Sharing a recap of our 7-night Mediterranean cruise (Italy and Greece) on the Disney Dream! This isn’t sponsored (I want, lol), however I’m excited to share our expertise.
They’ve a helpful little trick once you’re on board a Disney cruise line ship: you will have the choice to guide a placeholder for a future cruise at a slight low cost. This fashion, once you get off the ship, it’s barely much less miserable as a result of you realize you’ll be on one other one quickly. We received off the Disney Dream in Rome a number of weeks in the past, and already, we will’t await our subsequent Disney cruise.
This was Disney cruise #4 (we’ve completed Alaska, Bahamas/Caribbean, and Mexico), first one in Europe, and it was our favourite one (up to now! – this was written earlier than our latest Disney cruise from Barcelona). It was a mixture of the locations plus the bigger ship, which was a literal Dream filled with Disney magic.
(We additionally received to get pleasure from Rome on both aspect of our cruise! You can read about our Rome adventures here.)
7-night Disney Dream European cruise
We arrived on the Civitavecchia port through a personal automotive that the lodge booked for us, and it was the quickest and most seamless boarding expertise. By 1:30pm, we have been on the pool, watching the kiddos swim and ingesting cocktails with buddies. (A professional tip from one in every of our good buddies: pack your swim gear in a tote bag and examine every thing else. Your room received’t be prepared but, so you possibly can head straight to the pool. It’s the least busy it will likely be for your entire journey and after a few hours, your room shall be prepared with all your baggage ready for you outdoors the door.)
We had lunch from Cabanas (the buffet) and ate it by the pool, checked out our room, after which received modified for the Muster Drill, Sail-A-Wave celebration and dinner.
On Disney cruises, you’re on a eating rotation. You get the early (6pm) or late (8pm) seating, and alternate eating places every night. You’ll be able to choose out of your extra formal eating to have a fast chew or room service as an alternative, however it doesn’t matter what, your desk shall be ready for you. You even have the identical server and assistant server every evening. We had the early seating, and dined at all the main eating places. The menus have been all similar to earlier cruises and was the beautifully-plated Disney fare we love. 🙂
You may as well order no matter you need. You’ll be able to choose from their 4-course menu, or for those who’d like, order two appetizers, two entrees, and so on. In a Disney Cruise Fb group, a suggestion was to ask the server to ask the cooks in the event that they’d thoughts making a family-style meal from their dwelling nation. They mentioned they’ve had the perfect Indian meals and curries of their lives this fashion, together with naan and rice. We haven’t tried this but – I really feel dangerous that we’d be inconveniencing them – however I’ve been inquisitive about attempting it.
Our favourite is Animator’s Palate, which they’ve on all the ships we’ve seen (Dream, Marvel, and Magic). You draw an individual in your placemat, and throughout the meal, they’ve a *present* during which all of animations come to life on massive screens all through the restaurant, dancing to the music, and added to well-known Disney scenes and Disney characters.
On this explicit cruise, we stopped in at a number of ports of name for wonderful shore excursions: Naples, Mykonos, Santorini, and Chania, and we had deliberate excursions in Naples and Mykonos. The remainder of the time we having fun with exploring the ports on our personal and residing our greatest cruise lives on the ship.
Tour 1: Positano, Sorrento, and Pompeii
This was a couple of 10-hour tour, which was undoubtedly a protracted one for the kiddos, however so price it. Additionally, within the center, we have been handled to an epic 4-course meal with wine pairings, overlooking the ocean. It was top-of-the-line port adventures.
Positano
Positano is one in every of my favourite locations in your entire world, so in fact, I couldn’t wait to indicate the ladies. I solely want that we had extra time there! We had the prospect to get a chocolate croissant and occasional, put our toes within the ocean (it was so heat and wonderful), and perform a little little bit of procuring. (Extremely advocate Luisa Positano! Liv and I every received attire from there they usually’re so attractive and distinctive.) It was most likely an excellent factor that we have been on restricted time, as a result of I needed to purchase every thing. 😉
Sorrento
After Positano, we have been again on the bus for an extended cease in Sorrento. It was my first time right here in one other one in every of Italy’s stunning historic cities, and whereas it had the Positano really feel, it was a bit extra bustling, particularly on the principle road. We shopped and walked round, grabbed a gelato, after which met with our tour group for an Italian meal that I’ll always remember. The entire household cherished it.
That is the place we had the well-known zucchini pasta, together with hen, salad, bread, and a chocolate hazelnut mousse dessert.
The meal was paired with glowing wine, white wine, pink wine, and a dessert wine. Just about everybody in our tour group snoozed for your entire experience to Pompeii.
Pompeii
Pompeii was SO cool. It was fascinating to see such a well-preserved historic metropolis, along with the assorted elements of life in Pompeii, just like the bakery, bathhouses, and so on. By this level, the children have been fairly drained, however they rallied! We discovered so much throughout the guided tour, and from right here, it was solely 45 minutes again to the cruise ship.
