5/6/06 Western - Long and with Pictures!

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Day 1: May 5, 2006

DH (34) and I (31) woke up at 3:30AM to catch the Super Shuttle to the airport for our 7:15 flight to Atlanta. I was anxious about using them because the last time they were not prompt with pick-up. When I made reservations they indicated they would arrive between 4:15 and 4:30, so I honestly expected them at 4:45. At 4:00, the driver calls and needs directions. He arrived at 4:17. DH had barely made it out of the shower and I had barely been able to kiss our zoo of animals goodbye.

We arrived at DIA at 5:00 and checked in at Delta. There was an earlier flight leaving that would put us in Orlando at 1:24PM instead of 4:30, so we promptly shelled out the first $50 of our trip and changed flights. We both started calculating how much time we would have at WDW with this new itinerary. We arrived at the gate and they started boarding immediately. DH is 6’2” so I always feel sorry for him on flights, and I was pleasantly surprised that there was plenty of leg room for him. (Ok, let’s not be ridiculous. There wasn’t “plenty” of leg room, but his legs weren’t smashed into the seat in front of him leaving his knees bruised and scratched.)

We had a one hour layover in Atlanta and then we were officially off to Orlando. We arrived on time and decided that we would eat some lunch before officially determining if we would go to the parks. We checked into the Hyatt and headed to the hotel restaurant, McCoy’s. (Pictures of room will be coming.) The food was good, but the service was horrible. DH and I both made the determination that we were not going to tip, but then we got spineless at the last minute and gave her 10%. But let me assure you, she did not deserve it!

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_0845.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_0843.jpg

I was kind of hot and sleepy, so we decided to skip the parks (gasp!) and head back to the room for a nap. DH watched TV after a short nap, and I took a long nap. We got up and headed out to the terminal for dinner. I decided to try Nathan’s hotdogs and found that they were not my cup of tea. :crazy2:

We went into the Disney stores in the airport and thought we would be super clever by purchasing some unique pirate paraphernalia for the Pirate party. (We realized at the Pirate party that they sell the exact items on the ship.) We went back to the room to (try) to sleep for the big day tomorrow.

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Day 1: May 6, 2006

We woke up early in order to make it on the first shuttle to port. You know, we wanted that much sought after #2 boarding card. We left the room at about 8:15 and it was exciting to see all of the luggage in the hallway that belonged to fellow Magic cruisers. (I know I am a dork and it’s the little things that make me happy.) Luggage had to be outside and tagged by 8:30. We headed to McDonald’s for breakfast and then went to purchase a camera bag for our video camera. At the last minute, we decided that the wool sock that we brought to use as the carrying case just wasn’t going to cut it.

We headed up to the transportation check-in.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_0849.jpg

Tip #1: They were not letting people sign up unless they had done 4 things: checked out of the room, placed applicable bags outside of their room for pick-up, eaten breakfast, and were ready to go. We saw one family get turned away because they admitted to not having eaten breakfast yet.

We checked in for transportation and were able to get on the first bus to port. We sat on the driver’s side of the bus and were able to get some decent pictures of the ship when it first comes into view. The video on the bus was good, but I was side tracked with the view and not wanting to miss the ship’s first appearance.

When we first saw the ship, I immediately started bawling. It was overwhelming to see how big and beautiful she was. Look closely and you can see her:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_0880.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_0885.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_0897.jpg

I was finally able to calm down by the time the bus stopped. We exited and went straight to check in. It was very fast and the line was short. We did the online check-in and this just speeded up the process that much more. We browsed the terminal and took some pictures of the model.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_0907.jpg

At 11:45ish, they called boarding cards 1 & 2. My heart jumped with excitement. We started crowding our way up to the front in order to board, when the employees started telling everyone to get back. I thought, “Okay, okay. I’ll give it a rest and quit trying to rush onboard.” Then they kept telling us to get further and further back, then go down the escalator, then go ahead and cross the street, then go ahead and get into the parking lot just for good measure. At this point, I was disappointed but thankful that DH kept his head on his shoulders. He quickly secured us a spot in the shade. We chatted with some employees who said a bag had been left behind and several dogs “went crazy” when they sniffed it. I used this 2 ½ hours to practice some of the cool things that my digital camera does.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_0936.jpg

DH and I also chatted with a man who recently moved to Florida and was in the medical profession. He indicated that the illnesses on the other cruise ships are pretty prevalent and that they see few incidents from Disney. They finally showed up with some bottled water from Walmart. I later saw a charge to our stateroom of $5 for each bottle. (Just kidding—but this might be something for Disney to consider as another money making method.)

Tip #2: Make sure you eat some protein for breakfast. Although the lunch buffet is usually available, sometimes unexpected things happen and you might not be eating lunch until much later than planned.

I didn’t look at the time, but hours after being moved into the sun we were finally allowed into a long line to get back in the terminal. All of us had to go through the security check again. We finally made it inside and I saw that they were letting everyone board at once. So much for my boarding card #3. At this point, I wasn’t even too grumpy. So, we get the point where they scan my card. Mine goes through fine, but DH doesn’t work. Any attempt at trying to maintain a good mood was gone at this point. I just wanted to get on that ship and Disney seemed to be doing everything they could to stop me from it. They had to get him a new card and this took several minutes.

Finally, we made it to the picture point and I was just ready to skip it because I was so upset. DH stopped me and told me that we really needed to do this because it would be our only chance to have that first picture of our first cruise ever. I’m glad he did—my fake smile turned out really good. Because of the earlier event, I wasn’t even excited about entering the ship and hearing our name called. I missed the glory of taking in the magnificence of the ship because I just wanted to get out of the heat for a minute and settle down.

So, we headed for our stateroom where I promptly had a breakdown, complete with tears. The trip did not start how it was supposed to and I didn’t want this to be a sign of things to come. I finally pulled myself together and we went to Topsiders for lunch. It was wonderful and very tasty. I was still pouty and figured I wouldn’t be able to change our exotic rasul from the Grand Cayman day to a day at sea, but I figured I would try anyway. We went to the spa, and it was no problem. I also booked my hair appointment for formal night. I quit being pouty after this.

