The Lloyd’s – Just Us Two on a Dream Cruise – January 2-6, 2013

Part 9 – Day 4 Morning

Wow.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get better, we wake up again to the sound of a change in the engines, and open our curtain to this.
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Castaway Cay – I have read so much about it and seen so many photos, but nothing really does it justice. I mean, look at how you can see through the water to the FLOOR as we pulled in:
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No photos of first breakfast – we were sorta lost in the moment. But here’s another superfluous shot of second breakfast.
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With all that great food, DW still loves bananas with peanut butter.
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Cabanas was busier earlier this morning.
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So we disembark – and everything was SO easy. It was a beautiful day.
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People like Hook & Smee and Captain Jack were just hangin’.
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At both ports, they were painting. Is this normal?
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We board the tram (still decorated for Christmas) and head directly to Serenity Bay.
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Throughout the island, there is some kind of a musical soundtrack or live music in the background. When we got to Serenity Bay, it was completely quiet. This is the entrance to paradise!
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And these photos don’t do it justice:
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OK – I don’t get the cabanas. I’ve seen how much they are, and …really???
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I put on my shorty wetsuit, and ventured out.
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Let’s just say – you can walk a long way out – then swim a little – and then walk even farther.
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Captain Jack came by mumbling something about a baptismal font…
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We moved our chairs out into the water to catch some rays – there was NO surf out this morning.
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DW found some shells and sponges along the shore. There are multiple signs saying that shells were not permitted to leave the island, but sure enough, when going back on the ship, security was confiscating numerous peoples attempt to bend the rules.
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I've hit my photo limit – more soon!
 
Howdy from another Missouri native! In fact, my brother and SIL live in Lee's Summit and I still have my house in Raymore (anyone want to buy it??!?!?!?). Great report. Love DCL...Serenity Bay is my favorite place in the world!

Jill in CO

PS...anyone want to ship me some Oklahoma Joe's?
 
Howdy from another Missouri native! In fact, my brother and SIL live in Lee's Summit and I still have my house in Raymore (anyone want to buy it??!?!?!?). Great report. Love DCL...Serenity Bay is my favorite place in the world!

Jill in CO

PS...anyone want to ship me some Oklahoma Joe's?

Oh, OK Joe's - that's my favorite place! We met someone here on the DIS boards who was going on our cruise from Blue Springs! What are the odds?

...so are you letting anyone know you're a Chiefs fan? It might not be the year to do that.
 
Howdy from another Missouri native! In fact, my brother and SIL live in Lee's Summit and I still have my house in Raymore (anyone want to buy it??!?!?!?). Great report. Love DCL...Serenity Bay is my favorite place in the world!

Jill in CO

PS...anyone want to ship me some Oklahoma Joe's?

I've been stalking this trip report and love it!:thumbsup2 We've been on quite a few Disney cruises but have our first for just my husband and I planned for our 20th anniversary, so I'm enjoying reading a report from someone who also did DCL without kids. Keep it coming!

Jill, I'm about 30 minutes south of Olathe, but I just had to respond to your post. My sister lives in Lee's Summit, and my sister-in-law lives in Raymore.:) I'd ship you some Oklahoma Joe's, but I'm not sure it would be very good by the time you'd get it. We could trade.....I'll ship you some bbq, and you ship me some snow and ski slopes for my DH.:rotfl:

Susan
 


Oh, OK Joe's - that's my favorite place! We met someone here on the DIS boards who was going on our cruise from Blue Springs! What are the odds?

...so are you letting anyone know you're a Chiefs fan? It might not be the year to do that.

Well, at least I'm at peace with the Chiefs this year. I'm surrounded by despondent and suicidal Broncos fans today. :)

Jill in CO
 
I've been stalking this trip report and love it!:thumbsup2 We've been on quite a few Disney cruises but have our first for just my husband and I planned for our 20th anniversary, so I'm enjoying reading a report from someone who also did DCL without kids. Keep it coming!

Jill, I'm about 30 minutes south of Olathe, but I just had to respond to your post. My sister lives in Lee's Summit, and my sister-in-law lives in Raymore.:) I'd ship you some Oklahoma Joe's, but I'm not sure it would be very good by the time you'd get it. We could trade.....I'll ship you some bbq, and you ship me some snow and ski slopes for my DH.:rotfl:

Susan

:rotfl2: It's a small world after all. :)

Jill in CO
 
Well, at least I'm at peace with the Chiefs this year. I'm surrounded by despondent and suicidal Broncos fans today. :)

Jill in CO

They have nothing to be ashamed of - especially with that double-overtime playoff game. The Chiefs on the other hand...
 


