A Very Cruisin Christmas: December 18 - 29, 2010

[verygfy]

Pirates of the Caribbean hands down!!

 

[MommaMouse411]

great report...I had wanted to do the magic this year but I can't get myself to do it since the Dream is out!!

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

great report...I had wanted to do the magic this year but I can't get myself to do it since the Dream is out!!

I know how you feel. We have to pass on the Magic for a few years since our next cruise will be on the Fantasy. But the Magic will always be our favorite.

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

Christmas Eve morning started with a walk on deck 4. The walk was very peaceful. It was raining as the Magic docked in the port of Martinique. As I was finishing my walk, I saw a rainbow. What a great way to start the day with God’s promise.

DH, DD, and I had breakfast at Topsiders. Then it was time to meet BIL at Diversions for our excursion, Beach and Snorkel at Bat Cave. We walked off the ship right to our boat. It was a 40-minute boat ride to the beach. To get to the beach, we had to jump off the boat and swim to the beach: just keep swimming; just keep swimming. The water was warm, and the weather was nice even if we had the occasional shower. We enjoyed snorkeling at the beach for almost an hour. Soon it was time to get back on the boat for our ride to Bat Cave.

Bat Cave: Yes, it was a cave with real BATS! There were thousands of bats in the cave, and as the boat approached we could hear their screeches. No, thank you. DD and I stayed on the boat as my DH and BIL snorkeled at Bat Cave. The water was so clear. We could see the fish from the boat. On the way back to the pier, we enjoyed some rum punch. We wanted to go into town, but everything closed early (1PM) because it was a holiday. At the pier there was only one vendor selling a few t-shirts and things. Oh, the excursion was great. It was my favorite, and I would recommend it. FYI- all snorkel equipment was stored in disinfect.

When we got back on the ship, DD headed off to the stateroom for a shower, and DH and I went to Pluto’s for some chicken strips. We took the food and drinks back to our stateroom where we had lunch, a shower, and a very long nap.

It was show time at Animator’s Palate. The show was an extra treat during Christmas Eve dinner. As we were leaving the dining room, cast members were passing out cookies and milk for Santa Claus.

After dinner we went to hear the children of the Magic carol. I loved it. It was not Christmas until I heard children signing their hearts out as they sang, “Wish you a Merry Christmas”. I got a bit choked up thinking of Raven singing at all her elementary school Christmas programs. Priceless memories. DD again headed off to the Vibe, and DH and I went to see “Tangled”. It was so cute. I gave it two thumbs up.

The movie ended in time for midnight mass in the Walt Disney Theater. DD met us there just in time (a small Christmas miracle). It was an amazing experience to be in fellowship with passengers and crewmembers from all around the world on the holiest of nights. For one moment in the middle of the Caribbean Sea there was truly Peace on Earth. Happy Birthday, Jesus!

It was time to go to bed because Santa comes tonight!

A great way to start Christmas Eve morning!

On deck 9 with Martinique in the background

Getting ready to snorkel!

Was that Santa Claus?

We were off to Bat Cave!

Merry Christmas from Bat Cave!

The fish of Bat Cave

Christmas Eve Dinner

The children of the Magic

Our Christmas gift from DCL

Our Towel animal on Christmas Eve

 

[sk8jdgca]

Great Trip report-Sounds like a great holiday

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas on the Disney Magic.

The atrium was decked out in holiday cheer. Christmas cookies and eggnog for everybody! It was great to see the children in their Christmas jammies. They were all excited to see Santa Claus. He visited the Magic that morning and gave each child a Cars calendar. DD was thrilled that we made her stand in line to visit Santa. Children were also getting their faces painted. DD did not want to participate in that activity. She said that was too much.

After our visit with Santa, it was time for Christmas brunch at Lumieres. At brunch we did our family’s gift exchange.

After brunch we created our own gingerbread house in Studio Sea. We had to get tickets (one ticket per stateroom) for this activity from guest services. We got our ticket on Embarkation Day. We were lucky that we got our tickets early because guest services ran out of them. We really had fun. I highly recommend it. After we were done, my dad declared his gingerbread house the winner. We had to remind him that this was not a contest. We were able to enjoy our gingerbread house the rest of the cruise, but we had to leave it behind due to custom’s regulations.

We did some shopping at Mickey’s Mates and Treasured Ketch. We purchased shirts, watches coffee mugs, and other Disney treasures. With my purchase of $50 or more, I was able to get a DCL throw blanket for $19.99. Bonus! We also chatted with fellow Disers while we waited in the lounge in front of the Walt Disney Theater. The Kalagian, Ramos, and Thomas family also took this opportunity for a brief photo session.