At this point, it was time for the safety drill. Ours was in Animator’s Palate, and I thought it was kind of strange that Disney made the determination that if there was an emergency that we should go eat. (Just kidding.) The drill was over quickly and we headed up to deck 10 for the Sail Away party. This was not at all what I was expecting. It was an aerobics class for the employees and anybody willing on deck 9.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1022.jpg

I thought it would build up to the horn and then we would start sailing. Nope. I looked up across to the other side of the ship at one point and realized we were already sailing. I ran to the railing to get a picture of the employees at the terminal waiving with their Mickey gloves.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1012.jpg

Next time, I think we’ll skip the party events and go to the bow of the ship to watch us leave port.

We were both hot and sweaty, so we went back to our room to shower and get ready for dinner. We watched the first show and found it to be a bit cheesy. I did enjoy Rich Purpura and Michael Harrison.

We left a little bit early to head down to BINGO. I had a Banana Daiquiri and found it quite tasty. However, I don’t usually drink much and I felt kind of queasy and I don’t know if it was me getting used to the movement of the ship or the alcohol. I still had a good time, but keep this in mind if you aren’t much of a drinker.

The thing I was most nervous about turned out to be fine. We had LAP rotation. Our tablemates were awesome. I expected to be with another couple, but we walked up to our table to find a seating for 8. The first family was a mom, dad, and 12 year old son from Connecticut. I really enjoyed the conversation and believe that chatting with them really added to our cruise experience. The other family was from Argentina and only the dad spoke English. It made dinner kind of awkward because we wanted to include them in the conversation but couldn’t really because of the language barrier. They eventually requested a seating change.

Our servers were Roberto and Claudia and they were awsome. Our stateroom host was Nilo, and I couldn't have asked for anyone better.

We were kind of tired, so we headed to bed after dinner. I had another quick pouty moment because I felt like we should have already been unpacked so we could enjoy some other things on the ship. I quickly got over it when I saw turndown service and out first towel animal.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1045.jpg

We unpacked, and spent a few minutes on the verandah watching the skyline lit up as we sailed by. If you can afford it, I would highly recommend the verandah. We didn’t spend a ton of time on it, but it was nice to spend some time out there before bed just watching the water, the stars, and the moon and listening to the water.

[tjeagle]

Great report! Keep it coming!!

[pppiglet]

Love your pictures and report! Can't wait to see and hear the rest!

[Timon]

Sorry to hear your trip started with a few snags. Hopefully things get better and you found some of that magic!

More, more more! puhlease :rolleyes:

[Babs417]

Your dog is ssoo cute what kind is it :dog2: :dog:

[jaycns]

good report...keep it coming! :sunny:

[sherrie]

Than you for posting, hope your trip improves. great pics

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Your dog is ssoo cute what kind is it :dog2: :dog:

Thank you! She's a mix: part Chow and part Golden Retriever. Usually people cringe when they hear Chow, but once they are around her for a bit they change their attitude. She is so kind and sweet. She's my little punkin'!!

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Day 2: May 7, 2006

Much to my surprise, DH slept until 9:00 this morning. Usually he is up at the crack of dawn, while I sleep until full-fledged daylight. It was nice to know that perhaps he was getting some relaxation in.

The first thing on the agenda was to check out the verandah. The water was a beautiful green—it reminded me of emeralds.


http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1066.jpg

We both showered before heading up to Topsiders for breakfast. I had previously read that the showers are teeny-tiny and it would be difficult to move in them. In my mind I was equating the size to what you would find in a camper. I was pleasantly surprised. I am not the skinniest person and found that I had no problem moving or, more importantly, shaving my legs.

I was pleasantly surprised again at the selection at Topsiders: scrambled eggs prepared 2 ways, bacon, sausage, cheese, lunch meat, salmon, waffles, toast, bagels, English muffins, lots of fruits, cereal, danishes, donuts, and yogurt. My dad drives truck and seeks out the grossest breakfast buffets on the planet. Based on this and some negative comments from prior cruisers, I wasn’t expecting much. I found there to be something for everyone.

After breakfast we headed to deck 10 forward. We watched a boat come towards the ship and then literally cut in front her. It then proceeded to go down the side of the ship so closely that you couldn’t see it when looking over the railing on deck 10. One of the officers from the bridge stepped out with binoculars and a walkie talkie and watched this happening. I looked down and saw that they had stopped the ship. I’m not sure what transpired, but the boat finally pulled away and we started moving again.

We headed back to the room because we were both feeling a little queasy. He read his book and I laid on the bed and watched the water go by. Awhile later I saw a buoy go by, so I jumped up and went to the verandah. We were approaching Key West. It was fascinating to watch the ship dock. She’s such a mammoth and there was beauty in the ease in which they dock her.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1054.jpg

I noticed this hidden Mickey as we were docking:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1052.jpg

Mallory Square and dock:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1073.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1084.jpg


We were docked right at Mallory square, so it was easy and convenient to get off the ship and walk right to where you wanted to go.

Tip #3: Don’t be afraid to book excursions on your own. I was a bit leary of this, but I am glad that I did. I feel like our self-booked excursions were superior to those offered on the ship.

We found our way to the conch trolley and were on our way. I was surprised to see chickens running around everywhere.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1133.jpg

I specifically wanted to see 2 things: the lighthouse and the southern most point. We ended up getting off a few blocks from the lighthouse to do some shopping and walked over to the lighthouse.

Tip #4: Unless you really enjoy walking in the heat, I would not recommend trying to walk to the sights in Key West. We were soaked (and not from any water excursion, if you know what I mean) by time we got back to the ship.

