Photo TR: Adam's Grand European Adventure 2024

[jedimaster1227]

Six years ago, I had a chance to embark on a grand European adventure, combining time at Disneyland Paris, in London and aboard the Disney Magic for a transatlantic cruise ending in New York City. It was one of the best (and longest) vacations I've ever taken, and ever since, my wife and I have been itching to do something similar. In years that followed, we set our sights on the Mediterranean, with Greece being on both of our bucket lists--anything else would be bonus. Knowing we had a more limited time this time around (thanks to having a young child back home, work obligations and other pending trips--see my Oktoberfest and Malaysia trip reports for more on that), we opted to skip out on parks at the front end of the trip, doing a "best of" stopover in London before heading to Rome/Civitavecchia to catch the Disney Dream for our 11 night Mediterranean cruise.

We flew Norse Airways from Orlando to London Gatwick directly. On our prior transatlantic trip we flew Norwegian's long haul from Orlando to Paris and loved our experience. Norse Airways emerged from Norwegian's restructuring as a budget airline replacing many of Norwegian's prior long haul routes with their former planes. Fair warning, while the planes are comfortable, this is the equivalent of flying Spirit or Frontier on a long haul flight. Baggage requirements are smaller/more stringent and everything is an up-charge, to the point that the price difference, if you're packing for a long trip like we were, might not be far off from one of the more established, major airlines. In our case, their itineraries worked the best for us timing-wise, but they wouldn't be our first choice to fly again.

Due to travel delays on our last transatlantic trip, we missed out on our reservation for the Michelin-starred Amaya restaurant in London. When planning this trip, we knew we had to make up for it.

Quite easily the best oysters I've ever consumed, anywhere.

I could have eaten this entire bowl of raita myself.

If you're looking for stellar Indian food, Amaya is well worth your time!

It felt so good to be back in London after six years.

We were seriously tempted, but for this trip we had something else in mind...

The last time we saw a show here, it was Kinky Boots and we loved it!

The inside of the Adelphi Theater is lightly themed to Hill Valley California...

Of course, they have merchandise.

I've waited for this moment for such a long time!

Here's my honest take on Back to the Future: The Musical... The show is pure fun. The music isn't particularly deep but it is ridiculously catchy (especially when listening again after seeing the show). The story is mostly aligned with what you know from the original film, though some story points have been updated to better align with the times (avid Back to the Future fans may be caught off guard, but it doesn't take away from the overall show). The cast is super talented and the effects are next-level.

There's a moment at the end of the show that absolutely stuns. Avoid spoilers if you can because it is breathtaking, especially as a fan of the franchise. I'm super excited to see this show when it tours through the US soon and I've been listening to the soundtrack on repeat in the months since our trip concluded. 

We set reservations at our favorite speakeasy bar in Chinatown a few minutes' walk away from the West End...

Though the drink menu has changed since our last visit, we both were very pleased with our choices.

Good vibes only.

It doesn't hurt that you can order fresh dim sum from one of the restaurants in Chinatown to be delivered to your table while you drink.

I definitely recommend visiting Chinatown while in London if you can spare the time.

The next morning we hopped in a taxi for our next destination, passing Big Ben to see it up close for the first time since I was in high school. During our last visit, the clocktower was behind scrims for an extended refurbishment, so it was neat to see fully restored after all these years.

Our time in London was dictated primarily by our foodie interests...

I could have bought it all.

The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason was where we had one of our best meals during our previous trip and it was a must-do for this trip, knowing we were coming back to London.

You can bet I finished this entire pot of Apricot, Honey & Lavendar tea. 

While the Salon offers prix fix menus, they do allow you to mix and match elements if your personal preferences cross the lines. This lobster omelette was one of my favorite dishes from our previous visit, so I had to give it another go and I was not disappointed.

I opted for a savory tea lunch.

My wife opted for sweet... What's great about getting both is that you can share, and as part of the experience, you can order more of any of the finger sandwiches, finger foods and sweets as you care to enjoy.

After consuming our weight in food, we went down to the Fortnum and Mason shopping floors to buy things to send home. Shipping to the United States was a flat $25 for all of this and it arrived about a week after our visit. 

