All the way from Japan to enjoy the WONDER of Disney--The Cruise

[mkluvsmickey]

You and Kiyomi look great! Glad you had a nice evening together - good to know about the cabin doors.

 

[LITTLEKID58]

Pics are awesome.. TFS

 

[tokyodisneydad]

As I sit here at the beginning of a new year 2008, I find myself sitting here and reminiscing about Castaway Cay. I consider myself blessed to have been able to visit there once in my lifetime.

That morning Kiyomi and I woke up early to watch the sunrise together.

To stand on the deck of a beautiful ship with the most beautiful woman in the world and watch a breathtaking sunset is almost overwhelming. Words alone can never describe the feeling of that moment.
After taking in the beauty we spotted Castaway Cay for the first time.

There sat the Flying Dutchman. At first all we could see was the back and I couldn't wait to get off the ship to see the front.
DDM and I went back to the room to wake up DDJ and DDA. This was the day everyone had been looking forward to the most.
Everyone jumped into swimsuits and put on beach wear. We then went to the Beach Blanket Buffet to get breakfast. I don't think anyone remembers what they ate, we were so excited.
We then went down to get off the ship. I put on lots os sunscreen throughout the day, but as you will see later it wasn't enough.
ADVICE-Load up on the sunscreen throughout the day!!

Next up off the ship, meeting a pirate,

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I have to tease you - THAT "beautiful woman" in your picture is not your wife :rotfl2 Thanks for sharing your beauitiful pics! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[winkers]

Uh oh, is there a sunburn in the future? I am the queen of sunburns!

 

[tokyodisneydad]

We got off the ship and started towards the family beach. As we crossed the first little bridge we saw the Flying Dutchman to our left and stopped for a picture.

It really was really cool to see it this close. We are big Pirates of the Caribbean fans.

We would get a closer look when we rode the banana boat a little later in the day.
As we were walking we saw a short line to see Jack Sparrow. So we lined up and waited for about 5 minutes. This guy was spot on to the character. His was voice sounded just like Johnny Depp. It was hot out, but each family he posed with was made to feel special.

Next up: pain, snorkeling, more romance, lunch and more

 

[mkluvsmickey]

Great pictures of Castaway Cay! I want to go back!!!! Can't wait to hear more!

 

[DAggiesRWe]

I thought things were dragging too long with my trip report, but here Wally is just a day or so ahead of me

I haven't had nearly the trauma you have, and just have my procrastination problem to blame for not getting the report finished. I hope your job search is/was successful.

Now I don't feel so bad. I am working on my Nassau day report now. Besides, the longer we drag out our trip report, the longer we get to relive this vacation of a lifetime.

You have developed quite a following while I think I may have turned off some folks by combining the land report with the sea report (I am only up to post #60 while you're on #168). Oh well, it isn't a competition is it?

 

[tokyodisneydad]

Ok it's time to go to the beach. I will limit the pictures I share here. Sorry but my wife in a pink bikini just makes me drool and I don't want to short out the computer. Also seeing me in a swimsuit will scare away most readers.
First we stopped by to rent a float. I was going to rent two, one for each daughter, but they said only one was fine. The staff told them just get two and only charged me for one. We then found our Family area under one of the umbrellas on the family beach. ADVICE: Try to find an area that will be easy to find throughout the day.

The girls ran off to swim, while Kiyomi went to use some of that onboard credit I had worked so hard to earn before the trip and my TA had made sure I had. We went to get 4 sets of snorkeling gear for later in the day. Finding our meeting area I sat down to reapply sunscreen. I'm very fair skinned and knew I would be in trouble if I didn't.
Then into the ocean we went. I was amazed at how clear the water was. We saw fish swimming around our feet. I had a waterproof camera and have some wonderful pictures, but I'm not good enough with the PC to download those.
We had Banana Boat reservations at 11:30 so we arrived in that area about 15 minutes early. We met another DIS family and shared a with them. Sorry I forgot the names, but they were really friendly and we soon discovered we had been messaging back and forth on the computer.
This adventure was my families choice, not really mine. I was a bit nervous. i would like to say it was because I was worried about everyone else, but to tell the truth I was worried about falling off and not being able to get back on. Also if I fell off I would look like Prime Rib to a shark. I didn't fall off and the view of the ocean, beach, ship and Flying Dutchman were almost worth the pain I felt as I bounced up and down more than a few times landing wrong. Let's just say
Still I was because my family had been able to do what they wanted.

Next up: Romance and lunch.......and Do we have to back on the ship"?????