The lighthouse admission was $10 per person. We proceeded to the lighthouse and soon realized just how out of shape we are. There are 88 steps to the top. Looking back, this doesn’t sound like a lot, but my legs were sure wobbly when we reached the top. There was a nice breeze and we were the only ones up there, so we hung out for awhile and took some pictures while we cooled down.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1114.jpg

We proceeded on to the Southern Most Point marker. There were some very cute houses in this area, and one building that they are converting to condos. If you have $1.25 million sitting around, you can get in on one. You’ll be on the water and only 2 blocks from the Southern Most Point!

We returned to the Mallory Square drop off point and headed back to the ship. Key West was a nice visit for a day or 2, but I can’t see DH and I spending anymore time here. Once onboard, we went to our stateroom and relaxed for about half an hour. We showered and then went to Pluto’s for a snack. We finally found the drink station and proceeded to get our fill of soda. We headed to the evening show with Michael Harrison. DH and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We found that all of the shows were very capable of entertaining both the kids and adults onboard.

After the show we headed to deck 4 to watch the sunset. It was absolutely beautiful. My words can’t do it justice, so here are a few pictures.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1145.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1214.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1224.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1241.jpg

One of the coolest things about the ship is that she can turn around without having to move forward or back. Someone else can probably word that better, but we experienced this tonight. We started out watching the sunset on the port side and then had to change to starboard as the ship turned 180 degrees. After the sunset, we sat on the extremely comfy chairs on deck 4.We chatted with fellow DISer/cruiser pearlieq and her DH for a bit, and then headed to dinner.

Animator’s Palate was our dinner location tonight. I did enjoy the show, but I think it has been hyped so much that I was expecting more. I would say it was worth seeing but it wasn’t spectacular. (On a side note, the dad from Argentina wore shorts to dinner tonight and it didn’t even ruin it! ;))

We went to Beat Street to catch Rich Purpura's adult show. It was had already started and the area was full, but they were showing it on the screens in Diversions so we headed there. Of course the experience wasn’t the same as seeing in “live”, but it was still very funny. My favorite line: “Well, I’d better be wrapping this up. If I’m not in bed by 11:00, I’ll be sleeping in my own stateroom.”

DH and I were sleepy so we went to our stateroom. I had previously read that you don’t get a towel animal every night. We were very fortunate with Nilo because he did give us one every night and that simple little thing really topped off each day.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1283.jpg

[Par8hed]

QUOTE: "After breakfast we headed to deck 10 forward. We watched a boat come towards the ship and then literally cut in front her. It then proceeded to go down the side of the ship so closely that you couldn’t see it when looking over the railing on deck 10. One of the officers from the bridge stepped out with binoculars and a walkie talkie and watched this happening. I looked down and saw that they had stopped the ship. I’m not sure what transpired, but the boat finally pulled away and we started moving again."


In all likelihood what you witnessed here was the local Harbor Pilot boarding the Magic. (not the Magic stopping the boat). Prior to arrival in each and every port a local Harbor Pilot will board the visiting ship and remain there to assist with the actual docking. Providing intimate knowledge of the local reefs, currents, tides, depths, etc. I have been on numerous cruises (including this very one you are reporting about) and have witnessed the Harbor Patrol ritual many times over.

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

QUOTE: "After breakfast we headed to deck 10 forward. We watched a boat come towards the ship and then literally cut in front her. It then proceeded to go down the side of the ship so closely that you couldn’t see it when looking over the railing on deck 10. One of the officers from the bridge stepped out with binoculars and a walkie talkie and watched this happening. I looked down and saw that they had stopped the ship. I’m not sure what transpired, but the boat finally pulled away and we started moving again."


In all likelihood what you witnessed here was the local Harbor Pilot boarding the Magic. (not the Magic stopping the boat). Prior to arrival in each and every port a local Harbor Pilot will board the visiting ship and remain there to assist with the actual docking. Providing intimate knowledge of the local reefs, currents, tides, depths, etc. I have been on numerous cruises (including this very one you are reporting about) and have witnessed the Harbor Patrol ritual many times over.

Good to know, but man, doesn't my version sound a whole lot more exciting! :teeth:

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Day 3: May 8, 2006

DH and I both slept in again. I think my excitement overload button had been pushed from seeing the beautiful water at Key West and being on the ship. I got up and headed out to the verandah to catch up on my journal. It’s very calm and relaxing out there and I found that it fosters writing.

View of water from verandah:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1316.jpg

Breakfast was again at Topsiders. We both enjoyed it. We wondered down to the shops to pick up a few things. (Okay—I picked up a lot of things and DH picked up a few things.) DH was not feeling well, so we went back to the stateroom. We had brought ginger and had been taking them, but it wasn’t enough for him today. I left him in the stateroom and headed out to get a Sprite and some Bonine. Instead I picked up the Sea Bands. I thought this might be a better alternative because they wouldn’t leave him loopy. Nope. They didn’t work for him.

Tip#5: Bring Bonine, sunburn relief, and sunscreen that you have used before and found to be effective. The cost of these items on the ship will result in you going over your custom’s limit for purchases.

I didn’t want to waste a second, so I headed to the adult pool and just bobbed in the water for about ½ hour.

Tip #6: If you are feeling slightly queasy, get in the pool. I wasn’t feeling 100%, but I felt better once I got in the pool. I’m not sure why, but being in the water relieved my queasiness.

I then found a lounger and dozed for another ½ hour. At one point, a friendly voice came over the loud speaker saying they were going to sound the ship’s horn. I was excited to hear it, but I just about jumped out of my skin when it sounded. It is VERY loud by the adult pool.

I headed to the ship’s presentation on shopping on the islands. Unless you truly came just to shop, I would not waste my time on this presentation.

I went back to the room to check on DH. He still wasn’t feeling well, but we headed up to Topsider’s for lunch. They were having the Oriental buffet today. This was the only time on the cruise that I thought the food was terrible. I cannot stress enough how bad it was.

