RAIN, SCHMAIN, AND HURRICANES: Our 9/2011 Cruise: NEW ANNOUNCEMENT!

[luvvwl]

Who are you, Goldie Hawn?




Having had my first experience with Disney being the Land (vice the World), I would agree that DL seems a bit more intimate and original--it's hard to explain exactly what I mean. For example, one of my favorite rides at DL is Storybook Land of which WDW has no equivalent. I do love WDW, too, but my first love will always be DL.

Oh, the eating. Oh, my, yes. We do so love that, too. lol We're heading down to WDW for a Thanksmas trip (about which luv is supposed to be writing a pre-TR--ahem!) in 10 days. During that time, we will swing over to Harry Potter Park, umm, Universal for a day. Maybe you'll be able to read about it. . .ahem!!

I saw that! And. I've been busy!! And. You know it. SOMEONE has to do ALL the planning and her name doesn't start with a S and a D.

Just sayin'....

 

[sleepydog25]

I saw that! And. I've been busy!! And. You know it. SOMEONE has to do ALL the planning and her name doesn't start with a S and a D.

Just sayin'....

If by busy you mean re-re-re-re-revisiting dining and park plans for the eleventyeth time, except for a quick break to buy a D & B then, yes, you have been.

I'm so happy you see my side of things ;o) Methinks this is what thou tellest thy hubby about all things Disney, no?

Have you seen WWoHP yet? We went last year and LOVED it! Well I did, my hubby has never read or watched the movies so didn't completely appreciate how great it was and so like walking into the books! Nope, haven't been to HP world yet, though my 11-yr old went last summer (she had read all the books by age 10). We're looking forward to branching out just a little bit from Mickey Universe.

I think we have decided to do the 7 day. My oldest son will turn 17 by the next cruise and wouldn't be able to go into the Teen clubs but would be too old for adult things. Plus, we really did want to go to WDW longer - so maybe that will be the next trip! So, let me get this straight. Your eldest son can't do either the teen club nor the adult activities, and you're going to torture him with 7 whole days on a cruise? Ruh-roh.

Soooo.....when is Part Deux to arrive????? This weekend?

 

[ladybug23]

We just got off the 4 day Dream 11/6 cruise and a couple of things:

1. DH and I agreed that we really don't ever want to do a 4 day cruise again. WAAAAAAYYYYY too short and honestly don't know how people do the 3 day cruises. We were only just getting used to the ship layout and how to navigate the decks when it was time to get off. We also felt like if you missed your ONE chance to see the new POTC movie, you were out of luck and there were no other opportunities. There were many other things where you only got one chance to see something, so if you missed it that was it. On 7 night cruises you get several chances to see things - so you don't feel pressured to make bad choices on what to do with your time.

2. The mini golf and basketball court - YES, just like your TR states, they ARE directly above Palo's and Remy's. And while at night dinner may not be impacted but by an occasional thump - Brunch is an entirely different story. I couldn't wait to leave my wonderful brunch to escape the thumping and thudding of the basketball court directly above my head. Bad enough it was a late drunken pirate night the evening before, but really? The poor designer that came up with that layout and did not call for extra layers of sound proofing between those two decks - please tell them to find another job!!! Seriously! I felt like I was eating a fine brunch at the High School gymnasium.

 

[BMICKEY]

If by busy you mean re-re-re-re-revisiting dining and park plans for the eleventyeth time, except for a quick break to buy a D & B then, yes, you have been.

Ummm....hello....that is exactly how I plan. And your point is? YOU GO GIRL!

 

[BMICKEY]

Okay...I guess I'm bad at explaining things. When we go on the cruise in 2012, the oldest will be 16. If we waited til 2013 to do another cruise, he would then be too old by then. Get it now? LOL

I tried to respond to the end of yours but I am not smart enough to figure that out!

Looking forward to the read!

 

[sleepydog25]

Ummm....hello....that is exactly how I plan. And your point is? YOU GO GIRL!

