February 5, 2025 • 32 mins
Ever looked at your cruise itinerary and thought, where the heck is that island? Chances are, it's one of the cruise line’s private islands—and trust us, you’ll want to visit! 🏝️ In this episode of All Things Travel, Ryan and Julie break down the best private islands, what makes them special, and why they should be part of your next cruise vacation.
Key Topics Covered:
🌊 Why Private Islands Are a Must-Do on a Cruise
- No need for excursions—just step off the ship and enjoy!
- Safe, well-maintained, and stress-free beach days
- Many all-inclusive amenities, from food to activities
🏝️ Top Private Islands & Beach Clubs
- Perfect Day at CocoCay (Royal Caribbean & Celebrity): Water parks, beaches, and luxury cabanas
- Disney’s Castaway Cay: The original private island, featuring family fun and adult-exclusive areas
- Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point (Disney): Disney’s newest island with Bahamian cultural experiences
- Bimini Beach Club (Virgin Voyages): A high-energy beach party with VIP cabanas and bonfires
- Labadee (Royal Caribbean): Ziplining, adventure parks, and private beach areas
🚢 Upcoming Private Island & Beach Club Openings
- Celebration Key (Carnival Cruise Line): A mix of thrill rides and relaxation zones
- Royal Caribbean’s Nassau Beach Club: A premium private resort experience
- Royal Caribbean’s Cozumel Beach Club: Exclusive, stress-free fun for Western Caribbean cruisers
📅 Pro Tips for Visiting a Private Island:
- Arrive early to claim the best spots
- Bring collapsible sand toys for kids
- Know the dining schedule—meals aren’t available all day like on the ship
- Keep an eye on spending—some experiences require add-on fees
Call to Action:
Planning your dream cruise? Let Ryan and Julie help you find the perfect itinerary that includes a private island stop! Contact us today at AllThingsTravelPodcast.com to start planning.
#CruiseTips #PrivateIslands #PerfectDayAtCocoCay #DisneyCruise #VirginVoyages #AllThingsTravelPodcast #BeachVacation
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (00:00):
Hello and welcome to All Things Travel.
(00:02):
Do you ever look at a cruiseitinerary, see the name of a
port stop, and think, where theheck is that island?
Chances are you're seeing thename of the cruise line's
private island, and today we'regoing to be talking all about
our favorite private islands andwhy you need to visit one on
your next cruise.
Listen in with travel advisorsand destination experts, Ryan
(00:25):
and Julie.
He is your travel professor,teaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation, I am a Disney loving
Maryland mom of three and aspecialist in family travel.
Whether we're discussingincredible destinations, top
vacation tips, or sharingpersonal stories, it's always
all things travel.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (00:48):
Hi Julie, how you doing?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (00:50):
I'm doing great.
How are you, Ryan?
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (00:52):
How is your week going?
give us an update.
what's a big thing in theSchaefer household?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (00:57):
a big thing in the Schaefer household
this week is snow.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (01:01):
Tell me about it.
My son's school is alreadycancelled tomorrow because of
cold.
the windchill's gonna benegative 15, and so they've
already cancelled school becauseof that.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:12):
negative 15.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (01:14):
Yeah.
Yeah.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:15):
I can't complain about our polar vortex,
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (01:18):
ha ha ha ha ha ha.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:20):
it's 9 degrees.
it snowed three times last week,we were off school.
I had to take five children outin the snow to play, which
lovely, blissful experience.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (01:33):
she says sarcastically.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:35):
just
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (01:35):
ha ha ha ha.
Alright,
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:37):
It was, I do, I do enjoy snow days because
I feel like it's somethingthat's like a core memory, you
know?
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (01:44):
so I had a fun experience this
weekend, my girlfriend Jasminecame up with this.
Well, she saw this idea on ticktock she saw this idea called
ABC dating.
I think I told you that I wasgoing to do that, but then I
never followed up.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:56):
never heard from you again.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (01:58):
You did, what, did he die on this
date?
so, since it's January, westarted with A, and then we're
gonna go all through thealphabet, right?
And so, every month, we do adate that has things with that
letter of the alphabet, and thenwe're gonna go back and forth
for planning it.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (02:17):
that's so cool.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (02:18):
she had it all planned.
I just showed up and drove whereshe told me to drive, which is
pretty much how we do thingsanyway.
we went to an antique mall, andlooked for Christmas stuff, and
then we went to a Mexicanrestaurant called Arco's.
And then we went to Art Link,which is a free gallery in Fort
Wayne.
And then we went to AuburnBrewing Company, which is close.
(02:41):
all A's it was a lot of fun.
next month I am in charge of B.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (02:47):
boy, that's going to be the real
test,
undefined_NaN_01-20-202 (02:49):
Doesn't that sound fun?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (02:50):
that's such a cool idea.
Now, any of those places, placesthat you would have gone if they
didn't start with an A?
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (02:58):
We had been talking about going to
several of them anyway, but Ithink it was fun to incorporate.
And the idea.
at least in the way that we'redefining it, we want to try
things that we haven't done.
So it's not just pick one of ourfavorite places and, it just
happens to start with thatletter.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (03:13):
Sure.
that makes sense.
That's awesome.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (03:15):
what is a cool trip that you're
working on for clients?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (03:20):
I had a phone call today with clients
that want to do a Disney cruiseback to back with Walt Disney
World over spring break in twoand a half months.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (03:30):
Very fun.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (03:31):
be their family's first cruise.
So it'll be really exciting.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (03:34):
Wow.
That's awesome.
I've got kind of two camps ofvacations.
I've got multiple requests forAlaska cruising, and then I have
multiple requests Ireland.
So I've been going back andforth, working on those things.
So excited.
this past week, I just booked anall inclusive resort, family
(03:55):
trip for one of our listeners.
So I'm excited for that.
well today, Julie, we are goingto be talking about a great add
on for a vacation.
You talk about a Disney cruise.
I'm talking about Alaskancruising.
One of the things that we'reseeing more and more are these
(04:15):
cruise companies adding onprivate islands or private
destinations to their cruises,and boy do we have some good
ones to share.
before we talk about that, ifyou have not gone back and
listened to last week's episode,Julie and I do a deep dive in
how to strategize for a day atEBCOT for families and also
(04:38):
adult and older children groups.
We are going to be talking aboutour first island perfect day at
Coco Cay, which is part of RoyalCaribbean and celebrity cruises
Bahamian cruises.
You and I were there last Juneand to be honest, I think you
(04:58):
were a little skeptical when westarted, our cruise about, am I
really going to like this?
Is this going to be a goodexperience?
Give us your, high leveltakeaway about Perfect Day at
Coco Cay.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (05:11):
I loved it.
I'm really excited to go back inJuly I tell a lot of people now
that I like Coco K better thanCastaway Key.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (05:22):
I do too.
I just, and not only because I'mfocused on kind of adults
things, which I know you'regoing to talk about Castaway
having, but I think there's morevariety at Coco Cay.
to give you some examples, ifwe're talking about kid friendly
fun, there's Splashaway Bay,which has slides, and Bucket,
(05:43):
you know, the water park thing.
