August 24th 2012 Cruise to the Bahamas!!!!

[bambilin]

What's the Dine & Play? The thing I don't like about the late dinner is that then you're "scheduled" to see the shows at a very early time (about 5pm, I think). And if we're enjoying ourselves doing whatever during the day, I'd hate to have to stop and go back to the ship/stateroom to get changed and all in order to be ready before 5pm to go to the show (if we want to see it) - and then dinner. It seems like it cuts too much into the "play" time.

Dine and Play is basically this: You let the servers know the kids would like to participate in Dine & Play...(only available with late seating) they take the kids dinner orders and serve them first, like when they bring our appetizers. About 45 minutes into dinner, counselors from the Youth Clubs come and sign the kids into the club right in the dining room, they pick them up and take them. So, the parents get to enjoy the rest of their dinner in leisure. For us it works out great, we NEVER eat early at home because of our work schedules (same for most of our gang) the kids can see the two shows if they want to, they are still having dinner with us, and they will be in the club before 9. Clubs are open until midnight, so that gives them plenty of time to play. When we sailed on the POA last August, my kids were never ready to leave kids club when we came to get them at 10:30 when it was over! LOL They never go during the day, they are with us at the pool, beach, whatever, but they cannot wait to get there at night. Wondering if when the see the clubs on the Dream they may even want to escape to there in the daytime! LOL I believe the Play and Dine is fairly knew, somebody tol dme they started it because they were having trouble getting people to choose the second seating. Do not know if that is true, but I will say that's the only reason we switched to late seating. Even though we prefer it, if the kids were at dinner for the usual amount of time, they would be getting to the clubs soooo late. Whyever they started it, I sure am glad because it works out for my crowd! :0)

 

[mcd2745]

Dine and Play is basically this: You let the servers know the kids would like to participate in Dine & Play...(only available with late seating) they take the kids dinner orders and serve them first, like when they bring our appetizers. About 45 minutes into dinner, counselors from the Youth Clubs come and sign the kids into the club right in the dining room, they pick them up and take them. So, the parents get to enjoy the rest of their dinner in leisure. For us it works out great, we NEVER eat early at home because of our work schedules (same for most of our gang) the kids can see the two shows if they want to, they are still having dinner with us, and they will be in the club before 9. Clubs are open until midnight, so that gives them plenty of time to play. When we sailed on the POA last August, my kids were never ready to leave kids club when we came to get them at 10:30 when it was over! LOL They never go during the day, they are with us at the pool, beach, whatever, but they cannot wait to get there at night. Wondering if when the see the clubs on the Dream they may even want to escape to there in the daytime! LOL I believe the Play and Dine is fairly knew, somebody tol dme they started it because they were having trouble getting people to choose the second seating. Do not know if that is true, but I will say that's the only reason we switched to late seating. Even though we prefer it, if the kids were at dinner for the usual amount of time, they would be getting to the clubs soooo late. Whyever they started it, I sure am glad because it works out for my crowd! :0)

That's a good idea. We never eat dinner early at home either (almost always after 7pm), so just based on timing, I would prefer the later dinner. And if they did the shows after the late dinner, we'd definitely choose that. However, I know we'd end up missing the shows every day if we had late seating. Besides, it just seems backward anyway to do a show and then dinner.

 

[bambilin]

That's a good idea. We never eat dinner early at home either (almost always after 7pm), so just based on timing, I would prefer the later dinner. And if they did the shows after the late dinner, we'd definitely choose that. However, I know we'd end up missing the shows every day if we had late seating. Besides, it just seems backward anyway to do a show and then dinner.

LOL I agree, it does seem backwards to me too, but in this case it works for us so...we will give it a shot!

 

[templed]

We're still sticking to the Main seating / evening show ...

It's always worked for us... so... its all good.

Keeping an eye on those countdowns..... it's not going fast enough.

Spent the last couple weeks in planning meeting for a project that I'm doing, and it will be EXTREMELY nice to be on vacation during the time we are going. Right before the final conversion... after all the testing...