Now, it was time for the 2:00 PM showing of “Twice Charmed”. It was fabulous. Cinderella does not get old. Girls of all ages love a happy ending. She’s one of my favorite princesses.

We spent the rest of Christmas Day relaxing and enjoying the warm Christmas sun.

That evening was our second formal night. We were in Animator’s Palate again. I did not understand our dining rotation, but it worked out, and our dining staff always kept us well fed. Dinner was traditional Christmas dinner. I had the ham dinner, which was very, very good. My DD and DH loved the turkey dinner too. For dessert I had the Chocolate Yule Log. Yummy. Yummy, Yummy!

After dinner we changed into our jammies and went to see “Tangled”. It was such a charming movie. I loved the fact that DCL is able to show all Disney’s newly released movies.

DD again enjoyed the Vibe until 2 AM.

Merry Christmas form the Disney Magic!

We had a great time at Christmas brunch.

My Dad declared himself the winner. Was this a contest?

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

Christmas Day sunset! Loved IT!

That lovely drink ended up all over the table!

My Yule Log!

Rockin around the Christmas Tree!

An angel and candies, that's how we ended the evening!

 

[edlarom]

xmas cruise must be wonderful

 

[dvc4life]

So enjoying your report. Can't wait for our Christmas cruise this coming December. Your photos are so fun. I just love the fact that your parents are with you. They look like they are having such a great time. And for your Dad to go on that hiking excursion, yay for him. I believe you said he was 72, hope that is right, but you would never guess him to be in his 70's. He looks much younger.

And I loved how you all matched for Christmas with the red. Beautiful.

This is truly a great TR. Can't wait to read more.

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

So enjoying your report. Can't wait for our Christmas cruise this coming December. Your photos are so fun. I just love the fact that your parents are with you. They look like they are having such a great time. And for your Dad to go on that hiking excursion, yay for him. I believe you said he was 72, hope that is right, but you would never guess him to be in his 70's. He looks much younger.

And I loved how you all matched for Christmas with the red. Beautiful.

This is truly a great TR. Can't wait to read more.

I am so thankful that Dad did not get hurt. Now, when we think of his fall 2010, we cannot stop laughing...good times.

You are going to have a wonderful time celebrating Christmas with DCL. We loved it!

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

Happy Boxing Day from the Magic in the port of St. Thomas! Today was the big Bro-Date. My DH and BIL were going golfing at Mahogany Run. The two boys had a blast: golf, cigars, beer, no wives, and breath-taking scenery. Sounded like the perfect Bro-Date to me. They said that the course was very challenging. In fact, the course was called My Agony Run by the locals. Driving the golf cart on narrow paths next to steep cliffs overlooking the ocean was a bit of a crisis. They had many friends golfing with them, iguanas. The huge creatures were scattered throughout the course, and they refused to move. Nobody was going to interrupt their sunbathing. The iguanas did not care that you wanted to play golf. DH and BIL highly recommend this excursion. Even though it was a bit pricy, they cannot wait to golf there again.

Meanwhile back on the Magic, DD slept until late afternoon. She was exhausted. My dad and I started the day again with a walk around deck 4. After our walk we grabbed a quick bite to eat at Goofy’s Galley: Coffee and sweet rolls, yummy yummy. I went back to my stateroom for a quick shower before I met my sister at the Vista Spa. My sister was getting the stone massage, and I was getting the Salon Taster. I purchased the five-treatment package for $119. Basically, I selected five treatments out of eight; they were the neck and shoulder massage, the eye treatment, hand massage, foot and ankle massage, and European facial. I cannot recall the other three, but I do remember that one of the three was a hair conditioner treatment. It was wonderful. Since it was a port day, the salon was nice and quiet, and I had a fabulous view of the port of St. Thomas. So relaxing…I would recommend this over the Swedish massage. Side Note: Since the treatment is in the salon and not in a treatment room, you may be uncomfortable being naked under your robe during this treatment. It did not bother me, but I do not know if I would’ve felt differently if the salon were busy. Anyways, loved it. My sister loved her stone massage; She purchased every product in the Vista Spa.

After we were spoiled, we went to find my parents. They already took off to town. Since it was a holiday (Boxing Day) stores closed early again. So my sister and I had a choice do we hurry up and run to town and lose our relaxation buzz, or do we just chill and relax and enjoy your relaxation buzz for the entire day on the Magic? The second choice won. We had a very relaxing breakfast at Topsiders. We just enjoyed the view. There was an amazing yacht docked in the harbor. Her name was Cake Walk.