Were you two separated at birth? For the record, luv does NOT need further encouragement in regard to her planning ways, tyvm. . .just sayin'. . .

Okay...I guess I'm bad at explaining things. When we go on the cruise in 2012, the oldest will be 16. If we waited til 2013 to do another cruise, he would then be too old by then. Get it now? LOL

I tried to respond to the end of yours but I am not smart enough to figure that out!

Looking forward to the read!

Ahhhhh, that makes more sense. Then, yes, I guess a 7-day cruise is in order since, if I read you correctly, it will be a couple of years before your next one. Not that ever going on a 7-day would be a bad thing. Alas, it looks as though our next one will be only 4 days, though we've decided to make a 5-6 day sidetrip to WDW before that cruise in 2013. Oh, dear. That's nearly two years off!

1. DH and I agreed that we really don't ever want to do a 4 day cruise again. WAAAAAAYYYYY too short and honestly don't know how people do the 3 day cruises. We were only just getting used to the ship layout and how to navigate the decks when it was time to get off. We also felt like if you missed your ONE chance to see the new POTC movie, you were out of luck and there were no other opportunities. There were many other things where you only got one chance to see something, so if you missed it that was it. On 7 night cruises you get several chances to see things - so you don't feel pressured to make bad choices on what to do with your time. Our cruise did feel a bit abbreviated since, just as you state, one just gets used to the ship's layout about the time the cruise ends. There were a few places we never explored (well, quite a few, actually) and some experiences we wished to try that we didn't have time to enjoy. Unfortunately, I don't think a 7-day is in our plans or budget.

2. The mini golf and basketball court - YES, just like your TR states, they ARE directly above Palo's and Remy's. And while at night dinner may not be impacted but by an occasional thump - Brunch is an entirely different story. I couldn't wait to leave my wonderful brunch to escape the thumping and thudding of the basketball court directly above my head. Bad enough it was a late drunken pirate night the evening before, but really? The poor designer that came up with that layout and did not call for extra layers of sound proofing between those two decks - please tell them to find another job!!! Seriously! I felt like I was eating a fine brunch at the High School gymnasium. Sorry to, umm, hear that you had a tougher experience during the brunch--it's not something we had considered but will if we get the chance to brunch next time. I understand using every bit of available space on a cruise ship, but somehow this particular arrangement escaped the eyes (and ears) of the designers.

 

[luvvwl]

Were you two separated at birth? For the record, luv does NOT need further encouragement in regard to her planning ways, tyvm. . .just sayin'. . .

No, I don't need ANY encouragement AT all, lolololol!!!!

Ahhhhh, that makes more sense. Then, yes, I guess a 7-day cruise is in order since, if I read you correctly, it will be a couple of years before your next one. Not that ever going on a 7-day would be a bad thing. Alas, it looks as though our next one will be only 4 days, though we've decided to make a 5-6 day sidetrip to WDW before that cruise in 2013. Oh, dear. That's nearly two years off!

It's SIX. Definitely. SIX. Just so you know.

 

[sleepydog25]

Aren't you supposed to be packed by now?

 

[BMICKEY]

Are you trying to torture us?

Just making sure you didn't forget that you have the grand finale of your trip to share

 

[sleepydog25]

Are you trying to torture us?

Just making sure you didn't forget that you have the grand finale of your trip to share

Mea culpa and in the immortal word of half the people around whom I live, "my bad." We ARE going to finish the Remy report before we head out to WDW Monday afternoon. . .no, really! No. REALLY. What are you laughing about?

 

[bitlerzx4]

Sleepy you said you were going to TRY to finish this before I left for my cruise... your really stringy me along here! LOL!!

Thank you!! (Editor's note: We hope to have finished this TR by the time you go on your cruise. . .)

 

[sleepydog25]

Sleepy you said you were going to TRY to finish this before I left for my cruise... your really stringy me along here! LOL!!

Ha, ha!!!!! Just in time!!


