10/12/2003 Wonder Cruise. 1st Timers Day 1

[takemeaway]

Cast of Characters...and I do mean characters.

DH - 39 and holding
DW - 41 and looking great
DS1 - 7 years and needs a lot of attention
DS2 - 4 1/2 years and is perfect...like his mother. Can you tell who is writing this report?

We traveled from San Diego to Orlando with plane trouble in Houston. Ten hours later we arrived at the Radisson Hotel. We had a king suite with a jacuzzi tub that was perfect after our long trip.

The next morning we awoke around 9 am. We ordered room service and the food at the Radisson was horrible. The pancakes and eggs reminded me of the fake food my younger son plays with.

Around 10:15 we headed to the port. DH dropped his wonderful family (that includes me) off at the port and then returned the rent-a-car to the Radisson. I checked everyone in and took our place in line. When hubby arrived he simply showed his I.D. to one of the cast members . Around noon, they began letting us on the ship.

The picture they took of us next to the Wonder sign with the date came out great. But IMHO that sign is sooooo cheesy! I would have purchased the picture if the sign wasn't there.

Hubby stood in line for Palo reservations (which were taken around 1:10 pm) while I went to the spa. To my surprise, the spa was open for reservations at 12:15. The Oceaneer's Lab was open for sign-ups around 12:30. I was glad that DH stood in line while I ran around the ship. It gave me an opportunity to scope things out and get my bearings. What was really amazing was after only 3-4 minutes on the ship, I found the shops on Deck 4. Funny how that worked out!

After reservations, we went to the Beach Blanket Buffet for lunch. The shrimp was great but other than that , I was not impressed with the food. I am also not a big fan of buffets with younger children because you are usually going to get them something instead of relaxing and eating. DH did manage to get me a Hurricane ( the drink, not the storm) which was absolutely delicious. DH told the bartender, "My wife needs a drink and NOW!" Sampson responded with a very potent drink. A truly great man that Sampson!

We went down to our stateroom and found all of our luggage at the door. We walked in to the room with a verandah. Hubby had surprised me with a verandah room instead of a porthole room a couple of months before the cruise. Let me just say, Hubby and I spent every night on the verandah while the children slept. One day, the kids napped while we went on the verandah. The verandah was a great escape for us to talk and drink and laugh. IT was our place for some quality alone time.

I unpacked while the 3 boys went up to the goofy pool. We went to the life boat drill. Hubby kept pinching my buttocks while in the single file line. He said that was mandatory as well. Then it was off to the sail-away party where I said HI to Sampson, my dear friend!

After the boat started moving, I became sea-sick. I did go to dinner at Animators Palate but ate very little. Our assistant server, Ardie, was great. He bought me club soda and crackers. I left dinner early hoping I wouldn't be sick the whole trip.

After laying down for a 1/2 hour and taking some pills, I managed to get up and go to the theater to see Hercules. The show was cute. My boys loved the silly jokes. We headed back up to the room and ordered a cheese plate.

Someone told me that coming in and going out of the port, the waters are rough because of the Gulf Stream. I am not sure if this true but those were the only times I felt sick on the trip.

We all stood out on the verandah and Wondered what tomorrow would bring.

 

[Popovich]

Thanks for posting the report of your trip! I'm glad you enjoyed the Halloween party. We just came back from our second trip for MNSSHP. We liked it even better this year. The weather was great and the lines short.

We are in the process of planning our first cruise for early next December. Since our kids are about the same age, I just wanted to ask you a few questions.

Was 4 nights too short? We are thinking of doing the 7 day.

Also, I know my husband and I would enjoy the view and the peace and quiet so we have planned to book a cat 5 or 6 with a verandah. However, I'm sure this sounds nuts, but how was having the verandah with kids?

Our daughter will have just turned 7 and our son will be 5 1/2. I guess I keep imagining them falling off the verandah. Did you worry about that?

Any advice would be welcomed! Glad you had such a nice trip!

 

[takemeaway]

Hi Popovich:

The four nights was too short. My oldest son was just starting to warm-up to the clubs on the last day. I think it was a good start for us though to see how the kids did on the ship and to see if I got sea-sick for the whole trip.

