Back 2 Back Magical Adventures on DCL-Completed

[ReAnSt]

Can't wait to hear the rest....I am counting down the days until my second DCL cruise-February 2nd-9th on the Magic!!

Your pics are great-we take our Goofy with us everywhere we go...sort of like your Mickey and Stitch : )
We even dedicated a page on our website to him

I love reading your posts!

They had an absolute blast. Check out the Pal Mickey thread and you can pictures of Pal Mickeys that have traveled and had many adventures.

 

[ReAnSt]

Becky, what a great start, and I can't wait to read everything. Your pics are fabulous! I've been holding a reservation for our evening at the port at both the Marriott and at the Radisson, and I think I will be for sure canceling the Radisson now - the Marriott looks very nice! And that breakfast sounds great!

I was just wondering the other day what exact "line" of the H20 products that the DCL has on-board, as I've gotten into their products recently, and would love not having to lug a ton of hair care stuff on board. Your pics answered my question perfectly.

Eager to hear more!

It was very, very nice. I would not have minded actually spending time there as we basically just crashed in the very, very nice room.

They also have H20 products for sale in Treasure Ketch on the ship. They have a larger variety then what they provide in the room. I do not know how the prices compare to what you would pay elsewhere.

 

[Jennifer48]

Hi Becky!

Keep up the great work! Did you make those tie-dyed shirts for Mickey and Stitch? They are so fun!

 

[mruhaak]

Becky-
It looks like we're in to a great report with lots of pics from you!!! Looking forward to more!!
Melanie

 

[bride2007]

Great trip report Becky,

I would love to take a Back-to-Back cruise. Is it the same price as taking 2 cruises or do you get a discount?

By the way, you look great.

 

[ReAnSt]

Hi Becky!

Keep up the great work! Did you make those tie-dyed shirts for Mickey and Stitch? They are so fun!

Yes I did. Stitch and Mickey were pooped by the 2nd week and terrorized the room while we were not there.

 

[ReAnSt]

Great trip report Becky,

I would love to take a Back-to-Back cruise. Is it the same price as taking 2 cruises or do you get a discount?

By the way, you look great.

We had a special group discount through our travel agent. But no special discount for booking Back 2 Back cruises. Although it would have been nice.

 

[PocaJaz]

LOVE this report!! The pictures are the most detailed ones I've seen yet - great for us first time cruisers who have to use our imaginations when dreaming of being onboard! More please.

Now you can really answer the question I often see posed on these boards - Western or Eastern??

 

[ReAnSt]

LOVE this report!! The pictures are the most detailed ones I've seen yet - great for us first time cruisers who have to use our imaginations when dreaming of being onboard! More please.

Now you can really answer the question I often see posed on these boards - Western or Eastern??

I took about 200-300 pictures a day x 14 days equals a heck of a lot of pictures. Lots were crappy/duplicates as I would take multiples with/without the flash or in different modes to see what turned out best. I'll have to figure out how many good pictures I took, as I dumped the memory cards each night into a separate folder on the laptop, and backed them up on an external hard drive. I intended on backing them up on burnable DVD, before I flew home. However before I got to do that I had a phone call that we left the DVD's in our stateroom. We called back and they, were going to ship out our blank DVD's for free Wednesday of this week. Talk about customer service, I didn't even know they were missing. There are still things I wish I had pictures of. There is always next time.

I loved both cruises. I liked the Western but it was less relaxing, as you have 4 island stops. Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Castaway Cay. The people living on Grand Cayman and Cozumel were more pushy then those on St. Maarten or St. Thomas. They were all pretty places. However I truly feel that St. Thomas and St. Maarten were gorgeous. I wanna go back to Grand Cayman and Cozumel for water activities, and St. Thomas and St. Maarten to explore and for water activities. I would probably say I liked the Eastern better. But I would gladly do either again with very little arm twisting.

 

[matsterrocks]

Thanks for the review. What all did the letter say regarding your back to back?

 

[ReAnSt]

We grab and put on our life vests and wait for the announcement the drill is happening. We follow the directions and head to our reporting station. This is the only required event of the entire week, beside disembarking. They check us off, give us the instructions and we are soon on our way back to the room to return the lifevests.

Trying on the lifevests

This thing makes a nice cup holder(Notice the lime green DIS bracelet) Thanks Bareacuda

Our Over the door shoe holder, was helpful in keeping things organized and easily at hand

We then head up to deck 9/10 for the Sail Away party. We started out on deck 10 but it was pretty crowded so we headed down to deck 9, where the action is taking place. We dance. I am not big on dancing but I do this week and don't the next week and am up up deck 10 then. Soon the characters are out and then we countdown, hear the horn play When You Wish Upon a Star and are soon cruising out of the port.