Remy

As I mentioned in the last segment, our server suggested we try all the entrees, sharing as we went along. Secretly, I believe that’s what we had wanted to do all along, so it took very little urging on his part to make us take the leap.

First up was Fraicheur (Freshness—yes, yes, I know: I mis-labeled it in the last update. So sue me). At this point, I don’t recall exactly who received which dish, so I’ll speak to them all. I’m sure LOMF will fill in the blanks of my, admittedly, poor memory. My lack of short-term memory goes way back to. . .ummm. . .I forget. Never mind. So, the first dishes were the Langoustine Royale which the menu told me was a small lobster (and from Norway) and a Tomato Ratatouille that had some cuttlefish in it. Let me say upfront that we didn’t have a single bad dish during this meal (nor should we have given the cost and reputation of Remy), but a few of them weren’t our favorites, and the lobster was one of them. Now, we both love us some lobster (and King Crab, fish of all kinds, calamari, shrimp, et. al.) but the reduction just didn’t work for us as it was slightly bland. I know much French cooking relies on subtleness, but luv and I don’t tend to be subtle with our cooking profiles—we’re more Bobby Flay-ish. On the other hand, the ratatouille was brimming with delectable flavors that highlighted Mediterranean influences. As usual with fine dining, the pace was relaxed (though some would call it slow, I’m sure lol), allowing us to savor each bite, each fleeting glimpse of flirtation. . .no, no, between us! Honest. ;-) The second round of the freshness part of the menu consisted of two more dishes, Asperge Verte (asparagus with black truffles) and Duck Breast with sausage and confit. Again, we both love duck, and the dish didn’t fail to deliver. The duck sausage was moist with a mild concoction of fennel, pepper, and perhaps coriander. But, the confit was the best part, though luv does do a mean duck confit of her own. I don’t remember much about the rhubarb puree that anchored the dish, so I guess you could call it unobtrusive. Now, neither of us had ever eaten black truffle despite the various culinary adventures we’ve experienced singularly and together, so we were excited to try it. Although we did enjoy it, again it was a quite subtle and earthy taste that underscored the crisp, verdant asparagus without making you go “wow.” I’m thinking we need to familiarize our palate a bit more to appreciate black truffles, though that can be extremely expensive. Thus far, we’d had four dishes and each had been good to very good.

We then moved into the Mer (Sea) portion of our dinner which started off with another lobster dish (this time from Maine not Norway) seated in a spicy broth—right in our wheelhouse. Granted, the heat was mild to what we normally endure, er, eat but it was tasty, nonetheless and quite succulent. Nothing ruins lobster more than overcooking it to the point where it resembles Goodyear rubber. No, this lobster was quite tender and nearly melted in your mouth. Partnered with that succulent dish was one of Seared Tuna with quail egg. The tuna was near rare which is the only way to eat tuna (okay, maybe canned tuna for tuna fish salad, but that’s a whole other tuna who come from the wrong side of the tracks and hang out with some old fart named Charlie. He has not been a good influence on Tuna Town), and the quail eggs added to the rich unctuousness of the tuna. It was fresh and stunningly simple, as was the Sea Bass Atlantique that followed. Though it boasted a Thai sauce and some small veggies, the sea bass was lovingly rendered—tender, moist, and rich. It was one of my favorite dishes of the night. However, the fourth and final dish of the Mer segment of our meal was a near match for deliciousness: Jamon Wrapped Shrimp. We thought the shrimp dish would be wonderful given that the ham was the famous Iberico (the pigs are known for their tasty meat which comes from a steady diet of acorns in that part of Spain), and we weren’t disappointed. The shrimp were cooked to perfection and the slightly sweet, slightly citrusy taste of the melon accompanying the plate was a good match for the saltiness of the jamon.

