Dream 4-Day HOTH Oct 20-24: thoughts from a first time cruiser

[derek_knitter]

Hi everyone- so just off the ship for about 7 hours and thought I might add my thoughts about my amazing (!!) experience from someone who is new to all things cruising-

• Fantastic food - if I had to pick, I would list Animator’s Palette above others, but I think that might have just been the overall ambiance and theming also. The other 2 were fine, but boring in comparison
• Shows were top-notch. Beauty and the Beast absolutely Broadway comparable, and Believe was just hilarious and touching at the same time. Plus - it was like they let Genie just go full improv and he was hysterical!
• Cast members - everyone says it and everyone knows it, so I won’t go too much more here but to say that every one from the line directors in Cabanas to the towel collectors to the stateroom hosts were just the best I have ever seen. Maybe even overall better than Disney World?
• COVID restrictions were nowhere - some guests and cast members wore masks, and you had to sanitize hands going to eat, but that was it. Same on Nassau or Castaway.
• One comment on the show audience - as someone with kids who are used to musical theater and know when to listen and when to clap, it was hard to say that the crowd was more like one seeing the Wiggles. But I can’t complain too much - and at least the singers were super amplified
• The guests seemed much more local to south Florida than I expected. I bet half the guests were primarily speaking Spanish - and some had only one family member translating for the rest. Maybe this is specifically something you see out of Miami?
• Nassau was good to see once, but next time I would save the bother and stay on the ship. Maybe once the new port is done it will bring back vibrancy to the downtown, but now it is evident that COVID had a huge impact with many stores shuttered.
• Castaway - amazing - would have done twice if we could
• Best weather ever - no rain from embarkation to farewell
• Stateroom was fabulously large - we did VGT and ended up with deck 10 deluxe family stateroom - close to Cabanas and drink stations - and so much storage!
• Final note - trying to do everything is a joke - we did 2 character by meets and that was 90 minutes. (Jack and Sally - quite cool though). My kids at the end said “they do call it Disney Cruise LINE” and I had to laugh. But don’t know how you solve it except restrict numbers of guests.

Thanks to all on these boards the past 5 months for all the planning tips and advice!

 

[Dailymeel]

Nice to-the-point report! Were there special nights /days on the 4 night cruise (e.g. pirate night, or formal, or marvel day at sea)? Were there shows during all the dinners or was it just at animator’s palette? Thanks for your report x

 

[derek_knitter]

Hello - so first night at AP was Halloween, and second AP (next day for us) was Pirate Night with different menu. Both Enchanted Garden and Royal Palace were just basic dinners; I actually wish they could add something like what the other ships have with dinner shows, but nothing like that.

 

[Dailymeel]

Hello - so first night at AP was Halloween, and second AP (next day for us) was Pirate Night with different menu. Both Enchanted Garden and Royal Palace were just basic dinners; I actually wish they could add something like what the other ships have with dinner shows, but nothing like that.

Thank you, sounds like you still had a great time though!