‘Magical’ experiences await on Disney Dream
I love the ability, after sailing more than 140-something voyages around the world, to still be surprised by a ship. That’s how I felt recently when I embarked Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream (cruise.center) in Port Canaveral, Fla., for a quick three-night trip to Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas.
It should come as no surprise that Disney offers one of the most family-friendly cruises out there, with elaborate activity centres designed for kids as young as infants and as old as teenagers. And let me be honest: the kids’ spaces are just downright amazing. Too bad, Mom and Dad: Entry is for kids only.
I cruised with my fiancée and found plenty to enjoy about the Disney cruise experience. From the seamless transfers to the pier aboard Disney’s Magical Express to the superb adults-only venues and decks (including a spa with a Thermal Suite), Disney caters to adult couples.
The District on Deck 4 houses most of these adult diversions, which run the gamut from the shippy Pub 687 to the futuristic-looking Pink’s Champagne Bar, where the bubbly flows each evening. In Skyline, wall-sized LED screens switch to adorn the room with vistas from the world’s major cities. Together, they form a quiet respite from the busy family areas.
Staterooms are comfortably-sized and include a unique dual-bathroom concept that provides a bathtub/shower and sink in one room, with a separate toilet and sink in another. Linens are made by Italian company Frette and beds rival those I’ve slept in on luxury lines.
When it comes to dining, Disney innovated right from day one. You are assigned a wait staff and a table for the duration of the cruise, and you rotate through three different themed restaurants together.
I loved this: It’s a throwback to how cruising used to be, when you got to know your wait staff and had designated dining times. Each dining room has its own distinct theme, menu and decor. Allan and Satish, our dining team, provided us with personable service well beyond what I’d expect from a big ship cruise.
By the time we arrived in Castaway Cay, I’d just come to expect a certain level of ease from Disney Cruise Line. As the only private island in the Caribbean with an actual dock, guests simply walk ashore from Disney Dream and enjoy their day in paradise — no long, frustrating tender rides required. If Disney gets credit for only one thing, it is this: for a ship filled with families and kids, everything on board is remarkably stress-free.
There is a decidedly heart-melting quality about a Disney cruise. Even the most cynical person is powerless to resist the charm of a young one running up to embrace Donald Duck. Adults blushed like schoolchildren when Captain Mickey came up to pose for impromptu photos.
The icing on the cake may very well be Disney’s production shows. Forget those tired High School Musical-esque songand-dance routines that pass as entertainment on other cruises; the 70-minute long performance of Beauty and the Beast rivalled shows I’ve seen on Broadway. Bring some Kleenex, too: The Golden Mickeys, with its message to kids and adults to never give up on their dreams, had me fighting back tears.
Disney uses the word “magical” quite a bit. It’s not without merit. I like to say there are two types of cruises: vacations and experiences. Disney Cruise Line offers some of the most magical experiences afloat that I’ve seen yet.
Happy cruising.
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