First Disney Cruise, First Fantasy (PTR)

[Conceptualice]

Disney Cruise Report!

It’s just less than a week to go. I would have starting posting sooner, but there has been a lot to do and the last two months practically flew by! (I will try to add art/pictures soon, I'm still trying to finish packing/preparing!)

It wasn’t until Christmas when I started getting excited about our Disney Cruise, I found out it would be on the brand new ship, and the first (official) eastern Caribbean cruise! My parents were being amazing and paying for the trip, myself, my sister, my husband, our son, and of course my parents were all going to go together. We decided on an Eastern Caribbean trip, since my mum was concerned about traveling to Mexico right now. She has always wanted to go on a cruise, so we figured this was the best choice! So we booked Disney’s Fantasy (first Eastern Caribbean) for April 21st – 28th!

Our Fantasy Bound Family
Laurean (Me) – Disney File & Lover of all things animated
Survival Gear: Sketchbook(always), camera, mommy bag of holding, seasickness pills. I am looking forward to relaxing, be immersed in all things Disney, draw a lot and enjoy the Fantasy as much as possible.

Our Dear Son (2.5 years) – Lost Boy in training
Survival Gear: Perry the platypus, blanket from his good friend Linus van Pelt, missing mouse ears –will be getting a new pair on the ship, tiger carry on that doubles as a toddler rider. DS is extremely clever and has been known to break out of multiple childproofed areas & daycares… I hope the Nursery can handle him!

Adam (Husband) - the ‘serious’ one who grew up! XD
Survival Gear: Hawaiian Shirt (always wears these on vacation, sort of a tradition), sunglasses, hat – that will probably be replaced by a new one by the end of the trip!, flipflops, and cigars. His plan is hang out by the pool & the buffet.

Clive (my dad) - A knight and avid jouster in his youth, has been known to cause quite a ruckus at the good old ‘Rose & Crown’ in Epcot, he loves golf, and keeps asking me if there are any ziplining to be had. (He ziplines now? @.@) I suspect he’ll be riding the AquaDuck for sure, not to mentioning hanging out at O’Gills Pub!
Survival Gear: A cool looking hat, sunglasses & white clothing

Ann (my mum) - Southern lady and socialite. She is an avid genealogist (aka dead people gossip), and has been my rock of support with DS. She particularly wants to hang out in Oh La La for drinks.
Survival Gear: big hat, a purse, and probably her ipad. (Since dad got her one, she always seems to have it!)

Mary (my sister) – Rockstar & California roadie. She loves all things music and isn’t a bad singer herself.
Survival Gear: Ruby Red slippers, her ipad, her laptop, and an assortment of fabulous clothing.

The hitch: My parents and sister have never been on a cruise before.

So, I was volunteered to organize and get all the necessary information (which lead me to these amazing boards!) I am the quirky family member who seems to have knowledge in random bits of information, especially Disney, so this sort of thing has become expected of me.

While my family has been on cruises before, we had never been on a Disney one. So, for the new year I was tracking the Fantasy’s building process and learning everything I could including Disboards!

I found our cruise group thread, and I cannot stress enough how amazingly wonderful and cool everyone on our cruise has been! Our group which is on DIS boards & facebook, is so supportive and willing to offer information. They are all amazing people, and I am so lucky to be sailing with them! I highly recommend ANYONE taking a Disney cruise to check out your cruise meet!

Right now, trying to finish my FE gifts.. @_@ My family is packed and ready, it's just assembling everything that has NOT yet backed and putting it in its proper place. @_@ When I get back I plan on posting everything I can! Because even though the Fantasy is a new ship, I've learned so much from reading other trip reports!

Thankyou ahead of time for reading!

 

[verygfy]

How exciting 6 more days!! Can't wait to hear all about it

 

[luvslikepi]

Yay!!! Over a year to my Eastern Fantasy cruise!! I cannot wait to hear all the details.

 

[cheryllarsen]

I still remember my first cruise. WOW

 

[cheryllarsen]

I love reading these reports.

 

[flcruiser69]

Have a magical time

Be sure to come back and let us know how your trip was

 

[Conceptualice]

Thank you for the comments and those watching. I promise to do my very best and try to be thorough. It's the least I can do with all the wonderful help and advice I have received here.

Getting down to the last few days, I'm trying to focus on finishing my FE gifts and sketch out some door decor. We're pretty much packed - just a bit of tidying here and there.

I'm getting anxious (well, I've BEEN anxious, I'm just trying not to have that turn into nasty stress & panic!) finally Adam has admitted he is really excited too and has been getting involved in planning and just excited talk. I work up to the day before we leave @_@;; So I am trying my best to get stuff completed today.

I don't think DS gets where we are going yet, but he soon will. XD I can't wait to see the look on his face!

Trying not to talk about the trip much at work - as my boss is letting me take a cruise while we are in the middle of rehearsals, tech week and first weekend opening. @_@;;; I have been promising to bring her back loads of Disney tribute! I definitely don't want to sound like I am bragging either, and trying to do as much as I can to help where I can. (But we have a great staff & they will be amazing I know).

