MAGICal Cruise - NOT to Tortola! Surprise Double Dip Aug 15, 2009

[PoohJen]

Magical Cruise NOT to Tortola!:wizard:

Hello, hello, hello! Welcome to my trip report for the August 15-22 Eastern – turned Western – cruise on the Disney Magic! Fair warning – my trip reports tend to be long and detailed! So sit back and enjoy the ride!

The Cast: DH and myself – early 40s (okay, maybe mid-40s), DS16 and DS twins aged 12, and DMom 68ish. This was our 3d cruise on the Magic (second for Mom); Dtwins, Mom and I also enjoyed a quickie on the Wonder in Dec 2007 – that’s when we booked this Magical cruise!


A brief pre-trip report
Despite having booked this almost 2 years ago, we were packing, making embarkation t-shirts and door signs right down to the last minute! Doh!

Our trip began Thursday after work, when we drove 12 hours to Florida from Virginia. :drive: DH’s parents live near Cocoa, and we arrived at their house around 4 a.m. I got up a few hours later to check on DS12, who had some bladder issues in the last 24 hours. He now complained of a pain in his lower back, so off we went to the medical clinic. :sick: Early tests showed not a UTI, but more likely kidney concerns, so a CAT scan was ordered. The doc was great, but warned we probably wouldn’t be cruising! :scared1: For 4 hours we waited for medical tests, etc. :sad1: DS fought back tears about the cruise, I was disappointed, but more concerned about what could be wrong. Good news! Further diagnostics did after all just show a UTI, and the doc cleared DS to travel! DS burst out sobbing at the news, he was so relieved! And so were we!:woohoo::cheer2::worship: Divine intervention, for sure!:littleangel:


Note: I was disappointed but not devastated when we thought we wouldn’t be cruising, b/c I had trip insurance and knew we’d just rebook a cruise in the near future. Although I never needed the insurance, I sure am glad now that I had it, for peace of mind!;)

:sunny: Tip: If you are travelling some distance, I can't emphasize enough coming in the day before you cruise - you just never know what might hold you up!::yes::


Later that afternoon, after Mom arrived at Orlando airport and we hit up Walmart for a manicure, we all headed to Downtown Disney to celebrate DH’s parents’ 50th wedding anniversary! (and…of course…some pre-cruise pin trading!).


We had dinner at the Irish restaurant, Raglan Road. :shamrock: A very Irish/English menu, tasty and filling. Pleasant surroundings and service. The bread pudding was to die for!:love:


Next on to the Grand Floridian to pick up our pontoon ride. We stopped inside the busy atrium to enjoy the jazz band and a little bit of the pianist, before heading out to the marina. As a special anniversary treat for my inlaws, we had booked a “Fireworks Cruise” out of the Grand Floridian. :tinker: pixiedust: It was a beautiful, clear evening, quite balmy. We cruised around the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake, enjoying the calm evening and the majestic Disney resorts all lit up for the night. We had front row seats for the Electrical Water Pageant, a cute musical light parade. From there we cruised over toward Magic Kingdom, positioning ourselves for a perfect, private viewing of Cinderella’s Castle and the Wishes fireworks show. Wow! This little boat ride was really SUCH a treat, a unique, special experience. I recommend it highly! I know I was all smiles, and felt the sentimental Disney tears welling up already (okay, maybe I was tired from lack of sleep, or still so relieved over DS’s doctor visits this morning) – the first of many this trip!

Wishes Fireworks Cruise

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Next - All Aboard!

[jenanderson]

I am so excited to read your trip report!!!!

Wow! I am sure glad that your DS got cleared to come on our cruise! I hope that even though he was not feeling great that he had a great time.

We had a fabulous time despite our itinerary change...can't wait to read about how you feel it all turned out!

Jen

[PoohJen]

Hi Jen,
We LOVED the double dip! And - thank you - DS was feeling fine the whole trip - they started him on an antibiotic right away - he was so funny - he made sure he never missed a dose!:thumbsup2

I was sorry not to meet you and your family - especially as my husband and you and yours are teachers :teacher: DH would've especially loved to chat! Thanks for all your work on your cruise website - it was a great resource and made waiting for the trip all the more fun!:love:

[PoohJen]

Day 1 – Embarkation Day!

Wake up everybody! We only got back to the house well after midnight, but it’s Cruise Day! I like to be there when the terminal opens, so that meant out-the-door by 9 am!!! 8:55, car is packed, everyone is walking out the door, and DFIL – bless his heart, as they say here in the South – asks if anyone wants him to make French toast. :eek: Um, no, thank you, really. Let’s Go!!!:yay:

There she is...first glimpse coming over the bridge! We arrive with perfect timing! Not long to wait, we were among the first in the terminal, no lines. That’s when we find out we will not be going to Tortola and St. Thomas because of tropical storms in the east. Instead, the current plan was for Castaway Cay on Sunday, Grand Cayman on Tuesday, Cozumel Wed, and either CC or Key West on Friday! Yes, I felt a twinge of disappointment at missing the excursions I had planned in the Virgin Islands (and, I’m not a fan of Cozumel), but hey, a double dip at Castaway Cay can’t be beat!:cool1:

And, truly, I appreciated that they would revise the itinerary to avoid the storms.:flower3: I would much rather have a sunny vacation than a stormy port!

Check in was a breeze. We each got our Castaway Club lanyards but…no pins…apparently they haven’t done that in a while.

Knowing this is quite a full ship, I still try to ask about an upgrade (from our two Cat 10s) with a straight face. :laughing: All that was available was a Cat 3 (that wouldn’t fit the 6 of us) and, I’m pretty sure she said a Cat 1!??? I didn’t even ask about that….:rolleyes1


My previous Magic cruises were in Cat 6 Verandah rooms. This time I tried to go more cheaply with inside rooms (well, actually – probably cost the same as my past Cat 6 cruises!). I was afraid I’d miss the verandah and, mostly, the natural light.

I did indeed miss the verandah – especially pulling in and out of ports – It was a long way up to Deck 9 from Deck 2! And with the darkness of the room, I definitely slept longer/later than I usually would. On the other hand, it saved us a few thousand dollars. Hmm, a tough call – to be honest, it wasn’t a big deal at all. In this economy, I’d save the $$$, but if you can swing it, a verandah is mighty nice!:thumbsup2

But I digress...

The terminal began to fill quickly. I snapped a few photos, and watched Peter Pan while we waited.

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The kids actually started pin trading with a few avid traders in the terminal! It was fun sharing lanyards as we all stood waiting to board…and then Mickey arrived to welcome us aboard!

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Can you help but smile – and tear up – as they announce your name to welcome you into the gorgeous Magic atrium? I’m always in awe in those first few moments.

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A nice CM walks us through the atrium, directing us to lunch options….no, sorry, can you please point me to the Excursion Desk? Oh yes, right this way…it should open in 10 minutes.

DH asks me whether we can wait and do this after lunch. …Long pause here for effect... Honey, there are 2400 people on this ship. The ports have all changed, they all need to book new excursions. No, we cannot do this after lunch.:rolleyes:

Boy, was he glad DW was so smart! We were second in line for guest services, and a CM handed us a multiple page flyer with possible excursions. Like most everyone else, I had researched my original ports down to the finest detail…but not the new ports! I had no clue what was available, what was recommended, what was to be avoided. I had 2 minutes to decide. I saw the words “zip line” in Cozumel, and we were sold. Even DMom. But more on that on Cozumel day!

As it turned out, that excursion desk line was around the corner for the next two days. I know this because I made sure to point that out to DH every time we passed.

On our first cruise I chose Topsiders for that first lunch, wanting to sit outside and start our vacation in the sun! That was fun, but we’ve since changed our routine to the tropical ambience and – for DMom – air conditioning – of Parrot Cay. I believe Empress Room pointed out in his report that the food didn’t seem as plentiful or as elaborately presented – I noticed that too. Still, I found plenty of yummy items – jumbo shrimp and cold strawberry soup, my embarkation day staples!

I was careful not to overdo it – remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint, and there was lots more food to look forward to!:teacher:

DS had a nice treat at lunch. Knowing my son collects Stitch pins, the gentleman (self-proclaimed Pin Trading Disorder man) we traded with in the terminal gifted him with a cool Stitch/Tower of Terror pin! What a MAGICal moment and we hadn’t even set sail yet! Thank you Pin Trading Disorder Man! :stitch2:

Is this trip report taking longer than the actual cruise??? :hourglass :rolleyes1 Zzzz…time for bed…thanks for sharing this with me! More tomorrow night!

[JFHeeren]

Hiya! Can't wait for the rest of this trip report as we were on this cruise too!

[Verandah Man]

Hey PoohJen,

Another great TR to read!!! :banana:

Just wanted to let you know, we still have the door magnet, you made for us, for the August 2006 Double Dip cruise. In fact, my DW and I had the magnet on our door last September during our 5 day Double Dip cruised that turned into a single stop at CC due to Hurricane Hannah, LOL!!!

[chuff]

tag

[frdeb1999]

Looking forward to more! :)

[PoohJen]

Hiya Andy! lol re: door signs - we still have ours from 2004 hanging on our front door! We are such Disney geeks! And, I admit I recycled a few previous signs for this trip too! A 5 day Double Dip would be cool - I'm glad you got one stop in at least!:love:

And now back to our trip report, already in progress...

So...where were we? Wow! Are we still in Parrot Cay, eating lunch and trading pins???

Time to move on! But first, a shout out to fellow DISser Hannosmom! I called her with our itinerary change, and she was kind enough to send me some info on Grand Cayman on my BlackBerry!

