First Time Cruisers back from 5-Night Fantasy to Caribbean! July 16-21, 2022 (Completed)

[nlharpel]

Quick Facts

➡ Disney Fantasy: 5-Night Caribbean with Stops at Cozumel and Castaway Cay​

Day One - 16th (Embarkation)​

Day Two - 17th (Day at Sea)​

Day Three - 18th (Cozumel)​

Day Four - 19th (Day at Sea)​

Day Five - 20th (Castaway Cay)​

Day Six - 21st (Debarkation)​

➡ July 16 - 21st, 2022 (Saturday to Thursday)​

➡ ~3400 Passengers​

​

Hi friends! My name is Nikki and I’m relatively new here. My husband (39) and I (34) have been regulars at DW for many years and are DVC members. We are new to cruising and recently took our first cruise ever on the Disney Fantasy’s 5-Night Caribbean with our 4-year old daughter (DD).


We got married at Epcot in 2016 with two special guests!

Cruise Planning

I am borderline obsessed with planning and researching any travel that I do. I have no interest in learning lessons the hard way and will gladly learn from the experiences of others in an effort to create the best travel experience possible - ESPECIALLY when it comes to anything Disney! We had an absolutely incredible experience on our cruise and it was 100% worth the time spent on planning and researching.

To prepare for our trip, there were particular aspects I spent a lot of time reviewing. I’ll focus on a couple of them in case it is helpful for any other first timers.

Itinerary: We had three things in mind to narrow down which itinerary we wanted:

1. A newer ship (Dream or Fantasy) so we could get all the “bells and whistles”.
2. Visit Castaway Cay.
3. 5 or 6-Night Length - not too short in case we loved it, and not too long in case anyone got seasick

It was pretty easy for us to land on the 5-Night Fantasy from there. Selecting our stateroom took a bit of time, I used the DIS website to read stateroom reviews to give me a sense of areas to avoid (i.e., more ship movement, excess noise, rooms with particular features, etc.) We ended up on Deck 9 - Aft which was perfect for us.

I read a lot of trip reports, articles, reviews, forum posts, and listened to podcasts to help me with what to pack, tips and tricks, and what added costs onboard the ship were worth it. Of everything, I think the most invaluable information came from podcasts. I learned so many little tidbits for ways to make the cruise run just that much smoother for us. There were so many times where someone would casually mention something that I didn’t even know existed - this was still happening after months of regular listening! There are a lot of aspects of Disney cruising that are not obvious to first time cruisers. Most are not going to know they really need to be up at midnight at the 30-day check-in if they want to get an early boarding time. They may not realize just how many people will be dressed up for Pirate Night. (I heard this very conversation on the elevator!)

While I certainly don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to spend a lot of time planning, I do think it can help curate what would be the optimal experience for your family, the best ‘bang for your buck’. For example, we LOVE to eat - so we spent a lot of time learning about all the dining options (and booked Palo Brunch based on those reviews). On the other hand, we didn’t spend time reviewing excursions because we knew most of our time would be just exploring the ship.

The one exception (which hopefully won’t need to exist much longer) is understanding covid requirements. And Disney does not make it easy in my opinion. I was so grateful to hear others walk through the process and what options were out there. Especially because we have a daughter that was not eligible for vaccination (under 5) which required us to take additional steps to be cleared. I saw our cruise Facebook group save more than one family from accidentally missing these deadlines!

Pre-Cruise and Day One: July 16th - Embarkation

We flew in to Orlando a day early so if we had issues with delays or cancellations, we would have wiggle room. Also I am never one to pass up an opportunity to go shopping in Disney Springs. We used our DVC points to grab a room at the newly remodeled Saratoga Springs and spend the evening in DS. Since we had a rental car, I packed a separate bag just for what we needed the next morning and our ‘embarkation bag’ so we could leave the bulk of luggage in the car. We walked over to DS and snagged a table at Homecomin’ between the lunch and dinner crowds. We went to World of Disney, Co-Op, and some other shops before checking out the new Salt n’ Straw (that malted cookie dough is legit). It was so hot and after 3 hours we were exhausted and headed back to the room where we ordered food to go from Artist’s Palette and relaxed. (Side Note: I just want you to know how many times I confused myself writing this between Artist’s Palette and Animator’s Palate )


Any time is a good time for deviled eggs.

