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

[Dixielady908]

great update....congrats on winning Match your mate!!

[Dave Dizney]

Originally Posted by Dixielady908

great update....congrats on winning Match your mate!!

Thanks - it was totally unexpected to be chosen because we had been together the longest. How did we get to be THAT???

[pooksma]

I have been reading several TRs since we booked our cruise and have to say that yours is one of the few that has me getting excited to travel.

Great idea about the public access part of Atlantis. DH and I have been debating what we should do in Nassau. I will be visiting the spa in the afternoon but based on what you have shown, do you think we have time for a quick visit? My appointment is at 1:30.

Looking forward to reading more

[macfinn]

this is great! we are going with the kiddo's in november, i heard some where that they have whirlpools that are over the water? i have never seen this can you verify and post a pic...also how where the pools and how is the sun situation in or around the adult pool?

[Dave Dizney]

Originally Posted by pooksma

I have been reading several TRs since we booked our cruise and have to say that yours is one of the few that has me getting excited to travel.

Great idea about the public access part of Atlantis. DH and I have been debating what we should do in Nassau. I will be visiting the spa in the afternoon but based on what you have shown, do you think we have time for a quick visit? My appointment is at 1:30.

Looking forward to reading more

If you look here, you can see the path I took to get on the beach. It's just to the right of the RIU Hotel - tell the taxi this and they'll take you right there.

You should have plenty of time if you get off the ship when they first disembark. Grab a taxi (not the water taxi - they take longer), and as soon as they fill up, you'll get there. You can also catch a taxi back from any of the hotels. We got back around 2:00, but we got off the ship around 9:30 or 10:00. We spent a long time on the beach and getting a drink, and wandering around Atlantis and getting a Tortuga cake, etc.

[Vertigo127]

Dave- Loving your report- so funny that we were on the same boat and had some very different experiences! So glad you guys finally got your great cruise- you guys deserved a wonderful celebration of your years of wedded bliss!
As a side note, we met at least 3 other families from our area during the cruise! I am thinking DCL should consider a Missouri Resident Rate sometime... . (From my fingers to THE Mouse's ears!)

[Dave Dizney]

Originally Posted by macfinn

this is great! we are going with the kiddo's in november, i heard some where that they have whirlpools that are over the water? i have never seen this can you verify and post a pic...also how where the pools and how is the sun situation in or around the adult pool?

Yes, there are both family whirlpools and adult-only whirlpools that have glass against one wall and glass on the bottom. Thought it's not that clear unless you put your face in the water (and who wants to do that??), it's still pretty cool! Though they frown on me taking any photos with my waterproof camera in the whirlpools - who knows why.

The only pool we two "adults" visited was the adult pool in the forward section of the ship. The two others were quite full of kids and families - so we stayed clear of those areas. The sun is pretty good around the adult pool, but there's also two decks above that pool that are even better. Most of the photos of us on the deck are around that area.

[Dave Dizney]

Originally Posted by Vertigo127

Dave- Loving your report- so funny that we were on the same boat and had some very different experiences! So glad you guys finally got your great cruise- you guys deserved a wonderful celebration of your years of wedded bliss!
As a side note, we met at least 3 other families from our area during the cruise! I am thinking DCL should consider a Missouri Resident Rate sometime... . (From my fingers to THE Mouse's ears!)

Wow! What are the odds on a ship that size that there'd be others from our neighborhood???

I'd be interested to hear what was similar and different in your trip. You planning a TR - or do we need to meet you again at Panara???

Walt was from Missouri - we ALL should get some kind of financial recompense for that!!

[Vertigo127]

Originally Posted by Dave Dizney

Wow! What are the odds on a ship that size that there'd be others from our neighborhood???

I'd be interested to hear what was similar and different in your trip. You planning a TR - or do we need to meet you again at Panara???

Walt was from Missouri - we ALL should get some kind of financial recompense for that!!

I would have a hard time being able to detail things near as well as you, so a panera trip is in our future!
And Walt was from Missouri.... c'mon DCL- be nice to us in these cold winter months!

[Dave Dizney]

Originally Posted by Vertigo127

I would have a hard time being able to detail things near as well as you, so a panera trip is in our future!
And Walt was from Missouri.... c'mon DCL- be nice to us in these cold winter months!

I made the day trip to Marcelene once - that was fun. Also worked briefly on the "Thank You Walt Disney" board that is helping restore the Laugh-O-Gram Studio in KC. We should at least get a theme park out of that history!!!

You name the time, we'd be glad to grab a coffee with you!

[lorimay]

Hi Dave

I am enjoying your report so much.

I just wanted to ask you about Atlantis. My husband and I are debating whether or not to pay to go see Atlantis on an excursion through Disney.
Can you get into the resort without paying for the the excursion and have lunch at the pool area restaurant?

Thanks,
Lori

[MichelleVW]

While at Match your Mate we were talking to the man next to us and found out he was from a town near ours and he sold his cows in Decatur where we live!! Funny how you run into people who live so close to you when you are so far away!

[bitlerzx4]

I love this trip report. Happy 30th to you and your beautiful wife!!

[MichelleVW]

Originally Posted by Dave Dizney

Yes, there are both family whirlpools and adult-only whirlpools that have glass against one wall and glass on the bottom. Thought it's not that clear unless you put your face in the water (and who wants to do that??), it's still pretty cool! Though they frown on me taking any photos with my waterproof camera in the whirlpools - who knows why.

The only pool we two "adults" visited was the adult pool in the forward section of the ship. The two others were quite full of kids and families - so we stayed clear of those areas. The sun is pretty good around the adult pool, but there's also two decks above that pool that are even better. Most of the photos of us on the deck are around that area.

We only went in the adult hot tubs...we would walk past the family ones and they had a million little children in there and we just got a little grossed out about all those little people in the water. They had to clean the Mickey pool at one point due to an "accident in the pool". GROSS!

[Dave Dizney]

Originally Posted by lorimay

Hi Dave

I am enjoying your report so much.

I just wanted to ask you about Atlantis. My husband and I are debating whether or not to pay to go see Atlantis on an excursion through Disney.
Can you get into the resort without paying for the the excursion and have lunch at the pool area restaurant?

Thanks,
Lori

Hi Lori - it really depends. We didn't think the Atlantis excursion, or even the "buy a room at the Comfort Inn and go to Atlantis' water park" cost were worth our trip to the beach. I researched a way to get to the beach, get into the public areas of the resort, and get back to the ship for lunch. This worked best for the two of us and only cost us the expense of a ginger ale, a rum cake, and a dollar slot machine. If I add that up, it was a total $11 for both of us not counting the taxi, and lunch on the ship was "free."

That open outdoor bar in the back of Atlantis looked like it would serve anyone who walked up to it. I think they had some food, but I didn't look. I know in the place we picked up our drinks (near the beach), there were a number of food kiosks (including one that served fried conch).

We had planned to go back out and go to the straw market that afternoon but after the "shirt issue" and the opportunity to do the Rainforest, we decided to stay on the ship the rest of the day.