Distant Shores: A 4-Night Dream Report--COMPLETE with boatload of photos
- Thread starter Narnia_girl
- Start date
Narnia_girl
He's not a tame lion, but he is good.
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Most of it was excellent!
How did you like the Butternut Squash soup? I have to admit I was disappointed with it...but wondering if maybe it was a bad night since so many love it.
I loved it! Hope you get to give it another try sometime!
Thanks--we just took our son to college so I'm appreciating that time together.
Narnia_girl
He's not a tame lion, but he is good.
- Joined
- May 11, 2009
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- 2,559
A short break for a ship’s tour and some explanations…
This is a catchall posts for some photos and information that doesn’t really fit elsewhere.
First off, our cabins. We had category 9B on Deck 2. For the most part we really liked these cabins and the location. It was just one flight down from the busy areas of Deck 3, Enchanted Garden was very close but the hallways weren’t busy because we were down a ‘secret’ hallway. The laundry room was close by also. The only downside was noise because our room was right over the gangway.
Here is our room which had a connecting door to our boys’ room.
You can see the curtain by the bed, this slides across the whole room for privacy areas. The curtain over the porthole does a good job of closing out all light.
This sofa slides out to create a single bed. Our room steward turned it down for us each night. The steamer trunk has a hinged lid and was big enough to hold all Caroline’s clothes. Above the sofa is a berth than can be opened for an additional bed.
Pillow on our bed. Don’t be tempted to pack it up when you go home: it has a $190 pricetag.
Our category had a split bathroom. Here is the shower/tub and sink. There is also a clothesline in the shower. My husband is about 6’4” and he could fit in the shower, but he felt the shower head would not work for someone much taller. The nice thing is, if you are that tall, you can always shower in the fitness center.
Toilet and sink room.
Our stateroom door all decorated.
Our boys’ room door.
Here is our Fish Extender (that yellow-red hanging bag)
A brief explanation: The Fish Extender (FE) is a fun gift exchange that you can join if you wish. You find others who are on the same cruise and join a group. You can make or buy gifts to give to the others in your group. Gifts range from something special from your town/region to store bought candy to handmade crafts and detailed gifts. Some people buy for the cabin as a whole and some buy individual gifts. You make/buy the gifts you want to give and bring them along. Then during the cruise, you hang out your FE. Each time you come back to your room during the cruise you are likely to find fun gifts. And you also need to make time to deliver your gifts.
Here are some photos of gifts we received (wow were we ever blessed with some nice stuff!)
Some ship details:
There are stairs and elevators forward, mid and aft of the ship. The elevators get pretty busy after shows and dinner. It’s often easier to take the stairs but getting turned around is also easy! On the opposite wall you can see the white map which shows you where you are. These are placed at every stairwell and we used them a lot.
This is an employee cleaning one of the lifeboats which hang above Deck 4. Employees are cleaning and repairing all the time.
The beautiful atrium. This forms a natural stage for evening performers. There are several seating areas and character meet-and-greets are held all over the area. Up the beautiful staircase is the Vista Café, the Disney Vacation Club desk, the Future Cruise booking desk and Shutters (photo purchases). The lower staircase lead to our staterooms and the Enchanted Garden dining room.
Atrium chandelier
Large photo of Walt on a stairway landing.
Painting above a seating area near the Atrium.
The District includes several clubs/bars which are listed on this wall. During the day all can pass through the area; after 9 p.m. it’s adults only.
Something I learned: I should have taken more photos of the ship. There is just so much to see, so many details to observe, and such beauty. I wish I had taken more photos.
This is a catchall posts for some photos and information that doesn’t really fit elsewhere.
First off, our cabins. We had category 9B on Deck 2. For the most part we really liked these cabins and the location. It was just one flight down from the busy areas of Deck 3, Enchanted Garden was very close but the hallways weren’t busy because we were down a ‘secret’ hallway. The laundry room was close by also. The only downside was noise because our room was right over the gangway.
Here is our room which had a connecting door to our boys’ room.
You can see the curtain by the bed, this slides across the whole room for privacy areas. The curtain over the porthole does a good job of closing out all light.
This sofa slides out to create a single bed. Our room steward turned it down for us each night. The steamer trunk has a hinged lid and was big enough to hold all Caroline’s clothes. Above the sofa is a berth than can be opened for an additional bed.
Pillow on our bed. Don’t be tempted to pack it up when you go home: it has a $190 pricetag.
Our category had a split bathroom. Here is the shower/tub and sink. There is also a clothesline in the shower. My husband is about 6’4” and he could fit in the shower, but he felt the shower head would not work for someone much taller. The nice thing is, if you are that tall, you can always shower in the fitness center.
Toilet and sink room.
Our stateroom door all decorated.
Our boys’ room door.
Here is our Fish Extender (that yellow-red hanging bag)
A brief explanation: The Fish Extender (FE) is a fun gift exchange that you can join if you wish. You find others who are on the same cruise and join a group. You can make or buy gifts to give to the others in your group. Gifts range from something special from your town/region to store bought candy to handmade crafts and detailed gifts. Some people buy for the cabin as a whole and some buy individual gifts. You make/buy the gifts you want to give and bring them along. Then during the cruise, you hang out your FE. Each time you come back to your room during the cruise you are likely to find fun gifts. And you also need to make time to deliver your gifts.
