August 29th Sailing of the Dream

[delta0413]

I know a lot of people like to do their trip reports as they are sailing, but since this was only a 4 night cruise (and I’m too cheap to pay that much for internet access) I decided to write this post-cruise. This was our 9th cruise on DCL (we’ve sailed on all of the ships except for the Fantasy) and each time I’ve promised that I’d write a review, but never have until now. Even though we’re back on land, I’m going to have to do this a day at a time since life keeps getting in the way.

This cruise was a last minute decision for us and it took a really good deal thrown at us to consider it since we were on the Dream in January and will be on Oasis of the Seas in October. The other factor that helped push it over the edge was that we would be sailing on my DW’s birthday… so…. SOLD!

I will admit to everyone that I’m usually the freak that wants to be the first person through the gate, almost sprinting to security and then straight to the Castaway Club line for check in. Yes, getting the coveted Number 2 boarding pass is enough to send me to nirvana. Well…as I said above, this was a last minute decision so the earliest arrival time I could score was 1:00 – 1:30 so we decided, what the heck… let’s try something new. We timed our arrival to get to the terminal between 12:00 – 12:30 and take our chances with our check in time.

We arrived at the gate at exactly 12:00 and were directed to one of three umbrella covered curbside positions where our passports would be checked against the manifest. After a couple of minutes we were directed to the porters on the far side of the building. Since we’re usually so early, I was more than a bit concerned that we’d be waiting for some time before we’d be allowed to board. Well I’ve never been so happy to be wrong! Here’s the way it went:

12:00 – Drove through front gate.

12:10 – I was through security while my DW parked the car in the garage. I heard a boarding announcement as I was ascending the escalator that they were already boarding Group 40.

12:15 – I was checking in. There was only 1 family ahead of me in the Castaway Club line so I waited maybe 30 seconds before I was called.

12:20 – Check in complete (before DW made it to the lobby). I was given a Group 29 boarding pass and was told we could go on at our leisure. As soon as DW joined me, we proceeded onto the gangway. After we presented our KTTW cards to the cast members, we saw the dreaded boarding picture line. I asked the lady who was there if we could bypass the line and head straight aboard since we NEVER buy this picture. She kindly explained to us that they needed this picture so they could do face recognition throughout the cruise. I politely asked if we couldn’t accomplish the same thing by giving the photog our KTTW card the first time our picture was taken. She looked at me with a very surprised look, lowered her head and quietly said, “yes”. She then let us through the ropes on the right and allowed us to bypass what I’ve always found to be a very annoying bottleneck standing between me and our first shipboard meal.

12:23 – Our names were announced as we entered the lobby of the Dream. A very nice cast member took us aside and asked if this was our first DCL cruise. We proudly proclaimed that it was our 9th and 3rd on the Dream so she said, “Oh, you know what you’re doing.” She informed us that Enchanted Garden had just opened so we made our way downstairs for lunch.

12:25 – We were being seated in Enchanted Garden for lunch

So there you have it folks… 25 minutes from gate to lunch. Now here’s the point in time when I’ll pause and explain that the ship was only 2/3 filled so I’m sure these time are skewed to the good. (Your results may vary.)

We were assigned 2nd seating, but we prefer 1st so after we finished our lunch, we proceeded to the side door of Royal Palace to see if we could change our dinner time and score a coveted brunch reservation. At precisely 1:00, the door was opened and we made our way into RP. A very nice server was on hand to direct us to different chairs depending on what we were requesting. Since DW and I were trying to accomplish 2 things we thought it best to divide and conquer. She waited for the Palo table and I waited for the MDR seating change table. While I was still waiting, DW gets my attention and tells me that they can accommodate us at 10:00 for brunch… SCORE!!! We waited a few more minutes and then it was our turn to see if we could change to 1st seating. One thing that was going to complicate our request was our desire to be seated in the section of our favorite Head Server – Ali Yildirgan. We have sailed with him several times and he always recognizes us and takes very good care of us. We were told that it would be very difficult to move us to 1st seating and still keep us on our preferred rotation (AERR). We decided that we’d stick with second seating and the gentleman ensured that we’d be in Ali’s section.

