Solo Disney Dream 5 Night Spain 2024 La Coruna and Vigo From Southampton COMPLETED

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Im back from my cruise and time for another trip report. This year I went from Dublin to England, stayed overnight with my sister and then took the train to Southampton.

I then spent a day and a half in Southampton before the cruise, doing mainly Titanic sightseeing.

The hotel I stayed at was walking distance to the cruise terminal and it was a really great way to start the cruise, waking up and seeing the ship.

Again, like last year, it was 85% UK people on the cruise. This information came from the cruise director. There were a huge amount of first time cruisers and a lot of people who had only done the the stay cation cruises on The Magic in 2021. Official passenger numbers were 3850.

It was busy, it was crowded, there were a lot of people who did not know cruise etiquette. But like last year, I had an amazing time. Going on these short August cruises from Southampton, as long as people go with open eyes and manage expectations and have a plan, and know what to expect, the cruise can be an amazing experience.

Saturday 24 August Travel From Dublin to Bristol
Sunday 25 August Travel from Bristol to Southampton
Monday 26 August Sightseeing In Southampton
Tuesday 27 August Embarkation Day
Wednesday 28 August 1st Day At Sea
Thursday 29 August Port Day La Coruna, Galicia, Spain
Friday 30 August Port Day Vigo Galicia, Spain
Saturday 31 August 2nd Day At Sea Return to Southampton
Sunday 1 September Debarkation, Sightseeing in Southampton, Travel Home To Dublin
Final Thoughts

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Saturday 24 August Travel From Dublin to Bristol

My travel day started when I arrived at Dublin airport at 8.20am. I went straight to the bag drop machines as I had checked in online at home and printed my boarding pass.

Today I am flying to Bristol airport in England. I am doing an overnight with my sister and her family and then taking a train from where they live to Southampton.

I booked my flight in April and paid €219.40 for a multi city return flight, Dublin to Bristol, Southampton to Dublin.
Both Bristol and Southampton are small regional airports, so the Aer Lingus flights to these airports are on the Aer Lingus Regional Planes operated by Emerald Air. These are 78 seater propeller planes.


As these planes are smaller than the normal planes, they have a smaller carry on bag allowance. The carry on bag which will go in the overhead bin has to be 7kg and 48cm x 33cm x 20cm. I also took a small handbag to fit under the seat.

I then went up the stairs to security, which took about 20 minutes. At 8.40am I was in the main shopping and restaurant area of Terminal 2.

I had a look at the departure screens and saw that my flight would be at the 300 gates. This gate area is in the internal airside corridor that links Terminal 2 and Terminal 1.

I took my time walking around Terminal 2, taking photos of the shops.

On this trip I had decided to try the Airline Lounge. I had looked at Dublin Airport website and saw that the East Lounge is beside the 300 gate area. In July I booked the East Lounge and paid €42. This is a new to me experience. Usually in Dublin airport I just go to Starbucks.

I was a bit early for my booking, but it was fine. This lounge is the Emirates Airline Business Lounge, but they open it to paying passengers when there are no Emirates flights.


As I was there just before 10.00am they were serving breakfast.


I had

• Latte
• Can of Coke
• 2 Plain Croissants with Jam and Butter
• Mini Cheese Omelette
• Sausage
• Bacon
• Black Pudding

They also had juice, fruit, cereal, scones, scrambled eggs, tea and coffee. 2 alcohol drinks were also included, which I didnt have.

The lounge also had toilet and shower facilities.

I had a lovely relaxing wait in the lounge, only about 4 other people there. The only thing with this lounge is that there are no departure screens and they dont make flight announcements, so I used the Aer Lingus App to get updates about my flight.

My flight was scheduled for 11.05am but was delayed until 12.30pm.

As it was the small propeller plane, when we boarded we were put onto a bus and then taken across the airside to the plane, which was parked away from the terminal buildings.

1. Boarding Started = 12.15pm
2. On The Plane = 12.35pm
3. On The Move To The Runway = 12.46pm
4. Wheels Up = 12.53pm
5. Wheels Down = 1.49pm
6. On The Bus to Bristol Airport Terminal Building = 1.55pm

As I entered the bag reclaim area at 2.00pm I saw my bag already going round on the carousel. Once I had my bag I went straight out to the arrival area of Bristol airport.

Bristol airport is about 30 minutes from Bristol city centre. You can either get a taxi, hire a car or take the airport Flyer bus. I got the bus. I had bought my ticket in advance online and printed it out. A one way journey from Bristol Airport to Bristol Temple Meads train station cost £9.00.

I was at Bristol Temple Meads train station for 3.10pm. At the train station I bought a one way ticket to where my sister lives. I got to my sisters house at about 4.15pm.

I had a lovely overnight visit with my sister.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Sunday 25 August Travel from Bristol to Southampton

I had a lovely overnight visit with my sister and got the afternoon train from where she lives to Southampton.

I booked the train direct with South Western Railway online in advance. I got the ticket with my email confirmation and printed it out at home. The ticket has a QR Code which was scanned by a ticket inspector on the train and I needed to scan it at Southampton to open the gate to exit the station. I paid £9.50 for a one way journey.



I arrived in Southampton in the afternoon and walked to my hotel. In the UK and in Ireland, there are no luggage porters so you have to be able to haul your own luggage on and off the trains and around the station, up and down stairs.

It took me about 10 minutes to walk to my hotel. I booked Ibis Southampton Centre in January and paid £202.60 for 2 nights with breakfast. I have stayed at this hotel before, so I know what to expect. Its a budget hotel and the rooms are small but clean and functional.





The room just has one king bed, a small desk area, tv wardrobe, basic bathroom. There is no air conditioning, just a room thermostat and the windows can be opened.

The lobby area has a small bar and seating area. Most people stay here before their their cruise as it is very close to all the cruise terminals.



After checking in and freshening up, it was time to go for a walk.

Anthem of The Seas and NCL Prima were in port so I watched them sail out.

I went to ASDA supermarket to get some water and snacks and then got some food in Mcdonalds. I had an early night as I had planned a long day of sightseeing for the next day.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Monday 26 August Sightseeing In Southampton

Today I had a full day in Southampton and I planned my day around visiting various Titanic places and memorials. One thing to know about Titanic in Southampton, other than Sea City Museum which I visited last year, there is no one official Titanic memorial or place. There are various places around the city, both the real streets, buildings etc and memorials to various people connected to the ship all over the city. Southampton is a very old historic port, so there are also lots of local history places around the city. It is really all self guided DIY but there is a lot of information online, websites, videos on YouTube etc which have so much information.

I spent the last year researching all the places of interest and creating my own Southampton walking tour. I saved all the places on Google maps and printed out information about the various places.

The day started with the included breakfast at my hotel. The breakfast is a typical UK / Irish hotel breakfast buffet

• Cereals - cornflakes, rice crispies, muesli, wheatbix
• Toast, mini croissants, mini chocolate croissants
• Tea, coffee, apple juice, orange juice
• Yoghurt
• Mixed prepared fruit
• Slices of ham and cheese
• Sausages
• Fried Eggs
• Heinz Baked Beams
• Hash Browns
• Fried Mushrooms
• Fried Tomatoes

I left my hotel at 9.00am and started walking down to the ferry dock area to start my sightseeing day.

