Cruising on the new Disney Dream

Ah, new-boat smell.

On the Disney Dream, a ship with less than a month of sailing time under her keel, I sniffed my way around 14 decks and 1,250 staterooms. I stuck my nose into six restaurants, two theaters and one spa. I stood in the airy atrium, beneath a gemstone-colored chandelier that would look divine in my imaginary ballroom, and breathed in deeply.

And that's where I smelled it: a subtle note of sweetness.

Oh wait, that was my mind talking, not my nose. The true scent of the Disney Dream was chlorine and suntan lotion, popcorn and fruity cocktails and -- depending on the hour and the accident -- cologne and kids. But on this 130,000-ton vessel, more than 40 percent larger than its two sister ships and more technologically advanced, imagination trumps reality.

"I like the comfort and the escape of Disney," said Sharon Clauss, a Disney cruise veteran on her first Dream voyage. "It's like being in a totally magical place."

I could use a little magic, so in February I banished my sensible, unsentimental self and entered a squeaky-clean fantasyland of giant mice with no predators and princesses who never lose their fortunes. For three nights and two ports of call, I did my utmost to stifle my sardonic self -- the rascal who wonders whether the character actors ever get wasted and trot around naked beneath their costumes -- and let myself fall blissfully into the Dream.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I have to admit, she's a looker.

Unlike the floating milk cartons that ply the Caribbean, the Dream stands out, with a blue hull as dark as the ocean deep and the sleek, clean lines of a crisp button-down shirt. Mickey silhouettes on the red funnels and the figure of "Fantasia" Mickey dangling from the stern are a couple of the winks to the Big Daddy creator.

The interior decor is tasteful, a flashback to the golden age of seafaring. In the public areas, striped couches with high backs and tasseled pillows encourage loafing, and chandeliers twinkle like the Milky Way.

A heap of anticipation bubbled around the Dream, spurred by a 12-year drought since Disney last commis- sioned a ship. It launched the Magic in 1998 and the Wonder a year later; in March 2012, the Fantasy, the Dream's twin in size and scope, will be unveiled.

"To me, it looks like a five-star hotel," said Susan Reid, a Florida resident who celebrated her 50th (Disney cruise, not birthday) on a recent three-nighter to Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney's very own 1,000-acre Bahamian island. "I'm used to the small, intimate boats, but I'll get used to this."

With Pixar as a benchmark, the pressure's on to impress starry-eyed kids and jaded adults. All inside staterooms feature a Magical Porthole that displays real-time images of the world outside. Disney characters also pop up on the screen, bringing you back to nonreality. In the Animator's Palette, the restaurant walls speak directly to diners.

"What's that crazy thing you're pointing at me?" Crush, the wisecracking turtle from "Finding Nemo," asked a woman who had abandoned her appetizer to train a video camera on him. "Wait, let me get ready for my close-up." He put flipper to face, elongated all body parts not encased in a shell and grinned cheekily.

AROUND THE SHIP

Despite the new features -- including the upscale Remy restaurant, the Enchanted Garden restaurant and the AquaDuck, an elevated water coaster -- Disney retains many of its old stalwarts.

CHARACTERS

Throughout the day, Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck and other characters hold court around the ship. Kids line up, holding out their autograph books. My first sighting was Cinderella, who embraced a mob of mini-shes, most of them darling in their sparkly dresses but some more bridesmaidish in high heels and hairdos. Too self-conscious to approach the princess, I checked the information board for a meet-and-greet more suitable for an uncertain beginner: 7:45-8:05 p.m., Donald Duck; 8:30-8:50 p.m., Daisy Duck; 9:45-10 p.m., Chip and Dale. And working the late shift . . . 10:15-10:30 p.m., Goofy and Pluto.

ENTERTAINMENT

Most of the ship's diversions are Disney-centric. The Broadway-style shows incorporate characters, songs and clips from the company's iconic movies, and the theaters roll only Disney films, including such first-runs as "Gnomeo and Juliet." On stateroom TVs you can watch ABC (Disney-owned), CNN, ESPN (another Disney holding) and a full roster of D-approved flicks, from classics (the "Toy Story" franchise) to flops ("Life as We Know It").

ACTIVITIES

On other cruises, I've learned how to fox-trot and fold towels in the shape of jungle creatures. On the Dream, I learned how to draw Disney figures.

"The purpose is not to draw the best Mickey and become part of Disney's animation team," instructor Aussie Dave said. "It's about the process, not accuracy." Three-quarters of the room had no idea what he was talking about. They were still of the age that believes Mickey is a real mouse who shacks up in their living room TV.

The Midship Detective Agency Game, a shipwide scavenger hunt, had the decks swimming with players of all ages. Guests receive a badge and a list of suspects, then race around the ship looking for clues to certain cases. (I chose the stolen art caper, though the missing Dalmatian puppy appeared to be more popular.) The badge works like Wii controller: Move it in front of each image and you can virtually reveal props that lead to the culprit. In my case, red lipstick and seeds helped me suss out the Evil Queen.

Trust me, she got hers.

KID/ADULT ZONES

Whoever thinks Disney cruises are just for kids and the parents who run after them, raise your hand. Now lower them, because you're all wrong.

Disney carves out spaces for different dates-of-birth, creating a kingdom of age-based fiefdoms -- the Small World Nursery (younger than 3); the Oceaneer Club and Lab (ages 3-10); Edge (tweens); and Vibe, a high-tech, modern-design space for teens, with a DJ booth, computers and a no-adults-allowed rule.

The Dream dedicates multiple areas to adults only, such as the pool, the hot tub and the bar in the Quiet Cove, and the District, a party row with themed watering holes and a dance venue. All but two of the onboard restaurants are included in the price. Both are for adults only. At Remy, the $75 prix-fixe French eatery, the menu is delightfully devoid of nuggets a la chicken and grilled fromage. Palo is the other adults-only dining room ($20 surcharge).

Walking along the pool deck, I watched kids zooming through the clear plastic tube of the AquaDuck, laughing and impervious to the chilly day. Inspired, I climbed to the top of the ride. Settling into an inflatable raft, I coasted down and up and over small rapids, at one point hovering 150 feet over the ocean before curving back over solid ground.

The ride ended before my goose bumps could fully rise. I considered getting back in line but instead raced over to the hot tub and joined the other grown-ups, who were talking about the cold and half-wondering where their kids had wandered off to.

BY THE NUMBERS

DISNEY DREAM

CAPACITY 4,000

PASSENGER DECKS 14

ITINERARY Departs from Port Canaveral, Fla., for three- to five-night sailings in the Bahamas, with ports of call in Nassau and on Disney's private island, Castaway Cay.

RATES From $579 a person for 3-night sailings (double occupancy)

INFO 800-951-3532, disneycruise.disney.go.com