Here's some catch-all impressions that don't really fit anywhere:
- We got a good deal on a Fossil watch for Teresa on board the Wonder,and I got a nice polo shirt with the
DCL logo. It's nice to be able to utter "good deal" in the same breath as "Disney."
- Was a three-day long enough? I did miss that sea day, candidly. But three days on the Disney Wonder beats the heck out of three days in Jackson, Mississippi ... or anywhere on land, for that matter. Think of it as a long weekend, and remember that for port experiences, you're getting just as much as 4-day cruisers.
- An inside cabin was just not that much of a hardship, at least for three days. The three of us did fine, and didn't feel cramped. I did miss natural light. Oddly enough, the single bathroom worked as well as the split plan, and that was a concern going in. One person could be in the bathroom while someone else did hair/makeup at the desk/vanity. Once you're out of the stateroom, all cruisers are created equal (except, perhaps, for those who are in the highest level suites and have concierge services.)
- The food, overall, was quite good. It was much better than I recalled from our Magic cruise, years ago. Just realize that, apart from Palo, your particular dish won't get the same TLC as it might in a fine restaurant on land. But for folks who say the food was "awful" - respectfully, but,
dude . Maybe it's because I'm just as comfortable with Waffle House as I am Emeril. I'll grant, too, that the servers can elevate a good enough meal experience to something really special.
- Regrets about Palo? I don't know. For Amy, especially, I wanted her to experience all three dining rooms. But ... if I had it to do over again, I think I would have had lunch in Parrot Cay one day and do Palo for dinner on that rotation. Palo is something special ... I'm still remembering a sublime portabello mushroom appetizer, melt-in-your-mouth rack of lamb, and the souflee, which might be the definitive dessert.
- I wish smoking was restricted to outside areas. I would've loved to have hung out in the Cadillac Lounge some, just to chill with a solo pianist, but my one foray in there was like sucking on the tailpipe of a Greyhound bus.
- The public restrooms were great. I may be venturing into TMI here, but the girls preferred that I leave our stateroom on occasion.
Those restrooms were impeccable. That whole ship is scrubbed down more frequently than a newborn kitten.
- We didn't run into a single unpleasant guest. Not ONE. I've been witness to some unpleasant "vacationer's tantrums" at WDW more times than I care to remember.
- This is obviously out of Disney's control, but the weather was perfect.
Perfect.
- When you visit Nassau, remember - there's more to see than Bay Street. You can get a lot done in half-a-day there. For me, the stuff that's been there since the 1700's is more appealing than any glitzy resort (not that I'm not immune to the charms of a glitzy resort, mind you.) It
is touristy ... what did you expect?
I'll be happy to answer questions, hear comments, tolerate snide remarks, etc.
I've got one or two more thoughts. They'll have to wait.
