996turbos
<font color=red>Driven<br><font color=navy>She jus
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2004
- Messages
- 157
Hello, this is my first cruise report hope it helps. We arrived at the terminal at 11:00 am. We are previous cruisers so we went to the castaway club line. Took 10-15 minutes at most to check in. On the 3 day cruises we were told the buses from the parks bearing guests arrives closer to 1:00 so we really beat the crowds. When we got in line to board the ship we didnt wait long. By 11:40 they were letting people on board. The whole check in thing was very smooth. Since we didnt have the kids this cruise we didnt have to book them into the clubs. I did meet one little boy that was trying to wash his hands in the mens room. He couldnt reach the lever to press down and automaticly start the water. It was one of those that turns its self off after a few seconds. I offered to hold it down while he washed his hands(once a dad always a dad i guess). He was so excited that he was going on a cruise. I asked what he was looking forward to. With a big smile he said"guess what! They have a laboratory just for kids!" He then told me that he and his mom were going to watch a Disney movie while they waited to get on board. He was about 7 or 8 and I noticed his mom waiting by the door when I came out. For the next couple of days we saw each other and he always had this huge grin on his face. Seeing that young man really reminded me how special Disney is to kids.
Once on board we went to lunch. The CM told us Parrot Cay was full and we needed to go to BBB. I've been this route before so I told her we would just go stand in line and wait till it cleared out a bit. Well you guessed it there were maybe 10 other people in line and at least 3/4's of the tables were empty. I told the head waiter that IMHO this tactic, while I'm sure helps them even out the flow to both areas, seem dishonest and underminds trust in thier directions. This has always been a sore point to me. If you want to go to Parrot Cay just tell them so and keep walking, they will not stop you. The CM may not like it. But keep going. Just smile and say "Sorry" as you walk away!
The food at the buffet was great and the staff was very helpful. Valeintin was our server this meal and we also bumped into him at breakfest. Great guy, very friendly and smiling. Kept the drinks full and the dirty plates moved. At one point they came by the table and asked if we would like to buy the dinner wine package. No high pressure. We said no and he left at once.
After lunch we headed to Wave bands for Palo reservation. They had 3 lines depending on what day you wanted to go. Our rotation was PTA so we wanted to go to Palos this night instead of Parrot Cay. While making the reservation a CM came up to fix something on their laptop computers. My wife and I let out a laugh. We live in Orlando and there across from us was the guy from across the street. After a little bit he looked up and recognized us. His wife brings her car to me for service at the dealership where I work. So in the words of Disney, yes it is a "small world".
Next we went to the shore excursion desk to book some fun on CC. While we wanted to book for our whole group, we had to get the one missing couple. They will not book them with out them being present to swipe thier room card. When we said it could be billed to us we were told they still had to be there. Not a big deal but that may help you avoid some hassle if you know to come together. Well we rounded up the lost ones and made our reservations for the banana boat rides. They said there was plenty of room left to book out. It seems that some excusions are not as important to book in advance. But if it is something special take no chances. Book early before sailing.
The sailaway party was very fun. lots for singing and dancing. The winds though were very heavy. As the boat cleared the harbor it was like one of the lesser hurricanes we had here in relation to the wind speed. I of coarse waited till we pased the two palms cam so I could wave to all of you!
That night we went to Palos. All 3 couples were with in a week of their wedding anniversaies. Mine was that night, 26 years, the others were 24 and 14 years. The chief made us plates with the dates and congrates spelled out in sweet toppings like strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla-made for some great pics. Service was very friendly but seemed a bit forced, was probable having an off day. Still we had a great meal with the server bringing out more than we ordered to let us try the different things on the menu. No show that night we just wandered the ship a bit and then went to bed.
