Cruising is BACK and this cruising queen is so happy! I got to sail on the Disney Dream on August 27th, 2021 and it was everything and so much more! Prior to Covid, I was a big cruiser. It’s one of my favorite ways to travel and love the atmosphere, vibe, and everything cruise ships have to offer! To be honest, I was hesitant to book the cruise- I thought there were a lot of hoops to jump through in order to actually get to sail, but then I realized it really wasn’t so bad and because it was new to me and one of the first sailings since cruising restarted. This is where a great and experienced travel agent (like myself hehe) comes in! Now that I have experienced it, I am so confident in being able to walk all of my clients through the protocols and safety measures that are in place! It’s so worth it to be able to cruise again and I can confidently say that Disney is doing a great job with their return to sailing!

The Disney Dream has returned to sailing with 3- and 4-night itineraries out of Port Canaveral, Florida. For all sailings on the Disney Dream, Guests 12 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated and take a COVID-19 test upon embarkation. Guests 11 years old and under are not required to be vaccinated but must take a pre-trip rapid PCR test or lab-based PCR test for COVID-19, as well as a rapid COVID-19 test upon embarkation.

Vaccination Protocols

Once you are booked, Guests 12 years of age and older must be vaccinated and upload their proof of vaccination to the Safe Passage website. Guests 11 years of age and under must upload proof of a negative pre-trip PCR test. The test must be a rapid PCR test or lab based PCR test. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted. All guests regardless of age and vaccination status are required to take a covid test (paid for by Disney Cruise Line) at the terminal before boarding. It sounds like a lot of work, but it is so easy!

Once Booked

Prior to sailing, you will upload your children (ages 11 and under) negative covid test results prior to sailing on the Safe Passage website. Once you have been cleared, you will head to the terminal! If your status is still pending on Safe Passage, you can still head to the terminal as long as you have the negative covid tests. Be sure to bring all physical documentation in order to board the ship.

Online Check-In

Once you are booked, you can begin to check in online beginning 30 days before you set sail. You will fill out important cruise documents and will be able to schedule your arrival time in advance. Disney is being very strict with these arrival times and you will only be able to enter the terminal or parking area during your scheduled arrival time in order to help with physical distancing.

Download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App

The Disney Cruise app is going to be your place to see and learn about everything! There are no paper schedules left in your stateroom anymore. Everything is done on the app. You will need to be in Airplane Mode and on the DCL ship wifi in order to access the app. However, you won’t have to purchase a wifi package in order to use the app. The app is great because it offers ways to aid in physical distancing through new and improved features including:

Guest Services Live Chat: Speak directly to a Guest Services crew member (I even chatted them to confirm which side of the ship was starboard side LOL) You do have the option to meet with them in person, but you can schedule an appointment to meet with them through your Navigator app. Appointments are required and are subject to availability. You can also use your stateroom phone to call them at any time.

Virtual Queue: This was how you were assigned a time on when to debark the ship at all ports of call and it was awesome!

Details: You can find digital menus for each of the restaurants that you’re eating in, your nightly restaurant assignment, activity schedules, venue locations and descriptions, and more

Ship Locations: Find a layout of the ship so that way you can find everything that you’re looking for

Port Canaveral Terminal Arrival

Once you arrive at the terminal, there are 2 designations for testing. If you are driving, you will drop off your luggage to the porters and head into the parking garage. There are different checkpoints that you will stop at along the way. Your covid testing will take place in your car and you will be required to wait in your car until you receive a notification of your results. We drove to the port and our covid results took about 45 minutes to receive. We waited in our car until we received an e-mail stating we were clear to board the ship. It was the longest 45 minutes of my life (but totally worth it lol!)

If you are arriving by airport shuttle or another shuttle, you will be dropped off at the air-conditioned tents. You will also go through the same procedures and through different stations in order to take your covid test. You will enter an area where you will also wait for your results until you are cleared to board.

