13 Jan 2007 - Western Magic Cruise Extraordinaire

[DiaLady]

Hi Folks --

With so much help from so many other posters, I wanted to include our own trip report. We just got off the boat yesterday. I'll attempt to post between loads of laundry . . .LOL

Cast of Characters:
Myself - DW (41)
DH (39)
DS (10)
DS (12)

This was our THIRD Disney Cruise. Our previous cruises were:
4 day Wonder 6/2003
7 day Eastern Magic 11/2005

In the past we really planned ahead (my favorite part). However b/c of some job changes and family situations, we realized this fall that DH wouldn't be able to take a cruise until 2008, so we jumped in and bought our tickets 60 days out! It was a bit different not doing all the planning, but it worked out well.

First, how about a summary of tips (for those who don't want to read what's going to be a lengthy trip report) . . .

Tips for the 1/13 Western Magic

• Sign your papers - make sure every adult signs the online embarking papers BEFORE you get to the terminal. I had to wait in that line TWICE!! and missed our DIS Board meet as a result.
• USE sunscreen! I got burnt on the first sea day and couldn't work on my deep tan until Castaway Cay
• Don't pack many t-shirts. Buy them as souvenirs.
• Bring more than TWO swim suits each - we definately needed three with all our excursions
• Bring duct tape even if you never use it . . . One of our suitcases was damaged we were glad we had it just in case
• Eat breakfast / lunch at Lumiere's. It's quieter.
• Don't miss the Castaway Club program. It was a lot of fun.
• Rebook your next cruise while onboard. First time we actually did this!

Okay, that's it for now. I'll start back after I fold some of that pesky laundry . ..

 

[DiaLady]

Ours was a 10 day trip. 2 days at Busch Gardens, Tampa, 1 Day at Sea World and 7 days on the Magic. Before you flame me for skipping WDW, we have passes to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, so all the other Busch parks are FREE. My boys (all 3) are roller coaster riding fanatics. In 3 days they rode every coaster in the aforementioned parks no less than 2 times each. We had a lovely three days going from one coast of FL to the other.

The big highlight of the "pre-trip" was meeting my little brother and his family for my birthday dinner on Friday. Out of the blue, it turned out the my DB's family was going to spend the weekend in WDW so we thought we'd throw in a family dinner. My DB lives about 8-10 hours away from us so it was a huge treat. As they were singing, "Happy Birthday" to me, I realized it had been many years since I'd spent my birthday with any of my extended family. It made my neice and nephew singing to me even more precious. What a huge blessing for my birthday and to start our magical voyage.

After saying good-bye to DB and family in Orlando, we headed to the port. We stayed at Country Inn and Suites. It was so new! The rooms were a bit bigger than Comfort Suites and Embassy Suites though not as large as Residence Inn. I loved that the rooms had DOORS on them. The bedroom was separated from the living room/kitchen area by a door!

At this point I planned to do laundry so we didn't have to bring as many clothes (esp underwear . . .LOL). The laundries were conveniently placed on each floor. DH helped me pack up the bags and put the lime green mickey tags on them. Then I spent sometime trying to get online. I was disappointed that I couldn't wirelessly access the internet from my room and had to resort to resting in a comfy chair in the lobby. The last of email finished, I signed off for the last time. It has been years since I've gone dark on vacation with no email and cell phone . . . but we were going to give it a try! Off to bed we went . . .

DH got up a couple times during the night. We had asked for a room facing the port (CI&S was very accommodating). He kept waiting for the Magic to pull into port. We now know that she pulls in by 6 AM. Sadly a Carnival ship pulled in and blocked our view!

We got up, enjoyed a quick, crowded breakfast, gathered our belongings and headed off to the ship.

More after I change the laundry again. . . .

 

[DiaLady]

DH dropped the boys and I off at the port at 10:15 AM. The porters are wdnderful guys and earn their tips. Our porter shared that Disney only had 20 porters to the other ships' 45! And the Disney folks got us in and out QUICKER!

We were so excited to enter the beautiful embarkation building! The boys went to examine the replica of the boat while I joined a rather lengthy Castaway Club check-in line.