Now, it was time to get to business. We went for a swim in the Quiet Cove pool and worked up a thirst for a DOTD. Our friendly waiter, John, served us the Candle Night. He was hesitant to serve it to us because he has been our waiter at Quiet Cove for most of the cruise, and he knew our taste, sweet drinks! He said that we would not like it, and he was right. After all, he is the professional in charge of our poolside fun. John traded our DOTD’s for a sweet drink that we called the rest of the trip, “The John”. Our day continued like so: swim, lay out, whirl pool, a drink, a little nap, and another dip in the pool to refresh ourselves after our naps, then repeat and repeat until dinner time.

Dinner was in Parrot Cay that evening. That’s the evening we started to solve “crayon puzzle”. Palmon and Richard would strategically place crayons on our table, and they would give us directions like this: “Create two squares, but you can only move two crayons.” These puzzles would drive us crazy, and as a family we shared a lot of laughs over our stupidity. The solution was always right in front of us. Good times.

After dinner went to guest services to register for onboard airline check-in. It was a great service to have our boarding passes printed on the ship and our luggage completely taken care of. We were so in! I do not know what makes you eligible for this service, but all I knew was that we were! The cast member said that we should receive our boarding passes and luggage tags on Castaway Cay day.

Now, it was time to visit Leslie. Leslie was fabulous! Yes, we were booking another cruise. After much debate, we decided to cruise 2012 on the Fantasy.

Next task was Shutters. We selected our pictures using the touch screens. I slid my Key to the World card into the computer, and magically all our pictures appeared. It was so much easier to make our selections because the pictures were all right there. We did not have to aimlessly walk up and down the aisles of Shutters trying to locate our pictures. I also appreciated that we were able to view pictures of our family and friends. I pushed the “Done” button, and a receipt popped out. We took that receipt to the cast member, and she recommended a picture package, which we purchased. She told us that our pictures would be ready tomorrow evening. Wow, that was easy.

Since DH and I accomplished our after dinner tasks, it was time for bed. Too much sun and DOTD’s, we were done! Where was DD? She was having fun at the Vibe until her usual time of 2AM.

DANGER! There was a Dinosaur!

The Cake Walk, what a beauty!

Dinner with our dads

This was what my DD did until 2 AM

 

[tinktwice]

Enjoyed reading your report. Fun to hear what others experience was on same cruise! My husband is the one in the santa hat behind you in your gingerbread house making picture and I'm almost positive I took that picture of your parents behind the St. Thomas sign. Looks like you all had a great cruise. Love your report with the pictures!

 

[Rogue1230]

I love the photos and your daughters cruise T Shirts are to die for!!! Did you make them or buy them? Can you tell me how or where? I am sooo in love with them!!!!

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

Enjoyed reading your report. Fun to hear what others experience was on same cruise! My husband is the one in the santa hat behind you in your gingerbread house making picture and I'm almost positive I took that picture of your parents behind the St. Thomas sign. Looks like you all had a great cruise. Love your report with the pictures!

It truly was a great cruise! Wow, it is amazing that you took my parents' picture. The DisBoards sure prove that it is a small world after all.

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

I love the photos and your daughters cruise T Shirts are to die for!!! Did you make them or buy them? Can you tell me how or where? I am sooo in love with them!!!!

Thank you. The t-shirt that Raven wore on Embarkation Day I got from CafePress. Thanks to a fellow Diser, who created our cruise logo. The t-shirt that she wore on Christmas was purchased onboard

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

It was our last sea day! I could not believe our cruise was almost over…

After a walk on deck 4 with my dad and a quick bite to eat at Goofy’s Galley, it was time for just one more massage. My DH and I both had massages. I had a hot stone massage, and my DH had a Swedish massage. It was fabulous! My DH thought the massage was perfect after a day of golfing, and I thought it was a perfect way to end the trip. I also finally broke down and purchased a few products: Elemis Musclease Active Body Concentrate and Elemis Instant Refreshing Gel. I highly recommend both products for those aches and pains. Elemis Musclease Active Body Concentrate’s fragrance smells like the Vista Spa.

After our massage, we were supposed to lounge around the Quiet Cove, but it was so cold and windy. We decided to hang out in the Cove. The wind was so strong that its force did not allow the doors to shut, so then the wind blew inside the Cove, which made it fairly chilly. Since the wind was not giving up, a cast member finally locked the sliding door that was facing the poolside.

