Are we finally sailing? The Disney Difference Sep/Oct 2016 it's a wrap!

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Day 9 continued

After the movie and I woke up I heard Jo had started to pack. Tomorrow was the b2b changeover. Right now I was trying to imagine standing let alone getting off the ship and back on... I might hide in those cases like a rum runner.

Eventually nature took it's course and my stomach cleared. Jo said I had gone cartoon green. She also noted that my migraines coincided with the electrical storms which had built up again outside. It wasn't over the island now but you sure could see it in the distance. The lightning. Distant rumbling. No not my digestive system on this occasion.

I had to get fresh air. We went to deck 4 again that made me feel a little brighter. We were leaving castaway cay and it was the first of 6 cruises the weather wasn't paradise and we had not got off the ship. But we both said that's the joy of b2b and another bite of the cherry soon. My colour had returned....



I love how they decorate the port holes with the Halloween theme spiderwebs.

We dressed for dinner after another shower. The pick me up of Elemis and h2o. We hit the concierge lounge and found our new friends. They were even game enough to hold Minnie! ... So nice!



Strawberry macaroons were on the bar tonight. Jo tried her luck dancing one in front of my eyes. I said then no..then came to my senses.

We then went to dinner at the Animators Palette. Christine our lovely German server was her usual happy helpful self. I prayed that the screens were not over stimulating tonight. She offered us a special turtle Crush souvenir mug and Jo urged me to have it. I passed it up. I regretted that as I thought of a special little girl back home that would love it but I got a second bite of the cherry on the second leg. This started a mug souvenir craze.

I had surf and turf which I really did enjoy. I was starting to feel human. Jo had beef also. She had cookie dough ice cream for dessert.




The all important bread basket.. I do love the painters pot with the brushes in.




Jo loves the floor indidcator on this lift ( elevator ) ... She would take us to it all the time.



We went to the stores. I spied these cool shoes...



I was not on game that night I should have got those.

We returned to the stateroom to find this guy...



Plus some instructions for the next day. I got into bed and started to freeze. I was actually looking forward to moving staterooms as nice as this room was. I do not enjoy having ice on my eye lashes. I had this feeling all was not well back home in England so I wanted to phone my Mum when we got off the ship. No reason just a hunch.

We watched a show called my big fat Gypsy wedding. My eyes nearly popped out of my head. What's with the orange! Lol. It was very entertaining. We then either passed out or feel asleep.

Next up day 10 the b2b day!

 

[Flossbolna]

So sorry that your Castaway Cay day was such a wash out! Literally. I have migraines as well and for me they often cause upset to my tummy. I find that one of the best remedy then is to try to force myself to eat something. They also say that eating is actually recommended for sea sickness. If you stomach is busy digesting it has less time to fret about movement...

The dressed up character are great fun, but I wonder if not the migraine and sea sickness clouded your memory a bit... I am sure the Norwegian ship did not dock next to the Dream on Castaway Cay?

Seems like you were able to make lemonade out of the lemon of weather a little bit by enjoying things on the ship, especially the benefit of the lounge! I can see how that is a great place to socialize. Michael usually ends up with some cruise buddies from the hot tub as he loves to hang out there.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

So sorry that your Castaway Cay day was such a wash out! Literally. I have migraines as well and for me they often cause upset to my tummy. I find that one of the best remedy then is to try to force myself to eat something. They also say that eating is actually recommended for sea sickness. If you stomach is busy digesting it has less time to fret about movement...

The dressed up character are great fun, but I wonder if not the migraine and sea sickness clouded your memory a bit... I am sure the Norwegian ship did not dock next to the Dream on Castaway Cay?

Seems like you were able to make lemonade out of the lemon of weather a little bit by enjoying things on the ship, especially the benefit of the lounge! I can see how that is a great place to socialize. Michael usually ends up with some cruise buddies from the hot tub as he loves to hang out there.

Lovely to get your reply! Thank you. Sorry you get migraines too. Aren't they horrid. I get sickness, vertigo and memory blanks and seizures. I think you are right! That NCL ship docked next morning at PC I think! Oh my! The day is a blur. Actually and part of the next. I must check with JoJo!

Exactly we did enjoy the ship. The hot tub is a great place to hang out. Good for Michael. I can't use hot tubs or pools because of my comprimised immune system. Jo like Michael uses them though!

Thanks!

