Home › Compare ports › Castaway Cay vs Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point

Castaway Cay vs Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point

Two private islands, side by side, from our port guides' data. Data last checked: Oct 2026

The short answer

Both are rated Easy for exploring on your own.
Getting ashore: ships dock at both.

Castaway Cay

📍 Bahamas (Abaco area)

🚢 Disney Cruise Line

Easy

Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point

📍 Bahamas (Eleuthera)

🚢 Disney Cruise Line

Easy

Side by side

	Castaway Cay	Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point
Explore-on-your-own rating	Easy	Easy
Country	Bahamas (Abaco area)	Bahamas (Eleuthera)
Dock or tender	Dock	Dock
Where ships dock	Castaway Cay pier (Disney private island; ships dock, no routine tender)	Open-trestle pier, about half a mile long (ships dock; no tender)
Getting ashore and around	No town. Free trams run from the pier to the beaches; change at Pelican Point for the separate tram to adults-only Serenity Bay.	No town. Walk about half a mile (10–15 minutes, unshaded) along the pier to Mabrika Cove, then a tram of about 10 minutes to the main beaches. An accessible cart shuttle runs on the pier for guests with disabilities.
Cruise line	Disney Cruise Line	Disney Cruise Line
Free	Family, Teen and Serenity Bay (18+) beaches; chairs and towels; BBQ lunch; soft drinks and ice cream; Pelican Plunge; kids' clubs	Beaches; chairs and umbrellas; BBQ lunch; soft-serve and drink stations; splash pad; character meets; Junkanoo shows
Costs extra	Alcohol and specialty drinks; bike and water-sports rentals; cabanas; massages; Port Adventures	Bars; cabanas; snorkel gear; Port Adventures
Beaches	Castaway Family Beach Serenity Bay (adults) Teen Beach	Family beach Adults-only beach
Top sights	Pelican Plunge water platform (included) Snorkel lagoon (gear rental extra) Castaway Cay 5K	Goombay Cultural Center and Junkanoo shows Walk to the historic lighthouse Kids' water play area
Currency	U.S. dollar; purchases go on your onboard account.	U.S. dollar; purchases go on your onboard account.
Entry for U.S. citizens	Bahamas: on a closed-loop cruise (starting and ending at the same U.S. port), U.S. citizens can sail with an original or certified birth certificate plus government photo ID, but a valid U.S. passport is strongly recommended in case you have to fly home. You stay inside the cruise line's area, so there's no separate immigration line for you.	Bahamas: on a closed-loop cruise (starting and ending at the same U.S. port), U.S. citizens can sail with an original or certified birth certificate plus government photo ID, but a valid U.S. passport is strongly recommended in case you have to fly home. You stay inside the cruise line's area, so there's no separate immigration line for you.
Back on time	Trams back to the pier get busy late. Head back 45 minutes before all-aboard.	The tram plus pier walk takes 20–25 minutes. Leave the beach an hour before all-aboard.

Fares and times are as reported by the sources on each port page and change often. Always confirm with your cruise line.

Why the ratings differ

Castaway Cay: Can you do it on your own? Yes. Everything is on the island.

Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point: Can you do it on your own? Yes. It's a private destination run by Disney; everything is on site. Opened June 2024.

Quick answers

Is Castaway Cay or Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point easier to explore on your own?

Both are rated Easy for exploring on your own. Can you do it on your own? Yes. Can you do it on your own? Yes.

Do you tender or dock in Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point?

Castaway Cay: Dock (Dock). Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point: Dock (Dock (half-mile pier, then tram)).

What's free at Castaway Cay vs Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point?

Castaway Cay: Family, Teen and Serenity Bay (18+) beaches; chairs and towels; BBQ lunch; soft drinks and ice cream; Pelican Plunge; kids' clubs. Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point: Beaches; chairs and umbrellas; BBQ lunch; soft-serve and drink stations; splash pad; character meets; Junkanoo shows.

When should I head back to the ship?

Castaway Cay: Trams back to the pier get busy late. Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point: The tram plus pier walk takes 20–25 minutes.

Castaway Cay port guide → Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point port guide → More comparisons