We enjoyed talking to fellow Disers over coffee. We also had a pleasant conversation with Bronkar Lee, an entertainer on the Magic.

Since the weather was not so delightful, we decided to catch the 2 PM showing for Disney Dreams. It gets me every time. The dreams of young people are so magical. I got choked up again when Ann Marie took that leap of faith with a little bit of faith, trust, and Pixie Dust. Classic! Disney Dreams ended just in time for our galley tour.

We met a Lumieres. At the start of the tour, we met the amazing executive chef staff. I had to thank them for the extra pounds that I would be taking home. The galley tour started in Lumieres galley, which was connected to Parrot Cay’s galley. It was somewhat fascinating to see where all the action happens during dinnertime. Basically, all I could recall was an area full of stainless steel. We saw a few interesting signs along the way (they are posted below), but all in all the tour was anticlimax. The highlight was at the end of the tour, the delicious chocolate chip cookie.

Just before we started to get ready for dinner, DH, DD, and I posed in front of Captain Mickey for a few more pictures. That was when we noticed that the ship was rocking a bit. Little did we know that the rocking and rolling was just the beginning…

Dinner that evening was at Lumieres. It was unforgettable. It was not the food, but the rough seas that had everybody’s attention. The first sign of rough seas was there were several empty chairs at dinner. We were missing two from our party because they were feeling a bit queasy. At dinner we all ordered ginger ale, and we tried to focus on the conversation not the roller coaster ride that we were presently on. Half way through dinner, the ship hit a BIG wave that caused great turbulence and a loud rumble. We, Californians, would’ve called it an earthquake if we weren’t in the middle to the OCEAN! Yes, I was in a crisis. Now, it was time to order shots of Grey Goose. Soon the Captain made an announcement that was something like this: “Due to the cold front on the East Coast, we are hitting rough seas. The waves are approximately 18 feet, but they are hard to judge at night.” What, you cannot see the waves? The Poseidon, The Poseidon…. Ran through my mind. Okay, I got my rational side in control again. And I remembered…When was 18 years old on a Carnival cruise ship, we hit Hurricane Henry, and I remembered that it was a blast. Maybe, it was because at 18 I felt invincible, or it could really be that I was drunk the whole time (remember international waters drinking age on most cruise lines is 18).

Okay, back to dinner…we did not order dessert this evening because tonight was the Gala Dessert Buffet. Yummy!

We went back to our stateroom because the ship was really rocking, and I was not feeling so good. We had a message on our telephone. The message was from guest services to inform us that our Sting Ray Adventure and the Wild Side water activities were canceled due to rough seas. Really? Rough Seas? I did not notice! My DH headed off to Diversions to watch a football game, and DD headed off to the Vibe. I changed into my jammies; set my alarm for 11:45 PM; took Dramamine, and crawled into bed. For the next few hours I rolled with the motion of the ocean.

As my alarm was going off, my mom called me to inform me that she was not going to the buffet because she was not feeling so hot, and I told her that I would bring her some treats. I met my DH and my dad in front of Lumieres. Passengers were talking about the 20+ waves that we were hitting. Great the waves were getting bigger!

The Gala Buffet was, of course, beautiful and yummy. There were no chocolate fountains because of the rough seas. I was seeing a pattern here. My chocolate balls kept rolling off my plate. It was very humorous, and humor is always good in the middle of a crisis! We took my mom’s treats to her, and we returned to our stateroom to indulge. Okay, no sleep so we started packing. We hit another big wave around 2AM, which was rumored to be about 30 feet.

Anyways, we survived the rough seas of 2010. It was around 5 AM when we all finally fell asleep. We all had sweet dreams of Castaway Cay.

Mike and I were having fun in the galley!

Tonight's Dinner!

Our cookies, Yummy!

We loved our time on the Magic.

The ocean did not look too rough, yet...

All smiles after our shots of Gray Goose!

The Gala Buffet

Dessert was served on a roller coaster ride!

Raven loved the Vibe. Thanks to the staff!

 

[mickey squared]

Great pix! We're reliving this trip through your report. Could it really be almost 2 months since we disembarked the ship??

The John that you mention serving you awesome drinks, could he be the John from India?? We've had him on all our Magic cruises since 2003 and we think he is great!! He always gets excellent reviews from us.

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

Great pix! We're reliving this trip through your report. Could it really be almost 2 months since we disembarked the ship??