My first stop was at West Gate Quay and walls and The Mayflower Memorial


The West Gate was one of the 5 main gateways in to the medieval city of Southampton. It was the main access to the West Quay, along which most of the towns maritime activity took place. It was built as a defensive gateway in the mid 14th century. The two upper storeys had gunports added in the 16th century. It was through this gate that the army of Henry V marched to the ships for Agincourt in 1415 and the Pilgrim Fathers embarked from West Quay on "the Mayflower" on August 15th, 1620.

From there I walked up through the old part of town and into one of the areas many Titanic crew lived. My next stop was St Josephs Catholic Church, where there is a memorial to the restaurant workers on Titanic.



Then I walked to the main shopping street which is called High Street. This street is 1 mile long and leads directly to the port area. The QE2 Mile is a series of street markers in the footpath which highlight the historic timeline of Southampton. The first one is 1066 ,and then they go right through all the maritime history, to Titanic and it ends at the docks in modern times.



By this stage it was 11am and I had planned my mid morning coffee at the Starbucks by the ferry port.
After refreshing in Starbucks, the next part of my walk took me to some of the real buildings associated with Titanic.

I walked down to Canute Chambers. This was the White Star Line offices in 1912 and this is where the families of the crew and passengers came to to find out if their loved ones survived.


From here I walked back to South Western House. This building in 1912 was the hotel where the 1st Class passengers stayed the night before getting on the ship. Some of the more senior White Star Line employees like Thomas Andrews and Bruce Ismay also stayed here before getting on the ship. It is has been converted into private apartments and is not open to the public, but the exterior is exactly the same as it was in 1912. If Rose Dewitt Bukater was a real person, this is where she, Cal and her mother would have stayed.


Next door to Southwestern House is the old train station. In 1912 this is how most passengers and senior crew would have arrived in Southampton. The train station platform was directly beside the hotel, so it would have just been a short walk off the train and into the hotel. The train tracks didnt end at the hotel, they continued right down to the White Star Line dock, berth 43 / 44. This is how all the luggage, and all of the food, drinks etc for the transatlantic crossing would have been transported to the ship.





From here I walked around the corner to another old part of Southampton. This is The Grapes Pub on Oxford Street. This is the pub where the scene with Leonardo in the pub before getting on the ship is based. Many of the ships crew were here before getting on the ship.



I then walked through another old residential area where more Titanic crew lived and continued back into the main shopping street.

By now it was about 3pm, so I went into West Quay Shopping centre for some food. Today in UK was a Bank Holiday, which is similar to a Federal Holiday in America. As a result shops and places of interest close early. I knew about this and planned my day to be back in the shopping area before everything closed at 5pm.

After getting food, I made my way back to my hotel. There were two cruise ships in port so I wanted to watch them sail out. There is a great YouTube Channel called Solent Ships who do live commentary when there are cruise ships in port.

After watching the ships sail out, I went across to the next door hotel where I had arranged to meet up with a family who were on my cruise. It was really nice to meet up with cruise mates and share in the excitement of getting on the cruise.

I was back in my room by 8pm as I wanted an early night. Tomorrow would be a long exciting day

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Tuesday 27 August Embarkation Day

The day started early. I set my alarm for 4.45am to watch The Dream sail in to Southampton on the port webcams.
Then at 5.30am I looked out my hotel room window and I watched The Dream arrive at Horizon Cruise Terminal.

When I booked my hotel I had requested a room at the front of the hotel for this exact reason, as I knew the hotel is directly in front of Horizon Cruise Terminal.



Once The Dream had stopped moving, I went back to sleep and woke up for breakfast at 8am.

It was so cool to look out my room window and see the ship right there.



After breakfast I went for a walk down to the cruise terminal, as far as I could go before the security check, to double check the route and time.

I went back to hotel to finish packing and check out.

My PAT time was 11.30am.

Even with all my luggage, it only took 10 minutes to walk from the hotel to the cruise terminal. They had a lot of port staff directing people. I first dropped my checked bag at the luggage drop off area. One thing to note for American cruise passengers. There is no need to tip the port staff, the luggage porters. They are employed by Southampton Port Authorities and get proper wages. They do not work for tips.

I then joined the switchback queue for 11.30am PAT. They were very organized and had labelled lines for the different PAT times.

The 11.30am line started moving and it was straight into the check in area. My passport and PAT form was checked and I was given a wristband. I was asked about my MagicBand and when I said yes, it was activated and linked and ready to use.

Then it was through into security. Very similar to at airports, except I didnt have to take off my shoes or have my liquids seperate. I did have to take out electronics including taking off my Smart Watch.

Then it was up the escalators to the waiting area. The first boarding group was called at 11.30am.

I was boarding group 8 which was called at 12.00pm.

Finally, the walk through the glass corridors, the hand sanitizer and onto the ship.

We boarded at deck 3, directly into the Atrium. There is nothing like that first few minutes, as you get on the ship. I just love the Welcome Onboard announcement and all the CM's clapping.

Once on the ship I had a few things to do. I first went to guest services to put money on my account, as I choose a cash account and dont put a card on file.

Then I went up to Vista Cafe on deck 4 and got a Vanilla Frappe.

Then with my coffee, back down to deck 3 and embarkation lunch in Animators Palate.

I was sitting at my table for 12.30pm which is exactly what I wanted. That's why I try to get as early as possible PAT during online check-in. Getting up at 5am Irish time is so worth it.

• Beef Empanadas with Red Chimichurri
• Pennette Pasta with Tomato-Basil Provençal Sauce, Goat Cheese and a Spinach Peste
• Carrot Cake layered with Lemon Cream
• Chocolate Marquise Bombe rich Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Sauce

I was out of Animaters Palate by 1.30pm. I took the aft stairs up to deck 4 to refill my water bottle and take some photos of the port.



The rooms were now open so I went straight up to deck 8 forward. I stayed in the same room last year 8515 and I did a room review here https://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/cruise-new/roomreport.cfm?Room=8515

My checked luggage had not arrived, but I had my door magnets and decorations in my carry on bags.

After a quick refresh I was on the move again. Next on my list was to go have some chill out time in Satellite Falls , the adult area in the front of the ship. On the way I went to Currents Bar and got the Drink of The Day, Paradise Punch.

Finally at 2.30pm, I was able to relax, and just take it all in, that Im back on Disney Cruise.



Muster Drill was at 4.00pm. On the way to my Muster Station I went by my room and saw that my checked bag was there. I brought it into the room but didn't unpack. My Muster Station was H deck 4 Forward.

After Muster I took the stairs up and then went aft to Meriden Bar. I had decided to not go to the sailaway party. There's a good few UK Disney YouTubers on the cruise, and I know they will all record it, so I'm not that bothered.

The outside seating areas in Meriden Bar were very quiet. There were jut a few adult groups , who like me preferred the more peaceful area to watch the sail out from Southampton.

We didn't start moving until 5pm, I found out afterwards this was due to a cargo ship leaving from a different dock. If anyone would like to watch the sail out, this is the live stream with commentary from Solent Ships YouTube Channel.

I stayed at Meriden Bar until 5.30pm, as I wanted to wait until we had passed The White Star Line berth 43 / 44 where Titanic was. I was lucky, today there was no cargo ship there and I got a great view of the dock area. If you look closely you can see the train tracks which lead from the old train station and South Western Hotel.


