We don't wanna go home!!! Nov 1-8, 2008 Magic Western

[TigerKat]

They have martini-tastings?! Ok - I'm sold! Where do I sign up for a cruise?

I spewed my cocktail on this one......

 

[Camster0307]

I spewed my cocktail on this one......

Wanna join me?

(Oh good grief - could you imagine?

)

 

[TigerKat]

Wanna join me?

(Oh good grief - could you imagine?

)

You betcha!

 

[Camster0307]

You betcha!

 

[dvc4life]

Ellen -

I am so enjoying your trip report. I just can't wait to go again in September. The robe you are wearing from the Rasul, is it yours to keep? I am just hearing about this and it sounds like something me and DH may want to consider. But after the tasting sessions of course ! I would be a little more freespirited then

I loved the Ivory Keys Martini so much, that after we got home I emailed Disney for the recipe and they sent it to me. Now, I can have them at home and remember sitting in Sessions with my DH just relaxing and having a great time.

Anxiously awaiting your next report!!!

 

[podsnel]

Great updates, Ellen. What a relaxing afternoon!!! If we go on that cruise, I will have to send DW to the Martini tasting while I enjoy the Margarita tasting...then meet up later at the spa!! OR better yet, both of us do the martini tasting one day and the margaritas the next.

Great pictures from the balcony. That view has GOT to be worth the money.

I vote for the martinis on one day and the tequila on the next!

Wanna join me?

(Oh good grief - could you imagine?

)

You betcha!

Just to be clear...I am coming with you!!!!! (You'll need me to show you the ropes! )

Ellen -

I am so enjoying your trip report. I just can't wait to go again in September. The robe you are wearing from the Rasul, is it yours to keep? I am just hearing about this and it sounds like something me and DH may want to consider. But after the tasting sessions of course ! I would be a little more freespirited then

I loved the Ivory Keys Martini so much, that after we got home I emailed Disney for the recipe and they sent it to me. Now, I can have them at home and remember sitting in Sessions with my DH just relaxing and having a great time.

Anxiously awaiting your next report!!!

The robes were to keep, but they were the robes from the REAS- the spa robes are left in the locker room when you are finished there. And fyi- I REALLY love wearing my robe at home, it was an excellent souvenir!

So if you have the Ivory Keys recipe, would you be able to post it here? Pretty please? I really liked Sessions aLOT, but we were rarely in that bar on this trip- next time I will spend more time in there because of the great wine experience I had in there on the last night- but you'll have to wait to see what it was...oh, the suspense.....

 

[Forever42]

I hope she doesn't mind, but I found the recipe earlier when she mentioned it!

This drink is shaken with ice and served straight up in a chilled martini glass with pineapple wedge. Below are the ingredients.

1 ½ oz Malibu
½oz Midori
1 oz Pineapple Juice
½oz Half & Half


I am SO ordering one of those.

And oh no, we're leaving tomorrow!! I won't find out what your great wine experience was!

 

[podsnel]

Uh, yeah! So Happy BELATED Birthday!!!

Now did you have to sign up for everything you did BEFORE you left? Kinda like ADRs and such at WDW? And what were the "extras" on the cruise? What is included and what is not? I'm lost right now. And before I can present this to Jeff as an option, all my ducks must be in a row!

Thank-you very much for the birthday wishes! Now, to answer your questions...

I signed up for SOME things before I left. The REAS package was the first thing, because that gave me the earlier window to book Palo, spa and excursions. Palo usually books up quickly, so the earlier you can book it, the better. There is always the possibility of booking it first thing when you get onboard, but you never know how that will work out. Of my excursions, I only booked one through DCL- on CC (Cataway Cay) we got the package for all of us to bicycle, snorkel, and have a float for the day. It was not necessary to book this ahead, I just did. Spa stuff I did book ahead, because the earlier you book that, the more choices you have for times- but there were open slots for different treatments onboard, as well, I just don't know what exactly. The rasul I would ALWAYS book ahead because they only have the one room and it's very popular. On board they usually had spa specials on port days if you wanted to add something. Of all those things, I only prepaid the REAS- everything else was charged as it happened on the ship.

