Tips for 4 day Dream cruise for a single mom

[Lisa F]

Hey everyone,

I just booked the 4 day Dream for myself and my 8 year old (will be 9 by then though) son in 2/2018. I am actually a castaway club gold member but have not sailed since the return panama canal cruise in 2005. As you can imagine, things were quite a bit different back there (as well as different traveling as a couple than as a single mom). I am HOPING my parents will come along as well just because I think it would be a great vacation for all of us but it is not set in stone and it is not a deal breaker if they don't come.

The kiddo and I watched some Dream reviews on youtube yesterday and he is SUPER excited. What 8 year old boy wouldn't be about getting to pilot the millennium falcon, ride the aquaduck and help yourself to soft serve whenever you want it?

So I've never been on the Dream or Fantasy and it will be 13 years between cruises for me. So I'm kind of a newbie, but not. I'm wondering if anyone has some great tips or places to start researching. I have been to Palo for dinner and brunch before but would like to do a nice brunch on this cruise. I would like to do some spa stuff. I'm reading about the rainforest pass and it seems like a great deal.

Also I'm wondering how do people with kids balance having a "family vacation" with the kids wanting to do stuff independently? I work a whole lot and our big vacations so far have been a lot about spending time together. But I realize as much as he wants mom to go on the aquaduck with him, he is going to want to spend time in the kid clubs as well. I am thinking of making a rule that we are going to have dinner and see the show together every night. I also want to pull him out for some swim time (that should not be TOO hard). But since I am not in a couple situation, the "adult only" stuff has less appeal to me, if that makes sense. But I also do not want to give the impression that he is responsible for my good time and I want him to enjoy the kid stuff available to him on the cruise and I want to enjoy some of the adult programming as well (I would do some booze tastings and cooking type stuff).

If my parents go I would like to do Palo brunch either with my mom alone or with both of my parents. And I will treat myself to a fancy spa pedicure and enjoy the rainforest stuff. I'm thinking of staying on the ship on Nassau day even though I know a lot of people do this... reason being it is a short cruise and we are paying big $$ to be on a Disney ship, I want to enjoy the Disney ship amenities. I just have to convince the kiddo that CC is a different country because he is excited about going to one. I also think Nassau day is a good day for Brunch because there are fewer other activities than sea days from what I can tell.

Also does anyone know when the CC Gold reception is and whether I could bring guests to it?

Any other tips? every time I read these boards I run across something new. What are your must do things? Also trying to strike the balance between relaxing and doing some fun stuff!

 

[Dug720]

Castaway Cay IS a different country. It is part of the Bahamas. As is Nassau.

Your plans sound great. I cruise as a solo adult (and have a ton of fun doing the adult stuff solo, BTW) , but I've heard and read that a lot of parents set the "dinner and show together" rule.

 

[msmama]

Did my first single mom cruise in Oct. my son is also 8. We ate meals together (a few times he chose to eat lunchbox in the kids club) and saw the shoes together in the evening.

Day 1 it bothered me but the he pointed out that the reason it was the best vacation ever was because we were both happy doing exactly what we really wanted to do. Neither of us had to compromise. He could play in the kids club, I could relax on deck and explore (I swear I covered even very inch of the Magic). And the time we spent a part made the time we were together better, I think. We went both to Canada so while he did spend some time in the pool, it wasn't a ton. And we did make time to see characters every day too.

The cruise worked out so well we have 2 more scheduled for next year!!

 

[NMDisneyMom]

I would encourage you to join your cruise meet group. Its a great way to meet folks and also gives you other adults to you would "know". I'm a single mom and have been cruising with my daughter since right before her 5th birthday. She will soon be 13 and we are going on cruise #7. Yes it is a family vacation, but you have to remember it is your vacation as much as it is his. So that means doing some things that you both want to do. I enjoy sitting on deck while she is swimming. I can keep an eye on her but enjoy myself too. Another plus with the cruise group is finding someone else to join you at Palo brunch or to do tastings with. Having the rule that at least dinner and the show are spent together is good. I always tried to let my daughter know what would be considered her/my time versus our time. That works good to. Enjoy your cruise.

