The Disney Dream crosses the English Channel

A nice news for the Disney Dream! It has finally passed through the English Channel, and is now coming toward our beloved Port Canaveral! More info and pictures, from the Walt Disney (R) Company:
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The Disney Dream in the English Channel

The Disney Dream began its voyage home at 1:38 a.m. Dec. 20, when it left the German port city of Bremerhaven. Despite the lateness of the hour, dozens of residents gathered at the port to bid farewell to the ship. During its two weeks in Bremerhaven, the Disney Dream had become an attraction to locals, who visited the cruise terminal in droves to take photos of the Disney ship that had taken up temporary residence there after completing sea trials in the North Sea.

Disney Dream crew members pose for a photo after the ceremony.

In accordance with maritime ritual, before the ship departed from Bremerhaven to begin its transatlantic voyage, a local priest performed a ship's blessing. Captain Tom Forberg, a native of Norway and Master of the Disney Dream, explained to crew that the tradition of blessing a ship goes back more than 1,000 years to the days of the Vikings.

Tom Wolber, Disney Cruise Line's chief operating officer, addressed the crew of 1,400 who gathered for a crew assembly before the ship set sail. "You are the reason the Disney Dream will be such a success and make such a mark in the industry," Tom said. "This is a spectacular, one-of-a-kind ship - but it's our crew members who deliver the experiences that Disney is known for."

Entertainment crew members take a break from rehearsing and get a little goofy.

On this voyage the Disney Dream will travel 6,500 miles, which is equivalent to driving from New York to Los Angeles, back to New York and halfway across the United States again. The course is taking the ship through the North Sea and the English Channel, and along the coasts of the Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal and Africa.

The ship will stop for a few hours in Tenerife in the Canary Islands on Christmas Eve, before it crosses the Atlantic Ocean. After calling twice at Castaway Cay - Disney's private island in the Bahamas - and Nassau, Bahamas, the Disney Dream will arrive at its Port Canaveral home port early on the morning of Jan. 4.

The finishing touches are still being applied throughout the ship.

Everyone onboard - crew, working cast and family members - is comfortable despite temperatures in the 20s and winds of up to 30 mph. During the voyage, teams are collecting video and photos to be used for marketing purposes and to orient future guests to features aboard the ship, such as entertainment and dining opportunities. Crew members are engaged in training - from food preparation to entertainment - and completing some cosmetic finishing touches in various areas.

"I've been a crew member for several years, and I'm as excited today as I was the first time I set foot on a Disney ship," said Vicky Appleyard, crew activities manager on the Disney Dream.

Housekeeping crew members prepare thousands of pounds of laundry.

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