We were up and out of the stateroom early heading separate ways to the gym and to take some photos. Early mornings are a great time to photograph an empty ship. My first stop was the balcony of Sarabi. The venue is in the same spot a Luna on the Disney Wish, aside from the theming of the venue, it is relatively the same. I was hoping to see some sort of stairwell to connect the balcony to the main floor, but nope. The balcony seating is great if you are just planning to take in a show, but for guest participation events, I would recommend entering Sarabi on deck 4. The balcony seating does offer quick access to Periscope Pub if you are looking for a libation. It is just odd how you have to walk to the back stairwell to go to the other level of the venue.
The Grand Hall of the Disney Treasure was decorated for the holidays with garland and a Christmas Tree. Personally, I am not a fan of the Grand Hall in the Disney Wish, so I was not expecting much. I was wrong; the Aladdin themed Grand Hall is gorgeous and the holiday decorating team did a great job going back to the classic look and themed ornaments. The icing on the cake is the lighting effects on the chandelier, which look so much better in person than they do in my photos.
The ship was starting to wake up and I set out to meet back up with the family in Marceline Market for coffee.
The same South Florida design studio, Plant the Future, which created the Moana and Te Fiti mural created a similar installation in the stairwell outside Marceline Market.
We headed up 1 deck to Hero Zone to check out the Incredi-Games which is identical to the offering on the Disney Wish. Remember, bring socks if you want to take a turn.
We were in the area we walked back to the Quiet Cove to take a look in Cove Café. I’d estimate I’ve spent a grand total of 10 minutes in the Cove Café over the course of 21 nights aboard the Disney Wish and Disney Treasure. This has everything to do with the location of the venue. For example, this morning it is cool and raining and to get to the Cove Cafe, you must walk outside in the elements.
A chilly sea day morning with liquid sunshine; reminds me of Alaska.
For a close view of the Mickey Horns on the Disney Wish class ships, head up to Deck 13 forward and look up as you walk toward the Chip ‘n Dale pool.
The following photo really represents the current conditions this morning as we sail south of Key West, Florida on our way to the Western Caribbean. With less than ideal weather to spend time outside, we will be looking for things to do inside.
When we set sail on our DCL Blog group cruises, we try to put together a ship specific scavenger hunt and spoiler alert, I regularly include the ship’s hull number plaque as one of the items. So far, the Meyer Werft plaques on the Wish Class have been located on the port side of Deck 13 FWD.
We settled into a booth in Skipper Society and browsed the morning schedule looking for something to do. We looked in Periscope Pub, and asked a few Cast Members where we could find some board games, but nothing like that was available.
Clue Board Game in Crown & Fin on the Disney Wonder (Summer 2024)
We stumbled upon the spot in the Navigator App to sign up for the Imagineering the Disney Ships tour, but it was only bookable for guests 18 years and over. A friend recommended it to us, but we were already going to brunch this morning so we didn’t want to schedule another event our daughter could not join us on. There were a lot of tour times available during the week. I’ll report back in an upcoming trip log entry about the experience, but if this is something that peeks your interest, check the app early to reserve a spot that best fits your schedule.
It’s only the morning and we are scouring the app for something to do other than sit and indulge on food and beverages. We then stumbled upon the free charms and added the port shopping talk to our agenda. In all of our cruises, we have never gone to the port shopping talk – guess this ends today haha. We really know how to live it up. Free “fish extender”-like charm acquired… Now, only if we had a charm bracelet…
The Haunted Mansion Parlor was not opening until noon today making this an ideal time to attempt taking some pictures in the vestibule between the entrance doors and the walkway outside Skipper Society.
We wished our daughter good luck on finding an adventure and set off to Palo Steakhouse for brunch. The weather was starting to change as we continued west and the cloud cover began to give way to a hint of sunshine.
The Palo Steakhouse brunch menu remains unchanged with a familiar selection of made to order offerings for $50 per person. Our Italian server Gennaro welcomed us with a complimentary glass of Prosecco and gave us some time look over the menu.
Gennaro returned to our table with water and the bread service before taking our order.
We usually forgo the pastries, and we started with the best version of the grape and gorgonzola pizza we’ve been served across the fleet at both PALO and PALO Steakhouse in ages. Our compliments to the pizzaiolo! We ordered one to share and almost finished it.
In a quest to try a variety of different things, Emily ordered the three cheese omelet which had with Parmesan, Emmental and Mozzarella cheese, while I went back to my new favorite dish, the Rollatini Melanzane. The omelet was cooked well, but was bland and needed some extra seasoning even with the tomato and basil topping. She has yet to find an enjoyable dish since the artichoke ravioli was replaced. The quest continues. As for me, the eggplant is great and much more consistent from day to day, ship to ship than the Chicken Parm.