By this time, we were beginning to get full, but we still had four dishes to go from Terre (Earth), and we would not be denied! Starting off the final entrées was the Poularde Rotie—chicken with a creamy sauce. Again, the chicken was expertly cooked (no mean feat given how often restaurants overcook fowl), and it cozied in the sauce that begged for the fresh French bread offered at the beginning of the meal. The chicken’s mate on the table was Wagyu Tenderloin from Australia. If you’ve never had Wagyu, then you must try it one day. I’ve had it a few times and the meat literally melts in your mouth. I wasn’t disappointed this time, either. It was savory with a depth of flavor that became one of the highlights of my entire experience. As we awaited the last two dishes of the night, we were acutely aware of how full we were getting, though we hadn’t truly overeaten. But, the richness of the food made us feel more sated than you would think given the relative smallness of the plates. Last to come out were the Agneau Fermier or milk-fed lamb with herbs and the Porcini Crusted Veal with a mushroom ragout. While the lamb outshone the veal, neither dish stirred us, and both were among our least favorite. In fact, I’d say the veal was easily the one we’d choose to leave off the menu altogether. Actually, I’ve never been a huge veal fan in part because of the methods used to cultivate the meat but even more because veal is so mild that it’s rendered almost tasteless. Maybe my old codger taste buds just need more of a jolt than what veal offers, I don’t know. The plate was well-prepared and artful, just not as thoroughly delightful as the other plates had been nor as appealing.

After 12 dishes and nearly 3 hours, we felt warmly satisfied and were happy that no true dessert dish was offered. . .however, that doesn’t mean Remy doesn’t offer sweets. As we wound down the meal, Jerry delivered two boxes of the most amazing truffles, jellies, and candies I’d ever seen. Neither luv nor I could resist, full as we were, and we began to share the treats inside the decorative boxes. Not all of them were to our liking (the salted caramel was unpleasant), but a few were downright evocative and cleansing (lemon tart). By the time we finished, we wondered if Remy offered a service to hand truck us back to our room. Seriously, though we were absolutely sated, we weren’t overstuffed. We reveled in the new memory we had created, too, starry-eyed lovers who had found good fortune in each other and who shared one of the most enjoyable meals ever.

We gushingly thanked our servers, left a nice tip, and strolled out through the wine lover’s Hall of Dreams intent on reliving this night again a thousand times over in our hearts, and maybe a few more times on cruises to come. So, what do two people do after they’ve just had the meal of a lifetime? Why, hit the adults only hot tub, of course!

Next up: The Best of the Rest of the Final Night

 

[sleepydog25]

Oh, I forgot to mention above that luv and I are headed off on a little trip to WDW. We're driving down, spending six days with two of her grown kids, and even doing a little side trip to TWWOHP. It oughta be fun! If I can get her to actually do some TRing about this current trip, I will, so be on the lookout for it on the regular Trip Board!

"Life is a highway; I'm gonna drive it all night long. . .yeah, yeah, yeah!"

 

[BMICKEY]

See? I was waiting with baited (is that spelled right? Lol) breathe and wasn't disappointed! Now to only convince the Mr!

Thanks for taking the time to write such a great TR!

Have a blast in WDW and especially WWoHP....I took so many pics it was pathetic. Make sure to do the wand tour at Olivanders - we ran out of time and couldn't take the time to wait in line. Please bribe LUV with a new D&B for her TR (you're welcome LUV!)

 

[Shell54]

Have fun on your trip and thanks for finally finishing your Remy dinner segment We loved the Ratatouille too (they even customized my DH's when they overheard him tell me he didn't like a particular ingredient..amazing!). I adored the homemade lollipops at the end ..yum.

 

[sleepydog25]

See? I was waiting with baited (is that spelled right? Lol) breathe and wasn't disappointed! Now to only convince the Mr!

Thanks for taking the time to write such a great TR!

Have a blast in WDW and especially WWoHP....I took so many pics it was pathetic. Make sure to do the wand tour at Olivanders - we ran out of time and couldn't take the time to wait in line. Please bribe LUV with a new D&B for her TR (you're welcome LUV!)

Technically, it's "bated" breath, though if halitosis runs in the family, it could be "baited." We've had fun with the TR, and though Remy's is done, we have yet to finish that night and then the morning of the day we left the ship. Those are yet to come. . .soon. . .

