I was in a deep sleep when the entire Disney Treasure was woken up by a loud announcement at 4:30am. I remember hearing the words “Red Parties” and “Incinerator” and even though this might have sounded alarming to some onboard, I have heard something very similar on another cruise that we have sailed on before. However this was also not the first time that we have been woken up in the middle of the night on a cruise and as there were no other announcements made, we simply turned over and went straight back to sleep.

We woke up again just after 7:30am and even though our sleep had been disturbed for those few minutes during the night, it felt so wonderful to have slept so much especially as I had not slept well on the previous night. I felt so refreshed and well rested and could not wait for the long day ahead of us in beautiful Grand Cayman before enjoying Pirate Night back onboard the ship that evening.

As I had lost our game of basketball onboard the previous lunchtime, it was my job to go and get us both a cup of tea from Deck 11 and I also made a quick stop at Marceline Market where I picked up a few pastries which we ate whilst sitting in bed and watching the Good Morning Disney Treasure show on the television.

As our all ashore time was not until 10:30am that day, we still had a little while to go before we reached Grand Cayman so after having a shower and getting dressed, we walked down to the Grand Hall where we began our morning by meeting some characters. After being one of the first in line to meet Aladdin at 9:00am on the Deck 5 Balcony, we quickly ran down to Deck 4 to meet Chip and Dale who were also out at the same time.

After meeting Chip and Dale we walked back up to Deck 5 to meet Voyager Minnie once again and whilst we were in line, Captain Marco made an announcement to apologise to everyone for the early morning wake-up call and that thankfully it had been a false alarm.

We then walked down to Deck 3 of the Grand Hall as we had booked the Royal Gathering for the first time ever. You are able to book this popular activity online thirty days before your cruise (it is released at the same time for everyone regardless of Castaway Club status and does get booked up very quickly) and it offers the opportunity to reserve a time to meet several of the Princesses onboard in one go with minimal wait and at no extra charge. During our seven day Western Caribbean sailing it was offered on three mornings of the cruise which were both of the sea days as well as on this morning before we docked at Grand Cayman.

On our cruise we were able to meet Princess Jasmine, Moana, Belle and Rapunzel (though the line up is always subject to change on each ship as well as each sailing) and as the line moved so quickly that morning, we met all four of them in less than seven minutes!

After meeting so many characters in the Grand Hall in such a short time, we headed up to Marceline Market to get some much needed breakfast all ready for our day of exploring Grand Cayman. It was another beautiful morning out so we sat on the outside deck to eat as we approached the anchorage in George Town.

As soon as we had finished our breakfast, we walked back down to our stateroom to collect our bags before we made our way to the entrance of the Walt Disney Theatre on Deck 3 to join the line to wait for a tender boat to the shore. On our last cruise that visited Grand Cayman, we did not need to do this as we simply waited for open tendering but on this cruise we had plans on the island and wanted to be off the ship as soon as possible.

We were each given a ticket before taking a seat inside the theatre and they were also playing Mickey Mouse cartoons which you could watch whilst you were waiting. There seemed to be a lot of bored and unhappy children that morning so I would recommend bringing an iPad for them to watch to keep them occupied during the wait.

After a short fifteen minute wait we left the theatre and walked down to Deck 1 Forward where we boarded our tender boat less than five minutes later. Many people sit at the front of the boat however I would always recommend sitting right at the back (as we did) as you will get the best view of your ship during the short ten minute journey towards the shore.

We arrived at the pier of the Royal Watler Cruise Terminal just before 11:20am and we headed straight out to go and collect our rental car as we had plans to explore the eastern side of the island of Grand Cayman as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park which neither of us had done before.

As on every other cruise that we have ever taken, neither of us are interested in booking or taking part in any organised excursions or Port Adventures as they are simply overpriced, a waste of money and you can actually see far more of anywhere that you visit if you make your own plans and see everything for yourself and in your own time.

After crossing Harbour Drive we walked up Fort Street past Heroes Square and the House of Parliament and then walked a few minutes along Mary Street towards Rodney’s Car Rental which took just over five minutes. Even though there are many well known car rental companies located at the airport which is a short taxi ride away, we had read many good reviews about Rodney’s (which was just a short walk from the port) so we had booked our car through their website a few months before our cruise.

Whilst Rodney’s is signposted, you could very easily walk past their office as it is hidden away in a converted shipping container away from the street. However once inside their staff were all so welcoming and friendly and they had a car ready for us straight away so we were on the road in less than five minutes after we arrived there.

