5-Night Wonder Double Dip Delight Aug 8-13th

[Silverfox97]

Alright, I finally wrote the trip report. I hand wrote it, then DH typed it up and here it is! I will start the first part now......More with pics to follow!

Double Dip Navigators & Cruise Documents August 8-12, 2010

DH & I took a 3-night cruise back in 2005 as part of our honeymoon. We LOVED it! We couldn't wait to go on another one. Fast forward 5 years later, we have moved to Florida, had a child (DD, now 3 1/2), and had not been on a real vacation since. Sure, we take a zillion day trips to WDW (and some extended stays), but it's not going away on a vacation. Not the same.

The planning stages of this cruise began on a whim in Sept 2009, when DH & I were talking about DCL. We were talking about how we'd love to go on a cruise that visited Castaway Cay (CC) twice, as we just didn't have enough time there on our last one. I was "playing" on the DCL website, and lo & behold, I found several double dip (DD) cruises with 2 stops to CC! No! How could this be?? Doing more research, I found "secret" porthole & verandah cabins; really? On our 1st cruise, we booked Cat 12 GTY, and were upgraded by DCL to a Cat 11 room on Deck 7. This was fine - all we did in the room was get ready for dinner and sleep. No need for anything else on a 3-night. But, let's get a verandah! Come on! So, we got a quote thru DU, found out a "secret" verandah room on Deck 6 with a view of CC when docked was available for the Aug 8th sailing (since we don't have a child in school yet, it really didn't matter which sailing we went on, May, June, July or Aug -- it's all the same to us); we just wanted 1)least expensive, 2)secret verandah, 3)main dining time. We booked! Now, came the wait............

In between, I found the thread for our cruise and read about Florida Resident Rates being released. This was an expensive cruise - you could take a 7-night caribbean cruise on the Disney Magic for less than a 5-night on the Disney Wonder. Apparenty, our sailing wasn't filling, so the rates were released. We paid in full in March (tax refund ), so the 60% credit went right back onto our Disney Visa. AMAZING I couldn't be happier being a Florida Resident!!!

So, it's time. Let's begin...............

DAY 1
I woke up at 5:44 am ~ funny thing, the alarm was set for 6 am. I decided to jump out of bed and hit up the elliptical machine one last time before the cruise; showered and got ready quickly. We were pretty much packed except for the usual last minute incidentals. There are 3 of us, myself, my spouse, and our 3 1/2 year old daughter. We were packed into 5 suitcases (well, one was a duffle bag full of our fish extender (FE) goodies), and a carry-on for each of us (DD insisted on having her own carry-on, of course...).

After a quick breakfast and a “see you later” to our 3 cats, the car was packed and we were off to the port. We left at 8:20 AM, which was 20 minutes later than we planned. The drive was quick and easy, although our daughter shed a few tears when we past WDW on I4 and did not stop. We were also thankful that we bought a SunPass Mini to make going thru the tolls a breeze.

We arrive at Port Canaveral about 10 AM. It is just so cool to drive in and see the ship in port!! We asked an attendant where luggage drop-off was and he gave us directions to basically circle around because they were not ready for us yet. Surely this could not be the case, so instead of continuing on, we followed the signs to the Disney parking lot, parked, unloaded and were ready to go. As it turns out, there was a delay with US Customs clearing the ship so things were a bit behind.

In port along with the Disney Wonder were the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas and the Carnival Sensation. Man, the Freedom of the Seas is big and tall. The look of wonder and excitement on our daughter’s face was priceless. The cruise was finally here!!!

We gave our luggage to the porters and made our way to the terminal. The security line was short and went very quick. By this time it was already 10:30 AM and the port was pretty full!

DD and I went to the restroom, while DH went to the Castaway Club line to check us all in. He had no problems – he had our driver’s licenses, birth certificates for all 3 of us, and our marriage license since my birth certificate is obviously in my maiden name. They gave him all 3 Keys to the World (KttW) cards and 2 Silver Castaway Club lanyards! Yeah! When DD and I returned from the restroom we took our KttW cards to the Castaway Club line to get our security photos taken. Piece of cake!

The next set will include pics Day one will continue...........

 

[JenGC]

Great report!

So one person can check everyone in if they have all the documents?

 

[Silverfox97]

Great report!

So one person can check everyone in if they have all the documents?

Yep! Grant it, we had all gone thru security and were at the port, but DH checked us all in while DD & I were in the restroom. He handed us our KttW cards, and we headed back to get security pics. Easy peasy.

I will upload more this evening!!!

 

[JenGC]

Yep! Grant it, we had all gone thru security and were at the port, but DH checked us all in while DD & I were in the restroom. He handed us our KttW cards, and we headed back to get security pics. Easy peasy.

I will upload more this evening!!!

Excellent!! Thanks for the info.

 

[gonzalez8530]

That's great that you are posting a trip report. I look forward to reading it as I still read from our Dis meets area. I didn't know you could travel with a birth certificate still. I thought all were required to have passports now. I would love to hear more about the secret verandah. Also, I didn't know the Magic was much cheaper in cost. I thought it was just based on the trip and time of year, regardless of the ship.

 

[Chee Chick]

I am looking forward to reading more of your trip report. I am planning on taking this same cruise if it is offered in summer 2012. I will be cruising with an almost 3 year old daughter at this time. I would love to hear about the things your daughter really liked and disliked.

 

[Señor DonDuck]

Great day 1 report!

 

[Silverfox97]

Ok, the TR has been all typed up, but today, we decided to run up to WDW for the day (spent the AM at Hollywood Studios, lunch at Norway with the Princesses and left EPCOT early evening after seeing a few attractions). Needless to say, I am a little behind now (sorry). This evening, I have chosen 116 pics for the TR (out of over 1,000!), so now begins DH's job of merging the pics with my TR.

I work 12-hr days weekends, so if I don't post any this weekend, FOR SURE on Monday, we'll finish Day 1 and load the rest. It's 14 pages in Microsoft Word (not including the pics!), so I hope that everyone will enjoy my report! I think this will also be a good way to let friends/family know about the cruise -- kind of like a blog!!

Anyways, keep tuning in - don't give up on me Once it's all posted, please bring on the questions!!

 

[TheThomsLuvDisney]

Subbing in, looking forward to reading more and seeing the pictures!!

 

[mausmu]

We were there with you. Looking forward to the rest of the report.

 

[wonkadeb]

Yes! More, please...

 

[Silverfox97]

DH showed me that we were boarding group #5. When I checked our KttW cards, I was excited to see that the dining rotation that I asked our Dreams Unlimited travel agent to note on the reservation was indeed what I requested!!! (I requested TAATP because we scheduled Palo for night 4 and I was hoping to order some PC food the night we are in AP for the show menu.) We were literally just standing there in the port getting organized, and out walks Mickey Mouse! We were about 4th in line, when I noticed a DIS friend of mine (WeLuvDCL) and her family. So far, a great day!

