FreightlinerFan

All of them were still free last week.  Chibang was the best

I definitely recommend  Iguana Mama!

We just got back from Amber Cove and toured Damajagua waterfalls with Iguana Mama.   It was a fantastic day led by Raul.  The walk out to the meeting point is a bit long, but not going on the big bus tour is worth it. Everyone involved took great care of the group..11 on our tour...  the falls were amazing, lunch was good,  and the rum and coke was worth going back for!   It would not hesitate to use them again and again.

This is disappointing to hear. we will be on the MG in September.  We were just on Disney for the first time last month, and really missed it.  I guess we are just old enough to actually hold paper and read it as opposed to needing everything on our phone.......

ship was very clean, i had no covid concerns.  the testing system is very efficient. 

My only gripe is that the buffet is totally self serve.  I was on ROYAL  back in January, and i appreciated them serving you in the buffet

My wife and I would be bored to tears on a Disney cruise longer than 3 nights.  We were just on the Dream, and had a great time,  but there is nothing to do in the evenings, other than a show(very good shows btw) and dinner..........

They have three shows on the three night trip.  

Golden Mickeys, Beauty and the Beast, and Dream.  All of them very good, but Beauty and the Beast was the best IMO>

"Glad you had a good trip.  We sail out in June.  We’re character interactions back to normal?  Supposedly April 18th was the date but was wondering if the dream is using those same dates.  We will have kiddos with us is why I’m asking.  Thanks!"

They had a lot of characters out.  you still had to stand three feet or so in front of them.

The Lows

1) The Pools.

     Three very small and shallow pools.  Blows my mind that a ship

     built to handle lots of kids, has two very little ones for them, and one small

      one for adults.

2) Lack of hot tubs.

     seriously, one hot tub in the main pool area?

      and it looks like an afterthought.

3)  After the show and dinner, there is nothing else to do...

      except maybe  one more round of disney trivia............

4) The food.....

     Dinner specifically.....  Few choices, small portion, little taste

     Sad really, because they have some great restaurants in the Parks.

      Quick service was good,, but that is junk food.

5) Whats with chairs  instead of loungers at the pool? 

6) self service at the buffet.

     I am not over the top on COVID protocalls,  but having everyone just dig in at       

     the buffet seems like a step backwards..........

The Highs........

1) The shows and entertainment.

     Hands down the best shows I have seen at sea.  Not even close

      BUT, you better like Disney movies........................

2) Embarkation was super easy. 

     Covid test took maybe 15 minutes, boarding time slot worked perfectly.

3) The crew was awesome.

     They seem truly happy and were all nice and helpful

4)The cabin.

    We had a basic inside room. very spacious, and well decorated.  

    I cannot say anything negative about it.

5)  The fireworks were cool.

6) The fastest and easiest disembarkation ever.

Well, I am back, and fresh off the Disney Dream.  Again, I am an avid cruiser who has finally given in to my curiosity and given the MOUSE a try.

First off, I didn't hate it. I have really very little negative to say. It IS however a very different type of cruise. Its hard to explain that statement. In many ways, its the same as a "regular" cruise, but in many ways its not. Its more like staying in a Disney hotel that just shows up random places, and that port becomes your theme park for the day, then you see a really awesome show, go to dinner, and then go to bed. And you choose bedtime, because there is really nothing else to do. I would be bored out of my mind on anything longer than 3 nights. We loved the condition of the ship, well kept and super clean. Castaway Cay is excellent. 

Please be nice, this is MY opinion.

Next, the highs and lows

As I was preparing for this trip, i came here looking for information as i have done many many times. I have found some of my best shore excursions on theses boards over the years.  I am stunned at how little this particular board is used.  I hope that  I can help those who do look here for DCL information.

I saw that you were on the MG recently, did you have issues with anytime dining waits like you seem to be having on this trip?

On 4/18/2022 at 10:44 PM, TravelBluebird said:

Dinner tonight was not as planned.

 

We went to Manny Acosta’s 5:30 PG show. We enjoy his comedy; very observational and talks to//incorporates the audience (we were in line of fire tonight!).

 

Right at the end of the show at 6pm we immediately put in for dinner (hoping to eat at about 7 the latest, even with a wait). . Well, the Anytime Dining wait for a table showed 120 to 130 minutes before we could get at table!  (So, 8pm or later). We decided that was WAY too long of a wait (although we hoped that it might go quicker, no guarantees) so we decided to just get dinner at the buffet instead.

 

This wasn’t a tragedy as we enjoyed our dinner BUT, and this is a big but, Carnival is allowing way too many people to have Any Time dining if there is EVER an expected wait that long. I’d rather be told when booking the cruise NO, sold out, please pick set time dining.  Now we are paranoid that we’ll have trouble getting a table//timing things the rest of the cruise. 

 

We were not the only ones in this boat. LONG line upstairs at the buffet, and pretty much everyone on line said they had tried to book a table for dinner and didn’t want to wait 2 hours.  

 

As for the buffet, on the plus side they had items from the MDR menu from the night including the Leg of Lamb (very very good; medium rare, carved at buffet) and the sugar free panna cotta for desert (very good!). Other main items included baked ziti, pork chops, butter chicken etc. Desserts included strawberry cheese cake, apple crumble with vanilla sauce, and cappuccino mousse. On the minus side, I never find the buffet food to be TRULY hot. Also no one ever came and asked us if wanted anything to drink.

 

Keep your fingers crossed; I think tomorrow our dinner strategy will be to put in for a table right when MDR opens OR we’ll just plan to eat really late.

 

 

After 41 cruises, mostly with Royal and Celebrity, with a few HAL, Princess, MSC , and one Carnival thrown in, I have talked myself to sailing on Disney.  I have my reservations about sailing with mice, but I got a "good"  resident rate, and have decided to see it  for myself. We are traveling as a mature married couple, and not taking any kids. I will report back on how it goes , and how it compares!

I got that offer too.  sadly its a mid week to midweek sailing, takes up too much vacation time...but its a crazy good deal.

Are you able to request a private table? It is just 2 of us, and prefer to have our own table.

We are on the Dream next Friday. 

Awesome post!   Love the "old" ship pictures and the deck plans.

I am wanting to book with Iguana for our trip in September. Glad to see the great reviews. Has anyone done the 6 falls and ziplines?

Do NOT miss the desserts at Playmakers!  The campfire cookie is awesome!!