After lunch, we went back to the stateroom and I napped for an hour. I had a 4:30 appointment to get my hair done, so I woke up and went to the salon. I felt very spoiled to have my hair done on the ship and he did a fabulous job. He suggested a barrette for the back of my hair when he finished and I did purchase one. I typically don’t spend money on salon or spa treatments, but I was really glad I did on the ship.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1324.jpg

Tip #7: If you do purchase a barrette, be prepared to take out a second mortgage. I had read someone else’s post so I knew it was going to be pricey. If I had not known that, I would have been upset to see that the cost was $30. It’s a nice hair piece, but definitely not worth that much.

After my hair appointment, I went back to the stateroom and we got changed for dinner. DH was feeling better by this point. I had rented him a tux and was glad I did. We were really snazzy looking, so we went to get photos. The lines were kind of long and it seemed to take awhile, but the photos were well worth it.

The show was “The Golden Mickey’s” and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. We had a few minutes to kill before dinner so we went to the Promenade Lounge. Dinner tonight was at Parrot Cay. I thought it was fine for our formal night, but DH thought it detracted from the experience. I guess my outlook was that we never get dressed up like this at home so I didn’t care where we ate. We had our pictures taken with our servers. Before the cruise, I thought it was kind of weird how people would rave about their servers and become so attached. I completely understand now.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1347.jpg

By this time, I learned that we were missing a lot of night shows because we were having such wonderful dinner conversations with our table mates. I gave up trying to make it on time to shows and I wasn’t even pouty about it!!

Tip #8: I was really glad that I brought one of those cheap collapsible clothes hampers and a power outlet for the electronics. The hamper was really nice to easily dump dirty clothes. The outlet allowed us to charge everything. And, if you leave it plugged in when you leave your stateroom, you will get a letter from the security officer asking you to please not do that.

Again, we had a towel animal to top off this wonderful day.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1353.jpg

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Day 4: May 9, 2006

We had to be up early today to get to Grand Cayman. I booked a half day snorkeling excursion (independent from the ship excursions) and I was a little worried about making sure we made it on time. After breakfast, we headed to the Buena Vista Theater to wait for a tender. As we were walking there, we saw the first group leaving. I wanted to panic a little because I wasn’t exactly sure how long it would be for the next one. If you are worried about tendering for independent excursions, don’t be. We waited for about 5 minutes and then were led to deck 1 to board the tender. A previous cruiser wrote that the ship staff seemed a bit irritated by those that wanted to do their own excursion. We did not experience this.

We tendered to the island with no problems. Already the water was clear enough to see through it. We live in a landlocked state and this was our first time being this close to sea water so clear, so I was in awe with the water. We made our way to Captain Marvin’s for our adventure. We arrived there at 8:15 and checked in. We were not leaving there until 9:15, so we crossed the street to look at the water and get some photos of the ship. This sounds silly, but it was kind of awkward crossing the street because they drive on the opposite side of the street.

Tendering to GC:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1372.jpg

We saw millions of little fish (minnows maybe?) in the water, and we also saw petrified shells in the rocks we were standing on. Again, the little things make me so happy so I was thrilled already with my day at Grand Cayman.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1405.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1380.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1382.jpg

At 9:15 sharp, we boarded a van and drove to the boat. We were with a group of about 14 other people, so it was not crowded at all on our large boat. We arrived at our first snorkel destination after a 35 minute ride. I loved watching the water become more and more clear. I kept repeating one word: Wow. At each stop we were allotted 30 minutes, and the time really flew by.

The first stop was snorkeling at the Coral Garden. We had not snorkeled before, and the staff was very helpful in explaining how it all worked. In no time at all, I was comfortable and enjoying all of the beautiful sights. The water temperature was perfect. We each had an underwater camera and promptly proceeded to use up many pictures.

Tip #10: I would recommend buying one camera for each photographer for each snorkel excursion. We used up the 2 cameras we brought on the Grand Cayman trip and had to buy more on the ship. They were $20 each on the ship. (Ouch.)

I haven’t gotten the underwater photos developed yet, but I will post some photos when I do. The Coral Garden area was unbelievable. Lots of fish, a few stingrays, and a lot of beautiful coral.

The second stop was at the reef. One of the crew members got in the water with us and coaxed out an eel with some food. He grabbed it and kind of wrapped it around his arm. I think the spelling of this action was: C-R-A-Z-Y. But, it did look really cool. I snorkeled over to another area and saw another eel. He came out on his own and I took some pictures of him. I think they will be really cool, so I hope they turn out. At one point, I lost sight of him. I started looking around and realized he was underneath me. I did the only logical thing one could do in this situation: closed my eyes and played dead. It was either that or panic and I watched him continue to swim after someone who was sloshing around and trying to get away earlier, and that didn’t seem to be effective. My ploy worked because he soon left.

Our last stop was Stingray City. Continuing on with my earlier observations, all I could say was “Wow.” There were already 4 other boats there so I figured we probably wouldn’t get to see too many stingrays. Wrong! They definitely know that when a new boat arrives that a new meal is waiting so they very quickly came over. I got in the chest deep water (they advertise it as waist deep, but I am short.) They immediately start swimming by you and rubbing you kind of like a cat. I was intimidated and nervous at first, but I quickly calmed down. I went and got some squid to feed them and many of them approached when they realized I had food. These are amazing creatures. This was the highlight of my day at Grand Cayman, and perhaps the whole trip. I cannot express how much I enjoyed this experience.

The dark spots are the stingrays:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1433.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1437.jpg

We each got to hold one and give it a big kiss. This is supposed to be good luck, so I gave the stingray 2 kisses just for good measure.

We boarded the boat and were hosed off with fresh water. I hadn’t expected the fresh water so this turned out to be a pleasant surprise. There was a person doing underwater videotaping of our trip onboard with us. I read that others had purchased the video for $65 and I thought “Some people get sucked into buying anything.” I became one of those people as we promptly put down the money for a video. The guy will mail it in a week or two and I can’t wait to see it.

