With Disney Cruise Line expanding their fleet to seven ships by 2023, a second private Port of Call in the Bahamas may soon be on the horizon. Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, is one of the most popular Ports of Call for the cruise line, but is only able to accommodate one ship per day.
A Nassau news site states that Kim Prunty, VP of Communications for Disney Signature Experiences, has confirmed that Disney is seeking a second private destination in the region. Ms. Prunty did not mention a specific location Disney was looking at, but the speculation is that a peninsula called Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera is the desired location.
Eleuthera is a long, thin island located southeast of Castaway Cay that is known for its great beaches and low population density. You can see Castaway Cay at the top center of the map below, with Lighthouse Beach/Lighthouse Point/Lighthouse Cay denoted with the red pin.
Lending credence to this rumor is the website Private Islands Inc. which had listed Lighthouse Cay for sale last year at $25 million. Today, the 765-acre peninsula is listed as “Off the Market.”
For comparison, Castaway Cay is 1000 acres, but only 10% of that is developed. So a 765-acre peninsula would be the perfect size. Castaway Cay was the first private island with a dock for cruise passengers to disembark directly instead of requiring the use of tenders. Lighthouse Point would offer the same possibility, according to the Private Islands Inc. website:
“Lighthouse Point offers an incredible opportunity to own one of the most beautiful parcels of land in The Bahamas. A stunning peninsula with incredible beaches on both sides of the property, 3 interior lakes and 50 ft elevations make this a one of a kind opportunity in The Bahamas.
Lighthouse Point offers over 4 miles of beachfront and iron shore with deep water access in the protected south east corner of the property. Lighthouse Point is ideal for the creation of a residential resort development, including marina and golf course, or a private estate.”
Having a private beach instead of a private island makes sense from several perspectives, including construction logistics, employment, and emergency needs. In fact, Princess Cruises already owns a private beach on Eleuthera, called “Princess Cays,” only a few miles up the coast from Lighthouse Point.
Stay tuned to WDWNT as more information becomes available on this story.
I wonder if the logistics of creating a second port (and possibly the additional resources to handle 2 ships) on Castaway Cay is less expensive than developing a new port from scratch at this location.
My guess is Disney wants to get into brick and mortar tropical resorts like Beaches, Sandals or even their own Aulani resort on Oahu Hawaii… makes sense to me… Was always surprised Disney didn’t do this already with Castaway Cay, but I’m sure they have their reasons they held off… still, they are pretty late to the party if that is their intentions…