Anything Goes Saturday - Navigating the Disney Cruise Line

Show of hands, how many of you have been on a Disney Cruise? Fantastic! For those that have not, keep reading because you never know where future travel plans may take you. Show of hands again, how many of you have ever gotten lost on the ship? Come on, it's o.k., we're all friends here. Raise those hands high. That's better.

My first ever cruise was on the Disney Wonder. She was so beautiful, so impressive and so big (or so I thought). It took quite a few days before I could easily navigate my way around, unless I was outside on deck 9, where you can practically see from one end of the ship to the other. Many nights I would find myself coming off the mid ship elevators heading for the Oceaneer's Lab to collect my son, but turning the wrong way and ending up at the Buena Vista theater. No, it wasn't one Bahama Mama too many, it is just very easy to get turned around.

Nine years and a few cruises later, I find myself on the Disney Dream, completely overwhelmed by her size, longing for the familiarity of the Magic and Wonder. First and foremost I had to find out, which way to the soda machines. How can you tell which direction you are going when you are on an inside deck, no portholes, in seemingly never ending hallways? I couldn't tell my forward from my aft, that is until I learned the secret. Look down.

photo courtesy of Inside the Magic

Throughout the hallways is rather nautical looking carpeting, covered in stars, and every so often a globe featuring the Disney Cruise ships, and your Disney ship's name spelled out in maritime signal flags. But the stars are really the key. They are 5 point stars. The top point will always direct you forward and the two bottom points will direct you aft.

Armed with this knowledge, I'll have to go back to meeting my fellow cruisers the old-fashioned way, at the pool, instead of in the hallways muttering "This isn't where I wanted to go.".

See you at the soda machines! (Disney Fantasy, Deck 11, Mid-Ship)