As the Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory, driving for us was so easy as all of the cars are right hand drive and they also drive on the left side of the road (just as we do in the UK) and even though we can both drive manual vehicles, we had also booked an automatic car to make our day of exploring even easier.

Before the cruise I had worked out all of the places that we wanted to visit on this day and had marked them on Google Maps and as we both had 5G mobile data in the Cayman Islands, navigating to all of them was very easy and simple.

From George Town it was a quick thirty minute drive to our first stop of the day which was Lovers Wall (which is just a small photo spot) located on the southern coast of Grand Cayman and we passed through the village of Bodden Town which is the former capital of the Cayman Islands on the way.

Our next stop was The Blowholes which were just a short two minute drive further along Sea View Road and amazingly we had the place all to ourselves which we were definitely not expecting. After walking down a short staircase from the road, this is where you can watch the waves crash against the rocks shooting seawater up high into the air. It was a little windy that day which made the Blowholes even more impressive to watch and we stayed there for about ten minutes before we continued on with our day.

Driving around Grand Cayman is a fun and easy way to explore the island but be aware that some places marked on Google Maps no longer exist so do not be surprised if you arrive somewhere and find that there is nothing there anymore. However there is truly never nothing to see as the views along the coastline are beautiful no matter where you go.

Our next stop of the day was the Wreck of the Ten Sail which is located on the far eastern side of the island of Grand Cayman and is a memorial for the most famous shipwreck disaster in the history of the Cayman Islands. In 1794 a convoy of ten British merchant ships which had left from Jamaica ignored orders not to sail during the night which resulted in them all crashing into the reef. Thankfully four hundred and fifty people were rescued due to the quick response of the people of the Cayman Islands who braved the stormy waters with only a handful of people losing their lives.

The park overlooking the reef was so beautiful and peaceful and there was even a small pagoda where you could sit in the shade and enjoy the incredible view out to sea.

We carried on driving around the island (there is one main road around the coast of the East End making it impossible to get lost) before we made a quick stop at the Queen’s Monument which commemorates the 1983 opening by Queen Elizabeth II of the this section of the road which is known as the Queen’s Highway.

After driving around the East End of the island, our final stop of the day (and the main reason why we rented a car) was the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park which is home to the endangered Blue Iguana which are endemic to Grand Cayman. The park itself is located one mile from the main road making it extremely tricky to visit using public transport when on a cruise – they even mention on their website to not take the minibus here if you are on a cruise in case you cannot get back on time.

There were plenty of parking spaces available (I loved all the signs to tell you to check under your car for sleeping iguanas) and entrance to the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park cost us US$25 each.

The sixty five acre botanical park was opened in 1994 by the Queen herself and we began our visit by exploring the Orchid Boardwalk where you can find ten different types of orchids including the Wild Banana Orchid which is the national flower of the Cayman Islands.

We also spent a few minutes exploring the Heritage Garden where you can find an old beautifully restored Caymanian house and the Xerophytic Garden which is home to plants such as cacti that can grow in hot and dry conditions with very little water.

We then walked under the pink and green gazebo at the entrance to the Colour Garden and walked along the winding path amongst the butterflies and past flowers, trees and foliage which are organised into all the colours of the rainbow. It was truly beautiful and I took so many photos!

As we walked past the Lily Pond, we spotted our first Blue Iguana sitting across the middle of a narrow footpath and completely blocking our way. We waited for him to move but he did not seem to be in any hurry and looked quite content where he was. However when some other visitors to the park walked past him, he finally shuffled to the side of the path and we were able to continue on our way.

We continued our journey by walking along the lake where we saw a Green Iguana climbing one of the trees, an Osprey sitting high up in one of the branches on the other side of the water along with another Blue Iguana who was sitting in the shade under one of the nearby picnic benches.

We then started the almost mile long walk along the Woodland Trail towards the Blue Iguana Conservation Habitat. It was such a hot and humid day so if you are planning to visit the botanic park in the future, make sure to wear a hat and use sunscreen to protect yourself from the hot sun and also bring plenty of water with you to drink. Before our visit I was hoping that we might be lucky enough to see one or two Blue Iguanas during our visit but we saw so many more just on this one trail alone!

The Blue Iguana was once on the verge of extinction but thanks to the incredible work of the Blue Iguana Conservation Habitat, their population has been steadily increasing. Through a successful breeding program, more than one thousand Blue Iguanas have been released into the wild over the years and it was truly a privilege to see these striking and beautiful creatures up close.