Since the port is only an hour away, we had a leisurely morning and headed out around 10 for our 11:45-12 PAT. I was a bit nervous from stories on here about the rental car return being backed up but I also didn’t want to arrive too early knowing we could be turned away from the terminal. It’s a super easy drive to the port and National (Enterprise) is the closest to the port so we figured if the line was backed up, we could split up and one of us drop off luggage while the other returned the car and could even walk over if needed. Luckily, the line was perfectly manageable and there is even a waiting lobby inside the building for those that arrived too early before they took the shuttle over. The shuttle drivers are super nice and helpful and explained how transportation at debarkation worked and the options you would have. We heard some interesting stories from our driver about experiences on other cruise lines from his passengers. (Not a single person didn’t enjoy Disney!)

We were dropped off at the terminal and a porter grabbed our luggage right away. A common theme I noticed throughout the trip was just how many cast members are around to help you every step of the way. Not once was I ever confused about where I needed to go or what I needed to do. (And for reference, no one ever checked our PAT.) Since DD is under 5 and therefore not vaccinated, we had to do one last test before we could go inside the terminal. We walked across the road to a large tent that is set-up next to the parking garage. It was very speedy and efficient, she was tested quickly and we went to the waiting room. Staff would walk around to check on your status for you, otherwise, you receive an email when your results are in and your safe passage account is updated. Results came back in less than 10 minutes and we were on our way!


Impatiently checking our phone every 10 seconds for the all clear!

When we got to the terminal, we got through security quickly. By the time we had walked across the terminal, they had started boarding for 1-8 (we were 8) so we never had to pause or wait at all and got to go right in. This is where they were checking your boarding group to verify entry. The longest we waited was in the gangway to get on the ship but this was still maybe 10 minutes at most?

We were absolutely giddy as we inched closer to the ship and could see glimpses of the atrium and hear the cheering and announcements. When it was our turn, we came in and were announced and this was the most chaotic part as we immediately had a cast member follow us across the atrium to guide us to other cast members to make sure we had the app set-up correctly. I don’t think I was able to properly soak in our onboarding but it was also just about get our bearings at this point. All cast members are consistently masked. This does make it hard to properly hear and understand them sometimes, especially in louder areas of the ship like restaurants, atrium, etc.

Next we knocked out our drill - I was shocked at how easy and fast this was. We literally just walked to our designated meeting spot, put the phone camera up to the sign so the DCL app could verify we went and we were done. The crew member stationed told us to watch the video later.

Even though I had thought about it ahead of time, knowing we were free to roam and do whatever on the ship was a bit overwhelming! Where to start? What to do!! We decided lunch and thought it best to avoid the crowds at Cabana’s and check out Animator’s Palate. We all really enjoyed the meal and ambiance. Very relaxing and got to enjoy the biggest muffuletta of my life.


Yes, that is ALL cheese.

After that, we took DD to the open house for Kid’s Club. So glad we did this early because by the time we left, the line was soooo long! Even though DD had been pre-registered during the online check-in, there were still steps to complete before she was cleared. Each kid is given a magic band with a ‘lock’ added (like a zip tie) so it won’t fall off and they are able to track them in the club. This is also where some of the first character meet and greets were for the day. We were excited to see that Thor and Doctor Strange would be there (at 2:00 and 2:45). We were first in line which ended up being a mistake because as soon as Thor walked through the door, DD collapsed like a fangirl and would not talk or make eye contact!!


DD clinging to Daddy for dear life while meeting her favorite superhero.

By the time we were done, our stateroom was ready so DD and I headed upstairs while DH went to get our portable fan that had to be reviewed for use. We got a deluxe family oceanview stateroom with veranda. We really loved our room. DD loved the bunk that pulls down from the ceiling and was entertained how it ‘magically’ appeared every evening and disappeared again by afternoon. I couldn’t get over just how much storage space we had throughout the room. The one thing that I hadn’t heard people mention that surprised me was the fantastic water pressure. OMG that rain shower!! We also loved having the tub for DD which we used multiple times.

Did you know that DVC members get special magnets on their doors? And they are pull apart! We had a great time decorating our door and will bring even more next time. After some unpacking, we headed to the pools. DD and I had an awesome time trying out the AquaDuck! So fun! She was also a BIG fan of the Nemo splash pad area, and the kid’s slide.

After swimming, we changed for dinner and checked out the shops. We had second dinner seating which we really liked and will continue to prefer. (More on that later!) The shops don’t open until 6 on the first day so I got there right when they opened. Sadly the supply chain issues are still a thing. There were several clothing items that were out of multiple sizes and little merchandise for certain items like plushes. I asked for them to check stock on one item where they wrote down my info and said they would contact me through the app but they never did. I checked multiple times to see if certain items were restocked but no luck. This was one of those ’take my money!’ moments that I walked away having bought way less than I hoped.



