Trip Report A DREAM is a wish your heart makes

Hello all! I thought I would finally share our trip report from our very first DISNEY CRUISE
Our cruise dates were 2/23-2/28 on The Dream. This trip was just my husband and I- we were celebrating our 15 year anniversary. When we were discussing vacation options, it was actually my husband who suggested a cruise. Neither of us have cruised before.

Our anniversary was 12/20. December is a busy month for us with Christmas and also our daughter’s birthday so we initially decided on a January cruise. Unfortunately just a few days before we were set to leave, my grandmother passed away. Her services were scheduled for while we were gone. We of course wanted to attend her services but also, my parents were going to be watching our kids while we were gone and we didn’t want to burden them any further. So we chose to reschedule the cruise for February. I was actually shocked by how difficult this was. We weren’t asking to cancel and be refunded, simply reschedule, but it was a multi step process. But I suppose a good experience to have should I have a similar situation with a future client

Before I officially get going, I just want to say that the first few days were very rough for us. We had a quite a few things go wrong early on. So while it may seem like a negative trip report to start, I promise you, I absolutely LOVED our cruise and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I do want to mention the negatives however in case anyone has any advice or can relate to our experiences.

First a few pictures to introduce ourselves - a family picture from our last Disney trip in March 2023, myself (Jillian), husband Nick and our daughters Sage and Aria.
And also a picture of me and the kids on Mother’s Day last year with my sweet sweet Grandma. She was Polish and we called her Babcia.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Time for dinner! We were at Enchanted Garden again but of course, the dinner was Marvel themed.

I took a picture of my ricotta gnocchi but didn’t end up eating it because Nick wanted to trade. He got a chicken dish and he can be a little picky about his chicken. He only likes white meat and doesn’t like anything with bones. So we traded and his was actually very good. No pic though.

I did take a picture of both of our desserts. Both were fine which is how I would classify most of the desserts on this cruise. Good, tasty, but not overly exciting. Mine was a raspberry and lime custard and his was cheesecake.

It looks like we just walked around a bit after dinner as I do have a few more random ship pictures.

There was another show later on in the night around 10ish. Also Marvel themed but with actual Marvel characters this time. It ended with some fireworks. We did not see the show but from hearing/ reading others thoughts, if you’re a Marvel fan, it was apparently amazing and really well done.

This day was actually a lot of fun for us. It was very relaxing, partly because we did not take part in 90% of the Marvel themed activities. I did read some reviews from others that it was a bit crazy and chaotic if you tried to do all the Marvel stuff. I can tell you we passed a ridiculous amount of Marvel characters throughout the day. Plus all the classic characters in Marvel costumes. So I imagine if you wanted to see and it do it all, it could be somewhat stressful and time consuming. I however very much enjoyed our day so it definitely worked in my favor.

 

[erstwo]

So sorry about the sales pitch 'program' - but I LOVE that magnet someone made for your door! How sweet!

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

So sorry about the sales pitch 'program' - but I LOVE that magnet someone made for your door! How sweet!

Thank you! I loved doing the fish extender. Such a fun addition to the cruise. Our group was super sweet.

 

[LeighM]

So sorry to hear about your grandmother - and the problems you had at the start of your vacation. I was so paranoid about airlines making me check my carry on luggage that I bought one smaller than every airline requirement LOL. No way can anyone tell me that it's too big to fit! And I always try to carry a plastic bag with me in case my shoes get wet so that I can pack them without everything else in the suitcase being affected. I had to learn that the hard way one year Looking forward to hearing more about your experiences.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

So sorry to hear about your grandmother - and the problems you had at the start of your vacation. I was so paranoid about airlines making me check my carry on luggage that I bought one smaller than every airline requirement LOL. No way can anyone tell me that it's too big to fit! And I always try to carry a plastic bag with me in case my shoes get wet so that I can pack them without everything else in the suitcase being affected. I had to learn that the hard way one year Looking forward to hearing more about your experiences.

I am still so paranoid about my carry on. It was fine coming home from the cruise so fingers crossed
My daughter and I are going to Disney this August and I really hope they don’t give me any trouble. MCO is so crazy, I really want to skip that baggage claim

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Sunday 2/25

This is the day we were docked in Cozumel.

One thing I didn’t mention, the first cruise we had booked for January was essentially the exact same cruise with the exception of where we were docked. The January cruise docked in Grand Cayman. The excursion we booked sounded absolutely amazing. It stopped at Starfish Beach where you could swim with starfish and have a picnic lunch. They you went to a different beach to swim with stingrays. We were really looking forward to it and missing this was definitely what bummed me out the most when we had to reschedule.

