My Disney Cruise Diary

My Disney Cruise Diary

Cleanliness, Customer Service, and Castaway Cay

Walt Disney World has always been the standard for visitor vacation experience, whether at one of their famed theme parks, going to the movies, or even staying at one of their many on property guest accommodations. Now Disney has not only set the standard for the cruise industry, but raised the bar too.

Cast Off celebration on main deck

"You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality." It was Walt Disney that said that decades before anybody thought to build Disney Cruise Line as a family vacation destination, and yet today, that message is at the forefront of everything Disney Cruise Line stands for. I have to say, before this past weekend, I was not too fond of the idea of spending time on a ship out to sea with no place to go if things turned out disappointing. I like to have back up options when I travel, and the idea of sailing definitely seemed limiting.

From the moment we boarded the Disney Wonder, she felt like the kind of place I would like to spend the weekend. Upon arrival we were given detailed instructions on how to join up with our

Patty, one of our personal conceirges with Sarah.

concierge level welcome reception and meet our personal concierge team for our trip. Patty and Angeline were assigned to be our personal concierge's while on board, there to help with any question, request, and or need we could imagine. A lot of places you visit say they are there for you, but this team exceeded all expectations.

Within a few moments of finishing our welcome reception, it was obvious that this crew was serious about keeping their vessel clean. There were housekeepers in common areas dusting walls, wiping down hand rails, and even there to hand each guest sanitized hand wipes before, during, and after each dining experience. During the course of each day, a personalized housekeeping crew assigned to our stateroom was responsible for multiple tidy sessions and turndown service throughout the day and evening.

Throughout your stay on board the Disney Magic or Wonder, your housekeeping crew and wait staff stay with you throughout the entire visit. When you eat dinner your first night aboard, you are introduced to your Head Waiter, your Waiter, and your Waiter's Assistant Waiter. These team members stay with you during the duration as you dine from one room to the next. This extra level of service is truly an added special element to the overall experience.

Some of the welcome reception treats.

Other cruise lines rely on many ports of call to entertain their guests while at sea. Clearly some day excursions have more to offer than others, but Disney Cruise Lines has taken that often unknown factor into consideration. Walt Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Cay in the Bahamian Islands is Disney's private cruise destination. When the Wonder docks at Castaway Cay, there are no other cruise liner's sharing your port of call, it's just you and the entire private island experience.

Upon arrival, some of the first things I began to think about were how do they provide power and supplies to this island in the middle of the ocean, all by itself? Knowing Disney is the leader in innovation when it comes to the making of memorable destinations, I couldn't wait to find out how they pulled this off. Keep in mind - nearly

Our wait staff Georgi and Yayan kept us smiling and full at dinner time.

3,000 guests each week make this island their home for a day during their vacation at sea.

That's 3,000 people that will need to be fed, use the bathroom, purchase souvenirs, play games, para sail, snorkel, ride wave runners, ride bikes, sun bathe on family beaches, and sun bathe on adult only beaches. Basically anything you can do on the mainland and more, but do so - on an exclusive and isolated private island somewhere in the Caribbean.

Well, once again - leave it to Disney… "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them and I believe in being an innovator." Here are clear examples of Walt paving the way for a corporate culture that constantly exceeds the guest's expectations. Castaway Cay is an example of smart engineering and a desire to preserve one of God's natural beauties. The power supply for Castaway Cay is provided by four diesel powered generators along with all of the vehicles that carry guests and supplies all over the island. Diesel, you might ask, yes - bio diesel.

Disney recycles every aspect of the island experience they can. You've heard the old saying when camping…take only pictures and leave only footprints behind - that seemed to be Disney's mantra when designing this island paradise. All supplies brought to the island by ship are used, collected, sorted, and gathered for recycling when finished. Cooking oils from the ship and the on island cooking operations are collected and filtered to be later used in powering the energy plant and vehicles on the island.

The Flying Dutchmen and Disney Wonder in the background.

Potable water supply is stored in an 80,000 gallon reserve tank while the island uses its own reverse osmosis desalinization facility to process an additional 50,000 gallons a day of an apparent endless supply of sea water to service all the drinking water needs while on the island. It amazes me how a company like Walt Disney can accomplish engineering feats such as this, but when it comes to our governments, we can't seem to get much accomplished.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot - the island is beautiful too. Its natural beauty is obvious and the added special touches that Walt Disney and Disney Cruise Lines have added speak for themselves. Disney Cruise Lines Castaway Cay is a great time for your family and friends. For more

Lots of children's activities.

information on Disney Cruise Lines and your next vacation at sea, go to: www.disneycruise.com

 

Fun in the sun on the family beach.