Sharing a review of Disney Cruise Line #1! The Disney Fantasy flies to Nassau and Lookout Cay. Check out all of my top Disney cruise tips in this post.
Hi friends! Happy Monday! Are you OK? I hope your week is off to a great start. The kids are on spring break (god willing) and in addition to pool time with friends we are looking forward to planting all the things – the weather is perfect. We want to go on a big trip, but P says she’s “out on a trip” (does such a thing exist?!), but after giving her a few days to cool off, we might go to Santiago for a night or two.
Today I wanted to share a review of our latest Disney cruise. Lucky #7, it’s awesome. I never thought I would become a “cruise person” but here we are. I like it. This is a great opportunity to travel around the world with your kids without having to lug your luggage to multiple hotels. You have the same center every night, with entertainment, food and lovely accommodation on board. Disney Cruise Lines are a big reason we took our kids to such magical places since they were little, including Italy, France, Greece, the Bahamas, Mexico, and Alaska, as well as the Disney islands of Castaway Island and Lookout Island.
This cruise is short and the perfect length to sneak in for a break from their rodeo.
Disney Fantasy Cruise Nassau and Lookout Island
Embarkation date:
We departed from Port Canaveral and it was a very easy flight. We arrived at the port early so we got on the boat and immediately went to the pool for a buffet lunch and a swim. The pool wasn’t busy during this time so the kids were able to play on the water slides a lot while we enjoyed our drinks of the day. 😉
We had a muster drill, a sail party, and then enjoyed exploring the ship until dinner.
To be honest, dinner the first night… was terrible. Usually the meals are good, but one meal is almost inedible. I ordered the duck which was already a strange choice, like the duck was boiled in water. This made me a little worried for the rest of the voyage, but the meals for the rest of the trip were up to the usual standard. (Also thankfully, they offer room service and fast food options on the pool deck. We had some late night fries and burgers that night.)
The first night’s performance was Aladdinthe pilot and P abandon this and play the detective game instead. Liv and I love this show. Elves are hilarious.
Nassau:
The next day in Nassau we planned a trip to Atlantis. Last time we were in the Bahamas we went to Atlantis and the kids loved it. This is a gorgeous hotel with lots to do: tons of slides, the best lazy river, pools, beaches, bays and more. It’s easy to spend a whole day there.
It’s also worth mentioning that Atlantis has seriously stepped up their food game! I got a great girlfriend bowl with rice, grilled salmon and some yucca chips.
I also bought a glass of pineapple rum on the beach and magically refilled it a few times. 😉
Tonight’s program is freezing This is the best cast I’ve ever seen. I think all parents groan a little inside when they hear “let go” for the billionth time, but Elsa’s version gave me chills all over. I almost cried. It’s so good.
The girls enjoyed the show so much that they went to see the late night show again. The pilot and I had dinner by ourselves, which was weird, but good.
Lookout Island:
This was our first time visiting Disney’s newest island: Lookout Cay. To protect the coral reef, they have a bridge leading to the island. After a short walk (about 7-10 minutes) you will see beautiful views.
The water is pristine: crystal clear, bright blue, and the beaches have soft pink sand. There are lots of activities on the island, including kids clubs, character interactions, shows, etc., but we just spent the day in the water, had a buffet lunch, and snorkeled.
(I forgot my Rx vent mask but brought these Rx goggles which makes me a funny mom but can still see)
Day at sea:
Our last day was at sea, and I love a day at sea. We usually sleep in and have breakfast,
Go to the gym, bingo, the kids might hang out at the pool or go to the kids club which is really cute and low key. Their cruise was like 13 nights at sea and we needed to do it! Everything you need is on board.
It was also Pirates Night, with a fun pirate show and fireworks on the pool deck.
Liv and the pilot skipped this, but P and I had a great time.
Eat gluten-free on a Disney cruise:
Disney is incredible when it comes to food allergies. I’ve always been very aware that P and I are not allergic, but they treat sensitivities as allergies (very serious ones). Everything is prepared in a separate kitchen for food allergies and the key is if you know you want something special you can order it the night before from the waiter in the main restaurant.
Almost everything can be made gluten-free, including the famous Mickey Churro Waffles.
Last time we were on the Dream, they were okay, but this time, they were great. Hot, soft, fresh and amazing. They also serve hot gluten-free rolls every night with dinner.
Disney Cruise Line Outfits:
For cruises, I usually bring something comfortable during the day, especially since I’ll likely be exercising. So I wear lululemon and a Disney hoodie or pullover on the boat. In the evening, I’ll change into a dress and a light jacket for dinner, or a dress with sleeves, because it’s always a little chilly at night.
Farm Rio dress/Flabelus flats
RTR farm Rio jumpsuit/same style
Farm Rio dress/same style flat shoes
My favorite suit/link
I also brought this outfit and wore it with denim shorts on Atlantis Day. This is my favorite “mom suit”—comfortable, flattering, and covers my bum while I slide and build sandcastles with the crew.
For short trips I change it up depending on where we are going, but if it’s a beach day I’ll wear a suit with denim shorts and a cover-up, or if it’s not swimming or beach related I’ll wear a dress or a set of sneakers (like Vejas or Sambas).
Is a Disney Cruise Worth Going?
This post is not sponsored or gifted in any way (I wish haha), but if you are considering a Disney cruise with your family, I highly recommend it. Even if you’re not a *Disney person*, they really go above and beyond with entertainment, hospitality, ports of call, and cleanliness. I will say that I think the quality of food in the main restaurant has declined over the past few years. It was definitely not as good as our previous few cruises.
We haven’t tried other cruise lines because we are happy with Disney. As the kids get older, we’ll probably explore some other options – I’ve heard great things about the royal family – but we’ll definitely stick with Disney as well.
They released this ad last week, which really struck a chord with me, but it’s a good one:
So tell me, friends: have you been on a Disney Cruise? What do you think?
Do you have any recommendations for cruise lines suitable for older children?
XOXO
Gina
More:
Disney Miracle Baja Cruise
Disney’s Magical Bahamas and Castaway Island
Disney Spectacular Alaska Cruise
Disney Dream Italian and Greek Mediterranean Cruises
Disney Wish Castaway Island and Bahamas Cruise
Disney Fantasy Spain, Italy and France Review