Buckets.
There's Captain Jill's Galleon,which is like a ship for small
kids.
There are lots of places to eat.
There's three included, placesto dine.
And that's anywhere from, youknow, your taco stand to your
sandwiches to your, ice creamand all that good stuff.
(06:05):
There is one of the largestpools in the Caribbean, Oasis
Lagoon, with a great, Swim upbar.
You've got 5 different beachesto choose from and each one has
their own personality withthings to do.
you can add things on likethere's several different,
(06:27):
activities to do.
You can add some excursions, butthere's a, Beach Club which is
kind of an exclusive, anexclusive luxury place.
There's the hideaway beach thatyou and I went to, which was the
adults only area.
There's a few, upgraded diningbut really not much.
oh, and then there's the waterpark, Thrill Island, And that's
(06:47):
a full blown water park.
that rivals any water parkyou're gonna go to anywhere.
what I love about Coco Cay is,you can really go, not worry
about anything else for thatday, and know that you're going
to have a great time.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (07:01):
I agree.
But do be clear that, HideawayBeach and Thrill Island are an
extra cost that
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (07:09):
Oh, yeah, uh, yes, yes, absolutely.
Um, Thrill Island is a prettydecent cost, and I would say
Hideaway Beach continues to be asteal, for the amount of money.
And what I also like about it isyou have the Wi Fi package.
It works on the island.
You have the drink package thatworks on the island.
It's a very seamless experiencefor both Royal Caribbean and
(07:30):
Celebrity.
You and I were there, on a daythat there was both a Royal
Caribbean ship and a Celebrityship, and it really didn't feel
that full.
it's a great add on.
I highly recommend anytimeyou're taking a cruise in the
Bahamas with either of thosecompanies, make sure it's a
perfect day at Coco Cay.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (07:50):
my trick for some of those, and maybe you
do this too with your clients,is Thrill Island is a pretty
good add on.
It's good as in like it's notcheap.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (08:03):
Yeah,
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (08:03):
I have clients sailing on one of the
newer ships that is, moreexpensive, then I tell them
don't add on Thrill Island.
Enjoy the upgraded options thatare on your ship.
But if you're on an older shipthat's more affordable, then add
on Thrill Island because youdon't have those big waterpark
features on your ship.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (08:23):
I remember you saying that before
and I think that's spot onbecause if you're on the newer
ships, the Icon class, you'regoing to have essentially, not
the same size water park, but aheck of a lot of things that are
included.
It would feel a littlerepetitious to then spend your
day, doing the same thing on theisland.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (08:44):
Right.
I just say, okay, take advantageof the beach and have a relaxing
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (08:48):
Yeah,
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (08:48):
instead.
undefined_NaN_01-20- (08:49):
absolutely
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (08:52):
Do you have anything else to share
about Perfect Day at Cook?
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (08:54):
it's perfect.
And it's a day
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (08:56):
All right.
So I'm going to talk aboutShocking Disney's Private Island
Castaway Key.
So this was the original privateisland that Disney created.
it is known for white sandbeaches, and it's really great
for families.
Castaway Cay was the firstisland where the ships could
dock directly at the island andnot need to be tendered in.
(09:18):
there are permanent residents ofthe island.
And then when you dock there,your cast members on board will
also be on board.
cast members on the island
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (09:28):
And I will tell you as kind of a
travel nerd a cruise nerd Ithink it's kind of fun when we
dock on these islands and thenwatch The activity, right?
I remember going to Castaway Caywith Disney and they have that
whole logistical system down.
this comes off the ship and thenthese people come off the ship
and it's just I just love towatch the magic of them making
(09:51):
the day what it is.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (09:53):
And I remember on my last cruise a
couple weeks ago, the captaindoes come on and say, good
morning.
We're docked at Castaway Cay.
We've got to wait about an hour,to get off the ship, which this
is at like seven in the morning,so it's still early.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025 (10:07):
You're like, that's okay, I won't be
ready in an hour.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (10:09):
we're going to wait about an hour to
let the crew get set up, theyhave to go set up the island and
get all the beach chairs andumbrellas ready.
fun fact, Castaway Cay was usedto film some of the Pirates of
the Caribbean movies.
the biggest thing for CastawayCay is knowing what's there for
families.
It is a pretty simple island,they don't have thrill island
(10:31):
type, water playgrounds orthings like that.
They have a big area in thewater, like out in the ocean
called Pelican Plunge.
And that has a couple oftwisting slides.
It's like a big floatingplatform.
But! Because it's out in theocean, it's not really for
younger kids.
I would say that's better forolder elementary school and
(10:54):
maybe even middle school.
the very cool thing aboutCastaway Cay is that the kids
clubs are also on the island.
they are really, really fun kidsclubs.
you have Scuttle's Cove and youhave the teen hideout.
so again, Skuttles Cove is likeyounger kids.
There's a whale dig site.
There's sandcastle building,soccer, capture the flag.
(11:17):
they also have a splash pad inthat area and it's the same
system as it is on the shipwhere the kids scan their bands
and go right in.
They also have a big gamingpavilion that serves kids in
between the younger kids cluband the teen hideout.
couple of family friendly addons that you could do.
You could rent snorkel gear,kayak, do paddle boats and aqua
(11:38):
trites.
You could also rent inner tubesand those mats that you have
just floating in the water.
You can also do the glass bottomboat voyage, which you would
want to book in advance.
interesting to note That startswith babies, at six months.
So that's good that they havesomething that those younger
ones can do.
(11:59):
There is actually adult onlyactivities on Castaway Cay.
So similar to Hideaway Beach onCoco Cay, Castaway Cay has
Serenity Bay, an adult onlybeach.
You just take the tram and keepgoing over there.
There are cabanas over there.
There's a barbecue over there.
all the way on your way overthere, there are bars all over
(12:20):
the place.
There's Olaf's SummertimeFreeze, which is kind of like
the most well known bar area.
Very large statue of Olaf outfront.
You can't miss it.
there's not a lot of adult onlyspecific things, but there are a
lot of excursions for, peopleover the age of 16 or 18.
(12:41):
So, the Castaway Race, StingrayAdventure, the Jet Skiing, any
sort of walking, kayaking,nature, adventure type tour.
Those are all for 16 plus or 10plus, so you're not going to
have a lot of younger kids onthose.
So if you wanted to avoid kids.
Go for one of those activities.
(13:02):
food is pretty basic on theIsland.
They're like big barbecuestations over at Cookies and
Cookies too.
and then the other barbecuestation over at Serenity Bay, I
think the food is pretty good.
It's a seamless experiencegetting through the line.
The nice thing is that the foodis the same everywhere.
So you can get in any line,which I like, And you're pretty
(13:23):
much going to stop at CastawayCay on any, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 night
itinerary
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (13:30):
yeah,
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (13:30):
in the Bahamas, the Western Caribbean,
or the Eastern Caribbean withDisney Cruise Line.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (13:37):
I want to talk about a different
style and that's the BiminiBeach Club for Virgin voyages
this is not an island.
