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How My Travel Mahjong Set Worked for Four Players on the Disney Dream

My travel Mahjong set had already passed the Mexico test: I could pack it easily and play a couple of SoloMahj games in my room. But that still left one question. Would those little tiles work when there were other people around the table? On our Disney Dream transatlantic, they got their chance. And then some. We played with family, played with friends, and taught new friends in the concierge lounge. My bestie’s dad even played for the first time. By the end of the trip, my answer was easy: I would 100% bring this set again. Our travel setup in action: little tiles, mini racks, and cards around the table. This post contains an affiliate link. If you make a purchase through my link, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. One little set, a whole variety of players I brought my My Fair Mahjong Mini Anywhere set —the same compact setup I wrote about in How I Pack a Mahjong Set for a Trip Without Regretting It . This time, it got much more than a couple of solo...
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Disney Cruise Line Concierge Perks Ranked After Sailing Concierge on Five Ships

I've sailed Disney Cruise Line 22 times, spent 148 days onboard, and have now experienced concierge service on five Disney ships across all three ship classes. My first concierge sailing was on the Disney Fantasy in the early 2010s, so at this point I've had plenty of time to figure out which perks genuinely change the cruise experience and which ones are mostly just nice little bonuses. And let's get one thing out of the way immediately: Disney Cruise Line concierge is expensive. Very expensive. I am not going to pretend otherwise. So if you're staring at that price difference trying to decide whether concierge is actually worth it, I don't think the most useful question is, “What do you get?” Disney will happily give you that list. If you're looking for the broader decision guide, start with who should pay for Disney Cruise Line concierge—and who should skip it . You can also browse my complete Disney Cruise Line hub for planning guides, ship reviews and ...
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My Mahjong and LEGO Room Makeover: A Colorful Game Room in Progress

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Over Labor Day weekend, I finally tackled a project that had been living in my head for a while: turning my office into a room made for two of my favorite hobbies—mahjong and LEGO. Before the Makeover The first step was clearing out the office. Once the room was empty, I taped everything off and got to work painting. I chose Dried Thyme by Sherwin-Williams for the walls, and it turned out to be exactly the rich, cozy green I wanted. The Makeover in Progress Making Room for LEGO and Mahjong My mom brought down Billy bookcases from Illinois, and I added an IKEA KALLAX on legs. It is exactly the right width for my Disney LEGO Castle, with extra cubbies for storage and display. For now, I am using this folding card table from Amazon . My Garden Party Clare chairs from Rifle Paper Co. add the perfect dose of color and pattern. These clear display boxes with ...
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Afternoon Tea and a Shopping Spree at Fortnum & Mason

There are some London experiences that feel almost mandatory, and afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason was high on my list when I planned our two days in London before the Disney Dream . I had planned our Sunday reservation for 1:00 p.m. in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, followed by enough time to explore the store before heading back to our hotel. That last part of the plan turned out to be important. Afternoon tea was lovely, but the shopping afterward became an experience of its own—and resulted in a box of Fortnum & Mason goodies being shipped all the way home to Texas.
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Disney Dream Transatlantic Cruise Wrap-Up: 13 Nights, 3 Ports and 7 Sea Days

After 13 nights aboard the Disney Dream, three beautiful European ports, seven consecutive sea days, countless rounds of trivia, more mahjong than I can count, and a reunion with some of my favorite cruise friends, my transatlantic adventure has officially come to an end. And honestly? I could have stayed for seven more sea days. I loved this cruise even more than I expected. It may have edged out our South Pacific sailing as one of my favorite cruises ever—not because the itinerary was necessarily better, but because it reunited so many of the friends we made while sailing halfway around the world. The South Pacific brought us together. The transatlantic let us do it all again. Our Disney Dream Transatlantic Itinerary Our adventure began with a couple of days in London before we boarded the Disney Dream in Southampton. From there, we visited three very different ports: Vigo, Spain, with an excursion to Santiago de Compostela Lisbon, Portugal Funchal, Madeira Seven glorious conse...
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Inside the Disney Dream Concierge Lounge: A Photo Tour of the Hercules-Inspired Retreat

The Disney Dream is not new to me, but this was my first time sailing Concierge on the ship—and my first time experiencing one of the expanded Dream-class Concierge Lounges. I have sailed Concierge on the Disney Fantasy several times, so I thought I knew what to expect. The moment I walked into this renovated space, however, my reaction was simply: wow. It is almost hard to believe the lounge is now more than twice its former size. It is no longer just a convenient place to pick up a drink or ask for help with a reservation. It feels like a genuine private retreat where Concierge guests can step away from the busy pool decks, enjoy refreshments and talk with the onboard Concierge team. Following the Disney Dream’s 2024 updates, the expanded lounge has a completely new look inspired by Disney’s Hercules and the clouds of Mount Olympus. The result is bright, polished and unmistakably Disney—but the references are woven into the room rather than covering every surface. Here is a lo...
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I Booked a Solo Transatlantic on a Ship I Didn’t Love

In Part 1 of this series , I shared how one innocent question—“What’s next?”—ended with me booking two solo trips within about 14 hours. In Part 2 , I explained why Disneyland Paris felt like the right place to try truly solo travel for the first time. Now we have reached the second confirmation email—the one for a 12-night transatlantic cruise on a ship I did not particularly love. Apparently, one impulsive solo booking was not enough. The cruise appeared while I was planning something else The original plan was to explore small-group European tours designed for solo travelers. Then I started seriously considering Disneyland Paris. At that point, I was thinking about one solo trip—not two. That changed when friends mentioned that they planned to book Disney Cruise Line’s westbound transatlantic for the following year. It was the first day of booking for Pearl Castaway Club members, so they could reserve their cruise before I could. I casually—or perhaps not so casually—said th...
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