We (myself, my husband, and my 11-year-old daughter) are experienced cruisers who have previously sailed Princess, RCCL, Holland America, Carnival, and most recently, many times with NCL. This was our first experience with DCL, which we never really previously considered due to the cost differential between DCL and other lines. The Star Wars Day at Sea was a big lure to try this cruise for us; also, some friends cruised on the Fantasy a couple of years ago and spurred our interest. So, we bit the bullet and tried it while our daughter is still young enough to get into the characters and movies and so forth.
We loved this cruise! From the very outset -- from before embarkation, even -- this was a quality operation. From the customized booklet we received about a month before our trip, to disembarkation day, I felt there was plenty of communication from the cruise line. I typically write very long reviews but will try to sum this one up in less words in a few categories:
Food/Dining:
A fair walk from the midship elevators, but very convenient to aft elevators (and therefore cabanas, and then pools). No issues with noise, vibration, or soot on balcony. A little tight in the entry hallway due to split bathroom. Plenty of storage space for our clothes, suitcases, toiletries, and of course souvenirs.
I blame myself for not researching Castaway Cay further, everyone told us it was "so awesome" so we just assumed we'd get off and be awed by the awesomeness. It IS beautiful, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if we had an activity planned, or at least explored a bit. The beach was fine, although quite shell-y (sharp) in places so water shoes might be needed. The water was on the cool side but that's on Mother Nature, not Disney. ;-) The food was ok (the ribs were very tasty, but there wasn't anything else really notable).