Where does the Dream go on sea day?

[RotterdamRue]

Hello,

We have moved again our cruise. Hopefully this one we will be able to do! February sailing on 4 day Dream with my adult son as a (very!) belated graduation trip and happy coincidence his 21st Birthday is a few days before we sail. We are coming from Rotterdam so the weather is sure to be beautiful to us especially after 2+ years trapped at home My question is perhaps strange but where does the Dream go on sea day? I have never been on a cruise before and the stops look so close on the map that I am wondering what happens. Does it just stop and anchor in the sea? Does it go out of its way and then double back? I am trying to imagine if we will be stopped at sea, moving, moving slowly, moving at speed...you get the idea!

My other questions if you please is about transport to the resort after the cruise. When I add the transport online does this cover pick up from MCO and return to the resort or is that round trip to MCO and I need to arrange transport to the resort by calling or another way.

Also as we travel out of Orlando would we travel along the Florida coast that afternoon such that we could see the FL coastline Miami, Key West etc from our stateroom if we were on the right side of the ship? Forgive me if that is a very stupid question but it will be our first time to Florida too.

Thank you.

 

[Cheburashka]

Hello,

We have moved again our cruise. Hopefully this one we will be able to do! February sailing on 4 day Dream with my adult son as a (very!) belated graduation trip and happy coincidence his 21st Birthday is a few days before we sail. We are coming from Rotterdam so the weather is sure to be beautiful to us especially after 2+ years trapped at home My question is perhaps strange but where does the Dream go on sea day? I have never been on a cruise before and the stops look so close on the map that I am wondering what happens. Does it just stop and anchor in the sea? Does it go out of its way and then double back? I am trying to imagine if we will be stopped at sea, moving, moving slowly, moving at speed...you get the idea!

My other questions if you please is about transport to the resort after the cruise. When I add the transport online does this cover pick up from MCO and return to the resort or is that round trip to MCO and I need to arrange transport to the resort by calling or another way.

Also as we travel out of Orlando would we travel along the Florida coast that afternoon such that we could see the FL coastline Miami, Key West etc from our stateroom if we were on the right side of the ship? Forgive me if that is a very stupid question but it will be our first time to Florida too.

Thank you.

The ship sails around the open ocean during sea days. They don't drop anchor even if it's just a 3-night Bahamian sans Nassau that isn't really headed anywhere. The boat will be in motion all day.

I don't recall ever seeing the Florida coastline on a sea day during a Disney cruise- you're out in the ocean all day. If you're sailing through the Caribbean, you sometimes pass Caribbean islands. We've seen Cuba, for example, but it wasn't up close.

Did you book your transfers via DCL, specifying that you needed transfers from the cruise port to a particular resort? If so, then the transfer bus will take you from the cruse port directly to your resort, and not stop at MCO.

 

[Engineman02]

Likely would not be close enough to see the shore as they will probably stay outside the limits for overboard discharge, but not too far out to not be sailing against the gulf stream when going south. Sea day they are likely just going slower, especially during the day to minimize the relative winds across the ship for guest comfort. The key is they will probably take the shortest path, because distance is fuel, which is money.

 

[hrhdhd]

This is a general map of the path of the ship.

You will not be near Key West at all, and you won't see Miami, either. Generally the ship will be always in international waters (12 miles offshore), which is too far to see land. Except maybe as a brown blur.

 

[RotterdamRue]

I added the transfers online but it does not say where they are transferring me to and didn't ask for airline arrival information etc. I will call them Monday to clarify this. Perhaps they ask this at a later time.

 

[OpieDoodle]

The only time I saw "land" on a sea day was in Hawaii we were close enough we saw the islands but that wasn't a normal cruise LOL.

They'll be in constant motion. Just maybe slower than other times

 

[Robbydj13]

It doesn’t really go anywhere. Usually travels to the next destination, but at a slower speed and takes the long route if necessary.
I remember one very early morning on disembarkation day, we sailed in circles for about 2 hours waiting to dock back at the port. It was quite odd lol.

 

[Capt_BJ]

What happens on a sea day (sailing perspective) ......

it depends on the itinerary ......

On some longer trips it takes more than just an overnight to get from point A to point B ... consider a 7 day western with first port in Cozumel (have no idea if this is a current itin' just making an example) ... ya ain't gonna get there overnight ... Along the way you would probably see the Florida coast for a time including parts of the Keys ... and very well might see the coast of Cuba. I've sailed this route many times and OFTEN seen these sites.

On the 4 day trips to Nassau and CC the sea day is usually spent just a wee bit west of CC .. between there and Freeport, in what's called the Northwest Providence Channel doing slow circles going essentially nowhere. <orange ... but anywhere in the general area .... >



Because of the land and shallows surrounding the area, calm seas are common altho they will MOVE as necessary to find a calm area if weather says so. Priority is calm seas and nice weather . . . . They (DCL) typically do not drift or anchor .... just stream in slow circles. Keep in mind a significant cruise cost is fuel to make things go so they don't sail faster or farther than necessary! They also want to be ready to get out of the way of traffic passing thru as this is a busy area.