Tour 2: Tremendous Paradise Seaside Day in Mykonos
This was our favourite tour, one of many highlights of the journeys.. Tremendous Paradise Seaside is a personal seashore membership, with stress-free loungers, umbrellas, a full menu, and a peaceable seashore with vivid, turquoise waters. It’s additionally partially blocked from the extraordinary winds that may have an effect on Mykonos. Should you’re on this or one other one of many Greek isles cruises, it’s well worth the cease.
The humorous factor was that our Naples tour was so time-specific – we knew precisely after we wanted to be again on the bus or at a sure assembly point- and for this seashore tour, the information was like, “Eh. Have enjoyable and I’ll let you realize when we have to prepare to depart.” 
We ended up being there for about 3 hours, which was the right period of time. All of us swam, the ladies performed within the sand and waves, and we proceeded to order half of the issues on the menu.
A sandwich was included with our tour, however I’m petty positive our Greek buddies would disown us if we ate a turkey sandwich of their homeland.
Earlier than we left, they gave us an inventory of every thing to order whereas we have been in Greece. The Pilot wrote down every thing phonetically so we’d be capable of pronounce it, like, “Gotta lotta booty yo.” I believe we made them proud; we tried virtually every thing they recommended between our time in Mykonos and Chania. The meals was out of this world unimaginable. So contemporary, vibrant, and scrumptious. I extremely, extremely advocate the pastitsio, which is sort of a spaghetti lasagna with tacky foam on high.
(We additionally had grilled octopus, salad, cooked garlicky greens, stuffed grape leaves, beef patties, and little doughnuts)
Santorini:
In Santorini, we didn’t find yourself doing a lot. It’s on my journey itineraries, the place you possibly can see the well-known white buildings with the blue domes in Oia, however it was so sizzling, and the children have been melting. It’s sort of an uncommon port, too. You’re taking a smaller tender boat to the bottom of the port, the place you’re taking a cable automotive up the steep hill to the city of Fira (a lot of procuring and eating places). You may as well stroll up stairs to the highest, however there are 400+, which will not be sensible for babies or these with mobility difficulties. Our plan was to take the cable automotive UP, however stroll down the steps on the finish of the day.
The cable automotive line tends to be extraordinarily lengthy, with out a lot shade. The road was simply 200+ after we received there and transferring very slowly. The women have been carrying their neck fans and we have been continuously pouring water on them, they usually have been too sizzling, so we ended up heading again. We’ll need to catch the pure wonders of this island on one other go to.
Should you’re stopping in Santorini in mid-June or July, I’d advocate reserving an tour with motor coach switch so that you don’t need to take care of the cable automotive line. Or carry a lot of water + an umbrella, or courageous the steps!
(I had an iced tea on the cafe on the backside of the port. I discussed this in a earlier put up, however the iced tea in Greece is INSANE. Whether or not it’s brewed in-house, or in a can, it’s really one thing particular. Many flavors are infused with lemongrass, ginger, or fruit, like cherry, and evenly candy and refreshing. Who knew I’d dream about Greece iced tea perpetually and ever??)
The proprietor additionally introduced us pictures of ouza with our invoice, ice lotions for everybody, and despatched us again to the ship with an enormous piece of baklava to-go.
Chania:
In Chania, we ended up exploring on our personal, which was perfect. We adopted a tour information group into Previous City, which was lined with small retailers, kiosks, eating places, and a beautiful view of the bay.
We purchased souvenirs and jewellery, and had one other legendary lunch + extra of the perfect concept tea.
(The sardines have been SO zesty and flavorful)
Disney Cruise Dream eating and actions
On the ship, we loved all the common Disney cruise choices: the dwell exhibits – Magnificence and the Beast was phenomenal – films, character greetings, Bingo, fitness center, child’s membership, swimming, countless ice cream cones and Mickey bars, whiskey tastings, and all the great eating places.
One of the best half was that we traveled with buddies. The women had built-in buddies, and so did the adults 😉 It undoubtedly makes the expertise much more enjoyable!
Disney actually goes above and past in relation to visitor expertise, cleanliness, and meals high quality. Should you guys have any questions in regards to the Disney cruise expertise, please let me know! I’ve received tons of different nice ideas like a hassle-free debarkation (departure) to make your Disney fantasy come to life on the excessive seas.
(the perfect cruise ship magnets are on Etsy!)
So, inform me, buddies: are you a cruise fan or not-so-much? Have you ever completed a Disney cruise??
Attempting to determine which one we should always do subsequent!! We’d nonetheless like to see Spain, Iceland, Athens, Florence, Norway, England, Eire, France…the record goes on! So many potential unimaginable voyages (to not point out so many inland prospects like Germany or Northern Europe).
xo
Gina
*All the attire on this put up are from Nuuly! I’ve had hit or miss experiences with them, however the attire for this journey have been all nice
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