Headed topside for some sun by the Goofy Pool. The kids had their suits on and were ready to swim. It was pretty hot out, so Mom took a dip too. After all the travel and stress and running around, I sat back on a lounge and began to work on my cruise goal: relaxation! Beauty and the Beast was just starting up, everyone all around was in a festive mood – the Cruise had begun!

:sunny: Early on embarkation day is a great time to use the pools, as they are not too crowded yet, and there are plenty of lounge chairs to be had!

Mom and I checked out our rooms at 2:30 – connecting Category 10s – 2071 and 2073, just off midship toward aft, port side. This turned out to be a great location – EXCEPT – you should know that 2071 was right off Ocean Quest, and that could get VERY noisy through the walls. Fortunately, Mom was so tired every night that the noise never bothered her – she fell asleep quickly. I’d be hesitant to book that room again though – the noise would bother me (we didn’t hear it in 2073!).

Our Castaway Club presents were waiting for us on our beds - a very nice black and red beach bag, with a couple of water bottles, mesh bag and notebook/pen - very handy. The bag was good quality and nice looking - more substantial than the white cloth bag from a few years back. Lots of black and red Castaway Club bags could be seen at Castaway Cay and in the ports this week!:thumbsup2 Isn't it so much fun to have presents waiting for you! I hadn't checked out what the gift was ahead of time, and so was nicely surprised!:cloud9:

Our room steward was Falcon from the Philippines. He was so wonderful – ALWAYS smiling, so cheerful and friendly! We had some maintenance issues early on and he bent over backwards to have them timely sorted out. I saw him a lot this week and he was always on the go, working so hard!:thanks:

I enjoyed the quiet solitude of the fresh room and worked on some door signs I hadn’t finished (see! I told you I was doing everything last minute!), and promptly decorated our doors. The luggage came in pieces fairly quickly and I unpacked up to the muster drill.

Here are a few pics of our door signs; I had lots of signs, so switched them out thru the week and had special signs for Castaway Cay and Pirate Night!

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Ooh, ooh…did I tell you about our Embarkation T-shirts? We each had yellow T-shirts and DH and the boys also wore tropical Mickey button down shirts over those. Here’s the design I used – I believe I got the base design from DISser MilliePie’s photobucket site – check out her great designs on the Cruise Magnet thread!

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The boys all made it down in time for the muster drill. DCL does this well – very efficient, nice that it’s on Deck 4. On our first cruise it was in a dining room and was very noisy and disorganized – smooth sailing ever since. Quick and painless!

Everyone head up to the sail away party (I had managed to miss the DISmeet – time got away!)(Hi fellow Tortola Treasure Seekers!). But first, I just had to unpack a little more. It happens every time…I start to unpack and can’t stop and before I know it, I’ve missed most of the sail away party! Yup! Happened again! Doh! I run up to deck 9 with DMom, the party is in full swing, and I can’t find my boys anywhere (despite our bright “Here I Am, Mom!” yellow embarkation day t-shirts!). Mom and I try to scope out a place to watch on deck 10, DH comes by with the video cam.


Tisa was the head cheerleader for this trip, full of energy and great attitude all week long!


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I would’ve been interested in a Bon Voyage fruity frozen drink, but they were looking pretty melted down by the time I joined the party! Soon the ship’s horn blew….When you wish upon a star…Tears….I tried to capture it on my cell phone voice recorder, but Mom was chatty with excitement. Sigh. I’ll have to go back and try again. All of a sudden we are moving out...I ran to the other side of the ship to catch site of the Waving Mickey Hands. Sniff. Tears again! :sail:

To any CMs: it means so much to us when you wave with your giant Mickey Hands – Thank You for your enthusiasm!!!!:cheer2:

Dinner that evening was in Parrot Cay. I love – and always request – the PLAPLAP rotation (Parrot Cay – Lumiere’s – Animator’s Palate), b/c it puts us in Lumiere’s for formal night and Parrot Cay for tropical Pirate Night. However, due to our revised itinerary, nights and restaurants got shifted around. No matter – it was all good!

Our friendly servers were Ali from Turkey and Bulelani from South Africa. Always friendly and very professional, and with a smile and a trick for the kids.

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Since we live such hectic lives, and almost never eat dinner together at home (at least, not sitting down!), our rule on the cruise is that we eat dinner together every night and then take in a show. Otherwise, the kids would spend all their waking moments in the clubs or on the sports deck!

So, after dinner we went to the All Aboard show. I’m not one for variety shows, but on our last Magic cruise we enjoyed the opening night show so much, we’ve made sure to give all the variety shows a try ever since!

Tonight we had the Comedy and Juggling of Randy Cabral – very entertaining – and the musical comedy of John Charles. He was very talented, but I think his music/humor was a bit lost on the younger generation; I think he should’ve been more universal for that opening show. Both had adult shows later in the cruise, but alas – I was always too tired to stay up late!

The kids were anxious to play, er, hang in their respective clubs for the night. DH and I fell asleep very early…so tired…DS16 managed to miss curfew on the very first night!!!! Hmmmm. He was careful not to do that again!::yes::

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Tomorrow: A Day at Sea? Nope! Castaway Cay!!!

[JFHeeren]

I saw your door! We were in 2512 (Forward opposite side of yours). As I was making my way to the laundry facilities to iron some shirts, I noticed some doors decorated, and then I saw yours and was impressed that you took the time to do that. Very nice! I must have passed it a few times as I was checking on my one son in Ocean Quest during various times thru out the cruise. Did you have any issues with the "kids" taking the signs? We lost our DVC one 2X - appaerantly the "kids" thought it was funny to steal them and put them on the door of the DVC offices......

Looking forward to more trip reports - nice to relive the cruise again. Still not ready for this work thing.

[PoohJen]

I saw your door! Did you have any issues with the "kids" taking the signs? We lost our DVC one 2X - appaerantly the "kids" thought it was funny to steal them and put them on the door of the DVC offices......

Looking forward to more trip reports - nice to relive the cruise again. Still not ready for this work thing.

Thanks! We really love our door signs. I have so much fun making them...I don't often get to play with scissors and glue sticks these days! My mom and family get a big kick out of them - a neat little surprise on the cruise.

I'm glad our signs weren't taken; however, two of them were "vandalized" with some minor graffiti. At least the markings weren't nasty, but still...it was thoughtless of the kid.:rolleyes:

We had a couple of run ins/observations of 'impolite' kids...really a shame, they give all the other kids a bad rap! :mad: Overall, given the large number of kids (I'm talking 'tweens and teens, of course), the majority were great and just enjoyed what the ship had to offer, without looking for trouble.:thumbsup2

and...I hear ya on the work thing!:rolleyes1:laughing:

[jbm02]

[COLOR="Navy"]
Everyone head up to the sail away party (I had managed to miss the DISmeet – time got away!)(Hi fellow Tortola Treasure Seekers!).
[COLOR="Red"]Jen, I missed the DISmeet too! LOL - that's probably why we didn't get a chance to meet til chatting in the elevator on debarkation day!!!There were so many people from the board that I missed meeting...after all the planning, the trip went by so fast....too fast to meet everyone and do everything that we wanted...I think I need a 10 day cruise!! :rotfl2:


Soon the ship’s horn blew….When you wish upon a star…Tears….I tried to capture it on my cell phone voice recorder, but Mom was chatty with excitement. Sigh. I’ll have to go back and try again. All of a sudden we are moving out...I ran to the other side of the ship to catch site of the Waving Mickey Hands. Sniff. Tears again! :sail: Giving away our FE gift here but - we included the ship's horn on the CDs of Disney music we made and gave out as our FE. Let me know if you would like a copy of the CD

:flower3:



[COLOR="Purple"]Tomorrow: A Day at Sea? Nope! Castaway Cay!!!

Great trip report!! I can't wait to read the next installment!!

[Andrea_loves_Disney]

Hello there!! :wave2: Love your trip report so far!! We were on the Magic in June and Ali from Turkey was one of our servers too!! I was so excited when I saw his picture in your report! We really liked him a lot and he kept the kids in stitches with his magic tricks!!

Waiting for more... popcorn::

[PoohJen]

Castaway Cay – Take 1

One of the benefits of the revised itinerary was a double dip on Castaway Cay! Although I really like the extra day at sea on the Eastern, I’d gladly trade it for an extra day at Castaway Cay!

Morning came quickly…but is it really morning? Who can tell…it’s so dark in here! Heard Mom rise and go to breakfast at 7:30; I put the bridge view on the television and rested some more. The twins, excited about being allowed to go to Topsiders on their own, rushed up to breakfast. DH and I followed a little later, but the line to Topsiders was soooo long, we opted for fruit and pastry at Goofy’s Galley. We found Mom enjoying tea and a book at an outside table and joined her with our light breakfast.

There was a lot of construction going on at Castaway Cay. On the opposite side of the pier, they were making preparations for docking the 2011 ships. There were other areas on the island, as well, that Disney seemed to be building up/expanding. One of the CMs said they currently use only about 10% of the island.

Teethbrushing and sunblock for everyone, and then we head onto Castaway Cay. Towels are handed to everyone outside, and water is there for sale. You know, we had a rolling cooler with us, unused all week as we put our Gatorades and waters in the fridge – never touched them! We didn’t even bother to bring beer, etc. on the ship this year, because we never drink them – we’re always so full!

View from the ship...By the way...this was my fifth visit to Castaway Cay...but the first time the ship was docked there bow first!

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DS16 went directly to the Teen Beach, while the rest of us moved onto the family beach, where we set up camp on some lounges behind the Conched Out Bar, near two hammocks. The two hammocks that were taken. For the whole day. With not a soul using them. ALL DAY until late in the afternoon.

