Disney Dream cruise

[Michael Black]

Returned on Sunday from a week's cruise on the Disney Dream, taking in Zeebrugge, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stavanger. We left Southampton on Sunday 3rd September and arrived back in Southampton Sunday 10th. We had 2 sea days, 1 between Zeebrugge and Copenhagen and 1 between Stavanger and Southampton. We had fog on this leg but overall the weather was very good, plenty of sun and quite hot .
This was the first year that Disney had used the Dream in Europe normally using the Disney Magic, the Dream is a lot bigger than the Magic and not having been on it before it took me a while to get my bearings.
It didn't take long to find the pub and happy hour though. Plenty of entertainment to keep everyone happy, the ship was full even though the kids were going back to school that week there was a few on.
A lot of Americans were staying on to do the following cruise and then do the transatlantic back to the states. This was our 6th cruise with Disney, mostly the transatlantic ones as we prefer more sea days.
Unfortunately on the last day we started to feel a bit rough so when we got home we did a test and we have both tested positive for covid so we are now keeping isolated for a week
Overall a good trip and we enjoyed our time on-board, just a pain about the end.
Regards Michael

[cappy]

Returned on Sunday from a week's cruise on the Disney Dream, taking in Zeebrugge, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stavanger.

Unfortunately on the last day we started to feel a bit rough so when we got home we did a test and we have both tested positive for covid so we are now keeping isolated for a week
Overall a good trip and we enjoyed our time on-board, just a pain about the end.
Regards Michael

glad you enjoyed ......sadly the covid is about much on the cruises ....a couple in our village just came back also with covid but ok now .......regards cappy R 683532

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Glad to hear that you had a nice time Micheal and that the Covid didn't occur until the trip was over, it now seems to be like the flue, a lot easier to get over.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Latest regarding COVID, all cruise lines now have no restrictions.
WHO has declared it officially over?????????????????

[Keith Tindell]

Very true John, but with great hope, being important words.

The head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has declared “with great hope” an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency, stressing that it does not mean the disease is no longer a global threat.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

No doubt that the variant's will continue for some time, giving the Health Authorities a headache.
Des

[Richard Simpson]

Glad you enjoyed it, I used to be the Chief Engineer of the Dream from inaugural cruise to around 2016. My last trip was as Chief of the Magic, when she did the UK-Iceland-Norway-Baltic-Western Med run ending August 2016. It was one of the most enjoyable trips I ever did.

[J Gowers]

Richard, Nice to hear from someone who was recently still at sea most of us seem to have left it, or at least merchant ships, 30,40, 50 or more years ago :-)

[Richard Simpson]

I did see a time of great transition. I started when there were 35 crew on a 12,000 grt box boat with all officers enjoying silver service in the mess, at least three courses every meal, seperate tables for senior officers, junior officers and cadets, wake up call half an hour before watch with a steward and a cup of tea, cabins cleaned and beds made by the steward, full blue uniforms or tropical gear etc. From that I went to 12 men on a 32 grt box boat, grey uniforms, all lined up with the old man getting pie and chips at a hatch, make your own bed etc. Finally I ended up though with a cabin like an appartment with my own pantry, coffee machine, toaster, dishwasher, microwave, cabin service etc. so I've just about seen the full range the industry had to offer.

I was so glad though that I just caught the back end of the really good days and saw a breif glimpse of what the British Merchant Navy used to be like before it all started to crumble. My cadet finishing year, 1979, was the last year cadets were automatically given jobs when they finished. The year after me they all had to go and find a job.

[j.sabourn]

#9 The only time I ever saw manning like you say in later years in the 1990s to be exact Richard was on of all nationalities was a Russian ship , a small survey vessel where the marine manning as per Russian crew exceeded 35 plus a team of about 8 surveyors plus myself and 7 Australians the official crew whilst in Australian waters . Before flying up to Singapore with the Australian crew was in touch by video link with the Russian master to clarify the medicine locker on the ship, I did this from the Australian charterers office in Perth. Learned that the drugs and medicines on board were all in the Russian language so at the Board meeting I was attending brought this up and said I wanted medical advice I.e. a doctor during the terms of the contract . The charterers said they couldn’t find a doctor to do so put the buck in my hands to find a medico to go with us . I found a local owner of a private ambulance service also a qualified medical assistant and he jumped at the peculiar situation and put him in the picture , he took up in a sealed bag all the drugs to comply with the regulations at the time . We sailed out with a total of over 60 on board . The Russian crew believe it or not were very similar to our old ways the demarcation was still there , although it was the same saloon where all ate the table seating was very precise and all were table served by stewardesses dressed for the occasion. This everyone being equal as per the communist believe does not apply as some believe , all the Russians knew their place in life. Where the commissar was I never spotted so whether he was keeping a low profile or not I dont know , that Russian master kept in touch with me until I retired , he probably had a file on me as received a card from him on the day that I did. Cheers JS