Best Vacation Ever Part 2: The End

"Ginger"

Sailing, sailing away is where I want to be....
Joined
Sep 5, 2000
Messages
1,968
Sunday we had our character breakfast, it was fun, but the food is just so so in the dining rooms for breakfast. Today was our Dis group Trick-or-Treat and it was so much fun and thanks to "dlrtr" and his lovely wife it was very organized. We all gathered in the Atrium lobby, everyone looked so festive. All eager to get started we proceeded to deck 2 to get the show on the road. Our little darlings had 14 staterooms to hit thank goodness we had well designed rhyming maps to follow. They all made out like bandits. We wrapped things up with a good lunch at Lumiere's before letting them have any candy. Once my child started with the candy and got what I thought was her fill we immediately took her to the Oceaneers Club to run it off. We did get in some time at the pools that day before it was time to get dressed for our first formal night. Everyone looked so handsome.

Monday was our Palo's brunch, we had to arrive in groups of 10 and 12 staggering the times because we were such a large group. It worked out fine. We only had 1 mishap, a server christened Ray with a glass of the bubbly, other than that the food and service were excellent. I loved the dessert pizza, it's a must try. Our DD didn't want to leave the Oceaneers club so DH and I decided to spend the time alone, something we very rarely get to do, we dined at Topsiders. It was wonderful, very much like Palo's without the hassle of reservations. You are seated by a hostess, handed a menu to look over, someone takes your drink order, then your server arrives at your table explaining how things work. You may go up to the buffet line to select your apps and look over the dinner selection and the desserts being offered. The server will take your complete order and you'll never have to get up from the table. If you choose to go up and look things over as we did you can grab your own appitizers and take them back to your table, your server will come to the table to take your entree order. Dress is very casual shorts and jeans are fine. Feeling guilty about DD not joining us we ordered her a juicy steak to enjoy back at the room. We had to pull her out of the OC that night she just loves it there.

Tuesday we got up early and headed to Topsiders for a good breakfast, we were meeting TommyJoe's and Pryd's families on deck 1 at 8 a.m. to leave on our adventure to Anguilla. We all boarded the water taxi to go to St. Maarten, $5 per adults for unlimited rides for the day, kids are free. Once in town we negotiated the fare of a cab to take us all to Marigot, $5. per adult and $2 for each child. It was about a 20 minute ride. We had to sign up for the ferry and show photo ID and proof of citizenship, Passport or Birth Certificate also pay a $2 departure tax. While we were waiting to board the ferry we met a man named Mel who had a taxi service on Anguilla. He said he had a van large and could to take us all to Shoal Bay Beach East and gave us a good price $60. round trip for all of us. He even gave us his little tour of the island for free. Once at the beach he suggested we return to St. Martin on the 3p.m. ferry because it was an open air boat. We went over on a closed boat and a few of us felt a little sea sick. We agreed and told him to pick us up at 2:30.
Shoal Bay Beach East was breath taking, the pristine beach and clear blue water, WOW, practically deserted. This has got to be the closet place on earth there is to heaven, unbelievable and perfect in every way. Well, almost everyway, there were a couple of things there I could do without. We staked out our spot on the beach, 2 large canopy covered areas together with beach lounges. We met a really super nice guy there who owned a glass bottom boat, his name is Junior. I recognized him from his picture which I saw on Bob Green's site www.anguillanews.com, Junior has an ad for fishing, glass bottom boat rides, snorkling excursions and much more. I started talking to him and asking him about his boat and the cost for a tour of the ocean floor. He gave me a price of $20 for adults and $10 for children I said we'd have to think about it. I thought that was a bit expensive. He offered us the use of his snorkling equipment for free and was very friendly with our children. Just an all around nice guy.
I was sitting in a lounge when DH asked me to help him put on sunscreen, while I was busy helping I felt something crawling up my leg when I looked down to see what it was I got the surprise of my life it was a BIG HAIRY SPIDER ,but hey not just any old spider it was a TARANTULA . Yes, that was me you heard screaming while I kicked my legs in the air. I'm sure I was one funny site. When the tarantula got off my legs and I finally calmed down I started looking around to see where it went. DH found the big hairy beast and picked it up with my flip flop and started walking over to a grassy area to release it when he found himself stepping on thorns growing in the grass. OUCH!!! Junior came over to see what had happened and to try to stop my DH from going in farther in to the thorn grass. He told me that the tarantula was harmless and he would not bite me. Yeah, right Junior. After we pulled the thorns out of DH feet everything went wonderful. We did get a ride on Juniors boat but for a much better price than he first told me. He took us out for over 30 minutes and showed us the coral reefs and beautiful fish. Our day on the beach at Anguilla was much to short and had come to an end. It was a little after 2:00 and Mel was back to take us to meet the 3 p.m. ferry to St. Martin. I forgot to tell that the food was somewhat costly, but they did offer Lobster. The beer was only $2.. What a great place and we can't wait to return and we will someday.