I would highly recommend Captain Marvin’s. At Stingray City, we saw the barge that carried the folks who booked through the ship. It looked crowded and they didn’t get to do the other snorkeling stops.

As we were pulling in to dock the boat, one of the crew pointed out a sailboat that was sitting on shore and was tethered to the ground. He said the recent hurricane had moved the boat to shore. After the ride back to the pick-up point, we meandered our way through the shops. I know that the islands are supposed to be good on jewelry deals, but I really didn’t see anything that was too good to pass up. We went to the Hard Rock Café and bought some shirts and then headed back to the ship.

View of ship from tender:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1442.jpg

Tip #11: When you are getting on the ship from the tender, look at the water between the tender and the ship. It looks like it has been dyed the most beautiful shade of blue. I was amazed at how beautiful it was.

We showered and took a nap. DH got a pretty good sunburn on his back from the snorkeling.

Tip #12: I had read that a wearing t-shirt is a wise choice when snorkeling, but I didn’t really think much of it. Definitely wear a ton of sunscreen or wear a t-shirt. We are just coming out of our winter season in Colorado, so our skin was very sensitive to the sun and we could not put on enough sunscreen. Also, make sure you bring a sunscreen that you have used before and know works. We bought some Neutrogena before we left and I ended up throwing in the Coppertone at the last minute. I’m glad I did. The Neutrogena didn’t work for us, but our tried and true Coppertone kept us protected when we finally switched over to it.

Leaving GC:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1452.jpg

After we woke up, we went to guest services to see our charges. Just as before, I only had one word: Wow. It’s amazing how fast you can accumulate charges. We then headed to Shutters to purchase more pictures and add to the Wow factor of charges.

Dinner was at Lumiere’s again. We had another enjoyable conversation and then headed to bed. The sun and excitement literally wore us out.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1455.jpg

[curlybop]

Great report! Love the added bonus of photos. :teeth:
Keep going!

[YesGrumpy]

WOW - you're trip reports are great (pictures too!). What kind of camera do you have that shows all black and white except the Mickey icon on the stacks? Keep it coming.

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

WOW - you're trip reports are great (pictures too!). What kind of camera do you have that shows all black and white except the Mickey icon on the stacks? Keep it coming.

Thank you. My camera is a Canon Powershot A620. This feature was one of the selling points for me. You can tell it to focus on whatever color you want (in this case red) and it will make everything else black and white. Another cool feature is the color swap. You choose a color and then tell it to change that color to whatever other color you want it to. So, for example, I could have made the ships stacks purple.

The other selling feature is that you can customize the sounds it makes. (Remember it's the little things that make me happy.) So, when I take a picture my camera barks like a dog.

I would highly recommend this camera for its great features and its ease of use.

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

I had my underwater pictures developed today. Of course they don't do the actual experience justice, but they are good nevertheless.

Stingray:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/5-15-2006-08.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/5-15-2006-27.jpg


Eel

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/5-15-2006-15.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/5-15-2006-02.jpg

Gobs of fish:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/5-15-2006-10.jpg

[sherrie]

your pis and report are awesome, the sunsets gave me goosebumps. thanks again

[strega7]

I am really enjoying your report. we go april of next year, and reading your report makes me want to be there already!!! Thank You!! :thumbsup2

[DDF]

I am so enjoying your report and pics. I was on the exact sailing as you, and hope to get organized enough to be able to post mine soon. But just wanted to say reading yours is like reliving mine!

[WDWLVR]

Thanks for the report and all the great photos. I love the black and white ones.

[PoohJen]

Great report!!! GREAT photos!!! Thanks for taking the time to share!! :sunny: :wave2: :wave:

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Day 5: May 10, 2006

Today we were in Cozumel. You can guess the first 2 things about today: we slept in and went to Topsiders for breakfast. We did have our first excursion booked through Disney today, so we had to be at the Promenade Lounge at 9:15 to tender to the island. Again, the process was painless and we were on the tender in no time. The water at Cozumel was breathtaking. It was the most beautiful shades of blue and green. I could have spent hours just staring at the water. Unfortunately, my camera batteries died right after we got off the tender so I don’t have many photos.

This photo doesn't do the colors justice, but here is is anyway:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1471.jpg

We elected the reef excursion snorkel. I had originally wanted to take an independent one that left from Paradise Beach, but it was overbooked so I had to settle for this one. The first thing that intrigued me was the verbiage on the sign for the tour: Unlimited snorkeling. My DH has declared that I was a dolphin my past life because I simply cannot get enough of the water. The tour price included the taxi rides to the snorkeling location, so we lined up to get on the taxi. I felt really bad for one guy’s family in our group. We lined up and DH and I were second to last in line. As he walks by, I hear him say to his wife and daughter (maybe 8 years old), “F#$%ing last in line again.” I’ve personally experienced a high level of frustration at WDW before, but this comment really bothered me because of this daughter. The line was maybe 20 people long and we were on a taxi within a few minutes. This was the lowest point of the trip for me, but it didn’t last long.

We made it to the snorkel area after a 5 minute taxi ride. We wore t-shirts today to avoid further sunburns. We entered the snorkeling area from a rather rocky area on the beach, and I was kind of startled by the temperature of the water. The water at Grand Cayman was perfect, and this water was a little on the cool side at first. Of course, once you got in and got going, it was fine. The snorkel itself lasted about an hour, and it was rather disappointing. The water was beautiful, and there really were some beautiful fish, but it appears that the hurricanes have just destroyed the reef. I don’t recall seeing anything of interest—it looked like concrete smashed to piece all over the bottom of the ocean floor. It was cool to be snorkeling in water that was deeper than Grand Cayman. It was probably 25 feet. I would skip this excursion on future cruises and try something else.

We exited the ocean and the guide told us we could go again if we wanted. Anywhere else I would have jumped at the opportunity, but there just wasn’t enough to keep our interest here. We taxied back to the tender area and did some shopping.

