Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream

Final yr was a giant one in my household, with my mother turning 80, my sister 50, and our nephew 16. We had excessive hopes to plan a giant household journey to rejoice the three milestone birthdays, however conflicting calendars and work and college obligations thwarted that plan. So when the chance to sail the Mediterranean got here round, I leapt on the likelihood to embark on a celebratory mother-and-daughters getaway.

Our first cruise collectively was greater than 20 years in the past, within the Caribbean. And I had extra lately sailed with my nephew on a Disney Cruise Line ship. I knew the model was nice for kid-friendly journeys, however would the Disney Dream swimsuit us adults?

Spoiler alert: I shouldn’t have frightened.

From the second we had been welcomed on board, the three of us felt proper at residence. After unpacking, we got down to discover the Disney Dream. We got here throughout swimming pools, a water coaster, retailers, theaters, eating places, and bars. What we didn’t see had been many children. Because it turned out, our journey was one designated as a Disney Trip Membership Member cruise. That, plus the mid-Could timing, meant that there have been just a few hundred children onboard—one thing of a rarity for the TK-cabin ship that may accommodate upwards of TK passengers.

Whereas Disney Trip Membership has been providing sailings with Disney Cruise Line for greater than 20 years, these journeys stay a bit underneath the radar. In truth, our voyage was the primary member cruise ever to function in Europe. (Executives from the road advised me they proceed to evaluate new itineraries, just like the 2025 member cruise, additionally aboard Disney Dream, that would be the first of its variety to hit Cozumel, Mexico, throughout a five-day Western Caribbean swing.)

In an effort to distinguish the Disney Trip Membership Member cruise from the opposite sailings supplied all year long, Disney Cruise Line and Disney Trip Membership go all out, with enhanced leisure choices—we noticed “Younger Girl and the Sea” earlier than it opened in theaters—in addition to particular performances and shock company. On my journey, that meant a efficiency by Disney Legends and Broadway stars, together with Paige O’Hara (who voiced Belle within the unique “Magnificence and the Beast” movie), Susan Egan (the unique Belle on Broadway), Ashley Brown (Broadway’s unique “Mary Poppins”), Michael James Scott (The Genie in “Aladdin” on Broadway), Kissy Simmons (Broadway’s longest-running Nala in “The Lion King”), and Josh Strickland (Broadway’s unique “Tarzan”).

Apart from these unique experiences, we additionally had the run of all of the different leisure and enjoyable aboard the ship. We might’ve liked for our nephew to hitch us—however we definitely had loads of enjoyable, simply us adults. Right here’s my evaluate of Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream.

The Staterooms

Cabins on Disney Dream are perfect for households, with thoughtfully designed areas. A few of the larger staterooms characteristic a break up toilet: one portion has a bathroom and sink, whereas the opposite has a mixture tub-shower and sink.

There are 10 totally different room sorts, organized in 4 classes. The smallest are inside and ocean view cabins, which vary from 169 to 241 sq. toes, then rooms with personal verandas that vary from 246 to 306 sq. toes within the Concierge stage.

The Concierge 1-Bed room Suite with Verandah encompasses a separate bed room and two bogs throughout 622 sq. toes, whereas the Concierge Royal Suites with Verandah have the identical, however in additional than twice the dimensions at 1,781 sq. toes; each sleep as much as 5.

On the high of the road is the two,030-square-foot, duplex Concierge Dream Tower Suite that sleeps eight in two most important bedrooms, a youngsters’s bed room with bunkbeds, and 4 and half bogs.

Eating places and Bars

Open for breakfast and lunch, Cabanas is the principle buffet-style eating room on Disney Dream. It might be informal, nevertheless it has loads of selections: salads, burgers, pizza, loads of vegetarian selections, seafood, and entrée-style choices. My mother was significantly keen on the chocolate soft-serve ice cream.

Disney Cruise Line does issues otherwise in relation to dinner in that company rotate by three themed eating places alongside their waitstaff, making the rounds at Animator’s Palate, Enchanted Backyard, and Royal Palace.

