Disney Wonder Cruise to the Bahamas
We decided on a 4 day sailing from Miami to Nassau, with a stop off at Castaway Cay on the way and Key West on the way back.
Boarding was a doddle! We arrived at Miami Port where our bags were quickly taken from us and the check in process was quick and easy. We had our photos taken and were given our cruise cards and we were ready to board the ship.
As you step on-board you are greeted by a ship announcement welcoming your family which I thought was a nice touch!
The ship is big and can accommodate up to 2,700 passengers but we found it easy enough to navigate around. There's also an app you can download before you go that works on-board to help you find your away around.
Our cabin was an inside cabin in a quiet location and was surprisingly spacious. We had a large double bed and there was a sofa bed in the lounge area that could be separated by a curtain at night time. The bathrooms were light and airy with a small bath with a shower over.
There was plenty of storage, a TV full of great film and children's channels and a small fridge. Another nice touch was the cordless phones in the room that could be taken anywhere on the ship to allow families to stay in touch.
The ship has a range of fabulous kids' clubs with something for everyone. As well as the main show theatre there is also a cinema showing all the latest releases - and even some Disney pre-release films.
There are a few pools to choose from ranging from baby pools through to the adult only pool area in the Quiet Cove area. Big screens by the pools showed a range of family movies throughout the day.
The ship operated a rotational dining system which meant we got to eat in a different restaurant each night but our waiting staff moved with us. Our favourite was the Animator's Palette where the animations on the wall change colour as you eat. There is also an Adult only restaurant you could choose to dine in as well as the main buffet restaurant. There are a number of snack bars around the pool areas and a wide range of options plus free soda and hot drinks machines and ice cream bars. There are a number of bars, lounges and a night club.
There were regular character greetings where you could go and meet the Disney characters and the nightly shows in the theatre were West End class. We loved the Toy Story adaptation.
The climax of the cruise was the last night pirate's party on deck culminating with an awesome fireworks show - in the middle of the ocean!
Castaway Cay was paradise! This little Caribbean island is exclusive to Disney with a wide range of land and water based activities to keep the whole family entertained. There is a family area as well as an adults only beach. You can hire bikes and cycle around the island or just drop and relax on the gorgeous white sandy beach. I opted for the early morning yoga followed by a stroll along the beach, a fabulous BBQ lunch then a little snooze in a hammock before getting back on-board - all in a day's work!
Next stop was Nassau where I took a tour of the amazing Atlantis hotel which I have done a separate journal about and our last stop was Key West.
This quaint little town is the southern most part of the US and is closer to Cuba than it is to Miami. I took a tour around Ernest Hemmingway's home which I would recommend.
I thought the Disney Wonder was amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and I am sure we will sail with Disney again soon. Whilst there's so much to do for families with children of all ages - there was equally as many things for adults to do and I was surprised by just how many adults there were without children who looked to be having just as good a time!
If you would like more information about Disney Cruises or any of the destinations, please get in touch!