The habitat also provides a safe home for Blue Iguanas that need rehabilitation or special care. They are housed in large and spacious outdoor pens, each marked with the iguana’s name where they can remain until they are healthy enough to be released back into the wild or can retire and live out the rest of their lives in safety.

We spent just under two hours at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park and it was absolutely worth the visit. Seeing the Blue Iguanas up close while exploring the beautiful gardens was a truly special experience. The park is an easy drive from George Town and if you combine it with a tour of the East End as we did, it makes for a wonderful day out in Grand Cayman.

After leaving the park, we took a leisurely drive back towards George Town where we stopped for fuel before we returned the car back to Rodney’s at 3:30pm. Our car rental for the day cost a total of $150 including tax, extra insurance as well as an extra driver. Grand Cayman is one of our favourite ports to visit whilst on a cruise so being able to explore more of the island by ourselves and at our own pace was well worth the cost and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to make the most of their time on the island.

We still had two hours to go before the last tender back to the ship and the all‑aboard time at 5:30pm but as we had done everything that we wanted to do that day in Grand Cayman, we took a slow walk back towards the port even though the amazing staff at Rodney’s kindly offered to drive us there.

We could not walk back the same way as we had done that morning as part of Fort Street was closed off for the celebrations following the swearing in of the new government of the Cayman Islands that afternoon. So instead we took a slightly longer route that took us past Heroes Square, the George Town Public Library, the Blu the Iguana statue and the Central Post Office before strolling back along the seafront past the beautiful Elmslie Memorial United Church and it was the perfect way to end our day in Grand Cayman.

We showed our photo ID’s (we both used our driving licences) as well as our Key to the World cards to enter the Royal Watler Cruise Terminal where there was only a short line waiting for the next tender boat back to the ship and we were given cold towels whilst we waited which felt incredible as it was so hot out that afternoon.

We were back onboard the Disney Treasure just before 4:20pm and we headed straight up to our stateroom where two of the brand new (we have only ever received the old style ones on our previous cruises) bandanas ready for Pirate Night were waiting on the bed for us.

Once we got changed, we took the elevator up to Deck 13 where we joined a short line to ride the “Curse of the Golden Egg” version of the AquaMouse which is exclusive to the Disney Treasure. However whilst we were waiting I saw Pirate Captain Minnie walking around a near empty Deck 12 so I quickly left the line to go and get her photo and this was another of my favourite memories of the entire cruise – especially when Minnie suggested that I take her photo with the iconic red funnel in the background.

Thankfully there was an even shorter line for the AquaMouse when I returned and in the “Curse of the Golden Egg”, Minnie and Mickey search for a legendary treasure hidden in the mysterious ruins of an ancient temple with their Port Misadventures company. It was so much fun and even a little Indiana Jones-esque and I even noticed the Admiral Donald statue from the Disney Dream in one of the scenes. We were asked if we wanted to stay on for another ride which of course we said yes to! The best time to ride the AquaMouse is definitely late afternoon as there is rarely ever a line.

As we had missed lunch, we were both starving so we grabbed a hot dog and fries each from Goofy’s Grill along with a cold drink. Something that we started doing a few cruises ago was skipping the main dining room on Pirate Night and simply having deck food whenever we felt like eating which we now do on every cruise as it makes Pirate Night so much more fun and relaxed for us.

Once we got back to our stateroom we had a shower before enjoying a glass of Prosecco on our verandah as we slowly sailed away from Grand Cayman. Once I was dressed, I made my way back up to Deck 12 to grab a good spot ready for Minnie and Mickey’s Pirates in the Caribbean which was due to start at 7:30pm.

We always tend to stand in the exact same place for the deck parties onboard which is on Deck 12 close to the side of the stage however on this cruise we decided to change things up just slightly. We stayed on Deck 12 but moved further back to a spot that was directly facing the front of stage. It was a little further away to what we were used to but with a good camera lens it worked perfectly and it was really fun to see the show from a different angle for the first time ever.

Mickey and Minnie’s Pirates in the Caribbean is the exact same show that is on the Disney Wish and almost the same show to what is onboard the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy although a little shorter with a few small changes throughout. As part of their Pirate Academy, the deck party begins with Pirate Donald, Pirate Daisy, Pirate Goofy as well as Captains Mickey and Minnie teaching everyone the four different lessons of what it will take to become a member of their pirate crew.