DH picked out a ruby and diamond ring and got it for me. I also saw a beautiful tanzanite pendant that was $32,000. I told the salesman it cost more than a car. Within minutes they had dropped the price $10,000. We weren’t even seriously considering it, but it was interesting to see how quickly they were willing to negotiate on the price.

At about 2:00, we finished our shopping and headed back to tender. Again, it was a quick and easy process. We went to our stateroom and ordered our first room service. I jumped in the shower while DH went to get drinks. Lunch arrived in no time. This was the only time we used room service, and I think we should have used this more. Oh well—next time!

We napped again and got up again in time to see us leave port. There was no show this evening since it was pirate night, so we scheduled a meeting with the DVC representative. This turned out to be the most expensive part of the cruise as we ended up buying! We figure Disney gets our money every year anyway, and this will ensure that I can cruise again. ;)

We decided to skip eating in the dining room because we wanted to make sure we got a really good view for the Pirate show. We were really disappointed with the “show”. It was a lot of dancing, which was fun, but I expected more of a stage show. The fireworks were not like they are in the parks, but it was incredible to see them while we were cruising in the middle of the ocean. Too cool!

Pirate show pictures:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1478.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1482.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1512.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1508.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1525.jpg

We were going to watch Pirate’s on the jumbo screen, but we both petered out pretty quickly after the fireworks so we headed back to the stateroom.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1472.jpg

[ganurse]

we were on this cruise as well and had a blast...I thought the Key West Sunset was lovely although I heard many people were quite disappointed with it because of the clouds..It did make a nice background for pics..

We loved our stingray/city tour through Disney..We will probably book outside of them next time just for the experience, but we had plenty of time for everything and 2 snorkeling stops for stingrays..Im glad we did Cozumel on our own at Paradise beach..AWESOME!!!

[wltdsnyfan]

;) Thanks for the info on the Hyatt. We are staying there for are cruise in July. :thumbsup2

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Day 6: May 11, 2006

Today was our second day at sea, and I don’t remember much except we relaxed a lot. We had breakfast at Lumiere's and I wasn't impressed with the Eggs Benedict. We were able to snap some good photos while it wasn't crowded though.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1552.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1564.jpg

DH watched Eight Below, but I didn’t want to watch it because I didn’t want to be sad. Sure enough, he came back to the stateroom and he was kind of depressed.

We did have our exotic rasul tonight, so we missed the show Disney Dreams. I was kind of sorry to miss it, but hopefully we’ll sail again and can see it then. The rasul was wonderful. We are not typically spa kind of people, but the scrub and the mud and the steam left our skin so soft. The sauna area was really hot—I had to keep running the cold water on my feet so I could stand to be in there. I don’t know for sure what all of the other products were in the basket, but I used just about all of them and walked out relaxed and smelling good. I managed to smear some of the mud over DH’s sunburn and I think it helped facilitate its healing.

Tonight was our last dinner with our servers, and only the dad from our dining partners showed up. I kept wanting to tear up but managed to contain myself because I realized we would see our dining partners and servers one last time at disembarkation breakfast. We exchanged emails and parted for the evening.

They were having a huge dessert buffet tonight, complete with chocolate fountain. I wanted to go, but there was a line to get in and I really didn’t feel like waiting just to get to calories that I don’t need. We wondered around the ship for a little bit and then retired to our stateroom.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1622.jpg

[DutchsMommy]

I am really enjoying your report - thank you for taking the time to write it. I LOVE the pic of the Magic with the palm tree in the foreground - really great perspective - get screensaver material! And congrats on DVC - I have slowly been trying to break DH down, so we'll see what happens when we cruise in Nov!! :thumbsup2

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Day 7 & 8: May 12 & 13, 2006

I knew today would be a hard day, and I was disappointed to wake up and see a gray sky when we docked; however, I was relieved to know that at least we made it to Castaway Cay. We got up and got off the ship as soon as we could. Our cruise director Brent indicated that it might be a good idea to get some beach time and water time in before it started raining, and I was determined to get my last day of snorkeling in.

Gray start to the day:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1631.jpg

A few hours later:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1702.jpg
Tip #whatever: At Castaway Cay, take your underwater camera but don’t take any pictures until you are snorkeling back. We missed a lot because we had used up all of our film.

So, we started snorkeling and were all the way out to the Nautilus (several hundred yards) when the lifeguards started hollering for everyone to get back to shore. I wasn’t worried, but I did start heading back to shore. I was enjoying the snorkeling though and that is where most of my focus was. At one point, I looked up and it was like being in the Perfect Storm—hard rain swishing the water everywhere. DH said the rain was coming down sideways. I really couldn’t see out of the water and could breathe just fine through my snorkel, so I kept on at while I worked my way to shore. At one point, I saw a stingray swim by and I pointed it out to DH. He got really irritated and pointed, rather angrily if I do say so myself, to a sandbar that we could stand on. I immediately thought “Why bother standing there because I am doing just fine?” So, I kept at it. I had a strange calmness during the storm as I watched the fish and felt the rain on my back.

We finally reached the shore just about the time the rain let up. I got out and that’s when DH told me his version. He said that’s the first time he actually thought he might die. He said people had stopped swimming and were calling for help because they couldn’t go on. He helped a couple onto the sandbar to stand and saw the lifeguards grabbing people and helping them make it to shore. I was absolutely oblivious to all of this.

We got out and everyone had to stay out of the water for about half an hour. When they let us go back in, we snorkeled back out. By this time it was about noon, so we headed to Cookies for lunch. Everything was very good. I especially liked the ribs and chocolate chip ice cream. We could hear the steel drums and it was my definition of paradise.
After lunch, we headed back to our beach chairs, and I had to make the decision if I wanted to snorkel again or go to the adult beach. I chose snorkeling. I LOVE to snorkel.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1676.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1639.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/5-15-2006-23.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/5-15-2006-19.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/5-15-2006-12.jpg

We headed back to the ship at about 3:00. We showered and went to deck 9 for a snack. Just after we finished, they played the ships horn. I instantly started bawling. This is when it really hit me how much I was going to miss this wonderful time and beautiful ship. I managed to pull myself together and we wondered for a bit. Shutters was a madhouse and I ran one crew member working that night who I felt was a bit rude. It irritated me then, but looking back I’m sure she was probably just stressed by the huge swarms of people all wanting to buy their pictures.

