Disney by Sea and Land - Day 7

This morning I wake up in time to watch us maneuver into our berth on Castaway Cay - Disney's private island in the Bahamas. (The ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet are all registered in the Bahamas.) This will be our last day of the cruise, and early tomorrow morning - after breakfast - we will be leaving the ship. 

From our veranda, I can see some of the earliest guests leaving the ship and heading out to claim their spots on the beach.

Unfortunately, when I come back into my room I get a call that due to the high winds, my daughter and my parasailing session has been cancelled. This was a highlight of our last visit here and we had hoped to do it again this trip. Oh well, at least we have done it in the past.

Yes, that is me during our last visit to Castaway Cay - aboard the Disney Magic.

Unlike the perfect weather we had our last trip here, today is very cool and windy on the island. We all meet and have breakfast aboard the Wonder and then head off the ship and onto Castaway Cay.

We bypass the family beach and head back to Serenity Bay, the adult only beach. Because of the weather, the beach is rather uncrowded and we have no problem finding lounges when we get there. 

After a while, I decide that I want to take a walk down one of the island's paths and take some photos of the plant life on the island. Before Disney took over, this island was a true pirates' island, most recently owned by drug dealers, and the landing strip they used is still there. The path I take branches off from that landing strip. Like home, Castaway Cay was hard hit by Hurricane Sandy and most of the island had gone brown, but Disney horticulture does amazing things and there is much life now growing once again.

Soon it is time for lunch, and we stay on this side of the island and have lunch here as well. When we are finished I notice these two and naturally, they get their pictures taken.

Since we are a bit uncomfortable on the beach, we decide to head back to the ship, stopping along the way to do a bit of shopping.

As you can see - it is mid-afternoon and even the family beach is not crowded. It really is an unusual day here on Castaway Cay.

We head back to the ship where - after naps all around - we start the process of packing and getting ready to leave the ship in the morning. Our luggage is due to be placed outside of our rooms by 10:00 PM so we want to have our packing almost completely done before dinner.

Back in our room, we have one last look at the island as we prepare to head back to sea. This is the Bahamas' post office ... notice the airmail mailbox (on top of the post).

As we leave Castaway Cay, the castmembers send us off with a wave of Mickey Mouse hands.

After our nap my wife and I pack almost everything, waiting until after dinner to pack today's clothes and remember to leave a set out so that we don't have to leave the ship in our pajamas tomorrow morning.

The final production takes place back in the Walt Disney Theater this evening, and we have our final dinner aboard ship back in Triton's where we ate on the first night.

We head back to our room when done, place the last items in our luggage and place them outside of our room to be picked up. Then it is time to relax and turn in for our final sleep aboard ship.

Tomorrow morning we will be back in the Port of Miami.