I was tempted to sample all of the ham, but knowing we would be ending our trip in Barcelona where I could try the best, I resisted the immediate temptation. 

Sadly not my favorite Fanta flavor I've tried...

Would've loved to experience the London Trocadero when Sega World was still open inside. Also would have liked to try The Crystal Maze but we didn't have time during this visit.

While in London, my wife asked for us to stop by the MinaLima storefront. We had seen their artwork in the Harry Potter films, in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter locations around the world and even met them in person at the Celebration of Harry Potter events at Universal Orlando over the years, so it was important for her to visit the store if we could.

If you're a Harry Potter fan, this place will feel like a candy store for you.

Cirque Arcanus is one of the new shows coming to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic section of Universal's Epic Universe later this year...

After our brief stop in London it was time to fly to Rome...

But not without stopping at our first ever Nando's!

Sweet potato fries from heaven.

Garlic & Herb Nando's sauce for the win!

During our flight it felt appropos to watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, considering where we were headed... The film was not worth the view.

The next morning we would wake up and head to the port of Civitavecchia to catch our ship...

[jedimaster1227]

After a few hours of rest in Rome, we went back to the airport to grab our bus to the port of Civitavecchia where we would be greeted by a familiar and exciting sight!

I have sailed on all of the current Disney Cruise Line ships, and out of all of them, the Disney Dream is the one I've sailed upon most frequently.

Captain Mickey greeted us as we first embarked on the ship.

Much time would be spent here over the next 11 nights...

I have always loved the atrium on the Disney Dream.

First stop? Cabanas for some fantastic food including all you care to enjoy snow crab!

We took advantage of the open house time on the first day of the cruise to explore all of the youth activity spaces onboard.

The Disney Infinity room is inspired by the console game. If you tapped a Oceaneer Band on your game's RFID reader/pad, you could unlock an exclusive Disney Cruise Line ship toy in the game. 

I do wish the game series had lasted longer...

Star Wars: Millennium Falcon in the Oceaneer Club features a revolving loop of sequences from Star Tours (including the original attraction's ride film) and it is hard not to geek out when I see it. 

One of my favorite spaces on the entire ship... Echoes of EPCOT history.

Vibe is an exclusive youth activities space for teens.

They even have their own outdoor sun deck and pool area.

Our awesome verandah stateroom for the cruise!

I've seen this Sailing Away party many, many times and it never gets old.

Let the towel animal fun commence!

I love how 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea continues to be a property that finds life and acknowledgement at Disney Cruise Line.

Disney Victrophonics was a newer act performing on the ship for our cruise.

Hi Goofy!

I treated myself to a "World of Old Fashioned" tasting to kick off the cruise... And it was a heavenly experience.

The experience is a little non-traditional in that not all of the alcohols used are strictly whiskey or bourbon. But the four unique takes on the drink were all worth consuming. 

So cute!

After a relaxing day at sea, we awoke the following morning as we pulled into the port of Chania, Greece. 

But before we could go ashore, we needed fuel for the day.

Due to it being an early-afternoon arrival in port, we opted to do a champagne tasting in Pink before our time on land.

We were treated to five champagnes plus two macarons, all explained and curated by an expert sommelier who guided us through the experience. I highly recommend taking advantage of one of these tastings if you have the chance. 

Chania, Greece was a fairly straightforward port. We opted for an excursion (also known as a Port Adventure) that brought us on a tour of Scenic Crete... Starting at Ancient Aptera.

Our first archeological ruins of the trip... This amphitheater was a neat stop along our journey.

Next up was a brief visit to Kournas Lake, a picturesque body of water nestled in the mountains of Crete. 

Our port adventure concluded with a meal in the town of Argyroupolis...

Fresh Greek food never disappoints!

This was a fantastic way to kick off our time in Greece!

Isn't she lovely?

It was a lovely touch to be treated to spa waters upon our return to the port--it was exceptionally hot out in Chania and this hit the spot!

Someone else loves John Carter like me? That's so cool!  

The Golden Mickeys is a classic show performed in the Walt Disney Theatre. 

Dinner that night was served in Animator's Palate which means we had a chance to hang out with Crush and the gang from Finding Nemo... 

But most importantly, it meant we could eat as many Black Truffle Pasta Purseittes as possible!

