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 once you’re on board a Disney cruise line ship: you will have the choice to e book 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’ll be on one other one quickly. We obtained off the Disney Dream in Rome a couple of weeks in the past, and already, we will’t look forward to our subsequent Disney cruise.

This was Disney cruise #4 (we’ve accomplished Alaska, Bahamas/Caribbean, and Mexico), first one in Europe, and it was our favourite one (to this point! – 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 aspect of our cruise! You can read about our Rome adventures here.)

7-night Disney Dream European cruise

We arrived on the Civitavecchia port by way of a personal automobile that the resort 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 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 possibly can 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 your whole 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 get together 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 may choose 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 the entire 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 may decide from their 4-course menu, or in case 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 dwelling nation. They stated they’ve had the perfect 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 inquisitive about attempting it.

Our favourite is Animator’s Palate, which they’ve on the entire ships we’ve seen (Dream, Marvel, 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 giant screens all through the restaurant, dancing to the music, and added to well-known Disney scenes and Disney characters.

On this specific 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 few 10-hour tour, which was positively an extended one for the kiddos, however so value 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 certainly one of my favourite locations in your entire world, so after all, 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 beautiful), and do some little bit of purchasing. (Extremely suggest Luisa Positano! Liv and I every obtained attire from there and so they’re so beautiful and distinctive.) It was most likely factor that we have been on restricted time, as a result of I wished to purchase every part. 😉

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 certainly one of Italy’s lovely historic cities, and whereas it had the Positano really feel, it was a bit extra bustling, particularly on the primary 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 complete household beloved 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 journey to Pompeii.

Pompeii

Pompeii was SO cool. It was fascinating to see such a well-preserved historic metropolis, along with the assorted facets of life in Pompeii, just like the bakery, bathhouses, and many others. By this level, the youngsters have been fairly drained, however they rallied! We realized loads 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 shiny, turquoise waters. It’s additionally partially blocked from the extraordinary winds that may have an effect on Mykonos. In case 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 when we have to prepare to go away.”

We ended up being there for about 3 hours, which was the proper 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.

(My fave Vuori suit)

A sandwich was included with our tour, however I’m petty positive our Greek mates would disown us if we ate a turkey sandwich of their homeland.

Earlier than we left, they gave us a listing of every part to order whereas we have been in Greece. The Pilot wrote down every part phonetically so we’d be capable of pronounce it, like, “Gotta lotta booty yo.” I believe we made them proud; we tried nearly every part they urged between our time in Mykonos and Chania. The meals was out of this world unimaginable. So contemporary, vibrant, and scrumptious. I extremely, extremely suggest 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 on my journey itineraries, the place you possibly can see the well-known white buildings with the blue domes in Oia, but it surely was so scorching, and the youngsters have been melting. It’s type 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 automobile up the steep hill to the city of Fira (plenty of purchasing and eating places). You may as well stroll up stairs to the highest, however there are 400+, which is probably not reasonable for babies 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 road was simply 200+ after we obtained there and transferring very slowly. The women have been carrying their neck fans and we have been continuously pouring water on them, and so they have been too scorching, so we ended up heading again.  We’ll should catch the pure wonders of this island on one other go to.

In case you’re stopping in Santorini in mid-June or July, I’d suggest reserving an tour with motor coach switch so that you don’t should cope with the cable automobile line. Or convey plenty 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 submit, however the iced tea in Greece is INSANE. Whether or not 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 flippantly candy and refreshing. Who knew I’d dream about Greece iced tea without end and ever??)

The proprietor additionally introduced us photographs 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 supreme. We adopted a tour information group into Previous City, which was lined with small outlets, kiosks, eating places, and a stunning 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 the entire regular Disney cruise choices: the stay exhibits – Magnificence and the Beast was phenomenal – motion pictures, character greetings, Bingo, gymnasium, child’s membership, swimming, limitless ice cream cones and Mickey bars, whiskey tastings, and the entire great eating places.

The very best half was that we traveled with mates. 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 on the subject of visitor expertise, cleanliness, and meals high quality. In case you guys have any questions in regards to 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.

(the perfect cruise ship magnets are on Etsy!)

So, inform me, mates: are you a cruise fan or not-so-much? Have you ever accomplished 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 listing goes on! So many potential unimaginable voyages (to not point out so many inland potentialities like Germany or Northern Europe).

xo

Gina

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