I want to apologize as I haven't cropped any pictures.

Cruise director Rachel

How low can you go??

Characters arrived

The Main Mouse

The troublemakers

Being Goofy

The first of many types of confetti

We head up to deck 10 forward and see lots of people waving. At the terminal they are waving with Mickey hands.

C-Ya Later

 

[ReAnSt]

A boat is not moving out of the way so we blast our horn several times, and they still don't move. Next thing you know there is a Coast Guard ship coming from two different directions. We blast our horn again the they quickly move out of the way.

Staff meeting by the staff pool and hidden Mickey

Out of the Way

One of my favorite campgrounds- Jetty Park, right at the edge of the ocean and the pier

Undeveloped Florida beach

Pelicans

We then head to the Walt Disney Theatre for the All Aboard show. We watch the show and the two entertainers during this show are Taylor Mason a ventriloquist and Randy Cabral a juggler and other body stunts. It was very good and funny.

One of the many details in the WD theatre, on the seats

Taylor Mason picked these people out of the audience to assist, it was hilarious

We went out and watched some of the sunset. The first of many gorgeous sunsets on this trip. I truly miss just watching the sunset in my busy life and enjoyed relaxing and watching it. We then headed back to our room to change for dinner.

Pictures up the staircase of the Stack

 

[ReAnSt]

Thanks for the review. What all did the letter say regarding your back to back?

It basically thanked us for cruising back 2 back. Then gave us the instructions for what we should do on disembarkation day. Since we are getting back on the ship.

I have the actual letter I can scan. I have to figure out where it is, as I still have not finished unpacking yet. Writing a trip report is much more fun.

 

[matsterrocks]

It basically thanked us for cruising back 2 back. Then gave us the instructions for what we should do on disembarkation day. Since we are getting back on the ship.

I have the actual letter I can scan. I have to figure out where it is, as I still have not finished unpacking yet. Writing a trip report is much more fun.

Thanks so much that would be great

 

[ReAnSt]

Calm Seas storm clouds- we saw lots of storm clouds, thunder lightening and rain, but still had smooth seas and didn't affect our trip too much

Dinner our first night was held in Parrot Cay. They lead us to our table. We see it is a table for 4 but there are only 2 place settings. It turns out that we are seated by ourself. I know lots of people would love this but we wanted to sit with others.

Ready for dinner at Parrot Cay

Personal Seat

Our food was very good. We had banana bread, I don't like Banana, however the Caribbean rolls were yummy. Although lots of people love the Banana bread

I had the Baked Crab Martinique

Cream of Sweet onion soup

Pan Seared Grouper with Lemon Butter

Lemon meringue pie

Stephen had the Jerk Chicken wings

Mixed greens Salad

Mixed grill

Creme Brulee Cheese cake

Right before we were ready to leave our head dining waiter stopped at our table. We requested to be changed to a table with other people as we did not feel like sitting by ourselves. We ended up by ourselves the next week, but more about that later.

We walked through the main atrium, we saw there was a very short line to have your picture taken with Minnie, so we hopped in line. Three character photos in one day, for me that is a lot. Although there will be more to come. One of the reasons I love the cruises you might just stumble upon a character with no line.

We then wondered into the shops. There was a bunch of Transatlantic merchandise on clearance. I bought 2 shot glasses and a Christmas ball.

Stephen would have loved to buy this, but even with the 75% off it was still $75 and we had no idea how we would have got it home.

We headed back to the room and we had a lovely towel swan waiting to greet us.

We changed and headed to the pool. After the pool, I changed and then I went up to deck 9 and went on the internet, updated my trip report and edited some photos. I then went back to the room, changed for bed and watched some TV.

Coming up Key West, a nice long walk and the Southernmost Point of the United States.

Not sure when I will add more. I have run out of my pre-written report. So now it is all from memory.

I added to the first post direct links to each section of my report. Hope they are helpful

 

[Jillpie]

wow, I'm completely hooked! I LOVE all these pictures, you have made us feel like we are right there, it brings me right back to the Magic. Can't wait for more!!!

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

love the report and oh my gosh mickeys wearing crocs

 

[101DalmFan]

Love your report!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

lovinig this so far Becky!

 

[frdeb1999]

Love reading the report so far!! What wonderful pics! And you fantastic!