Watching the time, I went quickly back to my room and got changed for dinner. I like to have early dining time and I try to Disney Bound outfits to match the theme of the restaurant.

Before my cruise I had special requested a dining rotation and I was happy to see that my request was granted.

Embarkation Day dinner for me was in Royal Palace. This year I didn't request a private table and I was brought to a shared table for 6 people. Disney matched us really well. My table mates were

1. a solo female from England who I had connected with before the cruise on social media
2. a mother and adult daughter from England

We were supposed to have another mother and adult daughter at our table but we saw them talking to the servers before the meal and we guess they requested a private table instead of a shared table. It really broke the ice that us two solos had connected before the cruise. After the first few minutes of getting to know each other, we were chatting away and comparing boarding experiences and rooms. From then on, each night was non stop talk.

Tonight's Menu was Let The Magic Begin

1. Chicken Bastilla = Moroccan Spiced shredded Chicken wrapped in Phyllo-dough and sprinkled with Powdered Sugar and Cinnamon, with a Vegetable Almond Slaw
2. Pork Tenderloin Wellington = Pork Tenderloin wrapped in Mushroom Duxelle, Crêpes and Puff Pastry with Gratin Potatoes, Roasted Baby Vegetables and a rich Bordeaux Wine Sauce
3. Kahlua Crème Brülée with Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies

After dinner I said goodbye to my tablemates and went to the shops. Even though the first Golden Mickeys Show was still on, the shops were very crowded. I heard afterwards that there were personal shoppers on the ship who started queuing at the shops straight after Muster Drill. Disney merchandise is in high demand on the UK cruises as we don't have the same access as American passengers. Shop Disney UK / Shop Disney Europe don't have the same items as American Shop Disney. Also we have import tax added to items bought online from America.

I decided to wait until the crowds eased to buy items, so I went to the area in front of Walt Disney Theatre to watch the pre show part of Golden Mickeys.

I went into the theatre and stood at the back to hear the Cruise Director David Long speak and then left before the show started. The theatre was very crowded, with some families having to stand at the back. Once the show started I went back to the shops and managed to get a few things. As expected, the high demand items like The Dream Loungefly Bags and Spirit Jerseys were gone. I bought some pins, the cruise Magicband and put my name down on the list for a Spirit Jersey and a model of the ship. They are still selling the 25th Anniversary ship model, which I don't want.

I had signed up for a magnet exchange so after shopping I delivered the magnets to the people in my group. I was only in a small group, with 3 other rooms, so it didn't take long.

I took a walk to the pool deck, the pools were busy and refilled my drinks cup. Back in my room I finally unpacked and sorted my things. My room attendant had been in for evening turn down and had turned the TV on to the ships information page with the information about the one hour ahead time change for Spain.



It was now 10.30pm and I decided to go back to the pool deck for some late night pizza, BBQ Chicken and Hawaiian



I brought the pizza back to the room and filled out the breakfast room service form and hung it on my door before going to bed.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Wednesday 28 August 1st Day At Sea

My alarm went off at 5.45am as I had ordered room service breakfast for the 6am to 6.30am window. Today I had Palo Brunch so I didnt want a big breakfast from the MDR.

I was on the move by 7am and up to Cove Cafe for coffee and to watch sunrise.

There was no one around, so I took lots of photos. I settled into one of the big loungers by the hot tub and wrapped in a blanket, I had my coffee and muffins watching the sea.



The pool and hot tub opened at 8am, so I then had a lovely start to the day alternating between the two. There was a few people around, mostly getting coffee, but the adult area was nice and quiet.

I was back in my room by 9am and getting ready for my Palo Brunch at 10.30am.

I was seated in one of the booths facing the sea view. As always the food and service are just amazing. This is my third time doing Palo Brunch, first on The Magic and now twice on The Dream.



To start, the included Mimosa and selection of pastries.

• Poached Eggs on Toasted Buttered English Muffin with Spinach, Asparagus, Mornay Sauce
• Blueberry Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Whipped Cream & Mixed Berries
• Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Meyer Lemon, Nut Brown Butter, Toasted Pine Nuts
• Italian Zabaglione with Fresh Berries, Marsala Wine, Biscotti

The total charge was $50 and did not include a tip. I added on extra money when I signed the receipt. There is no way would you get that high standard of food, and that amount of food for $50 on land, so to me its well worth it.

After Palo Brunch I went back to my room to freshen up and change into more casual clothes for the day.

At 12pm I was in D Lounge for the DVC presentation. While I have no interest in buying DVC, anyone who attends this presentation gets a gift of onboard credit. Also I was curious if they would give any information about the new tower in Disneyland, as the majority of passengers on board are UK people who would go to Walt Disney World.

While they did give some information about Disneyland, I was about the main focus being Walt Disney World. I decided to arrange a meeting with one of the DVC people, just to get more information about the new tower in Disneyland.

As I came out of D Lounge after the DVC presentation, I noticed they were setting up for Jack Jacks Diaper Dash in the atrium. I found a good viewing point on Deck 4 balcony area and stayed to watch the fun.

By now it was 1.15pm and as I was on deck 4 I went to the restrooms near the balcony area of The Walt Disney Theatre. People had already started queueing up for the 2pm matinee show of Beauty and The Beast.


From deck 4 I went up to deck 11 to get a snack from Fillmores Favorites, before the meeting with the DVC agent at 2pm. Chicken Caesar Wrap and Greek Salad Wrap



At 2pm I was back at the DVC desk opposite guest services. I had a great chat with the agent, and I got the information I wanted, which was mainly the points sheet for the new tower in Disneyland. He played a good game, and once I was in the office, really turned on the charm and hard sell. I got some good information though, as I can play the game too, of a genuine potential customer. It was easy, really, as Disneyland California is my home park and I have watched the tower being built over the last few years and this year I had a look around the lobby area. From what I have seen on social media, a lot of UK passengers are buying DVC on the cruises this year, Riviera Resort seems to be the property they are really pushing.

After the DVC meeting, I went back up to deck 11 for another snack, this time chicken tenders and fries from Towmaters Grill.

Then back to my room to get dressed in my pirate outfit, as tonight is Pirate Night.

At 4pm I had Stem to Stern Wine Tasting in Pink Champagne Bar. It was great to see Dani, the Head Sommelier hosting this.



The white wines we had were

• Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc - South Africa
• ZD Chardonnay - California
• Selbach Oster Riesling Kabinett - Germany

I cant read the labels in the photo of the red wines.

After the wine tasting I went back to my room to refresh before dinner.

On the way to dinner I got the Drink of The Day , Cool Breeze at Bon Voyage Bar
Vodka, Peach Schnapps, Cranberry Juice and Sprite

Tonight Pirate Night, my dining rotation was Animators Palate


It was great fun to meet up with my tablemates and compare how we spent out day at sea. I had special requested this dining rotation as I wanted to be in Animators Palate for Pirate night, as its the only restaurant that has pirate theming. They had a loop of pirate animations from both the ride and the films, as well as background pirate music.

