If you are looking to start your Christmas season early, board any Disney ship for one of their “Very Merrytime” sailings. The ship is decked out in Christmas decor, holiday music is playing throughout the ship, and the cast members created the best-smelling Gingerbread house you’ve ever seen in the main lobby. The characters are in holiday costumes and even Santa makes a special visit. These sailings start in November and go until Christmas.
I recently sailed on the Disney Dream in mid-November for their 4-night sailing departing from Ft Lauderdale. Usually the hustle and bustle of Christmas prep is overwhelming but after this cruise I was ready to start shopping for presents and decorating my house. This sailing stopped in Nassau and Disney’s newest island, Lookout Cay, in Eleuthera.
This was my third time sailing the Dream so I was very familiar with the ship. The Dream is the second class of ships and started sailing in 2010. Its sister ship, Fantasy, has a very similar layout. We initially booked an Oceanview stateroom but the first evening onboard the seas were a bit rough which is typical when you are crossing the Strait of Florida. Guest services moved us to a balcony room for an upcharge which was better. I’m not sure why I ever thought I could handle a room without a balcony. I love the ocean breeze and the little bit of motion sickness I have is vastly improved when I can step out on the veranda and see the waves.
This was my first time dining at Palo, Disney’s signature adults-only restaurant, and I will plan a meal here on every cruise. Service was spectacular and expect dinner to last around 2 hours. The cuisine is Northern Italian and everything we ate was wonderful.
Lighthouse Point is Disney’s 2nd private island located in Eleuthera, Bahamas. Their other island, Castaway Cay is positioned more north so when traveling during the winter, try and book a cruise that stops at Lighthouse Point. If you’ve ever been to Turks and Caicos, which isn’t too far away, you will recognize the landscape. Turks is one of my favorite islands because of the gorgeous beaches and crystal-clear water so Lighthouse Point is exactly like that.
Lighthouse Point has port adventures you can book in advance or you can just hang out on the beaches, which is what I normally do. They serve a beach BBQ lunch, have several bars, and soft serve machines available for your sweet tooth. Active guests can walk to the Lighthouse and back and soon Disney will introduce the 5K that you can walk or run and receive a completion medal. I’ve done this on Castaway Cay and it’s fun, especially if you are a RunDisney fanatic like I am.
Back on the ship, you can be as active or inactive as you like. I love watching movies on the Funnel Vision screen on the pool deck or inside one of the theaters. Check the app as there’s always something going on. At night I love a good trivia game before dinner. On past cruises I’ve participated in Animation Academy where you learn to draw a Disney character.
One night of each Disney sailing is Pirate Night. Dinner is themed to Caribbean food, there’s a pirate party on deck with games and a show, and it’s usually the night for fireworks! Disney will give each guest a bandana but feel free to bring more props and clothing from home. Just remember to keep your props safe (no real weapons, etc).
One of my favorite parts of a Disney cruise is being able to order Mickey bars from room service at anytime! Room service included in your cruise cost but it’s a good idea to tip the attendant a few bucks each time you order something. Typically I will order Mickey Bars in the afternoon before getting ready for dinner since I usually have the late seating. Fruit and cheese plate is also a good option for a snack and don’t forget about their chicken fingers.
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