Wonder & Magic in Nassau

[Ski-and-Sea]

We were on the Magic. They started preparing us for the bad CC news at the daily noon update from Captain Tom on 11/1. He read the official forecast word for word. Later that day, Brent gave us an update (which added nothing new about the storm) that indicated we might go to Nassau. It wasn't until we were about to turn around in the harbor that Brent announced that the Wonder was coming behind us. DW and I raced up to the deck 7 secret area to get our first glimpse. We took so many photos, all the while stating that the DCL photo of the day thread would see much action from this day.

The top decks of both ships were lined with people watching. You could see numerous crew members watching and waving, too. I recall 2 soundings of the Magic's horn, with 1 from the Wonder. Even Captain Tom and several officers came out onto the port side bridge wing to observe the Wonder. The guests and staff in the Wonder's spa villas were waving.

Yes, we were told multiple times to get back on the correct ship. You could see and feel the excitement among the staff. We asked several how often both ships dock at the same port on the same day. Most said it was very rare (years ago). The cast members jubilantly went to the opposite ship to see friends. Our Palo server's girlfriend is on the Wonder. DW spotted him coming up behind us on the pier. "Going to see her?" we asked. "YES!" was the response. The smile on his face was priceless. He was powerwalking as fast as he could. Later, we saw Captain Tom headed past the Quiet Cove pool towards the bridge of the Magic. A short time later, Captain John and his wife headed the same way. All aboard was 3pm, we cast off around 3:20, and got moving towards PC without delay.

We were sad not to make it to CC (again), but figured this once in a lifetime experience helped to make up for it. Photos of the 2 ships together could be purchased for $12 each in Shutters.

What a great story, thank you for sharing!!!!!

 

[1princessesmom]

Just off the Magic Yesterday. I was talking to a crew member up at Mickey's Pool about the Magic and Wonder being together. She said the crew was very excited about this. Both captiains had given their crew permission to go aboard the other ship and hang out for a while. She said that a lot of the crew we saw walking around deck 9 were actually Wonder crew looking around and saying hi to friends they used to work with or train with. (She said they had to leave their ID at the gangway and pick it up when they got off).

 

[vital]

I was also on the Magic when these two ships were in port together. These are far from professional but here are the pics I took.

This is why we weren't able to dock in CC. This pic was taken from my deck 2 window

 

[Dr.Girlfriend]

I was on the Wonder. I have video of the ships "dueling" their horns when coming into port, and they did it again when the Magic left Nassau on Friday afternoon.

I just literally walked in the door from our cruise, so I'll post pics later this evening. Those waves were ROUGH on Thursday night...they were 18-20 until 11 p.m.!! LOTS of sick people all around!

I'm sorry the Magic didn't make it to CC on Friday; we were there yesterday and it was flat out gorgeous.

 

[Pluto 2]

Some photos from today's meeting of the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder...

beautiful pictures.

 

[WeLuvDCL]

We just arrived home from the Wonder 11/1 cruise. First night was rough at sea and we missed dinner BUT the next day was well worth it as we got to see the Magic in port at Nassau! It was really great to see both ships side-by-side and to see how excited the crew was to see each other again. I did feel bad for the Magic cruisers though, since they missed the beautiful Castaway Cay. We took about 30 different photos so I just picked my favorites to share.

 

[Tink rules]

Ya know... the two ship together is a celebration only DCL fans could appreciate!!!

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

Ya know... the two ship together is a celebration only DCL fans could appreciate!!!

True. DW turned to me Friday at Quiet Cove (looking towards the Wonder) and said, "do you suppose RCCL cruisers get so excited about seeing another RCCL ship?" "I don't think so," was my response.

Sean

 

[missyoh8]

Last time the Magic and Wonder were seen together was the Thanksgiving Western Cc stop in 2005......and previous was 2000......One of 3 pics since 2000.........AWSOME!

I have one more double sighting for you to add to the list.


We were on a cruise in 9/2004 (hurricane Jeanne) and both ships were at Port Everglades together. We were waving across the dock as we left port and we watched the sun go down over the other ship!


