the dining room tables were so close together the servers would often accidentally bump your chair trying to get past, grabbing a drink at a lounge and having to leave because there’s nowhere to sit, the rainforest room was often so busy you couldn’t get in the hot tub or find a seat, etc.

It’s a beautiful ship, it just feels like there’s too many guests onboard for how much public space it has.

I’d rather be on a smaller ship, with fewer guests, and have more elbow room.

Good to know, thank you.
My husband and I sailed the Dream last year and loved it. I just put a deposit down for my mom and I on the Wish in 2026.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

Good to know, thank you.
My husband and I sailed the Dream last year and loved it. I just put a deposit down for my mom and I on the Wish in 2026.

If you want yo do any bingo or trivia, get there at least 30 minutes early (maybe earlier for Bingo since the card/tablet sales start early). Seating is sparse in some of the lounges and seats fill up fast. Beyond that, I really enjoy the Wish - especially the dining. For me, the food is head and shoulders above the Dream.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

If you want yo do any bingo or trivia, get there at least 30 minutes early (maybe earlier for Bingo since the card/tablet sales start early). Seating is sparse in some of the lounges and seats fill up fast. Beyond that, I really enjoy the Wish - especially the dining. For me, the food is head and shoulders above the Dream.

That’s great to hear, thanks. I was torn between the Wish sailing and a sailing on the Fantasy within the same week. But since the Dream and Fantasy are sister ships, I was worried they would feel too similar and I wanted a completely different experience. Also the Fantasy sailing stopped at Lighthouse Point and I was worried I wouldn’t like it as much as Castaway. So ultimately went with the Wish.

 

[HauntedPirate]

That’s great to hear, thanks. I was torn between the Wish sailing and a sailing on the Fantasy within the same week. But since the Dream and Fantasy are sister ships, I was worried they would feel too similar and I wanted a completely different experience. Also the Fantasy sailing stopped at Lighthouse Point and I was worried I wouldn’t like it as much as Castaway. So ultimately went with the Wish.

Lighthouse Point is fantastic. My opinion of the Wish is rather negative and the posts why can be found in this forum. I will not willingly sail on it or any of its sister ships, unless there is the right group of people going.

So... how does it work to get a ride to the tram for those with physical limitations? I'm traveling with my in-laws, 1 of which had both knees replaced recently and the other who probably needs both knees replaced... I don't think they could make the 1/2 mile walk without a decent amount of stops.

You'll call Guest Services at least 24 hours prior to arriving at LP. You should also receive a message in the DCL Navigator app. You'll be able to set up a time slot, for us it was between 9-11am.

 

[joanna71985]

Curious why you don’t like the Wish?

I didn't like the layout at all, the elevators were a pain, and all of the main spaces were a lot smaller than I expected

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

That’s great to hear, thanks. I was torn between the Wish sailing and a sailing on the Fantasy within the same week. But since the Dream and Fantasy are sister ships, I was worried they would feel too similar and I wanted a completely different experience. Also the Fantasy sailing stopped at Lighthouse Point and I was worried I wouldn’t like it as much as Castaway. So ultimately went with the Wish.

Before our trip to Lookout Cay last month I didn’t think there was any way it could be as good as Castaway, and I actually liked it a bit more than Castaway. They are both amazing, in different ways, considering they’re both private Caribbean Disney ports they did an amazing job of making them feel completely different from each other. Castaway feels like a Disney island with a touch of the Caribbean, Lookout feels like a Caribbean island with a Touch of Disney. They are both beautiful, Lookout feels more natural to me while Castaway feels more Disneyfied, I love them both though.

I think our future Caribbean cruises will all include both islands because we like them both that much.

