Day Five: Thursday, October 15, 2015 (2nd Sea Day…Most Importantly, Our 2nd Palo Brunch Day)
Today was our 2nd and last sea day. I really love sea days because that can only mean one thing: PALO BRUNCH!!!! Whoo-hoo! I didn’t take too many photos today because most of the activities had already occurred (Halloween, pirate, etc.). So...here's the warning...by this time in the cruise I stopped taking so many pictures. You won't see many on this particular post.
I did have a few goals to achieve:
- Book a placeholder for a future cruise.
- Have DD do a character meet and greet with Daisy (she had very limited appearances AND wasn’t seen for Pirate Night or Halloween festivities).
- PALO BRUNCH!!! Or, did I already mention that?!?!
- Join our scheduled Facebook group Mixology meet at 2 pm.
- Pack, pack, pack!
- Retrieve our collection of prepaid all prints package from Shutters.
Whenever I could today, I packed. Our large luggage that had the FE gifts was empty. We had been putting the dirty laundry in it that didn’t need to be washed for the rest of our vacation. I use the Ziploc travel space bags to pack as much as I can. A couple days before we had already done laundry. I put them in space bags. The ones that would not be used were put in luggage that would sit in the trunk during our staycation at
Disneyland. The ones that would be worn for the rest of the vacation were placed in other luggage pieces. Laundry and packing rant over!
We got ready and had the kids eat at BBB. DH and I had coffee and a small amount to get us through until brunch time. DH dropped them off at Oceaneer Club while I went back to the cabin to shower and get ready for brunch.
We arrived promptly for our Palo Brunch at 11 am. We were seated in Sasha’s section again. Both brunches were pretty busy. We made sure to enjoy ourselves and take our sweet time eating. Besides, they never rush you anyway.
The only difference between today and the other day was we focused on our favorite dishes. I decided to try the sticky bun (pretty good and definitely sticky, but a little too sweet for my liking; think I’d skip it next time).
When it came to the kitchen courses, I went again w/my tried and true salmon orecchiete. I asked to try the tilapia w/risotto. Very yummy!
I was actually surprised that DH ordered the oysters Rockefeller. He doesn’t like oysters. When Sasha brought it to the table, he brought TWO plates (saying each plate was “small.”). DH LOVED the oysters and finished both plates!!!
During our brunch, we ran into our FB group’s administrator. We caught up about our cruise. DH noticed that she also had a Pandora bracelet with charms. I won’t say how many I have, but let’s just say “a lot.” She pointed out that she got all 3
DCL charms and that 2 of them were new DCL charms. What?!?!?! There are new charms?!?! I had her show them to me. She had the one that looks like a cruise ship, but I didn’t want that one when I saw it. One was a heart shape w/the DCL logo and a crystal red Mickey in the middle. The other one was a dangler with an anchor (I think). I told her I’d get the heart shape after brunch.
Again, I really enjoyed getting my dessert. We got a photo with Sasha!
I love my desserts so we packed a plate for the room. We chatted w/Sasha for awhile then left. DH brought the dessert plate back to the cabin and he’d meet me at Treasure Ketch. I needed (ok, I’ll be honest. I wanted) that DCL Pandora charm.
I went to the Future Cruise booking desk. Both representatives were there and one was actually available! I’m so used to waiting in the past. It was quick and painless. Took maybe 5 minutes! I knew I was holding out for the release dates for May 2017 and later for August/September/October 2017. I confirmed with her the rules. It was easy!
We went back to the cabin to change into more casual clothes. Then we went to Cadillac Lounge for our private Mixology. It was already 2pm and I forgot how many people we had! I’m guessing we had about 25 people. It was fun to see a face in person that I’d seen online for the past few months. It wasn’t until this day (at the end of our mixology) that I finally met jetskigrl (we live minutes from each other!).
