Disney Dream 4 Night Bahamas Cruise (Oct 2011)
Thanks to our clients Jeff and Joan from New York for sharing their experience on the Disney Dream. Interesting comparison at the end between the Dream and Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas which we had booked them on previously.
Disney Dream
4 night Bahamas Cruise
October 23 – 27, 2011
Sunday, October 23
Embarkation was a snap because we arranged to use Disney transportation from MCO to the cruise terminal. We did our complete check-in at the airport (including our room card) and boarded the bus within 10 minutes of arriving at check-in desk. We were given a cruise ship boarding group number of 4. We arrived at terminal at 11:30 AM. As we entered, they were announcing boarding groups 1 and 2. Again, ten minute wait and we were on board. We stopped at Cabanas for a bite to eat and then explored the ship. We were in our cabin at 1:30 PM sharp and luggage was delivered by 3 PM.
Monday, October 24: Nassau
Having been to Nassau many times we did not book any excursion. We got off the ship early and some window shopping. We got back on board, rode the aqua Duck and found two lounges by the adult pool. (BTW – the ship remains pretty full at port in Nassau). This day was the longest wait for the Aqua Duck. We enjoyed about an hour and a half poolside when the clouds turned very threatening. Once it started to rain, we headed back to the cabin. We watched people racing back to the ship from our balcony. It was raining pretty hard. We thought it was letting up and headed back to the pool deck, but it turned kind of ugly up there. People dragged chairs under cover crowded areas and left sopping wet towels everywhere. We decide to go to BINGO instead. Call me old fashioned, but I find it more fun to use paper cards then stare at an electronic device that plays for me.
Tuesday, October 25th: Castaway Cay
Beautiful weather. There is plenty of room on the beach with plenty of chairs so there is no rush to race onto the island. My husband snorkeled but I took a pass because I remember I did not like strong currents. Also, the sand gets pretty kicked up reducing visibility otherwise we just lounged on the beach reading.
Wednesday, October 26th: at sea
Woke up early enough to get two lounge chairs at the adult pool. Until mid-afternoon there seemed to be seating at the adult area. The area in general is too small and because of an elevator bank that opens in the center there is a constant stream of traffic, children included, weaving through the pool deck. However, compared to the family pool, this was a dream. The main pool area is inadequate for the size of the ship and frankly unattractive.
Food
Cabanas was just fair. Practically non-existent omelet bar. You had to hunt someone down and ask. It was not open for dinner on the first night or last night. WE were able to change our 8:15 seating assignment for a table for two. First night was Animators palette which is better on the Dream than the Wonder or Magic. The Staff made a fuss for my birthday. On the 2nd night we ate at Remy’s very good food and service. Maybe a tad too stuffy for a Disney cruise. Steep surcharge not as justified here as it is at Palo. Glad I did it, but wouldn’t do it again. My previously purchased wine package was not allowed in Remy. Not very passenger friendly. I felt they wanted to sell expensive wine on top of the surcharge. The third night dinner was in the main dining room. The food was just okay, but the staff attentive. Our last night at Palo’s was the best. Each course was perfect. BTW, Palos and Remy’s are hard to find as only one of the elevators at the elevator bank actually goes there, you will probably need to change elevators to get to it.
Drink
A hidden gem is the overlook lounge. Takurk owns the room with his friendly manner and magic tricks. Again, hard to find. Alexa at Currents was fun. Spent most time at Evolution because it is an entertainment venue. “Drink of the Day” was always well priced, but order at the bar, not off the tray service. Wine package on par with other cruise lines. Not all lounges charge the same. Meridian and Skyline have higher prices, but higher quality and more generous pours.
Entertainment
A surprise was the Vacation Club Welcome Party. If you are a DVC member….go! Lots of fun, lots of prizes. We almost skipped it, thinking it as a sales pitch, but it was 85% fun and games and 15% very soft sell regarding A’ulani. The main shows were big production, but predictable. Lynn Trefzger, a ventriloquist was terrific. She did two adult shows in evolution and one family show in the Walt Disney Theatre. We went to all three. Watched the Dream Quest. Usual fun. Movies were included; “Pirates of the Caribbean”, “Cars” plus first runs like “The Help” and “Real Steel”. Passengers and crew get into Pirate night, plan for it.
I assume it is because of the pool design there are no pool games on the day at sea. No belly flop, no line dancing, no volleyball. And not that many people are watching the pool deck movie to justify the seating arrangement or the volume.
Cabin 10076
As always, split bathroom great idea. Round tub works well. Plenty of storage. The light switch control is odd but after reading a previous post, we stuck our Delta Loyalty card in the slot to free up our room cards, if you don’t put a card in the slot inside your door, the lights and TV won’t work.
The Negative
As I stated before, pool decks are way too small and awkward for a ship this size. There were often lines to use the pool deck restrooms as they were also too small. Entering Cabanas in the middle of the line is odd. The curtained entrance to the pool deck from Cabanas is also odd. No artwork lining the cabin corridors. Shopping on par with theme parks, not other cruise lines, and no last day bargains
The Positive
Free Soda at self-serve. Easy check-in at the airport. Ample poolside food choice. Aqua Duck (no deep descents, first curves the fastest and then it slows down). Never a wait a Guest Services. Good cabins.
Compare to RCCL Liberty of the Seas
Food
• Dream – Just Fair, excepting Specialty restaurants. Poolside snacks availability better than RCCL
• LOS – Average, excepting Specialty restaurants. Windjammer better than Cabanas on DCL (much better)
Ports of Call
• Dream – Disney Caribbean sails getting stale. Castaway Cay gets slight edge over Labadee
• LOS – All over the Caribbean, lots of options – Southern Caribbean one of the best
Entertainment
• Dream – Main shows okay. Add a star if traveling with kids. Specialty acts much better. Too little poolside entertainment on day at sea. No casino. Other than Evolution entertainment lounge, other district lounges are dull. There is entertainment at these lounges but they are poorly attended and awkward
• LOS – Mains shows okay. Specialty acts much better and more of them. Lots of poolside entertainment on day at sea. CASINO. Better night life in lounges. Better Quest game
Shopping on board
• Dream – Theme park merchandise at theme park prices. No end of cruise bargains
• LOS – Deck 5 shopping is not only better but it is a destination and diversion. It was always easy to meet our group at Sorrento’s prior to heading out on excursions. Shop at the end to save. No real bargains but no enormous markup either.
Cabins
• Dream – DCL better than equivalent on RCCL. The gate protecting the Concierge level cabins was very off putting. Were the rest of us steerage?
• LOS – Junior suite on RCCL is worth it for the walk-in closet alone. Also no congestion between bathroom and closet door when dressing
Pool deck
• Dream – Awkward and unattractive. Crowed non-chaise
•
• chairs in the sun, no chaise in the sun except on the upper deck. Gearing seating to daytime Funnelvision” is wasted. As on all cruise lines, unattended saved chairs with a towel going on for hours. We always keep one of our parties in attendance, transferring only to eat.
• LOS – More private adult pool as elevators are entered by the starboard and port side. (No central weave through the pool deck to middle entry. Bar in adult area not always open anymore. Food area not always in use. If you get there early enough you can stake yourself out at the main pool. But be mindful to keep your crew there to hold your spot.