Our door would become progressively more covered in decor throughout the course of our cruise...

I also treated myself to a Premium Whiskey Reserve tasting while onboard. This ship is my happy place.

Another cute towel animal to cap off our day!

[jedimaster1227]

The next morning we docked early in Athens and disembarked for our tour of the Acropolis. There's something about this massive archeological site that amazes differently than other ancient sights I've visited. The preservation and scale of these landmarks is unlike anything I've seen. 

Our early morning ascent was a fortuitous one, as we managed to beat the bulk of the crowds.

Simply magnificent. 

An active site both for preservation and restoration. 

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is also part of the tour of the Acropolis and it was very neat to see up close.

I grabbed a fresh kataifi from a coffee shop in Athens and it was one of the best desserts I had across the entire trip.

Following our tour of the Acropolis and time in the city, we were brought to a local rooftop restaurant for a Greek cooking class. Here we were able to create our own marinade for a chicken gyro dish that would be prepared in front of us to enjoy for lunch.

While waiting for the chicken to cook we were also able to prepare our own tzatziki, spicy feta dip and dough for fresh pita. 

The end result was a delicious, full meal for which we had prepared almost every component.

Back to the ship after a day of fun in the sun.

Escargot for dinner is always a treat!

Lobster and tarragon pasta is another favorite of mine onboard.

Grand Marnier Souffle for the win!

Hiya Mickey!

Always nice to hang out!

One of my favorite pieces of enchanted artwork onboard the Disney Dream.

The Fly Boys were a variety act brought onboard for our sailing; an acapella group singing modern songs in the style of Frank Sinatra.

Another cute towel animal to cap off a great day!

The next morning we woke up off the coast of Santorini!

Beneath the surface of the floating ring seen here are the remains of the MS Sea Diamond, a cruise ship that sank here in 2007.

Such a beauty. 

Time to explore Santorini!

First up was some time to walk around the town of Fira. 

While incredibly beautiful and unique, it is also very narrow, difficult to navigate when crowded and in a sense, exceptionally touristy. 

But the view is unrivaled. 

Next up was a relaxing beer and wine tasting with a panoramic view of Santorini.

Not a drop of drink nor food remained when we were done.

The views were fantastic.

After our tasting, we walked about Oia to take in more sights.

We had researched a spot in Oia to grab some authentic Greek bites before returning to the ship...

And it was well worth the visit!

I wasn't going to leave Greece without trying Ouzo or Raki. Of all of the alcohols I've had, these were certainly among them.

When returning to the ship, you have a choice of taking the walking trail or waiting for the cable car.

We opted for the cable car, only waiting about 45 minutes to load.

This was the right choice.

Santorini is a tendering port, which is not my favorite, but it makes for a great set of photo ops as you return to the ship.

Curry shrimp for dinner!

And cupcake ice cream for dessert at Vanellope's Sweets & Treats!

 

Hi Elissa!

Hanging out once again with the Captain!

And the best towel animal yet to close out the night!

[jedimaster1227]

After some time at sea we arrived in port at Valetta, Malta, earlier than planned due to an unexpected itinerary change. We had been set to visit Mykonos in Greece but due to significant storms, the conditions were deemed unsafe for the ship to make port there. Valetta had already been on our schedule, but the ship worked hard to make up for the lost port, re-arranging our next planned day at sea, and arriving in Valetta a day early for an evening and overnight stay in port, leading into the originally-planned day there. Our first night in Malta was uneventful, and just consisted of aimless wandering on foot and a Maltese dinner at one of the port-area restaurants. 

The next day we would wake early to catch our bus for the Traditional Maltese Ftira Demo Making & Wine Tasting port adventure.

The drive through Valletta was quite scenic. 

We stopped first at Diar Il-Bniet, a local Maltese restaurant for a hands-on cooking demo.

We were able to sample some dips and spreads commonly found on the Maltese dinner table. Next we were tasked with rolling out our own ftira dough and loading it up with cheese and toppings of our choice. 

Ftira is in essence Maltese pizza, and as such it is cooked very similarly. 

Mine had two kinds of cheeses, green olives and eggplant. I opted out of the traditional cooked tuna topping that was available.

Next on our tour was a visit to another culinary experience...