They have nothing to be ashamed of - especially with that double-overtime playoff game. The Chiefs on the other hand...

We'll see what the new coach and GM bring...now we just need a QB!

Jill in CO
 
I've been stalking this trip report and love it!:thumbsup2 We've been on quite a few Disney cruises but have our first for just my husband and I planned for our 20th anniversary, so I'm enjoying reading a report from someone who also did DCL without kids. Keep it coming!

Susan

This was our first trip without family since the dawn of time (or kids). The grandkids are already starting to appear - so we're getting this in at a strategic time. Let's just say there a "different" kind of magic on a trip like this!:thumbsup2
 
Our kids are almost 18 and 15, and we have a dairy farm, so we are hoping to take advantage of the free labor before our kids go off to college and break the bank. Lol! We were supposed to go to Hawaii for our 15 year anniversary, and we did, but we took the kids. Not this time though. They have been spoiled when it comes to traveling, so they are getting left at home so we can discover that new kind of magic. ;)

I'm loving your TR! Thanks for taking the time to write it!

Susan
 
I'm enjoying this so much. I especially like the pictures of Serenity Bay. We hung out with the kids on the family beach all day and never made it over to Serenity. I love how quiet it was.

I would DIE FOR a cabana on the family beach (splitting with another family helps). Its so crowded there, and I would love the privacy since its a roped off area. Maybe some day.

Looking forward to more . . .

Jodie
 
The is an awesome awesome review. Thanks for posting! I'm surprising my girlfriend with a Disney cruise on the 31st. She won't have any idea (hopefully) until we pull up to port.
 
I'm enjoying this so much. I especially like the pictures of Serenity Bay. We hung out with the kids on the family beach all day and never made it over to Serenity. I love how quiet it was.

I would DIE FOR a cabana on the family beach (splitting with another family helps). Its so crowded there, and I would love the privacy since its a roped off area. Maybe some day.

Looking forward to more . . .

Jodie

Yeah, quite a few of the cabanas were shuttered during our day there - not sure if they weren't rented or what, but there were at least three rows of chairs/loungers in front of each one going unused. I couldn't think of why anyone would want to rent them that time of the year in that location.
 
The is an awesome awesome review. Thanks for posting! I'm surprising my girlfriend with a Disney cruise on the 31st. She won't have any idea (hopefully) until we pull up to port.

That's awesome - I LOVE surprise trips! I've surprised my wife at the Contemporary and the kids with a couple of "where are we going" experiences. Hope it will be a wonderful time for you!
 
We are taking our first DCL on Valentines day. We will have our two DDs with us. So great to hear that we could one day do this alone and still have an awesome time!
 
Oh, OK Joe's - that's my favorite place! We met someone here on the DIS boards who was going on our cruise from Blue Springs! What are the odds?

...so are you letting anyone know you're a Chiefs fan? It might not be the year to do that.

I have family in Blue Springs - does that count for anything?

I am loving your report. Thanks for doing it.
 
I have family in Blue Springs - does that count for anything?

I am loving your report. Thanks for doing it.

Oh, it counts! DW is a teacher there, and they have a blue spring ...somewhere, I'm sure.
 
Still really loving this report! Only 10 days now until we leave Indiana :) my question, we are going with DD 8 and DD 5. Do you have to pay to shop, have lunch, or just look around inside Atlantis? We were thinking about checking out the Atlantis Resort and then going to a place called the Fish Fry ... Not sure yet
 
Still really loving this report! Only 10 days now until we leave Indiana :) my question, we are going with DD 8 and DD 5. Do you have to pay to shop, have lunch, or just look around inside Atlantis? We were thinking about checking out the Atlantis Resort and then going to a place called the Fish Fry ... Not sure yet

If you go around the back way like we did, you can access everything we photographed (see some fish, walk around the inside and outside shops, grab a bite or drink near the beach) for nuttin' (expect the price of food and what your significant other makes you buy - word of warning - if you're able to buy anything in the Gucci or Versace shops, you shouldn't have to worry about $$).

They won't let you in the water park, aquarium, or grand entry of Atlantis (because there are aquariums there), but most other places are public access.
 

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