The excursions in Cozumel didn’t sound nearly as good. There were a lot that involved scuba and/or snorkeling and I am not a strong swimmer. We ended up booking an open air bus tour. It was supposed to stop at a beach, a shopping area and a few historic sites. It was 3 hours which we thought would be the perfect little outing.

Unfortunately, the night before we got a notification that our excursion was cancelled due to low enrollment. I’m sure we could have tried to book something else but I am such a planner, it was giving me anxiety to just pick a random excursion without doing any research. So we ultimately decided to just walk around and explore the port on our own. Which, spoiler alert, was a bad idea. More on that in a bit.

We started our day by meeting Tiana! There were a handful of princesses that had multiple meets throughout the cruise, mainly Cinderella and Belle, but there were a few that only met two or three times. Tiana was one of those so we decided to jump in her line prior to breakfast.

While we were waiting, Chip and Dale were in the atrium playing duck duck goose with a group of kids and it was ADORABLE.

When it was my turn, I asked Tiana if there was any chance I could get some beignets on the ship that day. She said she’d discuss it with the chef

Such a beautiful Tiana

We then went to breakfast at Royal Palace where I got the kids peanut butter and jelly pancake. Simple but delish!

The day we boarded the ship, my older daughter asked for a picture of the ship at the dock. Unfortunately you walk through a tunnel from the check in area right on to the ship so you really can’t see the whole ship. But when we got off in Cozumel, we were finally able to get some good pics!

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

So unfortunately, the port area in Cozumel is…. Disgusting. It is filled with cheap souvenir shops, liquor and cigar shops, and “pharmacies” selling prescription drugs. It’s really dirty and rundown and the streets are littered with trash. We walked around for just a few minutes, took a few pictures and got the heck out.

We were extremely disappointed
I especially felt bad for Nick. While I love all things Disney, he merely tolerates it. So he was really looking forward to a non-Disney day.

When we got back on the ship, the plan was to change into bathing suits and finally check out the Aqua Duck. Unfortunately right when we got back, Nick suddenly got an excruciating headache and decided to rest in the room. I still changed into my bathing suit and went up to the adult pool area.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

So while I was sitting, relaxing by the pool, I decided to send a quick email to the main Disney cruise guest services just to let them the know about the problems we had with the Disney transportation and arrival at the port. I really didn’t expect much to come from it but wanted to send the email while everything was fresh in my mind.

I was absolutely shocked when just a few hours later, we got a call in our stateroom asking me to come down to guest services. A manager came out and said he received my email and wanted to discuss things. He first thanked me for bringing the issues to his attention. He said I was the 3rd person that talked to him regarding the Disney transport. He said that unless people speak up, they have no idea what’s going on and assume everything is fine. He asked me to go through the details of the day and he took notes to forward along to the right people. He apologized many times and said he was going to credit our onboard account for the amount we paid for the transport. He also said he would like to send a bottle of wine to our room and asked if we preferred red or white. I told him we didn’t drink so he said oh, well then I have the perfect idea! And he said he’d be in touch later that night.

So overall, I was very satisfied with how it was handled. The only thing he wasn’t able to answer was if there were plans to change things so they run more smoothly. So that’s definitely something I would look into more before booking the transfer for myself or a client.

I forget the exact order I did things for the rest of the afternoon but I know I had lunch at Cabanas at some point. I sat outside overlooking the port and it was so nice. Perfectly warm and no wind.

I also went to another trivia. I don’t think I did well at this one and the family that won literally had about 10 people in their group. So I didn’t think that was very fair. I did notice that from that point on, whenever we went to trivia they would announce you could only have 4 people to a group.


At some point, Nick joined up with me and went to this super cute show called Who’s Behind the Curtain? The host would choose a volunteer from the audience and they would have to ask yes or no questions and try to guess which character was hiding behind the curtain. There were three characters total and at the end, they all came down and had a little dance party with everyone. It was so cute and so much fun. It was a great way for kids (and adults!) to get one on one time with characters without having to wait in a super long line. 10/10 definitely recommend!

That night was pirate night so I then went back to the room and changed into my pirate shirt! And had a delicious snack Nothing beats a Mickey bar at sea!

I then met Captain Hook and Mr Smee

All of the classic characters were out that night wearing pirate costumes. You could also meet pirate Stitch and Captain Jack. I chose not to wait in any of the other lines however.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Next I went to a pirate themed show on the pool deck. This show was classic characters in pirate costumes. I decided to go to the deck above the pool and stand directly across from the stage. I loved that I had an unobstructed view of the stage but it was harder to get pictures from that far back.