The Meridiana Wine Estate is built on a former military airfield.

We had a chance to walk through the wine-making process during our visit.

This included seeing how the wine was stored in the cellars below.

And finally we had a chance to sample the goods.

Back onboard the Disney Dream we skipped Pirates Night dinner in the rotational dining venue in favor of dinner at Palo. These pillowly, pesto-y clouds of heaven were the restaurant's gnocchi. 

Butternut squash agnolotti for the win.

Dinner featured an incredible view of Valetta as we sailed away from the port. 

Valetta is a major destination for the filming of movies, and during our visit, production on Gladiator II was underway. 

Having just watched the movie a few weeks ago, it is neat to think that I saw some of the sets relatively up-close not long before.

A massive blue screen had also been constructed nearby, likely for the same film.

It isn't a dinner at Palo without their signature Osso Bucco. 

But my favorite dish out of any meal at Palo is actually the Grilled Portobello Mushroom. Absolute bliss.

The chocolate souffle is a must-have when visiting Palo. Even if you're full, you must find room and try it.

After dinner we enjoyed the special vibes of Pirates Night.

And we spotted a few notable pirates along the way...

Due to the nature of our longer cruise, we were treated to some extra variety acts in the Walt Disney Theatre during our sailing. Paul Zerdin, from "America's Got Talent" fame was featured on the main stage for the night.

Having watched him as a contestant on the show years ago, this was a really pleasant surprise to see him in person on our sailing.

Pirates Night towel animal for the win!

Pirates in the Caribbean is one of my favorite character experiences onboard.

Mickey and the gang come out in pirate gear and teach the guests about how to be a pirate. And that knowledge is put to the test when a band of pirates under the leadership of Captain Hook and Mr. Smee crash the party.

Some new-to-me magic was the chance to experience the show while wearing my DisneyBand+ which lit up and vibrated in sync with the show.

The night concluded with a fun, adult-only performance by Chris Cox, a mind reader. 

Breakfast of champions required for the next morning...

For today we would be welcomed to Catania, Italy. 

The ship docked within a size-able view of Mount Etna, the famous active volcano in Catania. 

We were greeted with a significant welcome trail!

We toured the city by bus and found preserved remains of former city elements of Catania embedded in the modern, rebuilt areas.

The architecture of the city center was impressive.

We spent some time roaming the area on our walking tour...

We visited a few churches along the way.

Allow me one artistic shot per update.

Next on our tour was a visit to another winery...

There we learned about the Italian style of wine-making and sampled some small bites along the way.

It wouldn't be a wine tasting without wine to be tasted.

A hero's welcome was waiting for us back at the ship after our port adventure.

I'll forever love this ship's atrium.

Back onboard we could experience a fun dance party with Mickey, Minnie and the gang. 

Hi Elissa!

Riding the AquaDuck with a view of Mount Etna is quite fun!

Riding the AquaDuck in general is quite fun!

We enjoyed this awesome water slide several times throughout our cruise.

A view of the upper deck...

The Mickey Slide is fun for the younger kids.

Always one of my favorite photos to take while onboard.

What else do I do with my free time in the stateroom than to watch obscure cult classics like Tomorrowland.

Hiya Donald!

Exclusive to the longer itineraries, the cast of the Walt Disney Theatre gets to put on a custom show where the performers can sing notable Disney songs of their choice. This is always one of the highlights of our longer cruises!

Mickey looks great in his Greek outfit!

The sun set on another amazing day...

And as per tradition, we were greeted in our stateroom with another adorable towel animal. 

 

[jedimaster1227]

Our final sea day was a day for relaxation and food, as we made our way to our final port of call, Palma de Mallorca. During the sea day we took the chance to indulge in some of the ship's food and fun before our more active, and final day of the cruise. 

What better way is there to start a day than with churro Mickey waffles?

Long had I been interested in trying the Remy Dessert Experience, but it had been quite some time since I had had a chance to be able to pull it off. I'd had dinner at Remy years ago and for this reason I was eager to give this offering a try.

I opted for the wine pairing with the experience (because when you're here, you're here) and it started with this awesome riesling. 

Darker than I expected but the flavor was amazing. 

