!! DISNEY DREAM !! To Bahamas ^_^ The Ultimate Review and Complete Pictorial Guide

[gambee]

Hey Gambee! I'm not caught up yet, but loving what I've read so far! Think we may consider a 7 day Disney cruise as our next one... Thanks so much for another fabulous review!!! MUAH ;-)

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

 

You really should, Disney really knows how to do everything. I can only imagine how cool a 7 day cruise on a disney ship would be. It might actually give me time to experience the entire ship.

 

Glad you're enjoying the review, thank you for posting :)

[gambee]

Great underwater shots. Can't believe how clear the water is for a private island. Disney sure does things right....:D

 

Gwen :)

 

right, but also keep into account that I had a much better camera this time around. But still the water was really clear and warm. Thank you for keeping up with me Gwen :)

[Araya]

Our group went to Sernity Bay too back in March, but the low tide made us return to the family beach. the water was crystal clear and such a smooth sandy bottom. Did you make it over to the family beach? I love reading your review, looking forward to more.

[SwellBee]

Thank you so much for sharing your cruise with us (again!). I think we need to find a way to plan an actual "Cruise With Gambee"!

 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Forums mobile app

[micmacmissy]

Thanks, Gambee, for another great review. After your Allure review, I thought that would be our next trip. Then I read the Silhouette one, which is what we're planning now. But after reading THIS one, I feel like gee, maybe we can squeeze in one on Disney before the kids are too old???

 

Either way, thank you for the effort you put in!

[OurDogCisco]

Just caught up, first so sorry to her about Milo. Pets always hold a special spot in my heart.

 

Second, loved your sail away pictures. I've never seen what was around port as we are always at the sail away party.

 

Last, your underwater pictures of castaway cay look very nice. I will have to check out that camera.

 

Thanks for taking the time to share your trip with us.

[endobaby]

Gambee great underwater pictures. Simply amazing. :)

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

Great underwater shots. Can't believe how clear the water is for a private island. Disney sure does things right....:D

Gwen :)

 

That's the Bahamas in general, nowt to do with Disney! We have been to a few of the "non tourist" islands in the Bahamas and it is all beautiful in color.

 

Don't get me wrong I love Castaway Cay but it is only my second favourite in regard to the private beaches, we thought Half Moon Cay beach was better in regard to the water and things underfoot.

 

Gambee your report and pictures are amazing and will be great for a first timer on Disney to get a real feel of things on the Dream. Thank you for taking the time out to do this.

Edited August 24, 2013 by CELTICGIRLCRUISER

[wednesday]

Excellent underwater shots! I am definitely picking up that camera to carry along with my 7D. I have also been wanting a Sony point & shoot as well so I will have to look into one like yours.

[BugsyCruiser]

Gambee my friend are most of the pictures from Castaway Cay done with the RX100? If so I am sold on it for sure :)

[dforeigner]

Awesome review. Thanks for sharing your pictures with us.

[reigle4]

We woke up to the ship vibrating again and made our way to balcony. It was a gorgeous day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I actually went out and bought this camera because of the effect that you have shown in these pictures. Since I am a big Disney fan this effect is awesome. It is almost cartoonish....Can you give me any pointers on the camera.

[Ex techie]

gambee,

 

The underwater pics at SB are stunning!

Really looking forward to the next instalment!

 

ex techie

[ravencmoon]

Lets talk a little about Disney's Castaway Cay. So this is my new favorite private island, there is simply no question about it. While Labadee is nice, it is simply no match for Castaway. And great stirrup cay, is so inferior that it would not be fair to even put them on a challenge. Castaway Cay is very unique, as you can imagine Disney always does everything over the top, and this island follows that format. The way they divide the beaches is just great! We truly enjoyed how tranquil serenity bay was. The food was actually really good as well, as was the service. The entire island is accessible by tram, and all the roads are paved. This little getaway offers so much, that this is actually the first private island that I can say that I really want to back again!

