cruise report for 1st time cruisers...WOW DO IT

[bsusanmb]

Here is my cruise report for anyone who has never cruised, is going to take their first cruise, or is just curious...it was great!

DH and I, both 57 with all our children grown and married,just returned from our first DCL vacation. I cruised with Carnival 15 years ago on a 3 day, DH has never cruised. And never wanted to. He get motion sick very easily.
I begged and he finally agreed. We are DVC members and we used our points to pay for a cat 6 stateroom, 4 night cruise on the Wonder.

Our first night we stayed at the VWL. When we checked in, the CM at the registration desk didn’t know when the cruise bus would pick us up, but to be in the lobby some time after 0930 and look for a lady in a blue and white striped shirt….humm.

I decided to use the DCL bus, which was $70 round trip per person. The night before the cruise, we got a message from the DCL letting us know when we needed to be in the lobby etc, which was very reassuring.

Our biggest fear of cruising was seasickness, as DH gets motion sick very easily. I had used the scopolamine patches on the other cruise and did ok. So I got a script from my physician and got them again. DH was determined not to use the patch….

Prior to my cruise, I read everything I could on this message board and other Disney boards, and bought the Passporter DCL book and down loaded all the extra information they have. My recommendation to anyone cruising for the first time, is to familiarize yourself with as much as possible. There is a lot going on, and a lot of decks with theaters, restaurants, snacks, quick meals, etc.

Onto the bus, and off we go. The DCL folks are very accommodating and there are so many of them there to greet you at the dock and help with getting onto the ship. As of 1/1/08 you will need a passport, but for now if you are not flying out of country, you only need photo ID and birth certificate. When we did the carnival cruise, no one ever looked at the birth certificate … however, I forgot that this was prior to 9/11. Didn’t bring BC, but had our military ID’s…which to me was much better…you have to be a citizen to have a military ID…well, we were not turned away, thank goodness and we had to sign an affidavit that we are US citizens…

Filled out all of the forms ahead of time, but didn’t do it on line. Couldn’t because it asked for your passport number. But the check in process was very easy…you are sent to a line by a crew person depending on if you cruised before and if you are a US citizen. Lots of people at the desks to check you in, and 10 minutes later, we were on board.

What a beautiful ship. Everything is pristine and so much attention to detail.
The atrium is quite small, compared to the carnival ship, but a large atrium is wasted space to me…DCL uses every available space to their advantage.

I couldn’t make reservations for Palo on line, no availability, so as soon as I stepped foot on that ship, I asked how to get on a wait list. The crew is SO VERY accommodating, and one of them walked us to Route 66 and the night club where the manager of Palo was trying to accommodate folks. He was very nice also, and we were able to get reservation for 6:30 that night at Palo’s. I was so happy. There is a $10 service charge per person to dine there as it is not on the dining rotation, and is all adult. More on that later.

So, off we go to deck 9 to the buffet for lunch. Shrimp were good, bread great, desserts great, rest ok…average I would say. But not bad for sure.

We then looked around the ship…wow the pools are great. The Mickey pool for kids is awesome with a great slide and some little water fountain sprayers for kids in swim diapers. There is a quiet pool for adults and a family pool also. And they are all fresh water, unlike the Carnival that was disgusting salt water! I think the pools are a big draw for families with kids.
Also on this desk are fast food restaurants where you can get pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, fruit, cookies, ice cream…just about anything. It was so hard to me to fathom that I didn’t have to pay for anything because I am so used to WDW….and the free drinks on deck 9 are wonderful. On Carnival you had to pay for sodas etc.

Oh, yes, it did take us quite a while to decide which was fore and which was aft. It is a big ship!

Then off to our stateroom, 5130. I had read reviews of this room for folks who stayed in it. I was a bit disappointed in the décor. Don’t know why…I am just used to the VWL and SSR and expected something a little more decorated. It was a spacious room, comfortable, but the color scheme was boring and dull. Just my opinion. Loved the split bathroom with one being toilet and sink, the other bath/shower and sink. We had a queen size bed, and I was hoping for a king, but oh, well. The veranda was nice, but rarely went out on it. At night there were no stars and it was so dark, couldn’t see anything. And we were late seating for dinner 8:30 and that didn’t allow much time to sit on the veranda. I don’t think I would get a room with a veranda in the future. For a longer cruise, yes, it would be great.

