I've always thought I'd be a "cruise person." I'm not sure why, exactly, but there was something that
appealed to me about taking a vacation on a huge boat, something glamorous that made me think of the days of men in tuxedos and women in long gowns making their way across the Atlantic on old school steamships.
It took me a long time to convince my husband to give it a try. Whenever I brought up the idea of taking a cruise, he'd mutter under his breath (something that sounded suspiciously like "Titanic") and change the subject. I pressed him on it a few times, and he admitted that the idea of sleeping on a boat out in the middle of the ocean made him nervous. Some more muttering about pirates and shipwrecks, and I thought my chances of getting on a cruise ship were pretty slim, even though I had no intention of cruising in waters frequented by Somali pirates. Or Jack Sparrow.
Then we had the chance to live in Europe for a few years when his company him to work in France. Not only did I get to live out another lifelong dream, but I also had a new reason to bring up the idea of a cruise. We wanted to see as much of Europe as we could in the time we had (saving on airfare and jet lag from the US was a big incentive), so what could be better than a Mediterranean cruise? Two weeks on a ship, sailing from country to country, we'd see a ton. Finally, he was sold, although perhaps a bit reluctantly.
A few years later, when I brought up the idea of taking a 4-night cruise on the Disney Cruise Line, he
informed me that 4 nights was not nearly long enough. Our trip through the Mediterranean sold him - and me - on cruising. Not only did we visit Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Malta, but it was the most stress-free and at the same time adventurous vacation we've ever taken. Great food, great accommodations, and totally mobile! We rode on camels in front of the pyramids, explored the ruins of the Forum in Rome, and stood on the Acropolis in Athens. The best part was that it was a family vacation that still allowed for the adults to have alone time, because the kids wanted to spend most of their time in the super fun kid's club. Can you say grown-up dinners (a.k.a. meals that involve wine, do not include discussions of Spiderman, Elmo or bodily functions and take at least 2 hours to complete) every single night? Priceless.
I had the opportunity to take a trip on the Disney Cruise Line's® ship, the Wonder, on a short trip to the Bahamas, and I'm even more hooked than ever. These are ships that really cater to all types of cruisers, whether adults without children or families of all ages. The Disney ships do such an amazing job of entertaining the kids that you barely know they're on board (unless you frequent the Mickey pool). And don't get me started on their private island, Castaway Cay. I snorkeled, I fed stingrays, I swam in the turquoise water, I relaxed on the white sand beach. I sipped frozen rum beverages. And yes, I met up with Jack Sparrow. Best. Vacation. Ever.
When he heard my reports of this wondrous ship, my husband gave in again and agreed to a 4-night
Bahamian cruise on the beautiful Disney Dream. It was her Inaugural Year, and she was glorious. The
same impeccable Disney service, only on a much grander scale. The kids clubs were so amazing, we could barely coax our boys out of them – unless, of course, we were offering to take them on the AquaDuck, the impressive and one-of-a-kind water coaster that spans nearly the length of the ship and features a Plexiglass tube that takes you out over the edge of the ship.
But he’s right, 4 nights is hardly enough, so our next trip is going to have to be on the brand new sister ship to the Disney Dream, the Disney Fantasy, on one of her 7-night Caribbean voyages. I’m packing my bags already!