Captain Mickey & Friends by ssanders79, on Flickr

After meeting Captain Mickey, we went to find a seat & wait. I had my DIS friend and family to chat with, a Navigator to peruse, plus a toddler to occupy. DH went outside to see the ship...

The Wonder in Port by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Time was going slow and the port was filling up fast! We did not even attempt to get back in line to meet Minnie as the line was backed up to the elevators. Now, I will not divulge my secret, but by some pixie dust magic, our boarding group went from #5 to #3! Too Cool!

Our DIS pal is a Platinum Club member and they were at the port before 10 AM, so they were in Group #1. They were among the first to board when the announcement was made to begin boarding. They were going to head over to Parrot Cay to get a table for all of us.

Not 10 minutes after they called for Group #1 to board, they called Groups #2 and #3 together! We were checking out the model of the ship and couldn’t believe our ears! The time had come! Oh Yeah! The only minor (and I stress minor) disappointment was that the port is in the midst of construction and the area where you walk through the Mickey head was walled off. I would have loved to see our DD’s reaction to that! Guess I’ll have to wait to take another cruise so that she can see it! We had our family picture taken; our names announced and were finally on board! They directed us to PC (which is where we were going anyway), and on our way our DD couldn’t believe the portholes. She kept talking about how we were floating on the water.

Now driving from Tampa to the port we hit many stray rain showers, but when we arrived, it was nice and sunny. Well, let me tell you, the heavens had opened up! It was raining so hard that we couldn’t see the ships across the port any longer. When I took DD out to use the restroom, the line to get into PC for lunch was so terribly long, as most people weren’t able to sit outside at Beach Blanket Buffet. This made me very thankful we boarded early. We are already planning on boarding earlier next time by arriving at the port earlier.

The server we had for lunch was phenomenal. He was engaging the 2 girls and made each one of them dog balloon animals, Adorable and fun. He even go my DD to sit in a booster seat, calling it a “princess seat.” I in fact, thought about requesting him as part of our serving team! The PC lunch buffet was delicious. I had already made up my mind that I wasn’t going to go way overboard over indulging on this trip. So although I ate more than I typically do for lunch, I still went conservative. I had a small portion of the potato & leek soup, as well as some random veggies (cucumbers, beets, kidney beans, and olives), and a few peel and eat shrimp. DD had shrimp, cucumbers, a few carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and some mac & cheese (She refused the beets because they were not fresh “stick” beats like at Sweet Tomatoes – Miss Foodie!). I didn’t really see what DH had. My only disappointment was the weak, fresh brewed iced tea. But hey, it’s better than non-brewed!

For dessert, I ate about ½ of a fresh fruit tart, 1 cream puff (small, 2 bites-sized) and this cup that had strawberries on the bottom, topped with what tasted like a light frosting and some white chocolate shavings. This was terrific! In fact, I would have eaten more and I would have been good without the strawberry stuff at the bottom. My DH had an overbaked cookie, a piece of strawberry topped cheesecake and a cream puff. DD ate the other part of the overdone cookie.

By now, it was nearing 1:20 PM and we were all anxious to see our stateroom, and get the kids to bed. So, we parted ways with our DIS friends and climbed a few flights of stairs to Deck 6. There we encountered many other people waiting for them to open the halls to the staterooms. At about 1:35 PM, they welcomed us aboard and let us in. We went to our stateroom and it was perfect!

We booked a “secret verandah” cabin, which was previously a Cat 5. It has been reclassified to 7A due to a partial obstruction view on the verandah. Let me tell you it was beautiful! The 1st time DH and I cruised; it was part of our Disney Wedding and honeymoon. It was a short, 3 night cruise and we were on a tight shoestring budget. Back then we booked a Cat 12 GTY and were upgraded to a Cat 11 inside stateroom on deck 7. So, this room was luxurious to us! We picked up our Navigator and got ready to put DD down for a nap. We decided to let her nap on the bed, so that we could sit on the couch and verandah while she slept with the curtain pulled. We read her a story and she fell asleep.

During naptime our stateroom attendant knocked to let us know we had a note stuck on our fish outside the room (We had not yet put up our FE, as it was in our luggage). It was from another DISer in our FE group that changed rooms. After DD woke up, our luggage began to arrive and we pulled it into the room and left, as 4our o’clock had fast approached. It was now time to head up to deck 10 starboard for the DIS meet prior to the Sail Away Party.

Up we went and DD was just taking it all in. She was still not exactly sure what all of this was. Oh, won’t she soon find out! Once I saw a group of people congregating and shaking hands, I figured they had to be my fellow DIS group! This was confirmed when I overheard “silverfox97”, so I joined the meet group and we chatted for a bit.

Double Dip Map by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


Sail Away Party by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Soon, it was 5pm and the countdown began...3, 2, 1... DCL Horn! Yeah! The time had finally arrived! DD started to cry – she thought “leaving” meant we were leaving the ship, so we took her for a walk around deck 10 so she could wave to the people at the port with Mickey hands and see that we were moving.

See You Later Port Canaveral by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


Heading to Sea by ssanders79, on Flickr

The bow was a busy spot, so we walked back to the stern, were she could see the ship trail in the water. One thing DH and I noted was the weather, it was overcast with grey clouds, just on the verge of a sprinkle. What’s so great about that? The weather was exactly the same in June 2005 when we left on that cruise! Now, instead of being on our honeymoon, we were taking our DD on her 1st major adventure! How exciting!

Mesmerized by the Sea by ssanders79, on Flickr

Time is flying – back to the room! We had all 5 pieces of our luggage (one duffle bag filled to the brim with our FE gifts!!) and began to try to unpack in record time. We hung our fish extender (FE) (which was designed and sewn by myself, and the gold/silver done by DH -- LOTS of HARD work!!),

as well as our door magnets, also designed by DH (which proved very helpful in locating our door!). We do ours a little different; we have pics printed out at Target, then adhere them to magnet paper with adhesive on them. You can check out the "Show Off Your Door" thread on the Cruise Line forum or PM ssanders79 for more info. A lot cheaper than printing them off with inkjet printers onto magnetic paper!!

DH and I had to change for dinner, so while DH changed, I unpacked, then we switched. At 5:40 PM we stopped (got about 65% done – love the shelves in the bathroom and the steamer trunk!) and left for dinner, early seating, 5:45 PM. We had linked our dining with our DIS friends since they had a DD 2 ½. This proved to be a great decision (suggested by WeLuvDCL), as the adults had a lot in common, as well.

Our friends were waiting for us at our table, #55 in Triton’s. DD was soooo excited as her favorite character (currently) is Ariel, and well, she loved Triton’s.

Triton's Mural by ssanders79, on Flickr

Here we were greeted by our serving team - our main server was Balwan from India, assistant server was Lucia from the Dominican Republic and Head Server, Ronald, also from India. They did great right off the bat! I told them up front that DD would most likely order from the adult menu (and she did). We ordered drinks (DD orders H2O in an adult glass with a lemon wedge! Yes she is 3 ½….) and were presented with our menus. Balwan made his recommendations at that time, we told him of DH’s allergy to shellfish which was duly noted. After a little deliberation, Balwan returned to take the kid’s orders. My DD orders the Lobster Macaroni. I order the Apple Smoked Bacon & Wild Mushroom Tart for an appetizer, the French onion soup and Triton’s Sea bass for my main entrée. DH ordered the duck confetti appetizer, tomato & basil soup and the beef tenderloin.