• Deep Fried Calypso Crab Cake With Cajun Remoulade, Green Onion and Lemon
• Cortes’s Cilantro Marinated Caribbean Grouper Filet With Crab-filled Arepa, Roasted Yucca and a Mango, Lime, Avocado, Red Onion and Black Bean Salsa
• Bounty Fruit Cobbler With Vanilla Ice Cream

After dinner, I said goodbye to my tablemates and headed to deck 4 forward, to the balcony entrance of Walt Disney Theatre. By now it was 7.45pm and Beauty and The Beast show time was 8.30pm. There were 2 families already at the door of the theatre and I joined them. The time passed quickly as they opened the doors at 8.15pm. I managed to get front row balcony which was where I wanted.

I was out of the theatre by 9.50pm and went back to my room to change into more casual clothes.

Next on my list was Midship Detective Agency. By now the ship was quieting down, as the families went to bed, so I had great fun going around the almost empty ship. I kept going until 11pm and got half way through the 101 Dalmatians Puppies Mystery.

I ended up at deck 11, got some pizza and went to watch Pirates of The Caribbean The Curse of The Black Pearl on Funnel Vision. There was a good crowd but I managed to find a lounger. This was my first time doing a late night Funnel Vision movie.

I stayed until halfway through the film and was back in my room for midnight.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Thursday 29 August Port Day La Coruna, Galicia, Spain
All Ashore = 8:00 am
All Aboard = 8:00 pm


I was up early and out of my room by 6.15am to watch the sunrise and sail in to La Coruna. It was still dark and hardly anyone on deck. It was so peaceful and quiet at Satellite Falls at the front of the ship and a perfect way to start the day. The lights of the city were so nice.


I stayed watching the sail in until 8am, then went to Cove Cafe for coffee and then went to Royal Palace for breakfast.

• Sliced Mango, Papaya, Melon, Strawberries And Blueberries
• Belgian Waffle Blueberry Compote and Strawberry Cream
• Two Poached Eggs on Toasted English Muffins coated with Hollandaise Sauce, with Rosemary Ham and Tomato

I was off the ship by 9.05am. We were not the only ship in port today and as a result we were not at the normal cruise terminal building. We were in a more commercial area of the port and we had to take a short bus ride from the ship to the pedestrian entrance. We were not allowed to walk around the ship and take photos. Many people were not happy with this change of location and there were a lot of complaints to guest services. As a result, there are a lot of negative reports about this port from people who were on my cruise.

For the last 6 months I have been researching things to do and see in La Coruna and had Google mapped my own DIY walking tour. I had based the start of my walking tour at the main cruise terminal building, which was now occupied by Royal Caribbean Anthem of The Seas. So I walked from the shuttle bus drop off point up to Royal Caribbean Anthem of The Seas, along the waterside, which took about 20 minutes.

Part of my research about La Coruna was finding out that shops don't open until 10am, so being out and about before 10am I avoided the big crowds of cruise ship passengers. Also my walking tour loop was in the opposite direction of the way most of cruise passengers walked around, so again I avoided the main crowds.

I had a lovely morning, through the old town of La Coruna. I found the main town square, some beautiful old churches and the main fresh food market.

• Maria Pita Square
• Church of St. George
• Church of San Nicolás
• Mercado de San Agustín Market

Opposite the main entrance to the market is a square called Praza do Humor. This square has street art drawings and statues of various characters and authors from films and books. One of the drawings is Disney so of course I had to take a photo.



Then I walked down to the main shopping street in the Old Town and this is where I met the crowds of cruise passengers coming up the street as I was going down the street.

The main pedestrian shopping street in the Old Town is very typical of a European tourist shopping area. Lots of shops selling the usual tourist tat, the fake handbag sellers with their bags on a sheet on the pavement, and Im sure lots of sticky fingered pickpockets. The buildings were beautiful old architecture, which I'm sure most cruise passengers never saw, as you had to look up past the crowds of people.

I didn't spend much time on this street, just walked through as fast as I could.

By now it was 11.30am so I decided to head back to the ship for lunch. During my research I found that many places close at lunch time until about 2.30pm, so there was no point staying off the ship and battling the crowds. On my way back I found a lovely little park called Gardens of Méndez Núñez and the public toilets hidden in a cute cottage type building.



I was back on the ship for 12m and I went straight to Royal Palace for lunch.

This was a new to me lunch menu.

• Mild Chicken Breast Curry with Mango-Papaya Pilau Rice served with Poppadum and Raita
• Raspberry Crème Brulé Garnished with Berries

After lunch I went back to my room to freshen up and I was on the move back off the ship again by 2.30pm.

This time, my second walking tour was down to the New Town part of La Coruna and the beach.

Again I had Google mapped my route and the the shops I wanted to visit. The shuttle bus drop off point was very near the main shopping area I wanted to go, but I got a bit disorientated as I had planned my route from the main cruise terminal. I was just off by one street for a while but I got there eventually. My first stop was Sephora as I needed to get some make up.

Then I went to a nearby supermarket, Gadis, as I wanted to get some local Galcian Spanish wine. I bought the most expensive white wine, I paid €7.35 for a bottle of Jesus Nazareno As Chas Godello. I couldnt find this exact wine , but Godella white wine in Ireland is around €20.

After a good look around the supermarket, I made my way to the beach, which is just 5 minutes walk from the main shopping area in La Coruna New Town. Unfortunately it was an overcast windy day, but it was nice just to sit and chill for a while. I did see some families from the ship, but it wasnt the sunny Spanish beach day that many were expecting. There were some dead Portuguese Man of War Jellyfish on the beach and unfortunately I did hear some passengers did get stung. The overcast, not really beach weather, added into not the usual cruise terminal building and the crowds of cruise passengers from the other ships, resulted in a lot of people on the Disney Dream having a negative experience in La Coruna and not liking the port.



I had a lovely time, as I was well prepared and researched and had a plan.

I was back on the ship by 5pm and changed for dinner. Tonight was our second night in Animators Palate. On the way to dinner I went to Waves Bar and got the Drink of The Day.

• Drink of The Day =Captain's Mai Tai = Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Amaretto, and Tropical Juices, topped with a float of Meyer's Original Dark Rum
• Tomato Tarte with Glazed Goat Cheese and shaved Radish
• Roast Pork Chop brushed with Dijon Mustard and crusted with Herbed Breadcrumbs served with Sun-dried Tomato Risotto and a Borolo Wine Sauce
• Lemon Icebox Pie served with Lemon Curd and Berry Crème

Tonight we had Turtle Talk with Crush on the screens. Even though we were at an angle to the screens, I managed to get Crushes attention and my tablemates got selfies with Crush. It was their first time having Turtle Talk with Crush and they loved it.

After dinner I went back to my room and changed into my swimwear. My mission tonight was to do Aquaduct water slide. It was just before 8pm when I got there and we had started the sail out from La Coruna. The lifeguards had a 2 person minimum due to the sail out, but they said not to worry, there were lots of people around and they would ask someone to join me. We didnt have to wait too long, a brother and sister came back around for another go and they volunteered to be the second person with me.

OMG, it was sooo cool. I screamed all the way around. I really need to do this again on my next cruise.

I went back to my room for a shower and to change into casual clothes for the rest of the evening. I went back to the adult pool area and found a lounger to watch the sunset and sail out.

Then I went back to the shops as I had got messages in the App about my requested items. I got The Dream Spirit Jersey but not the ship model.