Here are some photos of gifts we received (wow were we ever blessed with some nice stuff!)
Some ship details:
There are stairs and elevators forward, mid and aft of the ship. The elevators get pretty busy after shows and dinner. It’s often easier to take the stairs but getting turned around is also easy! On the opposite wall you can see the white map which shows you where you are. These are placed at every stairwell and we used them a lot.
This is an employee cleaning one of the lifeboats which hang above Deck 4. Employees are cleaning and repairing all the time.
The beautiful atrium. This forms a natural stage for evening performers. There are several seating areas and character meet-and-greets are held all over the area. Up the beautiful staircase is the Vista Café, the Disney Vacation Club desk, the Future Cruise booking desk and Shutters (photo purchases). The lower staircase lead to our staterooms and the Enchanted Garden dining room.
Atrium chandelier
Large photo of Walt on a stairway landing.
Painting above a seating area near the Atrium.
The District includes several clubs/bars which are listed on this wall. During the day all can pass through the area; after 9 p.m. it’s adults only.
Something I learned: I should have taken more photos of the ship. There is just so much to see, so many details to observe, and such beauty. I wish I had taken more photos.
perfectmatch300
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2000
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- 3,710
Thanks for your report. I am enjoying reading it. We will be back on the Dream in 11 days! I can't wait to see her again!
Grumpy's Wife
Dollar Tree gal here
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- Jan 28, 2005
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- 26,988
Joining in. 
Narnia_girl
He's not a tame lion, but he is good.
- Joined
- May 11, 2009
- Messages
- 2,559
Wish I were going with you. Enjoy your trip!
Joining in.
Glad to have you.
Me too. I find myself using so many of them!
Narnia_girl
He's not a tame lion, but he is good.
- Joined
- May 11, 2009
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- 2,559
Day Five: Castaway Cay 5K and Puck Overboard!
At 7:30 we awoke to the sounds of scraping and banging on the deck below us. Our stateroom was very close to the disembarkation point and the crew were preparing the gangways. Rick and I headed up to Deck 11 for a quick cup of coffee (me) and juice (him). He was preparing to run the Castaway Cay 5K and didn’t want a full breakfast yet.
We saw instructions for 5K participants to meet at 8:15 or 8:30 in the Evolution Lounge. Not sure which was accurate time we headed there closer to 8:15 which was good because then we had a long line to wait in. After checking in and getting a bib, we sat in the lounge and awaited instructions.
The actual run was supposed to start at 9 a.m. We didn’t leave the ship until 8:49 so I knew that start time was not happening. The castmember in charge of the run said we would have a 5-minute walk to the starting line. This sounded fine, but after we had been walking a least 2-3 minutes we saw a sign that said “7 minute walk” to the beach! The actual run began about 9:20. There is a big wooden box for participants to leave their stuff if they need to. I found a nearby beach chair in the shade and waited for Rick to finish the run. He did really well.
While there is a running clock, each participant is not timed. As runners/walkers reach the finish line they are given an award and a few people are there to cheer them on.
In general Rick said it was a good run and he’d do it again, we just wished it was a bit better organized at the start.
We took the tram to the ship, where we found all the kids still sleeping. We got Caroline and went to Cabanas for breakfast. Then Christian went to the Cove Café for a croissant. Finally at almost 11 a.m. our whole family set out for Castaway Cay.
The gangway was just below our stateroom:
We rode the tram to the second stop and were immediately surprised at how full the place was. Hundreds of loungers and chairs, especially the shady ones, already claimed by towels, beach stuff and some people.
There just weren't any shady chairs available and the few ones we found in the sun were not together. We ended up each grabbing short chairs (often stacked at the end of the loungers) and pulling them back to the area near the sidewalk where there was a bit of shade. I had brought a lock box to store our phones and we tethered this to a chair.
Then we all got in the water together. We had used SeaSafe lotion because I was concerned about recent reports of ‘sea lice’. None of us had any bites, but we also weren’t in the water that long, and we never ventured over to Pelican Plunge.
We swam around together for about 45 minutes staying out near the ropes where it was less crowded.
Lunch at Cookies, Too was next up. It was pretty crowded here and I later learned from our server that they actually ran out of some food and had to get it from the other Cookies location. I thought the food was just okay but I’m not big on BBQ food. The guys in our group thought it was great. I did like the jerk chicken.
After lunch the boys and I took the tram so they could see Serenity Bay. Of course, it was beautiful and not at all crowded.
You can rent bikes on Castaway Cay.
Caroline is too young for Serenity Bay so Rick stayed with her on the family beach. They mostly took photos and baked in the sun.
We hurried back to them and considered what to do next when all the kids said they wanted to go back to the ship. I was kind of surprised because the last time we were at Castaway Cay we spent several hours swimming, snorkeling and playing. This time they just weren't that into the beach.
Taking the tram back to the ship.
Cleaning? Repairing? Painting?
Back on board, Caroline and Rick rode the AquaDuck which had a longer line this time.
We spotted this sea turtle below us.
Uh oh!