When Virgin Voyages docks inBimini, they have a beach club
area and it is a party on thebeach.
(13:58):
There is a large pool area.
There's included food Virgindoes not have drink packages,
but they have options on BiminiBeach and their drinks are very
cheap.
Reasonably priced they havedifferent parties throughout the
day.
It's got a dj feel kind of aDarty feel if you've heard that
(14:18):
term before julie one of thethings that's really cool about
bimini is They stay later.
into the night In the eveningthey actually have bonfires on
the beach.
they offer excursions becauseit's part of a larger island, so
you can do, your normal Bahamianexcursions, lots of things to
do, or you can just enjoy thebeach all day.
(14:41):
There's obviously no kid,activities here because this is
an adults only cruise.
They do have a VIP area.
So if you want to take advantageof that, you can have a VIP
cabana or their boho chicmermaid hideaway, which are some
(15:02):
different, add on areas thathave some elevated service.
But overall, you're just talkingabout a party on a beach, the
way that Virgin Voyages does it,and they do it really well.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (15:13):
Sounds amazing.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (15:14):
I continue to want to go on a
Virgin Voyage and experience itmyself.
Disney upped the ante with a newopportunity.
Tell us about that, Julie.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (15:25):
Okay.
So I'm back again with moreDisney things to talk about.
the newest island that Disneycan take you to is Lookout Key
at Lighthouse Point.
So it's part of a bigger island,which is different than Castaway
Cay or Coco Cay.
and because of that, there is areally big focus on the Bohemian
culture.
The island itself, the colorsare very bohemian.
(15:49):
There are bohemian streetparades, music, a lot of festive
spirit there.
celebrate Junkanoo, which islike a musical style, with a
parade.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (16:01):
yeah, music and dancing
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (16:03):
Yeah, so they have a stage on the island
where they're doing shows andperformances, things like that.
there's also a whole area on theisland, called the Goombay
Cultural Center.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (16:16):
hmm.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (16:17):
it's basically just an art exhibit
featuring local art.
So that's very cool.
There's a lot of ways here toreally immerse in the Bohemian
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (16:25):
I was gonna say it sounds really
immersive.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (16:28):
The other thing that's very cool about
this island, and there are someexcursions that go to these
places, are there's two naturalphenomenon on the island that
you can go see.
One is the massive ocean hole,which is a naturally forming
blue hole near the rock soundarea.
it has a higher salt content, soit's more buoyant than seawater.
(16:50):
lot of the excursions go there.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (16:53):
Okay.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (16:53):
Another one is called Cathedral Cave,
which is a massive natural rockstructure and features Soaring
wide ceilings, cascading treeroots, and glittering filtered
sunlight.
So I love that Disney isembracing what was already at
the island and not justbulldozing and
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (17:13):
Yeah, they're not coming in and making
it theirs They're adding to whatalready makes the island special
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (17:18):
I agree.
island, I do think, offers a lotmore for younger kids and
families than Castaway Cay.
they have Rush Out, Gush Out,which is a water playground
area.
It's a big interactive climbingstructure.
There's slides, water drums.
water fountains.
(17:38):
that's kind of what you see in alot of the pictures of the
concept art.
There's a big family beach, andI have heard the beach is just
beautiful.
The water is clear.
The sand is super soft.
There is a play pavilion, whichis a venue near the family beach
that has games and activities.
It's also a meeting spot fordifferent activities like the
(18:00):
scavenger hunt.
There's the Disney Fun in theSun Beach Bash, a big party
where the characters come outsimilar to Castaway Cay, they
have kids clubs here, which isawesome.
And there is another water playarea inside of Sebastian's Cove,
that's themed to the LittleMermaid.
There's also dining inside thekids club there, which is
(18:23):
awesome.
Cause Not all kids clubs havethat option.
and a couple of fun, familyfriendly activities you could
add on to your stop at Lugakiare going to those two natural
phenomenons, the Cathedral Caveand the Ocean Hole.
And there's also one that haslike a pirate theme to it called
the Pirates Adventure Tour.
(18:44):
So that's really cool for kidsto do too.
If maybe it's your second orthird time at Lugaki and you
just want to change it up alittle bit.
On to what they have for adults.
So not, much because it is avery family focused island.
They do have an adult exclusivebeach and they also have adult
(19:04):
exclusive bars, of course, andthey have an adult exclusive
restaurant on the beach.
But beyond that, there's not alot.
Now, Similar to Castaway Cay,there's a couple excursions are
18 and up, so you're onlyobviously going to find adults
there.
some of the history tours, thepaddle boarding and nature walk
tours, ATV tours, and e biketours.
(19:27):
So do some of those and you'renot going to run into any kids.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (19:31):
we try to separate Families and
adults when we talk about this,but obviously folks who are
going on a Disney cruise areDisney centric so They're not
necessarily looking to get awayfrom some of that family fun
that Disney has as well.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (19:49):
Disney still tries to give you that
option if you want it.
there's food on site and it'sall included.
It's the same type of barbecuestyle food that is on Castaway
Key.
I think a couple of differentoptions, but overall very
similar.
Again, a bunch of bars along theway for you to stop, and just
like on board, none of thosedrinks are included.
(20:11):
itineraries that stop at LookoutKey are very much the same
itineraries that stop atCastaway Key.
three all the way up to sevennight Bohemian itineraries or
Western or Eastern Caribbean.
The best of both worlds is tofind a, itinerary that stops at
both.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (20:27):
Yeah.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (20:28):
The one thing about Lookout Cay that I
did not mention, if you haveseen the pictures or heard any
of the reviews, is there is avery long pier to walk to get
from the boat to the island.
And that's kind of like acontroversial type thing in the
reviews, but I guess you have togo and find out.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (20:48):
And it probably feels twice as long
walking back to the ship as itdoes walking to the island,
right?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (20:54):
Right,
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (20:56):
So, the last area that I want to
talk about is Labadee in Haiti,and this is something that Royal
Caribbean has For several oftheir Caribbean, Stops and just
like what Julie said with DisneyI actually have folks this
spring that are going on acruise that includes both
Castaway Cay and Labadee becausethey really want to have beach
(21:19):
time and enjoy that There areadd ons like zip lines and
adrenaline parks.
But there's also, differentbeach areas.
So you've got Barefoot BeachClub, which is an add on cost,
but then you have BuccaneersBay.
You have Nellie's Beach, whichis a relaxation area.
(21:40):
You have Family Adventure overin Columbus Cove, which is more
of a family area.
you have town square, which hasshops and restaurants and
different things to explore.
So what is included in Labadee?
basically it's a beach day, soall of that stuff is going to be
(22:01):
included.
You can rent a variety ofdifferent things, just like with
the other islands.
You can shop in the differentstores.
You can do V.
I.
P.
cabanas or beach areas.
There are three different areasfor dining, and all those are
included and they have a Sixdifferent bars Again, if you
(22:24):
have the drink package that'sincluded.
And also the wifi.
They have basketball courtspickleball, bocce ball court.