First up was the Creme Brulee, which was classic in taste and texture, but unique in that it was served and prepared outside of the traditional ramekin and had a slight pie crust.

We had a chance to preview the Pithivier course in its full cake form before it would be sliced and served to us later in the experience.

Next was the Macaron Framboise (raspberry macaron) and it was one of my favorite courses of the experience.

Next up was a nice chianti (not served with a fava beans)...

It too was delicious.

The Choux Pistache Cherise was a traditional Pâte à Choux, this one served with an incredible pistachio filling, cherry jam and whole cherries. 

The Pithivier was filled with almond paste, not unlike marzipan. It was one of my favorite dishes of the experience.

Finding out that Taittinger Champagne was among the three wines paired with the experience, I was sold. I love trying their different champagnes onboard Disney cruises and I was pleased to have this chance to try one.

Well worth the entire pairing.

Remy's take on a Chocolate Croquant was very indulgent--despite being light and airy due to the thin chocolate layers, it was very rich for its deep chocolate flavors. 

The Citron was the final item of the experience. While this looks like a lemon (and tastes like one), this is actually an entirely composed dessert meant to look on the outside like an actual lemon.

Each layer, from the chocolate shell down to the citrus filling in the center is house made and the dish takes close to a day to prepare. It was an insane ending to a wonderful experience.

A certain "little chef" can be found in the restaurant if you know where to look for him.

That night we enjoyed Mickey's Color Spin Dance Party on the upper deck.

The show features a great mix of music and characters and I really loved every bit of it.

It was my first time seeing this Wall-e towel animal!

One of my favorite pieces of enchanted art on the ship has a fun tie in to Gran Fiesta Tour at EPCOT.

The next morning we woke up in the port of Palma de Mallorca for our final day of the cruise.

It also happened to be the Fourth of July on this day and the ship would celebrate the holiday in multiple ways.

The Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca looked incredible from afar. 

And even more so up close.

Alternate modes of transportation.

Our first taste of Gaudi-inspired architecture came from our visit to Can Forteza Rey. 

A little taste of Madrid in Palma...

My one artistic photo allotted per update.

Art and culture collide in Palma...

Very cool things inside.

Back on the ship for our final evening aboard, it was time for a special Fourth of July celebration in the atrium.

Mickey and the gang hosted a dance party to celebrate!

One final towel animal for the trip!

Our final dinner was in Animator's Palate, participating in my favorite experience there, Animation Magic. Clearly I'm not very artistic. 

In addition to the normal Animation Magic menu, we were offered a special Fourth of July menu.

What a great meal to finish out the cruise!

Black Truffle Pasta Purseittes for the win!

I went with the Slow-Braised Beef Short Rib from the Fourth of July menu and I was not disappointed.

My art came to life alongside others'. 

One more Mickey Bar for good measure. 

One of my favorite historical ship details found in the 687 pub. 

One final adults only game show in Evolution...

It was neat to see a Planet of the Apes film being shown onboard.

I wish I had time to experience the film in the Buena Vista Theatre onboard but maybe next time.

Mickey, Minnie and the gang came out for one final farewell...

[jedimaster1227]

After eleven incredible nights aboard the Disney Dream, we disembarked for the last time of the trip in Barcelona. This would be our first time in Barcelona (my second time in Spain) and we had nearly two days of time in the city to explore. There would be food, culture, and of course, at least one theme park thrown in the mix while we were there.

It was hard to say goodbye after such an amazing cruise (even before this, the Disney Dream is the ship I've spent the most time on out of any cruise ship) but we knew we'd be sailing again in the future.

We'd heard that the LEGO Store in Barcelona was worth a visit...

And it was.

La Boqueria was our first meal stop in Barcelona...

There was no shortage of ham to choose from...

It felt like the appropriate time and place to indulge in some iberico ham and manchengo cheese. 

As excited as I was for the charcuterie, I was more excited for the prospects of fresh, raw seafood.

And I was not disappointed with my choices!

Just incredible.

La Boqueria is an experience and you'd need many, many visits to try all of the unique flavors found within.

We roamed the city for a bit before resting at the hotel. We planned an early dinner at a hot dinner spot that we'd been pointed to by social media... Tapeo was marketed as one of THE places to go for tapas in Barcelona. 

The classic patatas bravas did not disappoint. 

