Getting to Platinum on the Dream. Our 5th DCL ship. December 2nd 2024.

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On December 2nd, we will be on the Dream for the first time. There will be other firsts. First 5 night cruise (the last one was a 4 night and all others, 7 nights). First cruise out of Fort Lauderdale. First cruise cruise with family members (we usually cruise as a couple). Finally, first visit of Lookout Cay.

It will be our 10th Disney cruise. So, we’ll be Platinum members on December 7th…

We are very familiar with the Fantasy, so we should know our way around. Still, very happy to see the Dream.

I posted a review of our last cruise in April (https://www.disboards.com/threads/disney-cruise-9-first-time-on-the-wish-april-8th-to-12th-2024.3944275/#post-65444811) and I will do the same after this one. If you are curious, I will post this new review no later than mid-December.

We already know that we will only do MDR. We usually skip Pirates dinner for Palo, but not this time.

We also reserved the Dessert experience. We did it last April…so we have to do it again ! . I’ll leave more room for the Citron this time… IYKYK.

We are staying on the ship in Nassau, but we will visit the adult areas on CC and LC. Hoping the food will be warm and the flies bashful…

We will see all the main shows and I guess we will have the opportunity to see Moana 2.

I’ll report on the bagage drop and parking, embarkation process, food, entertainment, adult areas, the islands…and the dessert experience.

If you are cruising soon, we wish you a great vacation.

 

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Change of plans… We are skipping Pirates dinner once again for Palo. . At this point, what’s a few $ more ?

 

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Part 1

So, this time around, we were four adults on this cruise. We arrived at Port Everglades by car. The indications are clear if…you follow a worthy GPS system. Waze is our choice. We entered the parking area and we ended up right away in the bagage drop off. Very efficient. We drove up the ramp and immediately found parking. Contrary to Port Canaveral, you don’t pay up front. We entered the terminal almost right away because we were in group 5. We didn’t show the employee that the people accompanying us were in group 11…. It doesn’t matter. We knew we would wait until group 11 was called. Group 5 was called late, but when we came to 11, they were almost on time. We skipped the photo and went directly to the ship.

It was lunchtime and we chose to go to Cabanas. Somewhat crowded, but we didn’t have trouble finding a table. The carved turkey was very good with the cranberries. I was a bit disappointed, because I didn’t find the very good Asian noodles we had on the Wish. Desserts were good. The sticky pudding was available as a warm dessert.

Since the luggage was not arriving early, we visited the ship with our family. The adult bars were not all open. Some were already occupied for a tasting.

Our luggage arrived between 4:00 and 4:30. The laundry room was around the corner. It was time to iron everything for the week. I tried every method to fold my clothes in my luggage, but they always end up wrinkled !

We just had the time to shower, change and go to the Walt Disney theater. We saw the Golden Mickeys. It had been a long time since we last saw this show. It’s still pretty good.

We notice that the « dress code » has changed a lot since our first Disney cruise. I clearly remember on our first few cruises, people took time to clean up and dress up a little bit before the show and dinner. Forget that now. Even on the « casual » nights, men used to put on slacks with short or long sleeves buttoned-up shirts… some of them even put on jackets . We had an « optional dress up » night. People chose the « option ». I was the only male « alien » with a jacket on. I remember renting a tux and putting it on at least twice during a 7 night cruise…and I wasn’t alone ! I know a 5 night cruise is different, but we are so far away from that now…

Notice, I didn’t talk about the women. It’s not because it was better. I chose to be respectful. I don’t want to come back on this subject later, so I can tell you that we went to Palo for dinner and Remy for the Dessert experience. Let’s just say that there was not much more effort in the clothing department. I guess I will have to adapt and…bring more shorts and t-shirts next time around. Oh yes, also a PJ, since it’s seems to be a new trend !

The first dinner was Let the Magic Begin. We met our servers (Ardika and Kerstine). They are very nice and efficient.

