Castaway Cay is fantastic, and a big reason why many return guests cruise with Disney. It is clean, well thought out, flat out beautiful, void of any locals trying to sell you illegal substances and has free food and drinks available all day long. All in all, probably the best beach day you will have in your life. With so many things to do, here are our top 10 things to do on Castaway Cay:

#10: Castaway Joe’s - located over by the exclusive teen beach (where nary a teen has been sighted), Castaway Joe’s is a great open air pavillion with basketball, pool, foosball, ping pong and other fun sports. It is a nice way to get out of the sun for a while, and take a break from the water, but still entertain the kids.

#9: Shop - Disney has several small stores on the island, including She Sells Sea Shells. These shops carry exclusive Castaway Cay merchandise, if you see it here and want it, you better buy it, you won’t see it anywhere else. There are also a few fun Bahamanian shops featuring local merchandise.

#8: Rent Bikes - Disney has set up a few very nice bike paths around areas on the island, and renting bikes is a great way to see the entire island, or at least as much as Disney will allow you to see. You can even bike to a new look out tower that overlooks most of the island. An hour is enough, you can cover all the paths easily within an hour.

#7: Eat as much Ice Cream as you can - Disney provides all of your food and drinks (non-alcoholic drinks that is) for no cost. While the food is good, and it is nice to have access to cold drinks all day long, it is the ice cream that makes your day special. For some reason, I don’t know if it is the heat or sun, the ice cream on Castaway Cay is better than anywhere else on earth. They close up the ice cream early, so don’t wait until the end of the day to stop by.

#6: Do a shore excursion - while not paramount to making your Castaway Cay day perfect, a shore excursion can be a blast. Whether it is Castaway Ray’s Stingray Adventure, parasailing or renting a boat, a shore excursion is a fun way to see Castaway Cay from a different angle. Some of the excursions even take you beyond the boundaries of Castaway Cay.

#5: Drink an adult beverage - Stop by either Conched Out, Heads Up or Castaway Air Bar for fantastic views and a cool adult drink. The Conched Out Bar seems to be the favorite of most cruisers, as it always seems crowded, is close to the family beach and has the biggest selection of drinks.

#4: Serenity Bay Beach - the infamous adult only beach, for those 18 and older, is just fantastic. Smaller than the family beach, the name is apt, as serenity is what you will get. If you have kids along with you, you can check them into the kids club on the island, and head ovover for some adult only time on the beach. Be warned, this isn’t St. Martin, so you won’t see any topless activity going on. It is adult only, but is just to keep the kids on the family beach and give the adults a nice relaxing day at the beach.

#3: Serenity Bay Massage Cabanas - Overlooking Serenity Bay sits a couple, partially hidden, massage cabanas. Sign up in the spa on board the shop for a relaxing massage, with great views of Serenity Bay. A great way to start or wrap up your day on Castaway Cay.

#2: Snorkel - Disney Cruise went to great lengths to create a snorkeling area in the lagoon by the family beach. While the snorkeling will not be as good as on St. Thomas or Grand Cayman, it is a nice break from the beach. Ask one of the lifeguards for a map, and see if you can find all of the sunken treasure.

#1: Just relax - The most important part of the day on Castaway Cay is the first 10 minutes. If you stress about the first 10 minutes, you can relax the rest of the day. We always hop off the tram, and start walking. The further down the beach you go, the better chance you are going to have of it not being crowded, and finding a spot with plenty of chairs, and even a hammock or two that you can claim. Relaxing is what Castaway Cay is about, and if you have the hammock, a bit of shade and aren’t too far from food and drink, you can let the kids play in the water all day while you sit back and mentally prepare yourself for the stateroom bill you are going to get once you get back on the boat.

The Disney Cruise Line is a self-contained vacation all in itself, offering a wide variety of activities, shows, dining, and entertainment. Here we present our Top Ten best things to do on a Disney Cruise:

#10: Read a book in one of the lounge chairs on deck 4 -  All around the exterior deck of Deck 4 are wonderfully comfortable lounge chairs with thick blue padding. Grab your favorite book and kick back in one of these chairs as you watch the sea slip by.

#9: Participate in daily activities - There are many, many more activities planned for each day of your cruise than you could possibly attend. Pick your favorites from the list provided in your daily itinerary, and go! Even if the event may sound a little corny, most of the time the activities and presentations are wonderfully well done and a great use of your time.

#8: Use the kids clubs - Disney is unrivalled in its programs designed for kids. Almost an entire deck of the Disney cruise ships is devoted to the children’s programs. Staffed by well-trained professionals, these kids clubs provide well-needed entertainment for the kids and allow adults some time on their own.

#7: Find the characters - This is a Disney cruise, after all, and the Disney characters are easily found and, unlike at the theme parks, easily accessible. There are several character meet-and-greets each day, so make sure to pick your favorite characters and go get a photo and an autograph.

#6: See the shows - Disney presents wonderful stage shows in the Walt Disney Theatre each night. These Broadway-caliber shows are very well done, and are entertaining for the whole family. The theatre itself is a state-of-the-art facility built right into the cruise ship, and provides great views from all of its comfortable seats.

#5: Get a spa treatment - The Vista spa is an often-overlooked indulgence aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Sign up for a massage, a facial, a manicure or pedicure, or even enjoy one of the spa suites, which includes your own personal hot tub on a balcony overlooking the ocean.

#4: Watch fireworks on deck - Disney is the only cruise line in the world which presents a fireworks show launched right from the deck of the ship. Usually presented during the “Pirates in the Caribbean” party, the fireworks are spectacular because they are so close.

#3: Eat at Palo - This adults-only restaurant located on Deck 10 aft is an exquisite dining experience. The food is absolutely top-notch, and the atmosphere is calm and sophisticated.

#2: Castaway Cay - Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, is a must-do for every Disney cruiser. It’s filled with all sorts of fun activities accompanied by Disney-quality service and facilities. Swim, sunbathe, snorkel, bicycle, parasail, water ski, nap in a hammock, enjoy a drink at the bar, or enjoy any of the many other activities available on this private paradise. If you are lucky enough to  be on one of the Disney Cruises that stops twice at Castaway Cay, you are in for a treat.

#1: Relax - You’re on vacation, after all, and on one of the most relaxing vacations anywhere in the world. Make sure you take some time to sunbathe by the pool, or read a book on your verandah, or catch a movie in the theatre, or just sleep in and let the day go by.