DCL, I’ve said it every time…PLEASE post signs by the hammocks to the effect of “If there’s nobody in it, please enjoy the hammock! Any items left in a hammock will be removed. Have a Magical day!”

Hey, I’m just saying. There are very few hammocks to go around for 2000 passengers; if you take one, enjoy it! Sleep in it as long as you want. But don’t use it as a towel rack for 6 hours, depriving others of a relaxing hammock siesta on a tropical beach.

Okay, off my soap box!

The water at the family beach was too shallow, so the kid’s play apparatus in the water was closed. This was my 5th visit to CC, and the second time the play area was closed due to shallow water. So folks, just know this can happen!

With the play area closed, Sports Twin went to Grouper Pavilion to meet up with Ocean Quest, while Swim Twin went snorkeling with DH. Mom spent quality time with her float out on the water, while I just chilled in my lounge.
When the snorkel dudes came back, we grabbed lunch at Cookie’s BBQ. I snacked, knowing we would also be checking out the fare at Serenity Bay in a while. I had some spice cake and a BBQ rib. And, of course, some soft serve Cookie Dough ice cream, the first of many!

Hey! One thing I noticed this year is that the Diet Coke and the Diet Sprite (Sprite Zero) both tasted good all week! In the past…not so much.

A crowded family beach...

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After lunch Mom and I rented bikes and head toward the bike paths. Along the way we saw Sports Twin playing sand soccer – man, it was hot out! I was impressed with the kids who were out there playing! Still, I sent Sports Twin back to our lounges to meet up with DH for some lunch and water time. (No “wait til you digest!” for this family!)

Onto the bike paths. We stop at every water cooler!

:sunny: Tip: Renting bikes is a fun way to see more of the island!

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We rode past tropical trees and shrubs, to a watch tower where you can see the Magic off in the distance, and then to a small deck overlooking the rugged seaside and tropical blue waters.

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Next we stop at Serenity Bay for some lunch. Try lunch there sometime! It’s so peaceful and quiet – unrushed, no crowds. There’s usually something special on the menu there that they don’t have at Cookies.

I had a cheeseburger – so good! They had a fixin's station with bar-b-que sauce mixed with pineapples – wonderful! And, of course, a cookie-dough soft serve for the road.

Serenity Bay....

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A short ride back, then a little more time on the family beach before gathering DS16 and head back to the ship. DS16 enjoyed Teen Beach and Grouper’s (game) Pavilion, playing beach volleyball, pool, ping pong.

Back on board, I head up to the spa locker room to shower, while the boys showered in our stateroom. I just LOVE the showers there, particularly after a sandy, wind-blown and sea salt day on the beach! Still, I noticed that the water pressure in the stateroom was excellent this year – I don’t remember that from the past. I didn’t bother to go use the spa shower the rest of the week – the cabin’s shower was fine!

The twins were loving Ocean Quest – we were back on board in time for them to play their favorite – Dodge Ball – up on the Sports Deck, while DS16 made his way to the Stack to look for pals.

Because of the itinerary change, we did not have Formal Night tonight. Instead, our dinner at Lumiere’s was the Lumiere’s menu. We were shown to our table – EXCELLENT! We had a table for six right by the window, beautiful sea views for all! Table 34 – highly recommended! This was particularly exciting for me because on my last TWO cruises, I had the SAME table assignment, and it was pretty bad (tight and backed into a corner, you felt separated from everything going on in the dining rooms). Table 34, on the other hand, had the great window spot in Lumiere’s, a corner location in Animator’s Palate that had good views of the wall screens, and Parrot Cay’s location was quiet without feeling distanced from the room’s activity. To be honest, on my last two cruises we linked reservations with other DISsers…I didn’t this time, just to avoid getting that same table again – you never know!

Bed time (here, not on the ship!) – more tomorrow: G Force review and a day at sea!

[LindaBabe]

Thanks for writing! I'm enjoying your cruise :)

[Kay1]

So far, so great. Nice pics!

:)

[PoohJen]

Finally – a Day at Sea!

Almost..still haven’t finished Sunday…

I forgot to add two of my favorite things about sailing on the Magic…first is my over-the-door-shoe-holder and second is room service.

I just love my favorite DIS tip of all times – the over-the-door shoe holder! Dang, I should’ve taken a picture of it. The kids all know the answer to “Mom, where is my….” – it’s in the over the door shoe holder! Hair brush, deodorant, lip balm, sunblock, sunglasses…it’s all in the OTDSH!

What has that got to do with room service, you ask? Well, naturally, I keep all my singles for room service tips right there in the over the door shoe holder!

Room service is such a luxury – we never use it in hotels ($$$), so I need to call room service at least once on the cruise – it’s the principal of the matter. ;-) Once back from Castaway Cay, I called in for a pizza and an All Hands On Deck cheese platter – yummy as always! We like to nibble on it while we were getting ready for dinner. Alas, I was much to stuffed the rest of the cruise to call in for room service again. Sigh. I’ll have to go back and remedy that!

Our dinners the first two nights went v..e..r..y long. Noticeably long. Huge downtime between dinner and dessert. Maybe we eat too fast. Yeah, we probably do. On those nights, we let out too late to get to any of the 7:30 activities. So we walked around in search of some pin trading before the show.

Tonight’s show was G Force; I was really looking forward to it! Stuff like this is usually right up my 12 year olds’ alley. Unfortunately, we all found it quite a snore. As in, when will this end??!!! I’m not sure why it was such a letdown. The characters were cute. The concept was cute. The story plot had potential. It just never found its mark. A few cute and/or funny moments, but they were few and far between. DS12 gave it 1 star thusly: ¼ star for the ferret/hamster, ¼ star for other funny moments, ½ star for the surprise villain.

Once again DH and I were way too tired to take in the shows at Beat Street. Phooey. The kids, however, had a long night planned, especially the twins, who had a pizza party with Ocean Quest, and then free arcade night til 1 a.m.!!! This was a huge treat for them – I give them a pretty early bedtime at home!!! It was killer for DH and I to stay up and make sure everyone came in on time. Honestly, if OQ closed at 11, then the twins would be in at 11…but I imagine they stay open late based on experience…a lot of kids (and Beat Street-bound parents) probably prefer the later hours.

In the morning the twins enjoyed their Topsiders breakfast together, then head to OQ – they spent a tremendous amount of time there this week! A lot of it was playing video games, which I chastised them about. But they were also active in the many games and scavenger hunts that were organized by the CMs.

DS16 slept in, of course, while Mom, DH and I head to Lumiere’s for breakfast around 9. There was quite a line! Mom got the fruit and granola yogurt, which turned out to be more like a smoothie – she loved it! I’ve come to prefer the sit down breakfasts because too often the food on the Topsider’s buffet seems to be cold. This morning I enjoyed Mrs. Pott’s Belgian waffles stuffed with cream and rolled in cinnamon and sugar. DH had Lumiere’s Candle – Belgian waffle, pancakes, French toast with cinnamon butter, whipped cream (I think that was on the side) and maple syrup. We were determined to get our carbs this cruise!

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I think much of this day was spent lounging on Deck 4. I’m sure I fell asleep there – I know DH did! We were tired! I was so mentally and physically exhausted by the time we took this vacation, I pretty much crashed – I didn't accomplish a lot of loops on Deck 4, but did see a lot of lounge time! (oops…that reminds me…the Castaway Cay 5K is still a distant goal for me…sorry Treasure Seekers! I had the best of intentions!).

Whenever I opened my eyes, we were still passing by Cuba...

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I did manage to drag myself to Parrot Cay for lunch with Mom…every time I turned around this week it was time to eat! I was still taking it moderately light – it’s all relative, you know – but I was starting to fill up and feel fat! Ugh! Way too early in the cruise for that!

Parrot Cay had an Italian Buffet…there was a pasta station, but the wait was long. I enjoyed some cheeses – maybe yet another chilled fruit soup? Yummy! Ooh…and then some sort of warm fruit crumble with vanilla sauce (they also served it with ice cream and sundae fixings!). From there we head over to listen to Ducky Williams’ Disney experience – he is a character artist for Disney – and watched him draw his sketches – such great talent! Very enjoyable. He raffled off the sketches he drew during the talk – congrats to the lucky winners!::MickeyMopooh:pluto::donald:

Tonight was formal night. We lingered in the Atrium for the Captain’s reception – they passed around some sort of green drink – a melon martini? And a rum drink – perhaps a Bahama Mama? The twins enjoyed a Shirley temple, and we went brought our drinks to dinner in Animator’s Palate. For our family, this was our least favorite menu of the week – nothing really appealed to us. [I don’t want to sound negative – we certainly didn’t starve!] Now, everyone has different palates, and although I’ve been fortunate enough to eat in some very fine restaurants, I’m embarrassed to say our tastes are rather pedestrian and simple – I’m pretty sure DH asked for a side of mashed potatoes and gravy every night! Hey – it made him happy!

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Sweet Temptations...

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Strawberry Sundae...

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I have no idea what we did tonight. I think DH and I just strolled along Deck 4 and around the ship, while the kids took in the club activities. Mom went to Golden Mickeys, which I consented to let the family skip – we had seen it so many times already. I couldn’t remember if it was the GMs that got on my nerves after a while, or Dreams (the “little girl” voice). I must say I am forever impressed at the quality of the Disney shows on DCL – amazing talent and sets! But with soooo many repeat cruisers, I think DCL has to bring on some new shows. I just read on the DIS that the GMs are being rotated out – had I realized that, I would’ve made an effort to see it one last time. Oh well.