Different eating selections embrace these at Flo’s Café, with pizza and grill objects impressed by “Vehicles,” and desserts at Vanellope’s Sweets & Treats. Vista Café is open within the mornings for espresso and pastries, and Bon Voyage within the Atrium serves coffees and juices.

Two specialty, adults-only eating places are additionally discovered onboard Disney Dream: Palo, that includes Northern Italian dishes, does dinner and brunch on most sea days. Remy, serving French fare for dinner, in addition to a Champagne brunch and five-course dessert expertise.

All through, the Disney Dream culinary crew does an distinctive job in accommodating dietary restrictions. For instance, my sister is dairy-intolerant; each night as we neared the top of our meals our server would convey the following night time’s menu to her so she may pre-select her dishes and the cooks may put together them accordingly.

Disney Dream additionally has loads of locations to get a drink. D Lounge is a family-friendly house for karaoke, trivia, and dance events. Adults-only choices embrace Pub 687, with a sports activities bar vibe; the District Lounge piano bar; Pink Wine and Champagne Bar; and Evolution, a dance membership with reside leisure. Cove Café, an adults-only espresso and tea bar by day, transforms right into a lounge at night time, serving cocktails, wine, and light-weight bites.

The place Disney Dream Sails

Disney Dream operates a wide range of cruises starting from three days to 13. The ship sails in each the Caribbean and Europe—together with locations equivalent to Iceland, Norway, and the UK—and it additionally gives Transatlantic repositioning voyages.

Disney Dream additionally hosts themed cruises all year long, together with Marvel Day at Sea, Halloween on the Excessive Seas, and Very Merrytime.

Shore Excursions

Disney Cruise Strains calls its excursions Port Adventures, they usually vary from signature excursions that spotlight the highest spots in a vacation spot to culinary excursions to extra lively outings. Throughout our cruise, we opted to hitch two, the primary of which took us to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa earlier than a strolling tour of Florence.

As a result of It was my sister’s first time in Italy, we additionally signed up for an all-day Better of Rome tour so she may see the highlights, together with the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and the Discussion board; we additionally went into the Colosseum and stopped by Vatican Metropolis.

In some areas, Disney Cruise Strains gives adults-only Port Adventures.

Facilities and Leisure

It’s protected to say that boredom isn’t an choice. From Broadway-style productions of beloved Disney classics to a movie show displaying the most recent movies, from reside music and character meet-and-greets to deck events and fireworks reveals, this ship retains company entertained.

Past boutiques and retailers to browse and swimming pools to get pleasure from, the ship additionally options AquaDuck, a water coaster experience that rings the ship, and a sports activities deck with miniature golf, a basketball court docket, and shuffleboard.

Whereas we weren’t touring with children, Disney Dream does have a number of particular areas created only for them. The “it’s a small world” nursery is about up for kids 6 months to three years previous, whereas Disney’s Oceaneer Membership and Oceaneer Lab are for teenagers between 3 and 10. Tweens have a spot all their very own in Edge, whereas teenagers can hand around in Vibe; each tweens and youths can get pleasure from a mixed house in The Hideaway. All children’ areas are attended to by a devoted employees of Disney counselors and childcare professionals.

Along with the bars and eating places highlighted above, adults-only areas on Disney Dream embrace the health middle, Senses Spa, the Quiet Cove Pool, and Satellite tv for pc Falls and Solar Deck.

Household-friendly Choices

It nearly goes with out saying that Disney Dream—and certainly all that Disney Cruise Line gives—is well-suited to households. Every part is designed to make all households really feel proper at residence. What impressed me was the best way that our household, touring with out children this time, additionally felt welcome.

Accessibility

Disney Cruise Line makes a number of lodging for company, together with on Disney Dream. Practically each deck is accessible by an elevator, and accessible staterooms have doorways which might be 32 inches large, emergency name buttons, ramped toilet thresholds, open mattress frames, roll-in showers, and seize bars in bogs.

Choose Port Adventures are designed to be accessible to these with restricted mobility, with accessible autos, pathways which might be straightforward to barter, and few to no stairs. Disney Cruise Line particulars different accessibility efforts in a particular part on its web site.