Once onboard, face coverings are required for all guests (ages 2 and up including those who are fully vaccinated against covid) in all indoor locations except when in their staterooms or actively eating, drinking, or taking a photo (while stationary)

One of the best parts now that cruising is back, is the reduced guest capacity and physical distancing. Guest capacity in the terminal and on board the ships is SO low and it was so nice sailing with so few people on board.

On the Ship

There is SO much to see and do on a Disney cruise! There was endless entertainment and even with safety measures and specific protocols in place, I never felt like it was a bad experience. We still got to experience the Broadway-style show (Beauty and the Beast), fireworks at sea, and met/saw so many characters!

Entertainment

Broadway-Style Shows

3 and 4-night sailings have 1 Broadway-style live show with reduced capacity so it is performed multiple times through the sailing to allow everyone the chance to see the show. You MUST go early in order to get a seat. Families are seated 3/4 seats apart to allow for distancing. Each show is performed twice per night. Beauty and the Beast was our show on our cruise and it is totally worth seeing at least once during your sailing!

Buena Vista Theatre

Black Widow was the movie of choice that showed in the theater during our sailing! This theater has seating available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Deck Parties

Unfortunately, deck parties have been suspended at this time. It was a little weird as we left Port Canaveral and it was super quiet. Usually, everyone is listening to the band playing having a great time while the ship sails from Port Canaveral. We stood on deck waving to the people at the restaurants below, but it was weird not having a deck party!

Fireworks

Disney Ever After (Disney’s fireworks at sea show) is still part of almost every sailing. The fireworks show takes place twice on the night of Disney Ever After in order for everyone to physical distance. Your assigned time is based on your dinner time and is worked around that so you won’t miss it! You will see your time listed in your Navigator app. However, be sure to go early in order to get a spot! You’ll see blue dots on the ground that will show where you will stand. If you need help finding a spot, you will see a cast member showing you where to stand

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Makeovers are still available for all children ages 3 through 12. However, all children are still required to wear face masks during their makeover experience.

Adult Nightclubs & Lounges

Dan and I went to happy hour at the Pink: Champagne Bar, played trivia at Pub 687, listened to music at the District Lounge, and watched the Love and Marriage game show at Evolution. Each location closed due to capacity before each event started. Due to physical distancing, these locations filled up quickly and could only hold a limited number of guests each time because all tables were spaced out in order to hold everyone safe. Be sure to get to a table early! A crew member will be assigning you a spot to sit in order to seat everyone safely.

Character Experiences

Character Interactions

While you aren’t able to hug your favorite characters and get right up next to them, you can still see some of your favorite friends from a distance! You won’t be able to get autographs, but it’s still a special moment getting to spend time and interact with them. You can find designated times that characters will be on and off the ship in your Navigator app.

Surprise Appearances

My favorite was seeing Mickey and Minnie around 10 PM out in the main atrium! This was a total surprise and no one was even around! It was just Dan, me, Mickey and Minnie and was unlike any other time I had seen a character. With them popping up for a surprise like that, it was super special! On the last night of our sailing, they came through and sang/danced their way through our restaurant which was so fun and a wonderful way to end our cruise.

Photos with Characters

While you can’t get right up next to the characters, you can still get tons of great selfies and photos with them!

Dining on the Disney Dream

Ahh the best part of a cruise! The fun restaurants and meals to eat at every night! Each night that you visit your assigned dining room, you will have a specific staggered time to promote physical distancing. Guests will have the same table and service team for dinner and you will only dine with your family. Your dining time is listed on the Navigator app once you are on the ship as well as listed on your Key to the World card. While you are able to choose your first or second seating dining time when you book your cruise, your specific time will be staggered and assigned when you board. You’ll also note that tables are distanced between other families.

Menus

This wasn’t my favorite, but the restaurant menus are now digital menus. You can use the app (which is what we did) to pull up the menu or you can scan the QR code in order to get it to pull up. We had trouble with that and also felt it was a pain if you weren’t carrying your phone around (one of the luxuries being on a cruise and not having to worry about your phone). If you don’t have your phone, they do have paper menus, but try to use those only in extenuating circumstances.

