Paul and I had the time of our life on board the Disney Dream on a four night cruise from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas and back! While we are both admittedly kids at heart and Disney fans, we definitely had some misgivings about being stuck in the middle of the ocean with a load of stressed-out parents and screaming toddlers.
Still, we had been on cruises before and heard great things about Disney’s line – so we did our research and gave it a shot. We were blown away! Disney’s impeccable customer service delivered big time, and we had an amazing weekend aboard the Dream.
In this post, we’ll be sharing some of the awesome amenities for adults on a Disney Cruise and some tips to make your next cruise just as unforgettable as ours was. If you’re ready to book now, shoot me a message here so I can set you up with a huge discount!
The Pre-board
If you’re traveling to Florida by air, the closest airport is MCO. You can book a transfer through the cruise line, or take a taxi or ride-share to the port. We actually flew in to Tampa and rented a car to drive up. The cost of parking during the cruise was actually less than transport from the airport would have been , so that wasn’t an issue.
Tip 1
Arrive early. If you don’t mind a bit of a wait in line and you are one of the first to arrive at around 9am or so, you have a chance of getting an upgrade to your cabin if you want to try for it.
Tip 2
I recommend booking at least Concierge level if it’s in your budget. At that level, you have access to the concierge lounge, which gives you a free cocktail hour every day, a private outdoor sunning area, and a dedicated team of people who will make sure you get the excursions, spa and dining reservations you want, and will even take care of special requests for occasions or in-cabin dining. We also enjoyed meeting other cruisers in the lounge and having that socialization option if we wanted it.
We had booked a Concierge Balcony cabin, but with our early check-in we were third in line to check out potential upgrades. There was a 1-bedroom Suite and a Royal Suite available – no question, we went for the Royal Suite, which even at the upgrade price added to what we paid for our original cabin, ended up being about a quarter of what the suite sells for. It was a steal! Being the highest level cabin on the ship, it came with all sorts of perks – free unlimited internet, upgraded in room dining and bath amenities, a gigantic balcony with a hot tub – totally worth the upgrade.
Dining
On Disney cruises you rotate between the various dining rooms so you get to experience all three of them, and your servers rotate with you. This is great if you have special dietary needs, because you don’t have to start again with new wait staff every day. The food was some of the best we experienced on a cruise ship and service was amazing. For meals during the day you have a choice of buffet and a la carte options. For dinners, you will be seated with the people in your cabin, unless you request a larger table.
Tip 3
Unless you’re really keen, go ahead and skip the pirate night, which is really geared towards littles and won’t be a big miss for an adult couple. We chose to do in-room dining that night. We could order all the same food and have a romantic night in. There are also some lovely adults only lounges where you can enjoy some more sophisticated nightlife if you choose.
Extras
We took advantage of two extra-cost amenities on the ship – the spa and Palo, an adults-only specialty restaurant. We had an amazing brunch at Palo that included bubbles and any number of courses you could manage to ingest. The upscale ambience was very adult and a nice change from the regular dining rooms.
We booked a Couple Choice treatment, where each of us could choose what spa treatments we received, and also included a hot tub soak and tea. It was fabulous and highly recommended for a special occasion!
Tip 4
Book your spa treatments on a sea day if you don’t want to worry about missing out on shore excursions.
Port Days
The Dream visited Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island. In Nassau you will find no shortage of vendor’s selling excursions in the terminal, or if you want to do an organized trip you can book one directly through the cruise line. Many people like to spend the day at Atlantis, a huge resort and casino that has an aquarium and water park – plenty to do.
We tend to like to strike out on our own, so we caught a local bus to Ardastra Gardens, a small but pretty local zoo. We enjoyed the marching flamingos there (which you have to see to believe!) and the lush foliage, before a quick jaunt in the famous straw market and then heading back to the ship.
On Castaway Cay we rented a beach cabana for the day. To call it a cabana is truly an understatement. You get your own beach hut with furniture, a fridge, a safe, music, a ceiling fan, and a patio with more furnitures and a hammock. Wait staff brings you food and cocktails to your heart’s content and the beautiful turquoise sea is just steps away. Snorkeling equipment is included, so be sure to see the sights underwater too – including some sunken Mickey’s! For the child in you, Captain Mickey and his pals wander the island for photo ops throughout the day. A cabana on Castaway Cay is not to be missed!
Tip 5
If you’re not big on leaving the ship on port days, or decide to venture out for only half the day, port days are a great time to enjoy a less crowded pool experience on the ship. The Dream does have an adults only pool which was generally less crowded (and quieter) than the main pool anyway.
Nightlife
Disney does a great job putting on gorgeous shows. We decided to skip the shows on our cruise and opted instead for the late showings in the movie theater, or some after dinner drinks in the lounges. The cruise is really set up to do as much or as little as you want, so you can tailor it to your needs.
Tip 6
Try not to over schedule. It is easy to try to pack a lot into your 4 night trip, but don’t underestimate the importance of relaxing! Leave yourself plenty of downtime and if you happen to get board, there are tons of scheduled activities (games, sports, ping-pong tourneys, etc) you can get in on without pre-planning those.
A Disney Dream Come True
We highly recommend Disney Dream as an amazing couple vacation – we had it all – sightseeing, relaxation, romance, great service, nice people. Though it is traditionally marketed as a family cruise, you can have a perfectly lovely adult experience while still enjoying the magic of Disney!
To book your cruise with magical discounts, contact us here!