The next day I woke up early. I went up to BBB for some coffee. I sat and watched the ship pivot and back into the berth at Nassau. Then I went down and the 6 of us went to Tritons for breakfast. While our server took our order the assist. server got our drinks and then answered our questions about life on board ship, how she was recruited to work for Disney. What the tax situation was like on her paycheck. Nothing to personal-lol. We wanted to know how Australia taxed her while out of country. Then my wife, who works for Disney wanted to "talk shop". She was a server for 10 years at Cinderella's in the Magic Kingdom. What kind of benifits did she get, how many hours and days she worked. This girl was great fun and was flattered that we showed a personal intrest in her. She stopped to talk to us later in the cruise while serving a different table. I guess we didnt scare her off.
We went to Nassau to shop a bit. The prices on liquor were not nearly as good as on board ship and were about 20% higher than last year in St. Marteen on our 7 day cruise. The place was a bit cleaner than last time we were here but still an eyesore. The locals were forward but not too pushy. They take no for an answer. After walking around awhile we went back and had lunch in our room. My wife and I then went to Diversions and played backgammon. When we fell to arguing over a particular move the bartender brought over a book with the rules for this and a lot of other games, I'm still not sure how my wife sneaked that book on board with rules that agreed with her! To add insult to injury she won the game. After this we went to see Ice Princess in the Disney Theater. Nice movie.
Dinner was at Tritons. I have to admit our wait staff was not that great. They did their jobs but never seemed to go out of the way to WOW us. Maybe since my wife and her twin sister are cast members they didnt see the need to go all out? They seemed to know in advance that my wife
worked for the company. The shrimp appitiser was great as was the tomato and goat cheese on bread. The steak was tough but the salmon was tender and flaky. I had ordered one of each. We went to the show after dinner and sat down. We then waited and waited for it to start. Finally they anounced they were having technical troubles. A CM then came on stage to entertain us. She had us do the wave, then clap to get enough power to start the show, then clap again and again. Each time it was as if OK now were ready! No good. You could see the desperation in that poor girls eyes as she tried to keep us amused. Finally they came out with some prizes and did a triva game with the audience. This all went on for about 45 minutes till the poor girl was let off the hook by the cruise director. The computer was froze and the Golden Mickeys were canceled for that night. We recieved a flyer under the door that night that rescheduled the show for 9:00 am and noon the next day. Overnight they had the programming error corrected at about 2:00am. This was Pirate night and when we went up for the party it was in the middle of a fairly heavy rain. We decided we weren't very tough pirates so we went inside and took in a movie-National Treasure. Not a bad pic, just not very believable either. No fireworks due to weather.
When we arrived at CC it was sunny and very windy. They announced that banana boats, parasailing, eco-tours and snorkeling were canceled till at least noon due to the winds and currents. After noon they would reevaluate the weather. It must not of improved since we never saw the banana boats or parasail go by. Since our 10:20 banana boat was canceled we decided to stay on board and go to the adult pool. We spent the day there, in the rain forest room-very recommended, and the workout room in the vista spa. By the way for a very nice sauna at no extra charge, go to the changing room in the Spa. They have a large wooden sauna and some loungers to rest on outside the sauna when you finish. Very relaxing.
At about 5:00 pm we went to Studio Sea for a comedy magic show. We were told this was an unscheduled show and the commedian was flown in to the Bahamas overnight from Vagas. This was to help make up for the lost Golden Mickey shows. He was quite funny and we all enjoyed it very much. Later that night we went to the Cove Cafe and asked the server about this. He said yes they did fly him in but the also had to sail back to Nassau to debark a sick child. I dont know the nature of the emergency but we were about 30 minutes late getting to CC that morning. I just hope all is well for them.
Next morning we went to BBB for breakfest and to debark the ship. I went to the omlett station and ordered my custom made omlett. They gave me a numbered table marker and said they would bring it right out. Well the guy walked over to area we were sitting in and must not of seen me or the table marker. He was about 5 feet away when he muttered something to the man busing tables then he turned to the trash and slid the food right into the garbage! I was dumbfounded!. I could smell those eggs he was that close by. All I could do was burst out laughing. I quickly got his attention and requested a replacement. You could tell he was embarassed. I imagine they make these omletts and have people change their minds and leave. He assumed I was gone I guess. Either that or he thought I should skip a few meals. In that he was probably right
Getting of the ship was a breeze. Bags are all set out by color and room numbers. The lines thru customs was a bit long and not well marked as to which line your in. From handshake good by to parking lot was at most 15 minutes. There are plenty of porters to carry your bags. We only has 1 suit case, 1 garment bag, and a daybag so we carried our own stuff.