We had a great time at the World and WWoHP. The HP ride itself is the best themed ride I've ever been on, hands down. From the moment you enter the grounds of Hogwarts, through the Greenhouse, and then into the halls of Hogwarts itself, the pre-ride is enjoyable and keeps your attention. Then, there's the ride which now ranks as one of my favorite rides in any park--amazing! Now, the rest of US (we only did Islands in the Stream and WWoHP) is a cut below Disney in most aspects, but they certainly got Forbidden Journey right. We didn't do Olivanders since we knew the line would be long and slow (and truth be told, neither luv nor I are huge HP fans, though we have liked the movies well enough). However, during the time others in our party took to do Olivanders, luv and I rode both FJ and Dueling Dragons twice, scoped out the shops, and sat down to lunch by the time they were finishing the wand selection thing-a-ma-jig show. But, I'm stealing some of luv's thunder, so I will shut up now.

 

[sleepydog25]

Have fun on your trip and thanks for finally finishing your Remy dinner segment We loved the Ratatouille too (they even customized my DH's when they overheard him tell me he didn't like a particular ingredient..amazing!). I adored the homemade lollipops at the end ..yum.

We literally finished the Remy's report hours before hitting the road to the World. The weather was superb while there (mid-70s to low 80s and sunny), but by the time we got back home tonight, it was 55F, raining, and winds gusting to 40+ mph. Ugh.

 

[sleepydog25]

The Best of the Rest of the Final Night

Yep, luv and I have been absent from this forum for a couple of months. It was all that pesky Christmas stuff and work--you know how that goes. At any rate, I'll keep this brief. After Remy, we decided to hit the adult hot tub, expecting it to be chock full of folks. . .but it wasn't. Since it wasn't, we wondered if the AquaDuck would be fairly open, too, and "OMG" as my daughter might say, it wasn't crowded, either. We jumped in line there, rode it (and, yes, it was chilly at that time of night), then when we finished, headed back over to the hot tub to relax and watch the night sky.
As we leaned back against the edge of the tub, we reflected on just how lucky we were to not only have such a wonderful experience but that we were able to share it with the other. I should never doubt Disney magic again. After the tub, it was time to head back to the room for some needed shut-eye. . .yeah, it was still a little early.

The next morning we headed up to Enchanted Garden--our assigned eatery--to have a few last moments to enjoy the cruise. The food was only so-so, which we expected given the amount of people they had to feed and the time constraints they were under. Since that time, we've learned that Cabanas would have been an option, too, and we would have much preferred to eat there. . .and so we shall next cruise (which, sadly, isn't until 2013--though that one will an extra special cruise for us ).

Soon, we were heading down the halls to the exit where we immediately grabbed a porter who helped us find our suitcases (which were NOT located where a cast member said they'd be), checked through customs, and headed to our car. It was a painless and fairly quick process, and within 25 minutes of walking into the cargo area, we were driving away from Port Canaveral. Sigh. However, we left knowing that we'd had a superb time and that we'd be back again in the not too distant future. . .

So, that's it. Our almost hurricane-filled trip that turned out marvelously. There is very little we'd do differently, and we absolutely, whole-heartedly, most definitely can recommend the Dream.


THE END

 

[Jessika]

Your trip report was great reading and great comedy. I love the way you did it as a team. A hilarious team.

Get the lady her camera, will ya? She earned it.

 

[sleepydog25]

Your trip report was great reading and great comedy. I love the way you did it as a team. A hilarious team.

Get the lady her camera, will ya? She earned it.

Oh, she got her camera, and I had nothing to do with it. I wouldn't exactly call her impulsive. . .impulse driven, perhaps, but not impulsive per se.

I've been attempting to get her to write a TR for our Thanksmas trip to WDW and Universal Studios late last November, and I've even started it for her, so any encouragement would be appreciated from anyone who has read this report and enjoyed it. Just sayin. . .