By the time we got through all that, it was almost 1:30 so we decided to head up to our cabin. After a brief wait, we proceeded to our cabin, 6616, a Category 4E cabin. We usually book Category 5 cabins, but this time the great deal got us a Cat 4. We were pleasantly surprised at how much difference that extra depth made in the livability of the cabin during our cruise. One of our 2 checked bags was there (DW’s) so she took a few minutes to unpack. We then decided to venture out and explore even though we know the ship very well. We were also on a quest to find out when and where the DVC Welcome Aboard gathering was. We stopped at the DVC kiosk and found an invitation on display indicating that the gathering was to be at Evolution at 2:30. Cool… more time to walkabout. After walking around the ship, we headed to Evolution for the DVC gathering. Now we had no plans of adding to our points, so we usually go for the free champagne and the chance at the onboard credit. For the record we batted .500… free champagne, but sadly, no onboard credit.

After the DVC presentation, we had just enough time to go back to the cabin to see if I’d have clothes to wear… Nope, not yet. It was close enough to 4:00, so we started to make our way to our muster station. This time we were out on the open deck, but heck, no big deal… it was a nice day and we were on the Disney Dream. While waiting for everyone to get to their assigned stations, we met a nice family from NY. They asked if this was our first time on the Dream and when we told them how many times we’d sailed on DCL, they were very inquisitive to learn the insider secrets. We shared some of our very best hints for making the most of their cruise making sure that we didn’t interrupt the important safety information. We’d see them throughout the cruise and every time they saw us they’d approach us with a smile and tell us we were so right. (who doesn’t like hearing that?)

After the muster drill, we made our way up to Deck 12 for the sail away party with a brief detour to Currents for our traditional sail away adult beverage, the Pina Colada. We actually pushed away at about 4:55 so we had already set sail when the cast members did their famous countdown. After we cleared land and were at sea, we headed back down to the cabin and finally, my luggage was there.

More to follow tomorrow...

 

[toy]

You have my complete attention!
So far so good!

 

[delta0413]

Normally, we’d be getting dressed for dinner now, but since we had second seating, we had a decision to make… what to do until 8:15. We’ve already seen the Golden Mickey’s many times and frankly, it isn’t our favorite (please don’t flame me). Since we knew we’d be busy the remainder of the cruise, we decided to do all of our ironing and get it over with. So we grabbed the dress clothes that needed a quick pressing and headed forward to the laundry room. Along the way, a cabin steward stopped us and said how smart we were for doing it all at once. He told us he sees people going back and forth daily to iron just 1 day’s worth of clothes. Well don’t we feel special now? Sure enough, we get to the laundry room and find it empty. Since there are 2 ironing boards in this location we both jump in and see how quickly we can get this chore done. Within 15 minutes we were done and heading back to our cabin feeling very smart knowing we wouldn’t have to devote anymore time to something so mundane.

Once back in the room we complete our unpacking and feel really settled in. We get dressed for dinner and head out to walk around and see what’s happening. We make it to the lobby atrium and are pleasantly surprised by a duo playing live music – The Dreamers. After a few minutes we are very impressed and decide to listen to them until dinner. They finished their set just as we were walking by on our way to Animators Palate. I paused for a moment and tell one of the performers how much we enjoyed their performance. He was very gracious in his thanks and informed us when they’d be performing for the remainder of the cruise.

We made our way down the long corridor to Animator’s Palate. Once there, we see our favorite Head Server Ali and he welcomes us back and thanks us for requesting him. Animator’s has always been hit or miss for us. The previous 2 times we’d been there, the technology wasn’t working correctly, so we’d never seen the show that so many rave over. This time would be different – everything worked. We enjoyed the show as the Finding Nemo characters made their way around the dining room interacting with various tables… very cute! My wife and I don’t consider ourselves foodies in any way, shape or form so I won’t be talking too much about the food except to say that the Beef Tenderloin we had there was AWESOME!

After dinner, we stopped briefly at our cabin to change back into more comfortable clothes for the evening’s activities and then off to Evolution. We were there to see the ventriloquist/musician/comedian Taylor Mason. For those who want to know which cast members host which areas, Max is the host of Evolution. We’d sailed with Max before and knew we’d enjoy his hosting of the area we spend most evenings in. Back to the show… Taylor Mason was great! Very funny and good musician too.

After the show we decided to head back to the cabin and crash for the evening. It had been a long day and we were ready to rest.

