Thirteen days after we left Southampton and after five straight days at sea, I woke up just after 6:30am on our final day onboard the beautiful Disney Dream just as we were starting to dock at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point – Disney Cruise Line’s new beach destination on the southern tip of the Bahamian island of Eleuthera where the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea meet.

One of the main reasons why we booked this cruise was to visit Lookout Cay (it had only opened a few months beforehand) and I was so excited that the day had finally arrived as I could not wait to explore somewhere new. We arrived early when it was still dark outside as it was the Disney Dream’s very first visit to Lookout Cay so the crew needed to get onto the island as soon as possible to get orientated as it was the first visit for the majority of them as well.

On our way to breakfast we walked up to Deck 13 to get our first look at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point which was already looking beautiful in the morning sun and the first thing I thought was that the now infamous pier was nowhere near as long as I expected it to be. It had caused such an outcry online when Lookout Cay had opened a few months previously so I really was expecting it to be much longer. If this long pier did not exist, the alternative would be having to use tender boats to reach the shore which other ships have to do at Princess Cays which is only located a few miles away.

The reason for the half mile long open trestle pier from the shoreline out to the deep water where the ship docks is to act as a bridge to protect the fragile coral reef underneath so that no dredging of the sea bed was needed to ensure as little impact as possible was made to the natural environment. I really wish there were signs along the pier itself to explain this to stop people moaning and complaining about it – although it was mentioned during the Good Morning Disney Dream show that day.

After getting our bags ready we walked down to Deck 4 to take some more photos whilst we waited to disembark the Disney Dream. Our original all ashore time was 10:15am and our new time was 9:00am which was over an hour earlier than planned which was great news as it was originally such a short day in port (and in reality it still was) so any extra time was a great bonus as there was so much that we wanted to see and do and we wanted to make the most of every minute that we had there.

Just before 9:00am we saw some people running off the ship and onto the pier (no announcement had been made to say that the ship was cleared at this time) so we decided to walk down to Deck 1 to disembark as well. All three gangways were open and it was very busy (some people were even pushing past as they did not want to line up and we did watch as others called them out for it) as everyone onboard was very eager to get off the ship after five days at sea as well as to visit Lookout Cay for the first time and we tapped our Key to the World cards and stepped off the ship and onto the pier a few minutes later just after 9:00am.

The walk along the pier took us just over nine minutes (I timed it) at a normal walking pace. It did not even feel like it was a long walk as I was so excited to be there with so much to look forward to that day and I was constantly taking pictures, looking at the crystal clear blue water around us as well as dancing along to Ery’ting Cool – the song written especially for Lookout Cay by the Bahamian musician Victor Johnson – as well as turning around occasionally to get a view of our beautiful ship docked in the sunshine.

There is however absolutely no shade along the pier so if you are visiting Lookout Cay, remember to wear plenty of SPF, wear a hat and cover up to help protect yourself from the sun. There is water available half way along the pier but we had come prepared with our water bottles which we had filled up onboard and they were also handing out cold towels at the end of the pier when we reached Mabrika Cove.

If you are unable to do the walk, there are golf carts available but only for the person who needs it and not for the entire party – this is offered on a first come, first served basis and you meet in the Walt Disney Theatre and wait to disembark. There are also complimentary wagons available on the pier for families travelling with small children.

The pier at Lookout Cay really is not an issue in the slightest and if you cancel a cruise there because of the long pier and the walk then you are missing out big time. It really makes no sense whatsoever when most of the people complaining are the same ones that will walk miles around all of the theme parks every day in the height of summer.

Our first stop once we arrived at Mabrika Cove was the First and Last Chance Stand which offers a limited amount of Lookout Cay merchandise. Thankfully they had the two items that I wanted to get – the Lookout Cay pin as well as the Christmas decoration – and there was also no line to pay but be aware that there is no discount on merchandise for Gold, Platinum and Pearl Castaway Club members in the shops on Lookout Cay (unlike onboard the ship) and 10% Bahamian sales tax will be added to all purchases. Now that I had the only two things that I wanted to buy, I could relax and enjoy the rest of my day.

I also made a quick stop at Mangroves and Go for an Iced Latte and it was even better as they had normal oat milk (and not the Spanish brand that was onboard the ship) and it tasted amazing and was simply the best and nicest coffee that I had throughout the entire cruise. I paid $21 for the Lighthouse Point Sierra Tumbler (which included any non alcoholic signature coffee) and it was one of the best purchases I have ever made as even on a hot day like this was, there was still ice in the cup seven hours later! It will be perfect for any future beach days.

