A long time ago on a Fantasy far far away...Feb 2016 SWDAS TR, 5/17 CRUISE EPILOGUE - The End!

[chunkymonkey]

Wow, the Fantasy ship is truly spectacular -- even more so when parked next to another non-Disney ship. Looks just heavenly! Love all the pics and great story telling

Thank you!

Yes, she really is an amazing ship. She dwarfs all other ships in both size and appearance. The Norwegian ship next to it...looked a little dinge-y and blah. I'm sure Norwegian has nicer ships but this one wasn't one of it's premier ships I'm sure.

 

[cheermom2four]

By now our stateroom was ready so I headed up to deck 6. Our room was 6592, a Category 4D Deluxe family ocean view with verandah. It was close to the midship elevators and overall a very convenient location. Upon first entering the room, I was amazed to see how spacious it was. The extra 50 sq ft of space that the deluxe gives you over the regular oceanview really makes a difference in a tiny stateroom!

I just realized you were on deck 6. Did you like that deck or do you wish you were up one more deck? I'm booked on deck 6 in the deluxe cat 4D room also but wondering with the lifeboats right there outside the verandah if I should go to deck 7.

 

[chunkymonkey]

I just realized you were on deck 6. Did you like that deck or do you wish you were up one more deck? I'm booked on deck 6 in the deluxe cat 4D room also but wondering with the lifeboats right there outside the verandah if I should go to deck 7.

It's funny you ask that because I had reservations about that too, but i realized on this cruise that I didn't look down that much, so I was ok with it. Yes you do see a pretty large yellow lifeboat when looking down. When I sat on the chairs you don't really notice them. I think no matter if it's on Deck 6 or 7, you will still see part of the life boat so it's up to you! The room is great though!

 

[Luv2trav]

I love your trip report. We are big WDW and DVC members and the cruise has always made me nervous to try. We have our first cruise booked for this summer and between never sailing and the price I was so iffy until I read your report. I even went back to your old cruise and read that cruising wasn't one of your must do's and if you enjoyed it enough to book another that is a good sign ...

Thank you for posting this.

 

[KarriTigger]

I loved your first trip report and love this one! And I need to catch up on your 2016 Parks trip report. So much fun!

 

[chunkymonkey]

I love your trip report. We are big WDW and DVC members and the cruise has always made me nervous to try. We have our first cruise booked for this summer and between never sailing and the price I was so iffy until I read your report. I even went back to your old cruise and read that cruising wasn't one of your must do's and if you enjoyed it enough to book another that is a good sign ...

Thank you for posting this.

Thank you for reading!! We had so much fun on both of our cruises, even though I'm not a cruiser at heart. But with Disney Cruise Line, sign me up!! I think it's the characters, the shows, the service, and the decor/themes, it's carried throughout the ship and you feel the magic everywhere but with less walking around than the parks! It's just a different way to experience Disney and for now it works for us!

I loved your first trip report and love this one! And I need to catch up on your 2016 Parks trip report. So much fun!

Thank you for reading!! I haven't posted my 2016 wdw trip report yet (will get started on it soon!), but it was anpther amazing time! My favorite part was watching the symphony in the stars fireworks 3 times. I loved them!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Day 3 Part 2: Lazy afternoon, and a Pirate Night Mission with Chunkysis

We spent the better half of the afternoon lazing around the Rainforest Room. How I wish I could be here right now.

If you look up while on the loungers, you see blue sky! LOL!

What can I say...it was an afternoon of pure bliss!

Because of Star Wars Day at Sea, we had Pirate Night tonight (day 3) instead of day 5 when it is usually held for the regular Western Caribbean cruises. There is still the pirate deck show but there are no fireworks and no big pirate theme meal in the dining rooms.

Since they kinda dumbed down the pirate theme for this cruise I thought it would be a good day for DH and I to go to dinner at Remy! We would have to miss the shows tonight too since Remy dinners are so long, but there was no big Disney production tonight, just some variety acts. I felt bad for missing Buckets and Boards since they made fun of us on the stairs after Mixology, but I will be there in spirit while my belly is at Remy!

I just had a wee bit of time before dinner to don my pirate gear and take some pictures. DH decided to sit this one out and just rest in the stateroom before he had to painstakingly wear his suit (again). The agony.

Here's me in my put-together-at-the-last-minute pirate outfit! I thought I had to miss out on the pirate festivities but decided to bring along this top just in case. It paired well with my black clam diggers!

Ahoy mateys!


CS and I headed to the atrium for some character pictures! CS had all the characters bookmarked on the navigator app. Whenever she saw a character meet n greet, she would get a really serious look in her face and say "I'm on it!!" LOL



Even though pirate night was not the big event on the ship, it didn't stop lots of people from dressing up! It was fun to see the pirate outfits!

