This June we were among the first to visit Disney Cruise Line’s newest attraction Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point aboard a special First Wave Sailing with Disney Vacation Club.
Source: Courtesy / Janeé Bolden
Our party included my 17-year-old niece, who was celebrating her high school graduation, as well as my good friend, author and artist Monique Lorden and her daughter, also a new high school grad. We were so excited to be among the devoted Disney Vacation Club members experiencing the new stop in the Bahamas.
Another special treat for this voyage was an exclusive screening of Inside Out 2 with special guest actress Kensington Tallman, who voices Riley in the popular Pixar franchise.
“There are two types of sailings that we charter at Disney Vacation Club,” Ryan March Senior Creative Content Manager at Disney Vacation Club told GlobalGrind. “We have our annual Disney Vacation Club member cruise, a long-standing tradition with 15 to 20 original shows and experiences, commemorative keepsakes, and a full decor package. The first wave sailings, like this one, are about letting members be among the first to experience something new, like a new Disney cruise ship or destination.”
Source: Courtesy / Janeé Bolden
Settling into our cabin, which comfortably slept four, we enjoyed walking past our neighbor’s cabins and looking at their creatively decorated doors. Apparently this is a big thing for DVC members! Next time we cruise with DVC we’ll make sure to bring along some swag so we can get in on the fun.
We do have to caution that if you’re traveling with teens like ours, or even younger guests who have to have their screen time, be prepared to drop some coins on high-speed internet. The first two days of the cruise our teens were suffering serious withdrawals without easy access to wifi. Fortunately, there were plenty of activities to distract them. We docked at Lookout Cay on the second day of the cruise and got right into the excursions!
Source: Courtesy / Janeé Bolden
The fun started with an info session at the Goombay Cultural Center where we learned all about Junkanoo, a parade celebrated in the Bahamas.
“Seeing guests experience Lighthouse Point and the intentional cultural nods, like the Junkanoo experience, is so rewarding. It’s something people can enjoy every time they visit—a cool way to bring Bahamian culture to life,” our cruise director Matthew told GlobalGrind. ”
We crafted our own headpieces to wear as we watched the Junkanoo parade and afterward headed to the beach for fun in the sun and sand.
Source: Courtesy / Janeé Bolden
Another fun part of the First Wave Sailing was returning to our room after a day on land to find surprise Disney merch.
For our themed Pirate’s Night, we were gifted Mickey Mouse-printed pirate scarves.
Source: Courtesy / Janeé Bolden
Pirate Night coincided with dinner at Animator’s Palate. Both of our new grads are artists so we were obsessed with the walls there, which are covered with sketches of our favorite Disney characters. We were also treated to a special animated show at the end of the meal along with a visit from Mickey.
Source: Courtesy / Janeé Bolden
“My favorite dining room is Animator’s Palate,” Matthew told GlobalGrind. “Even with the same color-changing technology since 1998, it still works and packs a punch. My favorite dish? The black truffle pasta—it’s so good. Watching guests experience everything for the first time is incredible.”
For adults experiencing a Disney Cruise for the first time, I highly recommend scheduling some time away from the kids by making a spa appointment at the Senses Spa and Salon and/or a reservation at the adult-exclusive Palo restaurant. You can easily book your reservations once you’ve reserved your cruise using the Disney Cruise Line app — try to make all your reservations sooner rather than later because some things get filled up.
Source: Courtesy / Janeé Bolden
There’s so much to experience aboard Disney Cruises, from specialty shops to all-day dining, games and trivia, pools, and more! We’ve previously traveled with Disney Cruise Line for the inaugural sailing of the Disney Wish, but the DVC First Wave sailing was aboard a much smaller and older ship, the Disney Magic.
“The smaller ships have more heart, more intimacy,” Stephen Miranda, DCL Hotel Director told GlobalGrind. ” The bigger ships have more technology and modern spaces, but the heart is in the smaller ships.”
Source: Courtesy / Janeé Bolden
Our First Wave Sailing included so many great experiences, everything from snorkeling in Lookout Cay to nightly shows in the Disney theater, we made memories to last a lifetime and after just a few days even met new people aboard the boat who we’ll never forget.
“For us, the opportunity to engage with our members on these sailings is critical,” DVC Sales Director AJ told Global Grind.” It’s the organic conversations we have with them—raw, unfiltered feedback in the moment—that mean so much. We work for a really special company that cherishes that feedback because we can build it into the next experience. Walking around with our families, laughing at a show together, or sharing a coffee—it makes us all human and brings us together as a family.”
That’s probably the most magical part of Disney — the feel-good vibe that makes you want to keep coming back again and again! With just a few months until the launch of the Disney Destiny — we definitely can’t wait to come back and see what DisneyCruiseLine comes up with next.
