10/28/15 - 4nt. Halloween Magic Double Dip from Miami

[Henlady]

Good job on the picture Great Scott. You came thru and saved me.
Welcome jadedjojo.
We'll be booking next week on our Dream Double Dip.
DD is already booked for this one.

 

[Tink3350]

Hello all! .....and Mom (Henlady)
We booked this cruise while cruising on the Magic for Halloween last week. My son and I can't wait to celebrate Halloween on the Magic again! I will be happy to answer any questions anyone has about Halloween on the High Seas sailings.
We have only been home for 3 days and have already started another countdown....356 days!

 

[poison ivy]

Hello jadedjojo and Tink3350.

Welcome to our cruisemeet!

Tink - since you are coming off a Halloween cruise. could you scan and post the navigators? or just highlight the Halloween activities they hosted.

We're not travelling with any kids but I'd love to see the itinerary.

Also,

Did anyone get yesterday's email from the cruiseline?

Important Information About Your Cruise
November 11, 2014


Dear Christine,

We look forward to having you sail with us next year aboard the Disney Magic!

As you plan for your October 28, 2015, sailing, we want to let you know of a recent change in the scheduled itinerary for your sailing. Instead of visiting Key West, Florida, on Saturday, October 31, 2015, we will return to Disney's Castaway Cay for a second visit to our private island paradise. The revised itinerary will be:

Wednesday, October 28, 2015 Miami
Thursday, October 29, 2015 Disney's Castaway Cay
Friday, October 30, 2015 Nassau
Saturday, October 31, 2015 Disney's Castaway Cay
Sunday, November 1, 2015 Miami

We are pleased to be returning to our private island for a second day during your voyage and hope this additional time will give you plenty of opportunity to enjoy the island and its many activities.

Sincerely,

The Cast and Crew
Disney Cruise Line

we are now a double dip w/ No Key West!
I'm pretty bummed about us not docking in the Keys. Would have preferred they eliminated Nassau but I suspect this has to do with the annual Halloween Fest in Key West which can be a very uninhibited event judging from past year photos.

google "Fantasy Fest - Key West Florida" and you'll see what I mean.

JQ and I were secretly hoping to plant ourselves on a couple bar stools lining the various establishments along Duval St and peoplewatch all the fun - purely as spectators I promise!!
It was looking to be a great Halloween!

Now - I guess we'll have to try and snag a cabana and throw a party there.
I'm wondering if they'll host trick or treating for the kids on the island. That might be a great afternoon for them.

but we're determined to get back to Key West so we have to take another look at how to accomplish this.

 

[Tink3350]

Here are the navigators from the Halloween cruise I was on a few weeks ago. There was a very small unorganized trick or treat for the kids during the Halloween party, but our meet group organized a cabin trick or treat that seemed to be a success.

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/201...ruise-disney-magic-itinerary-october-26-2014/

I am kind of bummed about them changing the itinerary and too was looking forward to "people watching" in Key West.

 

[jadedjojo]

My hubby is slow about checking his email, so I didn't know about the itinerary change until just now. When I told him he was thrilled! We've been to the Keys a lot though (cruises and driving there) so he wasn't bummed at all. I am a little bummed. I love going to Ft. Zachary Taylor SP and KW is a long drive. A double dip for CC is usually more expensive so I feel like we are getting a deal in that respect! I am just thankful they did that and not change it to a sea day... that may have had me switching cruise dates.

I am already excited for this cruise. I told a fellow DCL friend the rest of our lives is just going to be cruise countdowns. She said, "And that is a bad thing?" hahaha!

 

[Henlady]

Good morning all.
Got home yesterday from our 4 night Double Dip. Cruise had wonderful, smooth seas, beautiful weather. Our first Castaway Cay day was warm and sunny but there was a fairly strong wind all day and the waters at Serenity Bay was a little rough. Couldn't use the floats. That is the day we had the Cabana. So glad we had it, it made our day. We went to the family beach on the 2nd Castaway Day, but that was a mistake. So crowded. The lounges were placed mere inches apart. I am totally sold on the beach cabanas now. Booked this cruise while onboard to get the discount and onboard credit. So now we're all set. Just need to be able to book a cabana when I am able to do online check in!!

 

[mmfox316]

I rebooked on the Dream last week for my 5th Disney cruise on the Dream for Nov 9th 2015. During rebooking I told the cast member I wished all cruises were double dips like the one I was on. The only ones available were in peak season and too expensive. Then I stumbled across the email mentioned previously. I could not call my TA fast enough. So I am in!

 

[mmfox316]

Good morning all.
Got home yesterday from our 4 night Double Dip. Cruise had wonderful, smooth seas, beautiful weather. Our first Castaway Cay day was warm and sunny but there was a fairly strong wind all day and the waters at Serenity Bay was a little rough. Couldn't use the floats. That is the day we had the Cabana. So glad we had it, it made our day. We went to the family beach on the 2nd Castaway Day, but that was a mistake. So crowded. The lounges were placed mere inches apart. I am totally sold on the beach cabanas now. Booked this cruise while onboard to get the discount and onboard credit. So now we're all set. Just need to be able to book a cabana when I am able to do online check in!!

I was on the Dream last week for a CC Double Dip. Sounds like you too.

 

[FamilyofTerpFans]

Greetings!

Sailed on the 10/26/14 Wonder and had so much fun that we booked 10/28/15 on the Magic!