I honestly don’t think you can make a wrong choice choosing a DCL ship, I’ve read many trip reports from people who prefer the Magic/Dream class, many other reports from people prefer the Fantasy/Wonder class, and many reports from people who prefer the Wish class… they all have pros and cons and until you try them all you’ll never know which one is your favorite. Although the Wish didn’t meet our preferences as much as the other ships we can’t wait to try the Treasure. We’ve been on all 3 classes and they’re all good, just different.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I didn't like the layout at all, the elevators were a pain, and all of the main spaces were a lot smaller than I expected

We disliked Wish so much that, at the time, we said, “no more Disney cruises.”

Then I saw Magic is visiting both islands on
a 4-nighter this summer. But, that will likely be our last Disney cruise. Wish takes over that route next summer so we will just stick with Royal going forward.

 

[Railking55]

We disliked Wish so much that, at the time, we said, “no more Disney cruises.”

Then I saw Magic is visiting both islands on
a 4-nighter this summer. But, that will likely be our last Disney cruise. Wish takes over that route next summer so we will just stick with Royal going forward.

Enjoy

 

[HauntedPirate]

We disliked Wish so much that, at the time, we said, “no more Disney cruises.”

Then I saw Magic is visiting both islands on
a 4-nighter this summer. But, that will likely be our last Disney cruise. Wish takes over that route next summer so we will just stick with Royal going forward.

I can’t say I disagree with the sentiment. We’re looking at a friends cruise in September 2026 and the only itineraries not on a Wish-class ship are 4-night and 5-night Bahamas cruises out of PC.

 

[Purduevian]

Just got back from my first ever trip to Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay.

I was traveling with my wife, my 2 year old son, and my in-laws both in their 60s. I went to guest services on the cruise ship 2 days before arriving at Lighthouse Point and were able to reserve my in-laws on the mobility shuttle while a wide range of times available. They said the process was very easy and quick to get on their shuttle and we met them at the end of the pier.

Our experience was not as good. We were told there would be wagons available, however when we started our walk, no wagons were there. The CM suggested we start our walk and flag down the wagon shuttle as we were walking. We made it about 1/3 of the way before we found a golf cart stopped on the pier with people grabbing wagons from it. Once we had the wagon, the rest of the walk was lovely. It was quite annoying though to find dozens of wagons at the far side of the pier. We had the exact same situation on the way back, where a group took the last wagon right in front of us, only to put bags in it. The wagons can be a good solution, but they need a lot more wagon trains going back and forth so they are actually available.

The actual private beach however was perfect for us. The water was calm enough to swim with the 2 year old and we had to force him away from the splash pad area to eat. We also had no issues finding a table at lunch and I really enjoyed the food.

I think I am probably in the minority, but even with the logistical issues, I actually preferred Lighthouse Point over Castaway Cay.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Just got back from my first ever trip to Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay.

I was traveling with my wife, my 2 year old son, and my in-laws both in their 60s. I went to guest services on the cruise ship 2 days before arriving at Lighthouse Point and were able to reserve my in-laws on the mobility shuttle while a wide range of times available. They said the process was very easy and quick to get on their shuttle and we met them at the end of the pier.

Our experience was not as good. We were told there would be wagons available, however when we started our walk, no wagons were there. The CM suggested we start our walk and flag down the wagon shuttle as we were walking. We made it about 1/3 of the way before we found a golf cart stopped on the pier with people grabbing wagons from it. Once we had the wagon, the rest of the walk was lovely. It was quite annoying though to find dozens of wagons at the far side of the pier. We had the exact same situation on the way back, where a group took the last wagon right in front of us, only to put bags in it. The wagons can be a good solution, but they need a lot more wagon trains going back and forth so they are actually available.

The actual private beach however was perfect for us. The water was calm enough to swim with the 2 year old and we had to force him away from the splash pad area to eat. We also had no issues finding a table at lunch and I really enjoyed the food.

I think I am probably in the minority, but even with the logistical issues, I actually preferred Lighthouse Point over Castaway Cay.