Day 2 to follow.

 

[Lisavince3]

Great TR so far! Can't wait to read more!

 

[delta0413]

Thanks lisavince3 and toy. More to follow after dinner.

 

[delta0413]

Well, what can I say about Nassau? I’ve been there more than a dozen times and the last 3 times, we didn’t even step foot off the ship… and this day would be no different. We look at Nassau stops as we do at-sea days, we just happen to be tied up to a pier. The 30th was also my DW’s birthday so we were going to make the most of it onboard. Our cabin steward was aware that it was DW’s birthday and left her a nice card and an “It’s my birthday” button for her the previous night.

We decided to sleep until we were done and after showering, we headed to Royal Palace for breakfast. Many of the crew members wished her a Happy Birthday as we walked around the ship. After our leisurely breakfast we strolled around the ship stopping in some of our favorite spots enjoying the now emptier ship. A side note here… while in port, we were between a Carnival and NCL ship. They must’ve been REALLY jealous of our ship because their ships looked like @#$#@! They both looked as though they were a year past due for a major dry dock.

Anyway… we decided to try our hand at Disney Cruise Line Trivia at D Lounge hosted by CM Anna. There were only 6 teams playing so it was very informal and fun. For the record, we came in second place… darn it. After trivia, we decided it was time for lunch even though neither of us was hungry. This is a recurring theme with us… eating because it’s time, not because we’re hungry (we spend the next 2 weeks regretting this as we work the pounds off.)

It was a pretty quiet afternoon so we decided to take in The Avengers while we could see it again in a real theater. After the movie, we made our way to Evolution for the Castaway Club Gold and Platinum party. When we arrived we thought we may have gone to the wrong venue as there was only 1 other couple there. We were greeted at the door by Captain Gus and CD Clayton. Both were very welcoming and gracious recognizing our mere Gold status and, most importantly, my DW’s birthday. A few more couples joined us before the crew began their presentation for us. Donald Duck also stopped by for some pictures. To be honest, we were a bit taken aback at how quick it was. We’re used to a much longer presentation and even some games where we have the chance to meet other passengers and crew members. We appreciated it nonetheless.

This evening’s show was Villains Tonight. We had seen an early version of this show on a previous cruise and were underwhelmed so it was with great reservation that we decided to see it. Apparently, they listened to guest feedback because the changes were obvious and excellent. What do you know, we actually liked it.

Dinner was next and tonight it would be in Enchanted Garden and it was good… we both had the roast beef. After dessert, the dining room staff did a great job of wishing DW a happy birthday.

After a quick change of clothes, we headed back down to Evolution for 2 of our favorites, Dream Quest and Match Your Mate. If you’ve never experienced them, you’re missing out! Dream Quest is an adult scavenger hunt where everything you need must come from inside the room. It’s always hilarious. We opted to sit it out since we’ve participated a few times and thought it would give us an unfair advantage. After Dream Quest we stayed put for Match Your Mate. It’s the cruise version of the game show The Newlywed Game. They picked 3 couples, one newly married or engaged, the couple married the longest, and one more couple somewhere between. Once again, we opted out of throwing our names in the hat since we are 2 time winners of this show on previous cruises and know all the questions they ask. Once again, it didn’t disappoint in the laughter category. As usual the couple that was married the longest brought the house down with their answers and interaction. After the show it was time for the 70’s dance party. While I can appreciate the music (I am of this vintage) I absolutely can’t dance so we headed back to the cabin and turned in for the evening.

More to follow tomorrow.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Great review- thanks!

 

[delta0413]

Ahhhhh…. At sea days… how we love them. They’re just right for sleeping in and taking it easy all day in our opinion and this day would be no different. Again, we slept until we were done, got showered and dressed and headed for Palo for Brunch. This is such a treat for us. As I said earlier, we aren’t foodies by any stretch of the imagination, but we REALLY like brunch at Palo. At precisely 10:00 we were being seated and introduced to our waiter. As is customary, he took us to the food display and showed us the vast array of choices. OMG… what an array of choices. We made our selections from the side dishes and ordered our entrees from our waiter. Soon after being seated we were offered mimosas. Hmmmm… let me think about it for a second… YES! After enjoying the lighter fare, our entrees started to arrive. WOW, it was all amazing! If you’ve never tried it, please make it a point to do so. It’s worth every penny of the $20.00 per person it costs.