 

[Henlady]

I was on the Dream last week for a CC Double Dip. Sounds like you too. I told the groups from that cruise on FB today and it sounds like a number of them could be joining us.

We were on the Nov 10 Dream, wonderful cruise. I occasionally ventured to the facebook page, but prefer the DIS board interactions. I didn't participate in any of the pre-scheduled FB events, but recognized faces around the ship.

 

[RobDoc]

Please review the Cruise Meet Policy regarding Cruise Meet and Fish Extender programs. - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3353477

 

[FamilyofTerpFans]

My apologies, PP. FWIW, I wasn't aware of the policy. I'm not a travel agent...just a Disney cruiser who last sailed on the 10/26/14 Wonder (and I joined disboards when I booked that cruise).

Question: So then how are FE groups organized?

 

[poison ivy]

Question: So then how are FE groups organized?

Welcome to our cruisemeet!

From now on, the FE groups are to be organized directly on the meet threads - which is the way they were first done on the Disboards when they originated years ago.

All you have to do is post here that you want to start an FE. Then a list gets started and continually updated by someone here, usually on the front page or even the first post.

 

[JoyB-UK]

Hi everyone, we have had this cruised booked for a few months and now we are less than a year to go I am ready to sign up. For this cruise it will be myself, Joy, husband Dave and daughter Maya (16 @ sailing) we are from Yorkshire in England. This will be our sixth Disney cruise, all of them on the Magic. I had originally booked the Dream for the same week but Maya really wanted to do our first gold cruise on her old favourite. So next time we will try something new.
I know you haven't started an FE yet but I am certainly interested in joining. We have done it 4 times before and always enjoyed it whether a small or large group. Our first in 2011 was run entirely on disboards so it is certainly doable. I'm not very tech savvy anyway but if it's just a case of collating information posted on here into one list for the fe then I am willing to organise it.
Joy

 

[JoyB-UK]

Looking at the current cruise schedule it is showing the second castaway cay day with the same times that we were due to hit Key West i.e a short day, does everyone think these times will change? Nassau should be a longer day also as the ship no longer has to travel so far.

 

[Henlady]

I just double checked the itinerary and it is now showing first day at Castaway Cay, day at sea and a 12:00 to 4:30 at Castaway Cay. Disney needs to get this itinerary straightened out.

 

[JoyB-UK]

I just double checked the itinerary and it is now showing first day at Castaway Cay, day at sea and a 12:00 to 4:30 at Castaway Cay. Disney needs to get this itinerary straightened out.

The map does show it going to Nassau though so I'm not too concerned about its absence. But I would like them to update the port times. I might consider a Blue Lagoon day but if we are sailing at 3.30 it's not worth going.

 

[jadedjojo]

I called DCL when I saw that wonky itinerary online, and we are indeed going Miami-CC-Nassau-CC-Miami. I asked them to fix the itinerary online, but I guess they haven't gotten around to it yet.

I would also be up for an FE! I have had fun in the last few I've done. We are two adults with no kiddos, but we still look forward to finding goodies when we return to our room .

 

[TaleAsOldAsTime2012]

Hello everyone! This will be my first ever cruise and our first "real" family vacation. I want to make it the best possible. It will be myself, my husband, and my little lady who will be 3 for the cruise. I'd love to be involved in a fish extender program! I'd love for any tips as well from all the cruise veterans and anyone who has taking little ones. Can't wait to celebrate our favorite holiday on the Magic!

 

[jadedjojo]

Hello everyone! This will be my first ever cruise and our first "real" family vacation. I want to make it the best possible. It will be myself, my husband, and my little lady who will be 3 for the cruise. I'd love to be involved in a fish extender program! I'd love for any tips as well from all the cruise veterans and anyone who has taking little ones. Can't wait to celebrate our favorite holiday on the Magic!

Welcome! First tip!! DCL cruising is addictive... very, very addictive.

There are too many tips to give lol. I do suggest researching Nassau, because it isn't everyone's cup of tea. Hubby and I have grown to love Nassau over time, and now we really look forward to going. There are many free and safe things to do, although with a little one, it might be difficult. I always recommend Atlantis to first timers, because it is very tourist friendly. It is free to wander around and only a $6 round-trip water taxi ride on your own over to Paradise Island where Atlantis is, so you don't really have to do an expensive excursion. Tripadvisor has some great information on little known spots in Nassau, like Versailles Gardens in the Cloister. AMAZING and free! And in a very safe part of town, Paradise Island. Cabbage Beach is nice as well but I don't recommend swimming there... I almost drowned because the current is so strong. But my, what a gorgeous beach.

As for tips onboard... well I could be here typing from now until the cruise lol. Bring your pirate gear for Pirate Night, bring motion sickness meds just in case (I was VERY sick my first cruise, and dramamine doesn't work for me), watch lots of DCL videos on youtube to get you excited, and please, don't stress! The less you stress, the more awesome your vacation will be. On my last cruise last month, I was at Park n Cruise in Port Canaveral and I saw a lady have a complete meltdown because she was not helped IMMEDIATELY. She was first in line and had waited all of fifteen minutes for them to open the gate, then lost it at the parking lot. Hubby and I ran into her later on the ship, and she was still fuming and fussy! Little things happen, and she let it ruin her first day onboard (which I always think is the best day because your entire cruise is ahead of you ). Don't let the little things bother you. DCL does an awesome job of making everything go smoothly.

Feel free to get excited! DCL is an awesome adventure .