They have a garden area.
If you wanted to have a morerelaxing setting, there are
splash pools, volleyball court.
So it's just a fun beach day.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (22:42):
That's what it sounds
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (22:44):
Yeah, whatever you want to make it for
you and your family.
I know that Royal Caribbean hasreally put some money in to make
it a nicer stop for theirguests.
they've really kind of takenownership over it.
so they can make it their ownall right, Julie, so we have a
couple exciting upcoming thingsto talk about, but before we do
that, I want to talk about wherein the world does all things
(23:06):
travel?
When I went back this week and Ilooked at new locations for us,
One that popped up is a vacationspot in itself, and that is
Hilton Head, South Carolina.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (23:18):
That's a fun one.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (23:20):
So hilton head has tons of
activities, it's definitely atourist spot Lots of golf
boating beach just tons ofthings to do.
I think Julie and I, being theDisney folks that we are, where
we really want to meet ourlistener is, we want to meet
them at Disney's Hilton HeadResort, right?
j_1_01-20-2025_1931 (23:41):
Absolutely.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (23:42):
have heard great things about that
resort.
as a Disney Vacation Clubmember, it's one of those places
that really has a cultfollowing.
hey Hilton Head, we are excitedyou are listening to All Things
Travel.
Do us a favor, reach out toeither Julie or myself and you
can do that on our website,allthingstravelpodcast.
(24:02):
com and just click contact usand reach out because I would
love to send a little thank yougift to Hilton Head for being
featured on today's show.
All right Julie, There's severalthings coming up when it comes
to private islands and cruising.
We want to focus on several ofthem today.
What are you excited about?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (24:21):
So the first one is called Celebration
Key,
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (24:24):
Sure.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (24:25):
is a new island for Carnival Cruise Line,
which we don't talk about a lot,but I have some clients that are
loyal to Carnival.
And Celebration Key, if you'veseen the commercials, it looks
amazing.
it reminds me of a good mix ofLookout Key and Perfect Day Coco
Cay, where it looks like there'sa lot for families, a lot for
older kids.
It looks like a lot of fun.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025 (24:47):
That's great.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (24:48):
the next big things that are coming are
Royal Caribbean has announcedthat they are making some new
beach clubs and I am veryexcited for this.
undefined_NaN_01-20-202 (24:57):
excited about this, especially in
Nassau.
if you're going on a Bahamiancruise on Royal Caribbean,
you're stopping in Nassau,there's great things about
Nassau, but if you've cruised acouple times, you've been there
a couple times, I was looking atthis today in preparation for
the show, and this just lookslike it's going to be great.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (25:16):
Can you tell us about it?
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (25:18):
So it is going to be a new beach
club run by Rogue Caribbean justfor their ships and I'm sure
Celebrity as well, but not forother cruise lines.
It's basically going to be likea lot of what we've been talking
about.
So there's going to be pools,restaurants, beach activities,
and it's just basically going tobe A resort day, but run by
(25:40):
Royal Caribbean.
So, you know, you're going tohave really great service.
You're going to have door todoor service.
If you're coming from the cruiseline, it looks really good.
I know they've really workedwith, the Nassau government as
far as making sure that it's atrue partnership.
this looks really cool.
I'm excited.
Now this is an add on.
This is not an included thing,like what Coco K or Labadee
(26:03):
would be, but I think it's goingto be well worth it.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (26:07):
Agree.
And they are also building oneof these in Cozumel.
that's a great add on forCozumel as well because it's a
pretty common stop if you're onany Western Caribbean itinerary
or itineraries that leave out ofNew Orleans or Galveston.
that gives you that great safebeach day experience on those
(26:29):
itineraries.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (26:30):
yeah, I love it.
I think what the cruise linesare seeing is that.
cruisers really love kind ofextending that service off the
boat.
And, obviously there's a returnon investment for that, but it
really, in my experience withthe places that I've been, it's
been well worth it.
And I really enjoy, Taking thatexperience off the ship.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (26:55):
let's talk about our top reasons to go
to a private island and why yourcruise in the Caribbean or the
Bahamas needs to stop at one ofthese private islands.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (27:06):
Yeah.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (27:06):
The biggest thing for me that I like
to tell clients Is that youdon't need to book an excursion.
a lot of times if you arebooking a cruise and stopping at
islands in the Caribbean, youneed to book an excursion, which
is an additional fee to whatyou've already paid for the
cruise.
But when you stop at theseprivate islands, you don't have
(27:27):
to do that.
You just get off and enjoy theisland.
You can obviously add on, butyou don't have to.
a lot of times I tell myclients, if we can find a cruise
with Disney that stops atlookout key and castaway key,
you don't need to add onexcursions at all.
And to me, That makes the priceof the cruise worth it.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (27:48):
I think that's a good reason to do
it.
Because those islands or beachareas are under the control of
the cruise line, you know,they're gonna be well maintained
You know, they're gonna be wellstaffed.
They're gonna be clean.
They're gonna be safe It's justreally going to add to your
cruise, not stress you out awayfrom your cruise, if that makes
sense.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (28:09):
because say you are docking at Nassau,
Kazumal, or really any of theCaribbean islands, and you are
not going to a private islandthat day.
if you book a resort day,there's always going to be a
little bit of nervousness andanxiety about, am I going to get
back to the ship on time?
Is it safe for me to take thistransportation to this
(28:31):
excursion?
my clients with younger kids,always have that concern.
What is the transportation like?
Do I need a car seat?
stuff like that is what Myclients are thinking about.
And with these destinations, youdon't need that.
It's very worry free.
So I think going to a privateisland is especially important
(28:52):
when you have younger kidsbecause you don't have that
anxiety about the transportationor about if you're going to make
it back to the cruise on time.
The cruise line is sweeping theisland, to get you back on the
ship.
It's not like you're lost inNassau by yourself they can't
sweep the island of Nassau foryou.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (29:11):
I'm going to flip the script here a
little bit, Julie.
Why wouldn't we want to go to aprivate island?
I can think of one reason for meis, if you are taking a super
unique itinerary, where youreally want to focus on the
destination.
spending a day at the privateisland may take away from some
(29:31):
of that immersion.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (29:32):
That's what I would say too, that it's
not super immersive in anyspecific culture.
lookout key is trying to getthere, but it still may feel
manufactured
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (29:43):
do you have any tips for when we
visit a private island?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (29:47):
Of course.
as soon as they start lettingyou off the ship, get off so you
can make the most of your beachday.
for families, bring collapsiblesand buckets.
Those are very easy to order offof Amazon and they are a game
changer because they Obviously,Collapse can go into your
suitcase real easily.
(30:08):
I have, a bag that they live inat my house so that I don't get
sand everywhere when I'm packingthem.
you take those onto the islandand your kids immediately have
toys to play with and it is anamazing add on.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (30:24):
I would say for me, don't forget
your water.
