A Mother's Day Cruise on the Fantasy sandwiched between BCV (Complete 10/12, p.33)

[Pinkocto]

What a shame that Aulani had to be postponed by another year. I am getting so excited about my upcoming trip that I am not even sure I can wait until November. Well done on booking another cruise. What a shame that there were so many grumpy people around.

Corinna

There are quite a few vacations to keep me occupied next year. And because Aulani was postponed I'm able to do a Mexico cruise in October so everything worked out. But I'll be very very excited when I can finally book that trip. I can just imagine how you're feeling!

Those grumps came out way too early that's for sure!

 

[MEK]

The only thing with Palo on the first night is you won't meet your tablemates and servers right away. And Palo's food is a step above the food in the main dining rooms so hopefully you won't be comparing everything to Palo. But that will be a really special first evening on your first cruise

)

I know. It's kind of a weird choice but it was really booked up so I figured why not. I definitely am not worried about the comparison. I just think its sort of an intimate way to start off the cruise. I am looking forward to all the restaurants on board.

Back to get caught up now.

 

[MEK]

The mystery guy looks like Archie Bunker. Sorry, I couldn't resist!

Cute Splash area indeed.

That rainbow (I mean double rainbow) is amazing. How beautiful.

Dinner looks amazing! Can't wait to eat there.

 

[MEK]

Sorry to hear Connor is not doing well. It's so tough to care for aging animals. Mine all got old at once.

So - GREAT sea day! You ended up with another cruise booked and there is nothing wrong with THAT! woo hoo!

the food porn is seriously killing me now. I have to get up and find something to eat, but it won't be anything like what's in those pictures.

I keep pushing DL back just like you keep pushing back Aulani. I blame it on Denny who didn't want to go in Feb 2015 and then I changed it to Sept 2015, but now I think I pushing it back to 2016. Maybe I should just due DL and Aulani! Now there's an idea!!!!!

 

[FutureMrsF]

Love your trip report it has helped so much in knowing I have absolutely made the right decision choosing this for our big vacation next year.

I have a question if you don't mind when you said the following about choosing your cabin, please can you tell me how to do this. I just thought I said if I wanted inside, ocean view, verandah etc. I don't know how to choose specific categories or rooms?

"Our glorious room, #7502. I had originally booked us an Aft verandah cabin, also on 7, but it saved $300 to switch to this one. I asked mom first and she was totally fine without having a verandah. There were two available in this category when I changed so I looked both of them up and picked this one because of how big people said it was. Then I scoured the web looking for pictures and was very pleased with my pick when I found them. "

Thank you so much in advance

Andrea x

 

[Pinkocto]

Love your trip report it has helped so much in knowing I have absolutely made the right decision choosing this for our big vacation next year.

I have a question if you don't mind when you said the following about choosing your cabin, please can you tell me how to do this. I just thought I said if I wanted inside, ocean view, verandah etc. I don't know how to choose specific categories or rooms?

"Our glorious room, #7502. I had originally booked us an Aft verandah cabin, also on 7, but it saved $300 to switch to this one. I asked mom first and she was totally fine without having a verandah. There were two available in this category when I changed so I looked both of them up and picked this one because of how big people said it was. Then I scoured the web looking for pictures and was very pleased with my pick when I found them. "

Thank you so much in advance

Andrea x

Hi Andrea,

If you booked your cruise through DCL you can go on their website and through the 'Planning Center' look up your reservation and change things around. You'll need to click 'modify reservation' and from that screen you can change your room category or number or even sail date. I'm on the phone so can't look up the exact wording. But the things you can change are highlighted and if you click you will be taken to a new page. If you want to change your room it will give you options for rooms that are still open in that category. It should also show a map of where the room is on the ship if you're on a desk top. I've found it won't work on the phone or tablet. If you don't want to change anything nothing will be done until you save changes.

You can also change categories and it will give you the price that category would have been when you originally booked.

If you booked through a TA they will have to do this for you.

 

[Pinkocto]

I know. It's kind of a weird choice but it was really booked up so I figured why not. I definitely am not worried about the comparison. I just think its sort of an intimate way to start off the cruise. I am looking forward to all the restaurants on board.

Back to get caught up now.

It will be a really nice way to start the cruise I like the idea!

The mystery guy looks like Archie Bunker. Sorry, I couldn't resist!

I want to know! Im so nosey

Cute Splash area indeed.

One of these days I'm going to go in there, as long as there's no kids...

That rainbow (I mean double rainbow) is amazing. How beautiful.

Very special to see that, I couldn't get over it.

Dinner looks amazing! Can't wait to eat there.

Be sure to save room! And most dishes you can get small sizes of, if you want to taste several things.

Sorry to hear Connor is not doing well. It's so tough to care for aging animals. Mine all got old at once.