Looking at my Navigator, I see I could’ve gone to Group Cycling. Hmm, that probably would’ve been a good idea! I see it was right after Beer Tasting…which was right after Martini Tasting…I hope folks didn’t go to those 3 things in a row!

Tomorrow….Tortola!!! Wait, nope, it’s Grand Cayman!!!

[bmalonef45]

Great report and a nice happy accident to get a double dip. We're on the scheduled 5 day double dip on the Wonder in May and we can't wait. I have to agree sometimes the menus can be a little over the top for us. We have always felt to guilty to miss a dining room meal in the past but I think we may hold that out as an option for our next trip. I look forward to the rest of your TR.

[JFHeeren]

Looking at my Navigator, I see I could’ve gone to Group Cycling. Hmm, that probably would’ve been a good idea! I see it was right after Beer Tasting…which was right after Martini Tasting…I hope folks didn’t go to those 3 things in a row!



Hehe - I did take in the wine tasting then followed it up with the beer tasting 2 hours later.....At that point cycling would not have been possible.....

Also - we had the later seating for dinner (8:15). 2 things I noted from this:

1. The first few nights the service seemed slower than in the later part of the week. I orginially thought it was that the server staff had some issues that were worked out. Our servers (Dennis and Eidward) were great, but in the beggining of the week they seemed like they were getting their bearings, and the end of the week they were really on their game. I wonder if there there were problems that were out of their control, as it seems you were stating slower times in the service the first couple of days.

2. This was my 3rd cruise, and the previous 2 (2005/06) I never remember waiting as long as I did to get into the dining room. I remember there being like 3 different times within the seating (like 8 pm , 8:15 and 8:25 seating times) where this cruise everyone had a 8:15 seating time. The lines were really long - stretching thru parts of the ship, and making places like Shutters and Promenade Lounge basically unpassable for anyone.

[PoohJen]

1. The first few nights the service seemed slower than in the later part of the week. I orginially thought it was that the server staff had some issues that were worked out. Our servers (Dennis and Eidward) were great, but in the beggining of the week they seemed like they were getting their bearings, and the end of the week they were really on their game. I wonder if there there were problems that were out of their control, as it seems you were stating slower times in the service the first couple of days.

2. This was my 3rd cruise, and the previous 2 (2005/06) I never remember waiting as long as I did to get into the dining room. I remember there being like 3 different times within the seating (like 8 pm , 8:15 and 8:25 seating times) where this cruise everyone had a 8:15 seating time. The lines were really long - stretching thru parts of the ship, and making places like Shutters and Promenade Lounge basically unpassable for anyone.

On our first cruise, there was one time for each of the two seatings; last Magic in 2006 and again on Wonder in '07 there were the scattered times w/in each seating - looks like they went back to one.

I agree...seems like the timing was a bit off early in the week, but went more smoothly as the week went on.

re: lines - we didn't really have that problem at the 5:30 seating, but for your seating, and other lines I noticed at the buffets, and the very crowded pools - even the adult pool, even on port days! - this was a very full ship! Maybe a little more than usual?:confused3

[PoohJen]

Good morning, Grand Cayman!

We didn’t choose an excursion for this port, so weren’t rushed this morning to get off the ship. Instead, we all enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at Lumiere’s – we knew the kids would love that Castle of Carb’s, er, Lumiere’s Candle feast of waffles, French toast and pancakes.

After breakfast (and teeth brushing!) we casually made our way to the Walt Disney Theatre to line up for the tender to shore. Until around 11, I believe, they had you wait at the Theater, after that you went directly to Deck 1 to exit. At this point, the early excursions had all already departed, so we got the next tender out.

On our original itinerary, we were going to go to the Baths at Virgin Gorda from Tortola on our own, and then do the Doubloon Snorkel on St. Thomas. For Grand Cayman, the cab ride to a public beach was $5/pp – each way I believe. DH is not fond of the beach at all, and it isn’t a novelty for the kids, as we live near Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks (not the same as the Caribbean, I know!). So we eschewed the beaches and sight-seeing for the more traditional cultural experience – T-shirt shopping.

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We walked a few blocks and browsed a few shops; Mom checked out perfume prices and some jewelry as well. The t-shirts were a bit pricey! DS16 decided on a cool color-changing pirate themed t-shirt at Del Sol, and one twin got a generic black pirate t-shirt that said on the back: Piracy: Hostile Takeover without the Paperwork.:rotfl:

We head back soon after, because, you know, it was time to eat again! DH and I head to Topsiders (I think this was my first meal there for the week!). It was Asian Buffet. Eh.

I’ll echo Empress Room’s trip report – the food on the buffets this week seemed less plentiful (from a variety standpoint) than I remember from the past. It also seemed to me there was less fresh fruit available. I hope DCL has found these steps reduce food waste, but I expect the economy has a lot to do with it too. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of good food to be had all week, it just felt different.

We took in Up! in 3D this afternoon in the Buena Vista Theater. I had been saving it for this cruise! I always save my summer movies for cruise viewing, but then never do see them on the ship, because there always seems too much to do than to sit in the movie theater! I’m glad we got to see Up! - very enjoyable. :)

This might have been the afternoon Mom and I book our next Magic cruise! We’ve been waiting patiently for a 2011 cruise on one of the new ships – looks like Dreams is debuting first. We booked a dummy date for Dec ’10 til the summer ’11 dates come out; four cabins – Mom wants Dad and the siblings and their families along! Fingers crossed!:woohoo:

Arrgghh, Matey, if it be Tuesday, it be Pirate Night!pirate:

I wonder if it’s time to eat again? Of course it is! But first we assemble to dress in our pirate best for dinner. We don’t have full-fledged costumes (but I love the folks that do – well done!), but get as piratey-festive as our normal clothes allow. Some beads, pirate bandanas (with goofy ears), eye patches and tropical shirts - we’re good to go! In the Atrium the Pirate Mickey is just setting up for pics, so we wait our turn – Mom got that one from Shutters later on!

A few Pirate VIPs...

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Our pirate night dinner was in Parrot Cay. We had a good time with the bandanas (the DCL ones at dinner were half the size they used to be!) and the kids got up for the limbo. Very festive!

After dinner we took in the main show – Ricky Kalmon’s hypnotist show. The folks that volunteered to be up on stage really made/stole the show! Very entertaining.

On our first cruise the twins were 7 and the eldest just turned 12 – I do miss seeing the cruise through the young child’s eyes. But 5 years later the kids are still enjoying Disney and that’s the vacation they requested! One benefit of their growing up is this was the first pirate night they could actually stay awake for the whole time – and partake in some Pirate Night Buffet goodies!

Brent said Captain Thord had been steering around the weather all day so we could have fair skies for the Pirates In the Caribbean Party and fireworks! Thank you Captain! Always a fun party and gotta love the fireworks! More sentimental tears, anyone? In addition to the fireworks, there apparently was a spectacular lightning show as well that night!

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I talked the twins into calling it an “early” (it’s all relative!) night – we brought our Pirate buffet desserts – and Turkey Leg – back to the room and watched some Disney on TV – Jungle Book I think. DS16, on the other hand, insisted on his curfew lasting ‘til the Stack closed – usually around 1 a.m. every night.

Tonight's Towel Animal - one of our favorites!

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Another full day! Tomorrow: Zip-lining and Snorkeling in Cozumel!

[JDBlair]

Fun TR. Thank you for sharing it with us!

[jbm02]

Jen
Great, great trip report. I feel like I am back there!! (don't I just wish?? LOL). We replaced the Dubloon Sail & Snorkel we were scheduled to do (with you!) on St Thomas with the DCL Snorkel excursion offered on Grand Cayman because others in our party didn't want to miss the ruins at Tulum in Cozumel. Because of all the ships (unexpectedly) in port, our 10AM excursion time (from the excursion booklet handed out on embarkation) was changed to 1PM. (This was the first available time for a DCL excursion, probably because the 3 Carnival ships already in port had the earlier times...) While I had been looking forward to the St Thomas snorkeling excursion, this one was alot of fun. The divemasters were young and energetic and very helpful to our novice snorkelers - they even coaxed my 7 year old niece who's oft repeated comment was "No FISH!!!" into the water. One of them stayed by her the whole time and she later declared that she "loved it!". The excursion ran late - the last tender was supposed to be at 4PM and we didn't exit the dive boat til 3:55PM (sadly, not a schooner like the one we planned on in St Thomas but oh well - it gives us something to plan to do on our next DCL cruise!). We walked quickly back to the tender and found the tender boat waiting not only for us but also for some other DCL excursions that also ran late. The tender left about 4:20 or so. But by the time we got back to the ship, it didn't give us alot of time to get ready for our main dining seating at 5:45PM.
I agree - Pirate night was a blast!!
I can't wait to review your review of the zip line excursion - we were soo tempted by that one...but the ruins won out.
Just reading your report makes me remember more and more - thanks!!! :cheer2:

[PoohJen]

Hi Jude!
Sounds like you had a great snorkel excursion! I'm glad you did it through DCL, since you got back so late! We were only planning on doing one "official" excursion, that's why we took it easy in Grand Cayman. But it was a shame to be in such a beautiful place and not see beyond the port shops.:rolleyes1 Next time!

I'll write about the zip line later today - we did have fun, but it probably isn't what you're thinking of. The ruins, I believe, was a long excursion? That would be very neat to go to, but I shy away from the long (5-7 or more hours) excursions - especially if it involves alot of ground transport time! Hence, that limited what excursions we chose from.