Since we had to dress up a bit for brunch, we headed back to the cabin to change into more comfortable clothes for the day. Then we were off to the DVC presentation. Now if you read my Day 1 report, you know that we already sat through the presentation for existing DVC members and are probably wondering why we’d go back. Well we always enjoy learning what’s going on in the DVC world and they don’t always tell us everything at the current DVC member presentation. Plus, we liked the DVC team that was onboard and didn’t mind giving a testimonial.

After the DVC presentation we grabbed some quick lunch poolside and headed straight for the adult area for a quieter place to eat. After lunch we had a couple of hours to kill so after checking out the Navigator and decided to check out the 3D version of Avengers. It’s such a good movie we didn’t mind seeing it again.

Before dinner we headed to the Walt Disney Theater for the family version of Taylor Mason’s show. Once again, he was great… very funny and involved several members of the audience in his show. Dinner was next and since it was Pirate Night, our Royal Palace dinner would be pirate themed. This is probably our least favorite menu of the cruise, but we still enjoyed our dinner.

After dinner we had a bit of time to kill before fireworks so we just kicked back and relaxed. We came very close to falling asleep, but managed to hold it together so we’d be awake enough to enjoy the show. At 10:15 we made our way up to Deck 12 starboard side to claim some space. We weren’t close enough to midship to see the stage show below, but we could tell about where they were in the program. After a short wait, off they went. At one point we thought that there was a malfunction with the launching of the fireworks from the front funnel. DW and I looked at each other and hoped that we wouldn’t personally witness a repeat of the San Diego fireworks debacle. Fortunately, we didn’t. We usually hang around after the fireworks to watch the dancing from our perch on Deck 12. About half way through the show we had a power failure. Everything went dark except for the emergency lights. After a few minutes the power was restored a section at a time. Later, we’d find out that it was a ship wide power failure and that it’s happened a few other times in the past year…. Interesting.

More to follow tomorrow.

 

[delta0413]

Everyone’s favorite private island never seems to disappoint. The past 3 times we’ve been here, I’ve enjoyed running the Castaway Cay 5K, but unfortunately due to a foot injury, I wouldn’t be able to this time. Instead we woke up at our leisure before heading out. It’s important for me to note here that neither DW nor I like to just lie out in the sun all day. I get bored easily and DW’s standing joke is she has 2 colors… pasty white and lobster red. Today, we both would opt for pasty white with a slight tint of rouge.

Anyway… after waking up at our leisure we had breakfast at Royal Palace. Our plan was to time our morning around being at Aqua Duck at 10:00 when they opened. One word…. BRILLIANT!!! We arrived a couple of minutes past 10:00 and there was zero wait. So we did what any rational Disney lover would do in this situation… we rode it 2 more times with no wait. Now that we’d exorcized our inner children, it was off to Castaway Cay. We strolled off the ship and walked our way down the walkways pausing at She Sells Sea Shells and a couple of other places looking for anything new that we couldn’t live without. As luck would have it, I found another Castaway Cay t-shirt to add to my collection and then scored a new offering from the marketing geniuses at Disney – a Castaway Cay 5K t-shirt. I know you may be thinking that I didn’t earn the right to buy it, but heck I’ve run the 5K 3 other visits before they began selling them.

After our brief shopping expedition we made our way to Serenity Bay. It felt as though it was almost deserted. The water was clear, warm and very inviting. We just relaxed in the water until the scents from the grill finally got the best of us. We dried off and went for lunch. Eating at the Serenity Bay venue is so much more civilized and if you’ve never been there you may not know that there are a few menu items that they don’t serve at Cookie’s and one of them is my favorite… grilled Rib Eye… YUM!!!

After we finished our lunch, we started to make our way back to the ship. For us the preferred method of transportation is tram from Serenity Bay and walk the rest of the way. It was a beautiful day and the walk was just lovely. Once back on the ship it was straight to the shower for us.