The ship was starting to quiet down as it was around 10pm, so a perfect time to finish the 101 Dalmatians Missing Puppies Midship Detective Agency. I didnt have any spoilers and I was right about my guess

By 11pm I was back on deck 11 for some more late night pizza. Back in my room I started packing away things I knew I wouldnt need or wear again. I know its only half way through the cruise, but this year I need to pack properly when leaving the ship, as I will be flying home the same day.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Friday 30 August Port Day Vigo Galicia, Spain
All Ashore = 7:00 am
All Aboard = 4:00 pm



I was up early again and out of my room by 6am. By the time I got up to Satellite Falls the ship was already in Vigo. It was still dark so I again got some great photos of the city lights.


In Vigo we were the only ship in port and we were at the main cruise terminal with is right at the main shopping and restaurant area.

After taking photos, I went back to my room to get ready for the day. At 8am I went to Cove Cafe for coffee and then to Royal Palace for breakfast.

• Yogurt Parfait – Pineapple, Mango, Papaya, Plain Yogurt, Passion Fruit Drizzle, Coconut and Granola
• Two Poached Eggs on Toasted English Muffins coated with Hollandaise Sauce, with Rosemary Ham and Tomato
• Mickey Waffles with Strawberry Cream and Fresh Fruit

I was off the ship by 8.50am. Again, like the previous day, I had Google mapped my own DIY walking tour. And again like in La Coruna, shops open at 10am and many close at lunch time until 2.30pm.

Like the previous day, my Google map loop walking route was the opposite of what most of the cruise passengers did, so I again avoided the crowds of passengers. As we had a shorter time ashore today, I didnt plan to be back on the ship for lunch, but would stay off the ship as long as possible.

My first stop in Vigo was a Spar supermarket and tourist shops across from the main port area. I wanted to get some Spanish chocolate and snacks for the day.

Vigo is an old medieval fishing town on a hill, which slopes down to the port area. So in order to get to the shopping , restaurant areas you have to go up the hill. My route was up steep backstreets , which have old steps. To go this route you need to be very sure footed and able bodied. It was really nice to be out early and see the city come alive with hardly any one around, just locals.



My first stop when I got up the hill was Basílica de Santa María de Vigo. This is the main Catholic Church in Vigo, built in 1811, on the site of the original Church from 1585.


From the Church, I then went through some more side streets up hill and out onto the strart of the main shopping and restaurant streets. These streets are partly pedestrianized and are really lovely old buildings with modern storefronts at street level. It was only 9.45am, so I sat for a while on a street bench, watching the street get ready for the day.

The main shopping area is a 3km straight street, which starts at Praza Porta Do Sol then becomes Rua Do Principe. Both of these areas are pedestrianized, then the street becomes Rua De Urzaiz which is not pedestrianized.

Most people dont go further than then end of the pedestrianized area but I did as the shops continued on this street.

I then turned off Rua De Urzaiz at the Monumento al Trabajo. "Los Rederos" . This is a monument to honor Vigos fishing heritage.



From here I went up Av Gran Via. This is a really cool street that most people miss. Again its another very steep up hill street. But this time the city have put in multiple covered street escalators. Each one is landscaped and like a mini covered garden.



Halfway up this street I found a department store like Macys in America / John Lewis in UK. In this store is a Starbucks, so I got an Iced Latte and sat for a while and used the free Wifi.

After my mid morning break, I went back out and continued up the street escalators to the top of Av Gran Via. This brought me to a residential area at the back of the main tourist sight in Vigo, Castelo do Castro Fortaleza de Santa María do Castro.

I had to walk up more streets, but it was a gentle incline on shaded footpaths, the way tour buses drive up to the parking lot.

Castelo do Castro Fortaleza de Santa María do Castro is the ruins of the main city fortress built in 1665 by the Spanish during the Portuguese Restoration War to defend the region from potential attacks by English forces.

The main reason tourists go here is for the spectacular views of the city and the port area. And like us, if you visit on a cruise ship, you can get a really cool photo of the ship.



I spent a good while here, taking lots of photos. It was now about 1pm and very hot. I had my lunch, snacks which I had bought early and then decided to start my return to the ship.

There are are series of really steep , unstable stone steps down the front of the fortress which lead back down to the main shopping area, Praza Porta Do Sol.

It took me about 30 minutes to go down from the top of the fortress to street level. Most of the cruise passengers did it the hard way, walked up the really steep , unstable stone steps to the top and then back down the same way. Thats a really tough way to do it, especially in high heat of lunch time.

Back at street level, and the main shopping area was now full of cruise passengers. I quickly walked through the crowded streets, and returned to the ship through the small shopping centre by the cruise terminal.

I was back on the ship by 2.30pm. It took about 15 minutes to get back onto the ship. There was a large table of shame full of bottle of liquor / spirits, as a lot of people just got off the ship to get cheap alcohol, as now that UK is not an EU country, alcohol is tax free.

Back in my room I freshened up and got changed into my Disney outfit for dinner. Then I watched the sail out from Vigo and got the Drink of the Day before dinner.

Sunken Treasure = Malibu Rum, Midori, Orange juice, Pineapple juice, Blue Curacao, Splash of Sprite

Tonight we were in Enchanted Garden

• Applewood-Smoked Bacon Wild Mushroom Tart with creamy Leeks
• Caramelized Sea Scallops with Roasted Asparagus, Sun-dried Tomato Couscous, Caramelized Leeks, and Red Wine Veal Jus
• Warm Sticky Date Pudding served with Butterscotch Sauce. Vanilla Ice Cream, and Phyllo Crunch

After dinner I went to deck 11 drinks station to refill my drinks cup and took some photos in Vanellope's Sweets & Treats. The pool deck was busy so I went back to my room to change into casual clothes. I did some more packing and sorting of my room.

I had a chat with my room attendant and was out again by 10pm. Tonight I started The Muppets Midship Detective agency. I kept going until about 10.45pm and then I went to Walt Disney Theatre for the late night screening of Deadpool and Wolverine.

OMG, thats all I can say!!! Before the cruise I stayed away from spoilers but I did do a rewatch of the Deadpool and X MEN films.

It was late when the film ended , so I just went to bed.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Saturday 31 August 2nd Day At Sea

Today I was up and on the move by 7am. We were on the return to Southampton and travelling through The Bay of Biscay. I got coffee in Cove Cafe and just watched the water for a while.


At 8am I headed to Royal Palace for Breakfast.

• Yogurt Parfait – Blueberries, Raspberries, Plain Yogurt, Toasted Oatmeal and Granola
• DCL Express with Fried Eggs, crisp Bacon, Grilled Sausage, Hash Browns and Grilled Tomato
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Typhoon large Pancake with Peanut Butter swirl, drizzled with Red Jelly

After breakfast I went up to Deck 4 to refill my water bottle and then went up to the fitness centre in Senses Spa.

Ive seen both on this cruise and previous cruises the free early morning Yoga class, but I never make it. So my plan this morning was to just go to the gym and do my own Yoga.

There was a few people in the gym, but I managed to get a space near some treadmills in front of the big window looking out to sea. Ive been doing various at home Yoga routines for the last number of years. I did about 40 minutes of various stretches. It was a bit challenging to do some of the balance poses, and I just kept reminding myself to look out the window and remember that I'm on a moving ship. Back in the dark days of the shut down, this was something I had dreamed of being able to do.

When I was finished in the gym I went back to my room and changed into my swim wear and off to the hot tub and adult pool on deck 11.