Dinner our first night was Royal Palace. I didn’t realize that everyone (regardless of location) has the same menu for the first night. For the record - we were not seated with anyone else - the other table next to us that was also table 11 was a separate table with about a foot between us. We also were not placed near ‘similar’ families/groups like I’d heard. The couscous salad and chicken breast were a couple of our favorites!


Couscous Salad with dried Cranberries, Toasted Almonds, Chickpeas, Cherry Tomato, Cucumber: Cilantro, and a Lime Dressing. Mesquite Grilled Chicken Breast on wilted Spinach and Crushed Sweet Potatoes served with Cream of Corn and Bacon Sauce.

To sum up our experience for dinners over the course of the cruise:

• The food was consistently good and better than expected.
• Royal Palace is the most boring, uninspiring place on that ship???
• We did not get the magical experience with our servers like many others have. This was the only letdown our entire trip. Our service often dragged out close to 10 pm. We had issues with drink orders, confusion over what we wanted, and we didn't experience those special touches like we had heard from others. I won’t belabor this point, but suffice it to say, our service was no different than your average dining experience anywhere in the US. The two things that just really turned me off were - one, the server using our child’s allergy as an excuse on multiple occasions for why our service was so slow and two, the repeated, excessive requests on the last night of dinner service for us to fill out the surveys and rate them excellent. Looking back, I should have said something to the head server and if we experience this again, I will...or I'll make DH do it because I hate complaining about service!

After dinner, DH did the cognac tasting and DD and I walked around the ship a bit more before heading to bed. All in all, awesome first day and we couldn’t wait to enjoy our first full day at sea! See you soon for Day Two!

 

[nlharpel]

Day Two: July 17th - At Sea

We started our day with tickets to the free Royal Gathering event that were was just recently added back. You don't know ahead of time which princesses will be there - for ours we had Ariel, Tiana, and Cinderella. All the character meet and greets were still socially distanced despite rumors that hugs and autographs would return mid-July. One thing to note - if you aren’t able to get tickets to Royal Gathering, they had the opportunity later in the cruise to meet the princesses - the only difference was you had to wait in each line separately versus the Royal Gathering which is one (shorter) line meeting them one after another.

By 9:30 we were headed to Cabana’s for breakfast. I love breakfast buffets. Is there anything better than fresh coffee, mickey waffles, and crispy hash browns??? I think not. Cabana’s can get a bit wild - particularly at lunch but everyone was pretty chill in the mornings and the staff does an outstanding job of keeping the place cleaned up and assisting if you need anything.



DD was excited to go to kid’s club but that excitement ended up being short lived as less than 10 minutes after drop off, we got the notification that she was ready to be picked up. Womp womp. I do think part of it was the fact that kids under 5 have to be masked which creates challenges when she’s trying to talk with other kids in a noisy environment.

After we picked DD up, we headed to the DVC Member Celebration event in the D Lounge. Spoiler Alert: There's a sales pitch for doing add-on contracts. We played a family feud style game show and got a special photo session with Minnie and free drinks (alcoholic and non).

Next up was bingo. It’s pretty pricey but we had a good time and DH won the raffle for a DCL cooler bag that came with a notebook and scrunchie. No bingo wins for us though we came close a couple times!



This was our only day for lunch at Cabanas. The food was fine but it was way more crowded. And considering most of what I want is also served at Flo’s Cafe, I wasn’t very motivated to come back again.

We headed over for some more pool time which translates to me using it as excuse to eat my weight in cheese pizza. One thing that I was particularly glad we brought were our own stainless steel tumblrs. The small paper cups that are available do not work well with the sun and drinks quickly get watered down. Our tumblrs kept our drinks nice and cool and allowed us to easily transport around the ship and last us much longer.


Strawberry and banana twist cone! By 4:30 or 5, the pool deck started to clear out each day.

Our first broadway show was this night - Aladdin. I loved the photo opportunities in the foyer area themed to the show. Super fun and allowed DD to get a super cute picture themed with her Jasmine outfit!



Since popcorn and drinks are an additional charge, we brought our popcorn bucket from DW, and I brought some kid’s popcorn trays I found on amazon to split up the popcorn between us. We also had our own movie candy from home. I would definitely do this approach again!

The show was awesome - though after seeing all three, this was probably ranked third. The stage effects were top notch. Jafar as the serpent! SO COOL! I also liked how you could watch the shows on the television in your room in case you missed them (or wanted to watch them again).