 

[Flossbolna]

Looks like my migraines cannot compete with yours!! The worst one I had was actually on the plane to Florida to see Michael two years ago. There were turbulences and you could not get up and I was feeling very queasy... When I finally arrived I was standing in the one hour line for immigration at Miami and once I was out of the airport and in the car I told Michael that I needed absolute quiet and he was not allowed to speak to me for the whole drive. And that was after we had not seen each other for 8 months. Since then Michael is in panic that he sees me at an airport and is not allowed to speak (and if you knew Michael, you would realize what a sacrifice it is for him to be silent under normal circumstances, not counting the 8 months absence...).

My guess would be that the NCL ship would be from Nassau.

I like the hot tub, too, but I get what you say about compromised immune system. Even I find that they are not necessarily helping me to stay healthy during vacation.

And I totally forgot to comment on those sea bands. When you first wrote about them I was thinking they would certainly be too lose on your wrists. Amazing how tight they are! And it sounds like they were no great help for you? I am always a little afraid of sea sickness, but so far never had any issues. I heard that ginger is supposed to help and I picked up some ginger candy for my next cruise.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Looks like my migraines cannot compete with yours!! The worst one I had was actually on the plane to Florida to see Michael two years ago. There were turbulences and you could not get up and I was feeling very queasy... When I finally arrived I was standing in the one hour line for immigration at Miami and once I was out of the airport and in the car I told Michael that I needed absolute quiet and he was not allowed to speak to me for the whole drive. And that was after we had not seen each other for 8 months. Since then Michael is in panic that he sees me at an airport and is not allowed to speak (and if you knew Michael, you would realize what a sacrifice it is for him to be silent under normal circumstances, not counting the 8 months absence...).

My guess would be that the NCL ship would be from Nassau.

I like the hot tub, too, but I get what you say about compromised immune system. Even I find that they are not necessarily helping me to stay healthy during vacation.

And I totally forgot to comment on those sea bands. When you first wrote about them I was thinking they would certainly be too lose on your wrists. Amazing how tight they are! And it sounds like they were no great help for you? I am always a little afraid of sea sickness, but so far never had any issues. I heard that ginger is supposed to help and I picked up some ginger candy for my next cruise.

I just asked JoJo you are right it was Nassau that ship! Thankful for pointing that out.

Oh my a migraine on a plane I hate that. Lol re Michael I can imagine.

I get a migraine every 2 weeks on average. I am a chronic sufferer. Before Topamax I take as a preventive I got them 3 times a week.

I wonder if those seabands were children's.

Yes ginger is good. Jo discovered ginger and lemon tea bags in the Conceirge lounge! This helped a lot.

Thank you for reading.

 

[Disneymadhouse]

Hi Polly,

Great to read the next instalment. Sad that you didn't feel at well and weren't able to make it onto CC.

Nothing wrong with collecting souvenir mugs

Claire xx

 

[dolphingirl47]

As I was now feeling extremely seasick with a pounding head I was determined to get my legs on dry land hoping this would help ease the symptoms.

I am sorry that you felt so poorly.

The sea bands did not help at all in fact I found them very painful. Even though I have very small wrists Jo pointed out my left hand was going blue.

That does not sound good at all.

I love Goofy's costume.

Jo said she thought it was thunder. Outside had gone very dark... Then a flash...another flash. Jo was right.

Oh dear, what a shame that nature's fireworks interfered.

We stayed in our stateroom waiting for the wind, rain , thunder and lighting to pass. It did not do this anytime soon.

I would have been gutted.

We had booked Palo for tonight but I did not feel I could do it justice so we asked the hosts to cancel and decided to just do main dining instead at Animators.

What a shame that you did not feel up to it.

Oddly as I started to eat I begun to feel better.

I have the same experience when I suffer from motion sickness.

It was still raining after lunch but we heard that there was a diaper dash race in the main lobby.

I love this.

By now we had lost interest.

I can understand this. Castaway Cay would not have been a lot of fun straight after a weather front moved through.

After the movie and I woke up I heard Jo had started to pack. Tomorrow was the b2b changeover.

What a shame that you had to pack.

I said then no..then came to my senses.

I am glad you changed your mind.

I was starting to feel human.

That is good news.

We went to the stores. I spied these cool shoes...

I love those shoes.

I had this feeling all was not well back home in England so I wanted to phone my Mum when we got off the ship. No reason just a hunch.

I hope everything was OK.

Corinna

 

[juniorbugman]

Hi Polly first time commenting on your reports. You are a wonderful story teller and much as I wouldn't use it I do love the Minnie purse and I hope it makes more appearances. We all need a show stopper when we are on vacation. It could become a tradition that it comes on all your vacations with you. You know the where does Minnie show up next?

Then a flash...another flash. Jo was right. Now in the UK we call this type of lightning fork lighting where it cuts through the sky like a big pitch fork. Flashes of lightning we call sheet lighting. I learnt later chatting to folks that Americans do not use these terms.