The show was really cute!

Then it was time for dinner!

Right after we sat down, the manager I had spoken to earlier came over to our table and gave us an awesome portfolio with a picture of us inside. It was of Nick and I with Groot and Gamora. Not my favorite character picture but literally the only one Nick was in so I know that’s why he chose it. And a super fun memory considering the Marvel theme for this cruise. We were so thankful and grateful for the gift and loved it so much more than a bottle of wine

Pictures taken at home on our mantle

For dinner, Nick had the jerk chicken and pineapple salsa which he loved. I had the strip loin which was fine. The rosemary wine sauce was delicious.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

The desserts that night ended up being my favorite of the entire cruise. I got two because I couldn’t decide. Coconut Crème Flan and a Pineapple and Coconut Sundae. Both were perfection

Nick had the rum soaked chocolate cake which he also enjoyed.

After dinner, we got a picture of us in our coordinating pirate shirts.

There was another show that night on the pool deck, this time with Jack Sparrow and “live” pirate actors. Also well done, but I preferred the first show. The absolute highlight though were the fireworks at the end. These fireworks ended up being one of the my favorite things of the entire cruise. I mainly took videos but here are a few pics.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

After the show, some of the older kids did a flash mob. I noticed serval rehearsal times in the app that day. There were some younger kids but I would say most were in the 12-16 age group. It was so fun to watch! There were boys and girls and it made me so happy to see them out there laughing and dancing and having a great time. Nick and I discussed a few times as to whether or not we thought our kids would have actually gone to the kids clubs and interacted with the other kids on board. We think our younger daughter might have but I’m not so sure about our older daughter. She definitely would not have participated in this flash mob

Back to the room where we were greeted by a blanket Captain Barbossa? I think?!?

Impressive nonetheless

Overall, I enjoyed this day despite Cozumel being a bust. Nick was definitely disappointed though. I’m not sure how other ports compare but the best advice I can give you for the Cozumel port is to definitely book an excursion!

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Monday 2/26

I actually don’t have a ton of pictures from this day so I’m struggling to remember exactly what we did I apologize in advance for the lack of details.

It was another day at sea, that I know!

I know first, we did the Art of the Theme Show tour. I 100% recommend this tour or anything similar offered on other Disney cruises. It lasted about an hour and was essentially a “behind the scenes” type tour highlighting the art work, art design and overall design of the ship. Really interesting and informative! I didn’t take a ton of pictures, it was a smaller group and no one else was really taking pictures so I didn’t want to seem too touristy But our tour guide talked a lot about the design in Palo and Remy, the art work in and around the landings in the stairwells, as well as within the atrium area.

He specifically told us to check out the bathrooms between Palo and Remy as they were the “fanciest” on the ship.

This was the only other morning we had breakfast at Cabana’s because it was the only morning they had the famous Mickey Churro Waffles

I had to stand at the buffet, patiently waiting, with several other people while they prepared more but it was well worth the wait.

I do know that on this day, I booked the Princess Gathering. This is a meet and greet, held in the atrium, where you wait in one line and then meet 4 princesses in a row. I was really hoping for Rapunzel to be one but it ended up being Belle, Ariel, Mulan and Cinderella. Overall an excellent experience and I definitely recommend booking it if you are able! I booked this in advance and the time slots filled very quickly.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Sadly I don’t have any pictures from the afternoon. I know we went to trivia and few of the other smaller shows. I’m pretty sure Nick saw a movie in the movie theater. I know we went up to adult pool again but didn’t swim as it cooler and more windy.

I know this was the night Beauty and the Beast was performed in the main theater. It was absolutely amazing and definitely a highlight of the cruise. Something totally different from the DHS version, this show is actually based on the live action Beauty and the Beast. So it has the added songs and the characters like Lumiere, Mrs Potts etc were the smaller more ornate versions as opposed to the larger, cartoony versions. I much preferred it over the DHS show. It was really well done!

This night was optional dress up night.

We didn’t get too crazy but it was the only day I didn’t wear capris and a t-shirt. Before dinner, we went to 2000’s music trivia. It was hosted by Dominique who had become my favorite on the entertainment crew throughout the cruise. She not only did trivia and other events in the bars and clubs but was also in all the shows on the pool deck. She was so funny and so entertaining. I had to get a picture with her. I also made sure to mention her by name while filling out the survey after!

Dinner that night was at Royal Palace and was probably my favorite in terms of appetizers and the main course. I got two appetizers and I was glad I did as they were both amazing. I had the duck confit with craisins and walnuts and the deep fried Brie with an orange and cranberry chutney. Both so delicious!