Doesn't it stink that we can't even say "this time last week" anymore? Now it's "this time two weeks ago"! Just not the same.. :sad2: :laughing:

[caitlinsdad]

Great start of a report Jen,

I feel like Im back in board.( Oh don't I wish I was)

[PoohJen]

Hi Ed,
I didn't see you ONCE on board! Nor on 95North either!:laughing:

I hope you and your family had a great time! We're booked for 12/10, but that's just a placeholder for the new ship in summer '11!

[uncw89]

Hi Ed,
I didn't see you ONCE on board! Nor on 95North either!:laughing:

I hope you and your family had a great time! We're booked for 12/10, but that's just a placeholder for the new ship in summer '11!

Us too! I wish it was sooner!
When we were going down 95, I was wondering how many of us Disers and others had just gotten off the ship! I should've put one of my signs in the window!:rotfl2:

[gfolchick]

Another Tortola Treasure Seeker checking in...

Jen, we had table 34 too on the APL rotation. We ended up at Lumieres with a window seat 3 times which was great!

I, too, am waiting to hear about the zip line excursion. We passed one on the way to Mr. Sancho's beach, was wondering if that was the one offered. I would have signed up but we had a 4 year old in our group (and half of our travel party was not up for that either).

We had an awesome week, loved the Double Dip to CC.

I think I remember seeing you guys in the terminal but didn't know it was you. We were there early ourselves.

Gina

[caitlinsdad]

Hi Ed,
I didn't see you ONCE on board! Nor on 95North either!:laughing:

I hope you and your family had a great time! We're booked for 12/10, but that's just a placeholder for the new ship in summer '11!
Yep we booked a placeholder cruise for 12/10 too, Looking for something for summer 2011 or 2012.

[jenanderson]

We have a reservation for 12/10 as well - planning on pushing it out a bit! We would love to have Disney offer some longer Caribbean cruises in 2011 or 2012 - that is our dream.

Hello to all the Tortola Treasure Seekers out there! :wave:

[PoohJen]

Zip-lining and Snorkeling in Cozumel!


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Another beautiful day in the Caribbean! Our excursion wasn’t scheduled to meet until 9:45, so we all took a leisurely breakfast at Parrot Cay. This was a buffet, with an omelet station. We had a sunny table by the window – hey, the same table as our embarkation lunch! Sigh…it was going too quickly!

After breakfast I ran up to…Topsiders!!! ... because I had seen some dried pineapple and dried bananas on the PC buffet on the way out and wanted a stash for later. So I ran up to get some at Topsiders (why not just at Parrot Cay? Who knows? I was thinking I had nothing to carry them in – duh!). The line for Topsiders was out the door on both sides! I mentioned to some folks around me that I just came from PC, where there was no line, but that I “forgot something”. Anyway, we now have a full Trip Report paragraph dedicated to my running up to get a bowlful of dried pineapples and bananas – right there by the omelet station – which I put in a ziplock bag in my room and snacked on all week long (well, I kept refilling it!) – you know, in case I got hungry.:rolleyes1

I stopped by the Excursions desk to get some more info on our trip. Initially, we had jumped at the “zip line” title, but further investigation showed that this was more of a rock wall type playground, not a tree-tops zip line trip. There was a tree-top excursion available, but it was a 7 hour trip and had some other stops mixed in, not all of which were of interest to us. As mentioned in a reply earlier, we prefer shorter excursions, so we elected to stay with the “Adventure Park, Zip Line and Snorkel”.

We met our group at Studio Sea and proceeded out to the dock. A beautiful, warm summer day. On our last Western, we had to tender at Cozumel because the dock was still damaged from a hurricane the year before. Repairs are all done, and we docked right at the pier. We waited while the tour guides had us fill out more obnoxious indemnification agreements/liability waivers (you will not only not sue us for anything we do, but you will also pay our legal expenses and other losses if something does go awry).

We all boarded taxis and head out to a nice beach resort not far away. That was part of our “adventure” I think – the cab was doing 100km/hr in a 40km zone! No matter to me – I’m from NY!:drive:

The group gathered again once at the resort, and was fitted with climbing shoes, helmets and the belt-strappy things you get tethered to. We made our way to the side of the resort, where there were 3 large rock climbing walls, rope bridges and plank bridges and similar apparatus. Now, we pay perfectly good money every month for a YMCA membership that has the rock climbing walls, so I wasn't thrilled at paying $75 pp for this privilege. But the walls were high, and my 68 year old Mom had a blast, as well as the rest of the family – even DS16! Mom even went on the short zip line portion twice!

Yours truly...

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A View From The Top...

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After everyone had their fill of climbing (and, in truth, I was glad to get the exercise!) we changed and put on snorkeling equipment. We walked into the water from the beach, as the guide led us to various rock/coral areas where the fish were hiding. He would lure them out and scatter food, so that we were soon swarmed by fish. He proceeded to lead us here and there, drawing the fish each time. He also found a small manta ray and …something else…sea urchin? The water was quite clear and the fish colorful and plentiful. :fish: Again, everyone in my family was having a great time.

I should mention the guides were great - truly enthusiastic and friendly. Very encouraging, especially in the Adventure Park, where my Mom and one twin were a little nervous. Btw, they took a pictures at the Adventure Park and had them printed up for sale after the snorkeling - Mom bought some of those - negotiated a little since she was buying several.

After snorkeling, we returned the equipment and were given a ticket for a free drink (pina colada for me!). There was a covered open air bar/restaurant where you could order lunch. We just sat by the pool/beach at an umbrella’d table, while the kids swam in the pool. The ocean views were picture perfect. :beach: At this point, you were free to take a cab back to DCL (pre-paid as part of the excursion), so we head back soon, because, you know, I didn’t want to miss lunch.:laughing:

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Actually, DH and I had a Couples’ Massage appointment for this afternoon. In Studio Sea, I found out about the “come back when you want” part of the excursion, so luckily I was able to move our spa a little later, just in case.

I grabbed a quick hotdog at Pluto’s – just to say I did – by the way, it was great with sauerkraut, but I wish it wasn’t so big!!! DH and I showered and head for the spa. We were shown to one of the beautiful couples villas (I forget what they are called)…oops, I made sure we didn’t have a miscommunication…we’re just doing the usual couples’ massage, right? (I didn’t want to find a $500 or so charge on my card later!). The nice therapists assured me they use these rooms too when they need space. How nice for us!

DH and I ended up getting full body massages. Both our therapists were very good. Mine spent an awfully long time on my shoulders, which were very tight, I suppose. I was disappointed in that I was expecting a back massage and facial – that’s what we’ve always gotten with the couples’ massage. I kept expecting they would ask – they never did, and then I felt awkward bringing it up, so we just went with the full body. Next time I’ll know to ask about this in advance.

The massages are soooo expensive, but really such a luxurious treat. :cloud9: We felt so much more relaxed…mmmm. After it was over, we were quickly led to the lobby; we had earlier considered getting the Rainforest Room afterward, but no one asked/offered, and at this point, we wanted to head outside anyway.

Looking at the Navigator, I see I missed a Scrabble Tournament while I was at the spa! Mom and I are both cut throat Scrabble players; I would have liked to take in a game!

Our dinner rotation was switched up tonight – we had the Animator’s Palate show tonight – DH’s favorite. A few of us tried the Teleggio Cheese Tart as an appetizer. Very tasty, but we were surprised that is was more like a thin crust pizza than a tart - we couldn't finish them, wish we had shared!

The Teleggio Cheese Tart...


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Next DH tried the Gazpacho - very daring for him! I enjoyed the warm butternut squash soup. We both had the grilled tenderloin. By this time in the week, both twins were ordering off the kids' menu! I think tonight there were mozzerella sticks on the kids' menu, and Ali brought us a plate of them for all to enjoy (probably saw us stealing them off the boys' plates!). (ok, these were just freezer-ready and undercooked, but we're always suckers for mozzerella sticks!).:rotfl:

How do I remember all this? Well, I've got the menus right here! Boy, what I would've given tonight at dinner to be back on the Magic! :worship:

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After dinner it was Twice Charmed, well done, as always. Once again DH and I were too tired to take in the adult comedy show tonight – doh! Next time I will do better! I wanted the kids in earlier tonight, but OQ decided to do an unscheduled Dodge Ball on the sports deck til midnight tonight, so the twins went to that. Ah well, tomorrow is an at sea day, plenty of time to sleep in!

Tomorrow: At Sea and Palo’s Brunch!

[kritter]

We have a reservation for 12/10 as well - planning on pushing it out a bit! We would love to have Disney offer some longer Caribbean cruises in 2011 or 2012 - that is our dream.

Hello to all the Tortola Treasure Seekers out there! :wave:

That is what we are looking for a longer Caribean cruise in 2011 or 2012~~~~~~~!!:banana::banana:

[PoohJen]

When we were going down 95, I was wondering how many of us Disers and others had just gotten off the ship! I should've put one of my signs in the window!:rotfl2:

Lol, us too! On the way down 95 South, I wrote something like - Disney Magic or Bust in large yellow window paint on the back window...but alas, it washed off in some rain by the time we hit Georgia.;)

[jenanderson]

Your trip report is GREAT! Thanks so much for sharing it with us!:thumbsup2 It is wonderful to read what others did on the ship...although it is making us say...why didn't we do that? Ahh - I guess we will just have to go back!

[uncw89]

Your trip report is GREAT! Thanks so much for sharing it with us!:thumbsup2 It is wonderful to read what others did on the ship...although it is making us say...why didn't we do that? Ahh - I guess we will just have to go back!

So true!:)

[seashell724]

I love all your tips and details in this TR! I have never cruised before and your tr is def. one of my favorites. Keep it up!