Our dessert choices, Chocolate Raspberry Tart and Italian Zabaglione were prepared well and were enjoyable. The berries in the Zabaglone were delicious.
Neither of us are fans of a long brunch experience, especially when only ordering a few items. We really appreciated our server Gennaro who provided excellent and speedy service. We were out in under an hour! And, to top it off, we did not leave stuffed, which made it a lovely brunch.
Since we were not stuffed, after brunch we stopped for a cocktail in The Rose. More specifically, Emily wanted to try the new cocktail on the menu, the Baroque. The Baroque cocktail is served in a stemmed rose glass (I found the glass for ~$9+shipping online, if it actually arrives and is legit I’ll share the link) and is a combination of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin, Vermouth, Maraschino, Aperol, and lime. She thought it was ‘ok’ – while gin is her choice spirit, it reminded her of a non-carbonated Aperol Spritz.
UPDATE: The glass arrived and it is a perfect match. You can find the BARCONIC® STEMMED ROSE GLASS as well as other familiar glassware at BarProducts.com. This is NOT an affiliate link.
The Rose Glass was delivered and it is exactly the same as the Disney Treasure. pic.twitter.com/iMh6gT4RFS
We met back up with our daughter and headed to the balcony seating of Sarabi for the big event of the day, the Port and Shopping show where you get the complimentary charm bracelet at the end.
This was also the place to pick up the port shopping guide map for Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Falmouth. If you look closely at the picture above, the handouts are on the stage, one for each of our ports of call along with a checklist you can fill out and return.
The VIP Shopping Checklist appears to primarily serve as a lead generation tool for the sales team, but may be helpful if you are after a very specific item.
Aside from the option to stream games on your devices via the Stateroom TV Streaming option, or paid streaming internet plan and your other streaming services, there were a few places to catch the Sunday slate of NFL games on the Disney Treasure including the Jets vs. Bills game in the Never Land Cinema and multiple games in Periscope Pub.
Both venues were standing room only for the NFL games. I love the idea of using the theaters for games, but I look over and can only imagine if they used screen in Sarabi for all available games or better yet – NFL Redzone. Plus, there is a built in bar with concessions, you could even call it the ESPN Skybox.
Down in Skipper Society, there were plenty of seats available. We settled into what ended up becoming ‘our’ booth and ordered a drink from the menu that looks like Dr. Albert Fall’s journal.
I am not a tiki mug collector, but from time to time, I will buy one to add to the small collection we have from Trader Sam’s. There were two specifically I’ve had my eye on since they were initially revealed for the Disney Treasure. Hearing supplies ran low on the Maiden Voyage, I felt day 2 was the day to order the Skipper Sipper with Ems Empress Boat Mug. The turned out to be a good decision, I received the last one available in a box that was available that day (there were more on the ship and the bar was eventually restocked).
The drink is called the Skipper Sipper, a $15 cocktail. For $50 you will receive the cocktail and the EMS EMPRESS Boat Mug. The cocktail is a combination of Goslings Ocean Aged Rum, Angel’s Envy Bourbon, Kahlua, Lime, Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Honey which even though had an interesting mix of ingredients (I will admit, we were concerned with how Kahlua and lime would pair), it was very enjoyable and I would definitely order it again.
The fine details of the Skipper Society EMS EMPRESS Boat Mug
We didn’t find the tactile zero proof cocktail menu out at any of the bars or lounges, however, the non-alcoholic cocktails were still available when we inquired. Our daughter very much enjoys the La Paloma, Lyre’s Agave Blanco Ruby Red Grapefruit with Fresh Lime.
Skipper Society also features a custom tap handle for the Jungle Navigation Co Ale.
I think by now, you are seeing what we found to do on a raining day at sea. I will note that while it is only day 2, there were a lot of activities that we are used to seeing that were not offered. There was no towel folding, Anyone Can Cook, etc. While we do not typically attend all of these activities all of the time, the lack of activity choices did not go unnoticed.
The next stop on our beverage tour is not even a hop, skip, and a jump away at The Haunted Mansion Parlor. On embarkation day, the line waiting for the lounge to open was silly. A line materialized for opening today, but by the time we made it over around in the 3 o’clock hour we walked in, and waited a few minutes for some seats to open up & it just so happened the face armchair area became available.
I was happy to see a selection of both souvenir mugs available behind the bar. We took a minute to browse the Haunted Mansion Parlor menu presented as a digital menu on an iPad which is extremely helpful in the darkened space.