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Looks like a great day at CC! So fun that Captain Jack was so in character for you and your gals. Looks like you got a little sun after all - hard not to. Your family is so beautiful. You didn't say - how did your girls like the food on the ship? I'll bet it's quite different from what they are used to.

 

[disneyholic family]

sorry for the very delayed response TokyoDisneyDad....
i had surgery on new years day - what a fun thing to do - not!
but i'm back now - better than new..

i love your pictures!!
CC was our favorite part of both cruises....

 

[tokyodisneydad]

Well I'm back and I hope everyone had a wonderful start to a new year. Sorry to hear about your surgery disneyholic. I hope all is better.

Well after the DDM and I decided to leave the girls at the family beach and go to the Adult beach area. All I can say is --The most beautiful place I have ever been. We forgot the snorkles we had rented, but just walking on the beach hand in hand with Kiyomi was worth it. There were a total of 4 people on the beach and in the ocean. We walked out into the ocean and just enjoyed being with each other without two teenage girls. I found two sand dollars and showed them to DDM. She had never seen sanddollars. I took a wonderful picture of her holding them. She was a little nervous and finally dropped them. I would share the picture here, but it's a bikini picture and those are for my eyes only I didn't want to leave, but eventually we decided it was time to go have some lunch with our girls.
Back in reality we went over for lunch. The food was good, but not out of this world or anything. After lunch we reapplied suncream (didn't help much) and went snorkeling. It was my first time to give this a try. It was alot easier than I thought and we enjoyed it as a family. WE saw tons of tropical fish and even a large stingray. I eventually got my wish and found the Mickey statue.
After our swim Kiyomi found our beach chair and took a rest while the girls went to the shop. About 4 everyone was headed back to the ship. We took our floats, snorkels and towels to the proper places and went to the shop ourselves.
Here is one thing that bothered me about my fellow passengers. Most of them left towels. floats, and trash in random places. If you go on the island give the crew a hand and help clean up a little. It doesn't take that much of an extra effort.
We stopped and took pics in front of Mt. Rustmore. Here is mine.

Next up: Pain, pain pain and I feel the boat moving.

 

[mkluvsmickey]

Nice update! So cool that you found the sanddollars on the beach!

Sounds like you had a nice time at Castaway Cay - both couple time and family time.

Looking forward to more!

 

[goofygal1975]

Wow, I am really enjoying your TR. I've just spent all evening (being lazy today...everyone needs to do that every now and again) reading your WDW trip report and now your criuse report.

I'm so sorry to hear about your health and your job. I hope both are doing OK and hope you were able to get your meds (i know how being out of work and not having ins/money can effect not getting your meds!!)

Can't wait to read more of your report...and gotta love your dd peace signs in alot of the pics. They looked so happy in the pictures, and you and your wife looked so happy

 

[disneyholic family]

great update tokyodisneydad..

we LOVED the adult beach..

on our first cruise, we didn't really get to the adult beach...we rode bikes over that way and DD got a massage there, but we didn't eat there...
most of our time was on the family beach (snorkeling, eating, etc.)...

on the second cruise, we didn't spend any time at all on the family beach....we went straight to the adult beach (with DD, who was 20,.....DS was 17 and stayed with the teens the entire time, so we didn't see him at all on CC on the second cruise)...
we had such a nice time at the adult beach, including eating lunch there...
just like your experience, there was almost no one there, so it was sooooooooooo peaceful and quiet.....really paradise.......

as for my health - thanks for the good wishes....i am now better than new....this is surgery that i should have had 4 years ago, but was so afraid of the surgery i put it off.....i feel GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tokyodisneydad]

I'm glad to see I still have a few people on board for the ride. Retelling the stories means reliving the memories.

 

[winkers]

Uh-oh! Is the up coming pain related to the sun?

I know all about sunburns. I have two colors white & red!

 

[klj27]

I'm glad to see I still have a few people on board for the ride. Retelling the stories means reliving the memories.

Of course we are still reading!!!

 

[disneyholic family]

Of course we are still reading!!!

yes, of course we're still reading..
TDD, you've got us all addicted to your trip report....so whadya have to say about that, hmmmmmm?

 

[mormadsmom]

Yeah, me too. I've been lurking around on this thread too. I've really enjoyed it.

But it's funny to see the peace signs from the girls. On our trip to Okinawa many years ago (my mother is Japanese) to visit my mother's family, there were alot of peace signs in the photos. Not by me, I didn't know what that was all about, but from cousins, and aunts.