Food was fine, but nothing exceptionnal. Prosciutto on the bruschetta is not high quality, but it’s good enough, I guess. Grilled strip loin does the job. The highlight was probably the Kahlua creme brule. Warm sticky pudding is also a solid choice.

The next day was in Castaway Cay. It was a windy day…that got worst in Serenity Bay. There was a lot of seeweed from the agitated sea. The sun made things comfortable but we changed our plan mid-morning. We transfered to the family area where it was far less windy. The water was also a couple of degrees warmer. We had lunch at Cookies too. Nice…but mostly lukewarm food.

We returned to the ship mid-afternoon and tried a couple of trivias. We were average, at best . Some people are very knowledgeable !

On this second day, magician Zak Mirz was doing a show in the Walt Disney theater. He’s entertaining, but I’m not sure young kids enjoyed it much.

We had our second dinner in Enchanted Garden. Again, fine dinner, but nothing special. Light appetizer with the Romaine wedge. Then, the Marjoram chicken, which was moist and tasting good. I made a mistake with the dessert. Chocolate garden torte was dense and not really tasty. I should have gone for the lemon raspberry mousse bombe…lighter and tastier.

*Note: We don’t eat anything from the sea and we don’t appreciate « gamey meat ». I know… it limits an awful lot our choices and I’m always a little ashamed that I was not introduced properly to these tastes early in life. I’ve tried almost everything since, and in the best case scenario, I can « swallow » some seafood…if I have to. Not great, I know. Entirely our fault !

Part 2 coming soon…

 

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Part 2



Day 3 was our first visit to Lighthouse point. From the ship, it looks beautiful. The color of the sea is breathtaking. You will notice that unlike Castaway Cay, you are not alone on this island. There was a Carnival ship anchoring not very far away and you clearly see other buildings on the island. Disney’s area is isolated, so it’s not a problem.

So, what about the « walk » off the ship. I timed it. From the moment I walked off the ship (and the ramp) to the end of the bridge, it took exactly 10 minutes. Of course, we are adults with no physical problems. We walked at a steady pace.

It takes another minute or two to get to the tram station. The tram ride is five to six minutes.

We thought everything was an upgrade from Castaway Cay. They built a very nice and large area. More than enough restrooms, bars, food stands and kid areas. The beach is great.

It was very windy, but we still had a very nice time.

We had early lunch in the adult area and there were more than enough tables. Flies were not a big problem. A few bees (or wasps ?). A couple a them were quite busy around our table, but they were mostly around my brother-in-law, so I was fine !

Got back on board in mid-afternoon. Again, played a couple of games…without success.

The evening show was Beauty and the Beast. Very good show. Close to a Broadway production (at least, what you can see on a regular Tour show). They told us someone had just return from Broadway to get back with his/her old crew, but they didn’t say who it was…. We very much enjoyed the gentleman playing Maurice. He was also playing the father in Believe (more on that later).

Dinner was at Royal Palace. Had the Deep fried Brie. Didn’t remember it was that good. Nice. I also enjoy the Red wine Pear Bosc salad on that menu. The Chateaubriand was well cooked, but the Bearnaise was cold. I had a respectful conversation with the waiter. I showed him that the saucer was iced cold. If the Bearnaise is supposed to be served hot, it would be an error to serve it in a cold dish. I even asked if the chef intended to serve it that way. He told me no…. He was so stressed I was going to give him a less than excellent review. They are so under pressure, it becomes uneasy for everybody.

Desserts are always good on that menu. The Grand Marnier souffle is a must. The creme brule is solid and the Opera has a very nice coffee flavor.

Part 3 coming up soon

 

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Part 3



Day 4 was Nassau. Since we already went, we decided to stay on board. Also, we noticed that many employees told us it was a good idea…

We easily found chairs on Deck 11, near the adult pool. We enjoyed the spa and the pool area. Very nice and relaxing day.

Since we had dinner at Palo at 7h00 pm, we couldn’t manage to see Moana 2, which was shown in the Walt Disney Theater. We could have seen it on day 5, but we figured, it was best to stay as much in the sun as possible before going back to our Quebec winter !