 

First of all, as always your review is amazing!

 

You are completely right about Great Stirrup Cay, it is pathetic compared to Castaway Cay. I don't think I would bother getting off the ship again there, the entire time I wanted to be back on Castaway Cay. The tram is such a great touch, especially because it is wheelchair accessible. Castaway Cay is actually really great in terms of accessibility, which is good for me :D. Glad you seemed to enjoy it as much as I did. It really is a slice of paradise. Disney does everything top notch. I hope I get the chance to return one day.

[ebk2795]

gambee,

 

Your pictures are amazing!

 

The ones you took under water are gorgeous!

 

Eileen

[matondo]

Gambee,

 

I agree with you about the food. It was fine but I would NOT cruise Disney again for the food. I WOULD cruise it again for the entertainment, and Castaway Cay. SIGH!

 

Question about snorkeling. Where was the snorkeling? We brought our gear on the cruise and never used it. I am sad I missed out on it.

 

Thank you again for your review.

[perfect match]

Gambee, I was excited to see your underwater pictures! Ihope I will be able to at least come close to what you have done with my Olympus, but I'm no where close to being the photographer that you are.

 

I am wondering what setting you were using. There seem to be 3 different underwater settings. I believe I have read that if I just use AUTO that will work, too. I plan to do some more practice in the pool this week with my snorkel gear on so I will be used to using it in the water.

 

I'm sorry you missed the really good snorkeling at Castaway Cay. Their snorkel lagoon is themed as only Disney can do. The various artifacts they have submerged there provide homes to a wide variety of sea creatures. Mickey and Minnie are also there. All of the best spots are marked with bouys, so they are easy to find. You do have to wear a snorkel vest in the lagoon, but they are free if you have your own snorkel gear. I do try to avoid the crowds that the snorkel lagoon tends to draw. I'm not a morning person, so I tend to go late in the day, knowing I will never manage to beat the crowd. If I'm lucky the sediment stirred up by the crowds has settled by the time I get there. Somehow, my luck has been really good so far and I've done some amazing snorkeling there. I even saw a sea turtle last year. At first I thought it was a statue that Disney has placed there. When it started moving and eventually swam away, I knew it was real!

 

I am really enjoying your Disney Dream review. I wish you had been able to do a longer cruise, so I would have a longer review to look forward to reading.

[24kirouac]

Gambee I feel your pain. I'm the president of a cocker spaniel rescue. We rescue cockers from Georgia to Maine. Your baby was beautiful. Check us out. lifeslittlepaws.com.

 

Hugs...

[gambee]

After snorkeling I went to apply another coat of sunblock and lay on the lounger to rest from the swim. It was then that Sarah grabbed the snorkeling equipment and went for a swim, I told her where to go to see the most fish.

 

I got a good video of Serenity Bay.

 

 

 

 

 

The resort attendant came and offered us a happy hour special it $3.75 for a mimosa, screwdriver or a bloody Mary. I got a bloody Mary it was SUPER SPICY, but tasty and my mom got a mimosa.

 

 

Here is the beach at full capacity that day, keep in mind we were sailing on a full ship.

 

 

 

 

[gambee]

 

 

 

My mom and I were pretty hungry by then, remember we had no breakfast that morning. So we grabbed our stuff and made our way to the buffet.

 

 

 

 

[gambee]

 

 

The buffet area is really nice, but I found a rather limited amount of items to choose from. But everything that they offered was really good.

 

 

 

 

 

[gambee]

funny that they even name the potato chips.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gambee]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gambee]

 

 

 

This was the only picture of our food that came out nicely, so I will spare you of the other two. But both Sarah and I had hamburgers.

 

 

After eating I though we were going to go back to Serenity Bay, but my mom wanted to head back to the ship. We decided to head back to the ship, but only after a quick stop in the other beach area.

 

 

 

[gambee]