Over the last few blogs, we’ve focused on vacationing with Disney Cruise Line. We covered what to expect on embarkation day, the fun to be had on sea days and a teen perspective.
On today’s blog, we’re talking about the amazing destinations featured on Disney Cruise Western Caribbean itineraries. Although staying on the ship while the majority of passengers disembark is tempting, we prefer to get off the ship to explore beautiful beaches, dine on local cuisine and shop. We perceive the ship as a moving hotel on water, offering the convenience of visiting a variety of locales with the boat serving as our home base. As the Bryan Family recently took a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise on the Disney Fantasy, we’re sharing their experiences at Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Falmouth.
Booking Port Adventures with Disney Cruise Line
After your cruise is paid in full and depending on the number of cruises you’ve taken with Disney, your window will open to book onboard activities (like spa treatments, adult dining and kids’ makeovers) and port adventures. You’ll log onto your Disney Cruise Line account on midnight of that day where the confirmed offerings for your specific cruise will unlock. Select the activities and port adventures that interest you and your family.
Advance payment is not accepted; you will pay for activities and port adventures via your onboard account. Please keep in mind that some port adventures are more physically strenuous than others, require strong swimming skills and have a height, weight or age requirement.
On embarkation day, you’ll find an envelope with tickets for the port adventures for which you’ve pre-registered. The envelope will also contain details regarding meeting times and locations, as well as recommended and suggested items to pack.
An envelope with Port Adventure tickets and details will be placed in your stateroom on embarkation day.
If you weren’t able to book a certain port adventure before the cruise, you can visit the Port Adventures Desk on the ship to inquire regarding availability.
Port Adventure Day 1
Cozumel
Let the Bryan adventure begin! Our first port adventure was in Cozumel. Among the many offerings including chocolate tastings, animal experiences and a visit to Tulum, we selected the “Jeep Exploration” to tour Mexico’s largest island. The Navigator app reminded us that we were to meet at 8:45 am in the Buena Vista Theatre. When our group was called, we checked in for the port adventure, grabbed some towels, walked off the ship, and took a short stroll to the pier where we met our guides. After a quick orientation on driving a Jeep and the tour itself, we walked through town to hop into our Jeep. We lucked out with a red beauty for our drive to Punta Sur Eco Beach Park.
Cruising in Cozumel in our Jeep for the day!
This excursion was perfect because it included a bit of history with our first stop at a Maya ruin. It appeared small, but we learned that the majority of the ruin is underground, covered by sand after thousands of years. The site served as a lighthouse for boaters traveling from the mainland to the island.
Maya ruin in Cozumel which served as a beacon for travelers from the mainland to the island; look closely to see the iguana sunbathing on the historic site
We then walked about 100 feet to Laguna Colombia, a shallow, freshwater lagoon home to crocodiles and a wooden lookout tower with amazing views of the adjacent ocean.
Making friends with a crocodile relaxing in the freshwater lagoon
Mangrove separating the freshwater lagoon from the ocean at Punta Sur Eco Beach Park
We hopped back into our Jeep for the highlight of the day, Pelicano’s Beach Club. We snorkeled, ate a delicious Mexican meal and relaxed in the sun at this private beach. Our last stop was the iconic Cozumel lighthouse - it was totally worth tackling the 133 steep, narrow steps to experience the unbelievable view of the entire island.
Punta Sur Eco Beach Park - as the arrow indicates, you want to be here!
Grand Cayman
You can explore ports of call with a third-party tour operator or independently. If you use a supplier other than Disney Cruise Line, please conduct thorough research on their reliability and accountability. Disney will not modify its port departure time if the tour you booked with another party is delayed getting you to the ship. Proceed with caution!
At Grand Cayman, none of the port adventures spoke to us, so we decided to visit the island without a tour. Known for its renowned Seven Mile Beach, we knew that we wanted to spend the day with our toes in the sand.
A stop at Grand Cayman is unique in that passengers cannot simply walk off the ship like at other ports of call. Instead, there is a process called tendering where a ferry takes passengers on and off cruise ships to and from the pier. In the morning, disembarking passengers will meet at a pre-designated place on the ship to receive tender tickets. After your group is called, you’ll grab towels, walk from the ship to the ferry, and take a short ride to the Grand Cayman pier.
With no scheduled port adventure, we waited in the Walt Disney Theatre where we were issued tender tickets to board a ferry to the Grand Cayman pier.
We hopped into a taxi minivan with other Disney Cruise families and headed to Seven Mile Beach for just $6 per person, one-way. Our headquarters for the day was Calico Jack’s, a lively bar and grill that offered beach chairs and umbrellas at $35 for five people. The water in Grand Cayman is an unbelievable turquoise color making the water look artificial.
Perched at the Calico Jack’s outdoor bar with a great view of Seven Mile Beach’s turquoise waters
Because it was a bit crowded, some of the adults in the group chose to sit at the bar overlooking the stunning water. The entirety of Seven Mile Beach is public, which allowed us to stroll along the expansive shore and check out the quieter sections of the area. Although it wasn’t my type of scene, I will share that the fish tacos served at Calico Jack’s were tasty, and the pina colada might have the best I’ve ever been served.
Nothing beats fish tacos and a cold one on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world
Falmouth
In Falmouth, one of the most popular port adventures is climbing Dunn’s River Falls. Again, we wanted to enjoy Jamaica’s beautiful beaches, so we chose to explore on our own like in Grand Cayman. After disembarking the ship at our leisure, we found a taxi driver who took us to Blue Waters Beach Club for just $10 per person, roundtrip. To access the private beach, we were charged $10 per adult and $5 for children 10 years of age and younger, as well as an additional $10 per umbrella. “No problem, mon!” We scored big-time finding this exclusive, soft white sand beach with calm turquoise waters only about five minutes from the port. With our arrival time at 9 am, we literally had the beach to ourselves for about one hour - taking the term private beach to an entirely new level. Other people eventually arrived as another cruise line offers excursions to Blue Waters Beach Club, but it never felt crowded.
Those three people in the ocean - they’re with me, and we had the beach to ourselves for a full hour!
Along with a gorgeous setting, Blue Waters offered fresh coconuts, cold Red Stripe beer, dishes featuring Jamaica’s famous Jerk and a pair of fun-loving DJs who entertained the crowd with name-that-song games.
Jamaican Jerk salad with crisp lettuce, plump tomatoes and the right amount of spice - perfect for a day at the beach in Falmouth
After a relaxing day at the beach, we stopped at the port to shop for souvenirs - the best way to thank your neighbors for dog sitting is with a bag of Jamaica coffee and Appleton rum! We lingered in the beautiful, clean port when a steel drum band began playing. While the band jammed and encouraged the crowd to dance along, we sampled some world-famous Jamaica patties - a savory turnover filled with meat and spices. Very similar to an empanada or meat pie.
After three consecutive days of visiting ports of call, we were sooooo ready for a sea day! More to come on how we spent our second sea day.