[Disney Nana 4]

GREAT TRIP REPORT! We're going in March. We go to Florida for a couple of months in the winter and I was very interested to hear about the fireworks cruise from the Grand Floridian. How do you arrange that and how expensive is it? Thanks so much!

[PoohJen]

I was very interested to hear about the fireworks cruise from the Grand Floridian. How do you arrange that and how expensive is it? Thanks so much!

Hi Disney Nana!
Wow, the fireworks cruise was really such a special, unique experience - we all thoroughly enjoyed it - probably more so b/c it's not a common opportunity.

Here is the DIS link with all the information. http://www.wdwinfo.com/recreation/fireworks.htm#mkcruisebasic

As you can see, a bit pricey - but great for a special celebration! Note that the "basic plan" doesn't include the audio feed - that's a bit ridiculous of Disney. The audio feed is great, keeps the Wishes show in context!:thumbsup2

Hope this helps! Have a great trip!:yay:

[Hannosmom]

Sarah has been bugging me all week to read your trip report, so I finally sit down to read it.:surfweb:

OMG, I am so upset!:mad:

Pictures of the beach, pictures of menu's, detailed descriptions of everything....and I wasn't there!

Big tears welling up. Sniff, sniff. Don't worry, I'll be ok. :flower3: But, now I'll have to book the next one with you.:yay:

Thanks for the shout-out.

Is your mom going on the next one? I love cruising with your mom!:woohoo: ooo, girls trip! Yeah!

BTW, lovin' the trip report!:love:

[PoohJen]

Thanks for all the kind feedback, everyone. :goodvibes I was actually thinking of all my TRs, this TR was quite a snore - so running-of-the-mouth!:laughing: first we did this and then we did that and so on and blah blah blah. (Seashell...as a cruising novice, may I be so bold as to offer you my first trip report - see my signature below - it is from my first-ever cruise - far less jaded and far more full of wonder and excitement!)
But it really is fun to relive it as I write it all down - and fun to go back to later to re-read with my kids!:cloud9:

Palo's Brunch

We took it easy on this day at sea. The weather was beautiful, the skies clear, the sea a deep blue. Not a care in the world!:cloud9:

Mom, DH and I took in Palo Brunch at 10:30. (Hey Andrew - was that you at the next table?). Our waiter led us around the buffet...elaborate seafood and salads, breads and cheeses, breakfast pastries, desserts, then showed us the main entree' choices (breakfast items such as fancy pancakes and eggs benedict, and lunch/dinner items, including pizzas, veal).

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I usually love Palo's brunch, and did enjoy it this time, but - recent cruisers - is it me, or has Palo cut back a bit? I couldn't put my finger on it...maybe because I've been there before (so doesn't have the "new" factor) or, more likely, because it was the end of the week and I was already so FULL by then that the food wasn't as appealing? One thing I noticed is they continuously replenish the buffet stations, so they are always picture perfect for each person that comes in to dine.

Despite not being immediately enraptured (is that a word?) with the brunch, I enthusiastically dove right in (hey, I'm a good sport!). I started with some cheeses and crackers (I love cheese!). There were mainly soft spreads, only one hard cheese I believe, then dabbled a little around the seafood/salads area. Next, onto the breakfast pastry offerings. Our guide did not extoll the virtues of the famous stollen-with-fruit-and-whipped-cream. But based on prior pleasing experiences, I partook (curiously, there was not much fruit to be partook of) ...here's a picture!


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I made another tour around the buffet, carrying a fresh, clean plate and...to the amusement of my waiter and another waiter I caught staring at me, I made my way back to the table with nothing but a single cracker and a small ball of mozzerella on a very large plate. :rolleyes1 It all looked so good but I just wasn't hungry- truly I was really quite full from the week of nonstop eating!! :sad2: I saw the waiter staring at me and I explained that I was pacing myself - he laughed. I'm sure they all had a good laugh later - "did you see that lady carrying nothing but a cracker?!!!" :rotfl: It was a good cracker.

Oh yes, the brunch comes with a glass of champagne. I enjoyed mine with a splash of peach schnappes and proceeded to combine it all with my orange juice. I am just that sophisticated, aren't I? (well, truth be told, the orange juice all week had been very weak, even at Palo's!).

For the entree, I started with a bleu cheese and grape thin crust pizza appetizer - loved it! Mom and DH helped. Then we all split an order of the chicken parmesan - very good! I switched back to breakfast mode and had the stack of pancakes with whipped cream and rum sauce. Nice and sweet but I didn't care much for the rum sauce (just not my taste).

Onto the desserts! I should just start at desserts and work my way backwards - maybe I'll do that next time! I enjoyed some flan and pots de creme and other rich and caloric desserts too fancy for my vocabulary to name. A nice observation about the desserts - the portions were small - samples really - so feel free to try them all!

The piece de resistance for me:

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By now I was looking for those people-moving-hover-carts they have in Wall-E - seriously, we forced ourselves from this succulent buffet and waddled out into the sunlight (one little mint? it's wafer thin...):rolleyes1

We walked it off a bit...or more likely, took a nap on Deck 4. I do notice that I spent alot more time on Deck 4 this cruise than in the past since I didn't have a Verandah room. DH always likes to nap on Deck 4 - he and mom really like the cushioned lounge chairs.

I briefly caught the ice sculpture carving taking place at the Goofy Pool before heading to the hot tubs at the Adult Pool (I can't believe I was willing to present myself in public in a bathing suit after Palo's!!!).

Random pool and ship shots....

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Watching Nemo....

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Oh! At some point in this week, Mom and I went to bingo. She had some receipts from the Mickey's Mates/Treasure Ketch which gave her a free bingo card. Ok, here is my negative review: the bingo pricing has gotten ridiculous. On our first bingo day, we played paper cards - I think it was around $45. It was in Diversions and VERY crowded - completely packed! It was very difficult balancing the paper cards on our knees and punching the holes. Plus, Trevor...I'm sorry Trevor, but you really were doing this....Trevor was reading the numbers too fast -playing to the pace of the electronic cards, not the paper cards. It just wasn't fun. The game was over in less than 1/2 hour.

On this sea day, DS16, DH and I went to the Final Jackpot Bingo. I was all set to get the $70 "value" package...but wait! The Value Package for final bingo was $130!!!!! Are they out of their freakin' minds? This is a 30 minute bingo game! It's for pleasure, a diversion...if we want hard core bingo we can take a tour bus when we get off the ship at the port!:headache:

Sigh. Nonetheless, I got the electronic card and we watched the card play for us for the next 23 or so minutes it took to play four games. We never got to a single number. Phooey.

Congratulations - sincerely - to the winners! (hey, I have won in the past! That's always fun!). But seriously DCL, I for one would play more bingo - and enjoy it - if it were less expensive. I don't need the alure of a $10,000 jackpot - I would prefer more games with more winners with smaller prizes!:thumbsup2:idea: (for those who follow these things, only one of the winners of the 4 games in final bingo had a paper card).

Tonight was semi-formal dinner in Lumiere's - the "Captain's Gala" menu. The kids were good about "dressing up" again...they didn't blink an eye. Prior to dinner we went to the Officer's pin trading - we were always scouting out trades all week - fun! :cool2:

At dinner we let Ali know we wanted to see a 7:30 show, so they served us very quickly (I think normally you would be done by 7:30 anyway, but as noted before, earlier in the week there seemed to be some delays). We enjoyed our window seat in Lumiere's as the sea, liked the cruise, passed by.

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We went to see the comedian Don Friesen do a comedy show for the family in Rockin' Bar D. He was great!!! :cool1: Appealed to kids and adults - cell phone humor, video game humor, parents vs kids issues - all could relate. One of my twins was beside himself cracking up - now two weeks later, he can still describe the act to us in detail. :laughing: I was so sorry DH and I missed his adult show earlier in the week.

From there we went to Disney Dreams. Great flying effects and music, but man, the "little girl" voice really grates on my nerves (sorry Dreams fans!), and the story line is just a bit too forced. :rolleyes1 However, for new cruisers - you should know that all the Disney shows on board are Broadway quality - beautifully designed sets and special effects and wonderfully talented cast. I definitely recommend seeing these shows if you haven't already! :cheer2:

Tonight's elaborately elegant towel animal...

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Hey! DH and I FINALLY made it to one of the adult shows! We went to see hypnotist Ricky Kalmon again in the Walt Disney Theater - a large crowd there for that! The audience volunteers provided lots of laughs, though a bit of a repeat from the other night.

After the show I began packing up, to make packing easier for tomorrow. I can't believe how quickly the week has gone by!

The kids had full nights again at Ocean Quest (pool party) and the Stack (karaoke). Not too late tonight though...we had to rise early tomorrow for Character Breakfast and Parrot Cay!

[SweetSpot]

Great trip report. I find it interesting you noticed many of the little things I did. I thought the bingo had overpriced itself and removed the fun factor with the machines. We didn't bother playing because part of the fun was my kids keeping track of the numbers and the added chance you could win (or lose) because someone missed one.

I also think think the shows are excellent but it would be really, really nice if they were changed every now and then.4

I noticed many changes in the food beside the regular menu change. I watch everything I eat and follow a strict diet but for one week I let go. My usual indulgences are oatmeal with strawberry sauce at Topsiders, lots of orange juice, real butter on english muffins and dinner bread, steak at dinner (because I am allergic to shellfish and avoid fish) and soup from room service at night. The strawberry sauce is gone and if you want walnuts you have to go find them, the butter is now tasteless overwhipped, orange juice was watery all week, the steak isn't on the menu and no matter what we ordered from room service it was never the same twice and it was always cold. Little changes but they were all my favorite little things and things I looked forward to. There we many noticible little changes when it came to food like less fruit, less choices on the buffet and no cookies at Goofy's Galley. I think if you are a new DCL cruiser they are not noticable but after 8 cruises we are now paying much more for less.