My parents and my sister are not packed yet. -_-;; (To be fair, Mum & Dad just bought a new house, so they're in the midst of moving. Sister is going to call and coordinate with me today on her packing and questions she has.)

 

[Belle2007]

Have a great time!!

 

[LuvEeyore]

Cant wait to hear more!! Doing an Eastern in Dec !!

 

[Dawncala]

Can't wait to hear all about the Eastern. We're on the Western in 5 more weeks. I'd love to see pix of your drawings too when you return. I love to draw and didn't even think of bringing my sketchbook, but now I might. Happy Travels!

 

[Debs Hill]

we are doing back to back Western and Eastern in Dec and can't wait to hear all about your trip! Have an amazing time!!
Debsx

 

[MandyMommytoReaghan]

I can't wait to hear more!!

 

[katienaps]

Going in December on Eastern, looking forward to your report!

 

[Linda67]

Woo Hoo - have an AMAZING time

 

[Conceptualice]

dawn>I can't go anywhere withoutmysketchbook.@_@ I'm always worried I will see something I want to draw and missedmychance!


All packed and ready to go, a few more hours and we'll be on the fantasy!

 

[lookitsaplane]

Hey DISboarders!
I am going on the Fantasy in five weeks, and was wondering if there are any exceptions to the 18 year old age limit for the gym. I will be almost 17 by the time of the cruise, and was hoping there would be some way for me to use it.
Does anyone know about this?

Thanks!

 

[jedijill]

Hope you are having a great trip!

Jill in CO

 

[jedijill]

Hey DISboarders!
I am going on the Fantasy in five weeks, and was wondering if there are any exceptions to the 18 year old age limit for the gym. I will be almost 17 by the time of the cruise, and was hoping there would be some way for me to use it.
Does anyone know about this?

Thanks!

You might have a better chance of getting this answered by posting your own thread on the main DCL board and not the trip report board.

HTH

Jill in CO

 

[gigi1313]

Hey DISboarders!
I am going on the Fantasy in five weeks, and was wondering if there are any exceptions to the 18 year old age limit for the gym. I will be almost 17 by the time of the cruise, and was hoping there would be some way for me to use it.
Does anyone know about this?

Thanks!

Subbing to this thread... cannot wait to hear more!!!! (was hoping for updates during the trip via mom's ipad! LOL!)

LookItsAPLane, at 16yo your only chance to use the fitness club would be during the Vibe (teen club)'s assigned hours...

ENJOY!

 

[Conceptualice]

back! I so didn't want to leave. ;_;

I will try to get the eastern navigators up tonight followed by the report over the next week. The Fantasy was amazing, and overall I was extremely impressed with Disney's quality of service, the kindness of the staff and everything about the ship.

Some quick things to throw out:

They do still have MV merchandise at this time, I saw a LOT of hats, and many tshirts. (both with mickey & the ship and just the ship)

They have been OUT of the inaugrual champagne since the third western cruise!! (There are bottles on display at the royal court, but I was told they're display only/filled with water). They are trying to order more, but for a champagne that was supposed to last the entire year, it went out FAST!

Oh La La Champagne is $120 a bottle. (But you get a really sweet complimentary treat to enjoy the champagne with in chocolate, strawberrry or mango if you have it in OLaLa).

The Ogill's cream liquer is like Baileys with a kick. I loved it. I wished I had grabbed a bottle before I left the ship!

Shows - Only Believe is available on the TV at this time. We went to almost all the shows live anyway, but I had heard on the boards that shows were available if you could not make it to them. (This is incorrect.) So if you don't make it to the shows, you won't be able to see them on the TV later, so try your best to make them.

Kids in adult areas - OGills & La Piazza are kid friendly until 9am - there is family programming in both areas - most of the time on the cruise, both were sparse with guests anyways. Just in case you're an adult with a toddler and want a pre dinner drink in that area & not want to stash them away in the nursery. (Actually, right before dinner when the bars have just opened, almost all of Europa is pretty empty and quiet, so it's very nice & relaxing.) Also if you aren't able to stay up late - I kept crashing, I wore myself out!, you can enjoy most of Europa this way.

2nd Dining = More chances to see characters!
The character meet and greets (specifically in the evening) are designed to occur before main dinner seating. So, if you have second dining, you actually get twice as many chances to see certain characters, because they tend to fall right before 1st seating/1st show & right after 1st show/before 2nd seating (while 1st seating is still occurring.)

5k - was great, they are completely out of t-shirts - we looked ALL OVER & asked multiple cast members about them. Maybe this means they are working on a new design?

More to come with photos & illustrations! Overall, it was so much fun. I will definitely cruise with Disney again! One of the servers in Meridian (I forget her name offhand), mentioned a rumor about a fifth ship? @_@ Who knows!