May 4th, 2025 - 13 Night Eastbound Transatlantic Cruise from Port Canaveral to Barcelona (Castaway Cay, Azores, Lisbon, Cádiz)

[Pinkjgray]

Breaking the Ice!

1. Where did you grow up?
2. What day in your life would you like to relive?
3. What is the kindest act you have ever done?
4. Describe yourself in three words.
5. What was your dream job as a kid?
6. What are the top three items on your bucket list?
7. What movie scene is worthy of an Oscar?
8. Who would be the three guests at your dinner table?
9. What is your proudest achievement?
10. Five things that make you happy?

 

[Pinkjgray]

Breaking the Ice!

1. Where did you grow up?
2. What day in your life would you like to relive?
3. What is the kindest act you have ever done?
4. Describe yourself in three words.
5. What was your dream job as a kid?
6. What are the top three items on your bucket list?
7. What movie scene is worthy of an Oscar?
8. Who would be the three guests at your dinner table?
9. What is your proudest achievement?
10. Five things that make you happy?

1. Brooklyn, NY
2. My 30th birthday party!
3. Prayed for someone
4. Tall, introvert, and a little stubborn
5. Talk show host
6. Visit all 7 continents, win the lottery, travel the world for a year.
7. When Tina Turner finally escaped her abusive husband, she fled from the limo and ran into a hotel with no money. Desperate, she pleaded with the receptionist for a place to stay, her face bloodied and bruised.
8. Jesus, my dad, and Cece Winans
9. When I moved into my first apartment.
10. Random acts of kindness from strangers, food, a good movie, good music, and silence.

 

[LandonM170]

1. Where did you grow up?
2. What day in your life would you like to relive?
3. What is the kindest act you have ever done?
4. Describe yourself in three words.
5. What was your dream job as a kid?
6. What are the top three items on your bucket list?
7. What movie scene is worthy of an Oscar?
8. Who would be the three guests at your dinner table?
9. What is your proudest achievement?
10. Five things that make you happy?

1. North Alabama
2. A day my grandma and I were out having fun all day.
3. Given many pep talks to different people.
4. Advocate, adventurous, and compassionate
5. I had many but a rememberable one was a dance fitness instructor.
6. Travel to 100 countries, compete on The Amazing Race, and help further LGBTQ+ rights around the world
7. I don't watch movies but a huge Survivor fan: the Black Widow alliance convincing Erik to give up immunity in Fans vs. Favorites.
8. Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Greta Thunberg
9. Graduating high school with honors
10. Food, travel, friends/family, music, and reality TV

 

[Pinkjgray]

1. North Alabama
2. A day my grandma and I were out having fun all day.
3. Given many pep talks to different people.
4. Advocate, adventurous, and compassionate
5. I had many but a rememberable one was a dance fitness instructor.
6. Travel to 100 countries, compete on The Amazing Race, and help further LGBTQ+ rights around the world
7. I don't watch movies but a huge Survivor fan: the Black Widow alliance convincing Erik to give up immunity in Fans vs. Favorites.
8. Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Greta Thunberg
9. Graduating high school with honors
10. Food, travel, friends/family, music, and reality tv

1. North Alabama
2. A day my grandma and I were out having fun all day.
3. Given many pep talks to different people.
4. Advocate, adventurous, and compassionate
5. I had many but a rememberable one was a dance fitness instructor.
6. Travel to 100 countries, compete on The Amazing Race, and help further LGBTQ+ rights around the world
7. I don't watch movies but a huge Survivor fan: the Black Widow alliance convincing Erik to give up immunity in Fans vs. Favorites.
8. Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Greta Thunberg
9. Graduating high school with honors
10. Food, travel, friends/family, music, and reality TV

I love the Amazing Race!

 

[Pinkjgray]

Happy Monday!!

This is a quiet group or maybe I’m overly excited.

One more week until we choose our excursions!

Will you be booking through Disney excursions or going independent?

Here are some options I've found from other posts:

With Locals Tour

Spaindaytours.com (You can arrange Portugal and Spain tours)

Tuk Tuk Tours

Gray Line HoHo

If you’ve done this route, please provide some recommendations.

 

[LandonM170]

One more week until we choose our excursions!

For silver, most passengers on this cruise are Platinum I believe, so they have had from January 4th. I think I'm only gonna book one: Seville on Your Own.

 

[RedHead0186]

You can request whatever you prefer. Call DCL (or ask your travel agent to call if you booked with a TA) and ask them to note a request for either solo table or table with others. If it’s important to you, once you have boarded go to the area that is noted in the app for dining changes (usually it’s in front of Enchanted Gardens, they also take Palo and Remy reservations there) and talk to the dining room managers to see if your request has been granted and if they can still change it if it wasn’t.

You don't have to call, you can make this request in the app.

 

[Flossbolna]

For silver, most passengers on this cruise are Platinum I believe, so they have had from January 4th. I think I'm only gonna book one: Seville on Your Own.

We are Platinum and I didn’t see this being offered.

 

[LandonM170]

We are Platinum and I didn’t see this being offered.

CD07, right?

 

[PlutoDisney]

CD07, right?

I just checked the app and this does now come up as an available port adventure. I also just checked the general port adventure offerings on the DCL website and could not see it there either. Unfortunately they often change what's on offer so they may have updated since you last checked.