All and all we had a very relaxing trip. I believe you can make any trip fun or hell on earth. While this wasnt the snoothest trip we've had it was still a great time and gave us some wonderful memories. We will be sailing again in Oct '05 for a 7 night Western if all goes well.
Once on board we went to lunch. The CM told us Parrot Cay was full and we needed to go to BBB. I've been this route before so I told her we would just go stand in line and wait till it cleared out a bit. Well you guessed it there were maybe 10 other people in line and at least 3/4's of the tables were empty. I told the head waiter that IMHO this tactic, while I'm sure helps them even out the flow to both areas, seem dishonest and underminds trust in thier directions. This has always been a sore point to me. If you want to go to Parrot Cay just tell them so and keep walking, they will not stop you. The CM may not like it. But keep going. Just smile and say "Sorry" as you walk away!
The food at the buffet was great and the staff was very helpful. Valeintin was our server this meal and we also bumped into him at breakfest. Great guy, very friendly and smiling. Kept the drinks full and the dirty plates moved. At one point they came by the table and asked if we would like to buy the dinner wine package. No high pressure. We said no and he left at once.
After lunch we headed to Wave bands for Palo reservation. They had 3 lines depending on what day you wanted to go. Our rotation was PTA so we wanted to go to Palos this night instead of Parrot Cay. While making the reservation a CM came up to fix something on their laptop computers. My wife and I let out a laugh. We live in Orlando and there across from us was the guy from across the street. After a little bit he looked up and recognized us. His wife brings her car to me for service at the dealership where I work. So in the words of Disney, yes it is a "small world".
Next we went to the shore excursion desk to book some fun on CC. While we wanted to book for our whole group, we had to get the one missing couple. They will not book them with out them being present to swipe thier room card. When we said it could be billed to us we were told they still had to be there. Not a big deal but that may help you avoid some hassle if you know to come together. Well we rounded up the lost ones and made our reservations for the banana boat rides. They said there was plenty of room left to book out. It seems that some excusions are not as important to book in advance. But if it is something special take no chances. Book early before sailing.
The sailaway party was very fun. lots for singing and dancing. The winds though were very heavy. As the boat cleared the harbor it was like one of the lesser hurricanes we had here in relation to the wind speed. I of coarse waited till we pased the two palms cam so I could wave to all of you!
That night we went to Palos. All 3 couples were with in a week of their wedding anniversaies. Mine was that night, 26 years, the others were 24 and 14 years. The chief made us plates with the dates and congrates spelled out in sweet toppings like strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla-made for some great pics. Service was very friendly but seemed a bit forced, was probable having an off day. Still we had a great meal with the server bringing out more than we ordered to let us try the different things on the menu. No show that night we just wandered the ship a bit and then went to bed.
The next day I woke up early. I went up to BBB for some coffee. I sat and watched the ship pivot and back into the berth at Nassau. Then I went down and the 6 of us went to Tritons for breakfast. While our server took our order the assist. server got our drinks and then answered our questions about life on board ship, how she was recruited to work for Disney. What the tax situation was like on her paycheck. Nothing to personal-lol. We wanted to know how Australia taxed her while out of country. Then my wife, who works for Disney wanted to "talk shop". She was a server for 10 years at Cinderella's in the Magic Kingdom. What kind of benifits did she get, how many hours and days she worked. This girl was great fun and was flattered that we showed a personal intrest in her. She stopped to talk to us later in the cruise while serving a different table. I guess we didnt scare her off.