The John that you mention serving you awesome drinks, could he be the John from India?? We've had him on all our Magic cruises since 2003 and we think he is great!! He always gets excellent reviews from us.

I know I cannot believe our cruise was almost 2 months ago. It was such an amazing time

Yes, it is John from India. He is fabulous! He makes the DOTD's oh so much more fun!

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

It was Castaway Cay Day! I noticed immediately that we were not rocking anymore. Fabulous! Now, I did not have an excuse not to take a walk. So I got dress and went down to deck 4 for my last walk of the cruise. I noticed that the temperature was quite cool, and I also noticed that Castaway Cay was nowhere in sight.

I headed to the stateroom for a shower and to get my DH and DD. We went up to Topsiders for breakfast. Now, Castaway Cay was in sight. We enjoyed the incredible view even though it was freezing (remember I am from SoCal so anything around 60 is technically freezing). After breakfast we went up to deck 9 to watch us dock at Castaway. It was taking a very long time. Peter, the cruise director, announced that they were hopeful to dock but the current was a bit of a challenge so it would be awhile. Okay, so we decided to pack. When we got to the stateroom, our boarding passes were waiting for us. I called my sister and my parents to make sure that they received their boarding passes too. That was a negative for my parents. Crisis! So we took DD to the Vibe to meet up with her excursion, the Wild Side, and my DH and I headed off to guest services. Disney fixed the problem, and they said that the boarding passes should be delivered before noon, which it was (Christmas miracles continue).

My DH and I went to deck 4 to watch us dock. Finally, we were ready to go ashore. Since my mom has some difficulty walking, Peter, the cruise director, arranged a taxi for my parents. We decided not to go to the adult beach because the cold winds were hitting that side of the island head on. We found a nice location in the sun on the family beach. My DH and BIL went to go into the water, but quickly returned. They stated that the water was too cold. There were plenty of people in the water; they must have been from the East Coast or Canada.

On the sandy beach we found John our favorite waiter. He told us that the John was the DOTD. Score! There was nothing like alcohol to warm the bones. We all were pretty exhausted from our sleepless night. We did a bit shopping and walked around to see the new things on the island, but we just relaxed and enjoyed the beach. It was kind of a good thing that our excursion was canceled. We had a great time laughing at our adventures these last 11 days. We had lunch at Cookies too. It was yummy. A soft serve ice cone was delicious, but after the cone, I was freezing and my parents were tired so we arranged for the taxi to take us back to the ship.

As we arrived back onboard, a Coast Guard helicopter was landing. A man was wheeled to the helicopter and was quickly whisked away. The rumor was the man had a seizure. God bless him and his family.

We hung out on deck 9 (instead of packing) and watched the happening on Castaway Cay. We were there long enough to want a snack. Tacos! What was I going to do next week for snacks without Goofy’s.

We headed to our staterooms to finish packing. While we were packing, we watched the dreaded Embarkation Video. It was so depressing: luggage out by 10PM; breakfast at the restaurant that you had dinner in the night before, and do not forget your servers and stateroom host…oh, and the survey! Soon, DD arrived. She had a great time. She said the best part was the kayaking, and she said that she did not snorkel because the water was too cold. I thought all water excursions were canceled? Oh well, at least she enjoyed herself.

Before dinner we picked up our pictures. Our last dinner was at Animator’s Palate. The grand finale was the Baked Alaska. Yes, I did have two pieces! It is the Grandfather of all ice cream cakes. At the end of dinner we thanked our dining staff and gave them those precious envelopes stuffed with cash.

After dinner we packed again. Why is it when you are packing to go on a trip you are so organized? And when you are packing to go home it is stuff those suitcases with no rhyme or reason? Room was completely packed up, and luggage was waiting in the hallway just in time for the 8:30 Remember the Magic Show. It was very bittersweet because now for sure our magical journey was coming to an end.

We were exhausted from the night before so we turned in early. Raven returned to the stateroom at her normal time 2AM. DD was very sad to leave all her new friends, but do not worry with Skype, texting, and Facebook they are all still frequently talking. What happened to the good old days when you wrote a letter and put a stamp on it, and then waited each day for a response? I loved running to the mailbox to see if I got mail. Oh well, a different generation.

Good night from our last night on the Magic.

Castaway Cay, here we come!

Relaxing in the SUN but it was not very warm

I told you it was cold. It was snowing.

Raven is being goofy: drinking her soup with a straw!

 

[WendyBelle]

I enjoyed your trip report very much. Thanks for sharing. We are going on our first Disney Cruise (on the Magic) in a couple of months. Can't wait!