I was so delight to get to meet and stand in line with pdarrah! She was organized and ready. She did a wonderful job on a website for a cruise! Sadly it wasn't until I was next in line that I realized I didn't have DH sign our embarkation & immigration forms! Not sure what else to do, I got out of line and called to see when DH would return from Budget. He came bounding up the escalator about 10 minutes later, signed the forms, and went back into the same rather lengthy Castaway Club check-in line. Finally, we received our Key to the World card, our new lanyards (one for each cruiser) and two trading pins each.

That's when I saw yet another lengthy line had developed . . . at the kids clubs' registration desk. Phew! I had hoped it was an illusion, but it was not. We had received a number THREE when we entered the building. By the time we got through the kids club line, they were already on SIX!!!

No matter . . . we traded taking family pictures outside with our line buddies, Vanessa & Roger, then proceeded to board the ship. This was it . . .the big announcement . . .everyone was clapping . . .we made it! We were aboard the Magic.

As we walked through the atrium, DH commented that he felt like he had just returned home. I had a similar familarity.

We trotted off to Parrot Cay for our first meal on board. Oh the shrimp!! DS10 proceeded to pile his salad high with shredded carrots . . .LOL Suddenly I remembered PALO reservations needed to be made. I raced down to Rockin Bar D. B/c we had purchased our trip only 60 days out, there weren't any online PALO reserations available. However, we were blessed to get one for Thursday night.

The coolest part was seeing PJ signing up folks. PJ is the head server in PALOs. He has been on board every cruise we've taken. In fact, we learned that he was on the first Magic cruise! He has a wonderful way of making everyone feel special and welcome. We'd seen someone else mentioned on the boards recently and wondered where he had gone. It was great to have him back from his break.

After finishing eating, we started to check out the ship and our room. Before we knew it, it was time for the lifeboat drill. Boy was it hot with those lifevests on deck!

When we returned to our cabin, our luggage had already started to arrive. DH had met our cabin steward, Brian from India. While the boys went to Deck 10 to enjoy the party, I started the arduous task of unpacking six suitcases.

TIP: It is VERY convenient to have all your formal wear, pants, dresses, etc. PRESSED (not dry cleaned). I gave them to Brian and he had them back before dinner the following day! Well worth the money NOT to have to iron for the rest of the journey!!!

DH called to remind me it was nearly time to sail away! I headed up to Deck 10 and we waved at the folks on the pier as they waved back with the big Mickey hands. My DH enjoys the beginning of the cruise. It's neat to watch all the things you pass by as you go out the canal and into the ocean. It was especially beautiful as the sunset.

The boys went for their first of many visits to Ocean Quest while I finished unpacking. Dinner time crept up on us quickly. We had a great rotation. We were late seating. Ours was 8:30 PM and our dinner rotation was LAPLAPL (L - Lumiere's, A- Animator's Palete, P - Parrot Cay). We sat down for dinner and met our fabulous server, Pirom from Thailand and asst server, Abraham from Phillipines.

Just as we ordered I realized I wasn't going to make through dinner. ON our last cruise I was very sea sick for the first few days (until I discovered the seabands!). Although I was wearing the seabands, I was very light headed. Not sick, mind you, just like headed. I didn't feel like I could stay awake another second. I excused myself and went back to the cabin. I fell asleep almost instantly. Then the phone rang. It was Pirom calling to see if I'd like my main course sent up. As heard my tummy grumbling in reply, I said, "Yes, please." Five minutes later, Pirom was at my door, HIMSELF, with my dinner. I can't tell you how grateful I was for that extra effort on him part. Although I was still dizzy, I quickly consumed a wonderful veal and potatoes meal. They I went right back to sleep.

What I realized later is that I forgot to eat after our lunch at Noon. I usually snack during the day. It's the only thing I can figure since I was fine the rest of the trip. Pirom did a great job helping to get our trip off to a magical start!

More in a bit . . .

 

[tjeagle]

I feel like I am there with you! Really enjoying the report! Darn your laundry!!

 

[Babs417]

I wish I could forget to eat

 

[DiaLady]

Can't believe I am still doing laundry . . . LOL The price we pay for a glorious vacation . . .

Key West Day

It amazes me how comfortable a night on the Magic is! We all awoke, refreshed, to the bit of sun shining through our curtains. I love the porthole in our room. We were still moving. I was kind of suprised we weren't scheduled to arrive in Key West until noon.