I think it was on a Tuesday evening (we were supposed to board Saturday in Canaveral.)

 

[weathernlu]

We were on the 10/27-11/3 Magic which was the ONLY cruise out of all of them that didn't make it to Castaway Cay at all. At first I was irate, then I cooled down realizing that they were doing what they thought was best at the time and going through what I have been through with hurricanes I appreciate the sentiment. The kids were terribly upset though because they LOVE CC but it just wasn't meant to be this time.

Of course I got lied to on the ship. One CM told me that the seas were to high to go there and the seas that morning (Friday morning) were actually about the calmest they were the entire trip. Then another one at guest services told me that the island was trashed and that it would take days to clean. The third CM told me that the channel that the ship goes through was filled with sand and it would have to be dredged. Obviously they were all just saying these things so that people wouldn't be mad as the Wonder had no problems getting there less than 24 hours later.

Of all places, we go to Nassau. PUKE! I like others on the cruise took the seven day to AVOID NASSAU! We made the best of it by soaking in the double Disney ship activities going on. The CM's were really excited and told us that it had been six years. Based on some the other reports, I think I might have been lied to four times! Regardless, you could tell it was special and we went up to deck 10 when we were pulling away. Everyone on both ships were waving and the deuling "BA DA DA DA BA DA DA DA"'s (that is my sad attempt at the "WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR" horn blows.) It was pretty neat, and something that doesn't obviously happen everyday.

I had no idea they were selling pics in Shutters, anyone know how to get one? I got about 100 pictures that day, but I would love the official one!

 

[Lynderella]

We were also on the doomed Magic trip. It was a little sad and frustrating not to get to CC, but we knew Disney wanted us there as well and there had to be valid reasons for not going. What was hard for me to let go was how the staff went on and on and on and on and on about how special it was for the ships to be together and how fortunate we were to see them together. Yes, it was cool, yes, I was on deck 10 taking pictures, but the 15 minutes of excitement doesn't compare to a DAY at CC. And to be constantly reminded seemed like rubbing salt in the wound.

What did make it special to me was watching the crew members walking around and seeing someone they knew from the other ship. They would get so excited and hug. Still doesn't make up for a relaxing day at the beach with my Konk Kooler.

 

[heiressly]

these two pictures are from deck 10 forward on the magic, watching the wonder pull into port

 

[howleyfamily]

We were on the Magic on 7 night rollercoaster ride through Noel...very dissapointed in not getting to Castaway Cay and felt that we were shortchanged by DCL...the whole trip was a long exhausting trip through rough seas..It was our first cruise ever and we really dont know if we would do it again...I know that they cant control the weather but they werent giving correct info out either...we made the best of it that we could...but are sure that some of the last nights roughness was caused by them rushing back to Florida for their quick turnaround for next cruise...the last night they cruised at the highest speed that we observed and through very rough seas which combined for a rollercoaster ride onboard...I dont believe anyone slept that last night.

 

[Coach Rick]

...the last night they cruised at the highest speed that we observed and through very rough seas which combined for a rollercoaster ride onboard...I dont believe anyone slept that last night.

Not to make excuses, but they are on a tight schedule, as are all cruise ships. Heading north the ship is in a current called the "Gulf Stream" that is extremely swift below surface current that runs south to north, and the ship is able to make time pretty easily. As you probably noticed they were in port at 7 AM which is on time. DCL I am sure sees the people sailing the next cruise just as important as the current cruisers. What if you would have been sailing that next cruise, and planned for months around getting to port at a certain time to start boarding, and were suddenly told, too bad, you gotta wait for the ship to arrive. I am sure you would not have been happy either. Also, slowing the ship down does not lower the waves. I am sure it was very un-nerving and I am concerned about that very thing when we next sail in August, prime hurricane season, but that is a chance you take. Talk to some of the people that were on the repo cruise heading to Europe. They had 6 days of seas like you experienced.