Quick Service (Cabanas) Food and Drink Locations

I am a HUGE fan of their new health protocols in place! Let me tell you when I say I am NOT a fan of buffets, however, Cabanas on the Disney Dream was so good and I actually didn’t mind eating here haha! The first thing you do when you enter Cabanas is wash your hands at the handwashing station. This is something they should have implemented even prior to covid. You can still eat as much as you want, but crew members will serve YOU. Self-service stations are now served by crew members. You just tell them what you want and you don’t touch anything. It is SO clean.

Outdoor Recreation

Pools

Pools and waterslides are open. However, there is a reservation system/queue in place in order to promote physical distancing. If your children are in the pool, there are on a time rotation and can be in the water for a specific amount of time but then must get out to let the others get in line. Once they get out, they can get back in line to get back in. Waterslides also have a wait time listed as well as specific spots to stand in order to wait. Splash zones and whirlpools are also open but have limited capacity with those as well.

Activities

Ping Pong has been currently suspended

Basketball court access has been currently suspended. This area is now a sun deck for guests in order to physically distance more guests.

Youth Activities

In order to participate in youth activities, parents must register their children during their online check in process and then prior to sailing, reservice a specific session for their children to be in the club either online or in the Navigator app. You can book one session per day per child on a first-come, first-serve basis. This is a bit of a downfall right now because a lot of parents love to drop their children off in the clubs for long periods of time, but now it’s all on a timed session. Parents can no longer enter the youth clubs when dropping off and picking up children and only one parent or guardian can drop off or pick up their children at a time. Children are still required to weair their face coverings while participating in youth activities and inside their clubs. Once inside Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab, children are kept within the same group of 15 and with 1 Disney counselor. They will also have a bag that they will wear at all times in order to keep their belongings with them everywhere they go. The teen and tween clubs are open and no reservations are required. Unfortunately, the “its a small world” nursery is unavailable at this time.

Spa Services

All guests can book their treatments and spa services through the Navigator app, visiting the Senses Spa reception desk, or calling the Spa on their stateroom phone. Face coverings must be worn during all treatments. Currently, services include: massages, acupuncture, body therapies, manicures/pedicures, hairstyling, and the Rainforest Room

Fitness Center

If you plan to attend a fitness class, you must make a reservation on the Navigator app. Reservations are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Times for classes are also listed in the Navigator app. The fitness center is also cleaned nightly and in between sessions.

Housekeeping

Your stateroom will still be cleaned daily. You will have service once in the morning and then one in the evening.

Shopping

Guests can use their Key to the World card in order to make purchases on the ship. Your receipt is now digital and can be viewed on your Navigator app.

Port Adventures

You can book all port adventures online or through the Navigator app. If you need help booking, you will be able to use the live chat feature on the app to speak with a Port Adventures crew member. You can also make an appointment to speak to one of them at the port adventures desk as well. All adventures have reduced capacity. They also only include Disney Cruise Lines guests and do not mix with other cruise lines. Be sure to book early since these will fill up quickly due to reduced capacity!

Castaway Cay

Like I mentioned earlier, you will need to join a virtual queue in order to debark the ship via the Navigator app. It’s super easy to do and the time is listed for when you are able to join the virtual queue each day.

Face coverings are not required outdoor, but you will must wear one if you are on using transportation like the trams on the island, inside any merchandise location, or in the dining pavilions.

You will still see tons of characters around the island and can get physically distanced selfies and photos with them as well.

Beach chairs and umbrellas have been safely placed so that way you are physically distanced from other families

Scuttle’s Cove is still open for children and does not require advance reservations.

5K Race

I know this is super popular to do and while the actual 5K group race has been suspended, you can still run the race on your own. You will see signage showing you where to go if you decide to run the race and you will still receive a finishing medal once you complete it.

Overall Review

While there is so much that has changed since cruising has begun again, there is so much that is positive! Disney is doing everything they can to make cruising safe and fun again. Looking to plan a Disney cruise in the future? I promise it will still be totally worth it!! I’d love to help you plan! Contact me for more information!

Love and Travel Dust,

Molly