We got on line for Captain Hook and Smee. It wasn't super crowded in the atrium yet but the lines for the characters were getting really long.

Here's our picture!

Then Minnie!

The lines were long at this point...so I only had time for 2 pictures before I had to go get ready for our dinner at 6:30pm. CS though, was on a mission to get every. single. pirate. character picture that night...

She even got one of the characters with the longest line...Peter Pan!!!

And let's not forget about these amazing, innovative, and realistic, cruise portrait backdrops!!!

She even got some characters twice! Persistence pays off...

What can I say...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!



Chunkysis was also able to catch the Pirate Deck Party and have her own dinner of chicken fingers and fries at Flo's Cafe! It sounded like she had a fun night doing what she loved to do!

Meanwhile in another part of the ship...champagne was bubbling and glasses clinking...

A dazzling place I never knew​

But when I'm way up here, it's crystal clear​

That now I'm in a whole new world with you...


Remy dinner coming soon...
​

 

[bcwife76]

Way to go CS, persistence really paid off!

Haha, those backgrounds are something else

Can't wait to find out what a Remy dinner is like.....

 

[starousse]

Can't wait to hear about your Remy dinner.

 

[Hundredacre]

Just read through. Read your last report a while back. You really bring your trips to life! Really enjoy reading your reports. thank you!!

 

[HermanTriplets+1]

Lurker coming out here - thanks for all your trip reports! I love how your CS gets ALL the character photos! ALL!!!! I was wondering what she does with them. Does she have a big wall at home with every picture? Does she line her cubical at work with them? Does she make an endless photo album? Are they organized by character? By trip? If CS doesn't mind, I'd love to hear about the life of her massive character pic collection! Also, does she have any "most memorable" character pics? Or ones she only found once in her lifetime? Thanks. You guys are too cute. Keep posting please!

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

Way to go CS! Mission accomplished! Looking forward to Remy dinner report!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Way to go CS, persistence really paid off!

Haha, those backgrounds are something else

Haha yeah it sure did but I would expect nothing less from her.

Can't wait to find out what a Remy dinner is like.....

coming up soon! SPOILER: We loved it!

Can't wait to hear about your Remy dinner.

Stay tuned! It was awesome!

Just read through. Read your last report a while back. You really bring your trips to life! Really enjoy reading your reports. thank you!!

Thank you for reading! I appreciate the kind words!

Lurker coming out here - thanks for all your trip reports! I love how your CS gets ALL the character photos! ALL!!!! I was wondering what she does with them. Does she have a big wall at home with every picture? Does she line her cubical at work with them? Does she make an endless photo album? Are they organized by character? By trip? If CS doesn't mind, I'd love to hear about the life of her massive character pic collection! Also, does she have any "most memorable" character pics? Or ones she only found once in her lifetime? Thanks. You guys are too cute. Keep posting please!

Thank you and welcome!!! My sister did not plaster her pictures all over her room, thank goodness. She likes to craft so she makes scrapbooks of our trips. She also likes framing her favorite ones. She usually has an album and she'll print many of the pictures each year and store them. Its nice she does that because I can't be bothered to print anything out anymore!

Hmm, her most memorable character pic..I'm sure she has plenty of stories, but the one last year where she was hugged by both chip n dale as if she was a long lost chipmunk sister was quite funny. Also Duffy last year was pretty playful and kept messing up her hair. LOL. I think her funniest pictures though are those that don't involve characters, they are mostly her solo pictures. Sometimes it'll just be her head in the picture. They would crop out everything else, for example in front of Cinderella's castle. Why would I be standing in front of the castle only to have a picture of my entire head in the shot? We crack up at these types of shots all the time. Oh and those cruise backdrop photos from Shutters...don't get me started....

Way to go CS! Mission accomplished! Looking forward to Remy dinner report!

Thanks! Yup CS was one determined lady! She's done it before at all 4 parks, so the ship...a piece of cake for her. LOL. Remy dinner coming soon!

 

[JoAnnPan]

Your sister is too funny! Peter Pan is my fave
Around what time would you go to the Rainforest? That is something my sister and I are hoping to do on our cruise - didn't look like many people were there when you were.
Still loving your report - I check every day for an update LOL.

 

[chunkymonkey]

Your sister is too funny! Peter Pan is my fave
Around what time would you go to the Rainforest? That is something my sister and I are hoping to do on our cruise - didn't look like many people were there when you were.
Still loving your report - I check every day for an update LOL.

We usually went to the rainforest room in the afternoon. Although times we went in the late morning, like after breakfast was ok too. On port days it was pretty much empty until it got closer to the all aboard time...you'll notice more people trickling in then. There were definitely more people during the sea days but it was never super crowded and I always got a lounger. You may have had to wait for the jacuzzis at times though but that's because they are smaller and the have these wavy bottoms designed as loungers so suitable for 2 people and not a group.