Our stateroom did have a cigarette burn, though slight, on the carpet…and the ship is non smoking in the rooms. There was a big scrape on the wood that covers the beverage cooler. Other than that the room was in great shape.

Our stateroom manager…person…was great! He was so nice and accommodating and kept our room clean and neat.

Some things I am glad I learned were
1. Downy wrinkle release…you can’t iron in your room. You can request an iron, but you have to use it in the laundry room…
2. over the door shoe holder…for all our shoes and incidentals
3. Magnetic ink jet paper from walmart…made lots of beautiful things for our door…no one else had them in our area, and it made our room easy to identify and also gave it some character
4. bought my Mickey pirate ears prior to boarding ship..for pirate night
5. there is free bonine in a box outside of the doctor/medical room on deck one
6. get to the shows 15 minutes early for a good seat
7. what to do in Nassau…and how to arrange a less expensive excursion


More to follow,,,,,Susan

 

[Kay1]

Thank you so much. We've never cruised but probably will next year. I have a question for you. Were you able to watch sunsets from your veranda? We're very big on sunsets and this would make a big difference in our choice of cabins.
TIA.

 

[n2mm]

Thanks for the post. WE are cruising for the first time on January 31, so loved your post. We, luckily, are going with a couple who has done it many times, so won't feel too lost as they will be our guides. Can't wait to read your next edition.

 

[Disney owl]

thanks for sharing

 

[bsusanmb]

Ok, so let me continue…

We went up to deck 10 to watch the sail away party like I had read. It was really great. Families with kids were on the lower deck where the entertainment crew was dancing with such enthusiasm and energy it made me smile! WOW are they ever in great shape…it was so hot and they just kept jumping and dancing. Then the characters came out and danced a bit.

There had a drink of the day, Bahama Mama I think it was…and like I had read, it will be handed to you, but it isn’t free…it is about 7 or 8 dollars and you keep the glass (plastic) as a souvenir. I did take one and charged it to the room. Oh, that reminds me. DCL is a cashless cruise. You must present $500 available on a credit card or give them the same in cash and you get a key to the world card to charge everything.

I had used a scopolamine patch on my other cruise, and got a script for the patches again. DH was determined not to use the patch…he wanted the free bonine from the ship….ok, this is funny….when we first boarded we tried to find the medical place with the box of bonine outside the door. It was very confusing and crew members were walking by us…we took a turn and the arrow said “this way”…and we found the clinic…and the box, reached in and came up with a fistful of condoms….uh oh, this was not the right clinic..it was for the crew…so we took a different turn and we did find the chewable bonine.

As the ship began to move, it wasn’t bad, but as we got into the ocean, it was AWFUL. People were tripping and falling into things…so DH decided to use a patch also…good thinking…it was really rough at sea with 10 to 15 foot waves that first night.

So, we change then for dinner at Palo’s. DO NOT MISS THIS! It was absolutely YUMMY….delicious. It is a beautiful restaurant and put you in mind of the California Grill, only 100 times better. Northern Italian cuisine. The server was a lovely young woman from Romania. She was so professional and sweet. She knew that menu inside and out. So you get different kinds of bread and dips first, then an antipasto consisting of Italian olives, meats and cheeses…delicious….

I chose the portabello mushroom for my appetizer and it was to die for. I chose the lobster marscapone stuffed ravioli…and the dough was home made…..OH, it was so good. Can’t remember what DH had but he had a huge filet mignon. Dessert was great and everything was so good. We had a great time except the ship was rocking like crazy.

After dinner we saw a show that was an illusionist who had just won the top award on the NBC show that was a contest for illusionists. He was top notch…and he was such a comedian also. He had a show in one of the lounges later that night for adults and we also went to that show. It was so worth staying up late to see.

I must say that Disney does such a great job of programming for all ages and all situations. Christian the cruise director was just the greatest asset to the ship. He is friendly, pleasant, talented, fun and so approachable. He obviously loves what he does…found out he is from Scranton PA and his wife from Butler PA. He really works hard to make sure that you have an excellent experience.