We went to Nassau to shop a bit. The prices on liquor were not nearly as good as on board ship and were about 20% higher than last year in St. Marteen on our 7 day cruise. The place was a bit cleaner than last time we were here but still an eyesore. The locals were forward but not too pushy. They take no for an answer. After walking around awhile we went back and had lunch in our room. My wife and I then went to Diversions and played backgammon. When we fell to arguing over a particular move the bartender brought over a book with the rules for this and a lot of other games, I'm still not sure how my wife sneaked that book on board with rules that agreed with her! To add insult to injury she won the game. After this we went to see Ice Princess in the Disney Theater. Nice movie.
Dinner was at Tritons. I have to admit our wait staff was not that great. They did their jobs but never seemed to go out of the way to WOW us. Maybe since my wife and her twin sister are cast members they didnt see the need to go all out? They seemed to know in advance that my wife
worked for the company. The shrimp appitiser was great as was the tomato and goat cheese on bread. The steak was tough but the salmon was tender and flaky. I had ordered one of each. We went to the show after dinner and sat down. We then waited and waited for it to start. Finally they anounced they were having technical troubles. A CM then came on stage to entertain us. She had us do the wave, then clap to get enough power to start the show, then clap again and again. Each time it was as if OK now were ready! No good. You could see the desperation in that poor girls eyes as she tried to keep us amused. Finally they came out with some prizes and did a triva game with the audience. This all went on for about 45 minutes till the poor girl was let off the hook by the cruise director. The computer was froze and the Golden Mickeys were canceled for that night. We recieved a flyer under the door that night that rescheduled the show for 9:00 am and noon the next day. Overnight they had the programming error corrected at about 2:00am. This was Pirate night and when we went up for the party it was in the middle of a fairly heavy rain. We decided we weren't very tough pirates so we went inside and took in a movie-National Treasure. Not a bad pic, just not very believable either. No fireworks due to weather.
When we arrived at CC it was sunny and very windy. They announced that banana boats, parasailing, eco-tours and snorkeling were canceled till at least noon due to the winds and currents. After noon they would reevaluate the weather. It must not of improved since we never saw the banana boats or parasail go by. Since our 10:20 banana boat was canceled we decided to stay on board and go to the adult pool. We spent the day there, in the rain forest room-very recommended, and the workout room in the vista spa. By the way for a very nice sauna at no extra charge, go to the changing room in the Spa. They have a large wooden sauna and some loungers to rest on outside the sauna when you finish. Very relaxing.
At about 5:00 pm we went to Studio Sea for a comedy magic show. We were told this was an unscheduled show and the commedian was flown in to the Bahamas overnight from Vagas. This was to help make up for the lost Golden Mickey shows. He was quite funny and we all enjoyed it very much. Later that night we went to the Cove Cafe and asked the server about this. He said yes they did fly him in but the also had to sail back to Nassau to debark a sick child. I dont know the nature of the emergency but we were about 30 minutes late getting to CC that morning. I just hope all is well for them.
Next morning we went to BBB for breakfest and to debark the ship. I went to the omlett station and ordered my custom made omlett. They gave me a numbered table marker and said they would bring it right out. Well the guy walked over to area we were sitting in and must not of seen me or the table marker. He was about 5 feet away when he muttered something to the man busing tables then he turned to the trash and slid the food right into the garbage! I was dumbfounded!. I could smell those eggs he was that close by. All I could do was burst out laughing. I quickly got his attention and requested a replacement. You could tell he was embarassed. I imagine they make these omletts and have people change their minds and leave. He assumed I was gone I guess. Either that or he thought I should skip a few meals. In that he was probably right
Getting of the ship was a breeze. Bags are all set out by color and room numbers. The lines thru customs was a bit long and not well marked as to which line your in. From handshake good by to parking lot was at most 15 minutes. There are plenty of porters to carry your bags. We only has 1 suit case, 1 garment bag, and a daybag so we carried our own stuff.
All and all we had a very relaxing trip. I believe you can make any trip fun or hell on earth. While this wasnt the snoothest trip we've had it was still a great time and gave us some wonderful memories. We will be sailing again in Oct '05 for a 7 night Western if all goes well.