As far as what's included? I think DCL includes more than other cruiselines. All the meals in the regular dining rooms (not Palo or the coffee drinks in Cove Cafe, or popcorn/candy outside before the shows) and non- alcoholic drinks like sodas and milk while you're eating plus (and this is where DCL is different) everyone has access to sodas, punch and coffee (maybe some juice, I forget) at a drink station on Deck 9 all day long. If you go to a bar and get a coke, they're going to charge you. If you get it yourself 100x a day at the beverage station- no charge. The other special DCL thing is that they allow you to bring drinks onboard. This would be soooo easy for you, Kara, living in Fla and driving to the port. You could bring a case of water, a case of wine, vodka, rum- whatever you want. On other lines you're lucky if you can sneak a single bottle on board in your luggage to keep in your room. That makes a HUGE difference- what Pods was doing every night was going back to the cabin and pouring a vodka on the rocks in the room and bringing it with him to wherever we went- it was not a problem. If you brought rum, you could easily mix it with free juice or coke, etc. We could have brought a glass of wine with us to dinner, but we didn't because we knew we had the wine pkg. coming. If you bring a bottle to the dinner table, though, they'll charge you a corkage fee of I think $15, which depending on what wine you drink might save $$ or might not. All the great shows, and on-board entertainment is included except bingo (unless you just want to watch, but what fun is that) or something like the martini tasting, which I booked on the day I did it- it was $15pp. All the movies in the room and theatre are free, and they have more movies available than any other ship I've experienced, too. And the kids clubs are included- if you had a baby, you'd have to pay for babysitting, but that's all. Also, the dining rotation is assigned to you- you don't make ADR's- you rotate between the 3 dining rooms, and the servers rotate with you which is AMAZING, because they will remember everything you like and don't like, and they'll entertain and really get to know your daughter. My kids LOVED our servers. So did we. Palo costs $5pp for High Tea and $15pp for brunch and dinner. We had the REAS, so our dinner was paid for with that. But we left additional tips, because the service was so good. At the end of the cruise, you tip the 2servers, dining room mgr and cabin steward- there are amounts suggested per person, per day. It seems like a big wad of cash at the end, but if you break it down, it's not so much and they are worth every dime, and then some if they are good (ours were). Tips are added to drink purchases and you tip for the spa. I brought bags of toblerone for the counselors in the 2 clubs which the kids gave to say thank-you on the last night. I think that's it. Hope this helps you get everything in order when you make your case with Jeff!! And remember- Oct 30th, 2010!!!!!!!!

 

[podsnel]

I hope she doesn't mind, but I found the recipe earlier when she mentioned it!

This drink is shaken with ice and served straight up in a chilled martini glass with pineapple wedge. Below are the ingredients.

1 ½ oz Malibu
½oz Midori
1 oz Pineapple Juice
½oz Half & Half


I am SO ordering one of those.

And oh no, we're leaving tomorrow!! I won't find out what your great wine experience was!

Thanks!! And because you're SPECIAL and it's your honeymoon-I'll leak the big story about wine at Sessions!

When i ordered a glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, it came in a lovely and delicious frosted glass-

Immediately after she poured it, she brought out a four sectioned plate. In three of the sections were small bits of food, each representing something you would either taste or smell in this wine.

In the fourth section, there was a small scroll, and when I unrolled it, it had info about the wine and a description of each element on the plate.

I am a wine lover, and this was the BEST way to be served a glass of wine that I have ever seen- it was like having a little wine class!! If I had known about this on the first night, I can promise you I would have been in there every night for a different wine. On my next cruise, I will be. Just so special!!

There. Now you know everything! So go pack some sexy nighties and go on that honeymoon!!!!!

 

[Forever42]

Thanks!! And because you're SPECIAL and it's your honeymoon-I'll leak the big story about wine at Sessions!

There. Now you know everything! So go pack some sexy nighties and go on that honeymoon!!!!!

Oh WOW!

