Baby’s first holiday in the Bahamas

Wesley Johnson took his daughter on a cruise to see if some ‘Disney whimsy’ really does make getting there half the fun

F rom endless encounters with Donald Duck and co, to exploring Nemo’s Reef and seeing off Captain Hook as fireworks fill the sky – life on board the Disney Dream, which evokes liners of years gone by with its dark blue hull and gold detail, promises to be a full-scale fairy-tale adventure. But just how magical will the experience be if you’re setting sail with a baby in tow? To find out, we embarked on a four-day cruise from Florida’s Port Canaveral to the Bahamas – including a stop at Disney’s idyllic private island, Castaway Cay – with our 11-month-old daughter, Evie.

Admittedly, the week before setting off was full of trepidation for me and my wife, Carla. We’d never taken Evie abroad before, so couldn’t help worrying. How would she cope on the nine-and-a-half-hour flight? How would she be on the ship? Would she be OK with the low-30s temperatures we were set to encounter? What about her sleep routine – and how would we prepare her food with no kitchen? But as soon as we stepped on board, Disney sprinkled its magic and our concerns disappeared.

Everywhere you turn, Disney’s ‘cast’ – as all the on-board crew are called – are one step ahead; everything you could possibly think of or wish for has been taken into consideration, even things you didn’t realise you might want!

It’s the little things that make a big difference. In our stateroom, for example, our many suitcases, rucksacks and pushchair all tucked away neatly under the bed, leaving us with plenty of room to get around the cabin. A heavy curtain separated the travel cot from the rest of the room, meaning we could still have the lights on and chat after putting Evie to bed, and the bathroom and shower are separate to the toilet, making getting the family ready that little bit simpler.

Whether exploring Walt Disney World or cruising the Bahamas, the highlight of any Disney experience is meeting the characters, and this is easy and convenient on board with plenty of chances each day, meaning there was always a way to see Mickey, Minnie or Donald, regardless of what else we had planned. And when we bumped into Donald on one of the ship’s 14 decks, he was only too happy to pose for photos.

At US$9 (about £6.40) an hour, dropping our daughter off at the It’s A Small World Nursery – complete with a playroom and separate sleeping quarters with full-size cots – for an hour or two is an affordable treat, enabling us to relax in the adult-only pool bar, soak up some sun, and enjoy the spa. Bliss!

The nursery was particularly popular in the evenings too. Along with other parents, we left our sleeping daughter for a couple of hours so we could try out the adults-only Palo restaurant – a modern Italian situated at the stern of the ship, serving up culinary delights including a classic beef tenderloin and a delicious, signature chocolate souffle. After a luxurious four-course meal, we finished our wine out on deck under the night sky – a fantastic evening.

The quality of the food in the ship’s four main restaurants, which each had at least two tasty vegetarian options on their standard menus, meant it was easy to eat like kings and queens, even without going for the speciality dining option. On our first night, our waiters, Arvin and Dujon (they moved with us as we rotated around the different restaurants during the four days on board), asked the chef to prepare purees for Evie’s breakfast, lunch and dinner the next day, delivering them to wherever we wanted to dine.

For breakfast, the buffet with table