Dinner this night was at Animator’s Palate and the Turtle Talk with Crush. Yours truly was chosen to talk with Crush! I'd probably rank this meal somewhere in the middle compared to our other meals. However, the Warm Sticky Date Pudding was definitely a standout and our favorite dessert of the trip!


Garlic and Herb Foccacia with a Roasted Garlic Dip was another highlight of the meal. Both nights at AP we had a photographer come to take pictures.

After dinner we headed back up to the pool deck to watch Guardians of the Galaxy on the Funnel Vision. There’s just nothing quite like being on the open sea with a cool breeze - the deck lit up in bright colors. It was so quiet and peaceful.



See you soon for Day 3 - Cozumel!

 

[nlharpel]

Day Three: July 18th - Cozumel

Our first port day! I’ll admit, I was enjoying our time on the ship so much it lessened my excitement to get off for the excursion we purchased in Cozumel! We signed up for the Dolphin Encounter at Dolphinaris which is for children under 5 and allows them to “kiss” and “hug” a dolphin in shallower water with a parent/guardian present. Disney is very organized with getting everyone to their excursions and it was worth it to have everything figured out for us including transportation and lunch. Dolphinaris has professional photographers beside each group to capture photos for an additional purchase. Of course I went into this saying there was no way I was going to pay such an exorbitant charge for photos after I had already paid $200 for the excursion. Then they showed me the photos they got. UGH. How could I not?? DD really enjoyed the experience but overall, it’s not one that I would be keen to do again. At times it felt like they were just going through the motions of getting everybody through the ‘experience’ they were to get. (i.e. child one gets dolphin kiss and photo, now child two's turn, child three, etc.). Snorkeling was also included in the package but DD wasn’t old enough to partake. The included lunch was pretty disappointing, mainly because it was catering to more American palates. But I definitely get it and next time we are in Cozumel I will be more intentional about finding authentic Mexican cuisine away from the tourist spots.



Of course, being Mexico in July - it was HOT. Here was DD on our way off the boat and 25 minutes later... haha!

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One thing that makes me feel REAL fancy is the fruit-infused ice water that Disney has set-up outside the ship when you return to the port. A refreshing drink of orange water? Don’t mind if I do!

We wanted to take advantage of some pool time in the afternoon before everyone returned to the ship. Turns out everyone else had this idea too haha - we even had people in line with us for the AquaDuck that were on the same excursion! I love how Disney themes the music and movies on the ship to upcoming events - while we were docked in Mexico, they played music and Coco played on the funnel vision.

By late afternoon I was ready to get moving and went to check out Cove Cafe. I spent the early part of the pandemic learning how to make lattes at home and bought an espresso machine. I was missing having my morning lattes! And getting them in to-go cups just is never the same. I had the place to myself as I sat in quiet bliss and sipped my salted caramel coconut latte and madeleine. It was perfection. (It also tasted so much better in a mug!)



Next up - pirate night! We were so excited for this and bought costumes online after hearing how much people get into it. What an awesome evening - I was blown away. It also made me think how awesome the other cruises that have themes must be (i.e. marvel, Pixar, halloween, etc.). The music playing in the halls, the characters in their adorable pirate costumes, the pirate-themed backdrops for photo sessions *chef’s kiss*

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Dinner was at Animator’s Palate which meant that we didn’t experience the animation show - but that gives us something to look forward to next time! It was really cool how all the screens in AP showed concept art and sketches for various pirate movies and shows. This added to the immersion and pirate vibes. Also - after colloquially hearing how many people dislike the pirate night menu, I was floored by how much I enjoyed it - it ended up being my favorite dinner of the cruise! That samosa and crab cake. DANG. And the jerk chicken!



Around 5 I think was the first deck party, Mickey’s Pirates of the Caribbean. Then a second deck party takes place at 10, followed by fireworks. We enjoyed Mickey's POTC most - of course the fireworks were spectacular. We were pretty tired by the second party, it was a lot of talking and just felt lower energy until the fireworks started. Club Pirate was super fun - DD was absolutely done by then and our dancing further antagonized her lol



We did a quick lap around Cabana's to see the midnight buffet that is offered for Pirate Night. I was still so full from dinner and the copious amounts of snacking throughout the day that the thought of eating a turkey leg was enough to send me overboard. Given the amount of people - this was not the case for many. Well done. Goodnight.

 

[Flagondry]

Great report so far! Haven’t cruised yet, so love hearing from first timers.