Mangroves and Go was the perfect way to get our day on Lookout Cay off to a great start and I really hope that Castaway Cay gets a coffee bar as well in the future as it really was that good.

Mabrika means “Welcome” in Taino which was the language of the Lucayan people who were the original indigenous residents of the Bahamas. There is also a large rock at Mabrika Cove where we are introduced to the adorable mascots of Lookout Cay who are creatures that are all native to Eleuthera including Lizzy the Curly Tailed Lizard, Sandy the Land Crab, Queenie the Queen Conch as well as a Money Bat Moth and a Great Lizard Cuckoo.

As I had watched so many vlogs online of Lookout Cay, a few things that I immediately noticed on our visit was just how much greener everywhere looked as a lot of the plants and foliage had started to grow and there were also signs and maps everywhere to help guide the way which I read had been missing when it first opened.

Currently the only way to get from Mabrika Cove to the Goombay Cultural Center where the majority of the attractions on Lookout Cay are found is to take the tram however this could change in the future.

We did not have to wait to board a tram and they run constantly with the next two trams arriving as soon as the previous two depart so there will not be a long wait for the next one. During the seven minute ride (yes I timed it again) there is a narration featuring Miss Tracy along with Lizzy the Curly Tailed Lizard and Sandy the Land Crab who tell everyone about the island of Eleuthera as well as handy information about Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

From leaving the ship to arriving at the Goombay Cultural Center Tram Stop took us thirty five minutes which included the walk along the pier, the tram ride as well as stopping for coffee and to buy souvenirs.

Towels are available once you step off the tram at the Goombay Cultural Center so you do not need to carry them off the ship which makes life a lot easier and our first stop was the Gathering Tree which is a meeting point at Lookout Cay for many of the excursions and it was fun to see how many characters we could see represented in the tree.

This is also the area where you will find Guest Services, First Aid as well as Rocky Point Bicycle Rentals which were unavailable during our trip as the bike paths were still not ready during our visit.

It seemed that everyone had rushed off the ship that morning to go straight to the Disney T’ings shop as it was crowded like a Black Friday sale (it looked like the Lookout Cay beach spirit jerseys were the item that everyone wanted to get as they were flying off the shelves) and there were also very long lines to pay which made me so happy that I had managed to get everything that I wanted at the First and Last Chance Stand. The other shopping location is called Treasures of Eleuthera which sells local arts and crafts.

Lookout Cay features paved walkways as well as wooden boardwalks which are raised off the ground to protect the vegetation underneath which link the main areas to Lighthouse Beach as well as to the various bars and pavilions making it very easy to get around. As we took a few minutes to get our bearings it was also immediately noticeable how much greener everywhere looked in this area compared to the pictures and videos from a few months previously.

However one issue that really does need to be solved at Lookout Cay is that there needs to be a lot more shade available than there currently is as there is very little escape anywhere from the bright sun. Not everyone wants to sit on the beach in direct sunlight all day and at this time they were not allowing anyone to put any of the umbrellas up – the only places that were shaded were the bars or the seating areas at True-True BBQ and True-True Too BBQ which are not exactly a comfortable place to sit back and relax.

As the character meet and greets were not starting for another hour, I decided to use this time to walk the Nature Trail to the Historic Lighthouse whilst my boyfriend went off to try and find somewhere shaded to chill with a cold drink and his Kindle. The trail starts just past the Reef and Wreck Bar and takes approximately fifteen minutes each way.

Along the way are signs and displays along with QR codes that you can scan using the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app to learn all about the natural flora and fauna that can be found on Eleuthera – and we also get to know a lot more about Sandy the Land Crab, Lizzy the Curly Tailed Lizard, Queenie the Queen Conch as well as Money Bat Moths (which are seen as good luck if one lands on you as you will soon come into money) and Great Lizard Cuckoos who locals also call “Rain Crows” as seeing one is a sign that rain is on the way.

The namesake lighthouse of Lighthouse Point was built in 1901 to warn ships of hazardous conditions in the area where the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea meet. The light beacon could be seen up to twenty miles away preventing ships at night from becoming stranded or damaged on the rocks and the coral that surround the island.

I decided to make my way back by firstly walking past the incredible limestone cliffs and onto the amazing Lighthouse Beach which is even more beautiful in person than you could ever imagine. The pink sand along the beach is so soft and powdery and it’s colour comes from the crushed coral and shells which can be seen as small red specks in the sand if you look closely.

