Dream 4 Night May 15- Mini report- First Disney Cruise

[Twentyyears]

Hello All.
Well Bats and all of you were right- we are now addicted!

I wanted to just write a brief summary of our first time on a Disney Cruise before it all fades away in my memory- I am of a certain age you know!

This was our Silver WA present- friends and family gave us money and vouchers towards the cruise; even after last year with two trips we managed to fit this one in under the year mark to take advantage of three trips under one years APs for WDW and Universal.We are now almost without funds for our October trip but it was so worth it!

Pre Cruise
We had loads of advice from here and on FB groups we joined. a great cruise group and Fish Extender Group- it was all so much fun and we made some great new friends.

Under advice from Bats we used a US TA (TOAD) and she was a "Dream" excuse the pun. Good old fashioned good service, on board credit and she has also booked our next cruise for us.

We had a Port Arrival time of 10.45 after checking in on line and we hadn't booked Palo or Remy as we just wanted to take it all in with no real schedule.

We had two nights before the cruise at Clarion Suites Maingate via Virgin - cheap as chips and I have to say if you are on a budget and want somewhere that sleeps six (all be it in one room) with a fridge and microwave, shops and restaurants in walking distance this is it.Didn't go much on the continental Breakfast but it was cereal and toast etc.Also you only got two per room that sleeps six, lol.



We hopped to Star Wars weekend our first day and then to Epcot Garden Festival to catch the last day of Topiaries.

But back to the cruise.

We found driving to Port Canveral so easy, practically one road.We knew we were going in the right direction because of this;





Nothing prepares for the first time you see a Disney Ship, even from far away as you go over the bridge.




After many years of WDW and DL it is lovely to be so excited about something new. For those of you who know Katherine Hepburn's immortal lines form The Philadelphia Story, she is "Yah!"

There is a man at the gate as you go in and he sorts those dropping off to those parking- we were parking so you are directed a space in the luggage line- you pull up and a handler is there waiting with his trolly. (You already have labels from your pack)

He explains the luggage will be in your room from 1.30 to 5.30 so keep some day stuff with you (we had thanks to advice on here and FB groups)

You then drive over to the multi story car park and park up-you prepay by credit card as you go in $75 for a 4 day cruise. We were advised third floor and we got a space right near the bridge over to the terminal. We did stand on the bridge for a while waiting to get in but it was warm, in the shade and got to admire the ship from there.



Before you know it we were in the terminal, signed in at one of of the multiple desks,given our key cars and then waiting for our assigned boarding number to be called. I met the first of our cruise group members in the ladies as she recognized me from my UK accent!



in about five minutes we were called, the line for Mickey picture was huge so we didn't do it, Peter was so excited he was in rush mode- he did regret that later when he realized we had so few pictures of the model ship and the terminal. I wanted to soak it all in.I was a touch :angry: with him but I didn't want to have a barney on our Silver WA trip

We had agreed to bypass the family cruise photo after you go through the Mickey Ears-our 17 year old DS is very photo adverse now (Star Wars Dining was an exception, lol- the kid came out in him again)









Finally we were clapped and welcomed onto the Ship under this fabulous beauty.



We had our pic taken with the main man- as Peter calls him.




We headed over to Cabanas first for some lunch ad it was awesome- sorry epic fail on food pics here! we were meant to go to the Enchanted Garden with our FB group but Peter went into excited mode and it wasn't open yet.

We wandered around on deck and tried to get our bearings and then it was time to get into our cabin.

We had an extended verandah on deck 9 aft- and now we would not want to have anything else on the Dream or Fantasy, especially on a longer cruise.



We had a double booking at 2.00-3.30 as we had our DVC Members meet and greet and our FB meet and greet overlap so we went to our DVC first for half an hour, grabbed a free drink, free tervis mugs and this shot;



We also met our FB Family there who we had linked our dining with- we took a flyer on this as we had had some great on line conversations and we had teens together. We both reckoned it would be better to sit with people we had chatted with for 5 months rather than take pot luck! It was so good and we are now all firm friend- we also spent their last day together at Kidani, also their home resort!

Our meet and greet went well after that but it was a bit hectic and some did not make it. It was lovely to meet all these people we had chatted to on line. We also metloads over the coming days on the ship and at MIxology- more of that later.

We then wwent to Titanic Drill- whoops I am sorry, muster drill- someone called it that in our group and it stuck, sorry This is mandatory and very serious you have a designated location on your KTW card. We had a nice easy route to the evolution room where we had our meet and greet,lol. They check you all in and it not fun to be late as someone found out and did the walk of shame!

it was then time for



Our friends managed to get a screen shot of us from the Port Canaveral Webcam as we sailed away-will have to post later.

It was fun waving to everyone as we sailed away.



We then headed over to the front of the ship to the Vibe to see the facilities and met two UK counsellors! This is the only time we are allowed in the kids clubs- at open house! The teen place is excellent but Michael was bit jet lagged the first few days and had worked long hours on a production before we came away so he didn't go much at first. After he got bored of our company and made more of a friend with our dining mates teen we did not see him! He also was aware we are coming to terms with him going on his own hols from next year, turning 18, so he was sensitive enough to spend some quality time with is old Mum and Dad.

We then chilled in the cabin- well the boys did, I unpacked and loaded or first bag of FE gifts for delivery. I went out and did these and then got ready for Dinner. Our first dining rotation was at the Enchanted Garden and I forgot to take foody pics and wasn't sure if our table mates would think it strange. The next night as we had got really comfortable with each other( glasses lent for menus, lol) she started taking pics of the food, bread basket everything I had found my kindred spirit; Peter could not stop teasing us!
We got to know each other and our servers- Kevin and Katyia. Kevin was our lead server, awesome and from Jamaica- He was an act in himself and could do amazing magic tricks and set us pzzles every night with the crayons. Katyia was more quiet but a sweetie knowing what drinks we liked every night and just being there for everything else.

Our tablemates had even managed to see the show that night!We were bushed after dinner so we just relaxed on the verandah and ordered our evening coffee flask for the am and our breakfast room service card filled in for our second cups! This is such a great 24 hour room service and is only the cost of a tip- also order juice in the evening as you can use it for a mixer with your booze!Yes you can take booze on but only in your carry on.

I hadn't seen our Steward as only Michael had been in the cabin when he delivered our luggage but our first turn down was this;



We were chugging along but engine noise at the back was not loud just restful- after crossing the gulf stream we heard nothing until Castaway Cay morning.

...and so we went to bed in our wonderful sheets for our first night on the Dream!

Day Two is later in the thread- scroll to page 2!