 

[LandonM170]

I just booked some activities, and I was able to get Palo Dinner (Day 9), Remy Brunch (Day 13), and Remy Dinner (Day 6)! I'm hopeful I will be able to get Palo Brunch, but I will just have to wait and see. It's unfortunate the Seville on Your Own port adventure is not an option. I would love to visit Seville, even if it's only for 3.5 hours, but I don't think it's worth it to do it alone when the drive is around 1 hour and 45 minutes each way.

 

[Pinkjgray]

Hi!

I’m on the app now and I don’t see any excursions I like. I was looking forward to the Seville tour. The excursions I did like were already sold out!

 

[Flossbolna]

Hi!

I’m on the app now and I don’t see any excursions I like. I was looking forward to the Seville tour. The excursions I did like were already sold out!

Keep looking regularly, especially as the cruise comes closer. People do book things and then make other plans and cancel.

 

[Flossbolna]

I just booked some activities, and I was able to get Palo Dinner (Day 9), Remy Brunch (Day 13), and Remy Dinner (Day 6)! I'm hopeful I will be able to get Palo Brunch, but I will just have to wait and see. It's unfortunate the Seville on Your Own port adventure is not an option. I would love to visit Seville, even if it's only for 3.5 hours, but I don't think it's worth it to do it alone when the drive is around 1 hour and 45 minutes each way.

I think getting Palo Brunch once onboard should be fairly easy if you are flexible with time.

 

[LandonM170]

I booked the Panoramic Drive of Cádiz port adventure yesterday since there's nothing for Seville. It was cheap for Disney standards, and it looked interesting. It's only from 12-2:30, so I will probably go back out into Cádiz, and find a place to have lunch and maybe sightsee a little more.

I booked the Sete Cidades Lake Vistas, Botanical Garden and Pineapple Plantation port adventure in Ponta Delgada, as I want to visit the pineapple planation and get some sort of pineapple drink for my first alcoholic drink. My preference is the Fogo Lake, Ribeira Grande and Pineapple Plantation port adventure, but it is sold out. I did see a spot open back up yesterday afternoon, so I'm gonna keep my eye out for any openings and change my port adventure to it.

 

[Flossbolna]

I booked the Panoramic Drive of Cádiz port adventure yesterday since there's nothing for Seville. It was cheap for Disney standards, and it looked interesting. It's only from 12-2:30, so I will probably go back out into Cádiz, and find a place to have lunch and maybe sightsee a little more.

I booked the Sete Cidades Lake Vistas, Botanical Garden and Pineapple Plantation port adventure in Ponta Delgada, as I want to visit the pineapple planation and get some sort of pineapple drink for my first alcoholic drink. My preference is the Fogo Lake, Ribeira Grande and Pineapple Plantation port adventure, but it is sold out. I did see a spot open back up yesterday afternoon open, so I'm gonna keep my eye out for any openings and change my port adventure to it.

We booked the Cadiz walking tour. But we have had great tours through the „free walking tours“ which are common in Europe, so probably will sign up for one of those. Saw plenty of them being offered in Cadiz. They are not really free as you are supposed to tip. So it will only be slightly less than the DCL price.

We are on the same excursion as you for the Azores. I am still thinking about booking something local. I really hate the big herds of people that are part of the DCL excursion experience. Our last two cruises (Med and Alaska) we did all independent tours (or just took the train to Rome). It made it so much more relaxed.

 

[Pinkjgray]

I’d love to do independent tours, but I’m nervous about missing the ship. Previous DCL cruisers have done them successfully and returned on time, so I might consider it.

Wow, you had enough time to take the train to Rome and make it back on time?

 

[Flossbolna]

I’d love to do independent tours, but I’m nervous about missing the ship. Previous DCL cruisers have done them successfully and returned on time, so I might consider it.

Wow, you had enough time to take the train to Rome and make it back on time?

Yes, I think we were in port from 7 am to 8 pm. It’s about an hour on the train.

The whole missing the ship thing is far overrated in my opinion. First, these local tour companies livelihood is cruise tourists. They would go belly up if they regularly would not deliver passengers back in time. They also build in safety cushions in the timing. Most will get you back 90 minutes before departure. So, if you book something locally you should be pretty safe.

Lisbon we dock in town and it’s easy to just wander around on your own. Do some research as to what you want to see. Same with Cadiz.

We booked the Sintra on your own excursion as we have both been in Lisbon before, so thought exploring something else might be fun. But with the short time frame and logistics we thought it would be much easier to just do the DCL thing. I don’t like the pricing though… that’s why we did Rome on our own. We paid 20€ a person for train ticket instead of 100€ for the DCL Rome on your own.

 

[Pinkjgray]

Has anyone done a packing dry-run? My goal is use a backpack and a carry on luggage. Send help!

 

[Flossbolna]

Has anyone done a packing dry-run? My goal is use a backpack and a carry on luggage. Send help!

I have tried this twice and decided it’s just not me. I have a large suitcase and a bag that can go on top of the big suitcase for my carry on. Only one thing to roll as well and more space.

If you are planning on flying within Europe, make sure that your luggage size and weight is compatible with the airline. European airlines tend to be strict and their sizes and weight are often lower than US airlines.