I had already made up my mind that I was going to do my best not to gain weight on this cruise. Tonight, I decided I was going to eat half of everything. I didn’t touch the bread. The tart was OK, nothing great, not terrible, but OK and I ate half. Now, the thing with French Onion Soup is that I eat the cheese and some of the broth – that’s it. That’s what I did at Les Chefs’ de France @ Epcot. So, I did it at Triton’s. It was fine. By now, DD got the three cheese Lobster Macaroni.

Triton's Lobster Macaroni by ssanders79, on Flickr

I cut up the lobster for her and she dug in. I tasted it and it was pretty good. My Sea bass arrived....

Triton’s Sea Bass by ssanders79, on Flickr

I thought it was a little salty, the mushroom her risotto was flavorful and again just ate half.

Now, at this time, Balwan approaches me concerned with me not liking the food. I tell him I am just exercising portion control, the food is just fine – no worries and that if I want something else, trust me, I would say it.

Before I get into dessert, my DH did not at all like the duck confetti. He felt it tasted like goose liver. He did, however, enjoy the tomato basil soup. He also liked the grilled beef tenderloin, which came with olive oil smashed potatoes and bacon wrapped green beans.

Triton's Beef Tenderloin by ssanders79, on Flickr

We ordered dessert and DD ordered, of course, a Mickey Bar. DH ordered the crème brulee.

Triton's Crème Brulee by ssanders79, on Flickr

Now originally, I had planned on ordering the Grand Marnier Soufflé but I changed my mind and decided on the sampler called “Triton’s Sweet Temptations,” which was a small crème brulee, chocolate mousse and a praline petite choux.

Triton’s Sweet Temptations by ssanders79, on Flickr

DD ate the ears from her Mickey bar and was done. She filled up on all that lobster! That’s one of the best things about kids – they stop when they are full! Guess that why she is 3 ½ and her clothes are 18-24 mo/2T! DH loved his crème brulee, but he’ll tell you he hasn’t met a crème brulee he didn’t like As for me, I started with the praline petite choux and I was surprised how good it was. I moved on the chocolate mousse and it was good, but I was not expecting the cherry in the center! It reminded me of Thank You brand cherry pie filling. It was ok, but in my opinion, it would have been better without the filling. Then, I ate the crème brulee, it was delicious. Balwan was happy because I finally cleared a plate.

We left Triton’s and went to check out pin trading in the lobby atrium. I thought that was kind of a bust – one guy that pulled out a rack of pins. Nothing exciting at all. Oh well – after all, it was only day one. We decided to go back to the room to finish unpacking, which we did. We met Cesar, our state room attendant. He had me sign for our Castaway Club welcome gifts, met our DD and came into the room to transform the couch into her twin bed. Love that!

After we unpacked, we left for the Golden Mickey’s. We saw it 5 years ago and knew it was not to be missed. We got there, got seated and hilariously, DD asks if we’re going to our hotel room. Oh dear child... the ship is a floating hotel. She’s not sure yet. The show was great. A little dated, but still good.

The Golden Mickeys by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

After the show, it was time to take a shower and get DD to bed. Luckily, she had no problem falling asleep. At this point, I was getting a little seasick (just nauseated), so I went to bed. I remember this happening the 1st night 5 years ago. But, I had to get to bed and get rest – I was planning on running my 1st 5K in the morning – at Castaway Cay!

 

[Silverfox97]

Neither DH nor I could sleep, so he got up at 5 AM to go out and do his photography. He was going to try to capture the sunrise and take shots of an empty ship. Here are some of photos:

DCL Wonder Stack by ssanders79, on Flickr


Wonder's Quiet Cove Pool by ssanders79, on Flickr


Sunrise on Day 2 by ssanders79, on Flickr


Tritons by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


Tritons's Little Girl by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


Sunrise Pano on Deck 10 by ssanders79, on Flickr


Double Rainbow at Castaway Cay by ssanders79, on Flickr


A Rainy Morning at Castaway Cay by ssanders79, on Flickr

When he got back, DD go up, I got ready for the 5K, and we went up to Beach Blanket Buffett (BBB). I picked up fruit, one Mickey waffle and blueberry muffin for after the 5K. While we were sitting in BBB, it began to rain. Now, I’m not at all a diehard runner, I had just started running in June specifically for the CC 5K. I had walked 5Ks before, but never run. I prefer to bike, use an elliptical and free weights. Basically, I am not running my 1st 5K in the pouring rain. At 8:15, I told DH that if I didn’t run the 5K, I was going to the gym and I’d meet them back in the room to get ready to go to the island.

I went down to Deck 1 and there was a congregation there to run the 5K. We walked over to meet our cast member, who gave us maps and went over the “way” with us as he was not running due to being under the weather. (Sure, “under the weather!!! Let me tell you he was not about to run with the threat of rain!) I decided to go for it. Why not? It was overcast, a little breezy, but the rain stopped. We were off! I had my iPod for tunes and was trucking along. I was in the pack at the end, but it didn’t matter – I was doing it. A few people cheated by turning around early, but I pressed on. As I turned onto the bike path circle, I was running alone. Lucky for me, I couldn’t really get lost. There are red markers every 1000 feet on that part of the path and as I was getting toward the end, the rain started to really come down. Actually, it felt really good. My only problem was the sunscreen dripping into my eyes. Yes, it was waterproof & sweatproof, albeit I don’t think any are downpour proof. I ran all the way back to the ship, and the cast member was there to meet me with a nice, cold bottle of Evian and a purple DCL water bottle. I got back on the ship, climbed the 6 flights back to my room (with a fellow DISer who ran the 5K as well). When I got back, I ate my breakfast and went to take a rinse-off shower. DH left me a note that he and DD went for a walk. It had cleared up nicely!

Castaway Cay Oncoming Storm by ssanders79, on Flickr

 

[Silverfox97]

When they got back, we all got into our swim suits, sun screened up, packed our beach bag and left. We skipped the tram and walked to the family beach. We found 3 chairs in the shade, put down our stuff and made a beeline for the water. DH went to the snorkeling side, DD and I went into the regular area but near the rope. We have a waterproof camera that we brought along, which we love. When we first got in the water, it was a little chilly! We are Floridians, so we like our pool at home 80-83° and this water had a bit of a chill from being mixed up in the storm. We got in anyway and I had to give DD the spiel about not drinking the saltwater (something I did once at Hilton Head Island and was pretty sick).

Fun in the Sun by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

DH went off to snorkel.....

Sunken Mickey I by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

.....and after about an hour, were went back to play in the sand warm up.

We were at the beginning of the family beach and let me tell you, I felt accosted by the cast members. Literally every 3-5 minutes, someone was asking if I wanted to buy the soda/water package, beer, or a cocktail. Are you kidding me? This was truly annoying. DD had fun playing in the sand regardless.