As you're leaving the ship,either water that you bring or
if you have the drink package,water that they'll have there
for you, you want to have that,because you're going to be out
on the beach all day, also, ifyou bring a towel, make sure to
bring it back, because I mayhave experience with that.
where I didn't turn my towelback in for Royal Caribbean and
(30:46):
got a little slap on the wrist.
make sure you know theguidelines with that kind of
stuff, but just know that theship is going to take care of
you when it comes to all theamenities you're going to need.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (30:58):
Agree.
And one last tip I would say iseven though you want to get to
the island early, make sure youhave a good breakfast because on
the island the food is notalways available like it is on
the ship.
Lunch will start and end at acertain time.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (31:13):
You want to plan a trip to an
amazing destination, but youdon't know how to get started?
As your travel advisor, we workwith you to create a customized
itinerary for your vacation andtake the stress of planning away
so you can focus on the fun andcreating memories.
You can reach us at all thingstravel podcast.com.
Just click on either contact Usor plan your next Trip.
(31:37):
We look forward to talking toyou next week on all Things
Travel, where we continue ourHow to Do Disney Series with
Hollywood Studios.
Hello and welcome to All Things Travel.
(00:02):
Do you ever look at a cruiseitinerary, see the name of a
port stop, and think, where theheck is that island?
Chances are you're seeing thename of the cruise line's
private island, and today we'regoing to be talking all about
our favorite private islands andwhy you need to visit one on
your next cruise.
Listen in with travel advisorsand destination experts, Ryan
(00:25):
and Julie.
He is your travel professor,teaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation, I am a Disney loving
Maryland mom of three and aspecialist in family travel.
Whether we're discussingincredible destinations, top
vacation tips, or sharingpersonal stories, it's always
all things travel.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (00:48):
Hi Julie, how you doing?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (00:50):
I'm doing great.
How are you, Ryan?
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (00:52):
How is your week going?
give us an update.
what's a big thing in theSchaefer household?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (00:57):
a big thing in the Schaefer household
this week is snow.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (01:01):
Tell me about it.
My son's school is alreadycancelled tomorrow because of
cold.
the windchill's gonna benegative 15, and so they've
already cancelled school becauseof that.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:12):
negative 15.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (01:14):
Yeah.
Yeah.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:15):
I can't complain about our polar vortex,
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (01:18):
ha ha ha ha ha ha.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:20):
it's 9 degrees.
it snowed three times last week,we were off school.
I had to take five children outin the snow to play, which
lovely, blissful experience.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (01:33):
she says sarcastically.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:35):
just
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (01:35):
ha ha ha ha.
Alright,
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:37):
It was, I do, I do enjoy snow days because
I feel like it's somethingthat's like a core memory, you
know?
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (01:44):
so I had a fun experience this
weekend, my girlfriend Jasminecame up with this.
Well, she saw this idea on ticktock she saw this idea called
ABC dating.
I think I told you that I wasgoing to do that, but then I
never followed up.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (01:56):
never heard from you again.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (01:58):
You did, what, did he die on this
date?
so, since it's January, westarted with A, and then we're
gonna go all through thealphabet, right?
And so, every month, we do adate that has things with that
letter of the alphabet, and thenwe're gonna go back and forth
for planning it.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (02:17):
that's so cool.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (02:18):
she had it all planned.
I just showed up and drove whereshe told me to drive, which is
pretty much how we do thingsanyway.
we went to an antique mall, andlooked for Christmas stuff, and
then we went to a Mexicanrestaurant called Arco's.
And then we went to Art Link,which is a free gallery in Fort
Wayne.
And then we went to AuburnBrewing Company, which is close.
(02:41):
all A's it was a lot of fun.
next month I am in charge of B.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (02:47):
boy, that's going to be the real
test,
undefined_NaN_01-20-202 (02:49):
Doesn't that sound fun?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (02:50):
that's such a cool idea.
Now, any of those places, placesthat you would have gone if they
didn't start with an A?
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (02:58):
We had been talking about going to
several of them anyway, but Ithink it was fun to incorporate.
And the idea.
at least in the way that we'redefining it, we want to try
things that we haven't done.
So it's not just pick one of ourfavorite places and, it just
happens to start with thatletter.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (03:13):
Sure.
that makes sense.
That's awesome.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (03:15):
what is a cool trip that you're
working on for clients?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (03:20):
I had a phone call today with clients
that want to do a Disney cruiseback to back with Walt Disney
World over spring break in twoand a half months.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (03:30):
Very fun.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (03:31):
be their family's first cruise.
So it'll be really exciting.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (03:34):
Wow.
That's awesome.
I've got kind of two camps ofvacations.
I've got multiple requests forAlaska cruising, and then I have
multiple requests Ireland.
So I've been going back andforth, working on those things.
So excited.
this past week, I just booked anall inclusive resort, family
(03:55):
trip for one of our listeners.
So I'm excited for that.
well today, Julie, we are goingto be talking about a great add
on for a vacation.
You talk about a Disney cruise.
I'm talking about Alaskancruising.
One of the things that we'reseeing more and more are these
(04:15):
cruise companies adding onprivate islands or private
destinations to their cruises,and boy do we have some good
ones to share.
before we talk about that, ifyou have not gone back and
listened to last week's episode,Julie and I do a deep dive in
how to strategize for a day atEBCOT for families and also
(04:38):
adult and older children groups.
We are going to be talking aboutour first island perfect day at
Coco Cay, which is part of RoyalCaribbean and celebrity cruises
Bahamian cruises.
You and I were there last Juneand to be honest, I think you
(04:58):
were a little skeptical when westarted, our cruise about, am I
really going to like this?
Is this going to be a goodexperience?
Give us your, high leveltakeaway about Perfect Day at
Coco Cay.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (05:11):
I loved it.
I'm really excited to go back inJuly I tell a lot of people now
that I like Coco K better thanCastaway Key.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (05:22):
I do too.
I just, and not only because I'mfocused on kind of adults
things, which I know you'regoing to talk about Castaway
having, but I think there's morevariety at Coco Cay.
to give you some examples, ifwe're talking about kid friendly
fun, there's Splashaway Bay,which has slides, and Bucket,
(05:43):
you know, the water park thing.
Buckets.
There's Captain Jill's Galleon,which is like a ship for small
kids.
There are lots of places to eat.
There's three included, placesto dine.
And that's anywhere from, youknow, your taco stand to your
sandwiches to your, ice creamand all that good stuff.
(06:05):
There is one of the largestpools in the Caribbean, Oasis
Lagoon, with a great, Swim upbar.
You've got 5 different beachesto choose from and each one has
their own personality withthings to do.
you can add things on likethere's several different,
(06:27):
activities to do.
You can add some excursions, butthere's a, Beach Club which is
kind of an exclusive, anexclusive luxury place.
There's the hideaway beach thatyou and I went to, which was the
adults only area.
There's a few, upgraded diningbut really not much.
oh, and then there's the waterpark, Thrill Island, And that's
(06:47):
a full blown water park.
that rivals any water parkyou're gonna go to anywhere.
what I love about Coco Cay is,you can really go, not worry
about anything else for thatday, and know that you're going
to have a great time.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (07:01):
I agree.