I would recommend the 7-night. On the 4-night you are trying to do so much in such a short amount of time that you don't really have time to relax.

As for the verandah, Disney has put plexiglass along the railings of the verandah. We did have rules such as no climbing on the chairs and looking over the rails. They could stand up or sit down while on the verandah. And, if they whined one more time they would be tossed overboard.

Honestly, I did not worry about them on the verandah at all. Book the verandah. It may be a great escape for you and your husband.

 

[takemeaway]

 

[LT Hambone]

Originally posted by takemeaway
Someone told me that coming in and going out of the port, the waters are rough because of the Gulf Stream. I am not sure if this true but those were the only times I felt sick on the trip.

We all stood out on the verandah and Wondered what tomorrow would bring.

As an ex-Navy guy (hence the LT), that is absolutely correct about the Gulf Stream. This time of the year, the waters around the Gulf Stream are starting to cool off with the coming of winter. This translates into a stream of water that is considerably warmer than the water it is flowing through. The result is severe turbulence along the edges of the Gulf Stream, particularly the north side.

Consider yourself lucky – off of the North Carolina coast, the Gulf Stream makes a bend to the northwest. Along this stretch, the north edge of the stream comes in contact with some very chilly waters from the North Atlantic and rivers/bays that are fed by cold mountain streams. Sailors call this edge the North Wall, and it can be some of the fiercest waves outside of a major storm. I've crossed the North Wall many times in small ships, and it makes the Rock and Roller Coaster look like a playground ride.

Also got caught in a storm there. For three days we consistently took rolls in the 20 to 30 degree range, occasionally hit a 44 degree roll (point of no return was 54 degrees), and ate PB&Js because it was too rough to cook hot food. Anchors Aweigh!

Nice pun, by the way.

 

[takemeaway]

Wow, thank you for giving me all the Gulf Steam information that I will ever need to know . Hubby was an ex-navy guy and he didn't know any of those great facts. Maybe hubby was too busy thinking about the ports instead of the Gulf Stream. I am going to have to confront him on that!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>Thank you for your report. I'm glad you weren't sick the whole trip.

Thanks for the Gulf Stream info, too, that was interesting.

 

[LT Hambone]

Originally posted by Mary Jo
Thanks for the Gulf Stream info, too, that was interesting.

If I get a chance tonight, I'll have to post a picture of what it's like trying to cross the Gulf Stream, in the winter, during a storm. I was on an LST (Landing Ship Tank, or Large Slow Target) at the time, and we were taking 20+ ft waves of green water over the bow. Haze gray and underway makes for a fine Navy day.

 

[LT Hambone]

To all of you who think a Disney cruise is a little rough –

This was taken while trying to cross the Gulf Stream in a storm off of Cape Hatteras, NC. That's about a 20 foot wall of water coming over the bow, and right after I took the photo, I had to duck and cover the camera.

 

[Highland Lass]

OMG ..........are you trying to scare us all half to death ??????

I was looking forward to my cruise until I saw THAT picture !!!!

 

[LT Hambone]

Originally posted by Highland Lass
OMG ..........are you trying to scare us all half to death ??????

I was looking forward to my cruise until I saw THAT picture !!!!

Highland Lass –


You have absolutely nothing to fear!

Just to give you an idea of what I was on when that picture was taken compared to what you will be on –

US Navy LST
Length – 522 feet
Beam – 70 feet
Draft – 17 feet
Displacement – 8,500 tons
Speed – 20 knots (with a tailwind!)
# of decks – 7
Crew - 14 officers, 210 enlisted and approx. 350 embarked troops – 574 total

Disney Cruise Ship
Length –964 feet
Beam – 106 feet
Draft – 26 feet
Displacement – 83,000 tons
Speed – 21 knots
# of decks – 11 passenger, plus three ship's company – 14 total
Crew – 1,000, Passengers – 2,400 – 3,400 total

Also, large cruise ships (such as Disney's) use stabilizers, so unless you get into seas with waves greater than 20 feet, you will be fine!


Enjoy the cruise!

 

[Highland Lass]

Thank you for putting my mind at rest (ish!)

Any waves over 20 feet ...............I'll be dead from fear so throw me overboard...me hearties.