Fun in the Sand by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

DD and I were getting hungry and finally DH returned from snorkeling. We dried off; reapplied sunscreen and went up to Cookies BBQ. We didn’t have to wait in any kind of line at all. The food looked yummy! I had chicken, greek salad, garlic bread, corn on the cob and some fruit. For dessert, I picked up a piece of pineapple upside down cake and a chocolate chip cookie. Now usually, for me to pick up a chocolate chip cookie is abnormal, but this one had a nice barely baked look to it. DH and I love underdone cookies.

The food was good. No complaints here. Now, it was time to go back to the ship – you guessed it – naptime. We took the tram back this time and climbed the stairs to deck 6 and gave DD a shower. I took one as well, read her a story and she was out right away. DH decided to grab his camera stuff/tripod and head back to CC to take pictures, since that is his hobby.

The Flying Dutchman by ssanders79, on Flickr


Flying Dutchman vs DCL Wonder by ssanders79, on Flickr


Mount Rustmore at Castaway Cay by ssanders79, on Flickr


Flying Dutchman by ssanders79, on Flickr


The Flying Dutchman by ssanders79, on Flickr


Castaway Cay Gas Pump by ssanders79, on Flickr


Fill'er Up! by ssanders79, on Flickr


Chillin' with Donald on the Docks by ssanders79, on Flickr


Disney's Wonder by ssanders79, on Flickr

That left me time to sit on the verandah, get the FE gifts together and enjoy CC and the sea air from there. Let me tell you - there is nothing better - so relaxing and beautiful! They were running life boat drills -

"All Afternoon" Life Boat Drill by ssanders79, on Flickr

When DD woke up, DH took a shower, and we all got ready for dinner and headed down. We met up with a few characters in the Atrium Lobby outside Triton’s before making our way to Animator’s Palate (AP).

Sailor Pluto by ssanders79, on Flickr


Sailor Minnie by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


Captain Mickey by ssanders79, on Flickr

Our server, Balwan, was at the door to meet us and show us to our table. This is another thing I love about DCL – you show up at the restaurant, your server sees you, welcomes you by name and leads you to your table. It is little things like that that add to the true magic.

Animator's Palate Menu by ssanders79, on Flickr

For dinner. DH and I both decided to forgo the appetizer. If I would have ordered one, it would have been the wild mushroom risotto, but I had that the previous night with my sea bass at Triton’s. So, I ordered the creamy butternut squash soup and for an entrée, something from the “lighter fare” selections, the black bean chipotle cakes with corn and brown rice. DD ordered some kind of baked fish and peas (from the kids menu – shocking). This meal was much better than I expected. The soup was delicious –

Animator's Palate Soup by ssanders79, on Flickr

DH's Lemon Thyme Marinated Chicken

Animator's Palate Lemon-Thyme Marinated Chicken Breast by ssanders79, on Flickr

I actually ate it all, as I did with the entree. I meant to stop, but the flavors were so good. The black bean cakes actually reminded me of pumpernickel bread. It was the night for the AP show and the look on DD’s face was priceless. This is why we are here! She loved it.

Next, dessert time, DH ordered the cranberry orange cheese cake, which came out looking like a panna cotta - they must have used the same mold.

Animator's Palate Cranberry and Orange Cheesecake by ssanders79, on Flickr

I ordered the baked warm apple crumble. DD ordered vanilla ice cream and that little thing ate the entire full two scoops. We were in trouble now! My apple crisp was ok - it was nice and hot - the vanilla ice cream was melting nicely, but it was a little bland – it needed a little cinnamon and nutmeg. I let DH finish it. I ate half and was full. No need to overdo!

After dinner, we finally got a chance to check out the gift shops. There were a few things that caught our eye, especially the art. We probably would get a few things later in the cruise, but we are totally spoiled by living so close to the two Disney outlets at the Orlando outlet malls. We left and I went to book our next cruise at the on board booking desk. I had to wait in a bit of a line, but once I got there, it went quick, since I was fully prepared. We re-booked for a 7-night Western Caribbean on Oct 1st, 2011. We even got the same room (although a different ship) – secret verandah again!!!

We finally decided to get seat for the show, Once Upon a Song. We could tell that this was not a very popular show, as we had no problem finding a good seat very close to show time. We wanted to go to this show because all 3 of us really enjoy Disney music – from obscure to popular. We made it through a little more than ½ the show. What we saw was terrific. The cast members were very talented. However, the lack of rest was quickly catching up with DD and she was not able to sit well in the seats. And, although DD enjoys the music, I do think that he lack of visual stimulation (ie. characters) that contributed to her restlessness. So, back to the room we went. DD got her bedtime story and went to sleep while DH and I check the Navigator and planned for the next day, which was Nassau – or for us, “Day at Sea #1.”

 

[Silverfox97]

5:59 AM I opened my eyes – time to get up and get to the fitness center in the Vista Spa. I walked in & grabbed and elliptical machine and did my 30 minutes of cardio. After some machines and weight exercises, I grabbed some water and was ready to head back to take a shower. As I was leaving Vista Spa, they have a chest of “fancier” teas and 2 carafes of hot water. I grabbed a couple – I didn’t have a problem with the Twinning’s brand they offered at the Deck 9 drink station (in fact, I really enjoy the decaf Earl Gray), but I did want to get a few of the more “posh” variety.

Nassau is a "sea day" for us. DH & I toured Nassau in 2005, and once is enough. So, we planned on staying on the ship for the day.

While I was in the shower, DH and DD got ready to head down to Triton’s for breakfast. This was something I read about on the boards as a “must do.” After I read the menu, I definitely wanted to try it. We walked in and were seated in the center of the restaurant. I brought my hot tea with me, so I had water. DD ordered milk and DH ordered coffee (DH said the coffee did not taste like NesCafe). The menu is pretty extensive. They have a terrific selection of lighter fare. Everything is a la carte, so if you do not see exactly what you would like, you can pretty much devise your own combination. I always start by helping DD order and she decided on Flounder’s Melon Boat. I decided right away that I wanted “Ariel’s Secret”, which was a buck-wheat crepe filled with scrambled Egg Beaters, spinach and silky tofu with herbed tomato relish. I also ordered a side of wheat toast. DH ordered the “Little Mermaid’s Morning” – two Belgian waffles stuffed with dulche de leche and rolled in sugar & cinnamon served with watermelon wedges.

While we were waiting, the assistant server brought around a tray of pastries – it had donuts (which we later found out are Krispy Kremes, though we did not have any), muffins, etc. DH chose a cheese filled danish-type thing, DD choose an apricot muffin, and I choose a small cinnamon roll. DD ate ½ of her muffin, as I with my cinnamon roll. I had a taste of her muffin, which was good, but my cinnamon roll was dry. DH ate his cheese pastry.

