Share a recap of Disney Cruise #7! Disney Fantasy to Nassau and Lookout Cay. See all my top Disney cruise tips in this post.
Hello friends! Happy Monday! what are you doing I hope you have a great start to the week. The kids are off for spring break (bless it) and we can’t wait to plant all the things – the weather has been great – except pool time with friends. We wanted to take a big trip, but P said she was, “traveled” (is there such a thing?!) but after we give her a few days to relax, we’ll probably go to San Diego for a night or two.
Today, I wanted to share a recap of our last Disney cruise. It was lucky #7 and it was amazing. I never thought I’d be a *cruise person* but here we are. I LOVE IT. It’s a great opportunity to see parts of the world with your kids without having to lug your stuff to multiple hotels. You have the same hub every night, with entertainment, food and great accommodations on board. Disney cruises are a huge reason why we have taken our kids to such amazing places since they were little, including Italy, France, Greece, the Bahamas on occasion, Mexico and Alaska, in addition to the Disney islands of Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay.
This cruise was short and the perfect length to sneak in Rodeo Break.
Disney Fantasy Cruise Nassau and Lookout Cay
Boarding day:
We traveled from Port Canaveral which was a fairly easy flight. We had a fairly early port arrival time so we boarded the ship and immediately went up to the pool for a buffet lunch and a swim. The pool is not busy during this time so the kids can ride the water slide many times while we enjoy a drink of the day. 😉
We did the muster exercise, the Sail a Wave party, and then enjoyed exploring the ship until dinner.
TBH dinner the first night…was bad. Usually the meals are pretty good, but this was borderline inedible. I had the duck which is already a bit of an odd choice, and it’s like the duck was boiled in water. It made me a little worried for the rest of the cruise, but the meals the rest of the time were up to the usual standard. (Also luckily they have room service and quick food options on the pool deck. We had some late night fries and hamburgers that night.)
The first evening performance was Aladdinwhich Pilot and P abandoned to play the detective game. Liv and I enjoyed the show. The genie was hilarious.
Nassau:
Day 2 was in Nassau and we planned an excursion to Atlantis. We went to Atlantis the last time we were in the Bahamas and the kids loved it. It’s a beautiful property with so much to do: tons of slides, the best river, pools, beach, bay, etc. It was very easy to spend the whole day there.
It’s also worth mentioning that Atlantis has stepped up its food game considerably! I was able to get a great gf bowl with rice, salmon and some yucca chips.
I also got a rum pineapple on the beach that magically refilled a few times. 😉
This evening’s performance was Frozen and it was the best cast I’ve seen. I think all parents groan inwardly a little when they have to listen to “Let it Go” for the billionth time, but this Elsa version sent shivers down my spine. I almost cried. It was so good.
The girls loved the show so much that they went on the late show again. The pilot and I had dinner alone, which was strange but nice.
Lookout Cay:
It was our first time visiting Disney’s newest island: Lookout Cay. They have a long bridge to reach the island to preserve the coral reef. It’s a short walk (about 7-10 minutes) with great views.
The waters were PRIVATE: crystal clear and bright blue, and the beach had soft, pink sand. They have quite a few offerings on the island, like a kids club, character interactions, shows, etc., but we just spent the day on the water, ate our buffet lunch, and snorkeled.
(forgot mine Respirator Mask Rx but he brought these Glasses Rx that allow me to be a fun mom, but still see)
Sea Day:
Our last day was at the sea and I love a sea day. We usually sleep, enjoy breakfast,
go to the gym, bingo, the kids can hang out at the pool or go to a kids club, and it’s very nice and low-key. They have cruises that are like 13 nights sea days and we got to do one! Everything you need is truly on board.
This night was also pirate night, with a fun pirate show on the pool deck and fireworks.
Liv and the pilot skipped it, but P and I had a blast.
Eating Gluten Free on a Disney Cruise:
Disney is incredible when it comes to food allergies. I am always clear that P and I are not allergic, but they treat sensitivities as allergies (very seriously). Everything for food allergies is prepared in a separate kitchen, and the key is that if you know you want something special, you order it the night before with your server in the main dining room.
Almost everything can be made gluten free, including the famous Mickey churro waffles.
Last time we were at Dream, it was just OK, but this time it was GOOD. Warm, soft, fresh, amazing. They also have gluten free hot rolls waiting for you at dinner every night.
Disney Rouge Cruise:
For cruises, I usually bring something comfortable during the day, especially since I might be working out. So I’ll be wearing lululemon and a Disney hoodie or sweater on board. In the evening, I’ll change into a dress for dinner and either a light jacket or a dress that has sleeves because it’s always a bit chilly at night.
Farm Rio dress / Flabelus flabelus
Farm Rio romper by RTR / same apartments
Farm Rio dress / same apartments
I brought this suit too and wore it on atlantis day with jean shorts. It’s my favorite “mommy suit” – comfortable, flattering, and covers my booty while I slide and build sandcastles with the crew.
For outings, I’ll switch it up depending on where we’re going, but if it’s a beach day, I’ll wear my suit with jean shorts and a cover-up, or if it’s not swimming or beach related, I’ll wear a dress or a set of sneakers (eg. Vejas or Cheers).
Are Disney cruises worth it??
This post is not sponsored or a giveaway 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 in entertainment, hospitality, ports, and cleanliness. I will say that I think the quality of food for the main dining rooms has gone down over the last couple of years. Definitely not as good as our first few cruises.
We haven’t tried other cruise lines because we were happy with Disney. As the kids get older, we might explore some other options – I’ve heard great things about Royal – but we’ll definitely stick with Disney, too.
They released this ad last week that made me feel all but good:
So tell me, friends: have you been on a Disney cruise? What did you think?
Are there any cruise lines you would recommend with older children?
xoxo
Gina
More:
Disney Wonder Baja Cruise
Disney Magic Bahamas and Castaway Cay
Disney Wonder Alaska Cruise
Disney Dream Italy and Greece Mediterranean cruise
Disney Wish Castaway Cay and Bahamas Cruise
Recap of Disney Fantasy Spain, Italy and France
