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 have a helpful little trick whenever you’re on board a Disney cruise: you might have the choice to guide a placeholder for a future cruise at a slight low cost. This approach, whenever you get off the ship, it’s barely much less miserable as a result of you recognize 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 are able to’t await our subsequent Disney cruise.
This was Disney cruise #4 (we’ve achieved Alaska, Bahamas, and Mexico), and it was our favourite one. It was a mixture of the locations plus the bigger ship, which was a literal Dream.
(We additionally received to get pleasure from Rome on both aspect of our cruise! You can examine our Rome adventures right here.)
7-night Disney Dream European cruise
We arrived on the Civitavecchia port through a non-public automobile that the lodge booked fo us, and it was the quickest and most seamless boarding expertise. By 1:30pm, we had been on the pool, watching the kiddos swim and consuming cocktails with mates. (A professional tip from certainly one of our good mates: pack your swim gear in a tote bag and examine every part else. Your room received’t be prepared but, so you’ll be able to head straight to the pool. It’s the least busy will probably be for your entire journey and after a few hours, your room can be prepared with all your baggage ready for you exterior 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 occasion 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 can decide out of your extra formal eating to have a fast chunk or room service as an alternative, however it doesn’t matter what, your desk can be ready for you. You even have the identical server and assistant server every night time. We had the early seating, and dined at all the main eating places. The menus had been all similar to earlier cruises and was the beautifully-plated Disney fare we love. 🙂
You can even order no matter you need. You can choose from their 4-course menu, or in case you’d like, order two appetizers, two entrees, and so forth. In a Disney Cruise Facebook 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 residence nation. They mentioned they’ve had the very best Indian meals and curries of their lives this manner, 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 interested by making an attempt it.
Our favourite is Animator’s Palate, which they’ve on all the ships we’ve seen (Dream, Wonder, and Magic). You draw an individual in your placemat, and throughout the meal, they’ve a *present* through 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.
On this explicit cruise, we stopped in 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.
Excursion 1: Positano, Sorrento, and Pompeii
This was a few 10-hour tour, which was positively a protracted one for the kiddos, however so value it. Also, within the center, we had been handled to an epic 4-course meal with wine pairings, overlooking the ocean.
Positano
Positano is certainly one of my favourite locations in your entire world, so after all, I couldn’t wait to indicate the women. I solely want that we had extra time there! We had the possibility to get a chocolate croissant and low, put our ft within the ocean (it was so heat and beautiful), and perform a little little bit of purchasing. (Highly advocate Luisa Positano! Liv and I every received attire from there and so they’re so attractive and distinctive.) It was most likely a great factor that we had been on restricted time, as a result of I needed to purchase every part. 😉
Sorrento
After Positano, we had been again on the bus for an extended cease in Sorrento. It was my first time in Sorrento and whereas it had the Positano really feel, it was a bit extra bustling, particularly on the principle avenue. We shopped and walked round, grabbed a gelato, after which met with our tour group for an Italian meal that I’ll always remember.
This is the place we had the well-known zucchini pasta, together with rooster, salad, bread, and a chocolate hazelnut mousse dessert.
The meal was paired with glowing wine, white wine, crimson wine, and a dessert wine. Pretty a lot everybody in our tour group snoozed for your entire trip to Pompeii.
Pompeii
Pompeii was SO cool. It was fascinating to see such a well-preserved historical metropolis, along with the assorted features of life in Pompeii, just like the bakery, bathhouses, and so forth. By this level, the youngsters had been fairly drained, however they rallied! We discovered loads throughout the guided tour, and from right here, it was solely 45 minutes again to the cruise ship.
Excursion 2: Super Paradise Beach Day in Mykonos
This was our favourite tour. Super Paradise Beach is a non-public seashore membership, with stress-free loungers, umbrellas, a full menu, and a peaceable seashore with vibrant, turquoise waters. It’s additionally partially blocked from the extreme winds that may have an effect on Mykonos.
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 fun and I’ll let you know when we need to get ready to leave.” 
We ended up being there for about 3 hours, which was the proper period of time. We all swam, the women 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 certain our Greek mates would disown us if we ate a turkey sandwich of their homeland.
Before we left, they gave us a listing of every part to order whereas we had been in Greece. The Pilot wrote down every part phonetically so we’d be capable of pronounce it, like, “Gotta lotta booty yo.” I feel we made them proud; we tried nearly every part they advised between our time in Mykonos and Chania. The meals was out of this world unimaginable. So recent, vibrant, and scrumptious. I extremely, extremely advocate the pastitsio, which is sort of a spaghetti lasagna with tacky foam on prime.
(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 the place you’ll be able to see the well-known white buildings with the blue domes in Oia, but it surely was so sizzling, and the youngsters had been melting. It’s type of an uncommon port, too. You take a smaller tender boat to the bottom of the port, the place you are taking a cable automobile up the steep hill to the city of Fira (numerous purchasing and eating places). You can even stroll up stairs to the highest, however there are 400+, which is probably not real looking for young children or these with mobility difficulties. Our plan was to take the cable automobile UP, however stroll down the steps on the finish of the day.
The cable automobile line tends to be extraordinarily lengthy, with out a lot shade. The line was simply 200+ after we received there and transferring very slowly. The ladies had been sporting their neck followers and we had been continually pouring water on them, and so they had been too sizzling, so we ended up heading again.
If 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 should cope with the cable automobile line. Or carry numerous 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 it’s brewed in-house, or in a can, it’s actually one thing particular. Many flavors are infused with lemongrass, ginger, or fruit, like cherry, and frivolously candy and refreshing. Who knew I’d dream about Greece iced tea without end 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 ultimate. We adopted a tour information group into Old Town, which was lined with small retailers, kiosks, eating places, and a stunning view of the bay.
We purchased souvenirs and jewellery, and had one other legendary lunch + extra of the very best concept tea.
(The sardines had 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 – Beauty and the Beast was phenomenal – motion pictures, character greetings, Bingo, fitness center, child’s membership, swimming, infinite ice cream cones and Mickey bars, whiskey tastings, and all the fantastic eating places.
The better part was that we traveled with mates. The ladies had built-in buddies, and so did the adults 😉 It positively makes the expertise much more enjoyable!
Disney actually goes above and past in the case of visitor expertise, cleanliness, and meals high quality. If you guys have any questions concerning the Disney cruise expertise, please let me know!
(the very best cruise ship magnets are on Etsy!)
So, inform me, mates: are you a cruise fan or not-so-much? Have you achieved a Disney cruise??
Trying to determine which one we should always do subsequent!!
xo
Gina
*All of the attire on this put up are from Nuuly! I’ve had hit or miss experiences with them, however the attire for this journey had been all nice