It started to rain, and hard, but only for a few minutes. We moved down to our favorite spot on Deck 4 for shuffleboard and relaxation.
Can I just stay here forever?
The railings along the shuffleboard court are padded with buffers to prevent the pucks from flying over the side of the ship. This works almost all the time. But not today.
Christian pushed a puck which hit Andrew’s and then ricocheted into a small vertical gap and went over the edge. I don’t think he could have hit it in that spot if he had tried.
The red arrow shows the bumpers, the blue arrow shows the vertical space similar to the one his puck used to jump overboard.
Now this would have been hard enough if it had gone through that vertical space, but it didn't. It ricocheted into a small alcove that the crew uses, then flipped on its side and slid through the gap. You can see the little alcove from the day before:
There was a long queue of people below waiting reboard after their Castaway Cay day. Thankfully no one was hit and as we peered over the edge someone told us the disc broke. Not long afterward our cruise director walked by so I stopped him to tell him what happened. He was surprised as well but said he’d take care of it.
Something I learned:
I wanted to accompany Rick on this run and be there at the end for him, but I probably won't do that again. It eats up too much time. Next time, I'll have him go ahead and run while the kids and I go to the beach. We just got there too late in the day. Not that we had to have a bunch of loungers all together, but our beach day felt too short. Especially since we arrived in the heat of the day.
At 7:30 we awoke to the sounds of scraping and banging on the deck below us. Our stateroom was very close to the disembarkation point and the crew were preparing the gangways. Rick and I headed up to Deck 11 for a quick cup of coffee (me) and juice (him). He was preparing to run the Castaway Cay 5K and didn’t want a full breakfast yet.
We saw instructions for 5K participants to meet at 8:15 or 8:30 in the Evolution Lounge. Not sure which was accurate time we headed there closer to 8:15 which was good because then we had a long line to wait in. After checking in and getting a bib, we sat in the lounge and awaited instructions.
The actual run was supposed to start at 9 a.m. We didn’t leave the ship until 8:49 so I knew that start time was not happening. The castmember in charge of the run said we would have a 5-minute walk to the starting line. This sounded fine, but after we had been walking a least 2-3 minutes we saw a sign that said “7 minute walk” to the beach! The actual run began about 9:20. There is a big wooden box for participants to leave their stuff if they need to. I found a nearby beach chair in the shade and waited for Rick to finish the run. He did really well.
While there is a running clock, each participant is not timed. As runners/walkers reach the finish line they are given an award and a few people are there to cheer them on.
In general Rick said it was a good run and he’d do it again, we just wished it was a bit better organized at the start.
We took the tram to the ship, where we found all the kids still sleeping. We got Caroline and went to Cabanas for breakfast. Then Christian went to the Cove Café for a croissant. Finally at almost 11 a.m. our whole family set out for Castaway Cay.
The gangway was just below our stateroom:
We rode the tram to the second stop and were immediately surprised at how full the place was. Hundreds of loungers and chairs, especially the shady ones, already claimed by towels, beach stuff and some people.
There just weren't any shady chairs available and the few ones we found in the sun were not together. We ended up each grabbing short chairs (often stacked at the end of the loungers) and pulling them back to the area near the sidewalk where there was a bit of shade. I had brought a lock box to store our phones and we tethered this to a chair.
Then we all got in the water together. We had used SeaSafe lotion because I was concerned about recent reports of ‘sea lice’. None of us had any bites, but we also weren’t in the water that long, and we never ventured over to Pelican Plunge.
We swam around together for about 45 minutes staying out near the ropes where it was less crowded.
Lunch at Cookies, Too was next up. It was pretty crowded here and I later learned from our server that they actually ran out of some food and had to get it from the other Cookies location. I thought the food was just okay but I’m not big on BBQ food. The guys in our group thought it was great. I did like the jerk chicken.
After lunch the boys and I took the tram so they could see Serenity Bay. Of course, it was beautiful and not at all crowded.
You can rent bikes on Castaway Cay.
Caroline is too young for Serenity Bay so Rick stayed with her on the family beach. They mostly took photos and baked in the sun.
We hurried back to them and considered what to do next when all the kids said they wanted to go back to the ship. I was kind of surprised because the last time we were at Castaway Cay we spent several hours swimming, snorkeling and playing. This time they just weren't that into the beach.
Taking the tram back to the ship.
Cleaning? Repairing? Painting?
Back on board, Caroline and Rick rode the AquaDuck which had a longer line this time.
We spotted this sea turtle below us.
Uh oh!
It started to rain, and hard, but only for a few minutes. We moved down to our favorite spot on Deck 4 for shuffleboard and relaxation.
Can I just stay here forever?
The railings along the shuffleboard court are padded with buffers to prevent the pucks from flying over the side of the ship. This works almost all the time. But not today.
Christian pushed a puck which hit Andrew’s and then ricocheted into a small vertical gap and went over the edge. I don’t think he could have hit it in that spot if he had tried.
The red arrow shows the bumpers, the blue arrow shows the vertical space similar to the one his puck used to jump overboard.