I know where we're going to be Saturday night!!

And I love love love NZ Sauvignon Blancs, so I may have to go with your exact choice there.

Thank you thank you thank you!

*off to pack the sexy nighty after work*

 

[dvc4life]

Thanks!! And because you're SPECIAL and it's your honeymoon-I'll leak the big story about wine at Sessions!

When i ordered a glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, it came in a lovely and delicious frosted glass-

Immediately after she poured it, she brought out a four sectioned plate. In three of the sections were small bits of food, each representing something you would either taste or smell in this wine.

In the fourth section, there was a small scroll, and when I unrolled it, it had info about the wine and a description of each element on the plate.

I am a wine lover, and this was the BEST way to be served a glass of wine that I have ever seen- it was like having a little wine class!! If I had known about this on the first night, I can promise you I would have been in there every night for a different wine. On my next cruise, I will be. Just so special!!

There. Now you know everything! So go pack some sexy nighties and go on that honeymoon!!!!!

Thanks for sharing the Ivory Keys recipe. The only thing about making it at home is you half to double it in order to fill a martini glass! The first time we made it it only filled the glass half way. Well, that was no good. So, know we double it and it fills the glass just right.

As for the wine in sessions, my DH loved, absolutely loved it there. He thought it was the cream of the crop, going down before supper and having wine and cheese and chocolate and grapes. We found out about this on day 3, I think, and we were there every night after that!

Have fun!

 

[Forever42]

As for the wine in sessions, my DH loved, absolutely loved it there. He thought it was the cream of the crop, going down before supper and having wine and cheese and chocolate and grapes. We found out about this on day 3, I think, and we were there every night after that!

Have fun!

Oh man oh man!

The car is packed and I think I've told DH about 10 times that we need to do Sessions every night.

I keep thinking, "we have a WHOLE week!" but then I think.. "ONLY a week!"

Thank you so much Ellen for your report, it's really helped the last few days just sliiiide on by.

Off to Target, lunch, and the bank and then the port!

 

[podsnel]

Thanks for sharing the Ivory Keys recipe. The only thing about making it at home is you half to double it in order to fill a martini glass! The first time we made it it only filled the glass half way. Well, that was no good. So, know we double it and it fills the glass just right.

As for the wine in sessions, my DH loved, absolutely loved it there. He thought it was the cream of the crop, going down before supper and having wine and cheese and chocolate and grapes. We found out about this on day 3, I think, and we were there every night after that!

Have fun!

Thanks for the tip on the Ivory Keys- I think I may make them on Christmas Day! And lucky you figuring out Sessions so early on the cruise- it is sooooo grown-up in there!!!! Loved it!

Oh man oh man!

The car is packed and I think I've told DH about 10 times that we need to do Sessions every night.

I keep thinking, "we have a WHOLE week!" but then I think.. "ONLY a week!"

Thank you so much Ellen for your report, it's really helped the last few days just sliiiide on by.

Off to Target, lunch, and the bank and then the port!

YOU'RE SO WELCOME!!! Have a FABULOUS honeymoon, can't wait to hear about (almost) all of it!! Enjoy every second of the fastest week of your life (my DS11 STILL thinks time flows at a faster rate onboard the Magic!!).....

 

[podsnel]

I just uploaded my Shutters pics, and these 2 are from embarkation. I thought I'd put them in before I do formal night. Soooooo...Look! We're ready to go on the Disney Cruise!!!

It is REALLY freaking me out that DS11 is almost as tall as I am!

Ok- back to our regularly scheduled program....

 

[alan_renfroe]

Those Tie-Dye Mickey t-shirts are GREAAT!!!!!! Did you do those yourself?

 

[podsnel]

Those Tie-Dye Mickey t-shirts are GREAAT!!!!!! Did you do those yourself?

Kind of- it was an activity at HHIR last summer, and I signed up the 4 of us but when it came time to make the shirts, the boys wouldn't get out of the pool because there were some games going on. So DH came with me, and did alot of the rubberbanding because my hands were hurting from kayaking (I have an inflammatory arthritis), and then he left and the CMs were making them with me! Then I actually went back and made another one for DS14, but by then I was a pro!