By this time our breakfast arrived. We were overjoyed. My crepe was downright incredible, I ate every bite. In fact, I felt bad because I was too stuffed to eat the wheat toast that I ordered (next time – no half of a cinnamon roll!). DD’s wedge of honeydew was served on strawberry yogurt squiggle, so the server brought her a raspberry Yoplait. DH’s waffles looked small, but were good. He loved it. I took a bite and it was decadent! Looking back, I can say it was the best breakfast we had all cruise.

After breakfast, there were characters outside of Triton’s in the Atrium Lobby, so we stopped to meet a few. We headed back up to our room to get ready to go to the pools.

DD & I headed over to the Mickey pool and met up with our fellow DIS friends. DD played with their DD in the toddler splash zone. After a little bit, I took DD into the Mickey pool and she had a great time. It was busy, but not too crowded. The water was pretty warm.

Mickey Pool by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Once DH arrived, I got out and went to one of the hot tubs at the Goofy pool. I just took a quick dip, then went to grab a salad and fruit from Goofy’s Galley. I ordered my Drink of the Day in a souvenir glass. It was a Rum Runner and it was pretty good. She topped it off with a shot of Bacardi 151. Including the drink, glass and gratuity, it was $7.99 (the glass cost as much as the drink).

After some play time, DH and DD came over to eat lunch. DH got some caesar wraps from Goofy’s and I went into BBB to get some stuff for DD ~ cheese cubes, fruit, shrimp and a few clams. I grabbed a few desserts on the way out – chocolate mousse, a fruit tart and a lemon cupcake with sprinkles for DD. While we were eating, DH started his wild goose chase for Sam Adams beer on draft. He started on Deck 9, then down to the Promenade Lounge. He went to every bar on the ship until he wound up in Diversions, where he finally got his beer and a souvenir mug. He came back happy, but with the news that Sam Adams draft is only available at that one location on the ship. I checked the Navigator and told him to go check out “Chip it Golf” in the Atrium Lobby, but he came back quickly – they were packing up when he got there.

By now it was 1:30 PM, time to get back to the room, shower and get DD ready for her nap. Tonight was Pirate Night and we knew it would be a late night. Our DIS friend lent us a pirate costume for DD, so after she woke up, she put the costume on and we got ready. She even had POTC Crocs! We met up with some pirate characters ~

Pirate Stitch by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


Pirate Stitch & Family by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


Pirate Minnie by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


Pirate Mickey & Family by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

then, headed back to AP for dinner.

Animator's Palate by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Our tablemates’ were at Palo, so it was just us.

Pirate Night Menu by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

The servers get all dressed up- the head servers have these big hats on and everyone looks great. We were looking forward to this menu the most. I ordered the sun ripened pineapple appetizer,

Pirate Night - Sun Ripened Pineapple Appetizer by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

the chilled honeydew and watermelon soup,

Pirate Night - Chilled Honeydew and Watermelon Soup by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

and for my entree, the shrimp and scallop pasta.

Pirate Night - Shrimp and Scallop Pasta by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

DD also ordered the shrimp and scallop pasta. DH ordered the pot sticker appetizer,

Pirate Night - Pot Sticker Appetizer by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

the jerk chicken salad,

Pirate Night - Jerk Chicken Salad by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

and the beef sirloin with sweet potatoes for his entrée.

Pirate Night - Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

We enjoyed our appetizers, but I did not at all like the soup. It was basically like they took watermelon, put it in a blender, chilled and served it. DH, on the other hand had a great salad, and I plan to order that next time. The bread was great (cornbread) and I loved the relish.

Pirate Night - Bean Dip by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Balwan even brought me another relish – I didn’t even put it on the bread, just ate it with a fork. The seafood pasta arrived and Balwan de-shelled DD’s shrimp and cut her food I was so excited! This was very very helpful. The Disney difference for sure. My pasta arrived and Balwan de-shelled my shrimp as well. I have to say this is my favorite entrée of all in rotational dining. DD loved hers as well. The scallops especially were cooked perfectly. I didn’t finish the pasta (portion control), but DD and I ate all the seafood.

Dessert time came and DD didn’t want anything. DH ordered the coconut rice pudding with raspberry sauce and I decided on the Floating Island.

Pirate Night - Floating Island Dessert by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

The meringue was a little to sugary for me, but the fruit and vanilla sauce was good. DH’s rice pudding was also pretty good, but could have used more raspberry sauce drizzled over it, rather than just a spot on the side.

Pirate Night - Coconut Rice Pudding with Raspberry Sauce by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

After dinner, we met Jack Sparrow outside the Walt Disney Theatre, and then went to see “A Pirates’ Life for Me” in Studio Sea. It was cute. We headed out to check out the Oceaneer Club, as we wanted to get her acclimated before we had to leave her when we went to Palo the next night, especially since she doesn’t go to daycare or school.

Oceaneer Club by ssanders79, on Flickr

We talked to a sweet counselor, who gave us a little tour and let us look around. DD got her bracelet and we got the pager. She was GONE! She never looked back. On the Navigator, it was time for “So you want to be a pirate?” with Captain Hook, followed by “Sliding Fun,” which we knew she would love. We left her, and DH and I went for a walk around the ship and to check out the gift shops without DD. We kept waiting, waiting and waiting to get a page and it never came!

We went to pick her up & head up to the pirate party. She was playing on the huge slide and at some point, she let someone draw an eye patch on her with black face paint. I could not stop looking at it - she looked hilarious. We climbed up to Deck 10 and the party was already under way. I could tell DD was tired, it was already 10 PM (bedtime is typically 8:30-9 PM at home). A very nice lady let DD stand on her deck chair, and DD was dancing to the music. DH went to get some sodas and ice to drink. As soon as DH returned, DD started to complain about her face burning. Turns out it was an irritation caused by the face paint, so off DH went to get a wet towel to wipe the paint off her face. The show was about to climax and Mickey was coming down to save the day and start the fireworks.

Pirate Mickey to the Rescue by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

That part just never gets old – fireworks at sea! DD loved it.

Now came the worst part of the entire cruise – the crowded fight on deck to get in line for the Pirate Buffet. We were not really hungry, but we wanted to see what they had to offer, so we got in the line. There was no breeze on deck 9 thanks to the Plexiglas as well as a slow cruising speed. Since we are Floridians, we do not have a problem with the heat and humidity, but this was a muggy environment to say the least. DH made a steak soft taco while DD and I passed. Once you see the dessert buffet, you are almost forced to try something! Even thought I was not hungry, DH and I made a small plate of a few small desserts; a sampler platter if you will. We took them over to the big screen where POTC – Curse of the Black Pearl was playing. Finally, a breeze and it was cooling down! The desserts were ok, noting spectacular. It was 11:15 PM so we headed to our room to get DD off to sleep! We were all exhausted. Now, I see why the sea day follows Pirate Night!

 

[Silverfox97]

The next day, DH got up again to take pictures....