I'm so happy you had a great time after the change in ports. One of the great things about DCL is that they make sure changes due to weather affect the passengers as little as possible.

[PoohJen]

I updated the Day at Sea post to say we finally stayed up late enough to see an adult show! Woo Hoo! :woohoo:



Pictures of the beach, pictures of menu's, detailed descriptions of everything....and I wasn't there! Big tears welling up. Sniff, sniff. Don't worry, I'll be ok. :flower3: But, now I'll have to book the next one with you.:yay:
Is your mom going on the next one? I love cruising with your mom!:woohoo: ooo, girls trip! Yeah!

You just keep focusing on that remorse, Linda! The next one is a 4 night Wonder on Feb 28th - $400 pp, plus the kids were free! :scared1: Couldn't pass that up! Yep, it's me and mom and whichever two kids I am favoring at the time.:rolleyes1 (okay, readers, just kidding about the kid thing!).

[PoohJen]

...the butter is now tasteless overwhipped, orange juice was watery all week...Little changes but they were all my favorite little things and things I looked forward to. There we many noticible little changes when it came to food like less fruit, less choices on the buffet and no cookies at Goofy's Galley. I think if you are a new DCL cruiser they are not noticable but after 8 cruises we are now paying much more for less.

I haven't figured out how to do the multiple quoting in one post, hence the multiple posts...

You're right, it really was noticeable. re: the whipped butter - did you ask for butter? I noticed only butter substitute on the tables, which I don't like. I never did ask for butter in the end, I found I didn't need it for anything {all my pancakes were covered in whipped cream! :laughing:} And, sigh, the OJ really was terrible. :sick: My mom noticed that cookies seemed to be missing, but she wasn't sure where. I think on our past cruises she enjoyed a cup of tea in the evening with a cookie to quench the sweet tooth.

But, at least, the creme brulee rocked! lol! :cool1::banana::woohoo:

[SweetSpot]

I never specifically asked if they still had real butter because when I mentioned the difference first in Topsiders and then during our regular rotation I was told that it was one of the recent changes and butter was not longer available. I have read others say they requested it and got it so our servers (who really weren't great) might just not wanted to bother. The only reason it was more noticable was that they rationed the new stuff too (at least at our table). There are 5 of us, they'd bring two full baskets of rolls and two saucers with three of the spread containers in each. It was a running joke that it because virtually impossible to request additional ones.

I can easily live without butter, buI think it stood out in our minds as an example of the difference. It seemed the cruise (we were July Tortola) was so different from what we were use to and seemed to be cheaped down in many ways. I know they were running specials during the summer where kids sailed free, etc. We never got the offers, paid full summer prices and feel this time I felt like we didn't get the quality cruise for the premium price we were once okay with paying.

The staff are truly still magical and I still loved every second on the ship. I think I'm just having a harder time justifying the price for us with thier recent changes.

[PoohJen]

I can easily live without butter, but I think it stood out in our minds as an example of the difference. It seemed the cruise (we were July Tortola) was so different from what we were use to and seemed to be cheaped down in many ways. I know they were running specials during the summer where kids sailed free, etc. We never got the offers, paid full summer prices and feel this time I felt like we didn't get the quality cruise for the premium price we were once okay with paying.

Nope, I totally get it! ::yes:: Honestly, I noticed the butter thing immediately at the first dinner! And I understand about the fare issue too; we paid full fare (i.e., no kids sail free) which really bugged me earlier this summer - glad I had forgotten about that come sail time!:laughing:

[jbm02]

We have a reservation for 12/10 as well - planning on pushing it out a bit! We would love to have Disney offer some longer Caribbean cruises in 2011 or 2012 - that is our dream.

Hello to all the Tortola Treasure Seekers out there! :wave:

This is what we are hoping for too!! (although I keep reading the trip reports for the Adventures by Disney to places like Wyoming and the Grand Canyon....wow...but I am not sure there is enough "floating" there for Sean!!! :rotfl2:)

Jen, this is a GREAT trip report !!!!!!

[Melcatfish]

Hi fellow Tortola Treasure Seekers, Great trip report Jen, loving it so far, reliving the cruise is one of my favourite pass times at the moment!!!

Mel
x

[PoohJen]

Hi Jude!
I've been wanting us to take a trip out west, see the Grand Canyon; Disney Adventures would be wonderful, but yikes on the $$$$ - I don't see it in our future!:rotfl: - btw...if DH won that $300m lottery last week, he's doing a VERY good job of keeping it as a surprise!:rolleyes1 :laughing:

Hi Mel!
Another Seeker I was sorry not to meet "last week". (I will forever...well, at least thru September..keep referring to our cruise as happening "last week"! DENIAL!) I hope you and your family had a wonderful time!

Sigh. If I finish my Trip Report, does that mean it's really over?:sad2:


I'll start here, may have to add details and pics tomorrow - I'll get as far as I can tonight.

When the kids were younger, we'd be up early for breakfast, having a quiet ship to ourselves with the other early risers. Now that the boys are older and stayed out much later than we are all used to...combined with the dark, dark inner stateroom...we were sleeping in more than we ever have on a cruise! Still, everyone had to get up early today - Double Whammy Incentives - Character Breakfast and Castaway Cay!!!

I was originally disappointed that our character breakfast was on Castaway Cay day, but it worked out just fine, as you will see, we didn't miss a second on the island! The breakfast took place before the all ashore (before we were even docked, I think).

For those who keep track - we docked stern-first this time.

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Character Breakfast

Character breakfast at Parrot Cay, bright and early around 8 a.m.! We enjoyed waffles, pancakes, all our carb-laden favorites! Ali and Bulelani made silly hats for us out of the colorful cloth napkins, putting everyone in a playful mood. The characters made their way deftly and quickly through the restaurant, stopping at each table for photo ops - they really are efficient with this! Although they moved along quickly, they were always patient with each table, posing for the pics!


I'm glad to say even my 16 year old was a good sport around the characters and posed along for the pictures!:hug::thumbsup2


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All Ashore - Castaway Cay II!

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View from the tram - what a slug! I can't believe I was using the trams!

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The Amazing (Hammock) Race!

As soon as breakfast was over, we hustled back to the room for teethbrushing and sunblocking. DH went on ahead to the island - he had a mission - this, his fifth trip to Castaway Cay, he was determined to get a hammock! He was in the first or second bunch off the ship, and waited for the tram. Others pondered whether to go on foot or wait, they ran ahead; DH said the tram ended up getting to the family beach first. Once there, he and another fellow scurried along, then evolved into a run...a good natured foot race! DH was glad to find the hammock behind the Conched Out bar available; a quiet, secluded oasis. He said people had already set up camp at the one right next to it! I recognized the others as Ducky Wms and his party - he probably came off with the staff earlier - I'm pleased to report they made good use of their hammock all day! No hammock squandering!

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DH immediately positioned himself in the hammock, where he quickly fell asleep and remained so for the next several hours!!! That is his idea of heaven!:cloud9: We caught up soon after. Remember how the play area was closed on Sunday due to shallow water? Today it was DEEP, honestly, I've never seen it so deep! I convinced one twin to take advantage of the deep water, while the other wanted sand soccer and games with Ocean Quest at Grouper Pavilion. DS16 made his way to the teen beach, and Mom got her floatie and proceeded to float. Everyone was happy! I rested on a lounge and had fun watching DS on the play gym. Boy, I was a slug this vacation - I think I really needed the rest!

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By the way, I had chosen a lounge that just happened to be the last lounge on the path the waiters take to get back to the Conched Out bar. Hence I was initially bombarded with offers for water, drinks. This would usually bug me, but as I said, I immediately realized I was the last customer between them (all the waiters!) and the bar on their way back. And, they did stop asking after a while!

Dipped in Butter!
Is it time for Cookie's yet??? You betcha! Swim twin, Mom and I had some lunch (I nibbled off Twin's plate, saving myself for Serenity Bay's lunch!). They had cold shrimp today! Next we watched the crab races - fun, Twin really enjoyed it. Later in the day, DH and the twins got to participate in the crab race and came in 2d in the finals! Woo Hoo!:woohoo: They adopted a name for their crab that they heard had been used last week - "Dipped in Butter" - too funny! They won Jonas Bros guitar-picked shaped dog tags.:upsidedow

Mom went for a bike ride and I said I'd meet her for lunch. I found other Twin and sent him back for lunch and rest (more sand soccer!). I ended up walking all the way to Serenity Bay. It's not that far, but it was an awfully hot day and I told you - I'd been a slug all week - not in shape at all!

By the way, you could see the various areas where construction projects had begun; one area was just to the right of Grouper Pavilion.

Serenity Bay lunch
Last night at Captain's Gala dinner, Mom had the lobster. She mentioned to our Head Server that she was looking forward to having some at Serenity Bay tomorrow (in '06 it seemed they were serving the leftover lobster at SB). He apologized and told her that they didn't do that anymore, at least to his knowledge. Hmmm...we still thought there'd be a chance, and we were right! They had grilled lobster at SB, and also grilled shrimp kabobs and steaks. So I had a cheeseburger, of course. I really liked their cheeseburgers! I got lettuce and pickles at the fixin's station, along with that barbque sauce with the diced pineapples in it - yummy!