We went to the show and had 7:30 reservations for Palo. I only saw one guy that was dressed inappropriately—jeans and a plaid button up shirt. DH and I are pretty simple people, so I felt a bit out of place. Kristian was our server and he was really a nice guy. The tortellini stuffed with crab was wonderful and the chocolate soufflé was excellent. He gave us 2 free drinks to top off our night. I don’t know what they were called, but they had champagne, vodka, and something that made them taste like lemonade. I could have drunk a gallon of the stuff.

I was very nervous throughout dinner because I hadn’t gone to the debarkation meeting and I wasn’t sure when our luggage needed to be out. I also felt fidgety because it looked to be a beautiful sunset and we missed it. We did see a beautiful full moon, though.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1725.jpg

I don’t think I would do Palo again on the last night. Someone on these boards said it was a good way to end the trip on a high note, but I think it would work better for me earlier in the trip.

We finished up just after 9:30 and headed straight for our stateroom. We were almost all packed, so it wasn’t an issue and we made it far in advance of the 11:00 deadline. I peaked out the verandah and saw that we were passing some island. My heart sank a little to know this would be my last look out at night. I had a really hard time going to sleep. The slight rocking of the ship was my last memory of the night.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e125/MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER/IMG_1730.jpg

We woke up at 7:00 on Saturday. Both of us were rather silent and I thought about skipping breakfast. I was worried about making it to the airport for our 12:15 flight. I took one last look out on the verandah and saw them loading up a billion or so melons for the next round of cruisers.

We made our way to deck 3 and saw it was swarmed with people in a huge line to leave. At this point, I decided breakfast would be fine. So we chatted one last time with our tablemates over breakfast, and said official goodbyes to our server Roberto. Claudia had disappeared and we didn’t get to tell her goodbye. I think that’s a good thing though because she does this wave thing like the Queen of England and I’m pretty sure I would have cried if I had seen her doing it.

We made it through customs with no problems and found our luggage quickly. We got outside of the terminal and found the huge line for Delta. One thing that was really convenient about booking airfare through Disney was that we gave them our bags at the terminal, and they gave us our boarding passes at the terminal. So, we didn’t have to mess with baggage until we got home and we already had our boarding passes when we got to the airport.

Of course I sniffled a little as we left port and for a few minutes after. I’m sure who saw me each time I cried but they must have thought I was a nutcase.

I loved, loved, loved our cruise and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Despite the rough start, it really was perfect.

[pppiglet]

Great report....sorry it has to end!

[jmatias]

I really enjoyed your report and the fab pictures :thumbsup2

Really getting me excited for our July Western cruise.

Aloha,
Jen

[cinderella_mom]

That was an awesome report. You are a great storyteller and your pictures are just beautiful. Thanks for all of your insights and for sharing your experience with us.

[A Sunny Day]

Thank you. My camera is a Canon Powershot A620. This feature was one of the selling points for me. You can tell it to focus on whatever color you want (in this case red) and it will make everything else black and white. Another cool feature is the color swap. You choose a color and then tell it to change that color to whatever other color you want it to. So, for example, I could have made the ships stacks purple.

The other selling feature is that you can customize the sounds it makes. (Remember it's the little things that make me happy.) So, when I take a picture my camera barks like a dog.

I would highly recommend this camera for its great features and its ease of use.

Wow, I didn't know you could do that with the A620!?! I guess I should read my manual. I bought the same camera before we went on our 7 day western in Jan. I already had a decent camera but it was more the size of an SLR and I wanted a smaller one and finally decided on the A620. Wish I knew what all the camera could do.

Your trip report and pictures are great! The pictures added to your report make me almost feel like I was there.

Thanks for taking the time to include everything.

:banana:

[MrsJobba1]

Thankyou for your trip report. :thumbsup2

IM soooo looking forward to our July Western cruise.

I also think your dog is fab. Very Cute.

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Wow, I didn't know you could do that with the A620!?! I guess I should read my manual. I bought the same camera before we went on our 7 day western in Jan. I already had a decent camera but it was more the size of an SLR and I wanted a smaller one and finally decided on the A620. Wish I knew what all the camera could do.

Your trip report and pictures are great! The pictures added to your report make me almost feel like I was there.

Thanks for taking the time to include everything.

:banana:

I really, really love this camera. And thanks for reading!! :goodvibes

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

I also think your dog is fab. Very Cute.

Thanks!! I sure love my baby!! :love:

[ansky922]

Wow great report :cool1:

I am also going in July and you had alot of great tips :thumbsup2

[LuvEeyore]

Thanks for the great trip report and the wonderful photos from your trip. I am looking forward to our JAn 07 Western cruise; your report left me wanting to go next week (I can't as I am moving June 28)

[pyramid2000]

Great report! I am glad you had a wonderful time. I never finished my report from January as I got a bit ill...maybe next time!! :lmao:

[JeannieH]

We were also on this cruise! It was our second week of a back-to-back, and the seas were MUCH calmer than the first week!

Also dined in Palo on the Friday evening: maybe we were neighbours! It was lovely.

We took the trip to the Tulum Ruins on the Mexican mainland, as we had seen Cozumel before. It was by far the best day of the entire trip. What a beautiful place, and the tour-guide was great. Such a lot of information given - along with plenty of fun and laughter. If you get the chance to go, then do it! (Not with youngsters though).

Also saw "8 Below".............bit disappointing, but what an improvement on "Stick It", which we saw the previous week! What a waste of time........they certainly CAN "stick it".........where the sun dont shine!