I had heard fun and good things about our mixologist Pablo from DISboards. However, he had such a thick accent and he sure talks very quickly. I’m usually very good at understanding people with accents, but not him. I kept squinting at him as if that would help me understand him better. NOT! He even teased that as the session went on, we would understand him better. You know what? He was right! I guess good booze can do that to you. Ha, ha, ha!
He had two other mixologists behind the bar that helped him prep our 4 drinks times 25 people!!! Wow! The last drink we got to mix ourselves. With the 1st four drinks, he got 3 volunteers each. I was volunteered by our FB administrator to do one. It was a lot of fun! I really don’t drink. Maybe 2-3 times a year. My drink of choice is usually a margarita…cold, sweet, & fruity! He kept pouring alcohol in our alcholol shakers. Whoa! I could only tolerate a couple sips and gave the rest to DH. My favorite drink was the Pomegranate Margarita.
I would totally do a Mixology again! We did a group photo!
We decided that the kids had been at the Oceaneer Club long enough so we picked them up. The following is another example of me not taking pictures anymore and I don’t remember why.
DD finally got to have pictures w/Daisy. Then we had dinner at Animators Palate. We had left the cabin in a hurry earlier and I forgot to bring our gratuity envelopes for our MDR servers. We enjoyed our dinner and I explained that I would bring the envelopes in the morning.
After dinner, I wanted to make one last trip to the Treasure Ketch. I browsed around, but the moment had come when I realized I REALLY wanted the Dooney and Bourke DCL crossbody that I had been eyeing since we boarded the ship. I wasn’t sure what DH would say, but when I asked him what he thought, he nodded in agreement. What?!?! Looks like approval. SOLD!!! I decided on the crossbody w/what I thought was the best pattern then I paid for it! I was sooooo happy! FYI, I’ve been using this purse ever since the day we disembarked!
We lined up for Cruise Director Minnie. The line was so long. DS fell asleep and I was holding him. DH and DD went to the officer pin trading at Preludes.
Minnie was so adorable. We are local passholders at Disneyland so we are very used to meeting characters. However, I told DH that on DCL the characters really bring it to another level. At the dance parties, they clearly have more energy, interact with the guests more, and their dance moves are so much sharper and better. I was watching Minnie. All of a sudden, a DJ was playing music on deck 4 at the balcony between the elevators. It was upbeat party-type music. Minnie immediately began dancing, bopping up and down to the beat. In between families, she’d twirl. She was so absolutely adorable!!! DH and DD came back in time to see her cute dance moves. Then we lined up next for Cruise Director Mickey.
DH took DD to see the show Dreams at the Walt Disney Theater. Sleeping DS was still sleeping on my shoulder and I took him w/me to a very crowded Shutters. They had plenty of TV screens and I found a counter to lay down the folder of MANY, MANY pictures. I managed, but it was hard sorting through everything while holding DS. I realized all the Frozen pictures were missing. I added them to my cart via the TV screen. I was told I could pick them up at 6:45 am when the lady will arrive. DS woke up. I ran into another administrator from our FB group and we chatted.
DS and I returned to the cabin & I finished packing. After Dreams, DH and DD came back. The kids played and I ordered our last room service. I got DS’ nightly watermelon and DD’s nightly pineapple. DH and I finished packing. I can’t believe we barely made it. All six bags were outside by 10:40 (deadline was 10:30).
The details of the rest of the evening is honestly blurry to me. The kids slept while I tried to take it all in...how much we accomplished in a short cruise, the fun memories, the character meet and greets, meeting fun people through our FB group, the cool merchandise we got, the yummy food, and the amazing time we had in Cabo. Then the reality of not being on a DCL ship for another TWO years was quite depressing!!!
I eventually showered and got ready for bed while DH did his nightly walk through the ship at night. Eventually, I slept in that amazingly comfortable Disney Wonder bed! Oh, how I miss how easily I went to sleep on it!
Up next...Disembarakation! Nooooooo!!! Say it isn't so! But, wait! We get to go to Disneyland!!!
only two weeks away and we are boiling over in excitement.
waiting for the next installment ;-)