Wednesday, Happy Halloween.... it's St. Thomas day. Everyone had to get up early to report to Immigration. We decided to hang out on the ship today, we've been to St. Thomas. I was still tried from yesterdays series of events and just wanted to relax aboard the ship, my family felt the same way. So we rested up for the parties which took place that night. What a great time with everyone dressed up in their costumes. There was trick-or-treating on board everywhere. A deck party happening on Deck 9 & 10 with t-or-t'ing stations, Ghost Tales and a Spooky Spy Party going on Deck 4 in Studio Sea, halloween Dance Parties and Midnight Mischief for the kids. There was so much parting going on that I was glad we rested up for it. Our DD didn't want to leave the Oceaneers Club they were having parties in there too. What a night, just to much fun.

Thursday another relaxing day at sea. Well that's just what we did also got in the last game of BINGO, but we were not luck. DH and I had ressies for our second dinner at Palo's. Yummy, Yummy!!! The food was wonderful as well as the service.

Friday Castaway Cay Day. It didn't happen on this cruise. The wind was so strong that the Capt. could not get the Magic to the docks of Castaway and trying 3 times he gave up.. There were alot of angry folks, but what could the Capt. do...his best and he did that. The on board ship schedules were changed and additions where added for fun on board. A deck party on Deck 9, Island Band played on Deck 3 Midship, Ballroom dance lessons were offered at Rockin' Bar D and a Music Quiz in the Promenade Lounge. I got out the old blender and mixed up a very happy afternoon for DH and myself while DD got yet another fun filled day in the Oceaneers Club. Dinner that night was a sad occasion, we had to say good-bye to our wonderful DIS dinner companions. We exchanged addresses and promises to keep in touch.

Saturday morning came to fast. After breakfast at Topsiders we grabbed our now carry-off bags to headed down the plank to home. I was sad it was all over...but happy knowing I was already booked to come back again next year, plus we saved a bundle from a special offering to book a future cruise while on baord.

Now counting the days till we're back aboard the Disney Magic for yet another fun filled Halloween Cruise.
Hoping to see all my old Halloween Cruisin buddy and to make new ones.:wave:
 
Scream, scream, scream, scream, Tarantula. If the Tarantula had not killed me, the heart attack I would have suffered would have done me in. And your husband picked it up in your flip flop afterwards. Man, I would have been at the other side of the island by then.:eek:

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip, and can't wait for the rest of your trip report.
 
Ginger, I am enjoying your report!!!
YUCCCKKKKKK I would have fainted if that had happened to me... I am glad to hear that you were OK after that... hope your hubby's feet felt better after stepping on the thorns!! OUCHH! Thank goodness the beach was beautiful. It probably made the situation more bearable.

I love reading the reports... it's like living the cruise over again!
We had our character breakfast Sunday also.. except we had the late seating... it was practically empty.

keep them coming... (at your own pace of course)
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
I am sorry it took me so long to finish.
 

Bumping this up for DreamsDoComeTrue
 
Thanks "Ginger" that's a riot. I hope that the shoretrips version will be easy and not much more expensive. I think Meads bay is the beach right next to DolphinFantaseas, I'll have to ask my email contact there about 'big hairy spiders':p
I must remember to find your other installments of the trip report. I enjoy your style of writing!
 
Thanks so much for the trip report. It sounds like you had a great time!! I can't wait for our turn (not til Feb 8/03 Eastern) but these trip reports keep me going!!!
- Ann
 
DreamsDoComeTrue, if I recall right the trip to and from Anguilla cost each adult $57.00 much less for the children, I think $14.00. This did not include the glassbottom boat ride with Juior.
 
Bumping this up so someone can see details of Anguilla trip.
 
You have some excellent information here. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

Katholyn
 
Bumping this up for Anguilla info.
 
bumping it up cause alot of folks are going to Anguilla on their own.
The rates are a bit higher now. You can check them on www.gov.ai/
I suggest you contact the board of tourism for Anguilla for the current rates and info. before visiting the island.
 


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