Magical times aboard..........cant wait for the Med cruise next year! :thumbsup2

[lvstitch]

Great report...Thanks for sharing. Puppy is very cute!

[CRSNDSNY]

I really enjoyed your trip report! You took some really beautiful pictures.
Hope you get to cruise again soon!

Melody

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

We were also on this cruise! It was our second week of a back-to-back, and the seas were MUCH calmer than the first week!

Also dined in Palo on the Friday evening: maybe we were neighbours! It was lovely.

We took the trip to the Tulum Ruins on the Mexican mainland, as we had seen Cozumel before. It was by far the best day of the entire trip. What a beautiful place, and the tour-guide was great. Such a lot of information given - along with plenty of fun and laughter. If you get the chance to go, then do it! (Not with youngsters though).

Also saw "8 Below".............bit disappointing, but what an improvement on "Stick It", which we saw the previous week! What a waste of time........they certainly CAN "stick it".........where the sun dont shine!

Magical times aboard..........cant wait for the Med cruise next year! :thumbsup2


How wonderful that you got 2 weeks. Someday I hope to do that!! Good to know about the Ruins, too--DH and I had discussed Cozumel and decided if we sail Western again that we probably wouldn't get off the ship that day. I loved the color of the water, but the snorkeling wasn't that great (at least not where we were.) Thanks for the recommendation.

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Wow great report :cool1:

I am also going in July and you had alot of great tips :thumbsup2

You are going to have so much fun!! I continue to dream about being on the ship and, of course, spend much of my day thinking about it. It was my definition of heaven. :cloud9:

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Puppy is very cute!

Thank you!

[niccic]

I just read your entry for your last day and i'm crying. I'm at work right now and my boss told me i'm crazy, and i still have five months till my cruise. :banana:

And your dog is gorgeous, i also have a chow/lab mix and everyone is scared of her but Lady is so sweet and will lick you head to toe if you let her. :)

[Downrivermama]

Great report and great pictures! We are going on the Western next Feb.

On our 3-day Wonder (our 1st cruise) a couple of months ago, I kept misting up all the time and dd would ask, "Are you crying again?" Some day I will have that surgery to remove my bladder from behind my eyes! LOL! :rotfl2:

Everytime I heard "When you wish upon a star." I would tear up. Kinda like Pavloff's dog!

So I'm not alone!

[DisneyMomforLife]

for a fanastic and very detailed report! although we sail the Wonder this fall, it did give me a great idea of what life aboard will be like!!

Kat

[mrstbalt]

Really enjoyed your report! LOVE what you have done with your pictures, they are fabulous!

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

I just read your entry for your last day and i'm crying. I'm at work right now and my boss told me i'm crazy, and i still have five months till my cruise. :banana:

And your dog is gorgeous, i also have a chow/lab mix and everyone is scared of her but Lady is so sweet and will lick you head to toe if you let her. :)


Yeah--all of the last moments, especially the horn, are killers. But, after only 2 weeks, I think I'm pretty much over my depression of leaving. ;)

I'm glad to hear about your dog being such a sweetie, too. I feel very fortunate every day to have my Chow mix.

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

[QUOTE=Downrivermama]

Everytime I heard "When you wish upon a star." I would tear up. Kinda like Pavloff's dog!

QUOTE]

::yes:: I know exactly what you mean--but it also gave me the strangest feeling of such great pride knowing I was sailing on the MOST beautiful ship on the water!

[Angie_Ohio]

I really enjoyed your post. My family and I are going on the June 10 eastern. I usually skip past the western posts. :surfweb: I'm glad I didn't. Your info including pictures was awesome. I had been thinking of booking while on board to do a western and I think you may have secured that!!
Angie_OH

[RobinMarie]

Excellent report! I really enjoyed and already looked up the price of your camera. I'd call it 'the excursion camera' ;) !

We had Kristian as a server for several meals on our two week cruise last summer. I think you may have had a pallete cleanser at the end of your meal: vodka, champagne and lemon sorbet. Yummy aren't they?

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Excellent report! I really enjoyed and already looked up the price of your camera. I'd call it 'the excursion camera' ;) !

We had Kristian as a server for several meals on our two week cruise last summer. I think you may have had a pallete cleanser at the end of your meal: vodka, champagne and lemon sorbet. Yummy aren't they?

Go for the camera--you won't regret it! And thanks for the info on the drink. It was SO good.

[HonestAbe]

Sweetheart, this is a great trip report. (Yep, HonestAbe is DH) It makes me want to return to heaven as well. But I have GOTTA have either a DL or WDW fix soon, so plan on that for the next trip in December!! :cool1:

And to any of the guys who hesitate in their thinking about taking their lady on this trip....DON'T!!! This was an amazing time and worth every red cent, even for a cheap skate like me. You'll live and feel like a king!

And one other thing for the guys, dont even THINK about not dressing appropriately for the formal nights. There was one guy there who's wife had dressed very nicely for the evening and he shows up in khakis and a cheap tie. You could tell she was embarrassed by the whole thing but it made me feel very good to be there dressed to the 9's with my beautiful bride on my arm. She was a radiant princess. And I know it made her feel good too that I "gave in" to her wisdom and put on the tux. I'll just close that by saying it was better then prom night way back when!!! You can dress down on the other nights but if you're looking to cause trouble in your relationship then ignore the last paragraph and you'll get your wish. Cuz you'll be the only jack--- not looking the part.

[eeyoregon]

Hey "nutcase" do you want to share a room at the nut house? :lmao:

I cried while waiting to have our embarkation photo taken.

Cried when they announced our name.

Cried while making Palo brunch reservations.

Cried at the sail away party when the horn blew "when you wish upon a star".

And so on......

It was my 1st Disney Cruise and it was everything I had dreamt it would be. Reading your report made me cry again. You really brought me back.

Thank you for taking the time to write and load photos!!!