If you are a beach lover then you will absolutely adore Lighthouse Beach as it really is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen anywhere. It was also so quiet at this far end of the beach as the majority of people stick to either Serenity Bay or the Family Beach but I would pick this tranquil and peaceful area every single time.

Next on my long list of things to do was to meet as many of the characters as I could who were wearing their brand new “Junkanoo Fun in the Sun” costumes that were designed by Bahamian fashion designer Theodore Elyett. There are not too many character appearances on Lookout Cay and some of them are only out once all day but it is completely possible to meet them all however as the lines are only open for ten minutes each, you have to be organised and have a plan.

Minnie and Mickey were both meeting on either side of True-True BBQ at 10:45am and all I did was make sure that I was towards the front of the first line as it meant that I could meet Minnie and get my photo before quickly running over to join the line for Mickey within ten minutes before it closed. Unless you have someone with you who is willing to save your spot in the other line, this is the only way to do it. Another thing that is important to mention is that there is also no shade where the characters meet so once again make sure that you cover up and wear plenty of SPF if you plan on waiting.

After meeting the one and only Minnie with her beautiful pineapple straw bag (Eleuthera is famous for its pineapples) and Mickey with his amazing conch shell shorts, I was fourth in line to meet Donald before doing the same again and running over to wait for Daisy with her incredible giant straw hat with raffia pompoms who were both out at 11:15am.

After meeting Minnie, Mickey, Donald and Daisy I walked back towards the beach close to the Reef and Wreck Bar where my boyfriend was chilling as he had finally found some much needed shade. It turns out that whilst there were areas on Lighthouse Beach where they were not allowing any umbrellas to be put up, there were also other areas where the opposite was true and where they were not bothered in the slightest.

There are so many sun loungers at Lookout Cay that you will not have an issue getting one but not all of them are right on the water (so not necessarily where some people want them to be) as the majority of them are located just behind the sand dune so all you have to do to get to the sea is to cross one of the many small wooden bridges and there are also some that have ramps as well as steps. It really was such a picture perfect beach.

Rush! A Junkanoo Celebration was due to start at 12:00pm (there was another one scheduled at 2:00pm but this was when we were planning to meet Chip, Dale, Goofy and Pluto) so we walked along the beach back towards the Goombay Cultural Center where we got a front row spot ready for the party to start.

Under the grand and colourful sweeping roof of the Goombay Cultural Center (where you can also find a Hidden Mickey) is where you can go to learn all about Bahamian history as well as find out all about the music and costumes of the Junkanoo Festival from one of the local Bahamian cultural representatives. During the Sights and Sounds of Junkanoo Workshop, you can even craft your own Junkanoo headdress before the celebration begins.

Junkanoo is the biggest celebration in the Bahamas featuring a parade with elaborate brightly coloured costumes (all made from cardboard, crepe paper and plenty of glue), music and dancing. After being told all about different Junkanoo traditions, Minnie and Mickey arrived along with a local Junkanoo group called Charisma. It was great fun with loud drums, trumpets, trombones, whistles and cowbells along with lots of dancing and you couldn’t help but join in and shout out “Ooh Ooh Junkanoo!” along with everyone else as the music was so catchy.

Rush! A Junkanoo Celebration was such good fun and the parade continues afterwards all the way back to the Goombay tram stop. We also took this time to actually look around Disney T’ings as the shop was now empty after the huge crowds earlier that morning and they still had everything in stock at this time.

Lunch on Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point is served between 11:30am and 2:00pm at True-True BBQ, True-True Too BBQ and Serenity Bay BBQ. We got there just before 12:30pm and there was a small line to get a tray for lunch but as it was all of the crews very first time working at Lookout Cay, we expected it to be a little slower than what we are used to at Castaway Cay.

The food quality however was so much better than at Castaway Cay (where we prefer eating lunch back on the ship) and there were so many choices for lunch when we visited including so many different veggie and plant based options and I loved the fact that I could get an Impossible Burger without having to pre-order the night before like I have to on Castaway Cay. Along with my burger I also got some Yucca Fries and Coleslaw along with a Fuze Iced Tea which I love and had missed drinking for the past two weeks onboard as it was not available.

There were plenty of empty tables at True True BBQ when we got there and unlike the first cruises to Lookout Cay a few months previously, I saw a total of one fly the entire day we were there and there were none around the tables at all so the fly problem that existed on those earlier sailings seems to have been fixed.