Thank you!! Expect our Remy dinner review sometime tonight!

 

[KathyM2]

I think I would love the rainforest room too....sigh...can't wait to hear more about your Remy's dinner!

 

[chunkymonkey]

I think I would love the rainforest room too....sigh...can't wait to hear more about your Remy's dinner!

The Rainforest room was something I looked forward to every day! I milked that pass for all that it was worth!
Remy coming up soon!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Day 3 Part 3: A Remy a day keeps the blues away!
Remy dinner PART I

It was now time for one of the most anticipated meals of this trip! (Secret fact: I looked forward to every meal, not just the fancy ones)! Here was my Remy dinner outfit. Much fancier than my brunch look yesterday!

It was a little chilly at dinner so I ended up wearing a cardigan most of the night anyways.

We headed up to Remy, this time the CORRECT way by heading aft and then taking the elevator straight up. We were greeted warmly and our server Matthieu was there waiting for us and brought us to our booth, this time on the opposite end of where we were sitting the previous day. The view at Remy at this time of night was just gorgeous. Sunset light was streaming in, warming the room up.

Matthieu started off by making the signature drink of Remy, the Colette! It's a champagne cocktail with some dried pineapple in it. Anything with champagne and pineapple is a-ok with me, especially Tattinger!

Once they place the cocktail on the table, they drop the sliver of dried pineapple in it and it fizzes up effervescently! I also love the traditional glassware they serve the cocktail in. I prefer it this way much better than flutes. I feel like it is more "Mad Men" and I felt like Betty Draper.

The hand-crafted Colette.

There were also little cassis pearls which are the little red dots in the drink.

The Colette was delicious! I love the subtle sweetness and the bubbles tickled my tongue and prepared us for the decadent courses that we were about to have!

My happy face:

We were each given leather-bound folders showcasing the two different tasting menus they had that night. One menu is prepared by French Chef, Arnaud Lallement, and the other is American Chef Scott Hunnel of Victoria and Albert's fame. We opted for one of each menu so that we could try different things. There was also an up charge for a caviar course, a 100% kobe beef course as well as a menu entirely based on truffles of the season..tempting I know, but i wanted to taste their regular rather than seasonal menu.

Fresh black truffles....mmmm

The only course I added was the caviar course. It was my birthday and I felt like I needed it. Well, at least that was what I told DH. I chose the mid-level caviar with an up charge of 100 dollars, which actually includes a glass of champagne. I never ever do this unless it's a special occasion and I guess turning 40 was the kicker!

OK, I forgot to take pictures of the menus and I wish I had so that I could show it, but I will describe each dish as best as I can.

Our amouse-bouche was a deep fried "tomato soup" - tomato soup gels were lightly coated and deep fried. When you bite into it, the melted tomato soup oozes out and combines with the crunchy coating to give you a delicious swirl in your mouth.

Our next amouse-bouche was a foie gras mousse. This was absolutely delicious, but I also love anything with foie gras and I would smear it on anything and everything if I could afford it.

Our bread course was a traditional crusty roll. Why do the French make everything better?

Accompanied by European butter and Maldon sea salt, of course.

Our first course was the optional caviar course. There were two preparations that we could choose from, American with traditional garnishes like eggs, blinis, onion, chive, etc., and the French version which is served on some sort of potato gelee and is a creamier texture. We chose the French as we have not had it like this before.

Here was what we were presented with. Yum!!

The caviar was taken away and plated and brought to us covered.

And, voila!

I. DIE.

Oh, but that's not all...they had to add some creme fraiche foam to make it even more indulgent, and to balance the saltiness of the caviar with some tang. They also poured my included glass of champagne...I forget what brand it was but a glass alone held a price tag of 50 bucks...!! Guess that makes the caviar a bargain!

The caviar was just amazing...it was perfectly balanced by the smooth potato gelee, the creme fraiche foam, and the crispy potato "chips". Just delicious! The French way is definitely a great way to enjoy caviar!

Matthieu then took our picture at the booth. I really like this picture! We look really happy and the light was just perfect at this time.

I must say I loved how comfortable the booths were. They were cozy yet still spacious. I will always ask if we could sit at a booth from now on!

Although the chairs did have a friendly presence:

Bonjour Remy!

From now on until dessert/cheese, DH and I had different courses. We shared everything and it is always my preferred way of eating!

My next course was a seared scallop with an delicate crisp made from potato. Amazing!

DH had the braised octopus, also delicious!

The presentations were lovely!

Booth selfie time!

At dinner we saw the sunset and the moon appeared red! It looked like Tatooine...which was very appropriate for our cruise!