But do be clear that, HideawayBeach and Thrill Island are an
extra cost that
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (07:09):
Oh, yeah, uh, yes, yes, absolutely.
Um, Thrill Island is a prettydecent cost, and I would say
Hideaway Beach continues to be asteal, for the amount of money.
And what I also like about it isyou have the Wi Fi package.
It works on the island.
You have the drink package thatworks on the island.
It's a very seamless experiencefor both Royal Caribbean and
(07:30):
Celebrity.
You and I were there, on a daythat there was both a Royal
Caribbean ship and a Celebrityship, and it really didn't feel
that full.
it's a great add on.
I highly recommend anytimeyou're taking a cruise in the
Bahamas with either of thosecompanies, make sure it's a
perfect day at Coco Cay.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (07:50):
my trick for some of those, and maybe you
do this too with your clients,is Thrill Island is a pretty
good add on.
It's good as in like it's notcheap.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (08:03):
Yeah,
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (08:03):
I have clients sailing on one of the
newer ships that is, moreexpensive, then I tell them
don't add on Thrill Island.
Enjoy the upgraded options thatare on your ship.
But if you're on an older shipthat's more affordable, then add
on Thrill Island because youdon't have those big waterpark
features on your ship.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (08:23):
I remember you saying that before
and I think that's spot onbecause if you're on the newer
ships, the Icon class, you'regoing to have essentially, not
the same size water park, but aheck of a lot of things that are
included.
It would feel a littlerepetitious to then spend your
day, doing the same thing on theisland.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (08:44):
Right.
I just say, okay, take advantageof the beach and have a relaxing
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (08:48):
Yeah,
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (08:48):
instead.
undefined_NaN_01-20- (08:49):
absolutely
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (08:52):
Do you have anything else to share
about Perfect Day at Cook?
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (08:54):
it's perfect.
And it's a day
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (08:56):
All right.
So I'm going to talk aboutShocking Disney's Private Island
Castaway Key.
So this was the original privateisland that Disney created.
it is known for white sandbeaches, and it's really great
for families.
Castaway Cay was the firstisland where the ships could
dock directly at the island andnot need to be tendered in.
(09:18):
there are permanent residents ofthe island.
And then when you dock there,your cast members on board will
also be on board.
cast members on the island
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (09:28):
And I will tell you as kind of a
travel nerd a cruise nerd Ithink it's kind of fun when we
dock on these islands and thenwatch The activity, right?
I remember going to Castaway Caywith Disney and they have that
whole logistical system down.
this comes off the ship and thenthese people come off the ship
and it's just I just love towatch the magic of them making
(09:51):
the day what it is.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (09:53):
And I remember on my last cruise a
couple weeks ago, the captaindoes come on and say, good
morning.
We're docked at Castaway Cay.
We've got to wait about an hour,to get off the ship, which this
is at like seven in the morning,so it's still early.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025 (10:07):
You're like, that's okay, I won't be
ready in an hour.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (10:09):
we're going to wait about an hour to
let the crew get set up, theyhave to go set up the island and
get all the beach chairs andumbrellas ready.
fun fact, Castaway Cay was usedto film some of the Pirates of
the Caribbean movies.
the biggest thing for CastawayCay is knowing what's there for
families.
It is a pretty simple island,they don't have thrill island
(10:31):
type, water playgrounds orthings like that.
They have a big area in thewater, like out in the ocean
called Pelican Plunge.
And that has a couple oftwisting slides.
It's like a big floatingplatform.
But! Because it's out in theocean, it's not really for
younger kids.
I would say that's better forolder elementary school and
(10:54):
maybe even middle school.
the very cool thing aboutCastaway Cay is that the kids
clubs are also on the island.
they are really, really fun kidsclubs.
you have Scuttle's Cove and youhave the teen hideout.
so again, Skuttles Cove is likeyounger kids.
There's a whale dig site.
There's sandcastle building,soccer, capture the flag.
(11:17):
they also have a splash pad inthat area and it's the same
system as it is on the shipwhere the kids scan their bands
and go right in.
They also have a big gamingpavilion that serves kids in
between the younger kids cluband the teen hideout.
couple of family friendly addons that you could do.
You could rent snorkel gear,kayak, do paddle boats and aqua
(11:38):
trites.
You could also rent inner tubesand those mats that you have
just floating in the water.
You can also do the glass bottomboat voyage, which you would
want to book in advance.
interesting to note That startswith babies, at six months.
So that's good that they havesomething that those younger
ones can do.
(11:59):
There is actually adult onlyactivities on Castaway Cay.
So similar to Hideaway Beach onCoco Cay, Castaway Cay has
Serenity Bay, an adult onlybeach.
You just take the tram and keepgoing over there.
There are cabanas over there.
There's a barbecue over there.
all the way on your way overthere, there are bars all over
(12:20):
the place.
There's Olaf's SummertimeFreeze, which is kind of like
the most well known bar area.
Very large statue of Olaf outfront.
You can't miss it.
there's not a lot of adult onlyspecific things, but there are a
lot of excursions for, peopleover the age of 16 or 18.
(12:41):
So, the Castaway Race, StingrayAdventure, the Jet Skiing, any
sort of walking, kayaking,nature, adventure type tour.
Those are all for 16 plus or 10plus, so you're not going to
have a lot of younger kids onthose.
So if you wanted to avoid kids.
Go for one of those activities.
(13:02):
food is pretty basic on theIsland.
They're like big barbecuestations over at Cookies and
Cookies too.
and then the other barbecuestation over at Serenity Bay, I
think the food is pretty good.
It's a seamless experiencegetting through the line.
The nice thing is that the foodis the same everywhere.
So you can get in any line,which I like, And you're pretty
(13:23):
much going to stop at CastawayCay on any, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 night
itinerary
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (13:30):
yeah,
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (13:30):
in the Bahamas, the Western Caribbean,
or the Eastern Caribbean withDisney Cruise Line.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (13:37):
I want to talk about a different
style and that's the BiminiBeach Club for Virgin voyages
this is not an island.
When Virgin Voyages docks inBimini, they have a beach club
area and it is a party on thebeach.
(13:58):
There is a large pool area.
There's included food Virgindoes not have drink packages,
but they have options on BiminiBeach and their drinks are very
cheap.
Reasonably priced they havedifferent parties throughout the
day.
It's got a dj feel kind of aDarty feel if you've heard that
(14:18):
term before julie one of thethings that's really cool about
bimini is They stay later.
into the night In the eveningthey actually have bonfires on
the beach.
they offer excursions becauseit's part of a larger island, so
you can do, your normal Bahamianexcursions, lots of things to
do, or you can just enjoy thebeach all day.
(14:41):
There's obviously no kid,activities here because this is
an adults only cruise.
They do have a VIP area.
So if you want to take advantageof that, you can have a VIP
cabana or their boho chicmermaid hideaway, which are some
(15:02):
different, add on areas thathave some elevated service.