 

[erinch]

Enjoying!

 

[nlharpel]

Day Four: July 19th - At Sea

For our second day at sea, we slept in a bit before heading over to DD's appointment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Besides Kid’s Club, this is the other place that under 5s were required to mask. This was DD's first time at BBB and she was so excited to become a princess! When you enter you confirm which package you are doing and then select which princess you want. There were a few dresses that were out of stock in her size but she was able to get her second pick (Rapunzel). I actually think $200 for the Castle Package was a pretty good deal considering how much the dresses alone cost at the parks ($60). In addition, she got a nice tiara and light-up scepter/wand that were themed to her princess, a sash, and necklace. They do their hair, makeup, and nails and give you what they use (nail polish, makeup palette, etc.). It was a super cute experience!

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By some pixie dust magic, the atrium was practically empty in the late morning so upon leaving BBB, we were able to get photos of DD in her princess makeover with virtually no one around on the staircase and statue.



We took DD to kid’s club and headed over to Palo for the infamous brunch I’d heard so much about. I was worried about DD asking to leave kid’s club again in the middle of our meal and not knowing what to do. Within the first 15 minutes - we had already received 2 pick-up notification requests. We saw someone else using the phone at the hostess desk for the same reason to check on their child. That didn't even occur to me as a possibility but I'm glad we saw it happen! We did the same thing and were able to call up to kid's club to check in. They told us not to worry and they would make sure DD found kids her age and to just enjoy our lunch and they wouldn’t send more notifications. That was a huge weight lifted as I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy my meal otherwise!

Okay now the fun part - did Palo live up to my over-inflated expectations??? YEP! Firstly, the buffet has not returned - you are given a menu with options for appetizers, entrees, pizzas, desserts, etc. You can then order as much off the menu as you would like all for the cost of $45. The only things that were extra that were listed on the menu were a few alcoholic drinks. Considering you are getting full-size portions of everything you order, this was an amazing value. The food was all excellent. We ordered the strawberry compote mickey waffle, a meat and cheese board, a calzone, eggs benedict, chicken parm with risotto, tomato basil soup, lasagna bolognese, panna cotta, tiramisu, and chocolate fondant. The two items that we couldn't stop talking about and are still dreaming for were the calzone and the chicken parm. We will definitely make sure every future DCL cruise includes a trip here!



After Palo, it was Spa Time! Senses is very nice and felt so luxurious. The bathrooms had an area to get ready with some toiletries provided. There were lockers to use and slippers and robes. I didn't notice the slippers until I was leaving, they don't tell you any of this ahead of time so I had no idea what to expect. I got the hot stone massage and I never wanted to leave!! I should have made time to come over earlier in the week or visited during the open house on the first day when they have a raffle. I didn't take advantage enough but I always downplay how much I enjoy spas and massages until I go again and I’m like, 'Oh yeah, this is fantastic!' I also forgot that Rainforest Room was a separate cost so I hadn’t allowed time for it. Next time!

We enjoyed a bit of time in our room before heading down for the entertainment of the night (Frozen). I don't know if I'll ever want to cruise without a verandah. It is just so relaxing being on the open sea and enjoying that breeze!



We did our usual evening routine of going around and getting photos around the various backdrops. We paid for the unlimited photo package so I wanted to make sure we got our money’s worth! I had no idea just how many opportunities they give you for professional photos. Originally the $220 felt really steep but it was well worth the money when you think about how much family photos would cost going to a professional photographer on your own. And you certainly wouldn’t get that many backdrops or outfit changes! I’ll definitely be stepping up our outfit coordination game next time around.

Frozen was a great show done in a shortened format - maybe even more enjoyable than the movie because it focuses the show around the musical numbers. And the fact it snowed in the audience was SUPER COOL.

Even though I had been looking forward to seeing Enchanted Garden in person, we just couldn’t muster the energy to go through our 2-hour long dining routine so we opted for Room Service. EG was only on our rotation for the one night and was not used for the lunch spot for many (if any) days either, we so we never did dine here during our trip. Looking forward to trying it out next time. Room service was pretty underwhelming but it arrived quickly and it was nice to just hang out in our room for awhile and relax. In the future we will reserve room service for breakfast or snacks and not as a main meal.

