By: Brenda Tackett, a Marvelous Mouse Travels agent
One of the biggest misconceptions about Disney Cruise Line is that their cruises are just for kids. I just returned from a 3-night Halloween on the High Seas sailing aboard the Disney Dream, and I went with two other adults. No kids. And let me tell you, I would do it all over again and would recommend it to anyone of any age!
I’ll start by talking about the décor of the ship and our stateroom. I’ve heard it asked if the ship “throws up Disney”. The answer to that is no. The ship is absolutely gorgeous. Very classy décor with subtle Disney hints, like Mickey heads around the light next to the bed and in the blanket. Our Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah was very spacious, the bed was more comfortable than my bed at home, and having the split bath was perfect with having 3 adults in one room. I loved just sitting on our balcony in the morning and at night, looking out into the beautiful ocean. I heard zero noise from the hallway or from the cabins on either side of us.
The food everywhere was delicious. The three dinner restaurants, Enchanted Garden, Royal Palace, and Animator’s Palate, had food for the most mature palates. I had escargot, French onion soup, and chateaubriand, just to name a few of the options at dinner. You also have the option of making reservations at the adults-only restaurants Palo and Remy. We splurged on a brunch at Remy and were treated to a fine dining experience like no other. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention The Cove, a wonderful coffee shop by day, bar by night, over by the adults-only pool. Order yourself a specialty coffee with a Disney design or enjoy a delicious croissant or treat before hanging by the quiet pool.
Let’s move on to the entertainment. While there are characters all around the ship, you can avoid them if you want. We attended the show Beauty and the Beast on our first night. The singing, set, costumes, acting were all Broadway quality. The District is a section on Deck 4 aft that turns into an adults-only area offering multiple bars, lounges, and live music. In The District Lounge, we found a very talented violinist playing multiple different sets every evening. Pink: Wine & Champagne Bar was our favorite place to relax each night while listening to a beautiful pianist. Pub 687 offered televisions with all sporting events being played, nightly rounds of trivia with different themes, and you can enjoy Pub 687’s own exclusive red lager. Evolution goes from the family bingo area during the day to karaoke, comedy, and adult games at night. And then there’s Skyline, a lounge that offers virtual panoramic skyline views that magically change from Hong Kong to New York to London every 15 minutes. I have to admit that I was also very entertained by Disney Ever After fireworks show at sea and Mickey’s Mouse-Querade party!
We had the pleasure of docking at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, on our last day. While the main beach areas are expansive and we could have easily found a quiet spot there, we decided to take the tram to Serenity Bay. This is an adults-only area where you can relax on the beach, order a cocktail from one of the servers walking around, and eat at Cookies Too BBQ away from all of the kids. There’s a spot to rent bikes if you wanted to bike along any of the trails throughout the island. It was definitely a day to recharge our batteries.
As you can see, Disney cruises are not just for kids or even those that are still kids at heart. Do not let the word Disney in the ship name stop you from embarking on the best cruise I have ever been on. You will want to return time and time again!
Please reach out to Brenda, an agent with Marvelous Mouse Travels to plan your next vacation or you may contact Marvelous Mouse Travels.