My next course was lobster, perfectly butter-poached served with springy little gnocchi. Here it was pre-sauced:

They always sauce it table side. Here it is with the sauce which was very much like a rich lobster bisque:

And they serve the claw separately, swimming in bath of the bisque in it's own "tub" - adorable! And very tasty too!

DH's next course was the sea bass, with the skin nice and crisp. Served over a bed of French Lentils, naturally.

Everything so far has been absolutely delicious and the service was spot on...attentive but not intrusive, and super friendly!

Continued in next post...​

 

[disnygirl55]

Oh, wow! Just fabulous! So, you say you were presented with two tasting menus. Is this the American / French regular choices, or were the tasting menus an entirely different choice altogether? You definitely had some different items than we have ever had at Remy. I want the duplicate of your experience so far. It looks just perfect!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Day 3 Part 3: A Remy a day keeps the blues away!
Remy dinner PART II

...continued from previous post

My third course was the John Dory, which is firm white fish. It was cooked perfectly and served with a bright green sauce - cannot remember what was in it but it paired very well with the fish.

It was served with a very unusual accompaniment, a squid ink bread, inside it was a creamy concoction. I'm not sure I remember what it was but I do remember eating everything so I'm sure it must have been good!

Think of it as some sort of squid ink ravioli!

DH's third course was quail. I'm not regularly a huge fan of quail but this was really good! Not game-y at all.

With sauce:

My fourth course was a seared duck breast. I love duck and this was was very good! Served with little brussel sprouts and pickled cauliflower. The vegetables come from Scott Hunnel's garden, thought that was a pretty cool fact.

DH's fourth course was the seared Wagyu beef tenderloin. This was amazing and the beef so tender. There was a little cone of short rib meat as well. Meat to accompany meat! Now we're talking!

We were already getting a bit full at this point but some of my favorite things are coming...CHEESE and DESSERT!! I love cheese and I love cheese courses even more! I couldn't wait.

It was nighttime now and the restaurant had a dim romantic vibe.

As our table was prepared for cheese and dessert, we were presented with some biscotti-like cookies, but lighter in texture. Think it had some dried cherries in it.

Then Matthieu brought over the cart that reigns supreme...the cheese cart!

Look at this beauty...

I imagined a conversation like this happening in the near future:

"Hello room service, I'd like the cheese cart from Remy delivered to Room 6592 please, thank you."
"No, not the All Hands on Deck platter, I want the whole cart with premium cheese"
"What do you mean the cart can't leave Remy's premises?!?"



OK back to the cheese cart! Matthieu asked if we'd like a taste of everything and I said YES! a little too enthusiastically while trying to hug the cart.

Here's what we were presented with:

Looks like a work of art!! It's served with honeycomb and dried cherries. There were all different cheeses ranging from hard to soft. Our favorites are the soft stinky cheeses, although none of them were particularly pungent! It was a really enjoyable assortment of cheeses and I loved tasting each one and learning about new cheeses I may not have tried before.

OK then dessert finally came! And it kept coming and coming...it wouldn't stop!

First up, lots of chocolate! Anna and Elsa would be proud! We each had a different chocolate dessert course. It, of course satisfied all the sweet cravings we had all day! Yum!

We got coffees with our dessert and I opted for the 100% Blue Mountain again.

Then we had more cannelles...as if I didn't eat enough from brunch the day before...

Oh and hold on there...there were 2 different type of tarts. One had a coffee flavor, and I think the other one was some sort of blackberry. On the side there was some nutty chocolate "bark" and homemade lollipops.

Stop feeding me Remy!

Just kidding...don't stop. Ever!

Here are the lollipops! They looked so cute. I saved them and gave them to my nieces when I got back home. They loved them!

And the icing on the cake...a Happy Birthday plate for me! It literally had just icing from a cake.

Happy Birthday, but in French!

Matthieu also took this pic for us:

What a wonderful dinner! I will always remember our first time at Remy!

We were stuffed too! The dinner did take almost 3 hours, and we missed the Pirate Deck Show but I wouldn't have had it any other way. Thank you to Matthieu, Benoit and the rest of the Remy team who took care of us!

They left me with a parting rose. They also mentioned I should make it a trifecta and come to their dessert tasting this week. I was so full I could hardly think of dessert anymore so I said maybe on our next Fantasy cruise!

We got the leftover canneles and sweets to take back to the room with us. What a wonderful dinner! I think Remy is most definitely worth the extra cost. We loved our experience and wouldn't hesitate to do it again!

Back in the stateroom we met up with CS and saw this little fella!

We called it a night but not before drinking some wine that we brought on with us. A perfect ending!

Added 3/24: Oops forgot to add that we did end up watching the late showing of The Empire Strikes Back! And it's even better after a glass of wine!

Coming up...Day 4...Grand Cayman!!

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