Captain Hook and Mr Smee arrive not long afterwards to take over the ship so Captain Mickey challenges Hook to a “Captain’s Challenge” to win the Disney Treasure back. If Hook wins, Mickey has to walk the plank and if Mickey wins, he gets the ship back and Hook and Smee have to leave. I know I said it when we sailed on the Disney Wish but I really wish that they had changed this part of the show to have Captain Minnie challenging Captain Hook to the Captain’s Challenge as she is a captain now and it would be amazing and so much fun to see!

After the deck party we made our way down to Deck 3 to spend a little bit of time in the incredible Haunted Mansion Parlor. Everything that you have heard about this bar is true and it seemed that Pirate Night was a great time to visit as it was the quietest we had seen it since boarding the ship. I was already looking forward to visiting again the following day during our “Imagineering the Disney Ships” tour to look at all of the many details during the day as it is impossible to take them all in during one visit.

After leaving the Haunted Mansion Parlor we headed back up to Deck 12 to grab the same spot as we had done earlier in the evening ready for the Pirates Rockin’ Parlay Party at 10:15pm which is one of the best deck parties across the entire Disney Cruise Line fleet. We knew that it was going to be busy on deck as everyone wants to see the fireworks so we did not mind waiting once again to ensure we had a good view.

Thirty minutes before the party began the Spinning Seadog from W-ARR Rockin’ Pirates Radio located way down deep in Davy Jones’ Locker started playing simply the best music ever to warm up the crowd including Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen, Jump by Van Halen, Come Sail Away by Styx, Black Cat by Janet Jackson, Livin’ On a Prayer by Bon Jovi, Let’s Go Crazy by Prince and I Love Rock and Roll by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.

The Pirates Rockin’ Parlay Party kicked with the most rockin’ pirate band around known as the Scally’s with Sir Locksley on vocals, Gold McGee on guitar, Rusty Bones on keys, Two-Toed Tom on bass and Bubbles on drums who all arrived on stage to the sounds of We Will Rock You by Queen before breaking out into a rock version of Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me).

Sir Locksley then introduced Captain Redd who sang We’re Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister before telling everyone that she had won the ship from Captain Jack Sparrow. However whilst looking below deck, she found a scroll hidden inside a bottle (but it was not a rum bottle as Jack would have found that himself) which talked about a sparkling treasure and said:

“On the sixth day of the fifth month
Four captains of the Caribbean Sea
Parlay they must call out that is the key
Place thy hand on this scroll and yell out Yo Ho
Then a sparkling treasure ye shall behold!”

As that date was today, Captain Redd had sent word out to three other Captains of the Caribbean to look for the most rocking ship at sea before singing Jumpin’ Jack Flash by the Rolling Stones and Rock and Roll all Nite by Kiss with Sir Locksley.

The Disney Treasure was certainly the most rocking ship in the Caribbean when Captain Mad Bart and Captain Shackleward (aka Coriander and Sage) arrived followed shortly afterwards by Captain Jack Sparrow who quite literally dropped in. The four Captains placed their hands on the scroll and yelled out “Yo Ho” and the sparkling treasure was revealed to be the fireworks which were launched from the starboard side of the ship as the band continued to play a brilliant mash-up of the Pirates in the Caribbean soundtrack and Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me).

Once the Pirates Rockin’ Parlay Party had sadly finished (I could have easily watched it again straight away as I loved it just as much as the first time I saw it), we waited for the crowds to disappear before we walked down to Daisy’s Pizza Pies on Deck 11 which was open until Midnight and we sat out on deck with some pizza and a cup of tea and it was the perfect way to end our brilliant evening onboard.

When we finally got back to our stateroom, a blanket Davy Jones was waiting on the bed complete with some chocolate coins for eyes and it was only then that we realised that this was the first time we had been left some chocolates in the evening on this cruise – there was no sign of the normal turndown chocolates on any other night.

Our day in Grand Cayman had been perfect and then Pirate Night back onboard the ship made for a truly wonderful end to an already amazing day. By the time we finally fell asleep, it was just after Midnight and I felt that happy kind of tired that I only get after such a great day of fun, exploring and adventure. What made everything even better on this night was knowing that we did not have much planned for our next day in Falmouth and we could simply just explore all of the many details around the ship and just enjoy everything that the beautiful Disney Treasure had to offer – and I could not wait to see what we would discover.

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