We ended the evening with a couple more character meet and greets before calling it a day. We wanted to make sure we were nice and well rested for our final full day to the place we were most looking forward to...Castaway Cay! 🏝

 

[Oregongram]

Day Four: July 19th - At Sea

For our second day at sea, we slept in a bit before heading over to DD's appointment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Besides Kid’s Club, this is the other place that under 5s were required to mask. This was DD's first time at BBB and she was so excited to become a princess! When you enter you confirm which package you are doing and then select which princess you want. There were a few dresses that were out of stock in her size but she was able to get her second pick (Rapunzel). I actually think $200 for the Castle Package was a pretty good deal considering how much the dresses alone cost at the parks ($60). In addition, she got a nice tiara and light-up scepter/wand that were themed to her princess, a sash, and necklace. They do their hair, makeup, and nails and give you what they use (nail polish, makeup palette, etc.). It was a super cute experience!

View attachment 692389. View attachment 692398

By some pixie dust magic, the atrium was practically empty in the late morning so upon leaving BBB, we were able to get photos of DD in her princess makeover with virtually no one around on the staircase and statue.

View attachment 692397 View attachment 692390

We took DD to kid’s club and headed over to Palo for the infamous brunch I’d heard so much about. I was worried about DD asking to leave kid’s club again in the middle of our meal and not knowing what to do. Within the first 15 minutes - we had already received 2 pick-up notification requests. We saw someone else using the phone at the hostess desk for the same reason to check on their child. That didn't even occur to me as a possibility but I'm glad we saw it happen! We did the same thing and were able to call up to kid's club to check in. They told us not to worry and they would make sure DD found kids her age and to just enjoy our lunch and they wouldn’t send more notifications. That was a huge weight lifted as I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy my meal otherwise!

Okay now the fun part - did Palo live up to my over-inflated expectations??? YEP! Firstly, the buffet has not returned - you are given a menu with options for appetizers, entrees, pizzas, desserts, etc. You can then order as much off the menu as you would like all for the cost of $45. The only things that were extra that were listed on the menu were a few alcoholic drinks. Considering you are getting full-size portions of everything you order, this was an amazing value. The food was all excellent. We ordered the strawberry compote mickey waffle, a meat and cheese board, a calzone, eggs benedict, chicken parm with risotto, tomato basil soup, lasagna bolognese, panna cotta, tiramisu, and chocolate fondant. The two items that we couldn't stop talking about and are still dreaming for were the calzone and the chicken parm. We will definitely make sure every future DCL cruise includes a trip here!

View attachment 692399 View attachment 692400 View attachment 692401

After Palo, it was Spa Time! Senses is very nice and felt so luxurious. The bathrooms had an area to get ready with some toiletries provided. There were lockers to use and slippers and robes. I didn't notice the slippers until I was leaving, they don't tell you any of this ahead of time so I had no idea what to expect. I got the hot stone massage and I never wanted to leave!! I should have made time to come over earlier in the week or visited during the open house on the first day when they have a raffle. I didn't take advantage enough but I always downplay how much I enjoy spas and massages until I go again and I’m like, 'Oh yeah, this is fantastic!' I also forgot that Rainforest Room was a separate cost so I hadn’t allowed time for it. Next time!

We enjoyed a bit of time in our room before heading down for the entertainment of the night (Frozen). I don't know if I'll ever want to cruise without a verandah. It is just so relaxing being on the open sea and enjoying that breeze!

View attachment 692402

We did our usual evening routine of going around and getting photos around the various backdrops. We paid for the unlimited photo package so I wanted to make sure we got our money’s worth! I had no idea just how many opportunities they give you for professional photos. Originally the $220 felt really steep but it was well worth the money when you think about how much family photos would cost going to a professional photographer on your own. And you certainly wouldn’t get that many backdrops or outfit changes! I’ll definitely be stepping up our outfit coordination game next time around.

Frozen was a great show done in a shortened format - maybe even more enjoyable than the movie because it focuses the show around the musical numbers. And the fact it snowed in the audience was SUPER COOL.

Even though I had been looking forward to seeing Enchanted Garden in person, we just couldn’t muster the energy to go through our 2-hour long dining routine so we opted for Room Service. EG was only on our rotation for the one night and was not used for the lunch spot for many (if any) days either, we so we never did dine here during our trip. Looking forward to trying it out next time. Room service was pretty underwhelming but it arrived quickly and it was nice to just hang out in our room for awhile and relax. In the future we will reserve room service for breakfast or snacks and not as a main meal.

We ended the evening with a couple more character meet and greets before calling it a day. We wanted to make sure we were nice and well rested for our final full day to the place we were most looking forward to...Castaway Cay! 🏝

I'm enjoying your very detailed review. You write well.
My first cruise was on the Dream pre-pandemic and I've wanted so badly to cruise again but I have an auto immune disorder and my husband and I are elderly. Waiting will be safer for us. Your family photos are wonderful and DD is a beautiful princess. Thank you for sharing your experience.
What room were you in?