++++++++++++++++
BTW

I'd never paid much attention to the graphic offered higher up which comes from DCL literature describing the route. As an overview it is correct ... to a ship's navigator however .... NOT! That route would cut across the shallow waters of the Bahama Bank ..... NOT a good idea. Here's a somewhat more accurate general route, from Port Canaveral to Nassau the north to CC and then back to Port Canav' keeping to deep water



this general area was in my patrol area for over 10 years .... very familiar territory ....

 

[Capt_BJ]

Also as we travel out of Orlando would we travel along the Florida coast that afternoon such that we could see the FL coastline Miami, Key West etc from our stateroom if we were on the right side of the ship? Forgive me if that is a very stupid question but it will be our first time to Florida too.

PLEASE ... as you travel out of Port Canaveral (local 'entities' are currently in a naming battle. Orlando objects to Orlando Melbourne International Airport - has no problem with Orlando Sanford International Airport and likes to refer to 'sailing from Orlando' even tho Orlando is 50+ miles from the ocean/port .... This has gone to COURTS ..... but I digress )

Dunno how things might change post COVID as cruises resume but in the PAST the ship would not be leaving the dock until 4pm or later ..... by the time you exit the port, if you have early (main) dinner it is time to get ready ..... Referring to my crude route map you turn to the southeast. In this part of the world the Gulf Stream current is running near the coast and runs to the north. The ship must fight this current to go south so they will CUT ACROSS to get out of the strongest part. In other words expect the ship to head off shore (slide east) and be out of sight of land fairly quickly. As the sun goes down you may notice some glow from land to the west but by the time you bed not much but stars, and if cruising is back in full swing the lights of the two dozen (actually 1 or 2) other ships on the same itinerary. When you wake in the morning you'll either be entering Nassau or hovering just off shore. If you stay up all night you may see lights from the Bahamas (2 AM . . .) from either side but as the islands are MUCH less developed between Canaveral and Nassau ... probably not much.

On the last night you most likely won't be within sight of US until WEE hours but you MIGHT pass near enuf to Freeport when rounding that corner.

 

[Engineman02]

I am sure they just got lazy and drew straight lines between the two waypoints rather than the actual track.

 

[Capt_BJ]

no ... they drew an arc which implies a route south of the Berry Islands and THAT is improbable ......

They made a pretty picture that should NOT be interpreted as accurately reflecting the ACTUAL route ....

but I like to pik nits ........ and AM a former ships navigator .... and Captain ......

 

[Marc D]

I added the transfers online but it does not say where they are transferring me to and didn't ask for airline arrival information etc. I will call them Monday to clarify this. Perhaps they ask this at a later time.

DCL transfers are from/to WDW or MCO. They will require you to indicate where you are coming from and going to when you check in for your cruise. The cost is the same.

 

[hrhdhd]

no ... they drew an arc which implies a route south of the Berry Islands and THAT is improbable ......

They made a pretty picture that should NOT be interpreted as accurately reflecting the ACTUAL route ....

but I like to pik nits ........ and AM a former ships navigator .... and Captain ......

View attachment 580129

My main point in posting it was that the ship will be nowhere near Key West and too far from Miami (and the mainland in general) to have a "view."

 

[hrhdhd]

an hour from leaving they can't see Port Canav'

But thanks for the help I suppose . . .

The OP is in Rotterdam; I was trying to help. Nothing I posted was incorrect; she isn't asking how to navigate the ship. Laugh if you like.

 

[RotterdamRue]

English is my fourth language so I actually have no idea now what is going on here now and don't understand the need for the emojis. I hope nobody is being mocked as I found all replies received very helpful whether 'short and sweet' or very detailed. Thank you.

 

[Weedy]

The transportation is a one way cost (two separate charges)

 

[sugliac]

One sea day when the weather was really bad the ship circled around some islands because the captain said the waters were a lot calmer there. For normal weather, what everyone else said is true.

It's fun to go to Cove Cafe and see where the ship is located, the speed, etc.

 

[Cheburashka]

One sea day when the weather was really bad the ship circled around some islands because the captain said the waters were a lot calmer there. For normal weather, what everyone else said is true.

It's fun to go to Cove Cafe and see where the ship is located, the speed, etc.

What's in the Cove Cafe that lets you see that?

 

[mevelandry]

Hello,

We have moved again our cruise. Hopefully this one we will be able to do! February sailing on 4 day Dream with my adult son as a (very!) belated graduation trip and happy coincidence his 21st Birthday is a few days before we sail. We are coming from Rotterdam so the weather is sure to be beautiful to us especially after 2+ years trapped at home My question is perhaps strange but where does the Dream go on sea day? I have never been on a cruise before and the stops look so close on the map that I am wondering what happens. Does it just stop and anchor in the sea? Does it go out of its way and then double back? I am trying to imagine if we will be stopped at sea, moving, moving slowly, moving at speed...you get the idea!

My other questions if you please is about transport to the resort after the cruise. When I add the transport online does this cover pick up from MCO and return to the resort or is that round trip to MCO and I need to arrange transport to the resort by calling or another way.

Also as we travel out of Orlando would we travel along the Florida coast that afternoon such that we could see the FL coastline Miami, Key West etc from our stateroom if we were on the right side of the ship? Forgive me if that is a very stupid question but it will be our first time to Florida too.

Thank you.

You’ll be moving all day and sometimes you will cross paths with other cruise ships.

 

[Marc D]

What's in the Cove Cafe that lets you see that?

There a TV there that shows the map. You can also watch it in your stateroom.