He's a 13 year old baby. I love him to pieces and will be a wreck when he leaves me. This eye thing has really made me acknowledge he's not invincible

So - GREAT sea day! You ended up with another cruise booked and there is nothing wrong with THAT! woo hoo!

Love sea days, everything about them. Make sure to book another one onboard if you feel at all you'll want to cruise again. You get 10% off and an onboard credit for the next cruise. And you can change it up to a certain amount of time in the future, I think 18 months. And you can transfer it to a TA if you want.

the food porn is seriously killing me now. I have to get up and find something to eat, but it won't be anything like what's in those pictures.

Not long now

I keep pushing DL back just like you keep pushing back Aulani. I blame it on Denny who didn't want to go in Feb 2015 and then I changed it to Sept 2015, but now I think I pushing it back to 2016. Maybe I should just due DL and Aulani! Now there's an idea!!!!!

I would LOVE to do DL and Aulani in the same trip, and I'm sure one day I will. That would be fabulous!

So many trips, not enough vacation time

What are you going to do in Fall next year if you're pushing back DL?

 

[hstrickland]

Hi there, Pam

Been MIA for a while, but I think I'm finally caught up on all the TRs...except mine

Totally love the rainbow pics!! Just awesome!! I've never seen a double rainbow before.

We haven't been looking at any cruise stuff lately...just been too busy. However...after looking at your pics again, I'm totally in the mood for cruise planning! Palo is a definite for us. Your pictures were making me so hungry!! Especially the dessert pics...I have such a sweet tooth!!!

Always funny to hear you talk about your "next" trip It's like you're the eternal trip planner! Which I love!!! Makes life fun!!

Keep the posts coming with lots of pictures please ... this will occupy my time until our Fantasy Cruise

 

[Pinkocto]

Hi there, Pam

Been MIA for a while, but I think I'm finally caught up on all the TRs...except mine

Hi Heather

You've been busy!!! No rush on here, real life is more important, this is just for fun. How's school? How are the kids?

Totally love the rainbow pics!! Just awesome!! I've never seen a double rainbow before.

It was soooo pretty! I think I've only seen two, the other was in Scotland many years ago on a trip with my dad.

We haven't been looking at any cruise stuff lately...just been too busy. However...after looking at your pics again, I'm totally in the mood for cruise planning! Palo is a definite for us. Your pictures were making me so hungry!! Especially the dessert pics...I have such a sweet tooth!!!

I was just thinking about Palo yesterday, and what I might order next time seriously though, that place is scrumptious. I now know what are not my favorites and what to avoid.

I find cruise planning much less involved than WDW planning which makes it easy to put it on the back burner for a while.

Always funny to hear you talk about your "next" trip It's like you're the eternal trip planner! Which I love!!! Makes life fun!!

Always another trip, too many times I went home sad. No longer when there's another trip on the horizon. It sure does make life fun!

Keep the posts coming with lots of pictures please ... this will occupy my time until our Fantasy Cruise

I'm just uploading the CC pics, and then a few days at BC.

 

[mousetravel]

Great updates! Love the rainbow pictures!!

 

[rentayenta]

Pam, I am sorry to hear your sweet Connor isn't feeling well.





Love this update! I'm sorry about the crabby people. I don't understand it either.

You forgot your October 2015 cruise.

Aulani is now in 2016? That's about the time we may get there......hopefully.

That Fantasy sure is a gorgeous ship. Every detail is just exquisite.

 

[Pinkocto]

Great updates! Love the rainbow pictures!!

Thank you!

 

[Pinkocto]

Pam, I am sorry to hear your sweet Connor isn't feeling well.

Thank you I'm going to be an absolute basket case when he leaves me. The vet said the eye thing isn't serious, it could take 4 months to go back to normal or it might never be normal again. He's not in pain or discomfort, that's what matters. It just made it very real that he won't be with me forever, he's 13.

Love this update! I'm sorry about the crabby people. I don't understand it either.

I forgot there's more the next day. I can't help but laugh. They totally miss out on precious vacation time being grouchy.

You forgot your October 2015 cruise.

No no no, I said that because Aulani is postponed I can do an October cruise everything worked out!

Aulani is now in 2016? That's about the time we may get there......hopefully.

Yep, now the middle two weeks of May 2016. When are you thinking?

That Fantasy sure is a gorgeous ship. Every detail is just exquisite.

 

[Leshaface]

Wanted to pop over and see how Connor was doing?!

 

[Pinkocto]

Wanted to pop over and see how Connor was doing?!

You're so sweet, thank you!!!

He's pretty much the same. Some days are better than others. He's still not showing any signs of pain/discomfort so all is good.

 

[Leshaface]

You're so sweet, thank you!!!

He's pretty much the same. Some days are better than others. He's still not showing any signs of pain/discomfort so all is good.