I live in Canada and we call it fork lightning and sheet lightning as well. Many of those strikes hit the CN Tower in Toronto every year. I usually try and video those type of storms out my back window as I have the best view out that window.

 

[PrincessInOz]

We call it sheet and fork lightning downunder as well.

Sorry you had the migrane and that CC day was washed out. But you did look better in the afternoon.
(I love that purse!!)

 

[Flossbolna]

Yes ginger is good. Jo discovered ginger and lemon tea bags in the Conceirge lounge! This helped a lot.

That is a great tip!! I am pretty sure they have them at the normal drink station as well as my sister had it on our Norway cruise. Need to remember that!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Hi Polly,

Great to read the next instalment. Sad that you didn't feel at well and weren't able to make it onto CC.

Nothing wrong with collecting souvenir mugs

Claire xx

Thanks for reading Claire! They say if you sail on DCL often enough law of averages means you will skip a Castaway Cay! The positive is we must have sailed a lot lol! Indeed more souvenir mugs the better!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I am sorry that you felt so poorly.



That does not sound good at all.



I love Goofy's costume.



Oh dear, what a shame that nature's fireworks interfered.



I would have been gutted.



What a shame that you did not feel up to it.



I have the same experience when I suffer from motion sickness.



I love this.



I can understand this. Castaway Cay would not have been a lot of fun straight after a weather front moved through.



What a shame that you had to pack.



I am glad you changed your mind.



That is good news.



I love those shoes.



I hope everything was OK.

Corinna

Thanks Corinna! I still dream about those shoes but I get such swollen feet I bet they would not even fit over my toes! Fabulous though.

I hope to see that diaper dash again sometime!

You will see sadly my instincts for something wrong back home were correct.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Hi Polly first time commenting on your reports. You are a wonderful story teller and much as I wouldn't use it I do love the Minnie purse and I hope it makes more appearances. We all need a show stopper when we are on vacation. It could become a tradition that it comes on all your vacations with you. You know the where does Minnie show up next?

I live in Canada and we call it fork lightning and sheet lightning as well. Many of those strikes hit the CN Tower in Toronto every year. I usually try and video those type of storms out my back window as I have the best view out that window.

Thank you for reading. I love playing the Minnie bag game. This is not the last series of that for sure!

How interesting you also call it fork lighting. No way re CN tower! That must be awsome to get on canera. That I would love to see. Thank you for joining.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

We call it sheet and fork lightning downunder as well.

Sorry you had the migrane and that CC day was washed out. But you did look better in the afternoon.
(I love that purse!!)

Thank you for reading PIO. Another country call it fork and sheet! Yeah. I did feel better by the afternoon thank you.

That is a great tip!! I am pretty sure they have them at the normal drink station as well as my sister had it on our Norway cruise. Need to remember that!

Great! I am going to see if I can find it in the UK. Shoulf do! It was Twinings!

 

[franandaj]

I'm sorry your Castaway Cay day was such a bummer. I'm not sure we ever get "sheet lightning" in So Cal, we do not use those terms in the US, but on the rare occasion that we do have lightning, it has always been the fork kind. It's nice you were able to make out well in lounge when CC was not available.

You should really sail on the Wonder some day (if they haven't changed her too much), Animator's Palate is nothing like it is on the Dream, it is much more subtle.

I have been fortunate enough to never have suffered a migraine (knock on wood), but I'm so sorry for the pain you endure. I can't even imagine. I am the worst patient when I don't feel well.

You are changing rooms? Isn't that part of the fun on a B2B is not to have to pack up and move?

I hope things improve for your second leg.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I'm sorry your Castaway Cay day was such a bummer. I'm not sure we ever get "sheet lightning" in So Cal, we do not use those terms in the US, but on the rare occasion that we do have lightning, it has always been the fork kind. It's nice you were able to make out well in lounge when CC was not available.

You should really sail on the Wonder some day (if they haven't changed her too much), Animator's Palate is nothing like it is on the Dream, it is much more subtle.

I have been fortunate enough to never have suffered a migraine (knock on wood), but I'm so sorry for the pain you endure. I can't even imagine. I am the worst patient when I don't feel well.

You are changing rooms? Isn't that part of the fun on a B2B is not to have to pack up and move?

I hope things improve for your second leg.

Thank you for reading and replying. I would love to sail The Wonder I saw Animators on your TR and loved it! On my bucket list for sure.

We added the first 3 days when we had to cancel our Christmas cruise due to me being unwell. The other stateroom we had on the 4 night which was already booked was already gone. That was the only conceirge accessible left. I think actually there are only two in total. Otherwise we would have booked the same. We will next time!