After getting cleaned up we were off to Meridian for the Art of the Theme Show tour. We’ve done this tour before, but we always learn something new depending on who’s conducting the tour. When we got to Meridian, we noticed that we were the only people there. We’re usually early so we just thought others would be along before 2:30… nope. At about 2:25 a cast member named Angela popped in. She was very friendly and we immediately struck up a conversation. When we realized that nobody else would be joining us, we told her that we’d been on the tour before so we agreed that we’d do the tour as she usually does it, but we had the flexibility to deviate as we chose. Our favorite deviation was on Deck 5 as we passed the Oceaneer’s Lab and Club. She asked if we’d ever been in, but since our kids are grown we told her we hadn’t. As luck would have it, it was empty and it was also open house hours. A CM from Oceaneer’s took us on a tour of the Lab and Club. OMG, why couldn’t I have some of this stuff growing up? It’s no wonder that the kids never want to leave. Our tour concluded just in time for us to catch Brave in the Buena Vista Theater. This was our first time seeing Brave and I hate admitting that it was just OK. I hate saying that because we are HUGE Pixar fans.

Our next activity would be watching Disney’s Believe. It was as good as we remembered. Then it was back to our cabin to perform one of our least favorite chores – packing . After packing up most of our stuff it was time for our farewell dinner in RP. This time the menu was French and it was every bit as delicious as we remembered. Since we wouldn’t be able to join our server team for breakfast in the morning, we said our thanks and good byes or as I prefer, until next time.

Back to the room again for presto-change-o into comfortable attire, put the bags in the hallway, and off for one more evening in Evolution. Max was a great host as usual and we enjoyed 80’s Music Trivia, another adult version of Taylor Mason’s show, and a cruise industry staple, the staff farewell, If I were not upon the sea. If you’ve never seen it, please do when you get a chance. We’ve seen it on many cruises and on several different cruise lines and it’s always a hoot. After the show we had a moment to thank Max for the awesome job he did for us. He was so gracious and even remembered that we’d cruised together on a couple of other occasions.

Then it was back up to the cabin for our last night’s sleep. We’d have to sleep fast because early morning was coming up fast.

 

[delta0413]

How could it be our disembarkation day? How could 5 days/4 nights go so quickly? We had a very long day ahead of us so we couldn’t wait until our standard breakfast time so we sought our last meal at Cabanas. Now you won’t find Cabanas listed as a choice for breakfast because they are trying to control the flow of disembarkation by having everyone eat breakfast at the same place that they ate Dinner the night before. Some others have reported on the Disboards that Cabanas was not open on their last morning, but it was open for us. We were there at 06:45 and apparently very few others were aware that it was open because we have the place almost to ourselves. As we were nearing completion of our breakfast, we heard the announcement that the Disney Dream was cleared by local authorities for general disembarkation. We finished our last few bites and made our way to Deck 3. We had one last look around the atrium and were off the ship at 07:20… and then depression set in…

When we arrived in the baggage claim area we were amazed at how empty it was. We located our bags with the help of a porter and walked right up to a Customs position. After answering 1 question we were on our way to the parking garage and on the road by 07:30.

So there you have it… my first trip report. Before I put this to rest, a few random thoughts that I didn’t include above:

We REALLY enjoyed sailing when it was only 2/3 filled. I know the folks at DCL don’t like it too much but we loved it.

We had the chance to meet a lot of really nice people along the way. Too often we’ve found that we get so wrapped up in what we’re doing that we miss out on the chance to meet and talk to people from all over. Since it was just the 2 of us this time, we found it easier to be more outgoing and make the effort to strike up a conversation with other cruisers and cast members. I’d encourage you to do the same.

Even though this was our 3rd voyage on the Dream, we still enjoyed ourselves immensely. Some of my friends have asked if we get bored since we’d already experienced nearly everything and always knew what was coming up. To that I say a hearty NO WAY! The events may be the same, but there are always new things to see, new people to meet and the challenge of finding new things to experience. We also enjoy sharing some of our favorite tips with the newbees we meet. We bumped into that family that we met at the Muster Drill on day 1 several times and they always rushed over to thank us for what we shared with them. When we saw them on the last night, they were just beaming with joy at all the things they experienced and gave us big hugs for sharing. That my friends makes it so worth it.

The ship is as beautiful as the first time we sailed on her a year and a half ago. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to sail on the Fantasy.