After a lovely relaxing morning I went back to my room to shower and get ready for the rest of the day.

Then it was back to Royal Palace for lunch.

• Ricotta Gnocchi Quattro Stagioni Gnocchi Tossed in a Light Cream Sauce with Grilled Artichokes Buffalo Mozzarella, Cherry Tomatoes and Cerignola Olives
• Warm Pina Colada Bread Pudding Coconut Florentine Shards and Coconut Ice Cream

After lunch it was time for Martini Tasting in Meridian Bar at 1.30pm

It was a really small group, just me, an American couple and an American woman. We started chatting before it started and it was great fun to be in such a small group. As a result, it turned into a mixology class, as the bartender let us make 2 of the cocktails.

• Classic Martini
• Cosmopolitan
• Lemon Drop = Vodka, Triple Sec, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Sugar Rim
• Paris 75 - Skyline Bar Signature Cocktail = Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka, Peach Schnapps, Blue Curaçao, Pineapple Juice, Sugared Rim
• Espresso Martini

After the tasting I went to Evolution Lounge. I saw on the App there was an event listed as Monster Inc Open Mike Night. This I had never seen before so I went to see what it was.

I was there a bit early and the Diamonds International shopping talk was just finishing up, so I got the free charm bracelet without having to sit through the presentation

The Open Mic Comedy was good fun with lots of audience participation. They get people from the audience to come onstage, give them the jokes to read and then the audience has to pick a winner by cheering. Monsters Inc Characters do make an appearance, although its not a meet and greet like normal character appearances.

By now it was 4pm, so I went back to my room to change for dinner. Tonight was our last dinner in Royal Palace and I had a Princess themed Disney Bounding Outfit. As I have long hair, I did my hair in the Disney Princess up do, complete with a blue bow and tiara. Before dinner I went to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and asked for A Sprinkle Pixie Dust to complete the look. Im sure some adults assumed wrongly that I got special treatment and got my hair done in Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, as I have the proper Disney logo hair bow and tiara.



Then it was a final night dinner with my table mates. I really enjoyed doing a shared table, but I guess its what you make it.

• Breaded and Deep-Fried Brie with an Orange and Cranberry Chutney
• Crispy Roasted Duck Breast with Cabbage, Shallots, Honey Parsnip Mash, and a Duck Red Wine Jus
• Grand Marnier Soufflé served with Grand Marnier Crème Anglaise

After dinner I went back to my room to finish packing and put my checked bag out for collection.

Once that was done, it was time to just enjoy the last few hours on the ship. I didnt go to the main theatre show Believe.

First stop was to Cove Cafe to get a coffee for the morning, which I brought back to my room.

Then I went to the shops and had a final look around. As I really wanted The Dream ship model, I bought the Christmas ornament size one.

Then I went up to Vanellope's Sweets & Treats and bought a cupcake for the morning.



Vanellope Cupcake = Vanilla Sponge with Vanilla Mousse

Once I had finished buying things I went to Guest Services to settle my account. By now it was after 11pm and the ship was quietening down. I walked around for a while, not wanting to go back to my room, as I knew that would mean the cruise was over.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Sunday 1 September Debarkation, Sightseeing in Southampton, Travel Home To Dublin

All too soon, I woke up and the cruise was over We arrived back into Southampton around 5am.

As I had early dining, I was assigned early breakfast.

They put us into various groups and I was given 6.50am.

One final check of my room and I headed down to Royal Garden.

Like on previous cruises, you can really feel the change of atmosphere and the hustle to get everyone off the ship.

I brought my coffee from Cove Cafe to breakfast.



Debarkation Breakfast is always a reduced menu.

• Plain Buttermilk Pancakes served with Maple Syrup and Whipped Butter
• Southern Hash Two fried Eggs on fresh Hash-Brown Potatoes with Chorizo Sausage, Cilantro, Green Onions and Peppers with melted Jack Cheese.

I wasnt in any hurry to get off the ship so after breakfast I had decided to go to Cabanas and wait until the main crowd had cleared from the atrium. My table mates though this was a really good idea, as they were in no hurry either as they were driving home.

We left Royal Palace by the side entrance, avoiding the atrium and took the aft lifts up to Cabanas on deck 11.

By now it was just before 8am and there were a good few people in Cabanas. I guess a lot of families didnt want to go to the MDR. We stayed in Cabanas until around 8.30am. I had a last drink and my cupcake from Venelopes.

I finally said goodbye to my tablemates at 8.45am in the atrium. They were going to have one final walk around.

By 9.00am I was in a taxi to Southampton airport. After walking off the ship and collecting my case, I walked out of the terminal and to the taxi queue. There were just 2 families ahead of me.

The journey to Southampton airport cost £20 which I paid in cash and it took about 20 minutes.

At the airport I found a space against a wall and had a repack of my bags. When I had everything sorted I took my big checked case to the left luggage desk. Its a set fee of £10 per bag and they only take card, not cash. I had to fill in my flight details and show my passport. Once I had paid, the staff member brought me to a staff only area where my bag was security checked by scanner. The time on the receipt was 10.30am. Once it was cleared I sat for a while in the coffee shop area to wind down from the cruise and get myself ready for a day sight seeing in Southampton.

When I was ready, I left the airport and walked across to the train station. I bought a cheap day return ticket which cost £4.20 and got the next train back into Southampton. Its only one stop so its not that far.

I was off the train and ready to start my day in Southampton at 11.50am.

Again I researched and Google mapped my route. This time I headed away from the main shopping and restaurant area of Southampton.

The first part of my walk was near the train station and to a different part of Southampton's history, WW2.



Blechynden Terrace
Blechynden Terrace Park or Blechynden Gardens is a park which lies within the remains of the Emperia Building, which was destroyed by German bombing during World War II.

As part of a 2018 beautification scheme. a 4.9m steel arch was placed over the main path through the park. The arch is in part meant to act as a memorial to the Southampton Blitz. Paths through the park were surfaced with rubber crumb and a screen was erected to block the view of a neighbouring car-park. The screen is made of corten steel and shows the Southampton shoreline prior to land reclamation in the area.


From the park I walked the back way to the main Southampton Council buildings complex and then down the side of the buildings to
Guildhall Square. It was a really sunny day in Southampton and I still had my back pack, so I decided to have a drink and a bit of a rest at a little bar called Preez
They were just opening for the day and there was no one else there, so I had a great chat with the bartender and his wife.

Refreshed I continue walking through Guildhall Square and up to Watts Park. My next point of interest is located on the far side of Watts park, Titanic Musicians' Memorial.



This is one of less known Titanic Memorials, which is a shame, as its for some of the most well known of the Titanic crew, the musicians, Wallace Hartley and his colleagues.

Across the street is another less known Titanic Memorial, Titanic Engineers' Memorial.



The Statue of the goddess Nike and carvings represent the engineer officers.
Joseph Bell who was the Chief Engineer Officer and his staff of 24 engineers, 6 electrical engineers, two boilermakers, a plumber and a clerk. They are the men who made it possible for people to survive the sinking, as they worked against time to keep back the water flooding in.

After sitting for a while I decided to find somewhere for lunch. It had been a long time since breakfast on the ship, so I started walking back to the main shopping and restaurant area.