No soft serve at SB today - they were serving hard packed ice cream. Mom continued on her bike ride, while I rode the tram back - hey, I didn't want to overdo all that exercise! Back at the family beach, the twins were enjoying the hammock. I convinced them to swim - the play area closed down soon after - shallow. We had fun on the float. DS16 came by as we were ready to leave - good timing. We head back a little earlier than usual; DH and the boys went for a swim in the Goofy pool and hot tubs, I strolled around taking pictures of the ship. I posted those on yesterday's report. Late afternoon on Castaway Cay day is a great time to take pictures around the upper decks - they are usually empty, with folks still enjoying the island or otherwise getting ready for early seating!
Castaway Cay

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[Beauty & the Best]

I just read your entire TR from beginning to end and it was great!

Recently booked a 14 day transatlantic on the Magic in April, so I'm at that stage where you soak up everything you can about your ship! :)

Thanks a lot for your review, it has made me even more excited about this vacation.:goodvibes

[PoohJen]

Had to break that last report into two because I had too many images attached...

Packing it all in the last night! Phooey, did I say packing?:sad2:

Dinner in Animator's Palate - we said goodbye to our wonderful waiters, I knew there was no way I was getting up for breakfast in the dining room - I think we were assigned 6:45? Is that right?:scared1:

We took in Who Wants to be a Mouseketeer in Studio Sea after dinner - drat, our number wasn't called! They do a fine job getting as many folks up there to play within the half hour show! Afterward, we went to the Remember the Magic show. DS16 saw a group from the Stack and sat with them. The show included a little song and dance from the theater troupe - well done, some comedy from Don Friesen - excellent again, and a piece by the hypnotist. That was terribly lame. I can appreciate he can't do a hypnotism show in 10 minutes, but better judgment would have been not to include his piece in the finale - it was not up to Disney standards.

But we can't end on a negative note, can we?! DH and I finally found our way to Up Beat to purchase some Tortuga Rum as a gift for our neighbor, a DCL watch for $10, and Tortuga Rum Cakes for the inlaws and for me to share at work upon my return (sniff). Yummy! Not sure if I mentioned it, but the duty free shop at the Cozumel port had samples of all rum cakes flavors - it was great to try before you buy. The price on the Magic was the same as in the stores, so I was glad we wait until the end of the cruise to our purchase, so that the cakes weren't jostled around in our room all week. I enjoyed these cakes so much, I think this will be a new "tradition" for us, to buy the rum cakes when we cruise! :cloud9:

From there we made our way to the 'Til We Meet Again celebration in the Atrium - one last time to celebrate "Disney". Sniff. More sentimental tears!Now it's time to say goodbye....

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Hey, it's the last night...can DH and I manage to stay up past 10? Yes! We made it to Pub Night! (well done, Cruise Staff!). and, just for old times sake, DH actually had a little food off the light buffet they served outside Diversions. cuz, you know, we hadn't eaten in like 3 hours!:laughing:

One more stroll around the ship. Around the moonlit lapping waves just beyond the reach of the Promenade Deck on Deck 4. Around the quiet and deserted Deck 9 pools and Deck 10 walk. The stacks are lit up so pretty - you should take some time to walk around late one night.:cloud9:

Morning came too soon, as did the end of the cruise. :sad1: We enjoyed breakfast all together at Topsiders around 7:30 or so and soon made our way off the ship. Sigh. Disembarking was an absolute breeze! Never went more smoothly - I was so impressed! A helpful porter took our extremely high pile of bags out to the car pick up area where we waited for our inlaws to bring our car. They arrived soon, and we all said our hellos and goodbyes, as we loaded into the van and began our 13 hour drive home up 95N. We've loved Disney sailing since our first cruise in 2004, so it was good to know we'd be back again on the new ship in 2011. :cloud9:

....and...little did I know then... Mom and I (and maybe -hopefully! - the kids) will be back sooner than we thought - a week after the cruise, I booked us on a little Wonder jaunt in March! Woo Hoo!:woohoo: That definitely helps ease the post-cruise distress!:goodvibes

Summary to follow! Thank you for indulging me! :hug:

[jbm02]

Jen
Thanks for such a great trip report!! Reading it made me feel like I was back on the ship...and realizing that your trip report is done, it feels like our cruise is over yet again...sniff!....

To all the Tortola Treasure Seekers (aka "Hurricane-Bill-induced-Double-Dippers"), I hope that everyone had as great a time as we did. What a great group of people to sail with!!! :woohoo:
Have a relaxing Labor Day weekend everyone!! (and for those in the UK, Italy and beyond, hope it's a great start to the week!)
...hope to see everyone in 2011 or 2012...
Jude

[caitlinsdad]

Jen
Thanks for such a great trip report!! Reading it made me feel like I was back on the ship...and realizing that your trip report is done, it feels like our cruise is over yet again...sniff!....

To all the Tortola Treasure Seekers (aka "Hurricane-Bill-induced-Double-Dippers"), I hope that everyone had as great a time as we did. What a great group of people to sail with!!! :woohoo:
Have a relaxing Labor Day weekend everyone!! (and for those in the UK, Italy and beyond, hope it's a great start to the week!)
...hope to see everyone in 2011 or 2012...
Jude


While it was a good cruise, Jen thanks for the memories, I still feel disappointed that we missed out on Tortola and St Thomas.

No question Disney made the right choice due to the weather, but Since I practially made the same cruise in 2006, this one ended up being a repeat. Not as much fun this time.

Hopely 2011 will bring new ports.

[cakesnjammom]

thanks for the great report and pics...loving every minute of it!

[PoohJen]

Yes, it's a month past and does feel truly over. But I'm giddy over this little Wonder jaunt in Feb/March - helps tide us over until Dreams comes out!:cool1:

A few observations, notes:

- My 4th DCL cruise, 3d on the Magic. She looked great, not worn down - at least, to the casual observer. On my 2006 Magic cruise, she was overdue for drydock (imho) and it showed via worn carpets, bathroom tiles, etc. The crew was always working, spiffing up the ship.:thumbsup2

- Cost-cutting steps were noticeable in little ways - for example, the buffets seemed smaller, less variety, even at Palo's. Did I mention the "butter substitute" on the tables?:scared1: I definitely support strategies to cut down on WASTE, but I hope they are careful not to dilute the usually wonderful cruise experience.

- That reminds me....bring back the cookies to Goofy's Galley! And some ice cream fixin's! ;)

- Food in general...hmmm...opinions will vary from palate to palate. It's not 5 star dining, but it is generally well prepared and the menus offer a variety. The desserts seemed less inspired this time around. Or maybe I was full! :rolleyes1 Hey, I'm just glad I don't have to cook and clean up!:laughing:

- The water pressure in the cabins was EXCELLENT!:woohoo:

- The Cruise Staff were high energy and friendly. Our wait staff worked hard , were friendly and aimed to please in true DCL fashion and our cabin steward went above and beyond to address our concerns. Always smiling, always a friendly face!

- The pools always seemed crowded this trip, even Quiet Cove, even on port days. I hope the new ships' pools are bigger.

- Ocean Quest was always full and seemed like a hit with the 'Tweens!

- LATE night hours for Stack and OQ probably helped kids stay entertained; I think it helped contain the 'wandering pack' mentality a bit. :thumbsup2

- Disembarking was a BREEZE - so quick and easy! High marks, DCL!

- Bingo has lost it's focus from an inclusive, fun activity to a quick, easy revenue generator. Boo, hiss DCL! If you want to charge those fees, then I recommend spreading out the prize money among more games, more winners.

- You could see some construction sites at CC, but nothing interfered with beautiful views, wonderful times!

- It was a full ship and tons of kids. But everything seemed to go smoothly and was well-organized (well, except the lines for final bingo - a bit disorganized). It never felt too crowded or like there were "too many" kids on board. Disney does a great job with crowd control!

- The majority of cruisers were repeat DCL cruisers. For us repeaters out there, hey, be careful: it's easy to get jaded, start comparing trips, or miss the wonder of it all! Slow down and enjoy the cruise you are on! :hug:Try doing something new, something you missed last time! :thumbsup2 And DCL - there's so many repeat cruisers - mix it up a bit! Bring on some new shows, new activities!

- The thing that brings me back to DCL over and over are the things I don't particularly notice at the time....the family-oriented atmosphere, no rude, rowdy guests (i.e., no over-the-top frat party atmosphere), activities to please everyone: families, kids only, adults only. And, the one thing that is noticeable and keeps me coming back - the friendly, cheerful demeanor of all the crew/staff!

- Finally, high marks for the quick Itinerary Switch. Like Ed, I was disappointed to miss Tortola. But we had 7 glorious days in the sun, which beats sitting in stormy weather! AND - thank you DCL for scheduling that extra Castaway Cay day on Sunday. I think they did that because it was likely our scheduled stop wouldn't happen later in the week due to weather. I am impressed that DCL would make this change "just in case"!:cloud9:


I'm sure I've missed a bunch - Treasure Seekers, add some of your own!:cheer2:

[LindaBabe]

Great report, Jen, and nice after word :)

[loveysbydesign]

Thanks for the report! I keep telling myself I'll do one and never do!

[BeautyFan]

Great Trip Report, Jen. I am really looking forward to cruising with you in 33 days! :hippie:

[CRSNDSNY]

Great TR! Thanks for all the details! :)

[nikkistevej]

Nice trip report!! I really enjoyed the pics- I was booked on that cruise but changed it for June- some great people were on there with you!!:thumbsup2

[caitlinsdad]

Nice trip report!! I really enjoyed the pics- I was booked on that cruise but changed it for June- some great people were on there with you!!:thumbsup2


Hey Nikki :wave2:

[nikkistevej]

Hey Nikki :wave2:

Hey Ed- how are you???:goodvibes