There are always cruisers that want to know about CMs on board and what was playing, so here goes:

Captain Gus
Cruise Director Clayton

Movies played onboard:

• Avengers
• Brave
• The Muppets
• People Like Us
• The Odd Life of Timothy Green

I’m sure I’m forgetting a thousand things so I’ll post updates when I remember them.

 

[marko]

Excellent trip report!

 

[JOANNEL]

We were on the same cruise. Also booked it last minute. Great cruise. Our first time on the Dream. Beautiful ship. We are on the Fantasy next month. So it was a nice preview!

 

[jedijill]

Great report! Thanks for sharing.

Jill in CO

 

[greedyhenry]

Thank you for taking the time to write a report! I really enjoyed reading it.

 

[Miffy2003]

Really enjoyed that, thank you

 

[Crown_princess]

Thank you for your detailed report.

My husband and I are doing the same cruise soon. Would love to read those tips you gave those newbies, since we are newbies too.

 

[awilliams4]

Loved your report!

 

[delta0413]

Thanks everyone. To tell you the truth, I was wondering if I was going into too much detail.

Crown_Princess- I'll share our hints with you a little later today when I get a chance.

 

[amazeen]

God no, that was not too much info! I leave in 2 weeks for a 4 night cruise on the Dream with the DW and DD. This will be our first time on DCL! so looking forward to it! It was a last minute desicion. So thank you for all your info!

 

[delta0413]

Since a few have asked, here are the tips we usually give those who are new to DCL.

Consult the daily Personal Navigator – This valuable document will be delivered to your stateroom each evening by your cabin steward. Read it… study it… carry it. We are planners by nature, but we’ll also do things on the fly if the mood strikes us. Having the Navigator with you makes it easier to do both. Heck, I’ve been known to pull it out if I hear a fellow cruiser who’s unsure of when or where an event is taking place.

See the shows. They are of Broadway quality and are excellent. If you’re wondering if I’m being a bit contradictory about this since we didn’t see them all, I’m not. We’ve seen all the shows multiple times and we just choose not to see Golden Mickeys anymore.

Take all opportunities to meet people, both your fellow cruisers and cast members. When DW and I look back at all the cruises we’ve taken, the ones that stand out the most are the ones that we met some really nice people. It’s really easy to get caught up in doing family things and keeping your attention focused inward. Don’t. There are plenty of opportunities to strike up a conversation with many people. And don’t forget the crew members. We always take a few moments to talk to crew members around the ship. They’re all wearing name tags that say where they’re from. Read them and if they’re from someplace that you’re interested in visiting, stop and ask them to tell you some things about their country. On our way into Royal Palace one morning, we noticed that the crew member who was handing out the sanitizing wipes before entering was from St. Lucia. DW and I have always wanted to visit so we paused and told her we wanted to visit. Her eyes lit up as she began telling us about the things to see and how friendly her fellow countrymen are. We learned some great things in just a 2 minute conversation and she had the chance to talk about her country which obviously made her happy.

Participate – There will be many chances for you to participate and have some fun. If they ask for volunteers… volunteer. If you’re at trivia, play along. Don’t be embarrassed. Chances are VERY low that you’ll ever see these people again. DW and I have been contestants on Match Your Mate a couple of times and shared WTMI with our shipmates. Everyone laughs and you’ll be a minor celebrity the rest of the cruise… Big Fun!

Sail Away – Be at the sail away party. You can be on Deck 11 dancing with the Cast Members or be on Deck 12 overlooking the action. Our preference is Deck 12, but that’s because we like to watch the show and watch as we set sail. And don’t forget to look out on the starboard side for the Cast Members who checked you in. They’ll be outside waiving farewell with their large Mickey hands on. Also, stick around on the starboard side as you head out to sea to wave at all the people who come out to watch you set sail. If you’ve got a good Captain, he’ll play several tunes that he has at his disposal on the ship’s horns.

Pirate Night – There will be a Pirate Night on your cruise. It’s cheesy and fun at the same time. Bring costumes if you’re so inclined and if you’re worried about being the only ones, you won’t be. We’ve noticed a steady increase in the number of people who dress up for the occasion. Arrrrrrrrrr!

Fireworks – At the conclusion of the Pirates In the Caribbean stage show, there’ll be fireworks shot off the ship. DCL is still the only cruise line who is permitted to do so. Be on the starboard side of the ship for best viewing. As I’ve learned from a ship’s officer, they are limited by maritime law as to how much they can carry onboard. They go to the max and make the most of it. It’s a pretty good show especially considering that you’re in the middle of the ocean and not at the Magic Kingdom.