Now this would have been hard enough if it had gone through that vertical space, but it didn't. It ricocheted into a small alcove that the crew uses, then flipped on its side and slid through the gap. You can see the little alcove from the day before:
There was a long queue of people below waiting reboard after their Castaway Cay day. Thankfully no one was hit and as we peered over the edge someone told us the disc broke. Not long afterward our cruise director walked by so I stopped him to tell him what happened. He was surprised as well but said he’d take care of it.
Something I learned:
I wanted to accompany Rick on this run and be there at the end for him, but I probably won't do that again. It eats up too much time. Next time, I'll have him go ahead and run while the kids and I go to the beach. We just got there too late in the day. Not that we had to have a bunch of loungers all together, but our beach day felt too short. Especially since we arrived in the heat of the day.
Disney? Again?
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2006
- Messages
- 97
Thank you so much for your trip report ... I really enjoyed reading it all. We sail next month on the Dream, and this absolutely psyched me up! Hope you get to cruise again soon!
LOVE Castaway Cay!! We, too, were at the 2nd family beach, and yes it was crowded, thankfully we were able to get chairs and loungers for both our families, but the kids didn't really sit since they were in the water! It was a very hot day for sure. My older DS did the teen excursion with a friend, they snorkeled, did a bike ride, and a high speed boat. They really enjoyed it! So he didn't spend any time with us at CC this time, but he enjoyed being on his own!
The pic of your tram ride back to the ship made me remember how said I am at that moment!
The pic of your tram ride back to the ship made me remember how said I am at that moment!
Narnia_girl
He's not a tame lion, but he is good.
- Joined
- May 11, 2009
- Messages
- 2,559
Hope you have a great trip--and yes, I hope we do again soon!
Glad you had a great day on CC! I'm ready to go back anytime!
Narnia_girl
He's not a tame lion, but he is good.
- Joined
- May 11, 2009
- Messages
- 2,559
Day Five Continued....and a Recipe!
Tonights show was a illusionist which I was not interested in seeing. Rick, Caroline and Andrew went to the show while Christian and I did laundry. We had limited how much luggage we brought along, so we needed to get some clothes clean to re-wear them. Thankfully there were instructions on how to use the machines and it was easy to pay using my KTTW. Loads cost $2 for the washer and the same price for the dryer. They are rather small so that what would have been one load in my home was two loads there. (Total costs for two loads: $8)
After the show, we all went to Deck 12 to watch Mickeys Pirates in the Caribbean show.
This was fun, especially seeing all the children dressed up in pirate gear. Some adults also dress up, but if you aren't into that, Disney provides each person with a pirate bandana
Castmembers bring out trunks of gear and play games with the kids.
Then they do a big Disney dance number and celebration.
My favorite pirate.
Dinner tonight was our second time in Animators Palate, only this time its the pirate menu.
The kids tried potstickers and crab cakes (good).
I tried the conch chowder (blah).
I also had the fresh island pineapple with a coconut covered banana and orange glaze.
It was amazingso fresh and cool! I dream about that pineapple! I dont ever eat canned pineapple (too tart) so I was surprised at how mild, smooth and delicious this was. I looked up the recipe!
Main dishes we tried included Castaway Chicken Breast*- rubbed with Pirate Island Spice, rice and beans, and fried okra on rich spiced glaze;
Jack Sparrow's Barbecue Marinated Beef Short Ribs*- Rubbed beef short rips with tamarind-barbecue sauce and served with onion red bliss mashed potatoes and plantain chip
Captain Hook's Macadamia Nut-dusted Mahi Mahi*- Jasmine rice and sautéed pineapple on a mild curry sauce
The Dutchmen's Dijon-Crusted Sirloin of Beef*- thick cut of beef with oven-roasted sweet potatoes and a black spot tomato with deep red wine glaze
Medium:
And well done:
For dessert I had the Sweet Temptations*Trio: fruit cobbler, floating island and chocolate cake. Good except the floating island which was so tart it made the mouth pucker. (Caroline loved it!)
Someone had this. I think its the chocolate cake.
Our dinner ended with Gilbert performing a levitating trick. This one was so well done that we were all puzzled how he did it.
We drifted to the upper decks for the Pirate fireworks and show. Caroline wanted to be in the middle of the fun so we planted ourselves on Deck 11 while the boys watched from Deck 12. The fireworks were lots of fun and then we danced a bit and just enjoyed the party.
The boys had heard about the giant turkey legs on the Pirate Buffet so we checked that out. They each had one while the rest of us managed to eat more also.
So big!
It was bedtime for us, but the boys wanted to see the violin player again so they went to Meridian Lounge to catch her act. They said there were about 8 people in there. Its nice that the boys, who are both older than 18 can go into a lounge like this to enjoy the entertainment without drinking.
Something I learned: Laundry is easy and affordable, but the machines are small.
Soups Eaten: 6
Tonights show was a illusionist which I was not interested in seeing. Rick, Caroline and Andrew went to the show while Christian and I did laundry. We had limited how much luggage we brought along, so we needed to get some clothes clean to re-wear them. Thankfully there were instructions on how to use the machines and it was easy to pay using my KTTW. Loads cost $2 for the washer and the same price for the dryer. They are rather small so that what would have been one load in my home was two loads there. (Total costs for two loads: $8)
After the show, we all went to Deck 12 to watch Mickeys Pirates in the Caribbean show.