We came very close to a win in the general knowledge trivia, but a late change of answer (my fault), cost us a chance at an overtime chance to win. We think we would have lost…but I didn’t give us the chance.

We went to Palo. It was great to finally have the opportunity to invite family members. Again, a perfect meal and an equally perfect service by Marianna from Brazil. Too much food !

It was Pirate night and we went to see the show. Always good with impressive fireworks at sea.

Day 5 was at sea. Always my favorite days. Again, a relaxing day around the adult pool. In the afternoon, I tried to get my fourth win in Sports trivia. This time, I didn’t even come close !. We had fun anyway.

Chantal went to a cooking demonstration. Unfortunately, the only one during the whole cruise. It was a chocolate Yule log. She said it was loud and many children were running around. It made it a bit less enjoyable. She brought me a piece. I took one bite… not worth it.

She also went to Evolution with one of her brothers to draw Mickey. The cast member was not really involved and basically showed a video. She didn’t add or explained anything. Also, the video was not clear from their angle. The tables are also very small in that area. Not really a great place to draw. I will also mention that we went to Evolution for a few music trivias. While the staff was great and the game fun, I noticed that at least one seat was clearly torn and it was visible by all. Nobody removed it during the cruise. Disappointing that not one cast member had enough pride to remove it from our sight.

The show that evening was Believe. It’s still one of the best shows on Disney Cruise Line. Like I said before, the gentlemen playing the father was a standout. Fun and emotional show.

Our last dinner took place at Animator’s palate. The Black truffle purseittes is a solid choice. The cheese and potato soup was appreciated. The beef tenderloin was a disappointment. Tough meat (medium rare). It seems that the pork chop would have been a better choice. For dessert, the lemon ice box pie is always good, but this time, I went for the sundae. Nothing impressive, but still exactly what I wanted.

We left our luggage at the door before dinner and when we came back, they had already gone, like always.

In the last chapter, I will talk briefly about disembarkation. Also, general comments on service, other people on board, a pool drink, a little more on Cabanas, the stateroom and maybe other stuff.

 

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Disembarkation and a few other things


On the last morning, we chose to go to Cabanas. We ate early and gathered our small bags.

Let’s talk about Cabanas. We have to compare a bit with Marceline, since our last cruise was on the Wish (https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...april-8th-to-12th-2024.3944275/#post-65444811) First, like I said in my review of this last cruise, we loved the fact that most of the food was behind glass and was served by the staff. It was much less messy and it was obviously cleaner. Also, I don’t have a precise example, but it seemed that the food was mostly better on the Wish. Maybe better choices also. It’s fine at Cabanas, but you have to work a little harder if you tend to stay away from pizza, chicken tenders and fries.

This time, we didn’t get much from the stands around Flo’s cafe. I only got a bowl a fruit. I didn’t get ice cream either…but I got some at Lighthouse point. Actually, I got soft serve and… at lunchtime, the very good Ice cream with toppings (lot of nice choices) in the adult area. Loved that part !

We did the dessert experience at Remy. We liked it so much on our last cruise, we had to do it again. This time, the menu was partially different: Creme brule, Macaron framboise, Choux pistache cerise, Pithivier, Chocolate-peanut-caramel and Citron (!). The first two and the last one were repeats of what we had the first time. They were and still are our favorites. Creme brule is original and tasty. I normally don’t like macaron, but this Macaron framboise (raspberry) is incredible. What to say about Citron (lemon). It’s as beautiful as it’s incredibly good. The Chou was not to everybody’s taste, but I found it very interesting. The taste of cherry and pistachio together was delightful. I would gladly eat it again. The Pithivier was the biggest surprise to me. When I learned that the filling was almond paste, I was sure I was going to hate it. Quite the contrary. First, the pastry is sooo flaky and good. The filling is not almond heavy at all. Very very good. The only disappointment was the Chocolate-peanut-caramel. The only good part was the chocolate.

The Dream is a very nice ship. I think the second generation is the best…even if we will always be a bit nostalgic of the first generation (especially the Magic).