Ghost Ship by ssanders79, on Flickr


Walt Disney Theatre Lobby by ssanders79, on Flickr


The Little Mermaid Mural by ssanders79, on Flickr


Deck 9 in the Morning by ssanders79, on Flickr


Quiet Cove by ssanders79, on Flickr

I got ready to go to the gym, so that I could leave when he returned. Now comes the part of the cruise that sucked - one of my contacts ripped – OH NO!!! I did not bring a backup pair. This means glasses for the rest of the cruise, which I am not used to (my glasses are meant to wear in the evenings after I take my contacts out before bed). I was so sad. Oh well, c’est la vie. Off to the gym @ 6:45am. That never gets old – riding the elliptical behind the windows with the open sea ahead.

For this cruise, the “Day at Sea” made DH and I laugh! We were traveling at a whopping 5.4 knots (according to the onboard TVs). This is because there is not much of a distance to travel between Nassau and Castaway Cay. In fact, according the tracking map (channel 205) we made a rectangle in the sea. DH and I dubbed the day “wasting fuel day”.

After working out and a shower, we went down to BBB for breakfast. DH and I needed to eat light today as it was Palo night! I had scrambled eggs, 2 Mickey waffles (the small version) with fresh strawberries, and the hot tea from the Vista Spa. DH likes the omelets they have there. It was nice and relaxing sitting outside eating breakfast. Once breakfast was over, we went to meet more characters in the Atrium Lobby ~

Minnie's Sundress by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


Daisy by ssanders79, on Flickr


Pluto by ssanders79, on Flickr

After that, we decided to walk around and enjoy the ship. We walked all the way around Deck 4, there is some neat stuff to see up in the bow. Those anchor chains are huge!

Wonder Anchor Chain by ssanders79, on Flickr

It was a nice walk. You could even see another cruise ship off in the distance from the rail We stopped in Diversions to look around. They have an array of board games to choose from and ESPN going on the TVs. DD was drawn to the portholes, of course.

Loving the Portholes by ssanders79, on Flickr

It is really a nice spot to hang out, especially on a day at sea. On our way back to the lobby, we spotted our fellow DIS friends on their way to the Castaway Club reception (for Gold & Platinum members only ), so the girls hung out in the portholes along Route 66.


Havin' a Great Time on Route 66 by ssanders79, on Flickr

It was almost time for the Princess Gathering in the lobby. This was by far the longest line for any group of characters excluding Captain Mickey at the port. The way the line was set up was great. All lines should be like this when there are multiple characters in the same area. What is so great? It is just one big line and you go from one princess to the other - similar to the Character Spot at Epcot. Much like a receiving line at a wedding, Snow White was first, then Tiana, Cinderella, and capped off with Belle.
DD was so excited, but was soon disappointed when she did not see Ariel.

Snow White by ssanders79, on Flickr


Princess Tiana by ssanders79, on Flickr


Cinderella by ssanders79, on Flickr

She gave the first three the cold shoulder before warming up to Belle, who is creeping up to Ariel as one of her favorites.

Belle by ssanders79, on Flickr

I am certain that will be the case after Oct 5th when “Beauty and the Beast” is released on Blu-ray, since she has never seen that movie.

Once we were done, DD was asking to go play in the Kids Club. The timing was perfect; it was almost time to “Do-si-do with Snow White”. We told her she could go for 1 hour, and then it will be time for lunch. While she was in the kids club, DH and I went back to the gift shops and I bought a cool Christmas ornament and two keepsake postcards. However, my friend and I had made a “shopping date” to come back in the afternoon while the kids were napping, so since DH wasn’t going to be there, we made a list so that I wouldn’t forget anything (not that there was a lot to get anyway!).

 

[Silverfox97]

When we returned to the kids club, we had to find DD again in the sea of kids. She was again on the big slide. The only thing that kept her from crying was the promise that she’d be there later that night while we were dining at Palo. We decided to try Triton’s a la carte lunch.

Ariel & Family by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


2 Princesses by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr


Triton's Lunch Menu by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Again, light eating was the plan. So, I ordered two appetizers – the antipasto platter and the chilled strawberry soup. DD ordered grilled chicken fingers with steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and DH ordered a cheeseburger with mozzarella sticks as a side from the kids menu.

My antipasto platter was ok – it was the perfect size (although I can never get enough olives), but the strawberry soup was decadent. I swear all they did was take a strawberry sundae and melt it down and call it soup! Delicious! DH enjoyed his cheeseburger, but DD was taking forever to eat her lunch. The server came around and asked about dessert, and I decided to order the tiramisu, and DD ordered a Mickey Bar. I told DD that she had to quickly finish her lunch, as they couldn’t bring our dessert until she was done. I understood her dilemma – she is used to my cooking which means that most all our veggies get oven roasted with olive oil and salt & pepper. Steamed veggies have zero flavor compared to when they are roasted, so I helped her along and she was finally done.

By now, the server dropped off our desserts. DH didn’t order anything as he banked on finishing DD’s Mickey Bar. Well, when DD picked up the Mickey Bar to take a bite of the ear, it fell off the stick and made a mess all over her clothes. It had definitely been out of the freezer for a while. I hurried up and ate my tiramisu (it was good, but it was no Palo tiramisu!) and we headed back to our room to get DD changed.

While DD napped, I left to meet my friend to shop and stop at guest services to drop off my gratuity sheet. We had lots of fun shopping. When I got back, DD was still sleeping and DH was editing some photos. Once she woke up, DH and I got ready for Palo and then we took DD up to watch “The Little Mermaid” on the big Ariel View TV screen on Deck 9 and eat an early dinner. She loved sitting on Deck 9 watching a movie and eating pizza. A real treat for her since TV is never allowed during meals at home. Ahhh... This is the life...

Dinner and a Movie by ssanders79, on Flickr

When she was done, we headed down to the lobby to get pictures with characters in their formal wear. (Notice I am taking off my glasses for the photos.)

Formal Goofy by ssanders79, on Flickr


Formal Chip & Dale by ssanders79, on Flickr


Formal Chip & Dale and Family by ssanders79, on Flickr


Formal Donald and Family by ssanders79, on Flickr

Minnie and Daisy were not there; they were going to be there later. Once we were done, we took DD to the kids club and went back up to the room to get glasses of our Lonz wine to take with us to Palo.

Palo by ssanders79, on Flickr

We arrived at Palo before they opened; our reservation was for 6pm. We stood outside with three other couples and we chatted for a while. Finally, they opened the doors and we were first in! We were led to our table and met our server, Marco. Our DIS friends had him the night before and raved about him. I told Marco we had been looking forward to this for some time and I was all prepared and ready to order!

Palo Menu by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

DH ordered the Quattro Fromaggio pizza (recommended by Marco, but you never have to talk my DH into ordering pizza!) and I ordered the Fried Calamari. First, we were brought an antipasto platter, and I laughed since I had one for lunch; but again, I can never get enough olives

Palo Antipasto Platter by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

When our appetizers arrived, they looked amazing. DH shared a bite of his pizza and it was phenomenal.

Palo Quattro Fromaggio by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Really, he had no problem polishing that off, nor did I with my Calamari (which included two shrimp on the top as a garnish). Delicious, and I do not hesitate to say the best calamari I’ve ever eaten (Marco said the secret is soaking the calamari in milk.).