 

[nlharpel]

I'm enjoying your very detailed review. You write well.
My first cruise was on the Dream pre-pandemic and I've wanted so badly to cruise again but I have an auto immune disorder and my husband and I are elderly. Waiting will be safer for us. Your family photos are wonderful and DD is a beautiful princess. Thank you for sharing your experience.
What room were you in?

Thank you so much!! We were in room 9622 (aft). I so hope that you and your husband will have the opportunity to safely cruise again soon! We will be on the Dream this November - did you watch the shows?

 

[nlharpel]

Day Five: July 20th - Castaway Cay

Ah! It was finally the day I had most been looking forward to the entire trip! Castaway Cay!! I wanted to make sure we took full advantage of our time and be ready when the gangway opened. We were able to quickly get off the ship as most people did not start arriving until after 9.

Some of the best photo opportunities of the entire trip are at Castaway right when you get off the boat. There are two areas where you can fantastic photos with the ship, along with scenic areas of the island. Here’s what I learned though:

• Most of the photos are having you face the very bright sun and your toddler who refuses to wear sunglasses will act like her eyeballs are on fire and refuse to take pictures.
• Don’t trick yourself into thinking you’ll take photos on your way back to the boat when you are a hot, sweaty mess.
• Don’t assume photographers will be there in the afternoon, especially during hurricane season (May-October) when you get sudden downpours!

Poor DD! Is it mean we still got a photo?

I knocked out the 5K first thing upon arrival while it was still relatively cool. We were expecting highs in the mid-80s for the day. I was surprised by how far back in the island you have to walk before you actually *start* the 5K. Here I was going along, thinking I had already started when I saw a "5K Begin" sign! The trail is well-marked and a good portion provides shade. There are a couple water stations along the way. Finisher medals are given out right at the end of the 5K marker at the bike rental shack. You just go up and tell them you completed the 5K and they will give you your medal (I believe they do a different design every year). It was definitely a popular activity in the morning.

We enjoyed some nice time in the water and on the beach. It was pretty cool seeing fish swimming around - they get right up to the coast! You can barely see them because they blend perfectly in to the water except their eyes. There was a photographer taking photos on the beach that I caught before the rain started. As soon as I saw him I sprinted over there! It’s amazing how different the water looks when it becomes overcast. Not even 10 minutes after our photos were taken in the crystal blue, sparkling water did the clouds roll in and cast the water gray. Talking to a couple CMs on the island, they said the sudden but quick downpours were pretty much a daily occurrence during hurricane season.


Can you believe how crystal blue that water is?? Ugh, take me back!

You do have to extend a bit of patience to the cast as they get the island essentially set-up and stocked upon arrival. Not everything is ready when you get off the boat. For instance, I went to 3 different soda machines before finding one that didn't spew syrup all over me. Lunch at Cookie's was similar where we formed separate lines in front of each opening - what we didn't know was that each line would open at different times - and a CM that told us wrong information and put us in the line that opened last, haha! Oh well, the food was delicious and we really enjoyed the meal. Favorites for me were the pasta salad, potato salad and corn salad. Pro Tip: Mix the pasta and corn salad together!



After lunch, we took DD over to Scuttle’s for a bit to see if she would like this Kid’s Club better considering it was outside and she wouldn’t need to be masked. There are a lot of water-based activities here which she loves. This was the first time when we picked her up that she said she made a friend!

While DD was at Scuttle’s, we checked out Serenity Bay, the adults only area. The island is definitely small enough to walk everywhere - though I could see how on a particular hot day with no clouds that walking the airstrip would be a bit miserable. The first thing we noticed at SB was how QUIET it was. That alone sold us! I’d heard a lot of opinions about SB ahead of time, here were a few of my observations:

• Most of the area feels like a more compact, less busy, and quieter version than the family beach.
• I liked the seating set-up for Cookie’s here better - instead of the long benches in the shelter, you have normal family size picnic benches with individual umbrellas over each table and plenty of tree coverage.
• The beaches on the family side are definitely more developed (i.e., more ‘lagoon’ like for smoother waters, less rocks and plantlife).