But overall, you're just talkingabout a party on a beach, the
way that Virgin Voyages does it,and they do it really well.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (15:13):
Sounds amazing.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (15:14):
I continue to want to go on a
Virgin Voyage and experience itmyself.
Disney upped the ante with a newopportunity.
Tell us about that, Julie.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (15:25):
Okay.
So I'm back again with moreDisney things to talk about.
the newest island that Disneycan take you to is Lookout Key
at Lighthouse Point.
So it's part of a bigger island,which is different than Castaway
Cay or Coco Cay.
and because of that, there is areally big focus on the Bohemian
culture.
The island itself, the colorsare very bohemian.
(15:49):
There are bohemian streetparades, music, a lot of festive
spirit there.
celebrate Junkanoo, which islike a musical style, with a
parade.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (16:01):
yeah, music and dancing
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (16:03):
Yeah, so they have a stage on the island
where they're doing shows andperformances, things like that.
there's also a whole area on theisland, called the Goombay
Cultural Center.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (16:16):
hmm.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (16:17):
it's basically just an art exhibit
featuring local art.
So that's very cool.
There's a lot of ways here toreally immerse in the Bohemian
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (16:25):
I was gonna say it sounds really
immersive.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (16:28):
The other thing that's very cool about
this island, and there are someexcursions that go to these
places, are there's two naturalphenomenon on the island that
you can go see.
One is the massive ocean hole,which is a naturally forming
blue hole near the rock soundarea.
it has a higher salt content, soit's more buoyant than seawater.
(16:50):
lot of the excursions go there.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (16:53):
Okay.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (16:53):
Another one is called Cathedral Cave,
which is a massive natural rockstructure and features Soaring
wide ceilings, cascading treeroots, and glittering filtered
sunlight.
So I love that Disney isembracing what was already at
the island and not justbulldozing and
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (17:13):
Yeah, they're not coming in and making
it theirs They're adding to whatalready makes the island special
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (17:18):
I agree.
island, I do think, offers a lotmore for younger kids and
families than Castaway Cay.
they have Rush Out, Gush Out,which is a water playground
area.
It's a big interactive climbingstructure.
There's slides, water drums.
water fountains.
(17:38):
that's kind of what you see in alot of the pictures of the
concept art.
There's a big family beach, andI have heard the beach is just
beautiful.
The water is clear.
The sand is super soft.
There is a play pavilion, whichis a venue near the family beach
that has games and activities.
It's also a meeting spot fordifferent activities like the
(18:00):
scavenger hunt.
There's the Disney Fun in theSun Beach Bash, a big party
where the characters come outsimilar to Castaway Cay, they
have kids clubs here, which isawesome.
And there is another water playarea inside of Sebastian's Cove,
that's themed to the LittleMermaid.
There's also dining inside thekids club there, which is
(18:23):
awesome.
Cause Not all kids clubs havethat option.
and a couple of fun, familyfriendly activities you could
add on to your stop at Lugakiare going to those two natural
phenomenons, the Cathedral Caveand the Ocean Hole.
And there's also one that haslike a pirate theme to it called
the Pirates Adventure Tour.
(18:44):
So that's really cool for kidsto do too.
If maybe it's your second orthird time at Lugaki and you
just want to change it up alittle bit.
On to what they have for adults.
So not, much because it is avery family focused island.
They do have an adult exclusivebeach and they also have adult
(19:04):
exclusive bars, of course, andthey have an adult exclusive
restaurant on the beach.
But beyond that, there's not alot.
Now, Similar to Castaway Cay,there's a couple excursions are
18 and up, so you're onlyobviously going to find adults
there.
some of the history tours, thepaddle boarding and nature walk
tours, ATV tours, and e biketours.
(19:27):
So do some of those and you'renot going to run into any kids.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (19:31):
we try to separate Families and
adults when we talk about this,but obviously folks who are
going on a Disney cruise areDisney centric so They're not
necessarily looking to get awayfrom some of that family fun
that Disney has as well.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (19:49):
Disney still tries to give you that
option if you want it.
there's food on site and it'sall included.
It's the same type of barbecuestyle food that is on Castaway
Key.
I think a couple of differentoptions, but overall very
similar.
Again, a bunch of bars along theway for you to stop, and just
like on board, none of thosedrinks are included.
(20:11):
itineraries that stop at LookoutKey are very much the same
itineraries that stop atCastaway Key.
three all the way up to sevennight Bohemian itineraries or
Western or Eastern Caribbean.
The best of both worlds is tofind a, itinerary that stops at
both.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (20:27):
Yeah.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (20:28):
The one thing about Lookout Cay that I
did not mention, if you haveseen the pictures or heard any
of the reviews, is there is avery long pier to walk to get
from the boat to the island.
And that's kind of like acontroversial type thing in the
reviews, but I guess you have togo and find out.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (20:48):
And it probably feels twice as long
walking back to the ship as itdoes walking to the island,
right?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (20:54):
Right,
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (20:56):
So, the last area that I want to
talk about is Labadee in Haiti,and this is something that Royal
Caribbean has For several oftheir Caribbean, Stops and just
like what Julie said with DisneyI actually have folks this
spring that are going on acruise that includes both
Castaway Cay and Labadee becausethey really want to have beach
(21:19):
time and enjoy that There areadd ons like zip lines and
adrenaline parks.
But there's also, differentbeach areas.
So you've got Barefoot BeachClub, which is an add on cost,
but then you have BuccaneersBay.
You have Nellie's Beach, whichis a relaxation area.
(21:40):
You have Family Adventure overin Columbus Cove, which is more
of a family area.
you have town square, which hasshops and restaurants and
different things to explore.
So what is included in Labadee?
basically it's a beach day, soall of that stuff is going to be
(22:01):
included.
You can rent a variety ofdifferent things, just like with
the other islands.
You can shop in the differentstores.
You can do V.
I.
P.
cabanas or beach areas.
There are three different areasfor dining, and all those are
included and they have a Sixdifferent bars Again, if you
(22:24):
have the drink package that'sincluded.
And also the wifi.
They have basketball courtspickleball, bocce ball court.
They have a garden area.
If you wanted to have a morerelaxing setting, there are
splash pools, volleyball court.
So it's just a fun beach day.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (22:42):
That's what it sounds
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (22:44):
Yeah, whatever you want to make it for
you and your family.
I know that Royal Caribbean hasreally put some money in to make
it a nicer stop for theirguests.
they've really kind of takenownership over it.
so they can make it their ownall right, Julie, so we have a
couple exciting upcoming thingsto talk about, but before we do
that, I want to talk about wherein the world does all things
(23:06):
travel?
When I went back this week and Ilooked at new locations for us,
One that popped up is a vacationspot in itself, and that is
Hilton Head, South Carolina.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (23:18):
That's a fun one.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (23:20):
So hilton head has tons of
activities, it's definitely atourist spot Lots of golf
boating beach just tons ofthings to do.
I think Julie and I, being theDisney folks that we are, where
we really want to meet ourlistener is, we want to meet
them at Disney's Hilton HeadResort, right?
j_1_01-20-2025_1931 (23:41):
Absolutely.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1 (23:42):
have heard great things about that
resort.
as a Disney Vacation Clubmember, it's one of those places
that really has a cultfollowing.
hey Hilton Head, we are excitedyou are listening to All Things
Travel.