Palo Fried Calamari by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

We ordered our entrees and DH ordered the Palo Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola sauce, which was not a surprise to me. I don’t buy red meat, so this was DH’s “red meat” vacation. I ordered a ½ order of the pumpkin and broccoli gnocchi and a ½ order of the lobster ravioli. Marco wanted to bring me a full order of one, but I politely declined and told him I was trying to exercise portion control, plus we were ordering four deserts to share. Before our entrées arrived, we were treated with a lemon sorbet palate cleanser.

Palo Lemon Sorbet Palate Cleanser by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Our entrees were just as good as we expected. DH didn’t even need a knife to cut his filet and it almost melted in his mouth.

Palo Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

I got a taste and it was very good. But for me, I prefer to eat seafood as much as I can while on vacation, so I was ready for mine. While the gnocchi was good,

Palo Pumpkin and Broccoli Gnocchi by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

the lobster ravioli outshined it; a truly delicious entrée.

Palo Lobster Ravioli by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

We cleaned our plates this time! OK, DH and I were already full. We typically stop, but tonight was Palo night and how could we skip dessert? We ordered the tiramisu, the panna cotta, the pineapple almond ravioli and the chocolate soufflé. I ate the tiramisu (way better than Triton’s), as DH doesn’t care for it.

Palo Tiramisu by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

I took a bite of the ravioli and DH enjoyed the rest.

Palo Pineapple Almond Ravioli Dessert by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

We pretty much shared the panna cotta, which was also good.

Palo Panna Cotta by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Now, the chocolate soufflé.

Palo Chocolate Soufflé by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

We had it on our cruise 5 years ago and it was phenomenal, so our expectations were high. We were very surprised, as this one was a little dry and over baked. Truthfully, we didn’t care, because we were so stuffed at this point. To cap off a wonderful dinner, Marco brought us a “digestive” sorbet shot, which was vodka, sparking wine, and lemon sorbet – very good. We pretty much waddled out of Palo.

After dinner, we stopped outside to enjoy the remainder of the sunset on Deck 10 aft before heading to Radar Trap to order our duty free liquor.

DSC_3084.jpg by ssanders79, on Flickr

We went back up to the kids club to pick up DD before Toy Story, The Musical. Once we finally found her, she had a princess costume on over her clothes and she was wearing someone else’s shoes! I am so glad she doesn’t go to daycare! It actually took a few minutes, but finally got her purple Minnie crocs back and then she began crying as we were checking her out of the Oceaneer Club.

We went down to get a seat for TS the Musical. DD exclaims that she is hungry, so I asked her why she didn’t eat in the kids club. She made some remark about not eating the swill chicken fingers and fries! Thankfully, her mom is smart and brought her thermos with ice water and a box of animal crackers, which she quickly polished off. Toy Story the Musical is ok, but it started to drag a little in the middle which led to some restless children in the audience, including ours. We stuck with it, and the show turned the corner and finished strong.

After the show we headed to the lobby to see if we could get quick pictures with Daisy and Minnie in their formal wear. Well, we got Donald and Daisy,

Formal Donald and Daisy by ssanders79, on Flickr

but after we were done, it was already 10 PM and Minnie wasn’t even out yet and we knew we were already pushing the limits too far – she was dead tired, so to bed we all went.

Towel Peacock by ssanders79, on Flickr

 

[Silverfox97]

Castaway Cay Skull & Crossbones by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

In the morning, DH got a little later start on his photo walk around the ship and I was so tired, that instead of getting up and ready for the gym when he left, I fell back to sleep.

Sunrise at Sea by ssanders79, on Flickr

DH came back just before 7AM and I jumped up and raced to the gym. It was busy, but I still found an open elliptical. Today was the best day because I could see the Captain and another officer on the deck docking the ship at Castaway Cay. That was really neat to watch while working out. Here's the view from our verandah room, #6634 ~

Verandah View of Castaway Cay by ssanders79, on Flickr

We planned on Triton’s for breakfast, and DD begged us to go there The problem was (and this may sound crazy), DH and I were still full from Palo the night before! So much to DD’s disappointment, it was back up to BBB. I had a light breakfast of oatmeal and fruit with of course, the hot tea from the Vista Spa. After breakfast, it was time to get our stuff and head to the beach.

On the gangway we met up with our DIS friends, so we walked along with them and met Mickey,

Island Mickey by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Minnie,

Island Minnie by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Pluto,

Pluto at the Beech by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

and Lilo and Stitch along the walkway. We set up shop at the farthest spot on the “new” family beach down past Pelican Plunge.

Pelican Plunge at Cataway Cay by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

The kids made a bee line for the water, which was much warmer than it was just a few days ago. We enjoyed lots and lots of water and sand time. DH and DD made a little sand town near the shore, complete with a moat and bridge.

Sand Town at Castaway Cay by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

I got out of the water, rinsed off at the shower (I hate the feeling of dry sea water on my skin) and ordered the DotD, a Stingray (I opted not to get the 1200 calorie Konk Kooler!). It was a good drink, but it was weak. I guess that is what you get with a $3.95 ($4.54 with auto tip) drink. The one thing I liked about this spot on the beach was I had to flag down a server to order my drink. Not once was I stalked or harassed to buy one! Everyone got rinsed off and we went for lunch at Cookie’s. There were a few different offerings – couscous salad, garlic and cheese foccacia and yummy banana bread. I tried those along with chicken and corn on the cob. For dessert, DH brought over cookie dough ice cream. It was tasty!

Time was flying by - it was already 2 PM. We stopped in the Castaway Cay gift shop as I wanted a DCL sand mold. Well, you can only get it in a pack with other sand toys for $18.95. No way, I do not want it that bad. We took the tram and boarded the ship. Time for showers and get DD down for a nap. DD was sad because she wanted to go to Scuttle’s Cove to do the whale dig, but there was just no time. Plus, she was playing with the 2 ½ year old of our DIS friends, so she was having a blast anyways. Another reason why we just need to come back!!

While DD slept, DH got the tripod and camera ready on the verandah for a few family photos, as I wanted a picture for a Christmas card (and I will not be posting the final pic here ). DD awoke with one of those in cabin announcements and I was sad her nap was rudely interrupted, but what can you do? We took some pictures and then headed down for dinner.

Father & Daughter by ssanders79, on Flickr


On the Verandah by ssanders79, on Flickr

We first walked around Shutters looking for our pictures from the last few days. I was not at all impressed. I planned on buying the “two 5x7s for $19.95” package, as I wanted a family picture with the nighttime Wonder backdrop. Well, it did not turn out as I hoped. DD was not cooperating. I found one maybe - all the rest were captured on DH’s camera, so we ditched them. I guess if I really want fancy borders, DH knows his way around Photoshop pretty well!

Off we went, back to our favorite rotational dining spot, Triton’s, for the “Til We Meet Again” menu. DH and I ordered the chicken satays with mint yogurt sauce.

