The McSparklesons Sail the Magic... AGAIN! $500 Potato Chips! 3/13

[Simba22]

ohmygosh im so excited to read more i feel like it's ME about to step through that giant Mickey head!!

[Cheryl726]

Great TR, love the details and the pics of the girls with Captain Mickey!

[anewmac]

Hey I vagly remember that ship that blocked your view.. E and I took it on a 3 days cruise to mexico.. but with enough patron and beer you forget anything...

I honestly know how Jeff felt with the record button.. I was so excited to get on the Magic the 1st time I forgot to press it and I had written a cute lil card welcoming E home from Iraq and ya forgot that too.. That mouse just makes me so nervous.

[MAGICFOR2]

Originally Posted by CRdisMom

Jeff is a wonderful videographer-heee-hee. i do hope that all the videos are that long. hahahah! Loved that you got to see the fantasy in port. Can't even begin to imagine NYE with your crew and the ellen's--slightly green-eyed jealous.

looking forward to the horn battle

BTW how many life boats do these ships have? I only counted 8 on the one side of the fantasy? I assume everyone can fit in them?

Laura! I can't believe you are still worried! They don't really expect us to count, so we see the shiny yellow things and assume there are enough for all of us - what we don't know is if anything bad happens, they close the gates to "steerage" - decks 1 and 2 - and that leaves enough seats for all of us... Oh, wait - that is a different movie. :

Okay, really we did look closer on our last cruise - they have a capacity sticker on them - they each hold 53 or something like that. Where you see them from the outside, they are double-stacked. Then there are also inflatable rafts attached to the ceiling in that area, too. We decided we would not get into an enclosed space like that with the heat potential and the potential for vomiters - we'll just float in our life vests and hang on to the sides, thank you very much.

[karajeboo]

Originally Posted by luvslikepi

LOL....sorry, You just got me so darn excited reading your TR.

You just keep up that excitement, young grasshopper....

Originally Posted by CRdisMom

Jeff is a wonderful videographer-heee-hee. i do hope that all the videos are that long. hahahah! Loved that you got to see the fantasy in port. Can't even begin to imagine NYE with your crew and the ellen's--slightly green-eyed jealous.

looking forward to the horn battle

BTW how many life boats do these ships have? I only counted 8 on the one side of the fantasy? I assume everyone can fit in them?

I believe I heard them say that each lifeboat holds 200 people - they are much larger than they look.

Jeff was so upset when we got home and he realized what he did with the camcorder. He also recorded the DISmeet.... or so he thought.

Originally Posted by Jaymepops

So happy you went on another cruise! Now we can read another TR!!

My kids and I really, really, enjoyed the last one and it's given us something to do as we look forward to our first cruise! Can't wait to hear more!!!

Thanks for the pictures of the Fantasy...that's the ship we are sailing on!!

I'll be on the Dream in 3 weeks, so that will be my first taste of the "big one." So you'll have to read our DISmoms TR to get a feel for that ship, too! And we booked the Fantasy for NYE 2013..... that's so far away I don't know how I will do it!!!

Originally Posted by SallySkelington

Shhhhhh... It's a secret. Cause you know. I have to be interesting somehow. lol. JK. I have a website of Tangled and Disney GIFs that I get these kinds from. I'll PM you websites and instructions if you'd like.

And don't worry, I'll post more just for you.

Your DD must think you're the coolest mom in the world. When you're not breaking out in song and embarrassing her or something silly that is.

Your announcement must have been oh-so-grand! Too bad your DH did what I would have done and pressed the wrong button.

Can't wait to read more!

Oh, I can't wait! I love moving pictures.... and shiny objects.....

Originally Posted by papertraveller

Oh man, that entry video is so funny.

This last time we sailed, a CM came up and offered to take the camera away. (Must have seen some of DH's earlier work, methinks.) It was pretty cool as they shot us walking onto the ship. We gotta work on our red carpet stroll a bit, though, cause we sure weren't channelling our inner Angelina.

I really wish we'd given it to a CM. You know, one who had absolutely no idea what they were doing? Cause they would have done a better job! I've found so many that he did this on, he just left it on, then to record, he hit stop and then at the very end, when he thought he was hitting stop, he hit play, that's why you caught our rear ends entering the ship!!!!

Originally Posted by Wicket's Mom

I want to do one of those cruises. We haven't cruised since 1990 as it was the cruise from he**. It looks like it's time to go back on the high seas!

Oh, Mother of Wicket, you need to don your life vest, grab a drink of the day, and head out on the seas!!!! So wonderful!

Originally Posted by Simba22

ohmygosh im so excited to read more i feel like it's ME about to step through that giant Mickey head!!

Don't you be trying to steal my thunder! That is MY Mickey head!!!

Originally Posted by Cheryl726

Great TR, love the details and the pics of the girls with Captain Mickey!

They were so cute with Mickey!!! They had lots of joint pictures this trip!

Originally Posted by anewmac

Hey I vagly remember that ship that blocked your view.. E and I took it on a 3 days cruise to mexico.. but with enough patron and beer you forget anything...