Oh good. I was looking at my pug a few days ago (not that I don't look at him all the time ) but that night in particular, I thought he looked so much older now and then remembered Connor and thought I would ask

 

[Pinkocto]

Oh good. I was looking at my pug a few days ago (not that I don't look at him all the time ) but that night in particular, I thought he looked so much older now and then remembered Connor and thought I would ask

How old is that cute little Percy?

I was looking at Conner after this whole eye thing and just started crying, knowing he wasn't going to be around forever

Thank you for thinking about me

 

[Pinkocto]

Day 8 of vacation, last day of the cruise:

The last day of the cruise had arrived, but have no fear, its Castaway Cay day! My very favorite, I feel like it’s a real life Typhoon Lagoon. We had big plans for today, we were going to finally try out the slides, go snorkeling with the equipment we brought with us, and then do some swimming.

No alarm was set, and we both woke up at 9:00. I absolutely love the lunch buffet at Serenity Bay BBQ so saved my appetite, but mom was a bit hungry so went up and had a small breakfast. No pictures, she totally forgot. She did also fill up our water and soda bottles for the day. One bad thing about CC is that the beverage stations are only open while the buffets are open.

We finally got off the ship at 10:45. We had met a guest in the elevator who had done the 5K and knew we could get off at the forward tender which was perfect because our room was forward. It was overcast but we had no fear, weather at CC can change during the day.









We took the tram and went right to Serenity Bay. It’s not a direct tram, you have to get off and wait for another one, but we would not be walking, we’d made that mistake before. There was a free hammock, which NEVER happens so I got in and lounged a bit. By a complaining guest… she lives in Florida and had been on the beach for an hour and wanted to go back to the ship. They had Remy booked for tonight but she was so stuffed she wasn’t looking forward to it. STOP COMPLAINING! You’re on a gorgeous vacation! She left to go get a cheeseburger…

Mom had gone shell hunting down the beach while I was listening to the complainer and when she got back we went to check out lunch. The line was humongous and the CM said it would probably take 30-45 minutes to wait so we went back to the beach.





For whatever reason I was fascinated by this cute seagull





We got chairs and put them in the water which was a really nice temperature, but you can see the sky looks a little foreboding










It started to rain so we went up to hide under the umbrellas and see about lunch again. The line was still huge, but the fruit you could just walk up to so I got a little plate of mango and papaya.



All the people in the middle of this picture are in line, and the line wraps around the back tables to the entrance. When it started to deluge people did not get out of line, they stood firm to their mission!



The place was packed



We had never seen SB so busy and a CM said a lot of adult only parties were on this cruise which I thought was pretty cool.





The deluge, and it really was coming down




Towels came into play to protect from nature




We had fun talking and watching the rain.







Mom was ready to go stand in line so we did, and it didn’t take that long at this point

 

[Pinkocto]

My plate



Her plate



You have to specifically ask for a veggie burger, which she does every time. She says they’re marvelous.

This is one of my favorite meals on the cruises, apart from Remy and Palo. Simple good food. Today did not disappoint, everything was fabulous.


After eating we got some icecream and went back down to sit with our feet in the ocean. Life was good.





Our plans of swimming, snorkeling, and finally going down the slides were not to be. Even though the water temperature was quite nice, the air was a bit brisk, and I would have been freezing getting out. We sat for a while just enjoying people watching and then when the rain came back we headed back to the ship.





I love the foliage on CC





Dumbo has to be the cutest ever!




I’d never seen this contraption before, I think they were painting the ship.



Back in the room at 2:20, so we were off for about 3 ½ hours. Neither of us regretted it though, because we went up to play mini golf!

More presents in the room



Our friends were enjoying the room without us



Up to play mini golf for the first time on the ship, something we wanted to cross off our list. It’s a really cute course.



























That was a fun little activity!

 

[Pinkocto]

I think CC is so pretty





We then went down to see the 3:15 show of Million Dollar Arm, so mini golfing didn’t take that long at all.

This is above the splash area I showed pictures of earlier. I love that smiling fish poking out of the basket.




Got some popcorn for the movie, next time I’ll be getting the refillable bucket. If you want a soda you can buy one here, or you can bring something down from the beverage station upstairs.



The movie was really really good, a true story about Indian baseball players. It got some tears out of both of us.

This is in the theater



Then mom had the brilliant idea of doing the Aquaduck. It was so windy they made you do double riders. Well if it’s that windy maybe you should shut it down! Of course while we’re in the open area I’m hoping we don’t get blown out. We raced to get some warmth in the hot tub after our harrowing journey. Big rain drops started falling on the way there.

You know I had to get some last pictures around the ship.









We sat in the Quiet Cove hot tub for a little while warming up before needing to get cleaned up for dinner. We tried for some last treats in the Quiet Cove Cafe but they weren't out yet. It was really nice pretty much having the ship to ourselves while most people were still on CC. Back in the room just after 6:00 where we cleaned up and started packing.