Castaway Cay – By far the nicest private island in the cruise industry. DCL was the first cruise line to build a dock at their private island so you don’t have to tender to and from the ship. This saves a tremendous amount of time and hassle. It also enables them to plug into the ship’s computer system so your KTTW card works on the island too. Castaway Cay is absolutely beautiful and as usual with anything that Disney does, it’s first class all the way. The attention to detail and guest comfort and convenience are great.

Serenity Bay for Adults – If you’re traveling sans kids or if they’re enjoying their kids activities, head to Serenity Bay. It’s reserved exclusively for those 18 and older and it’s worth the extra tram ride to get there. It is sooooo peaceful there. Don’t worry about schlepping back to the family areas for food and drink. You have your own eating pavilion where there are a couple of menu items that are exclusive to Serenity Bay. As I said in my trip report, the grilled rib eye is my favorite. I don’t know what seasoning they use, but it’s awesome.

For adults – Take advantage of the adults only places and activities while onboard. If you’re concerned about your kids, you probably don’t need to be. When our kids were of this age, we used to have to drag them out of their areas when it was bed time. There are always adult only activities in Evolution on the Dream (each of the other ships have their adult only areas too). They are usually a blast so have fun while your kids are too.

Brunch at Palo – Another adult only item. Brunch is only offered on cruises 4 nights in duration or longer. The food and service are extraordinary. Be sure to ask questions of your waiter and take their recommendations. If you don’t like it, push it aside and have something else. Also, look online for the dress code before you set sail so you have appropriate attire. They are strict in their enforcement of the dress code and it’s a drag having to go back to the cabin to change. I’ve watched as guests are turned away and asked to change and yes, it’s usually guys that have to make the walk of shame back to their cabins. Yes, we’ve eaten dinner at Palo too, but our preference is brunch. To us it’s more special.

Avoid the lines at Aqua Duck – Check the Navigator for the times that it’ll be open. We hate standing in lines so we’ve learned when to enjoy Aqua Duck without lines. We did it as it opened before heading out to Castaway Cay, but we noticed that it’s open until midnight most nights and isn’t crowded later in the evening. The exception to this is Pirate Night because everyone is up on deck anyway.

Tour the ship on your own and take the Art of the Theme Show tour – Take your time and tour the ship. Our ritual is to tour the ship deck by deck after eating lunch on embarkation day. We don’t do it anymore because we know the ships like the backs of our hands. We’ve also enjoyed the Art of the Theme Show Tour offered at least once during the cruise. You’ll get to learn some insider secrets about the design of the ship and how some things that look like they’re just nice design actually have meaning. You’ll even learn how to tell which side of the ship you’re on and whether you’re heading towards the bow or stern just by looking at the carpet.

Look for the Open House at Lab and Club – As I said earlier, our kids are grown now so we never had the chance to tour the Oceaneers Club and Lab on the Dream. We were finally able to tour it and OMG is it cool. Check your Navigator for Open House times. You’ll even get to play some of the games that the kids play.

Expect to have fun – I know this sounds ridiculous, but I’m amazed at how many people I overhear on the ship who seem to be going out of their way to have a miserable time. I feel like telling them WAKE UP… YOU’RE ON VACATION. If you run into a setback, make the best of it. If you travel very much you have to expect that stuff is going to happen. DW and I were once on a coastal cruise on another cruise line and due to some significant headwinds, we were very late getting into port in Vancouver, BC. The cruise line offered to put us up at a VERY nice hotel in the heart of downtown. Since our flight had departed and we couldn’t depart until the next day, we jumped at the chance. We had a great time at dinner that night with another couple we met onboard. What struck me was there were a couple of people who were grousing while we were in line waiting to check into the hotel. They were going out of their way to try to rally others to grouse too. I looked at them and politely said that if you travel, you have to expect the unexpected and make the most of it. That shut them up very quickly.

As they like to say on the Travel Channel, be a traveler, not a tourist. Truer words could not be said.

If I can answer any questions, I’d be happy to. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll direct you to the Disboards FAQs or the discussion boards. Trust me, someone will have the answer.