After we finished our lunch we walked over to the Play-Play Pavilion for the Fun in the Sun Beach Bash which ironically (although thankfully) takes place in the shade and features Chip and Dale, Goofy and Pluto dancing along to Bahamian versions of Disney songs before playing beach games inspired by their trip to the Bahamas including Goofy’s Good Day Limbo, Pluto’s Pineapple Ring Toss and Chip and Dale’s Water Brigade.

As we had some time before the next lot of character appearances, my boyfriend retreated to the shade of Sandsational Smoothies to get a much needed cold drink whilst I took some time to explore the rest of Lookout Cay.

Rush Out Gush Out is a colourful water play area located alongside the Family Beach which is available for guests of all ages to enjoy and to cool off from the hot sun. There are water drums, lots of water features as well as two waterslides.

Between Rush Out Gush Out and Sandsational Smoothies I also found Lizzy the Curly Tailed Lizard, Sandy the Land Crab, Queenie the Queen Conch as well as the Money Bat Moth and the Great Lizard Cuckoo (I wish that they both had names) alongside some Junkanoo artefacts and musical instruments.

I decided to walk up to the adult only Serenity Bay and I noticed that the beach as well as the Blue Hole Bar were both very busy as it was such an adult-heavy cruise which the longer sailings tend to be. The Serenity Bay Beach is right next to the Family Beach with barely any separation between the two so it is not as peaceful or secluded as it is at Castaway Cay – I personally think that the adult cabanas would have suited Mabrika Cove much better as the family cabanas which are actually there are so far away from everything else that is going on.

On my way back I stopped at the Bow and Ribbon Bar to get an Eleuthera Euphoria which is the signature cocktail of Lookout Cay and is made with Goslings Spirited Seas Ocean Aged Rum and Pineapple Dole Whip. I then walked back to Sandsational Smoothies to meet back up with my boyfriend who had ordered a Mango Float which is made with Mango Dole Whip, Coconut Milk, Pineapple Juice and Mango Pearls. Both drinks were absolutely delicious and the perfect alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy on a very hot and sunny day.

It was finally time to meet our last characters of the day so we made our way back to True-True BBQ ready to meet Goofy as well as Chip and Dale (as well as Dale’s amazing straw backpack) who were out at 2:00pm and finally Pluto at 2:30pm. The lines were much quieter than they had been earlier in the day (which surprised me as this was the only time that these characters were out whereas Minnie and Mickey as well as Donald and Daisy were out twice) but I think a lot of people had already gone back to the ship at this time.

Now that we had met all of the characters and had done everything else that we wanted to do at Lookout Cay, it was time to celebrate having such a good day by having a little swim in the sea before we made our way back to the ship. We went back down to the quieter (and in my opinion, the best) area of the beach in front of the Reef and Wreck Bar and the water was crystal clear and the perfect temperature. I am not usually a fan of swimming in the sea (give me a pool any day) but Lighthouse Beach was simply paradise.

There are showers to rinse off the sand and salt water as well as toilets are located behind all of the four main bars along the Lighthouse Beach and there are also towel return bins which are located throughout the property so you do not need to carry your towels all the way back to the ship.

As we walked back to the Goombay Cultural Center Tram Stop to make our way back to Mabrika Cove, all of the shops and bars had now closed for the day but as it was so quiet, it was the perfect time to take a quick photo of all of the Junkanoo-inspired Character backdrops – and since our cruise, I have seen that Pluto has also been added to the line-up.

I had really enjoyed my day at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and whilst it is a completely different experience to Castaway Cay, that is perfectly okay as I would not want them to be exactly the same. Whilst the private island of Castaway Cay has a fictional backstory and completely immerses you into that shipwrecked world, Lookout Cay is a real place located on the larger island of Eleuthera which gives you a true and authentic Bahamian experience albeit with a few small Disney touches throughout.

I would love to go back to Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on another cruise as it is truly beautiful and that beach is like nothing else I have ever seen and it will be great to see how it evolves over time. There are still things that need to be finished such as the Bike Path and the 5K route but these will come soon enough. It would be great to do a cruise that visited both Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay on the same trip so you could get the best of both worlds.

After walking back along Lookout Landing as the pier is officially called (although I did see it once marked as the Bob Chapek Pier on Google Maps) we reboarded the ship just before our all aboard time of 3:30pm and there were still plenty of people behind us. We had definitely made the most of every minute of our day at Lookout Cay and we took the elevator straight back up to our stateroom on Deck 8 to get rid of our bags.

We then headed up to get another cold drink and a slice of pizza each as we were both feeling a little bit hungry after such a busy day and dinner was not for another five hours. We listened to the horns which were blasted at 4:15pm and watched as we slowly left Lookout Cay and started the final part of our long journey overnight towards Fort Lauderdale.