I honestly know how Jeff felt with the record button.. I was so excited to get on the Magic the 1st time I forgot to press it and I had written a cute lil card welcoming E home from Iraq and ya forgot that too.. That mouse just makes me so nervous.

Ah, the infamous booze cruise. Ya know what's funny? On that other message board all about cruising, RCI loyalists swear by the Monarch of the Seas. I guess she's the Magic of RCI, being an older, smaller ship. She's been sold to another line and will be gone by next summer.

Also, Port Canaveral is going through major changes - dredging and widening for much larger ship..... rumor is that Oasis is coming!

Originally Posted by MAGICFOR2

Laura! I can't believe you are still worried! They don't really expect us to count, so we see the shiny yellow things and assume there are enough for all of us - what we don't know is if anything bad happens, they close the gates to "steerage" - decks 1 and 2 - and that leaves enough seats for all of us... Oh, wait - that is a different movie. :

Youre, here.... there's NOTHING I fear..... Don't ever let go, Rose..... LOVE that movie! But one should never watch it right before a cruise!

Okay, really we did look closer on our last cruise - they have a capacity sticker on them - they each hold 53 or something like that. Where you see them from the outside, they are double-stacked. Then there are also inflatable rafts attached to the ceiling in that area, too. We decided we would not get into an enclosed space like that with the heat potential and the potential for vomiters - we'll just float in our life vests and hang on to the sides, thank you very much.

Just pull a Dory..... just keep swimming, just keep swimming!

[Grumpy's Wife]

It's so nice that your daughter has a cruising buddy.

The ship looks beautiful. We need more, more, more.

[jenseib]

That boarding video....fabulous!!!!!! I have some just like that too.

[ohboyx3]

Hurry up with DA update!!!! Enjoying DA report!

[kgoldenh]

Loving it so far!!!! You are right about CISbfsat room - good gracious it was packed. we ended up by the pool (which was fine). we ate fast so others could get seats. Poor Stephen thought about seconds til he saw the line and then decided to wait til he got on board.

great report so far. So bummed the DIS meet was not recorded. aaawwww.

cannot wait to read the next installment

kate

[CRdisMom]

im good at treading water so I'm good right plus there always will be a door floating by that I can grab... I know I'm a freak but thats why ya tolerate me

[karajeboo]

Originally Posted by Grumpy's Wife

It's so nice that your daughter has a cruising buddy.

The ship looks beautiful. We need more, more, more.

The ship IS beautiful! I cannot figure out who these people are that keep saying she's "showing her age" or "looking old." Not this ship. Looks great!

Originally Posted by jenseib

That boarding video....fabulous!!!!!! I have some just like that too.

Oh, you married Steven Spielberg, too????

Originally Posted by ohboyx3

Hurry up with DA update!!!! Enjoying DA report!

We in da house!!!! You hear da gangsta in my voice? Yeah, I'm all redneck gangsta from South Kakalaki!

Originally Posted by kgoldenh

Loving it so far!!!! You are right about CISbfsat room - good gracious it was packed. we ended up by the pool (which was fine). we ate fast so others could get seats. Poor Stephen thought about seconds til he saw the line and then decided to wait til he got on board.

great report so far. So bummed the DIS meet was not recorded. aaawwww.

cannot wait to read the next installment

kate

Ya know, I thought I saw you that morning, but didn't want to embarass myself before I even go to port..... I almost came up and asked. But I decided that Ally would have enough embarassing moments with me for the week, and just in case it wasn't you......

Originally Posted by CRdisMom

im good at treading water so I'm good right plus there always will be a door floating by that I can grab... I know I'm a freak but thats why ya tolerate me

Nearrrrrrr, farrrrrr, whereEVER you are............ don't ever let go, Laura, don't ever let go!!!!!

Thank you, thank you very much. And I"m sure Jeff got my performance recorded....

Doh!

[LuvEeyore]

More please!!

[chiamarie]

Haha! Love the boarding video.

I'm pretty sure half of my video's from the cruise are of me saying "Crap, I did it again" because I was really meaning to take a photo, and not use video.

Looking forward to more!

[nenner1]

Did I seriously not post to say I was here??? i went to my user CP to pull it up in my subs and..crickets.

I'm losing it I tell ya!

Love the shoutout in the first post and am I alone in saying I would love a Magic to Magic comparison? I'm sure YOUR husband wouldn't get mad at you for giving YOUR opinion.....!

Will catch up tonight at work, I have yours and Tammie's all tabbed out and ready to go for my 12, 2 and 4AM reading pleasure.



PS- Is there a Dismoms Cruise PTR yet? Or will you all be waiting to bomb us after the fact?

[karajeboo]

Although you missed our grand entrance, no comments.... I'll give you the lowdown... down low.

There was clapping. There was smiling. There may have been drooling, and I'm sure there was some bowing and

After all, McSparklesons are... wait for it....

On Da Ship!!!!

I was worried that it wouldn't be as "magical" the second time, but it was. It really really was just as magical!!!

And then I saw Dana and Karrieanne clapping for the McSparklesons!!!! I'm just glad Karrieanne was finally packed!