Our daughter ordered one of the Spirit-Free lemonade potion called the Sour Shivers Lemonade and added on the Hatbox Ghost sipper includes the beverage for $22. By itself, the Sour Shivers Lemonade is $5. She had a few sips and so did we, but it was too sweet for our liking (and our daughter loves sweet tea). Self admittedly, we are not soda drinkers, so we were not planning on getting all of them in order to have a collection.
Again, the drinks looked interesting with their combinations, and we had heard that the drinks were sweet, but wanted to give at least one a try. Emily went with the $20 Chilling Challenge, the signature margarita comprised of 818 Añejo Tequila, Cointreau Noir, Blood Orange, and Sour Cherry topped with an invisible message printed on the lime salt air foam for ‘blogability.’ The cocktail is served in a box with smoke and the bartender uses a black light flashlight to reveal the Haunted Mansion Parlor logo. It was a typical margarita.
The mug I’ve been waiting to buy, The Mariner from The Haunted Mansion Parlor. The mug is served alongside the Last Catch cocktail which is a made from Old Forester Statesman, Monin Rose, Mango & Marigold, Lime, and Pineapple. These would be the only mixed drinks we would have over the course of the week in the Parlor.
I was so happy to finally have this mug for absolutely no other reason reason than I love the look of it and it reminds me of Helmsman Mickey. It was honestly the only souvenir I wanted to buy on this voyage. However, unlike the boxed version of the EMS EMPRESS, the mugs in the parlor were not available in a box for safekeeping. The server offered to wrap it up, but it was busy and I didn’t want him wasting time. Instead, I took the mug to Mickey’s Mainsail where they have supplies to wrap the mug up for safe transportation home. I am relived both made it home unscathed.
I get it, live is better at sea. The Mariner is clearly not content on land.
I cannot think of a better way to spend my afternoon other than watching my beloved Cleveland Browns play the Miami Dolphins. The joy this team brings me.
However, as dreary as the season may be, watching from a cruise ship is one way heal the pain of another lost season and look forward to the next which is imminent as there are only two days left in 2024 and the team’s season has been over for months.
Formal Night on the Disney Treasure started with the Captain’s reception in the Grand Hall. Servers were walking around with drinks. Try the blue stuff, it’s alcoholic. It was a Prosecco with I believe they said it was a blue raspberry something or other (it was not blue curacao, as it was definitely not orange flavored). The red white and blue stuff was non-alcoholic pure sugar water – our daughter took one sip and ditched it with the rest of them piling up on trays and the exterior Scat Cat Lounge bar. It was pretty though!
Since one of our Castaway Club benefits includes the photo package, the plan was to arrive in the Grand Hall early to get a spot in the line for photos on the staircase in our formals, which were listed as starting at 5:15PM & we got in line around 5:10PM. However, Flash Slothmore was the one taking the photos, after nearly 45 minutes we bailed and headed into 1923 (late) for dinner.
The version of 1923 on the Disney Treasure is set up the same a the Disney Wish with Walt and Roy sides, the primary difference is difference in art and items in the display case throughout.
We browsed the beverage menu, and possibly the red white and blue drink offered at the Captain’s reception is the Ink & Paint offering from the zero-proof section.
Tonight’s menu is the standard 1923 menu which debuted in 2022 with the Disney Wish. There is a slight difference in layout with the notable change the removal of churros for dessert since they are now offered on the Día de los Muerto menu in Plaza de Coco.
Since we were late arrivals, we skipped dessert in order to make it to Sarabi for The Sarabi Supper Club. Knowing what I know now, we could have stayed for dessert.
Sarabi Supper Club is ultimately a prelude to the main event, we noticed there were listings throughout the week with different durations.
Join us as we dip into the most adventurous night club on the seven seas inspired by the club from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom! Enjoy themed cocktails as you are immersed in this swanky 1934 supper club – the perfect destination for adventurers and globetrotters.
There are Indian Jones themed cocktails available: the Bad Date, Chilled Monkey, and Doom-Tini.
I dig it. However, after a day of lounge hopping, plus coming directly from dinner, I was not ready for cocktail, but the vibe and music was great.
The real reason I wanted to make sure I had a seat in Sarabi… Choose Wisely! An Indiana Jones Comedy Adventure – It’s fortune and glory, at The Sarabi Supper club circa 1934 where the cocktails are swell, the music is hot, and YOU get to relive the adventures of Indiana Jones in a comedy show where the audience decides Indy’s fate!
I wasn’t sure what to expect other than an Indiana Jones themed experience which is all you need to tell me.
The show was interactive where surprise, surprise, the audience gets to choose at various points. If the audience chooses wisely, the show continues. If the audience chooses poorly, the story dead ends and rewinds Dial of Destiny style back to the wise path. The performers did a wonderful job ad-libbing and paying off the audience in accompaniment with a one man orchestra. The following video is not the entire show, but clips from throughout. It’s best to enjoy this one live and in the moment.