This was fun, especially seeing all the children dressed up in pirate gear. Some adults also dress up, but if you aren't into that, Disney provides each person with a pirate bandana
Castmembers bring out trunks of gear and play games with the kids.
Then they do a big Disney dance number and celebration.
My favorite pirate.
Dinner tonight was our second time in Animators Palate, only this time its the pirate menu.
The kids tried potstickers and crab cakes (good).
I tried the conch chowder (blah).
I also had the fresh island pineapple with a coconut covered banana and orange glaze.
It was amazingso fresh and cool! I dream about that pineapple! I dont ever eat canned pineapple (too tart) so I was surprised at how mild, smooth and delicious this was. I looked up the recipe!
Main dishes we tried included Castaway Chicken Breast*- rubbed with Pirate Island Spice, rice and beans, and fried okra on rich spiced glaze;
Jack Sparrow's Barbecue Marinated Beef Short Ribs*- Rubbed beef short rips with tamarind-barbecue sauce and served with onion red bliss mashed potatoes and plantain chip
Captain Hook's Macadamia Nut-dusted Mahi Mahi*- Jasmine rice and sautéed pineapple on a mild curry sauce
The Dutchmen's Dijon-Crusted Sirloin of Beef*- thick cut of beef with oven-roasted sweet potatoes and a black spot tomato with deep red wine glaze
Medium:
And well done:
For dessert I had the Sweet Temptations*Trio: fruit cobbler, floating island and chocolate cake. Good except the floating island which was so tart it made the mouth pucker. (Caroline loved it!)
Someone had this. I think its the chocolate cake.
Our dinner ended with Gilbert performing a levitating trick. This one was so well done that we were all puzzled how he did it.
We drifted to the upper decks for the Pirate fireworks and show. Caroline wanted to be in the middle of the fun so we planted ourselves on Deck 11 while the boys watched from Deck 12. The fireworks were lots of fun and then we danced a bit and just enjoyed the party.
The boys had heard about the giant turkey legs on the Pirate Buffet so we checked that out. They each had one while the rest of us managed to eat more also.
So big!
It was bedtime for us, but the boys wanted to see the violin player again so they went to Meridian Lounge to catch her act. They said there were about 8 people in there. Its nice that the boys, who are both older than 18 can go into a lounge like this to enjoy the entertainment without drinking.
Something I learned: Laundry is easy and affordable, but the machines are small.
Soups Eaten: 6
Narnia_girl
He's not a tame lion, but he is good.
- Joined
- May 11, 2009
- Messages
- 2,559
Day 6--Palo Brunch and At Sea
Everyone was tired today and slept late. Rick and I went up to the drink station on Deck 11 for coffee then got ready for our brunch date at Palo. We were seated at a booth but our server asked us if we wanted a window table since one was available and we immediately moved there.
She took us to the stations and explained all the options. We tried several things and ordered from the menu. Rick tried a frittata and I had (what else) tomato-basil soup (YUM). We both ordered the Chicken Parmesan. I had read about this for years so I was eager to try it. It was very good, but maybe because I had read such glowing, over-the-top descriptions, I felt it didn't live up to the hype? I also tried caviar for the first time! The almond croissant was delicious and so were all the desserts.
Our server explained about the land we saw in the distance (Freeport) and some of the sailing habits of the captain. We enjoyed the food and learning more about the ships routine. I wish I had taken more photoswe forgot to have anyone take our pic! I am glad we tried Paloit is a very nice, quiet experiencebut I dont feel the need to do it again on our next cruise.
Speaking of before we went back to our stateroom we stopped at the Onboard Booking Desk. That Rick was willing to do this is big testament to how much he enjoys Disney Cruise Line! I was under the impression that I could book right then and get the 10% savings no matter when we sailed in the future. It turns out that rule was changed in Dec. 2013. In order to save on the booking and reduced deposit you must sail within 18 months. We cant say for sure when we will sail again so I asked the agent if there was any benefit to booking onboard if we werent cruising within 18 months. He said there was no benefit. We thanked him for the information and walked away without a new booking. I did appreciate his honesty in explaining the situation. He was very familiar with holder cruises and knew exactly which one to use if we had chosen that route.
Meanwhile the kids were at the Buena Vista Theater watching Maleficent, which they all described as weird.
We met back up with the kids and relaxed some more on the Deck 4 loungers. Also browsed the gift shops but didnt buy anything and started the mid-ship detective agency game but didnt finish. This happened both times we played this game so it might be geared for kids younger than 13? Actually we all enjoyed starting it, but our enthusiasm wore out after a few decks.
Caroline and I went to Deck 11 for some ice cream.
When we returned I found the guys all napping on Deck 4.
We were having a fun, lazy day at sea. Other than drinks and ice cream we avoided Deck 11 because it was packed with people. Later I realized that we did not spend any time in the pools the entire cruise. Not one of us swam onboard--a big change from when the children were small and that's all we did! They did go up to Deck 11 for an afternoon snack and our assistant server gave them some special treatment!
We played more shuffleboard and relaxed
And then this guy walks by
We started the process of packing our bags. This was something that stressed me on our last cruise so I was very thankful for Ricks help this time. Then we all went to see our last stage production, Believe. I loved this show especially when Mary Poppins and the chimney sweeps performed. The act from Princess and the Frog was lots of fun, too.