I am pleased you don't get migraines. They are a pita. I never suffered until I was well into my 30's. I took Humira and it all started from there. I am not on it now I am on Simponi but the migraine inheritance lives on. It's like it triggered a light switch that can't be turned off. Most odd.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Day 10 b2b cross over 2 doors down they are laughing and drinking and having a party...

Monday September 26th

Today is the day. I had been looking forward to this. On a b2b If you are keeping your stateroom then you can leave your room and contents as it is. As we were moving rooms we just needed to pack a few items. The host was moving it all for us including items hanging up, our host was beyond nice. We were moving 2 doors down to stateroom 11000. As Dolly Parton sings... 2 doors down they are laughing and drinking and having a party.. This next room we had stayed in before. It is a family verandah room. Very nice. Plus it is not manufactured by siemens Freezers.

I woke up still feeling a little out of sorts but not as bad as the day before. The vertigo was still there but I had got use to it. Before first breakfast there was a drama in our stateroom. Jo could not locate my passport when she our documents wallet out of the safe. Hers was there but mine had gone AWOL. She recalled she removed mine when she went to Nassau as I wasn't joining her she didn't want to take it with her. But she forgot where she put it for 'safe keeping'. Jo whizzed around hurling things out of ebags in no logical order until I decided to calm her down. I do not think you would have placed it in the toiletries bag Jo I said as items of shampoo came hurling onto the bed. Let us think about this logically sit down for a moment. In the end she stopped unzipping ebags and sat down. I said I think you would have hidden it whilst you were gone either in the safe or in an ebag under items such as clothes. Just as I said that she shouted a victory yes! Got up and got my passport from the bottom of a bag. Phew!

Drama over we had our cereal then showered and went up to cabanas. There was the usual frantic nature associated with the last morning there. Folks bring suitcases in which is difficult to work around! On the paperwork we received the night before we were told the b2b people had until 9:30 am to leave the ship.

We had already settled our bill with concierge, paid our tips and got our photos. We really enjoyed never having to go to guest services for anything.

I made a better effort this morning in cabanas. Two ears full of strawberry compote and Mickey waffles. Jo had eggs Benedict and some pancakes. We then shared a danish which we did not rate as highly as sticky bun at SSR. The bar is too high there.

We had some fresh air on deck 4. I seem to get in the way of the runners who try to dodge me with their music on. We play this dance as I go one way so do they. We eventually got off the ship I think around 9:15 ish.

The terminal was empty... Most people had gone and none had arrived. It was most strange. We went down the elevator to the part where you first enter the terminal in security. We did not need to go outside. We got back in the elevator and came back upstairs.



We saw another group of b2b people that all had DCL dressing gowns on! They were an amusing crowd who were also conceirge. One lady decided to entertain us all by miming to let it go playing on the sound system. It was hilarious. She did all the actions in the empty middle of the terminal. We clapped at the end.




We went to check in and got our cards...



The card shows your dining rotation and 'mustard' station... Then all the b2b people wait in the conceirge lounge. There were probably about 20 people.

We looked outside on the viewing deck..




Soon we were cleared and let back on the ship. No photographer yet as Alison had said unless you want to wait. It was about 10:30 am. There was also no family announcer as you entered the ship. So dressing gown singing Elsa did this for everyone. Again this was very funny. Everybody present clapped as each party entered the ship and she announced us loudly.

People kindly took a photo.


Jo had separated some laundry that we had left in the stateroom so we went back to see if we could pick this up. We got lucky the host let us in. I went to the empty adults only area and Jo went to deck 9 to put some laundry on. She said it just took a scan of your card. Super easy.

I was anxious to hear from home as I had emailed my Mum asking if everything was ok as I had a bad feeling. But the free wifi package you get with conceirge had not started yet. So I had to wait.

Jo came back and we sat on the day beds and enjoyed peace until people started to arrive excited at the start of their four night cruise. The servers were out holding those novelty drinks on trays in souvenir cups you think on your first DCL cruise are free and take one only to be asked for you card to be swiped. You are then too embarrassed to put it back. I saw many victims fall for this. Ahhh newbies!

To be continued..

Mustard drill again, Sail away party and Royal Table

 

[Disneymadhouse]

Hi Polly,

Look at you two with your gold cards!! Whit woo!! Glad you are feeling a bit better for the start of the 4 day cruise.

Claire xx

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

How exciting! At least the end of the first cruise isn't as depressing as it normally would be as you get to cruise again.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

How exciting! At least the end of the first cruise isn't as depressing as it normally would be as you get to cruise again.