Following the show we called it a night. However, Isabelle and I headed up to the drink station at Mickey and Friends for water and took the opportunity to check out the Zootopia themed shop, Jumbeaux’s Sweets. The lemmings are adorable.
The plan is to return another night to check out some of the offerings. For now, here is a walk around tour video of Jumbeaux’s Sweets.
Elevator mirror selfie with Isabelle to close out the day, because I forgot to take a picture of the stateroom towel animal. Tomorrow, we will hopefully have better weather for our day in Cozumel.
8 Replies to “Trip Log Day 2: 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise on Disney Treasure – At Sea – December 29, 2024”
Nancy Brunty
Scott, could you tell me if Palo brunches are only on sea days for this particular cruise. If so, since there are only 2 sea days, the availability of brunch reservations would be very limited.
TIA!
Nancy,
It was so long ago when we booked, I cannot recall. I did ask my friend on the current Western and they only recall availability on the sea days.
Palo brunches are typically only available on sea days, where as Palo dinner is offered every night. We were on the Eastern Caribbean 1/4-1/11 (DVC First Wave) and only had two sea days as well.
Palo brunches are usually only on sea days. However, I was on the 2/1 Treasure sailing and they added brunch on Tortola day. I’ve never seen them offer Palo brunch on a port day (other that sometimes Nassau or Castaway Cay on shorter sailings). I wouldn’t take it as the norm, but there is a precedent for Palo brunch on a port day if there’s enough interest! (I went to Dining Changes as soon as I boarded. They had no openings, but told me they were thinking about opening Palo brunch on Tortola Day, they’d add us to a wait list and send a message in the app if we were confirmed. We got a message in the app either that night or early the next day).
It was mostly because the supper club portion was not actually an experience. I didn’t read/understand the description well and figured it was going to be a live singer for the time block, not just music being played with servers selling the specialty drinks. I was thinking, opening act vs casual place to hang out before the Choose Wisely! show. On this night, we could have finished dessert, walked over and still managed to get seats.
About Cove Cafe: If you are a lover of espresso and enjoy exploring some international drinks you might also appreciate, as I did, The
Austrian (Stir it to meld the flavors), and Turkish (Served in a golden cup on a flying carpet) versions prepared by the outstanding Professional Barista Bambang (He is the tall-blurred guy in the photograph).
Sad, no games, but it looks like you did find some personal spots… The backgammon tables are gone on the Fantasy Even though they were advertised. We love the big tables at O’Gill’s on the magic. And we do drink while we play and hang out!
Scott, could you tell me if Palo brunches are only on sea days for this particular cruise. If so, since there are only 2 sea days, the availability of brunch reservations would be very limited.
TIA!
Nancy,
It was so long ago when we booked, I cannot recall. I did ask my friend on the current Western and they only recall availability on the sea days.
Palo brunches are typically only available on sea days, where as Palo dinner is offered every night. We were on the Eastern Caribbean 1/4-1/11 (DVC First Wave) and only had two sea days as well.
Palo brunches are usually only on sea days. However, I was on the 2/1 Treasure sailing and they added brunch on Tortola day. I’ve never seen them offer Palo brunch on a port day (other that sometimes Nassau or Castaway Cay on shorter sailings). I wouldn’t take it as the norm, but there is a precedent for Palo brunch on a port day if there’s enough interest! (I went to Dining Changes as soon as I boarded. They had no openings, but told me they were thinking about opening Palo brunch on Tortola Day, they’d add us to a wait list and send a message in the app if we were confirmed. We got a message in the app either that night or early the next day).
I understand that you regret skipping dessert because there were multiple shows offered, not because it was bad – am I right ?
It was mostly because the supper club portion was not actually an experience. I didn’t read/understand the description well and figured it was going to be a live singer for the time block, not just music being played with servers selling the specialty drinks. I was thinking, opening act vs casual place to hang out before the Choose Wisely! show. On this night, we could have finished dessert, walked over and still managed to get seats.
About Cove Cafe: If you are a lover of espresso and enjoy exploring some international drinks you might also appreciate, as I did, The
Austrian (Stir it to meld the flavors), and Turkish (Served in a golden cup on a flying carpet) versions prepared by the outstanding Professional Barista Bambang (He is the tall-blurred guy in the photograph).
Sad, no games, but it looks like you did find some personal spots… The backgammon tables are gone on the Fantasy Even though they were advertised. We love the big tables at O’Gill’s on the magic. And we do drink while we play and hang out!