Since I missed dinner at Lumiere's the night before, I requested Lumiere's for brunch. The boys acquiesced and off we went. It was slower than we expected, but so nice to have a muliple course brunch served with a smile.

DS10 & DS12 were itching to get into the clubs so off they went. We homeschool so I'm with them pretty much 24/7. I'm not the clingy type and neither are they. We were all excited about this vacation for our own personal reasons. DS12 couldn't wait to spend an entire week playing video games. DS10 liked the video games, too, but also loved the activities at the clubs. DH kept reminding me that it was okay if they were still pale when we returned to Virginia . . .LOL

DH and I went to our favorite spot on Deck 10 forward to watch the ship pull into port.

TIP: Make the time to watch the ship come into at least one port. It's amazing how the crew manipulates the ship and pushes into the docks. Besides, it's a beautiful site to see a new place from high above on the water . . .

Key West was as lovely as a picture as we came into port. We left the ship so after with the boys enjoying their time in the clubs. We had friends attempt to visit Key West the year before and they turned right around. It was not a place for children. We were cautious.

DH and I walked from the port to the most southern point in the US. Along the way, we shielded our eyes from the multitude of offensive t-shirts in store displays and the marquis advertising drag queen performances. Definitely not a place we would introduce to our children. We did find a wonderful place to buy a slice of authentic Key Lime Pie. DH bought an entire pie to bring back to the boys . . .like they needed more dessert . . .LOL.

After a hot and sticky walk back we were ready to cool off. We put on our swimsuits, grabbed a book and headed to Quiet Cove (the adult pool). . . .oh and we did check on our DSs, but they were content in the clubs. After swimming and reading for a bit, DH went off to watch football. I went to grab something to eat. I love the healthy choices at Scoops. Ice cream is healthy, right? The wraps and salad are fabulous and change daily.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing. As much as I enjoy the shows, DH didn't look forward to them. I went back to the room for a nap while DH went to play video games with the boys in the Ocean Quest (another much repeated activity on the trip). Everyone returned and we got ready for our dinner in Animator Palate. Although we have seen it before, it's always amazing to see the change. We really liked the newer characters that were added and the changes to the music.

After dinner, the boys wanted to, yes you guessed it, return to the clubs. DH and I were ready for the Match your Mate show. We were hoping to get picked, but didn't fit in any of the categories. It was a great time and totally hilarious. Michael, our MC, did an great job off keeping everyone in stitches.

By midnight, it was time to pickup the DSs and head to bed. We were looking forward to the day at sea and sleeping in . . .

Back to that laundry . . . more tomorrow . . .

 

[kevinsmom]

loving your report!! lots of details and FUNNY! how long did it take you to walk to southernmost point?? thanks

 

[DiaLady]

loving your report!! lots of details and FUNNY! how long did it take you to walk to southernmost point?? thanks

Thank . . . I get in trouble with too many details sometimes so maybe there is an advantage . . .LOL

It took us about 3 hours, but we stopped in stores (w/o scary t-shirts) and visited some of the art galleries. We were strolling; not walking quickly . . . Not to mention the stop for Key Lime Pie

Hope that helps

 

[DiaLady]

On our last cruise I was very sea sick during the first two at sea days, but this trip was different! After another wonderful night's sleep (and sleeping late!), we were off to Topsiders for breakfast. Being a buffet, you get your food quickly. The variety is wonderful; from scrambled eggs and crispy bacon to cold cuts and salad.

My favorite was the grapefruit. Some wonderful person had peeled the grapefruit slices for me! Grapefruit at home tends to be very sour, but these grapefruit slices were more on the tangy side; almost sweet - the way grapefruit was meant to taste!

The DSs loved having their Mickey waffles with LOTS of whipped cream and as much orange juice as they could stand. DH found the "order your way" omelet station and he was hooked.

Topsiders gives you the option of eating indoors or seated on the aft deck. I preferred outside, but it was often VERY windy.

After our late breakfast/lunch, the DSs were headed to their clubs and DH & I were headed to Quiet Cove with books in hand.

TIP: There are tons and tons of wonderful activities on the ship. Don't feel like you have to do them all. Don't feel like you have to do any of them. It is YOUR vacation.