I had a rock shrimp, squid ink pasta served paella style (though this did not qualify as a paella) and my world was rocked.

The next day we woke up bright an early for our reservation to visit Basílica de la Sagrada Família. I've been to many cathedrals, but this is easily one of the most unique.

Simply unlike any others I'd visited before.

The stone work is incredibly detailed and very much not in the traditional style of other houses of worship anywhere.

But where its real magic lies is inside, where the stained glass windows animate the inside with light and color. 

I'd never seen anything like this in a church before.

Stunning.

And as the morning drew on, the experience evolved as the sun moved the interior lighting in different ways.

This view reminded me of the one I had from Notre Dame during our trip to Paris years ago. 

After our time touring the inside of Basílica de la Sagrada Família as well as climbing the steps (which I highly recommend), we spent a significant amount of time exploring the incredible museum attached to the complex.

Next up was Park Guell. 

I'll admit, this was an attraction that felt a little overhyped for me. 

The park featured some really nice views of Barcelona...

And some unique outdoor spaces...

It is all very impressive.

But I also felt like, between the cost of admission, and the sheer overcrowding, plus the significant portions of "regular" park space, that this wasn't as special as everyone makes it out to be.

While there was another church nearby, it was but a mere stepping off point to something I was far more excited to visit...

Any guesses?

How about now?

If you guessed Tibidabo, you were right!

While I would have loved to have had time to finally visit PortAventura, we didn't have enough time on this trip, and only had a few hours at Tibidabo because our visit to Park Guell was done sooner than expected. 

Sadly Avió was not operating during our visit due to high winds.

A ride car from the former Montaña Rusa was on display in one of the central areas of the park. 

The park's unique location gives it the advantage of many incredible views.

The park had a neat automated model museum (including a working model of Montaña Rusa) that could be explored.

Because of its mountainside location, the park splits its sections across multiple levels.

Forgive me while I begin to fanboy over Muntanya Russa for a bit.

I don't know why, but for some reason, ever since this coaster opened, I've been curious to ride it.

Despite it being a family coaster, the layout is modern Vekoma-smooth and features some really punchy helixes. 

There are no major, straight drops but it does have lots of curvy, terrain-ish maneuvers.

I shouldn't enjoy this one as much as I do.

But two rides on this awesome little coaster made my entire trip to the park worth it.

Hard to explain why this was so much fun...

But it was.

The park does have one other coaster, a powered coaster called Tibidabo Express but it had one train in operation and a 60 minute wait, so I passed.

If I had had more time, I would have totally checked out the park's knock-off haunt house, Hotel 666 (formerly known as Hotel Krueger for unlicensed reasons you can only guess).

Embruixabruixes felt like a must ride and this bizarre scenic overhead monorail was definitely worth it for the views alone.

The ride circles much of the park and even has an indoor section...

Where some strange things happen.

I wasn't prepared for the live actor to jump out and scare our car with a flashlight from complete darkness.

I love a good old fashioned house of mirrors and Miramiralls was no exception.

Maybe someday I'll return, but I'm glad I had the time in the park that I did.

While we took an Uber to get to the park, I made it a priority to at least ride the Cuca de Llum funicular in one direction during our visit.

It was a neat experience.

The Cuca de Llum replaced the park's storied funicular in 2021 and the new trains look incredibly sleek. 

I do highly recommend trying this at least one way if you're visiting Tibidabo Amusement Park.

Still delicious and refreshing.

As we wound down for the final night of our trip, we went to a local mall within walking distance of our hotel to grab some final bites. While there, we happened to pass this neat store within an indoor ferris wheel.

It was at this very late stage in the game that I realized I hadn't had a single paella on this entire trip. So food court paella had to be the move, and it was still delicious.

Healthy Greens (that's the name) offered this incredible platter of steak and veggies that we were in love with.

And this was my first time seeing a miniature IKEA in a mall. 

The next morning we left Barcelona to head back to London for a brief stop before flying home to Orlando... 

But we weren't going to miss our chance to have more Nando's while here!

Halloumi fries for the win!

Nando's Wild Garlic sauce for their chicken is incredible and I need it bottled stateside. 

And just like that, our 16 day vacation across Europe had finally come to a close.