The staff on the Dream seemed to be generally disinterested. Does it come from the top ? The Cruise Director was the most boring I’ve seen on a Disney ship. They used to introduce the Captain and most of senior staff on the first night (?). We don’t see that anymore. They used to hang out in the lobby in some evenings. Not much anymore.

We met the stateroom host on the first…and last night. He did his job fine and made sure to have the shower head changed when I mentioned it was not working properly. But he wasn’t as « present » as others before. Also, there’s no extra attention to make the turndown a bit more cozy like we experienced in the past. So, like I said, fine.

I wanted to mention a drink that I had at the pool. I tend to go for something stronger , but I saw the Parrot song as a non-alcoholic drink and I decided to try. I recommend !

Ok now, a bit of negative. Go to the next paragraph if you think you might be offended by questioning people’s behavior. I said before that most people didn’t make an effort to dress up. I think we are « part of the show ». If, collectively, we don’t make an effort, the experience is not the best for our family…and for all other passengers. But I think it goes further. In Walt Disney Theater, a lot of people talk (loudly) while the Cruise Director talks before the show. No respect at all. And a lot of parents make no effort to try to show their children to be respectful. During the shows, it’s a bit better, but not much. As soon as the show finishes (and very often before !), people leave their seats, even if they are in the middle of a row. We are not even finished clapping yet ! Sometimes, the Cruise Director comes back for more information. Forget that, half the room is on its way out. Please tell me that I am wrong to remember people stayed seated throughout, not that long ago… Is the staff less interested because the cruisers don’t make a basic effort or is it the other way around ?

Let’s get back to positives. Even though we had to wait a few minutes for our tags to be called for disembarkation, everything went smoothly and quickly. We founds our bags rather easily. We were at our car within a few minutes.

Overall, we had a good cruise. Unfortunate, some things are less « upscale » than before. But we are now Platinum members. We will have to cruise at least one more time. When and where depends on a lot of factors. First, our dollar exchange rate has to get a lot better…

First cruise with other people. It was fun to see if they would like the same things as us. They mostly did.

If you have any question, feel free to ask. I will do my best.

J-Marc
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec

 

[NAB]

Hear you on the dollar. Going on the Treasure in Feb , paid awhile go but still bad.

I totally agree on what you said, I miss the days you dressed for dinner. I remember the first time I saw jeans in the dining room . It didn’t feel right. Saying that I have gone to the dark side and only dress up for Palo and formal night.

 

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Photos

 

[Diamond_Girls]

Disembarkation and a few other things


On the last morning, we chose to go to Cabanas. We ate early and gathered our small bags.

Let’s talk about Cabanas. We have to compare a bit with Marceline, since our last cruise was on the Wish. First, like I said in my review of this last cruise, we loved the fact that most of the food was behind glass and was served by the staff. It was much less messy and it was obviously cleaner. Also, I don’t have a precise example, but it seemed that the food was mostly better on the Wish. Maybe better choices also. It’s fine at Cabanas, but you have to work a little harder if you tend to stay away from pizza, chicken tenders and fries.

This time, we didn’t get much from the stands around Flo’s cafe. I only got a bowl a fruit. I didn’t get ice cream either…but I got some at Lighthouse point. Actually, I got soft serve and… the very good Ice cream with toppings (lot of nice choices) in the adult area. Loved that part !

We did the dessert experience at Remy. We liked it so much on our last cruise, we had to do it again. This time, the menu was partially different: Creme brule, Macaron framboise, Choux pistache cerise, Pithivier, Chocolate-peanut-caramel and Citron (!). The first two and the last one were repeats of what we had the first time. They were and still are our favorites. Creme brule is original and tasty. I normally don’t like macaron, but this Macaron framboise (raspberry) is incredible. What to say about Citron (lemon). It’s as beautiful as it’s incredibly good. The Chou was not to everybody’s taste, but I found it very interesting. The taste of cherry and pistachio together was delightful. I would gladly eat it again. The Pithivier was the biggest surprise to me. When I learned that the filling was almond paste, I was sure I was going to hate it. Quite the contrary. First, the pastry is sooo flaky and good. The filling is not almond heavy at all. Very very good. The only disappointment was the Chocolate-peanut-caramel. The only good part was the chocolate.