After the show we finished packing our bags and set our checked luggage out in the hall for the porters. (If you dont set out your big bags you have to manage them yourself the next day.)
One last sunset at sea:
Then we went to Enchanted Garden for our last dinner. This is a beautiful restaurant but its big and loud, too.
Appetizers we loved: Heirloom Tomato soup with croutons (me of course)
Andrew liked the Lobster Ravioli in tomato broth
and Christian liked the Applewood-smoked Bacon and Mushroom tart.
I had the Slow Roasted Prime Rib. Thyme-roasted Vegetables, Double-baked Potato . I did not care for the meat at all but loved the vegetables. Rick had the prime rib also and thought it was great. (him carnivore, me herbivore!)
Christian wanted the duck entrée that he had the first night in Royal Palace, but he also wanted to try the prime rib. Thats the great thing about Disney cruisesyou can order both!
Caroline had Seared Pork Loin Medallions*with Rosti Potatoes, Collard Greens and a Morel Cognac Sour Cream Sauce. (sorry no photo)
Someone had Marjoram Scented Organic Chicken with Baked Sweet Potatoes and Sautéed Baby Spinach. Were not sure who ate it, but we have a photo:
Dessert included one of the best things we had eaten all week: Warm Date Sticky Pudding*with butterscotch sauce, vanilla ice cream, and philo crunch.
The Apple Cinnamon Crunch Sundae was also good.
But that still wasnt enough dessert! Christian loved the crème brulee he had at Royal Palace. He asked for it again and Gilbert brought him:
Finally our servers brought us a few sweets as a parting gift.
We went to the Atrium and positioned ourselves on Deck 5 to watch the Sail Away party.
After the cruise director introduced the characters they allowed 20 minutes for photos so we made a beeline for Captain Mickey and got a photo with him.
Then the boys both wanted their pics with Belle so we pushed a few little girls out of the way and got in line (just kidding) My big boys did stand in line with a bunch of little girls, though. Belle was a sweet as she could be.
Then it was practically over. We waved goodbye to Mickey.
I took a shower so we could get up and moving early. Then went up to Guest Services to check on my account but I had to go back in the morning.
About 11:30 it was bed for the last time on the Disney Dream. Only I didnt dream very sweetly. At 12:30 Caroline woke us up because she couldnt sleep due to the noise above us. I had been sleeping with ear plugs but when I removed them I could understand what she meant. There were clearly children above us screaming and jumping on furniture. It was so loud that I could easily discern two different little girls voices yelling and then the jumping/furniture thumping. I thought it was a stateroom above us and felt I had no choice but to complain. I called Guest Services and they said they would take care of it. Within 3-4 minutes a castmember knocked on our door and said it wasnt a stateroom above us but rather the Atrium. She didn't indicate that they could/would do anything about that but the noise did quiet down immediately so I assume a castmember spoke to the parents.
Finally we went to sleep...
Something I Learned:
Palo is a great experience.
The pool decks are packed on sea day.
Soups Eaten: 8
Everyone was tired today and slept late. Rick and I went up to the drink station on Deck 11 for coffee then got ready for our brunch date at Palo. We were seated at a booth but our server asked us if we wanted a window table since one was available and we immediately moved there.
She took us to the stations and explained all the options. We tried several things and ordered from the menu. Rick tried a frittata and I had (what else) tomato-basil soup (YUM). We both ordered the Chicken Parmesan. I had read about this for years so I was eager to try it. It was very good, but maybe because I had read such glowing, over-the-top descriptions, I felt it didn't live up to the hype? I also tried caviar for the first time! The almond croissant was delicious and so were all the desserts.
Our server explained about the land we saw in the distance (Freeport) and some of the sailing habits of the captain. We enjoyed the food and learning more about the ships routine. I wish I had taken more photoswe forgot to have anyone take our pic! I am glad we tried Paloit is a very nice, quiet experiencebut I dont feel the need to do it again on our next cruise.
Speaking of before we went back to our stateroom we stopped at the Onboard Booking Desk. That Rick was willing to do this is big testament to how much he enjoys Disney Cruise Line! I was under the impression that I could book right then and get the 10% savings no matter when we sailed in the future. It turns out that rule was changed in Dec. 2013. In order to save on the booking and reduced deposit you must sail within 18 months. We cant say for sure when we will sail again so I asked the agent if there was any benefit to booking onboard if we werent cruising within 18 months. He said there was no benefit. We thanked him for the information and walked away without a new booking. I did appreciate his honesty in explaining the situation. He was very familiar with holder cruises and knew exactly which one to use if we had chosen that route.
Meanwhile the kids were at the Buena Vista Theater watching Maleficent, which they all described as weird.
We met back up with the kids and relaxed some more on the Deck 4 loungers. Also browsed the gift shops but didnt buy anything and started the mid-ship detective agency game but didnt finish. This happened both times we played this game so it might be geared for kids younger than 13? Actually we all enjoyed starting it, but our enthusiasm wore out after a few decks.
Caroline and I went to Deck 11 for some ice cream.
