Over 2000 pix! Our first Disney Dream cruise + Fantasy pix + Our Wonder cruise!

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Working on the bathroom...will be back soon.

[poison ivy]

Originally Posted by OneTreeHillAddict

I am so happy you posted on here. That is one of the reasons I came back to Dis. To reconnect with old friends I had made a few years ago. Everything is different now. It's like most people are lurkers, and don't want to share anything about themselves. I don't get it. I'm thinking about ending both current trip reports so I can concentrate on things around here. I have about two weeks to prepare for this huge trip. I hate to waste time on something people aren't reading.

Believe me you are not wasting your time sharing this report! We are planning to sail the Dream next Sept and I really appreciate you allowing us to follow along with your family on this trip! it gives a great perspective on what to expect that time of year. Thank you.

We are new to cruising also, having only sailed twice - the Disney Dream May 2011 and the Disney Fantasy June 2012. We would love to sail on all 4 ships but like you, aren't sure what it would be like to sail the Magic following the Dream. We are planning a 4 nt out of Miami on the Magic in Dec 2013 after she's gone thru an extensive refurb. so who knows? It may feel like a new ship!

[lml2013]

I am loving your TR!!! My fiancee and I are going on the Dream in April for our honeymoon! This is our first cruise, so I'm slowly learning. Castaway Cay looks heavenly, and the food looks delectable! Thank you for sharing your experience!

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Um!!!??? I skip a few days and go back to photobucket for a shock! OMG, how does this work now? Okay, well, found a way to go back to the old site. Thank goodness.

Still working on the bathroom. We're almost in the single digits for the next Disney trip. Not one single item packed. Nothing planned out the way it should be at this point, but hey, it's all good. A few fun things did happen today. My business cards came in. I renewed my ID's. Oh, and a few nights ago I found my June tix from Disney while cleaning up! Now we can surprise the kids with water park/Disney quest AP's! I'm just hoping the water parks are open while we're down there. The weather is so crazy this time of year.

I can't remember what all I had posted on Castaway Cay so I'm going to start from a random area. If I repeat anything I apologize. If it looks like this it's all good, right?



Have ya'll seen the DCL video where the little boy keeps going back for an ice cream break? My youngest thinks this is the funniest thing ever. I know my kids loved ice cream breaks, and Sidney too. I may have had two or three the entire time. I'm just not into the soft serve ice cream like they are.





At this time lunch had not been served yet, but it was getting close to that time.










Oops, got sidetracked by the palm trees.



How delicious does this look?















Where the little kids eat...






Bathrooms







I LOVED this!



Love this picture!!! I love the colors, the characters, all of it!



I loved this look too. I bet this beach is normally covered in people!



Today it's just my babies...



The pictures above are from our first visit to the island. After we had breakfast on the ship we went onto CC to look around and take some pics with the good cameras. We are headed back to the ship here towards the end. I will have one, maybe two more posts with pix similar to this. I actually started the Castaway Cay pictures with the second half of our day there. The second part of the day was lunch, bike riding, and the beach visits. Trying not to confuse anyone. If you guys are like me you could care less what order they are in as long as you see what the island has to offer. That's the important part, right? Okay...there you go. Fun at Castaway Cay part unknown.

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Originally Posted by poison ivy

Believe me you are not wasting your time sharing this report! Thank you for saying that. Seems like more people lurk than in the past. I miss the communication part of Dis. LOLWe are planning to sail the Dream next Sept and I really appreciate you allowing us to follow along with your family on this trip! it gives a great perspective on what to expect that time of year. Thank you. If it is this slow again next year, same time, we may be on the ship with you. I'm from Myrtle Beach, hurricane season doesn't scare me.

We are new to cruising also, having only sailed twice - the Disney Dream May 2011 and the Disney Fantasy June 2012. We would love to sail on all 4 ships but like you, aren't sure what it would be like to sail the Magic following the Dream. We are planning a 4 nt out of Miami on the Magic in Dec 2013 after she's gone thru an extensive refurb. so who knows? It may feel like a new ship!

I was thinking the same thing. To leave the new ships and then sail on an old one...will it be just as fun? It may even be better because it's more intimate. I'm just not sure. I know we really enjoyed the Aqua Ducks, and it would be weird not to have those. We set a goal to sail all four by the end of 2014. Hopefully we can make that happen sooner than later.

Originally Posted by lml2013

I am loving your TR!!! My fiancee and I are going on the Dream in April for our honeymoon! This is our first cruise, so I'm slowly learning. Castaway Cay looks heavenly, and the food looks delectable! Thank you for sharing your experience!

You guys picked a great ship to have your first sailing on! That's for sure. Are ya'll going to WDW too? We did a cruise (RCCL) and WDW for our honeymoon back in '98. We had a lot of fun. Congratulations on the upcoming marriage!

[lml2013]

No, we are just cruising, trying to cast the Disney spell on the future hubby. I'll have him hooked in no time I'm sure!

I do have a questions, if you don't mind...

