Beer on Dream and Boarding Questions

[bitterbuffalo]

Will be a first time Disney cruiser aboard the Dream 9/16.

 

First - thanks for any help!

 

(2) - I've read all about wine at dinner (corkage fee, etc) but I haven't seen anything about beer service with dinner. Can I order a beer at dinner from my server? If not can I grab a beer from a bar before and just walk it into dinner?

 

(3) - I'm not a fan of most mass produced beers (Bud, Heineken, etc.). I like IPA & Stout craft beers. I've read somewhere else that one of the bars does serve some better choices... the sports pub themed bar from memory. Any news on if those choices have expanded to other bars on this ship?

 

(4) - Since we're first time Disney cruisers we have that last 75 days out slot for picking our boarding time online. Do select times "sell out". For example if by the time I go to select our boarding time is there a good chance that noon will already be a time I can't choose?

Edited April 6, 2016 by bitterbuffalo

[Shmoo here]

Will be a first time Disney cruiser aboard the Dream 9/16.

 

First - thanks for any help!

 

(2) - I've read all about wine at dinner (corkage fee, etc) but I haven't seen anything about beer service with dinner. Can I order a beer at dinner from my server? If not can I grab a beer from a bar before and just walk it into dinner?

 

(3) - I'm not a fan of most mass produced beers (Bud, Heineken, etc.). I like IPA & Stout craft beers. I've read somewhere else that one of the bars does serve some better choices... the sports pub themed bar from memory. Any news on if those choices have expanded to other bars on this ship?

 

(4) - Since we're first time Disney cruisers we have that last 75 days out slot for picking our boarding time online. Do select times "sell out". For example if by the time I go to select our boarding time is there a good chance that noon will already be a time I can't choose?

2) Yes, you can order beer from your dining room server (extra cost). You can also order a beer in one of the lounges and bring it along to dinner, if you don't finish it.

 

4) There have been many cases where the earliest Port Arrival Time has been available to first time cruisers. And cases where the earliest ones are filled. It's hard to tell. I will point out that, if you are limited to PAT times after 12:30ish, you can go ahead and arrive around then, anyway. The terminal will be a lot less busy at that time, and Open Boarding (any boarding number) has been announced.

[Shmoo here]

Oh, another thought - you can bring onboard your own beer (limit 6 beers, max size 12 oz each) per person 21 and over. You can do this on embarkation as well as from ports of call.

[moki'smommy]

PATs also come and go on line. Many people choose the earliest possible time initially but after purchasing plane tickets or whatever may change their times. If at first you don't see what you want, keep checking back.

 

As above, if your desire is to board the ship ASAP and you have a time of 12:30 or later, arrive about 12:30. By the time you are checked in, they are likely to have announced "Open Boarding," meaning that anyone who has a KTTW card can board regardless of boarding number. If it hasn't been announced yet, it will in a few minutes!

[Jestocost]

Will be a first time Disney cruiser aboard the Dream 9/16.

 

First - thanks for any help!

 

(2) - I've read all about wine at dinner (corkage fee, etc) but I haven't seen anything about beer service with dinner. Can I order a beer at dinner from my server? If not can I grab a beer from a bar before and just walk it into dinner?

 

(3) - I'm not a fan of most mass produced beers (Bud, Heineken, etc.). I like IPA & Stout craft beers. I've read somewhere else that one of the bars does serve some better choices... the sports pub themed bar from memory. Any news on if those choices have expanded to other bars on this ship?

 

(4) - Since we're first time Disney cruisers we have that last 75 days out slot for picking our boarding time online. Do select times "sell out". For example if by the time I go to select our boarding time is there a good chance that noon will already be a time I can't choose?

 

I haven't been on the Dream for a while but on the Fantasy the beer selection has been dramatically improved in the past couple of years. IPAs available on the Fantasy as of last month were Bell's Two Hearted (bottles at most bars), Cigar City Jai Alai (cans at most bars) and Florida Brewing Devil's Triangle (draft at the bar kiosk on deck 11 mid-ship, port side). Kona Castaway IPA also was available in bottles and maybe on tap at a few locations.

 

There are assorted other beers available in various locations. The sports bar on the Dream, 687, even has its own beer; an ale brewed for Disney by Red Hook, IIRC. Supposedly 687 also was upgraded to have a total of 14 beers on tap, but I can't confirm that or what they are.

 

Sadly, getting anything but a mass-produced beer in the main dining rooms can be difficult unless your assistant server is willing to go to one of the actual bars for you. I think the service bars there only have the bad stuff.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Jestocost

[bitterbuffalo]

Thank you all for the information!

 

Sounds like boarding around 12:30 will be perfect for us if we wind up not getting an earlier spot so no worries there. We’ll be staying in a hotel and doing the 40% off parking at the port deal. Since we can dictate when we show up I’m trying to limit the amount of time the 8 year old waits in line.

 

Great to hear about the improved beer selections. Two Hearted is one of my favorites!

 

I’m not one to make things difficult for my server (spent a lot of time as a waiter in my youth) so I think I’ll opt for walking a beer into dinner.

[Jestocost]

Two Hearted is one of my favorites!

 

The I expect you would like Jai Alai too, if you haven't already tried it.

 

They also had Cigar City Invasion pale ale (cans), Bell's Oberon (bottles) and Florida Beer's Sunshine State Pils (draft, on deck 11 midship, starboard side bar kiosk).

[ArthurUSCG]

DCL must have stepped up their beer hand some. Last cruise on the dream, the only thing I could find was mass-produced common beer.

But I never made it down to 687.

 

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

[Jestocost]

DCL must have stepped up their beer hand some. Last cruise on the dream, the only thing I could find was mass-produced common beer.

But I never made it down to 687.

 

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

 

Again, my lists are from the Fantasy so the Dream may not be the same. Still, all of the ships--including the Fantasy--had a horrible beer selection previously, so I am hopeful that they have upgraded the choices on the entire fleet. It would make sense, but I am just not sure.