7-night Disney Dream Italy and Greece Mediterranean cruise

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 while you’re on board a Disney cruise line ship: you’ve got the choice to e book a placeholder for a future cruise at a slight low cost. This fashion, while 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 obtained off the Disney Dream in Rome just a few weeks in the past, and already, we will’t await our subsequent Disney cruise.

This was Disney cruise #4 (we’ve performed Alaska, Bahamas/Caribbean, and Mexico), first one in Europe, and it was our favourite one (to date! – this was written earlier than our current Disney cruise from Barcelona). It was a mixture of the locations plus the bigger ship, which was a literal Dream stuffed with Disney magic.

(We additionally obtained to take pleasure in Rome on both facet 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 non-public automotive that the lodge booked for 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 ingesting cocktails with associates. (A professional tip from one in every of our good associates: pack your swim gear in a tote bag and test every thing else. Your room gained’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 shall be prepared with your entire 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 obtained 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 possibly can choose out of your extra formal eating to have a fast chew or room service as a substitute, however it doesn’t matter what, your desk shall be ready for you. You even have the identical server and assistant server every night time. We had the early seating, and dined at the entire main eating places. The menus had 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 possibly can decide from their 4-course menu, or in the event you’d like, order two appetizers, two entrees, and many others. 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 residence nation. They stated they’ve had one of the best Indian meals and curries of their lives this manner, together with naan and rice. We haven’t tried this but – I really feel unhealthy that we’d be inconveniencing them – however I’ve been inquisitive about making an attempt it.

Our favourite is Animator’s Palate, which they’ve on the entire ships we’ve seen (Dream, Surprise, and Magic). You draw an individual in your placemat, and throughout the meal, they’ve a *present* wherein 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 superb 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 dwelling our greatest cruise lives on the ship.

Tour 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. Additionally, within the center, we had been handled to an epic 4-course meal with wine pairings, overlooking the ocean. It was among the finest port adventures.

Positano

Positano is one in every of my favourite locations in your entire world, so in fact, I couldn’t wait to point out the women. I solely want that we had extra time there! We had the prospect to get a chocolate croissant and low, put our toes within the ocean (it was so heat and beautiful), and perform a little little bit of purchasing. (Extremely suggest Luisa Positano! Liv and I every obtained attire from there they usually’re so attractive and distinctive.) It was in all probability a superb factor that we had been on restricted time, as a result of I needed to purchase every thing. 😉

Sorrento

After Positano, we had 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 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. The entire household liked it.

That 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, 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 points of life in Pompeii, just like the bakery, bathhouses, and many others. By this level, the youngsters had been fairly drained, however they rallied! We realized rather a lot 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 non-public seashore membership, with enjoyable loungers, umbrellas, a full menu, and a peaceable seashore with brilliant, turquoise waters. It’s additionally partially blocked from the extreme winds that may have an effect on Mykonos. If you happen to’re on this or one other one of many Greek isles cruises, it’s definitely 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 women performed within the sand and waves, and we proceeded to order half of the issues on the menu.

(My fave Vuori suit)

A sandwich was included with our tour, however I’m petty certain our Greek associates 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 had been in Greece. The Pilot wrote down every thing phonetically so we’d be capable of pronounce it, like, “Gotta lotta booty yo.” I feel 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 unbelievable. So recent, vibrant, and scrumptious. I extremely, extremely suggest 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’ll be able to see the well-known white buildings with the blue domes in Oia, however it was so sizzling, and the youngsters had been melting. It’s form of an uncommon port, too. You’re taking a smaller tender boat to the bottom of the port, the place you are taking a cable automotive up the steep hill to the city of Fira (numerous purchasing and eating places). You may as well stroll up stairs to the highest, however there are 400+, which might not be real looking 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 obtained there and transferring very slowly. The women had been sporting their neck fans and we had been consistently pouring water on them, they usually had 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.

If you happen to’re stopping in Santorini in mid-June or July, I’d suggest reserving an tour with motor coach switch so that you don’t need to take care of the cable automotive line. Or convey 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 submit, 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 endlessly 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 excellent. We adopted a tour information group into Previous City, 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 one of the best concept tea.

(The sardines had been SO zesty and flavorful)

Disney Cruise Dream eating and actions

On the ship, we loved the entire regular Disney cruise choices: the dwell exhibits – Magnificence and the Beast was phenomenal – motion pictures, character greetings, Bingo, health club, child’s membership, swimming, countless ice cream cones and Mickey bars, whiskey tastings, and the entire great eating places.

The perfect half was that we traveled with associates. The women had built-in buddies, and so did the adults 😉 It positively makes the expertise much more enjoyable!

Disney actually goes above and past in relation to visitor expertise, cleanliness, and meals high quality. If you happen to guys have any questions concerning the Disney cruise expertise, please let me know! I’ve obtained tons of different nice ideas like a hassle-free debarkation (departure) to make your Disney fantasy come to life on the excessive seas.

(one of the best cruise ship magnets are on Etsy!)

So, inform me, associates: are you a cruise fan or not-so-much? Have you ever performed a Disney cruise??

Attempting to determine which one we must always do subsequent!! We’d nonetheless like to see Spain, Iceland, Athens, Florence, Norway, England, Eire, France…the listing goes on! So many potential unbelievable voyages (to not point out so many inland potentialities like Germany or Northern Europe).

xo

Gina

*All the attire on this submit are from Nuuly! I’ve had hit or miss experiences with them, however the attire for this journey had been all nice