Do us a favor, reach out toeither Julie or myself and you
can do that on our website,allthingstravelpodcast.
(24:02):
com and just click contact usand reach out because I would
love to send a little thank yougift to Hilton Head for being
featured on today's show.
All right Julie, There's severalthings coming up when it comes
to private islands and cruising.
We want to focus on several ofthem today.
What are you excited about?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (24:21):
So the first one is called Celebration
Key,
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (24:24):
Sure.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (24:25):
is a new island for Carnival Cruise Line,
which we don't talk about a lot,but I have some clients that are
loyal to Carnival.
And Celebration Key, if you'veseen the commercials, it looks
amazing.
it reminds me of a good mix ofLookout Key and Perfect Day Coco
Cay, where it looks like there'sa lot for families, a lot for
older kids.
It looks like a lot of fun.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025 (24:47):
That's great.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (24:48):
the next big things that are coming are
Royal Caribbean has announcedthat they are making some new
beach clubs and I am veryexcited for this.
undefined_NaN_01-20-202 (24:57):
excited about this, especially in
Nassau.
if you're going on a Bahamiancruise on Royal Caribbean,
you're stopping in Nassau,there's great things about
Nassau, but if you've cruised acouple times, you've been there
a couple times, I was looking atthis today in preparation for
the show, and this just lookslike it's going to be great.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (25:16):
Can you tell us about it?
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (25:18):
So it is going to be a new beach
club run by Rogue Caribbean justfor their ships and I'm sure
Celebrity as well, but not forother cruise lines.
It's basically going to be likea lot of what we've been talking
about.
So there's going to be pools,restaurants, beach activities,
and it's just basically going tobe A resort day, but run by
(25:40):
Royal Caribbean.
So, you know, you're going tohave really great service.
You're going to have door todoor service.
If you're coming from the cruiseline, it looks really good.
I know they've really workedwith, the Nassau government as
far as making sure that it's atrue partnership.
this looks really cool.
I'm excited.
Now this is an add on.
This is not an included thing,like what Coco K or Labadee
(26:03):
would be, but I think it's goingto be well worth it.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (26:07):
Agree.
And they are also building oneof these in Cozumel.
that's a great add on forCozumel as well because it's a
pretty common stop if you're onany Western Caribbean itinerary
or itineraries that leave out ofNew Orleans or Galveston.
that gives you that great safebeach day experience on those
(26:29):
itineraries.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (26:30):
yeah, I love it.
I think what the cruise linesare seeing is that.
cruisers really love kind ofextending that service off the
boat.
And, obviously there's a returnon investment for that, but it
really, in my experience withthe places that I've been, it's
been well worth it.
And I really enjoy, Taking thatexperience off the ship.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (26:55):
let's talk about our top reasons to go
to a private island and why yourcruise in the Caribbean or the
Bahamas needs to stop at one ofthese private islands.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_ (27:06):
Yeah.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (27:06):
The biggest thing for me that I like
to tell clients Is that youdon't need to book an excursion.
a lot of times if you arebooking a cruise and stopping at
islands in the Caribbean, youneed to book an excursion, which
is an additional fee to whatyou've already paid for the
cruise.
But when you stop at theseprivate islands, you don't have
(27:27):
to do that.
You just get off and enjoy theisland.
You can obviously add on, butyou don't have to.
a lot of times I tell myclients, if we can find a cruise
with Disney that stops atlookout key and castaway key,
you don't need to add onexcursions at all.
And to me, That makes the priceof the cruise worth it.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (27:48):
I think that's a good reason to do
it.
Because those islands or beachareas are under the control of
the cruise line, you know,they're gonna be well maintained
You know, they're gonna be wellstaffed.
They're gonna be clean.
They're gonna be safe It's justreally going to add to your
cruise, not stress you out awayfrom your cruise, if that makes
sense.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (28:09):
because say you are docking at Nassau,
Kazumal, or really any of theCaribbean islands, and you are
not going to a private islandthat day.
if you book a resort day,there's always going to be a
little bit of nervousness andanxiety about, am I going to get
back to the ship on time?
Is it safe for me to take thistransportation to this
(28:31):
excursion?
my clients with younger kids,always have that concern.
What is the transportation like?
Do I need a car seat?
stuff like that is what Myclients are thinking about.
And with these destinations, youdon't need that.
It's very worry free.
So I think going to a privateisland is especially important
(28:52):
when you have younger kidsbecause you don't have that
anxiety about the transportationor about if you're going to make
it back to the cruise on time.
The cruise line is sweeping theisland, to get you back on the
ship.
It's not like you're lost inNassau by yourself they can't
sweep the island of Nassau foryou.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (29:11):
I'm going to flip the script here a
little bit, Julie.
Why wouldn't we want to go to aprivate island?
I can think of one reason for meis, if you are taking a super
unique itinerary, where youreally want to focus on the
destination.
spending a day at the privateisland may take away from some
(29:31):
of that immersion.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (29:32):
That's what I would say too, that it's
not super immersive in anyspecific culture.
lookout key is trying to getthere, but it still may feel
manufactured
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_193 (29:43):
do you have any tips for when we
visit a private island?
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (29:47):
Of course.
as soon as they start lettingyou off the ship, get off so you
can make the most of your beachday.
for families, bring collapsiblesand buckets.
Those are very easy to order offof Amazon and they are a game
changer because they Obviously,Collapse can go into your
suitcase real easily.
(30:08):
I have, a bag that they live inat my house so that I don't get
sand everywhere when I'm packingthem.
you take those onto the islandand your kids immediately have
toys to play with and it is anamazing add on.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_1931 (30:24):
I would say for me, don't forget
your water.
As you're leaving the ship,either water that you bring or
if you have the drink package,water that they'll have there
for you, you want to have that,because you're going to be out
on the beach all day, also, ifyou bring a towel, make sure to
bring it back, because I mayhave experience with that.
where I didn't turn my towelback in for Royal Caribbean and
(30:46):
got a little slap on the wrist.
make sure you know theguidelines with that kind of
stuff, but just know that theship is going to take care of
you when it comes to all theamenities you're going to need.
j_1_01-20-2025_193119 (30:58):
Agree.
And one last tip I would say iseven though you want to get to
the island early, make sure youhave a good breakfast because on
the island the food is notalways available like it is on
the ship.
Lunch will start and end at acertain time.
undefined_NaN_01-20-2025_19 (31:13):
You want to plan a trip to an
amazing destination, but youdon't know how to get started?
As your travel advisor, we workwith you to create a customized
itinerary for your vacation andtake the stress of planning away
so you can focus on the fun andcreating memories.
You can reach us at all thingstravel podcast.com.
Just click on either contact Usor plan your next Trip.
(31:37):
We look forward to talking toyou next week on all Things
Travel, where we continue ourHow to Do Disney Series with
Hollywood Studios.
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