My next stop was a mid price UK chain restaurant called Nandos. This is a very popular Portuguese Peri Peri Chicken restaurant. It has an open kitchen so you can see the food being cooked. Its popular with teenagers, college students and friend groups as you get seated by the host but order and pay individually at the till, so everyone can get what they and afford without having issues paying the bill at the end. For Americans reading this, you do not need to add a tip. The price you pay at the till when you order the food, is the total you pay. You can also choose your spice level and the soft drinks are bottomless.
Its one of my go to restaurants.

• Butterfly Chicken Medium Spice Level = Two chicken breasts joined by crispy flame-grilled skin.
• PERi-Mac & Cheese = Cheesy macaroni with a crunchy, garlicky PERi-PERi crumb topping.
• Macho Peas = With mint and a bit of chilli.
• Bottomless Coke

Total = £20.15

I was finished my meal by 2pm, and continued walking down the main shopping street to Starbucks. I needed a coffee at this stage, and just had a leisurely walk through the shops.

I decided to keep walking down to the port area to watch The Dream sail out. However , when I got there, the main park area was closed in preparation for Southampton Boat Show.

I decided not to stay and just continued walking back to the train station and to return to the airport.

At the airport I collected my bag from left luggage and checked in for my flight.

Once I was through security, I headed straight for the Spitfire Lounge. I had booked this in advance as I knew I would be tired after a long day. This was my first time to use the lounge and it was a really nice way to end the trip.

It cost £29 and like all lounges, had a good selection of drinks, pastries, etc. It was just nice to have a quiet place to sit before my flight.

The flight was at 8pm , with just over an hours flying time.

I got a taxi at Dublin airport and was home for 10.30pm.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Final Thoughts

These are my thoughts, views, opinions as an Irish solo traveler visiting other European countries. Most of what I suggest is for travelling in Europe, the 29 EU countries, UK and Norway. Europe is not one single entity, but even though all countries are different, there are many common customs and habits.

Must Do's

• Research, Research, Research. There is no excuse for going on Disney cruises and or European ports blind. There is a huge amount of resources available, from old style forums like here, social media, YouTube, official city websites, blogs and so much more.
• Google Maps. Download the map for the port and you can use it offline when you don't have internet.

This was the DIY walking tour map I did for the morning in La Coruna, I printed it out to have for my scrapbook.

• Local Cash and Card. Always have a back up of local currency. In Europe Catholic Churches have donation boxes and or candles you can light. Its just respectful to give a few coins when you visit.

• Sometimes cards are not accepted in shops or markets, sometimes the internet connection is weak, having cash is a good back up. Also paying by local cash is much better for the local economy, as when you use an international card, the business looses money due to currency conversion fees.
• Be respectful of local customs and language. If you are not Catholic, know what is the correct dress and behavior when visiting Churches. If there is a Service or Mass do not take photos or video. Know when shops and restaurants open and close. Learn some basic phrases, hello, goodbye, how much in the language of the country you are visiting. If you have internet access, use Google Translate.
• Be aware of personal safety, and dress accordingly.
• Above all try to be a responsible tourist, which is essentially making sure when you visit ports you are contributing to the local economy and you are limiting as much as you can, any negative impact on the local people and environment.

The Good

• Overnight in Southampton. Southampton is a major port and historical city. It is often overlooked by international cruise passengers. Some of the budget hotels are walkable to the cruise terminals.
• Embarkation in Southampton Horizon Cruise Terminal. Very quick and efficient.
• The Disney ship and crew. Just outstanding in every way, from the servers and bartenders to room attendants, the cleaning, the shops, the entertainment. Every crew member I interreacted with I had a positive experience.
• The food. I love the food on the ship. Having worked as a chef on land, I just think its astounding the quantity and quality of food the ship produces every day. Im not saying its 3 Michelin star quality, just that for mass catering, its high standard.
• The ports, La Coruna and Vigo. Both walkable from the ship. No need to do ship excursions. I looked at the excursions Disney offered, most were an hour minimum on a bus to places far away from the cruise port. Both ports are very easy to DIY and on your own. Both very popular cruise ports with many cruise companies. Make sure to check if there are multiple ships in port, as this does affect the crowd level in the streets.
• The weather. End of August early September is still good weather. We did have an overcast day in La Coruna but it was still very warm.
• Having a shared table in MDR. This was my first time having a shared table. As a solo I was a bit anxious, but it turned out great. Disney matched us really well.
• Going against the main crowd flow, both on the ship and in port. Knowing the crowd patterns, and doing opposite worked out really well for me. Getting up early and using the pools when they opened, not going to the main theatre shows, not doing character meets and avoiding the main atrium during the day, not going to the buffet, having all meals in MDR. The same in port, going to places the opposite way than the main crowds from the ship.
• WhatsApp. I use WhatsApp in my day to day life at home in Ireland. I did not have an internet package on the ship, but I was able to use WhatsApp to sent texts to friends and family. As Disney allow passengers a very small amount of internet to use the Disney Cruise App, this also allows WhatsApp texts to go through. No photos or videos. I also used it in ports, I kept my phone on airplane mode the entire time and just connected to free Wi-Fi in various places like Starbucks and around the ports. I do not use my data plan when I travel. Its very normal in Europe for free Wi-Fi to be available in the cities, restaurants and shops.

The Bad

• Not that bad really but something to be aware of. This is my second cruise through The Bay of Biscay. This stretch of water is notorious for rough seas. While I have no issues with seasickness or sleeping, my MDR tablemates did. The first sea day down to Spain, I did hear a lot of people talking about not being able to sleep and that many were not well due to the motion of the ship.
• Our berth in La Coruna was changed. This is due to Disney not having a high presence in Europe and being low down in priority / pecking order for berth places. The previous week, Disney were able to use the main cruise terminal in La Coruna. For our cruise, Royal Caribbean Anthem of The Seas was at the main cruise terminal. We were docked at a commercial berth in the port secure area and we had to take a shuttle bus to the main pedestrian entrance. We were not allowed to walk around the ship and as a result could not take photos with the ship. Just something to be aware of when you are planning your port days.
• Not really that bad, but I had requested a window table on the App before the cruise and I was assigned a table which was not near a window. Just something to be aware of, that not all special requests happen.

The Ugly
Just like on my 2023 cruise, the ugly is the passengers. On The Dream there are 1,250 staterooms. Double occupancy is 2,500 passengers, with a maximum of 4000 passengers. We had 3850 passengers and 85% from UK. Thats official numbers from the cruise director. So thats 3273 UK passengers, which means only 577 passengers from any other country.

It was chaotic, noisy, crowded and there were some very nasty people, (my personal experiences, not hearsay).

The main thing to understand about the August cruises from Southampton is that August is the main summer holiday time for UK families. Parents will taken 2 weeks annual leave as kids are out of school. Annual leave by law for all employees is approx 28 days, so most parents usually take 2 weeks in the summer. Another thing to note is that in the UK parents are fined for taking kids out of school for holidays during term time. So there is a huge concentration of UK families on holiday in August.

