Exactly 5 weeks from
yesterday, it was Monday and Nassau port day! Some woke up really early and watched the 6:45am sunrise in complete and total awe as the captain sailed our huge ship into the tiny Nassau harbor and gently nestled it up against the dock. Amazing! Some of us, on the other hand, slept in and didnt even realize the ship had stopped moving!
Our first decision was where to eat breakfast. Buffets are available at Cabanas and Enchanted Garden, Flos Café has a variety of grab and go pastries, and a fancy sit-down breakfast is available at Royal Palace.

Espresso lovers headed straight to the adults-only Cove Cafe for made-to-order specialty coffee.
A few families with early rising children are enjoying the Mickey pool all to themselves! Those who like to work out have already hit the gym or are walking/jogging laps around the Deck 4 promenade. (Im not sure yet how long that track is, but on the Magic and Wonder every three laps equals one mile.) The Aqua Duck opens at 9am, which might be a good time to try it without a wait.
Quite a few of us are planning to stay on the ship all day but many others are preparing to debark for port excursions. Sunscreen, check. Hats, check. Sunglasses, check. Souvenir money, check. KTTW card, check. ID, check. Camera, check. Were ready to go! As we step off the Dreams gangway, we realize its the first time weve been able to actually stand right up next to the ship, and again we marvel at how large she is! We pause to take photos with our ship in the background, then compare her to the other cruise ships that are in port. Funny story on our very first
Disney cruise on the Magic in 98, we were docked across from Carnivals Big Red Boat which our teen-aged kids immediately dubbed the Little Red Raft because it didnt even come close to comparing to the size and beauty of our magnificent vessel.
Walking toward a row of brightly tropical-painted buildings, we stop again for photos at the Welcome to Nassau backdrop while becoming faintly aware of live Jamaican music in the distance. Ahhh yes, here in the Bahamas we be jammin, Mon!

Soon, we step out into the hustle and bustle of the tiny island. Well be asked, cajoled, pleaded, flattered, and begged to take a taxi, guided tour, buy some trinkets, or get our hair braided. Women will be called Pretty Lady dozens of times by almost every local resident. Its an experience like no other!
On the ship, there are plenty of activities to keep us busy throughout the day. More movies are playing in the Buena Vista Theatre and the on the huge Funnel View screen. Maybe weve decided to play shuffleboard, ping-pong, foosball, basketball, putt-putt, Wii games, board games, bingo, the Midship Detective Agency adventure, find all the interactive art, or take a guided ship tour. The Navigator is full of so many things to do that we sometimes have to chose between two or more enticing activities! The kids arent the only ones enjoying their age-specific areas
we adults can partake in beer/wine tastings, relax in the spa , work out in the gym, read, relax, snack, sample delicious treats in Cove Café, etc., etc., etc. Characters will be out and about in various locations for photos and autographs. Hey, isnt it time to eat again?

Lunch buffets await!
As evening approaches, those with Main Dining will head to restaurant #2 on their dining rotation. What was that table number? Some servers will greet you by name as you enter the dining room! How in the world do they remember us when their guests change every 3-4 nights?!? We, in turn, greet our tablemates, asking how their day was and comparing notes. Well also notice that our servers wear different outfits for each restaurant, reminding us that everything Disney does is a show and the entire crew is part of the cast. The rest of us will soon be entering the Walt Disney Theatre for Villians Tonight! But first, maybe well stop by Tow Maters Grill and pick up some piping hot french fries to tide us over until dinner
or better yet, get some ice-cream from Eye Scream!
Nassaus all-aboard time is 6:00 p.m. Will everyone make it back on board? Well know some guests are AWOL if we start hearing names being paged over the sound system! As the ship pulls away from the dock, keep an eye out for the Pilot Boat. Its small and has a very thick black rubber bumper all the way around it. Once weve cleared the channel and are heading out to sea, watch as the pilot boat speeds closer and closer to one side of our ship, carefully matching our speed. When it gets within inches of The Dream, youll see a person jump (yes, JUMP!)

from below on our ship onto the Pilot Boat! You have to watch carefully
blink and youll miss it! And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, Girls and Boys, was the Nassau Port Pilot whos job is to help guide large ships safely out to sea without a Titanic mishap along the way.
Soon, late diners are headed to dinner and main diners will have their turn to watch Villians Tonight! And after everyone has had a full day of fun, its time to head back to our cabins for a good nights sleep before docking at paradise in the morning! Another check in our FEs yields more bounty! Were so glad we signed up for this! And, another towel animal patiently awaits our arrival inside our cabin, along with little chocolates and the
Castaway Cay Navigator! We fall asleep thinking about how what a great time we've had so far and how happy we are that we brought our families on this wonderful cruise!
