Disney Cruise - It's a must!

In 2008 and 2010 we booked a 3 day trip on the Disney Cruise. This 3-day cruise set sail from Port Canaveral in Florida to Nassau in the Bahamas. We stayed in the Bahamas for a day then back to the ship on the evening to make our way to Disney's very own private island, Castaway Cay. The two below photos are what we saw when we woke up after the first night sailing. This was docking in Nassau, Bahamas.

Once we passed through passport control in the Bahamas we got a short boat ride across to Paradise Island where the Atlantis hotel is located. You can see this in the above photo. The ride was very choppy and we were packed onto the small boat like sardines, but we were in the Bahamas so who cares? Once we got across onto Paradise Island we weren't sure where to go so we basically followed most of the other people. We ended walking through a marina which housed some amazing boats. Some of them must have cost millions. We walked through the Atlantis hotel, it has high end shops, a huge casino and a massive aquarium in the middle of a restaurant. It was amazing. We walked outside the hotel to find little streams running all around it, they had sharks in the streams! They were only small and I could easily have taken one if it had gotten lippy but still, sharks! 

We stayed on the beach and swam in the crystal clear sea and baked in the hot sun. On the beach, you could hire jet skis and also go parasailing. The whole thing was spectacular. It was an experience I'll never forget. Once back on the ship, we set sail overnight to Disney's private Island Castaway Cay.

Another amazing place, there's a large beach with lots to do which is great for families. A bit further on there is a "quiet beach" mainly for adults who just want to sit in relative peace away from all the excitable kids. You can hire bicycles to ride around the island and see the sites. At lunch time they serve a huge BBQ with everything you can think of. I had a full belly that day! The water was amazing, just like Nassau it was crystal clear. The second Disney cruise we did in 2010 was classed as mine and Kerry's honeymoon and is a time I will never forget. You truly are in paradise in places like these. as you get off the ship you see the actual ship they used in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies!!

The Disney cruise ship itself is gigantic, there is a photo below I took to try and give you an impression of the sheer size of, but I don't think it does it justice.

Upon leaving Port Canaveral there is a set sail party on the main deck. Mickey, Pluto and several other characters make an appearance and there is lots of dancing and music. 

There are 3 pools on board, one for toddlers one for families and one just for adults in a quieter area. they also serve food throughout the day on the deck, you can get pizza, burgers, hot dogs and salads at any point through the day. Oh my god, amazing! It has 3 restaurants which you are planned in to eat at each evening, of course, you don't have to eat at these if you just want to eat burgers etc on the deck. the most amazing restaurant is called Animators palette, the room is decorated in black and white with the usual Disney pictures around the room. The waiters are dressed in black and white, and throughout your meal the room starts to gradually fill with colour. After your dessert, the room is now in full colour and the waiters are now dressed in bright coloured waistcoats. They have a cinema on board and also a theatre. we went to watch Hercules and it was great. Just like the parks, everything is thought of. There are 3 bars you can drink at, one has sports playing and is great to relax in. Another bar is a 1950's themed bar which has live piano and vocalists each night. We didn't spend a lot of time in here but this will definitely be on my radar the next time we board the Disney Cruise ship. The last bar is aimed at families with plenty of entertainment throughout the night. The last evening has a large buffet on the main deck with tonnes of food and even more desserts! Then they have a big celebration, Disney is the only ship in the world that is allowed to have fireworks. 

The 3 days go very fast and it would be amazing to spend more time on the ship next time, there is so much to take in and it is an experience that you will never forget. The staff were all very friendly and they all said hello, the only downside would be that on the morning you leave the ship the staff seem a lot less happy to see you which makes it obvious that all the happiness is clearly put on. But again, you've been to the Bahamas on a trip you will never ever forget so who cares. 

The Disney Cruise must be something you think about doing if you are planning a trip to Florida. You will never forget it. There is an even bigger cruise ship that sails to the Bahamas now than the one we have been on. I can't wait to see what it's like!

Thanks for reading

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