Since the 2021 staycations, Disney is really pushing the cruises to the UK market, far more than they did before the shut downs. The 2021 staycations were very successful, and as a result, there is a far higher amount of UK people on the ship. There are a few types of UK passengers

1. People who have only done the 2021 staycations and now want the normal cruise experience
2. People who have been on the main UK cruise company P&O and want to try a Disney cruise
3. People who have been to Walt Disney World many times and want to try a Disney cruise
4. People who have been to Disneyland Paris many times and want to try a Disney cruise
5. People who have never had any type of Disney holiday and have heard about Disney cruises
6. People who have never been on any cruise

As a result, the majority of the passengers are first time Disney cruisers for many reasons. This creates a lot of various conflicts and mis managed expectations. Many do not know Disney cruise etiquette or general cruise etiquette. You will hear a lot of " it wasn't like this on the staycations" and "its not like this on P & O"

Also because the cruises are from Southampton, with a majority of UK passengers, people expect UK culture on the ship. The were a lot of complaints about

• Children not being allowed in adult areas
• Children not being allowed in The District after 9pm
• The ship currency being US Dollars
• The food on the ship not being UK brands
• The automatic gratuities being added during the cruise
• American names for food items on the menus
• The onboard alcohol allowance that you can bring onto the ship only being wine and beer
• No kettles in the room to make tea, Disney provided them on the staycations.

People were also complaining about

• No allowance for disabled, like DAS in the parks at character meets
• Changes to docking location in port
• Fireworks being cancelled after being advertised at time of booking
• Pirate party being on too late for children to stay up for
• Too small pools and overcrowding in the pools
• Cabanas being crowded and not being able to find seats
• The main theatre being crowded and not being able to get seats
• No evening buffet, only MDR

There was a big issue as there was in 2023 with demand for merchandise. There were personal shoppers on the cruise who queued up at the shops straight after Muster and bought multiple of the high demand items like Loungefly Bags and Spirit Jerseys. When the shop opened at 6pm it was apparently like the memes of Black Friday, with people grabbing items off the shelves and the shop heaving with people. This meant that anyone who was on early dining on embarkation day could not buy things they wanted. One of my tablemates missed out on the Loungefly bag and was told that they only have a certain amount allocated for each cruise. They did have them in the stock room but they were not allowed to put any more on the shelves for our cruise.

There was also a big issue as there was in 2023 with items being stolen from Fish Extenders and door magnets being stolen. I signed up for the magnet exchange with 3 other rooms. I only received 1 out 3 magnets back. When I called this out in the group and posted photos of me delivering the magnets to the group members, one said they "forgot" and offered to post to me, the other didnt even respond. All 3 rooms were UK people who were active in the group.

I had a pin board on my door. I only put out 8 pins, 4 at a time and the pins I put out were pins I wasnt bothered about. I just did it as a bit of fun, as it was nice to come back to my room to see different pins. I came home with 6 pins, so 2 disappeared during the cruise.



After being on my 2023 August cruise, I was well aware of what a high % of UK passengers on the ship would mean. I was able to manage my expectations and avoid places and situations. I did not let any of the issues spoil my cruise, in fact it was great for people watching, as being a solo I get ignored a lot.

I did meet some really nice UK people on my cruise, my table mates, people at the alcohol tastings, and a few others I randomly talked to in places.

If you are thinking about doing an August cruise from Southampton with Disney on The Fantasy in 2025 or on whatever ship does the summer season in the future, as long as you research, have a plan and manage your expectation's you will have an amazing time.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Post number 2 updated Travel Day From Dublin to Bristol Saturday 24 August

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Updated post number 3, travel from Bristol to Southampton

 

[grantclaire]

Hi looking forward to your trip reports! Sailing the 5 night to Spain on the Fantasy next August.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

UPDATED Monday 26 August Sightseeing in Southampton post number 4

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Hi looking forward to your trip reports! Sailing the 5 night to Spain on the Fantasy next August.

Hi oh cool, thanks for following. If you have any questions let me know

 

[dachsie]

The Titanic stuff is so interesting. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

The Titanic stuff is so interesting. Thanks for sharing!

You are welcome I did a lot more that the photos I put in. Southampton is just like a living museum, every street is connected to something and you are literally walking in the footsteps of those who lived there hundreds of years ago. Theres still lots more on my list, for when I go back next year.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Lovely writing and so much Titanic information that I never thought to ask. You really made the movie characters come to life. That blue plaque summarising the departure of the Speedwell and Mayflower was a bit of an eye opener of the city’s nautical history. Imagine sailing away to a relatively unknown land while your homeland seemed to be tearing itself to pieces. Gives another level of thought to their departure.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Lovely writing and so much Titanic information that I never thought to ask. You really made the movie characters come to life. That blue plaque summarising the departure of the Speedwell and Mayflower was a bit of an eye opener of the city’s nautical history. Imagine sailing away to a relatively unknown land while your homeland seemed to be tearing itself to pieces. Gives another level of thought to their departure.

Thank you. So many cruise passengers dont take the time to walk around Southampton and learn about its maritime history. Titanic especially should be remembered by all cruise passengers, as our modern cruises owe so much of our safety at sea to them.

There is a lot more places I went to that I didnt put in my day report, due to the photo limit. This is the main Mayflower Memorial, around the corner from the West Gate Wall and Archway. The monument consists of a 50 ft high column of Portland Stone on a base, surmounted by a cupola and a copper model of the Mayflower. Much of the carved stonework is by stonemason Charles Henry Meadows, who worked for Garret and Haysom from c.1897


This is whats written on the some of the plaques on the monument. I didnt get all of them.

Front

• On the 15th August 1620, from the West Quay near this spot, the famous Mayflower began her voyage carrying the little company of Pilgrim Fathers, who were destined to be the founders of the New England States of America. On the 15th of August 1913, this monument to their memory was unveiled by His Excellency Dr Walter Hines Page, Ambassador from The United States of America, to The Court of St James.
• To The Glory of God, in lasting memory of John Alden, a citizen of Southampton, who joined the Pilgrims on this quay 1620. Youngest of all was he of the men who came in The Mayflower. Born 1599, he married 1623 Pricilla Mullins, The Mayflower of Plymouth, who according to story, when he was pleading suit for his friend Miles Standish, archly said " Why don't you speak for yourself, John". A founder Magistrate and Deputy Governor of The Plymouth Colony. He died 1687, the last survivor of the signers of the Compact. This tablet presented by his descendants The Alden Kindred of America 1913.

Side

• The Mayflower is here remembered by Joseph G Butler Jr, of Youngstown Ohio, who associates it with the memory of his daughter, Blanche Butler Ford, of the Colonial Dames of Ohio.
• In grateful memory of those pilgrims of The Mayflower, who crossed the Atlantic in the year 1620, and became the founders of the first of those settlements which afterwards, developed into the colonies of New England. This tablet is placed here by the Massachusetts Society of The Colonial Dames of America.
• In Memory of Pilgrim Edward Doty Mayflower Passenger, 16th September 1620. The Pilgrim Edward Doty Society 3rd October 1992.
• Stephen Hopkins, his wife Elizabeth and their children Giles, Constanta and Damaris, passengers on The Mayflower 1620. Remembered by descendant Richard Hopkins and his family, New York 1977

Side

• To the memory of Edward Winslow, 3rd Governor of Plymouth Colony, 1633, born 1597 died 1655. Of old and honorable linage, he surrendered wealth and position and forsook his property to join the Pilgrims. By practical ability and untiring energy he proved himself an illustrious leader of the new colony of New Plymouth. This tablet is given by the Winslow family in America and England 1913.