 

[mmouse37]

I have one more double sighting for you to add to the list.


We were on a cruise in 9/2004 (hurricane Jeanne) and both ships were at Port Everglades together. We were waving across the dock as we left port and we watched the sun go down over the other ship!


I think it was on a Tuesday evening (we were supposed to board Saturday in Canaveral.)

Yep...the actual date we sailed was 9/27/04.....we were on that sailing too!! I just checked my pics from that cruise. I have a pic of the Wonder taken from the Magic but it is too dark to post....but it was cool to see them both in port.

What chaos those few days before!!! We rode Jeanne out at the Poly when we heard that Port Canaveral was shut down (we were actually on our way to the Radisson at PC for that Friday night...we heard about PC evacuating just as we were passing WDW on I4 from Clearwater....So...I said to my hubby...if Iam going to ride out a hurricane I want to do it at WDW...so we pulled in and were able to snag a room at the Poly after waiting on line for 2 hours!!!). Then on Monday or Tuesday (I think Monday) our DCL bus broke down on the way to PE and we had to wait over an hour in the hot sun until a new bus arrived.....glad when we finally were able to board!!!

 

[pjpoohbear]

That is so cool. So I wonder if the two captains will get together for lunch.

The captain from the wonder did come over for lunch, I was told
he had his wife with him.

 

[UK-Simon]

Of course I got lied to on the ship. One CM told me that the seas were to high to go there and the seas that morning (Friday morning) were actually about the calmest they were the entire trip. Then another one at guest services told me that the island was trashed and that it would take days to clean. The third CM told me that the channel that the ship goes through was filled with sand and it would have to be dredged. Obviously they were all just saying these things so that people wouldn't be mad as the Wonder had no problems getting there less than 24 hours later.

I too like you was on the Magic, and was also pretty bummed about not making CC. However, I am really sad for you that you were lied to. I have a friend who is an officer on board and he told me what appears to be the truth. That is that basically there is a very narrow area of sea in which they have to dock the ship, and sometimes the swirls from the sea can make it impossible to get in. It's that simple. He told me a time when he was onboard and the Magic was at CC, but couldn't get in, so they departed and tried again the next day. With a little research it looks as though he wasn't lying... http://www.tiggertravels.com/photo.gallery.php?action=details&record=108

So I would put down the lies to lack of knowledge because the truth was hardly an unreasonable thing to take. I also have it on good authority they even made up a personal navigator that involved 1/2 a day at sea and the afternoon at CC, but it was in the end apparently just impossible all day. Too bad huh?!!

 

[allears]

Yep...the actual date we sailed was 9/27/04.....we were on that sailing too!! I just checked my pics from that cruise. I have a pic of the Wonder taken from the Magic but it is too dark to post....but it was cool to see them both in port.

What chaos those few days before!!! We rode Jeanne out at the Poly when we heard that Port Canaveral was shut down (we were actually on our way to the Radisson at PC for that Friday night...we heard about PC evacuating just as we were passing WDW on I4 from Clearwater....So...I said to my hubby...if Iam going to ride out a hurricane I want to do it at WDW...so we pulled in and were able to snag a room at the Poly after waiting on line for 2 hours!!!). Then on Monday or Tuesday (I think Monday) our DCL bus broke down on the way to PE and we had to wait over an hour in the hot sun until a new bus arrived.....glad when we finally were able to board!!!

I was going to post about that time as well! We unfortuneately did not get photos like I had hoped, things got a little hectic whe we boarded. That was a wild and crazy time, especially for the folks in Florida and some heated "discussions" here on the boards. But along with several other awesome things that happened to us during that trip, seeing the two ships together was a huge treat. I remember eating dinner in Parrot Cay on the Magic and seeing the Wonder outside the window.

 

[Kim&Chris]

Just wanted to thank all of you for posting these beautiful photos of "our ships". Getting a little verklempt seeing how beautiful they look side by side.

 

[krdisneybound]

What a wonderful thread.

AWESOME - Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread

MAGIC DOES HAPPEN​