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 useful little trick while you’re on board a Disney cruise line ship: you may have the choice to ebook 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 already know you’ll be on one other one quickly. We received 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 completed Alaska, Bahamas/Caribbean, and Mexico), first one in Europe, and it was our favourite one (thus far! – this was written earlier than our latest Disney cruise from Barcelona). It was a mix of the locations plus the bigger ship, which was a literal Dream stuffed with Disney magic.

(We additionally received 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 non-public automobile that the resort 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 certainly one of our good associates: pack your swim gear in a tote bag and verify every little thing 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 the whole journey and after a few hours, your room will likely 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 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 may 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 will likely 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 had been all similar to earlier cruises and was the beautifully-plated Disney fare we love. 🙂

You can too order no matter you need. You may decide from their 4-course menu, or when you’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 house nation. They stated they’ve had the most effective 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 all the ships we’ve seen (Dream, Surprise, 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 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 dwelling our greatest cruise lives on the ship.

Tour 1: Positano, Sorrento, and Pompeii

This was a couple of 10-hour tour, which was positively an extended 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 top-of-the-line port adventures.

Positano

Positano is certainly one of my favourite locations in the whole world, so after all, I couldn’t wait to indicate the women. 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 do some little bit of procuring. (Extremely suggest Luisa Positano! Liv and I every received clothes from there they usually’re so beautiful and distinctive.) It was in all probability a very good factor that we had been on restricted time, as a result of I wished to purchase every little 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 certainly one of Italy’s stunning historic cities, and whereas it had the Positano really feel, it was a bit extra bustling, particularly on the primary 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 complete 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, crimson wine, and a dessert wine. Just about everybody in our tour group snoozed for the whole experience to Pompeii.

Pompeii

Pompeii was SO cool. It was fascinating to see such a well-preserved historical metropolis, along with the varied features of life in Pompeii, just like the bakery, bathhouses, and so on. By this level, the youngsters had been fairly drained, however they rallied! We discovered 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 Seashore Day in Mykonos

This was our favourite tour, one of many highlights of the journeys.. Tremendous Paradise Seashore is a non-public seaside membership, with enjoyable loungers, umbrellas, a full menu, and a peaceable seaside with vivid, turquoise waters. It’s additionally partially blocked from the extraordinary 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 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 seaside tour, the information was like, “Eh. Have enjoyable and I’ll let you already know when we have to prepare to depart.”

We ended up being there for about 3 hours, which was the proper 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 positive 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 little thing to order whereas we had been in Greece. The Pilot wrote down every little thing phonetically so we’d have the ability to pronounce it, like, “Gotta lotta booty yo.” I feel we made them proud; we tried virtually every little thing they recommended between our time in Mykonos and Chania. The meals was out of this world unimaginable. 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 possibly can see the well-known white buildings with the blue domes in Oia, however it was so scorching, and the youngsters had 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 automobile up the steep hill to the city of Fira (plenty of procuring and eating places). You can too stroll up stairs to the highest, however there are 400+, which is probably not practical 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 received there and shifting very slowly. The ladies had been carrying their neck fans and we had been continually pouring water on them, they usually had been too scorching, so we ended up heading again.  We’ll should 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 should cope with the cable automobile line. Or deliver 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 publish, 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 frivolously 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 supreme. We adopted a tour information group into Previous City, which was lined with small outlets, kiosks, eating places, and a beautiful view of the bay.

We purchased souvenirs and jewellery, and had one other legendary lunch + extra of the most effective thought 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 stay exhibits – Magnificence and the Beast was phenomenal – films, character greetings, Bingo, health club, child’s membership, swimming, infinite ice cream cones and Mickey bars, whiskey tastings, and all the fantastic eating places.

The very best half was that we traveled with associates. 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 happen to guys have any questions in regards to the Disney cruise expertise, please let me know! I’ve received tons of different nice suggestions like a hassle-free debarkation (departure) to make your Disney fantasy come to life on the excessive seas.

(the most effective cruise ship magnets are on Etsy!)

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

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

xo

Gina

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