When we returned I found the guys all napping on Deck 4.
We were having a fun, lazy day at sea. Other than drinks and ice cream we avoided Deck 11 because it was packed with people. Later I realized that we did not spend any time in the pools the entire cruise. Not one of us swam onboard--a big change from when the children were small and that's all we did! They did go up to Deck 11 for an afternoon snack and our assistant server gave them some special treatment!
We played more shuffleboard and relaxed
And then this guy walks by
We started the process of packing our bags. This was something that stressed me on our last cruise so I was very thankful for Ricks help this time. Then we all went to see our last stage production, Believe. I loved this show especially when Mary Poppins and the chimney sweeps performed. The act from Princess and the Frog was lots of fun, too.
After the show we finished packing our bags and set our checked luggage out in the hall for the porters. (If you dont set out your big bags you have to manage them yourself the next day.)
One last sunset at sea:
Then we went to Enchanted Garden for our last dinner. This is a beautiful restaurant but its big and loud, too.
Appetizers we loved: Heirloom Tomato soup with croutons (me of course)
Andrew liked the Lobster Ravioli in tomato broth
and Christian liked the Applewood-smoked Bacon and Mushroom tart.
I had the Slow Roasted Prime Rib. Thyme-roasted Vegetables, Double-baked Potato . I did not care for the meat at all but loved the vegetables. Rick had the prime rib also and thought it was great. (him carnivore, me herbivore!)
Christian wanted the duck entrée that he had the first night in Royal Palace, but he also wanted to try the prime rib. Thats the great thing about Disney cruisesyou can order both!
Caroline had Seared Pork Loin Medallions*with Rosti Potatoes, Collard Greens and a Morel Cognac Sour Cream Sauce. (sorry no photo)
Someone had Marjoram Scented Organic Chicken with Baked Sweet Potatoes and Sautéed Baby Spinach. Were not sure who ate it, but we have a photo:
Dessert included one of the best things we had eaten all week: Warm Date Sticky Pudding*with butterscotch sauce, vanilla ice cream, and philo crunch.
The Apple Cinnamon Crunch Sundae was also good.
But that still wasnt enough dessert! Christian loved the crème brulee he had at Royal Palace. He asked for it again and Gilbert brought him:
Finally our servers brought us a few sweets as a parting gift.
We went to the Atrium and positioned ourselves on Deck 5 to watch the Sail Away party.
After the cruise director introduced the characters they allowed 20 minutes for photos so we made a beeline for Captain Mickey and got a photo with him.
Then the boys both wanted their pics with Belle so we pushed a few little girls out of the way and got in line (just kidding) My big boys did stand in line with a bunch of little girls, though. Belle was a sweet as she could be.
Then it was practically over. We waved goodbye to Mickey.
I took a shower so we could get up and moving early. Then went up to Guest Services to check on my account but I had to go back in the morning.
About 11:30 it was bed for the last time on the Disney Dream. Only I didnt dream very sweetly. At 12:30 Caroline woke us up because she couldnt sleep due to the noise above us. I had been sleeping with ear plugs but when I removed them I could understand what she meant. There were clearly children above us screaming and jumping on furniture. It was so loud that I could easily discern two different little girls voices yelling and then the jumping/furniture thumping. I thought it was a stateroom above us and felt I had no choice but to complain. I called Guest Services and they said they would take care of it. Within 3-4 minutes a castmember knocked on our door and said it wasnt a stateroom above us but rather the Atrium. She didn't indicate that they could/would do anything about that but the noise did quiet down immediately so I assume a castmember spoke to the parents.
Finally we went to sleep...
Something I Learned:
Palo is a great experience.
The pool decks are packed on sea day.
Soups Eaten: 8
Narnia_girl
He's not a tame lion, but he is good.
- Joined
- May 11, 2009
- Messages
- 2,559
Ugh, so sorry! It was a bandwidth usage problem that was easily solved by paying Photobucket some $$
Narnia_girl
He's not a tame lion, but he is good.
- Joined
- May 11, 2009
- Messages
- 2,559
Debarkation and New Smyrna Beach
Morning came too soon.
Sad girl.
We left our staterooms and piled our bags with other guests outside of Enchanted Garden for our breakfast.
I had heard that the wait staff can rush you on debarkation day but ours didnt seem to do that, although they were always in a hurry. They did ask about the comment card to make sure we rated them. It was nice to say goodbye to Gilbert and wish Onica a nice visit with her family in Guyana.
I had to go back to Guest Services before we debarked. My concern was a Disney Rewards card that I had put on our account. We didnt end up spending that money and I wanted to make sure I got it back. The castmember who helped me wasnt sure and had to check with the Finance Office who explained to me that they werent really designed to put money back on cards (guess that rarely happens) but that it would post back to my account at the end of the business day which meant 9 a.m.
Then we were off the ship and into the Customs. We engaged a porter right away and he was so helpful. He stayed with us all through the Customs line (which was extremely long) and told us about the ship and procedures.
There are gorgeous Disney cruise murals along the walls as you make your way through the line. I got out my phone to take a picture of one and got barked at immediately by a customs agent to delete that photo!
Yep, you are no longer a Disney guest! 