This is the day I got into trouble. I was sitting on Deck 10 overlooking the adult pool and simply enjoying the heat of the sun. Being from Virginia and of Irish stock, I tan, but not instantly. By the time I returned to the room to see what DH was up to, I was pretty fried. I will say that the FACE 30 sunscreen that was included with our Castaway Club goody bag was fabulous. My face remained well browned with little sunburning through the entire trip. However, I did remember to apply it pretty regularly.

TIP: USE SUNSCREEN. Don't get fried on the first day at sea. You end up protecting your skin for the rest of the trip and just peel when you get home . . .

Tonight dinner was formal night in Parrots Cay. I had told Pirom, our server, that we would not be in the dining room b/c we didn't bring formal wear. He insisted that it was fine. DH had a jacket and tie and I did have a full length dress (though not a gown). The DSs, however, would still be wearing their polo shirts and slacks.

Overall, I was suprised by the blatent ignoring of the dress code. Throughout the week, we saw teens and dads wearing shorts to dinner. On formal night, we were still on the upper side of the dress. Some folks did come out in tuxes and gowns, but many were still in shorts. I recognize that DCL can only recommend the dress code, but come on . . . it's pretty lax as it is. I know it was a big effort on my part to make sure my boys had dress pants to wear for the trip. Last time we even bought suits for them. Just wish folks would be a bit more considerate of others. Okay, that's it for my rant . . .LOL

I believe this was also the day we went to see Rich Purpara's magic show for the family. He was outstanding! Michael, our MC, did a great job of keeping the children entertained as they waited. We're still laughing at his version of "Singing in the rain." Rich did a great job of include parents and kids in the show. My DS10 has just started learning magic card tricks so this was an extra treat for him.

We headed to bed soon after dinner b/c our excursion in Grand Cayman required us to be at the Promenade Lounge at 7:40 AM. Oh the sacrafices we make to enjoy our vacation . . .

More later (and yes, I'm still doing laundry . . . LOL)

 

[BethA]

We had Pirom before-wanted to request him in Dec, but he was on vacation.

He has remebered us every time we have been back.

 

[disneyfan551]

I think we had Pirom too, in 10/05. Did you take any photos of him?

 

[ldeninge]

Hi Dia,
we were on the same cruise - sorry we didn't run into you.

Your comments about the laundry made me laugh! After 3 days home, we are also just finally finishing up the last few loads!

keep your report coming - it's great! I'm working on my trip report, too.
Lauri

 

[DiaLady]

I think we had Pirom too, in 10/05. Did you take any photos of him?

It's cool that Pirom is so popular . . .LOL. I did take a pictures, but don't have a clue how to include any with this trip report. If I figure it out, I'll add some later . . .

ldeninge - Glad the laundry thing isn't just me . . .LOL. I think I'm up to 12 loads!! I'm amazed how many folks we DIDN'T meet on the ship . . maybe next time . . .can't wait to see your trip report, too!

BethA - This was Pirom's first cruise back after his vacation. He got married a month or two ago at home. Pretty awesome wife to just get married and see him off . . . Pirom is good at what he does. He really helped bring the magic to our trip! Hopefully you can see him on your next cruise.

 

[scottishwee35]

Hiya

Love reading your trip report!!

Looking forward next one lol

when you finish

Scottishwee35

 

[cepmom]

enjoying your trip report!! We were on the same cruise so it's nice to hear other people's version. I'm sorry we never got to meet, but it seems most people didn't have time for DIS meets either! Eagerly awaiting your next installment.

 

[vital]

I am loving your report! I'm especially enjoying the fact that you let your sons have their own vacation as well. I'll be with my DS8 in October and I'm sure he'd rather spend time in the clubs than at the kiddie pool with me! As long as we do some things together, I'm going to follow his lead on when he wants to go to the clubs! I'll make him get off the ship with me in port, but for the most part I'm going to let him make memories for himself as well!

 

[DiaLady]

Although I think I finished the laundry for the trip (except for the new blanket from Cozumel), laundry just keeps coming!! Guess my family just like wearing fresh clean clothes . . LOL

Having Mickey's cheery voice as a wake up call is delightful, but it was still an early morning call. Six-thirty AM came very early. The sun wasn't even up, but it was peaking above the horizon. We were almost to Grand Cayman.