The Dream is a very nice ship. I think the second generation is the best…even if we will always be a bit nostalgic of the first generation (especially the Magic).

The staff on the Dream seemed to be generally disinterested. Does it come from the top ? The Cruise Director was the most boring I’ve seen on a Disney ship. They used to introduce the Captain and most of senior staff on the first night (?). We don’t see that anymore. They used to hang out in the lobby in some evenings. Not much anymore. I think the new ways transfers to all personnel.

We met the stateroom host on the first…and last night. He did his job fine and made sure to have change the shower head when I mentioned it was not working properly. But he wasn’t as « present » as others before. Also, there’s no extra attention to make the turndown a bit more cozy like we experienced in the past. So, like I said, fine.

I wanted to mention a drink that I had at the pool. I tend to go for something stronger , but I saw the Parrot song as a non-alcoholic drink and I decided to try. I recommend !

Ok now, a bit of negative. Go to the next paragraph if you think you might be offended by questioning people’s behavior. I said before that most people didn’t make an effort to dress up. I think we are « part of the show ». If, collectively, we don’t make an effort, the experience is not the best for our family…and for all other passengers. But I think it goes further. In Walt Disney Theater, a lot of people talk (loudly) while the Cruise Director talks before the show. No respect at all. And a lot of parents make no effort to try to show their children to be respectful. During the shows, it’s a bit better, but not much. As soon as the show finishes (and very often before !), people leave their seats, even if they are in the middle of a row. We are not even finished clapping yet ! Sometimes, the Cruise Director comes back for more information. Forget that, half the room is on its way out. Please tell me that I am wrong to remember people stayed seated throughout not that long ago… Anyway, I must be getting old and I don’t understand the « new ways ».

Let’s get back to positives. Even though we had to wait a few minutes for our tags to be called for disembarkation, everything went smoothly and quickly. We founds our bags rather easily. We were at our car within a few minutes.

Overall, we had a good cruise. Unfortunate, some things are less « upscale » than before. But we are now Platinum members. We will have to cruise at least one more time. When and where depends on a lot of factors. First, our dollar exchange rate has to get a lot better…

First cruise with other people. It was fun to see if they would like the same things as us. They mostly did.

If you have any question, feel free to ask. I will do my best.

J-Marc
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec

I am glad you had a mostly good trip! We are doing the 5 day in April and i am curious what your dining rotation was. I missed where you went on day 1 and where you would have gone had you not gone to Palo on day 4. Can you help?

 

[Qc-007]

I am glad you had a mostly good trip! We are doing the 5 day in April and i am curious what your dining rotation was. I missed where you went on day 1 and where you would have gone had you not gone to Palo on day 4. Can you help?

Hi. Our rotation was Animator’s Palate, Enchanted Garden and Royal Palace. If I’m not mistaken, you always double up your dining room from the day prior on Pirate Night. So we ended up skipping the 2nd night at Royal Palace to go to Palo. In fact, it’s one of the reasons (also, only adults and menu) we generally choose Pirate night for Palo. We are sure to make the full dining room rotation even before knowing what it is.

We wish you a great cruise in April.

Don’t hesitate if you have any more questions,

 

[Diamond_Girls]

Hi. Our rotation was Animator’s Palate, Enchanted Garden and Royal Palace. If I’m not mistaken, you always double up your dining room from the day prior on Pirate Night. So we ended up skipping the 2nd night at Royal Palace to go to Palo. In fact, it’s one of the reasons (also, only adults and menu) we generally choose Pirate night for Palo. We are sure to make the full dining room rotation even before knowing what it is.

We wish you a great cruise in April.

Don’t hesitate if you have any more questions,

Thank you!

 

[Diamond_Girls]

Thank you!

We also choose Pirate Night to go to Palo. Thanks for all your help!