fantasy western trip report Sept 1st cruise

[matthew517]

Just got off the ship a few hours ago. It was an amazing cruise!!

The room 8608 was nice. Our stateroom host Clefas was great. He made our cabin feel like it was his only one.

Our assistant server Maria was the best assistant server we have had. She had our drinks on the table before we got there. Our server Branel was by far the best waiter I have had in all the years I have had with Disney. He got the kitchen to make me butter chicken. That was amazing. It was the best Indian butter chicken I have had. I can't say enough about him and the service we got from him and Maria.

Our head server Depesh was awesome. We saw him every night and he helped our wait staff out. He was what a head server should be. All the rest only show up to get an envelope the last night.

The food in the main dining room was much better than our previous cruises as well. With the exception of Palo. My sea bass was under cooked. My wife's fillet was over cooked. Except for having great service from Mayito and having a table to ourselves it was a let down from prior experiences.

The entertainment was good as usual. Magic Dave was funny. The Buckets and Boards were great as was Laura the puppeteer.

The fantasy adult areas were kid free; a change from the other two ships. They enforced it despite guests complaining.
Satellite falls was great. The lounge chairs were amazing. We had no problem finding places to sit unlike the dream and the wonder.

The shopping needs to add more larger size shirts to their inventory. There are many of us men who wear a larger then XL shirts.

The aqua duck was better than the dream as well. It was faster and in my opinion we got wetter.

To sum it up Disney's fantasy was the finest as were her crew.

[seo31]

We just got home from this cruise a few hours ago. All I can say is that it was AMAZING!! The weather was beautiful, the Fantasy was unexplainable, ports kept us busy and most of all we are relaxed and refreshed. We are already planning our next Disney cruise!

Now, time to get ready for work on Monday.

[Itinkso]

Matthew, Thanks for the Trip Report . DD and I will be on the Fantasy later this month and are looking forward to all aspects of the ship! After reading the "Food Disappointment" thread and of your Palo experience, we will cruise with open minds regarding food quality - but we did decide to add on dinners to bluezoo and Flemings pre-cruise just to make sure to have some "good food" during my visit with DD ! I'm glad you and your DW had an amazing time - that is our hope too!!

[nenner1]

Thanks for posting your experiences! Getting excited for our turn in just 2 weeks!

[flyersfan1129]

Thank you for sharing your Fantasy experience...we are counting down to November, just 11 weeks now!!! Did you do any Port Excursions? Was dinner your only time at Palo? We want to do a brunch there, as we have heard it is to die for.

[BigBadFonz]

thanks for your review! one week today my fiance and i will be on this cruise as well! so excited!

[dlhvac]

Originally Posted by Itinkso

Matthew, Thanks for the Trip Report . DD and I will be on the Fantasy later this month and are looking forward to all aspects of the ship! After reading the "Food Disappointment" thread and of your Palo experience, we will cruise with open minds regarding food quality - but we did decide to add on dinners to bluezoo and Flemings pre-cruise just to make sure to have some "good food" during my visit with DD ! I'm glad you and your DW had an amazing time - that is our hope too!!

Don't know about the fantasy but the dream palo and rent were fantastic along with the regular dining which also wAs very good if the food was under or overlooked order another one

[Itinkso]

Originally Posted by dlhvac

Don't know about the fantasy but the dream palo and rent were fantastic along with the regular dining which also wAs very good if the food was under or overlooked order another one

Thanks! We have never hesitated to do that on our past non-Disney cruises and would definitely make a request especially in Palo !!

[hckyten]

Matthew, thanks for the info glad to hear you had a great time. Could you tell me if the Navigators were the same as the ones posted from June on this site. If they are different is there any way you could post them? We are cruising on the 15th and just trying to get a heads up. Tia

[tinkattu6]

It was nice reading your TR thanks for posting! Can you tell us about what you did at the Ports? Did you book excursions or just tour on your own? We are sailing on the western next July and planning will help us get through the winters here in New England.

[JennLK]

We had such a different experience with Depesh !!! I am glad that he was better for you then us !! haha .... Glad you had a great cruise

[Cruisin Castaway]

We sail on the 9/29 Western. We have been on the Dream, but it will be our first time on the Fantasy. Only 3 weeks to go!

[matthew517]

Ok to answer your questions.
In Grand Cayman we did the helmet trek.
I am a scuba diver and my wife has a issue with snorkeling so we tried this for her. It was a lot of fun. The guys were great. A few of the crew went with us. Bethany and Katya from the bibbibobity boutique. They were a lot of fun. Then we went to a coffee shop where they had free WiFi so I could text my kids and upload pictures to face book. Then some shopping across the street. Got great deals on hand carved jewelry. It wasn't one of the ships stores they push you to.

In Costa Maya we did the natives choice ruines tour instead of the ship and so glad we did. It was amazing and Ivan gives a tour that the one from the ship can't compete with. Our driver Raul and guide Casey were awesome. We stopped on the way back and bought fresh pineapple and dragon fruit. If you want to do the ruin tours don't hesitate to go with Natives Choice. Not only will you save money but Ivan's dad found and owned the site prior to the government taking ownership of it.

In cozumel we went to paradise beach. It was a $14 cab ride for us two and then $2 each for use of the chairs, pool & bath rooms . Our waiter Manuel was fabulous.
It was so beautful there. Also free WiFi and the pool is amazing. We had chicken nachos and they were good. Make sure you bring towels. They have showers and lockers it was very clean.
We rented a jetski for 60 for a half hour and had a blast. They offer snorkeling trips there and parasailing a lot cheaper then the boat. When we go back to Cozumel paradise beach is where we are heading again.

On castaway cay we got to the adult beach early and got a hammock and umbrella and just enjoyed the beauty.

The food at Palo was good except the sea bass being under cooked in my opinion. And my wife's fillet was supposed to be med well and it was well. If you order that go with med or below. The desert was awesome as usual. Yes I could have sent it back or ordered another item but it would have taken time I didn't want to waste on my anniversary. Also I worked in the restaurant industry earlier in life and I have seen what happens to the food of those who complain. I don't believe anyone at Disney would do it. But you never know.

Our dining was the second seating hoping to not have all the kiddies. A lot of the ship were Europeans who tend to eat later. So it was packed with kids. I don't mind when they are well behaved. But it seemed like I'm on the ship my kids are the crews problem attitude was wide spread. I have never seen so many kids wondering around with out parents watching them or having them in the kids club. On the island a 3 year old Spanish girl was following our dining companions with no parent to be found. I was floored when they told me that. She followed them from pelican point to almost cargo island.
I guess they haven't seen the milk cartons we have with the missing kids.

I really enjoy seeing kids enjoying the magic of Disney. I know what Walt felt seeing the joy.

We can't wait to go back on the dream in April.

[Anonny]

Interested in what you said about Native Choice's ruins tour in Costa Maya. Since it is such a short stop, I was afraid not to go with the DCL tour, but wanted the tour you went on for the reasons you mentioned.

Did you feel rushed at the ruins site? Did you get back in plenty of time for all aboard? Was there any time for anything other than just the tour?

[hckyten]

Matthew, thanks for the info glad to hear you had a great time. Could you tell me if the Navigators were the same as the ones posted from June on this site. If they are different is there any way you could post them? We are cruising on the 15th and just trying to get a heads up. Tia