She said that there is a no photos sign near the front but no one ever sees it.
(Govt rant: you line the walls with beautiful artwork and put up a sign that you know most people dont see then yell at them for taking photos?
)
After finally getting through Customs (probably 20 minutes) our porter dropped our bags at the car rental queue. We thanked and tipped him and started the next phase of waiting, only now we are outside and its getting hot. At least 15 minutes later the Dollar Car Rental shuttle shows up and we all pile on for the drive to the office. There we wait some more for our vehicle.
We took a last look at the beautiful Disney Dream as we drove out of town, on our way to New Smyrna Beach. In NSB Andrew met up with his best friend and spent the night with him. We had a nice hotel right on the beach.
Admiring the view, ready to go home.
You can drive on this beach!
Rick swam while Caroline and I walked about the sand. It was a beautiful beach, and honestly I thought the sand/beach was more beautiful than Castaway Cay. It didnt have the Disney atmosphere or the tropical feel. It was definitely a public beach, but at the actual point where sand meets water, it was gorgeous. Soft, clean sand and clear water.
Just look at the smooth, clear sand and water at her feet! (...but it's not Disney sand!)
There are the rumored sharks, but we barely got our ankles wet. Rick was further out jumping the waves and loved it.
We found a well-rated pizza place called Panheads for dinner and it was very good.
A big storm blew through just as we were leaving and there were lots of tree branches down as we made our way back to our hotel.
After the storm the beach was even more beautiful and we took a long walk.
Our evening ended with a rainbow.
As beautiful as NSB was our kids just wanted to be home. From the moment we left the ship they were done with vacation and felt like they were biding their time, just waiting to get home.
Something I learned: We drove the older highway from Port Canaveral to New Smyrna Beach. It is situation much closer to the ocean and I thought it would be scenic. It wasn't. Too many tall trees, low land and buildings to really get an ocean view.
Soups Eaten: None today.
Morning came too soon.
Sad girl.
We left our staterooms and piled our bags with other guests outside of Enchanted Garden for our breakfast.
I had heard that the wait staff can rush you on debarkation day but ours didnt seem to do that, although they were always in a hurry. They did ask about the comment card to make sure we rated them. It was nice to say goodbye to Gilbert and wish Onica a nice visit with her family in Guyana.
I had to go back to Guest Services before we debarked. My concern was a Disney Rewards card that I had put on our account. We didnt end up spending that money and I wanted to make sure I got it back. The castmember who helped me wasnt sure and had to check with the Finance Office who explained to me that they werent really designed to put money back on cards (guess that rarely happens) but that it would post back to my account at the end of the business day which meant 9 a.m.
Then we were off the ship and into the Customs. We engaged a porter right away and he was so helpful. He stayed with us all through the Customs line (which was extremely long) and told us about the ship and procedures.
There are gorgeous Disney cruise murals along the walls as you make your way through the line. I got out my phone to take a picture of one and got barked at immediately by a customs agent to delete that photo!
Yep, you are no longer a Disney guest! She said that there is a no photos sign near the front but no one ever sees it. (Govt rant: you line the walls with beautiful artwork and put up a sign that you know most people dont see then yell at them for taking photos?
) After finally getting through Customs (probably 20 minutes) our porter dropped our bags at the car rental queue. We thanked and tipped him and started the next phase of waiting, only now we are outside and its getting hot. At least 15 minutes later the Dollar Car Rental shuttle shows up and we all pile on for the drive to the office. There we wait some more for our vehicle.
We took a last look at the beautiful Disney Dream as we drove out of town, on our way to New Smyrna Beach. In NSB Andrew met up with his best friend and spent the night with him. We had a nice hotel right on the beach.
Admiring the view, ready to go home.
You can drive on this beach!
Rick swam while Caroline and I walked about the sand. It was a beautiful beach, and honestly I thought the sand/beach was more beautiful than Castaway Cay. It didnt have the Disney atmosphere or the tropical feel. It was definitely a public beach, but at the actual point where sand meets water, it was gorgeous. Soft, clean sand and clear water.
Just look at the smooth, clear sand and water at her feet! (...but it's not Disney sand!)
There are the rumored sharks, but we barely got our ankles wet. Rick was further out jumping the waves and loved it.
We found a well-rated pizza place called Panheads for dinner and it was very good.
A big storm blew through just as we were leaving and there were lots of tree branches down as we made our way back to our hotel.
After the storm the beach was even more beautiful and we took a long walk.
Our evening ended with a rainbow.
As beautiful as NSB was our kids just wanted to be home. From the moment we left the ship they were done with vacation and felt like they were biding their time, just waiting to get home.
Something I learned: We drove the older highway from Port Canaveral to New Smyrna Beach. It is situation much closer to the ocean and I thought it would be scenic. It wasn't. Too many tall trees, low land and buildings to really get an ocean view.
Soups Eaten: None today.
packerbeth
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2006
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- 133
PiperGirlInWondrland
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2007
- Messages
- 1,417
I loved reading your report! Great job!
Narnia_girl
He's not a tame lion, but he is good.
- Joined
- May 11, 2009
- Messages
- 2,559
Thanks! The food was so good! I hope you enjoyed your first DCL cruise.
Thank you!
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