 

[tlprice]

I am a single mom and just did my second cruise with my daughter who is now 9. 1st cruise she was 8. For our 2nd cruise she encouraged me to schedule more things for myself so she could have more time in the kids club, We did do dinner, shows, excursions, character meets together, but also had our own time. On both cruises DCL seated us at dinner with other single mothers each travelling with a child around the same age as my daughter. She made great friends with them and I made friends with the mothers. This was the best way for both of us to meet other people on the ship. As for the Aqua Duck, I did it with my daughter once each trip. That was enough for me. I was very happy she made friends with our table mates because they met up and rode the Aqua Duck over and over and over while the moms got to sit back and relax and wave at them going by every once in a while!

 

[Shanti]

Hey everyone,

I just booked the 4 day Dream for myself and my 8 year old (will be 9 by then though) son in 2/2018. I am actually a castaway club gold member but have not sailed since the return panama canal cruise in 2005. As you can imagine, things were quite a bit different back there (as well as different traveling as a couple than as a single mom). I am HOPING my parents will come along as well just because I think it would be a great vacation for all of us but it is not set in stone and it is not a deal breaker if they don't come.

The kiddo and I watched some Dream reviews on youtube yesterday and he is SUPER excited. What 8 year old boy wouldn't be about getting to pilot the millennium falcon, ride the aquaduck and help yourself to soft serve whenever you want it?

So I've never been on the Dream or Fantasy and it will be 13 years between cruises for me. So I'm kind of a newbie, but not. I'm wondering if anyone has some great tips or places to start researching. I have been to Palo for dinner and brunch before but would like to do a nice brunch on this cruise. I would like to do some spa stuff. I'm reading about the rainforest pass and it seems like a great deal.

Also I'm wondering how do people with kids balance having a "family vacation" with the kids wanting to do stuff independently? I work a whole lot and our big vacations so far have been a lot about spending time together. But I realize as much as he wants mom to go on the aquaduck with him, he is going to want to spend time in the kid clubs as well. I am thinking of making a rule that we are going to have dinner and see the show together every night. I also want to pull him out for some swim time (that should not be TOO hard). But since I am not in a couple situation, the "adult only" stuff has less appeal to me, if that makes sense. But I also do not want to give the impression that he is responsible for my good time and I want him to enjoy the kid stuff available to him on the cruise and I want to enjoy some of the adult programming as well (I would do some booze tastings and cooking type stuff).

If my parents go I would like to do Palo brunch either with my mom alone or with both of my parents. And I will treat myself to a fancy spa pedicure and enjoy the rainforest stuff. I'm thinking of staying on the ship on Nassau day even though I know a lot of people do this... reason being it is a short cruise and we are paying big $$ to be on a Disney ship, I want to enjoy the Disney ship amenities. I just have to convince the kiddo that CC is a different country because he is excited about going to one. I also think Nassau day is a good day for Brunch because there are fewer other activities than sea days from what I can tell.

Also does anyone know when the CC Gold reception is and whether I could bring guests to it?

Any other tips? every time I read these boards I run across something new. What are your must do things? Also trying to strike the balance between relaxing and doing some fun stuff!

I just got back from a mom & son Fantasy cruise with my 12 year-old, high-functioning autistic son last week. It was great. We did a lot together, but also some things apart. On this cruise I prioritized my getting to go to the adult restaurants, which I'd never been to before, and hoped also for some time at the Rainforest Room. So I did go to Palo solo for brunch and dinner on different days, and solo to Remy for brunch, while my son either rode the Aquaduck or watched his choice of cartoons/Disney movies in our stateroom (love the on-demand Disney programming on the Dream-class ships!) He didn't like the kids' club staff (he's insecure, and apparently one made a critical comment about his ability to virtually steer the ship at the computer terminal), so he ended up spending almost no independent time there this cruise. We were so busy with activities or just relaxing together in our stateroom, that I never did make it to the spa, but that's okay. I'll save that for the next trip.

So basically, I recommend enjoying the togetherness, but also schedule a little time apart, and don't count on any of the clubs to automatically be the place he'll want to be. Even my son pointed out that the ship was a great, safe place for him to practice being more independent. And don't be shy about going anywhere solo, like the adult restaurants. I would much rather go solo than try to find a stranger on the ship to go with me. I enjoyed the good food and service, and looked out at the beautiful sea between courses. Very pleasant imo.