Whats the adult areas like? That's one of the concerns he had about using Disney for our honeymoon. I on the other hand don't mind hanging with the kids, I'm a big kid myself (he is too, just to manly to admit it).

Thanks!

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Originally Posted by lml2013

No, we are just cruising, trying to cast the Disney spell on the future hubby. I'll have him hooked in no time I'm sure!

I do have a questions, if you don't mind...

Whats the adult areas like? That's one of the concerns he had about using Disney for our honeymoon. I on the other hand don't mind hanging with the kids, I'm a big kid myself (he is too, just to manly to admit it).

Thanks!

The adult beach, like most of Castaway Cay on our stop, was empty. It was beautiful though. They have a place just for adults to eat. The beach itself was full of hammocks, so you had plenty of places to relax. On the ship they have adult only swimming & a jacuzzi. The bars and clubs were really nice. We never went into the clubs at night because we did have kids with us, but you could heard the people inside having a great time. Since this is a honeymoon trip I would pay the fee and hit up the adult only restaurants. We did not go inside, but I have done research on them, and if I were able to I'd definitely experience those. I think your husband will have a wonderful time. You should look and see if there is a travel group on here, if not start one, just for your sailing. That way you can meet up with other adults and honeymooners you will be sailing with.

We cruised RCCL on our honeymoon and met quite a few couples on the ship. We had a great time and new life long friends by the end of our sailing. Also, during regular dinner they will probably team you up at a table with another couple. If you make friends now, before you sail, you might be able to request a table with them.

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to work on this island? Well they are hiring right now! I can't imagine myself heading off to Castaway Cay as a married mother to three young children, but back in my early 20's I would have loved that job! Just imagine the fun things they get to do for fun while waiting for the next ship to come in.













I can see it now. DVC comes to Castaway Cay! It would not surprise me one bit. They could build little cabins that match the beach cabanas. They could charter boats to other Bahamian islands like Nassau or Freeport. Of course that would kill the fun for those who work there if they had to share paradise after dark.



This is one of my favorite pictures of my daughter on the island.











Take advantage of your photo ops. Especially if you get a day like this!

[bluenorthern]

Hi--just have to say THANK YOU for your trip report and all the photos--a picture tells a thousand words right? Your report will be dug up over the months and years to come and will help and enlighten people---thanks again!

[cherylsmike]

Fabulous photos! We are going on our first cruise in April but it's just RCCL. The Freedom of the Seas is an impressive looking ship, but it's not nearly as pretty as the Dream. Thanks for posting them.

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

I can't wait to go to CC!!!!! Is it true that if you can't dock on the first day at CC then they will try to on the 2nd day as long as you're on the 4 day cruise??!!

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Originally Posted by bluenorthern

Hi--just have to say THANK YOU for your trip report and all the photos--a picture tells a thousand words right? Your report will be dug up over the months and years to come and will help and enlighten people---thanks again!

I agree. A picture speaks for itself. Who needs text?

As soon as I get the time I plan to read some of my first ones I wrote a few years ago. It'll be neat to go back and see how much the kids have grown.

Thanks for posting!

Originally Posted by cherylsmike

Fabulous photos! We are going on our first cruise in April but it's just RCCL. The Freedom of the Seas is an impressive looking ship, but it's not nearly as pretty as the Dream. Thanks for posting them.

Love the hat in your picture!

RCCL was my first cruise "line" and I have yet to find anyone that can compare to their above and beyond details to food, decor, and presentation. I love DCL, don't get me wrong, but RCCL would have ice, cheese, pretzel, fruit, and bread sculptures set up at every meal/midnight buffet. Their island Cococay...AMAZING! Are you stopping there? I'm sure it has changed a great deal since 1998 but back then it was absolutely gorgeous! (We walked the entire thing, even the backside where the waves are crazy and the rocks are rough) I am due for another RCCL cruise!

Thank you for posting.

Originally Posted by TinkerbellLuvr7

I can't wait to go to CC!!!!! Is it true that if you can't dock on the first day at CC then they will try to on the 2nd day as long as you're on the 4 day cruise??!!

I really don't know. We stopped at CC on day four so we couldn't have done that. We went to Nassau first. If something were to prevent a stop at CC I know I'd be extremely upset. They pretty much canceled everything the day we stopped, but we only saw rain. No strong winds or thunderstorms. Maybe I missed something while we were sleeping? The first part of the day on our stop was overcast, but the second part was bright and sunny. We sailed last minute, so I didn't have time to plan, research, nothing.

[Sereina]

Castaway Cay looks so beautiful. I love that you post tons of pictures, cause I they're so fun to look at.

[jacob408]

Great trip report. Lots of awesome photos. Thanks for sharing.

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Originally Posted by Sereina

Castaway Cay looks so beautiful. I love that you post tons of pictures, cause I they're so fun to look at.

Thanks. It is gorgeous! Coconut trees everywhere...you can't go wrong.

Originally Posted by jacob408

Great trip report. Lots of awesome photos. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you, and thanks for posting!