“Til We Meet Again” Chicken Satay Appetizer by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

Our friends brought their Platinum Castaway Club cheese platter to the table to share:

DCL Castaway Club Platinum Cheese Platter by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

The cheese platter makes the “All Hands on Deck” cheese plate from room service look pathetic; it is not even fair to compare the two! We also both ordered the Potato Leek soup which was good. By the way, except for pirate night, I didn’t eat the bread, so I cannot comment on it. For dinner, DD and I both ordered the seafood linguini pasta with lobster, scallops, shrimp and clams.

“Til We Meet Again” Seafood Linguini Pasta by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

DH continued on his beef tradition and ordered the grilled beef tenderloin and he was also looking forward to the asparagus as well.

“Til We Meet Again” Grilled Beef Tenderloin by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

I took DD’s clams, as she told me she “wasn’t ready to try those yet” (I think she was turned off by the shells). This pasta wasn’t so great, the lobster tasted gritty, almost like sand in it or something. I ate the scallops, clams, and some pasta while I helped DD do the same.

Dessert was a quandary; Baked Alaska or Celebration Cake? Tonight, there was no way I could get 2. I tried to get DD to order the Baked Alaska, but she’d rather have the Mickey Bar. So the whole table went with the Celebration Cake, which I really liked.

“Til We Meet Again” Celebration Cake by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

DH wondered where the rest of it was; it was small, but I thought it was just enough! This turned out to be our least favorite menu.

After the dinner the show put on by the servers, it was tip envelope pass-out time. I wrote out thank you cards for each and put their tip envelopes inside. I wanted to book it out of there and head over to officer pin trading which was chaos! There was one cast member who had a pin book and was ambushed; he surrendered and laid the book on the ground so the vultures could attack at will. I traded a lot of pins and ended up getting a nice Ariel for DD and Uncle Scrooge for DH. While I was pin trading, DH, DD and our friends met Goofy and walked outside to Deck 4.

Sailor Goofy by ssanders79, on Flickr


Walt by ssanders79, on Flickr

We got in to get seats for “Disney Dreams” & DH went up to Deck 9 to get ice and water for DD and the show began. DD finally got to see Ariel, albeit not in person, in the show.

Disney Dreams Finale by Scott Sanders [ssanders79], on Flickr

It is a great show, but in my opinion the Golden Mickey’s should be on the last night. After the show we raced back up to our room – it was almost 9:30 PM and our luggage was due out in an hour. Our state room was not a mess, we just unpacked and “moved in,” making it harder to pack quickly. We decided to move everything to the big bed so we could get DD off to sleep. She was exhausted and fell right to sleep. No matter how much noise we made, she didn’t make a sound (as we couldn’t see her since the curtain was closed – love that feature). We feverously packed and our stateroom attendant called at 10:25pm to check on us. I was a little miffed, but it did not stir DD. In the nick of time, we passed the luggage out to Caesar just after 10:30pm and got to bed ourselves.

 

[Silverfox97]

Breakfast the final morning was at 7am in Triton’s. Thank God, because any earlier we would have been late or would’ve went to BBB. I woke up early as usual, took a shower, dried my hair and DD still didn’t wake up! I felt bad for her, but I hoped she would sleep in the car on the way home.

DD finally got up, groggy and got ready to leave. It was time to leave our cozy veranda room for the last time. We made sure DD had all her personal items and DH did a final search to make sure nothing was left behind or fell under the bed.

We arrived at Triton’s and our servers presented our menus for the last time. I ordered some waffles to split with DD and decaf coffee. It was ok, but not all like the regular Triton’s breakfast menu. After we ate, we said good bye to our friends and planned to meet again at WDW. I took DD to the bathroom and the crying began... I wanted to stop at the future cruise booking desk to see about perhaps booking another cheaper cruise before our October 2011 sailing, but the line was astronomical and DD was visibly upset as it was finally setting in that we were leaving the ship and heading home. We waved to the Captain and the other Officers as we disembarked the ship. DD cried all the way down the gangway. She did not want to leave the Disney ship and didn’t understand why we had to go home.

We went to get our luggage (we didn’t use a porter) & we stood in line for customs and the line went very fast. When it was our time, DH presented our birth certificates and drivers’ licenses along with our marriage license and off we went.

NOTE: There are signs, but they are not very visible especially when you are searching for your luggage. US CUSTOMS AND BOARDER PROTECTION PROHIBIT THE USE OF CELL PHONES AND THE TAKING OF ANY PICTURES/VIDEO WHILE YOU ARE IN THE TERMINAL. A gentleman behind us was forced to delete a few pictures from his camera and there were quite a few people scolded for using their cell phones, including those just texting.

We exited the terminal, walked down the side walk, crossed the street, loaded up and were on our way back to Tampa. DD did sleep some on the way home, although as we were picking up I4 outside WDW she woke up. Unlike on the way to the port she didn’t cry to stop this time ‘ Till next time......

Prologue – after just 72 hours at home we decided to book a cruise for Jan 2011 as there was just no way we could wait almost 14 months until our 7-night western (I am still sad that we didn’t book on board, since we are missing out on all of the onboard booking benefits). We found a perfect cruise (for us), a 5 night Double Dip “holiday” cruise Jan 3rd-8th on the Magic. It is our “budget” add-on cruise, so no verandah….. yet (I am still hoping for Florida resident rates for both Jan and Oct cruises!). In fact, the Jan cruise is not at all filling, even with the “Kids Sail Free in Verandah Cabins “promotion (DCL isn’t advertising this very well for our cruise), so I think we have good chances of getting Florida Resident Rates. We are on our way to becoming gold level Castaway Club members, and hopefully will soon be working towards Platinum! We shall see what the future holds.

***One of our reasons for booking the Jan 2011 cruise – I think we’ll have a chance to be part of DCL history! On Jan 6th, the Disney Wonder ship will be leaving on a repositioning Panama Canal cruise, taking it to its new home in California, where it will be doing Alaskan & Mexican Rivera cruises. Sometime during this time, the new taller, longer, and wider ship, the Disney Dream will be making its way over to Florida from Europe, where it is currently being built. We’ll be on the Disney Magic, and I have a feeling that we will be part of a photo shoot with all three ships! How cool would that be??? If it happens, then every time we see a picture with the three ships, we’ll know we were on one of them! (And, our DIS friends will be on the Wonder on that Panama Canal cruise – lucky to be taking a 15 night cruise!!!).

For those interested here is a link DH put up with the Navigators & Cruise Documents.

We hope you have enjoyed our trip report and can’t wait to take our next Disney cruise! It’s truly addicting

Please, if you have ANY questions, ask away!!!

 

[Melissa&Shawn]

Incredible trip report! Thank you so much for all your hard work putting it together! We are cruising in mid Jan on Magic with a 2 3/4 year old and this helped immensely! I was thinking we wouldn't make it to the Pirate party but it looks like we can try to push her. And you are VERY lucky to have a little girl who eats variety! I'm hoping to get DD to eat more than mac and cheese, grilled cheese and chicken nuggets but Jan! Thanks again!!!