After waking up a groggy family, we headed up to Topsiders for breakfast. We had chosen the Nautilus Undersea Tour & Reef Snorkel. DH wanted a shorter tour. We boarded buses and drove a few blocks down the waterfront. We boarded the submarine/boat. It was kind of eerie looking under the water. The many windows down both sides of the hull were lined with benches. The windows themselves were a 25% magnification of the ocean floor. We enjoyed seeing all the shipwrecks along the way. Our "docent" was from South Africa. He was so funny and very informative. He did a good job pointing out the different types of fish and sharing the history of the wrecks. After about 45 minutes we stopped to snorkel.

What we didn't realize is that all the exploring we had just done was in the harbour . . . and so was the snorkeling!!! We typically love to snorkel, but it was a bit intimidating with all the big ships around us. It was beautiful, but there weren't that many fish . . .even after putting out a bunch of breadcrumbs. The crew was great and very helpful. I guess we were just expecting a little more. I've wanted to snorkel in Grand Cayman for years. This was NOT what I expected from one of the best scuba diving places in the world. The whole excursion was wrapped up in 2.5 hours (it was scheduled for 3-3.5 hr).

After getting of the submarine/boat, we walked down the waterfront to see what kind of shopping we could find. Everyone was hungry at this point. DH volunteered that we should eat in town. We found a wonderful healthy sandwich / smoothie place on 2nd story of one of the buildings. I'm still trying to remember the name. The wraps were delicious and the smoothie really hit the spot! There was also a wireless hotspot here. There were some folks from the ship using their laptops. Because we tendered into port (tendering means you get off the larger ship into a smaller boat that brings you ashore), I didn't feel like I had enough time to go back to the ship and get my laptop. I liked the idea of unlimited wireless, even for a little while!

We did some shopping. We love getting t-shirts at DelSol. The DSs were wearing their DelSol shirts from St. Maartin. They're a bit pricey, but they're fun. DH purchased a swimsuit that changed colors. It was so cool!!! By the time we finished t-shirt shopping, the DSs were ready to return to the ship (and to the clubs). We took the tender home to the Magic and spent the rest of the afternoon lounging in the Quiet Cove.

Oh this was the day I discovered the lovely double cushioned loungers. As many of you know, DCL typically has the white plastic/rubber lounge chairs around the pool. On the port side, right past the coffee shop, they've placed cedar loungers similar to those outside on Deck 4. One opened up and I was able to sit there and read and enjoy the sun. My only request would be that DCL puts some on the starboard side where it is NON-SMOKING! I would return here often as my sunburn healed.

As promised, I didn't make the boys go to a lot of the shows, but I really wanted to see Twice Charmed. We got dressed for dinner early and headed to the show. The DSs and I go to muscials, ballet, and more quite often, but DH only goes with much prompting (and some begging). He kept asking me if this was a play and I telling him it was a muscial. Here's the general definition I explained to him:

• Play = Performance where speaking communicates the story
• Muscial = Performance where speaking and song communicates the story
• Opera = The story is shared only through song. There are rarely spoken parts

Okay, I'm sure there are more varieties out there, but we wanted to keep this simple . ..LOL

The entire family enjoyed Twice Charmed. It was professionally and flamboyantly done. The story is a delightful twist and the additional animation really adds to the atmosphere.

Christiaan (our first timer Cruise director) announced that Jennifer Hudson received a Golden Globe Award. She is a cast member alumni from the Magic!

After shopping some more in the Treasure Ketch, we headed to dinner at Lumieres (again). The second time was much better than the first. We got to chatter more with our table neighbors from Brazil. What a terrific family. It was a joy to share dinner with them each evening (Hi Saad family). We both learned so much from each other. We were amazed at the number of different countries we saw represented in the passengers on this trip.

Tonight DH & I stayed in and watched a movie on our TV

TIP: The TV in your stateroom shows a variety of movies. Enjoy a night in with your sweetie!

After picking up the DSs from the Ocean Quest, we rested our heads to prepare for Cozumel tomorrow.

 

[ZXDAD]

I was also on this trip & it was a blast....Glad you had a good time.

 

[Mr. Moose51]

Great report, please keep it coming!

 

[FletchFab5]

Thanks for the report DiaLady, it's fun to read since we were on the ship also...we passed by your cabin several times as we were on Deck 2 also. I thought it was so cool to see your DIS name and recognizing it from lurking in the 1/13/07 cruise meets thread!! I'll check back for the update!