So... all that stress that we'll be washing away on the cruise... I'll get it all back the second I step back into the door...

 

[socababy]

Who else is making ADRs this week? I woke up at 3am this morning to make our first ADR. One downfall to staying off property is that I need to call in daily to make my ADRs instead of making them all at one time! So just 5 more days of waking up early. I will be tired all week since it takes me forever to fall back asleep!

We are taking the red eye on the 17th and will get into MCO before 7am. The plan is to get the rental car and drive to MK and sopend some time their. I made a lunch ADR at Liberty Tavern. Will probably leave soon after lunch and go get checked into the hotel! I know these 6 months are going to fly by!

 

[templed]

Started doing ADR's yesterday (Not me... but one of our party...). So far we've got reservations for Wave, Kona and Bongo's. Still have 2 more to make.

The folks we're going with are actually down in FLA right now on Spring/Winter vacation. Our buddy Vicky is like the ADR Queen... so... she's been handling the calls.

It helps to have great friends!!!!

 

[mcd2745]

Started doing ADR's yesterday (Not me... but one of our party...). So far we've got reservations for Wave, Kona and Bongo's. Still have 2 more to make.

The folks we're going with are actually down in FLA right now on Spring/Winter vacation. Our buddy Vicky is like the ADR Queen... so... she's been handling the calls.

It helps to have great friends!!!!

We just got back from a little getaway to Florida (Gulf coast) ourselves while the kids are out of school!



As for the cruise...anyone else getting worried about the horror stories here on the boards regarding the insane crowds and madness at the pool area on the Dream? Luckily, we only have one sea day...but from what I've been reading, the pool area can be a real disaster.

 

[templed]

After our last cruise I've come to expect less from the pool's on a ship. We were on Carnival Dream (similar size)... and the pools were miniscule.

I already told the people in my group to not expect much from the pools. Heck... we all have pools at home... so, I don't get all that excited about yet another pool.

My feelings are... Swim at the beach, it's more fun

Been scoping out snorkeling gear... My best mask had an unfortunate accident with the basement floor (shattered). I still have a really nice TUSA mask that my parents gave me years ago... but it doesn't fit my face right anymore. Besides, I don't want to be carrying around full size diving flippers. US divers seems to have some nice packages with travel fins...

 

[michelle9343]

We just got back from a little getaway to Florida (Gulf coast) ourselves while the kids are out of school!



As for the cruise...anyone else getting worried about the horror stories here on the boards regarding the insane crowds and madness at the pool area on the Dream? Luckily, we only have one sea day...but from what I've been reading, the pool area can be a real disaster.

I am a little worried about the amount of people on board in general. We never use the pool on the ship so I am not to worried about that but the crowds at the deck parties seem like it can be crazy. My daughter uses a wheelchair and on the Magic and Wonder the elevator were a nightmare for us. But I am planning on just trying to go with the flow and have a EXCELLENT time!!!

Knowing we have past the 6 months to go point I am thinking about our cruise A LOT!!

 

[templed]

I am a little worried about the amount of people on board in general. We never use the pool on the ship so I am not to worried about that but the crowds at the deck parties seem like it can be crazy. My daughter uses a wheelchair and on the Magic and Wonder the elevator were a nightmare for us. But I am planning on just trying to go with the flow and have a EXCELLENT time!!!

Knowing we have past the 6 months to go point I am thinking about our cruise A LOT!!

Our friend Vicky who will be with us, was on Dream last year (during the summer as well) and never complained about overcrowding. With the exception of the pools maybe. Elevators, maybe..... But thats pretty much the same on every ship.

 

[michelle9343]

Our friend Vicky who will be with us, was on Dream last year (during the summer as well) and never complained about overcrowding. With the exception of the pools maybe. Elevators, maybe..... But thats pretty much the same on every ship.

Thats GREAT to hear. I had a group of friends that went last summer and they said they would never go on the DREAM again only the smaller ships. I spent the last week with them and they really made me a little more worried about it again. My DD LOVES the characters and shows so making sure she can get to enjoy them is HUGE for me. She is not able to go to the clubs or any of the other childrens activies so I guess I worry about planning around the crowds a little more.

