07/22/2024
Finally able to sit down and write my review, aka just my opinion, about our first family cruise on the Wish! We sailed July12-15 on their 3night cruise to the Bahamas and their private island, Castaway Cay. We did this cruise to get our feet wet to see how our kids would do for our upcoming 7night cruise on the Fantasy in September and because my 2 littles are into Frozen, Spiderman, and Star Wars.
the PROS:
-the ship is beautiful! Obviously 😉
-Hyperspace, the Star Wars themed bar, is incredible. Once you walk in, its like you've transported and walked into their galaxy. We each had a different drink and they all were really good! We all enjoyed the bubbles! Regardless, if you drink or not this place is not to be missed! Every person that walked in was amazed. The other fun part, is kids are allowed until 6pm or 9pm (cant remember exactly but the server will tell you).
-Our cabin steward was so nice and friendly!! We werent sure where exactly our kids would sleep, we had an oceanview family deluxe room, so she said she would just set up the sofa bed and top bunk bed and then we could let her know the next day how it worked.
-Our dining staff were so sweet, thoughtful and patient with us. We are a difficult bunch. My mom eats like a bird, I'm picky and my 2 littles are pickier than me! So they had their work cut out for them. By the 2nd night, they noticed my son was not eating, so they asked what he did eat and would see if the kitchen staff would be able to make it for him the following evening. Not only that, but they were also concerned with my mom and even asked her as well. Sure enough, the next night they had french toast and chocolate chip pancakes for my son!
-The food on Castaway Cay was really good!! Just dont feed the birds, common sense!
-All 3 dining experiences were great. Marvel and Arendelle entertained my two littles.
-Its a small world nursery was amazing! I mean they even kept track of exactly how many crackers my son ate rather than just saying he ate some crackers. My son would leave happy and in a great mood. He will be 3 in September so he was one of the older kids in there.
-Aladdin and Little Mermaid shows were fabulous!! Highly recommend seeing those.
-There was hardly ever a long line for pictures, so buy the memory maker and take them all!!!!
the CONS
-the character meet and greets. You have to get there early or within that 10minute timeframe listed on the navigator app otherwise they close the line. It just seemed too short. Luckily, we've gone to Walt Disney World multiple times so seeing the characters wasnt a top priority. Their outfits are cute though! Theres also a ton of activities going on so you just have to figure out whats important and top priority to you.
-Castaway Cay...I wasnt a fan of. Im never big on any of the cruise lines private islands though. I do feel like basic things like a float should be included with the cost of the cruise. The shops on the island, I didnt feel like offered much for kids. There were a few shirts, the bath bucket toys and 2 different kinds of sand toys. I also would not pay to do any of their activities. I dont feel like its worth what you pay.
-Even though the dining experiences were great, I wasnt super impressed by the food.
-This was my first cruise since 2019 and I wasnt a huge fan of everything being on the navigator app. I liked getting a paper the night before of events for the next day. Shocking, I know since I'm a millennial. I did find out afterwards that you can go to guest services the night before or morning of to get one.
All in all it was great weekend trip. We found out things for our next cruise and know what to bring. Speaking of--safe sea sunscreen is a must especially for Castaway Cay due to a lot of people always talking about sea lice. If youre a coffee drinker and dont want to pay then you will need to bring your own creamer. If youre bringing a sound machine on board, bring it in your carry on to expedite that whole inspection process so your checked luggage wont be delayed. Enjoy every moment, prioritize what you want to do, and dont stress. Just know you wont be able to see and do everything.