I had a client that just did a cruise that stopped at both islands. Their final thoughts were the same- they preferred Lighthouse even with the long walk. She said it was the most beautiful beach she’s been on with perfectly soft, pink sand and crystal clear water. Her 5 year said the splash pad on Lighthouse was her favorite part of the trip!

 

[Purduevian]

I had a client that just did a cruise that stopped at both islands. Their final thoughts were the same- they preferred Lighthouse even with the long walk. She said it was the most beautiful beach she’s been on with perfectly soft, pink sand and crystal clear water. Her 5 year said the splash pad on Lighthouse was her favorite part of the trip!

The whole vibe was better to me at Lighthouse point as well. I know both islands are hugely artificial, however LP felt more natural and more upscale to me vs Castaway felt very cartoony. Also the Castaway "splash pad" is laughable.

Castaway is great, but I had no nostalgia for it like I am sure many on these forums do. As such it felt like a theme park land with no payoff to me after having just been to (IMHO) a superior beach/facilities... everything just felt a little worse and a little more fake at Castaway... which to be fair is way way older.

 

[HauntedPirate]

We've done both islands on back-to-back days. We prefer the beach at Lighthouse Point, but the amount of time required to get there is ridiculous. The food is mediocre, at best. Even my kids, whose tastes have expanded greatly over the past 2-3 years, thought the food was "meh". Not that Cookies or Serenity Bay have anything to brag about when it comes to food, of course.

It could just be familiarity, but something about CC feels more... homey. But it does feel dated and in need of some overhauls to provide some better quality attractions, for lack of a better word, for families with teen and pre-teen children. LP feels very phony at the moment, with all of the what I consider forced Bahamian culture. At least there aren't hordes of people asking you to buy things once you get off the tram... But that beach is 10x better than CC. I think they designed CC to be much less "oceanic", with the breaks to prevent a lot of waviness on the beaches. But the sand is so soft and the water can be so warm and the waves at LP can be so fun... when that combination is right, it's calming and soothing to the soul. At least my soul.

 

[RememberWhen]

Just got back from my first ever trip to Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay.

I was traveling with my wife, my 2 year old son, and my in-laws both in their 60s. I went to guest services on the cruise ship 2 days before arriving at Lighthouse Point and were able to reserve my in-laws on the mobility shuttle while a wide range of times available. They said the process was very easy and quick to get on their shuttle and we met them at the end of the pier.

Our experience was not as good. We were told there would be wagons available, however when we started our walk, no wagons were there. The CM suggested we start our walk and flag down the wagon shuttle as we were walking. We made it about 1/3 of the way before we found a golf cart stopped on the pier with people grabbing wagons from it. Once we had the wagon, the rest of the walk was lovely. It was quite annoying though to find dozens of wagons at the far side of the pier. We had the exact same situation on the way back, where a group took the last wagon right in front of us, only to put bags in it. The wagons can be a good solution, but they need a lot more wagon trains going back and forth so they are actually available.

The actual private beach however was perfect for us. The water was calm enough to swim with the 2 year old and we had to force him away from the splash pad area to eat. We also had no issues finding a table at lunch and I really enjoyed the food.

I think I am probably in the minority, but even with the logistical issues, I actually preferred Lighthouse Point over Castaway Cay.

Were your in-laws able to get a shuttle back? Did you have to reserve a time for that as well? We’re headed to LP in June and I’m worried about my folks (in their 70s) and my kids making the long trek. Especially back. It’s pirate night that night and we have the early seating for dinner so we need to get back on time. Hard to plan…

 

[Master Yoda]

Were your in-laws able to get a shuttle back? Did you have to reserve a time for that as well? We’re headed to LP in June and I’m worried about my folks (in their 70s) and my kids making the long trek. Especially back. It’s pirate night that night and we have the early seating for dinner so we need to get back on time. Hard to plan…

When we went to LP, the shuttles there were by reservation...at least for the first few hours. The shuttles back were on demand.

I would still follow "Disney Parks travel times rules" and allow an hour to get anywhere.