For my main meal I again got the vegetarian option. The main courses tended to be very seafood heavy so I often found myself ordering from the lighter or vegetarian menu, just to have a little more variety. On this night, I got the grilled marinated tofu with roasted vegetables and Israeli couscous. It was actually really good!

For dessert I got the crème brûlée which I wasn’t crazy about and the apple tart which was very good.

 

[joshsprincess921]

Those churro waffles are amazing!

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Those churro waffles are amazing!

They are!!
I am still dreaming about them

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

After dinner, I decided to meet a few of the main characters I hadn’t met yet. We arrived to Daisy’s meet and greet a few minutes before she came out and we were first in line. When she came out and got in her spot, since I was first, it was taking a few seconds for the cast members with her to get situated. The photopass photographer was taking a little extra long to scan my band and Daisy came over and put her wrist out for him to scan her bracelet Nick was originally just going to take the photos, as usual, but the cast members were giving him a hard time and urged him to get in too.

Once we all got over to her spot, I was telling her how fabulous her outfit was. She started doing all these sassy poses and encouraging us to copy them. She had us turn and face the back and she counted to 3 with her fingers and then turned around to pose. The cast member holding my phone actually got a video of it and I laugh every time I watch it. Poor Nick was mortified that all this was happening in front of a crowded line of people

Last up that night was Captain Minnie!

And back to room and this towel & blanket elephant. Another great day!

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Tuesday 2/27

THE BEST DAY

This was the day we were docked at Castaway Cay and the island 100% lived up to our expectations.

We decided to get room service breakfast that morning to save a little time. I swear I read online prior to the cruise that if you filled out the card the night before, they would just leave it by the door. We requested 8-8:30am and at 7:55, while we were still sleeping, someone knocked on the door with our tray And actually, we had just fallen back to sleep thanks to our neighbors. We really had zero problems with other passengers, I actually found everyone to be super happy and friendly, but our next door neighbors were LOUD. They must have been super excited for their Castaway day because at 6am we woke up to laughing, talking at full volume, doors slamming, and kids running up and down the halls. I suppose it’s to be expected!

We ate our breakfast, got ready and off we went!

As we were waking off the ship, Donald was walking back on! I went up to him hoping to get a quick pic but his handler was all business, they didn’t even slow down He was like, if you want to meet Donald, come to the post office later!

Nick took a video so these are a few screen grabs.

I will say, according to the time stamp, this was at 9:30am. And Donald was leaving, meaning his first meet was done. I think character meets started on the island around 8:45. So if you are an early riser, this would probably be a great time with shorter lines.

From there, we just enjoyed the views as we strolled though, making our way to the adult beach

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

As we were waking through, we also passed Pluto who appeared to be leaving as well. I took a quick video as he was walking past. I was waving and he blew kisses and made a kissing noise. You can see my shadow in the screen grab I honestly don’t know why I’m such a dork with characters but I love them so much

Look at Pluto’s little life jacket!

We then came across a proper meet and greet for Goofy. Since he was the one classic character I hadn’t met yet, we got in line and I promised Nick this would be our one and only character meet that day. Goofy is actually Nick’s fav so he jumped in the pic too.

I told Goofy I loved his bathing suit and the character attendant said it was his final day wearing it! The new Castawy outfits debuted right after we left.

And finally, we found our way to Serenity Bay

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

I really wasn’t planning on doing much this day, I thought we would just sit and relax on the beach, but Nick really wanted to “do” stuff. Since our Cozumel day was such a disappointment for him, I let him kind of take the lead.

After relaxing at Serenity Bay for a bit, he wanted to walk to the Observation Tower. It was actually a really nice walk and a great way to explore a bit of the island. I definitely recommend adding it into your Castaway day.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

We then decided to get some lunch, still in the adults only section. One thing I noticed throughout the entire day is that Disney really knows what they are doing. Every section of the beach always had plenty of beach chairs. There were always empty chairs no matter where we were. And plenty of shady umbrella spots. At lunch, there were always 3-4 empty tables. It’s nothing like Disney World where it’s common to stand around with a tray searching for a table. They knew exactly how many chairs, umbrellas & tables to provide.

Lunch was bbq style and it was delish!

After lunch, we took the tram back over to the family area to explore over there.

This splash/slide area looked so fun!

Nick really wanted to do a rental of sorts so we settled on a 2 person kayak. These rentals are an extra fee but very reasonably priced. I was a little nervous (I’m a terrible swimmer and I was so scared we were going to tip over) but I did it for Nick!

It was actually really fun and I was able to get some great pictures