A little background... we had a great fish extender group and we created our own facebook page in the weeks preceding our cruise, so we were all on there chatting and really getting to know one another.

And I'm a planner. I think we've all established that fact, right? So when folks were posting that they had not even begun to pack the week before the cruise, I started getting nervous. I mean, I was packd, suitcases closed, locked and ready to roll......

The night before most of us were leaving for Port Canaveral and STILL some saying they were not packed.... Karrieanne?

I got the shakes. I may have even shed a tear or two wondering just what she'd be forgetting!!!!

So when we boarded to the thunderous applause of Dana and Karrieanne and their families (they KNEW the McSparklesons were here!!!!), the first thing Karrieanne said to me, when she introduced herself, was, "Kara, relax, I'm packed!!!!!"

Ally would spend of lot of time with Dana's daughter Molly, and Karrieane's kids, Faith and Noah, on this cruise. Great families and I'm so glad I got to know y'all!!!!

OK, enough of the kumbaya.......

We felt so cool when the crew member met us to show us where to go once we boarded. Yeah right. Dude! Do you know who we are???? We had our own line for check-in!!! That's right...... step back, brother, we are the McSparklesons and we know the way.....

And up to Topsiders we went....

So I could have.... THIS!



It was, without a doubt, the BEST drink of the day the whole cruise..... Because it was the FIRST! And I knew there would be more to follow!



AFter lunch, we made our way up on deck to wave farewell to all those saps, er, fine folks, on land....



Off in the distance.... see her?



Stay tuned, you'll see more of the FAntasy than you ever could have imagined, reading a trip report about the Magic......

At exactly 1:30pm.... ready.... set..... GO!!!!! Rooms are ready!!!!

Our steerage cabin.....



All decorated for Ally's birthday!!!!







Last year, we were about 6 doors down, but across the hall. And when you have an inside cabin, "across the hall" means a BALCONY!!!!

Everyone told us that there was no way we could go from a balcony cabin, to an inside cabin. "You're spoiled now!" "No way will you be happy inside." "You'll be clausterphobic!"

And you know what? They were all WRONG!!!!!

We had absolutely ZERO issues with an inside cabin!!! It was perfect for us! And when we think that the difference in price would allow us to cruise more often? No brainer!!!

When I say we went steerage, I mean, not only did we give up the balcony, we also gave up the split bath. The split bath is two SEPARATE areas, one with shower and sink, the other with toilet and sink, so it makes it much easier for a family to get ready.....

But with only 3 of us, Jeff would get ready first and then head out so Ally and I had the whole room. But if you've never experienced the split bath, that is unique to DCL, you'd never know what you're missing, right?

So there you have it. McSparklesons are more like Jack than like Rose..... and we'll never let go!!!!

When we got to our cabin, Jeff's suitcase was there, as well as the suitcase with water....

Water???? Did you read that right? After all the posts about NOT packing water, the photos that I posted about how poorly the luggage is treated, and cases of liquids breaking open in suitcases, why would I actually pack water???

Well, because I'm a conscientious rule breaker.... I bought the jumbo size ziplocks and packed a case of water IN the ziplock, then in the suitcase, and then padded it with my over the door shoe holder (to hold toiletries), my fish extender, some hats, and a couple pair of shoes..... So I felt pretty safe that our water would not burst, and if a bottle or two did crack, it would be secure in the ziplock......

So there.

We wandered around the ship for awhile to reaquaint ourselves... and it really did feel like "home."

The same gaudy chandelier.....



The same funnel vision, just waiting for sail away....



All of them shouting, "Welcome back McSparklesons!!!!"

Well, in my mind I heard that. But then I hear lots of things that others don't hear, but that's another report, one written by my therapist......

Jeff decided he wanted to take the spa tour so off we went while Ally was off with Tori, and maybe even with Molly too..... it didn't take her long to dump her boring ole parents.....

We made appointments for massages later in the trip, and registered for the spa drawings, to be held at 3:15 in the gym......

We made our way down to the Promenade Lounge for the DISmeet for our group that met on DISboards, and stayed in touch on Facebook. So we had already gotten to know each other pretty well in some cases, and the meet was quick and painless.....

Jeff even showed up and filmed it!!!! Wanna see it?

Me too..... but James Cameron showed up again to film it so use your imagination.

Jeff and I snaked out about 3:13 to get up to the spa so we could win BIG!!!!

NOT!

"Must be present to win" didn't get us anything, but I did get to see the gym.....



We left the drawing and headed back to our room to get the "call" for muster drill. Thank goodness they improved this dramatically since last year!!!! Last year we met in Animator's Palate, same this year. Last year there were about 10 different "stations" all with bullhorns, all talking at the same time. So we heard absolutely nothing. We just knew to meet in AP in the event of a collision with an iceberg.

This year there was ONE person with a bullhorn talking to the whole room and we were in and out in less than 10 minutes and I felt much better about how to handle myself in the event of a collision with an iceberg.

Just saying.....

Up next, Mickey and friends sail away, and "epic horn battle" with the Fantasy!!!!