I recently returned from a sailing on board the beautiful Disney Dream, where my colleague Lisa and I stayed as guests for a cruise from Miami to the Bahamas. Ports of call included Nassau, Bahamas and of course, Disney Castaway Cay, the private island paradise just for guests of Disney Cruise Line. Although neither of us were traveling with our children, the cruise was phenomenal. I decided that a Disney cruise for adults is absolutely possible. In fact, we spoke to many parents who were either cruising without kids, or whose children were having so much fun in the Oceaneer’s Club, they hadn’t seen them in hours.

Additionally, this cruise was the first time sailing with Disney Cruise Line since my time on board the Disney Wonder as a Cast Member in 1999-2000, so boarding the ship as a guest after all these years was a special and emotional moment for me.

The service on board was second to none, the food was delicious and plentiful and the ship itself was sparkling. The quality of the wifi was my only complaint.

In no particular order, here are five of the experiences and/or venues that I enjoyed the most on board Disney Dream.

Cove Café

Cove Café is a coffee shop located near the Quiet Cove Pool, the adults-only area on deck. The menu features specialty coffees, including espresso, cappucino, and other similar drinks, as well as more potent coffee beverages that include alcohol. These beverages come with an additional, nominal price tag, but the treats served here are included in your cruise fare.

My favourite treat was a cranberry lemon square, but the miniature orange chocolate cupcakes were also delicious! This is a lovely, cool, quiet spot to sit and enjoy a coffee, which we did on several occasions during the cruise, including the morning of disembarkation.

Stem to Stern Wine Tasting

We booked this event ahead of time using our Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. The cost was $40 USD per guest, and worth every penny. The sommelier who led the tasting was gracious, funny, knowledgeable and warm, taking guests through the blind tasting with storytelling and a basic instruction about the history of wine. There was an emphasis on the differences between Old World and New World wines. My favourite wine was the Argentinian torrontes from Zolo.

The venue for the wine tasting was Pink Wine and Champagne Bar, and the ambiance provided by the lighting and decor in the room was, in a word, perfect.

Serenity Bay on Castaway Cay

If you’ve dreamed about white sandy beaches and turquoise waters, this adults-only beach on Castaway Cay is a dream come true. The water was perfectly clear, calm and shallow enough for a lengthy bob with a cold drink. Lisa and I kept commenting that we couldn’t believe how perfect the water was. I’ve been thinking about that water ever since I got home, and I can’t wait to experience it again.

Character Meet-and-Greets

Opportunities to meet Disney characters on the ship were plentiful. We met Mickey Mouse, Chip and Dale, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Belle and Jessie, and these are just the characters we made an effort to have personal encounters with. We also saw Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Captain Jack Sparrow, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Stitch, not to mention all of the multitude of characters who appeared in the various shows, deck parties and more.

Disney Cruise Line is very gracious when it comes to adults who want to meet characters. There is no judgment here, and whether you’re cruising with your family or without the kids, getting those character photos is easy when you’re cruising without kids.

Broadway-Style Shows

Yes, I cried during each of the three shows performed in the Walt Disney Theater during the cruise: The Golden Mickeys, Beauty and the Beast and Disney’s Believe. Each production was lively, musical, and quintessentially Disney.

During the shows, Lisa and I enjoyed refills of popcorn in our refillable buckets.

I was impressed to see Cast Members enforcing the “no cell phone” rule during the show, both due to a ban on photography but also to ensure the enjoyment of all guests.

My family and I are booked for a sailing on the new Disney Wish next year. While I can’t wait to get on board a Disney Cruise Line ship as a family, a Disney cruise for adults is also on my bucket list for my husband and I.

Have you been on a Disney cruise without your kids, or spent time on the ship without them? I’d love to hear your thoughts, too.

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