As we had done the majority of our packing the evening before we had very little to do late that afternoon apart from sit on the verandah and enjoy our last few hours at sea. Thankfully our bags were lighter than when we boarded the ship as we had used most of our heavy toiletries up so we had a little bit of space left for the few bits of shopping we had to get the following day in Florida. All I remember feeling is that it would be nice to have one more sea day before we got to Fort Lauderdale as I always think that the last day onboard feels rushed if it is a port day.

We walked down to Deck 3 just after 8:00pm for our final dinner of the cruise in Royal Palace. If I am being completely honest I would have been more than happy with some quick service food that evening as I did not really want a sit down meal but went as it was the last night onboard and one of my favourite appetisers was on the menu.

It was actually a very quick dinner for us which was perfect and to start I had the Lightly Breaded Baked Eggplant which I always love followed by the Oven Baked Lobster Tail. Once we had finished our last meal on the Disney Dream we said our goodbyes to Jaqueline, Philip and Jayson who had looked after us so wonderfully for the past two weeks onboard.

After leaving Royal Palace we walked around the ship for a while which was so empty at this time before getting a cup of tea and making our way back down to Deck 4 to grab our spot ready for the Sea Ya Real Soon farewell show which was due to start at 10:15pm and we loved listening to the amazing pianist who was playing Disney songs whilst we waited.

Sea Ya Real Soon is your final farewell to all of the characters as it is the last time that they are out during the cruise. Once all of the characters arrive you have about fifteen minutes to get any last minute photos or autographs with them.

As is now the norm on a cruise, I once again got a bit misty eyed when Minnie, Mickey, Chip and Dale, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto as well as Belle, Cinderella and Tiana said their final goodbyes – that song gets me every single time! Even though I do tear up a little bit, I am no longer sad on the final night of a cruise – I remember being absolutely heartbroken on the final night of our very first cruise back in 2013 – as I just think of the wonderful memories that we made during the cruise instead. I also find that always having another cruise booked to look forward to really helps a lot as well!

After Sea Ya Real Soon had finished I was ready to get off the ship in the nicest way possible as at this point of your final night onboard, it is so late and you know that your cruise is over and having to wait those last few hours until the next morning (as I never sleep well on the final night due to having to disembark so early) just feels like delaying the inevitable.

After falling asleep just after midnight I woke up at 5:45am (knowing that it was going to be a very long and tiring day ahead as we were flying straight back home to London that evening) as the thrusters of the Disney Dream came to life as we started to dock into Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.

We got dressed and ran up to Cabanas which is open for breakfast on the last morning of the cruise albeit with a limited breakfast selection just to get a few pastries which we brought back to our stateroom to quickly eat whilst we gathered all of our bags together before leaving our room a few minutes after 8:00am. We did not even have to wait for an elevator (which is so unusual on the final morning) and even though the Lobby Atrium was very busy and crowded with everyone waiting to disembark, we were able to leave the Disney Dream immediately as we were doing Express Walk Off and carrying all of our own bags off the ship.

Less than five minutes after leaving our stateroom, we were back in the real world and joining the very long line inside the terminal for immigration. Everyone onboard the ship including the crew had to clear immigration that morning (as we had started our journey outside of the US) and the lines were extremely slow. Even though we both have Global Entry to enter the United States, there are no kiosks inside the Disney Cruise Line terminal at Port Everglades (Terminal 4) which is a shame and a little bit annoying as I know that one of the other terminals there has them available to use.

We waited in a long line for thirty five minutes which felt like it took forever but we later found out that we had timed it just right as not long afterwards, all of the computer systems went down and it took others several hours to clear immigration that morning.

There were plenty of taxis waiting once we exited the terminal building and we were soon on our way to Fort Lauderdale Airport which cost $15 where we picked up our rental car for the day which we used to go shopping in Sawgrass Mills (where you can find a Disney Character Warehouse) as well as drive down to Miami Airport to fly back home to London.

After taking two weeks to cross the vast Atlantic Ocean from Southampton via Vigo, Lisbon, Ponta Delgada and Lookout Cay, it only took us less than eight hours to fly back home and head straight back to work the next day. We had such an amazing as well as relaxing cruise onboard the beautiful Disney Dream and we were able to explore places new and old which was so much fun and exactly what we wanted to do.

Now that this cruise is done, we are both looking forward to the next two that we have booked so all we have to do now is discover some brand new Treasure and tick off another bucket list item by exploring a certain Canal but both of those will be a story for another time.

I cannot wait!

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