 

[Sophie_2003]

I love the embarkation pics. Cute borders!!!

Did you get any word on the photopass progress?

 

[podsnel]

I love the embarkation pics. Cute borders!!!

Did you get any word on the photopass progress?

Hi Sophie!

No, I didn't hear anything about when the photopass would be up, that will make life a LOT easier, won't it!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Thanks for the update, Ellen! I never saw the wine service at sessions, either! Was it called something special? Your description of the amenities to Kara was so good. I think we are doing NCL for our Hawaiin cruise in 2010, but I keep second guessing - I'm afraid I will wish I was on DCL!

 

[podsnel]

So we were all ready for the night I'd really been looking forward to- Formal Night! I am a tomboy, a one-of-the-guys kind of a girl, but when it comes to getting all schmancy in a gown? I am 100% girlie girl. Yea, I know....I'm an enigma. I could not wait to see all my boys dressed in tuxedos, I mean, when does THIS ever happen? And I had a surprise for my men- a pony tail surprise. My friend Laura, who cuts my hair, loaned me a ponytail for this night- and it was all SO MUCH FUN!!!! So off we went to have our photo taken with the Mouse in his golden tuxedo, and we were 2nd in line- that's AMAZING!!! While we were waiting, we took a humiliation pic of the boys- notice DS11's attitude-

We walked up to Mickey, and do you know, he bowed to me and kissed my hand! I felt like such a princess!!

That was sooooo special. I have loads of photos of us with Mickey in the parks, but Mickey and all of us dressed to the nines? Priceless! Love the Disney Cruise!!!!!

Next we made our way over to meet Captain Thord and have a free cocktail-

Our Shutters pics-

We ran into some EDC's and chatted with them for a bit, then went back to the cabin for a few minutes before it was time for dinner, just to sit on the verandah and enjoy the evening at sea-

LOVE those little men in black!!

We were on to dinner, the Golden Mickeys menu. By now, the boys were used to ordering everything, so when Christian came over and DS9 said, "tonight for the appetizer, I'll start with.." well, it just kind of cracked us all up, he sounded and looked like such a grown-up!

DS11 ordered a strawberry smoothie-

To start, I got the Double-baked Aged Reggiano Parmesan Souffle (Mindy at the next table recommended it)

DS9 ordered the Grilled Scallops with Pink Grapefruit Glaze (that was a shock!! It was yummy, though. I think DH ordered it, too)

DS11 ordered Prosciutto with Honeydew Melon

I had to try the Broccoli and Maytag Blue Cheese Soup- yum!

Both DSs had Grilled Ginger Lime Swordfish Steak-again, I am in shock!

DH & I both ordered Rack of New Zealand Lamb with a Dijon Mustard Crust-

I just wish mine had been less done- I prefer it Medium rare. We also shared Jumbo Shrimp & Porcini Mushroom Tagliatelle (but I think this is papardelle)

That was very, very good! On to dessert (because you just HAVE to, they all look so good!!) The Golden Chocolate, Chocolate Award-

And a Ricotta Creme Brulee

OMG, that was a TON of food!!! We waddled out of Parrot Cay very satisfied, I can honestly say we certainly got our money's worth that night!!! We went back to the room so the boys could change out of their monkey suits and go to their clubs. Those DSs were so good about wearing the tuxedos- DH had had a talk with them at the beginnig of the night about how tonight was special for Mommy, and they were all dressing up for me, and do you know, they were all perfect gentlemen all night, no complaints, not even once, not even a peep. By the way, we brought our own tuxedos, which I had gotten on Ebay- the DSs were $25 each- what a GREAT deal, and we bought DH one for $250 I think, it was Ralph Lauren Wool, very, very nice. They were all brand new, I should add. It would have been about $100 to rent it on the ship, so we figured this would be a better investment.

Back at the cabin, we had a surprise waiting for us- the REAS strikes again!

Cont'd in next post-