So many people were riding bikes around the island and I wanted to be like them too! We got some rentals late in the day and rode down the bike/hiking path outside SB that takes you down past the cabanas to an Oceanview. This was a long path! But shaded and pretty level so it was an enjoyable time on the bikes. I would definitely recommend this activity, especially if it is your first time on the island. They even have bikes with the carrier for toddlers on the back that are really nice quality and safe. The bikes are all standard, old fashioned style (no gears).



Since it started raining from 3 and on, we didn’t get to see any characters on our way back to the boat. As mentioned earlier, just take advantage of things as soon as you see them cause the rain is unpredictable. I’m an absolute sucker for seeing the characters in their different outfits. Few things bring me as much joy as seeing Minnie dressed as a witch at Halloween, or Mickey as an Alaskan fisherman, or Chip and Dale in their island jumpsuits. I was bummed to have missed seeing this at CC but next time.


Aaaand this is why I need professional photographers.

The last of our shows for the trip was Believe. I went in not knowing much about the plot, except that it would probably make me tear up at the end (spoiler alert: it did). I loved this shoooooowwwwwww!! I know some people aren't a fan of jukebox-style musicals (and I'm often in that camp) but Disney has such a huge catalog of hits that you just can't NOT enjoy getting to enjoy such a variety of different styles, sets, and moods all within a short timespan. It keeps the excitement and energy up. And seeing Princess and the Frog was SUCH a delight. (It's my favorite!)

Dinner on our last night was back at Royal Palace for their regular menu. DH is still talking about how much he enjoyed the lamb and duck entrees he got. I thought this meal was fine - it’s definitely the more ‘fancy’ menu but I wouldn’t say it was a favorite of mine. The highlight was the French onion soup.

A couple things to note around photos - there are no portraits sessions held on the last night and the character meet and greets are all informal (meaning you can take photos on your phone but there is no photographer). This made sense as they are processing orders, printing photos, and such at Shutters. But it is good to note if you are trying to get your money’s worth in the unlimited package and think you have that final night for last minute professional photos. I worked out the math to see if the photo package was worth the money in the end. The unlimited package if pre-booked is $211. We ended up with around 160 photos which works out to each photo costing less than $2. That’s a steal, especially considering just how many of them I would frame around the house, or put on a family Christmas card.

After dinner, we did a lap around the walking track and then reluctantly, with our feet dragging and our heads held low, went upstairs to pack for debarkation the next morning.

Be back soon with the last part of our trip report!

 

[nlharpel]

Day Six: July 21st - Debarkation

The saddest day of the year. Debarkation Day.

Since we had second dining, we didn't have to be at breakfast until 8:15. Considering DD and I both struggle with early mornings - this alone made second dining worth it! But, remember when I said that room service was the second most lackluster meal of our trip? Well, guess where #1 was? YUP. Royal flippin' Palace. We really wished we would have just gone to Cabana's. The best way I can sum up the breakfast at RP is, there was no love, care, or attention put into the food. It was a pretty sad meal.

After breakfast, the line to leave the ship was bananas - it went all the way back through the shopping area and wrapped around to guest services. Our flight had got pushed back to 5 PM so we were in no hurry to get off the ship. We hung out up on the 4th floor and watched and waited for the line to clear out. When the atrium was cleared, we headed down just as they were doing last call for guests to exit. It was pretty smooth after that because most guests had already grabbed their luggage so we quickly were able to find ours once we were off the ship. There was still a significant line to get through customs. Honestly I can't imagine having to have been in that long of a line between the ship and then in the terminal!

Once we were through, we hopped on the DCL bus, gave one last longing look at the Fantasy as we pulled away, and we were off to the airport discussing when our next cruise would be! For any of you sailing on the Dream out of Miami over Thanksgiving - we will see you there! 🏝

And to all of you still reading these - thanks for following along with me!

 

[Deb Stoltman]

What a great trip report and pictures! I loved your detail and honesty. Your daughter is adorable! Looking forward to your next trip report!

 

[nlharpel]

What a great trip report and pictures! I loved your detail and honesty. Your daughter is adorable! Looking forward to your next trip report!

Thank you so much!!

 

[Nicnicnic.nic]

Thanks for the read!

 

[Minniemoo15]

I am loving this report ..: we have our first Disney Cruise this January - 5 nights on the Dream. 5 nights seems like the perfect amount of time - we are a bit worried about seasickness but wanted something longer than the usual 3-4 nights. We are also DVC members - after so many WDW trips it is exciting to be planning our first cruise ! We are pairing it with a couple nights at Vero Beach which I also can’t wait to experience.

Did you have any trouble booking Palo brunch as a first timer? And how do you go about getting the Royal Gathering pass to meet the princesses ?