 

[templed]

Thats GREAT to hear. I had a group of friends that went last summer and they said they would never go on the DREAM again only the smaller ships. I spent the last week with them and they really made me a little more worried about it again. My DD LOVES the characters and shows so making sure she can get to enjoy them is HUGE for me. She is not able to go to the clubs or any of the other childrens activies so I guess I worry about planning around the crowds a little more.

We took a cruise last summer on Carnival Dream.... and the Crowds were ridiculous... The general lay out of the ship just lead to massive choke points in the wrong areas.

Vicky's back from FL... so hopefully she'll chime in here... She's been on both the smaller ships and Dream...

Oh.... Vicky? VICKY? where are you Vicky?

 

[dizneeat]

We took a cruise last summer on Carnival Dream.... and the Crowds were ridiculous... The general lay out of the ship just lead to massive choke points in the wrong areas.

Vicky's back from FL... so hopefully she'll chime in here... She's been on both the smaller ships and Dream...

Oh.... Vicky? VICKY? where are you Vicky?

Okay, I am not Vicky, but we got back from the DREAM last Thursday - this was our 4th cruise on the DREAM and we never found it too crowded. Yes, the pools are full of people during the summer and Cabanas could be "full", but I never felt like the ship was too crowded.
And yes, we cruised on the smaller ships three times too and I did not find there was a huge difference in crowds - the ships are half the size with half the passengers!

We loved our cruise last week and were able to swim at CC, had a nice brunch at Palo and dined at Remy and Palo too! We made a lot of new friends and met some old (cast member) ones.

Can't wait to get back ..... don't worry too much - this is Disney after all!

 

[michelle9343]

Okay, I am not Vicky, but we got back from the DREAM last Thursday - this was our 4th cruise on the DREAM and we never found it too crowded. Yes, the pools are full of people during the summer and Cabanas could be "full", but I never felt like the ship was too crowded.
And yes, we cruised on the smaller ships three times too and I did not find there was a huge difference in crowds - the ships are half the size with half the passengers!

We loved our cruise last week and were able to swim at CC, had a nice brunch at Palo and dined at Remy and Palo too! We made a lot of new friends and met some old (cast member) ones.

Can't wait to get back ..... don't worry too much - this is Disney after all!

Thanks for putting my mind at ease. I know we will have a GREAT time no matter what. Are you writting a trip report for your last cruise??

 

[dizneeat]

Thanks for putting my mind at ease. I know we will have a GREAT time no matter what. Are you writting a trip report for your last cruise??

You are really going to love cruising on the DREAM, just relax and enjoy it.
And yes, I am starting a trip report for this cruise pretty soon. I will post the link here too!

 

[templed]

Okay, I am not Vicky, but we got back from the DREAM last Thursday - this was our 4th cruise on the DREAM and we never found it too crowded. Yes, the pools are full of people during the summer and Cabanas could be "full", but I never felt like the ship was too crowded.
And yes, we cruised on the smaller ships three times too and I did not find there was a huge difference in crowds - the ships are half the size with half the passengers!

We loved our cruise last week and were able to swim at CC, had a nice brunch at Palo and dined at Remy and Palo too! We made a lot of new friends and met some old (cast member) ones.

Can't wait to get back ..... don't worry too much - this is Disney after all!

I could call you Vicky.... If you like? Lol.

 

[templed]

I know it's not the Dream... but... Lookey what I saw coming in to work this morning...

 

[michelle9343]

i know it's not the dream... But... Lookey what i saw coming in to work this morning...

that is so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

 

[templed]

Popped over to see Fantasy in port yesterday...

http://public.fotki.com/templed/disney-fantasy-in-nyc/

 

[dizneeat]

Popped over to see Fantasy in port yesterday...

http://public.fotki.com/templed/disney-fantasy-in-nyc/

Awesome photo!
I am so jealous you all get to see her now already!