The children’s clubs, one for 3 and 4 year olds was really wonderful for couples who wanted a night out to eat or see a show. And the childrens program seemed to be a hit with the kids. The teen club also had a lot of activities going on. All in all, it sure is well planned.

Back to our room with chocolates, a towel animal and a comfy bed to crawl into. How marvelous. Like Christian says, hey, no cooking, no cleaning, no work, no school…how can it not be great?

More later

Susan

 

[bsusanmb]

Thank you so much. We've never cruised but probably will next year. I have a question for you. Were you able to watch sunsets from your veranda? We're very big on sunsets and this would make a big difference in our choice of cabins.
TIA.

Me too. But I only book the cruise 3 weeks prior to sailing and so I was assigned my stateroom. Don't choose one on the side we were on if you are going on the Bahamas cruise. I don't know if it is starboard or port, but if you are standing at the back of the ship facing the front, we were on the left side of the ship. It wasn't a good view of anything...including Castaway Cay...We could see the sun come up, but it was so bright and doesn't last long. It was also very overcast so there wasn't much to see at night.

Susan

 

[bsusanmb]

Day 2…we arrive in Nassau. I had been to Nassau on my one and only cruise and HATED it. I was with my 14 year old daughter and we went to the straw market. The locals were badgers back then and didn’t want to take no for an answer. As we left some nasty expletives were yelled at us. Also, take the correct change if you are going to buy something in the straw market. They will say they are going for change and disappear with your money and never return.

So, it is a lovely sunny day. We go to Parrot Cay for breakfast buffet. Lots to eat, omelettes, fruit, the usual breakfast assortment of goodies. I LOVE pancakes. I never make them, but I LOVE to get them in WDW. I go to pick one off the buffet and it is stiff and hard. I ask if there are fresh ones…they just put these out…go to the other side I am told…so I go to the other side to retrieve another hockey puck pancake. I take some anyway thinking if I drown it in butter and syrup it will be ok…WRONG….it is dry and grainy, like a cornmeal grain…terrible. Turns out that no matter where I went on the cruise for pancakes, even to Tritons for freshly made pancakes, they are terrible. So, forget the pancakes. Mickey waffles good, but cold every place I got them. Oatmeal was always runny. So, I would stick with eggs or dry cereal or fruit. I was disappointed because breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.

I had booked a spa treatment for DH and I called Razul (sp) which is a couples private treatment. We are taken into a changing area and we put on robes and slippers. Then to the razul room…there is a table set up with exfollient gel, mud, and various products to try. So, you apply the exfollient to one another and then get a shower in this room. Then you apply one of the lotions/gels and go into the steam sauna. All of this is in a private spa room. And you continue to repeat the process until you have tried everything. It was very relaxing and pleasant. Won’t do it again, but I read that the authors of the Passporter tried it and Jennifer loved it…and it was the cheapest thing there…$86….DH sort of complained the entire time…men…

So we are now limp dishrags and decide to at least step foot in Nassau so DH can say he was there.

There is a talk about what to buy and where to shop onboard the ship. Unless you are purchasing diamond jewelry or expensive gems, don’t bother to go. It is broadcast and rebroadcast on the tv in your stateroom.

I had originally booked through the company the Dolphin Encounter. It was $10 less than booking onboard. I love dolphins and just loved feeding them at sea world. I went to the Blue Lagoon on my other cruise which is where this dolphin swim and encounter is located. It was so beautiful I will never forget it. However, I read that a couple of years ago it was wiped out by a hurricane and not going to be rebuilt. How sad. It was where the Brooke Shields movies Blue Lagoon was filmed. I also must say that I got the worst sunburn of my life there. I must have missed a small triangular part on my chest with sunscreen and I had a 2nd degree burn that scarred. It lasted for almost 10 years. You can barely see it now. So wear lots of sunscreen and/or a tee shirt or cover up, particularly on kids!

Well, anyway, I decided not to do the dolphin encounter because I really wanted to do the dolphin swim. This isn’t available through DCL, but it is through the company. It fills up fast. I figured I would have other opportunities to do this. Also it is a long boar ride to the island and I was worried DH would get seasick. You can read more about dolphin encounter on this board or in the Passporter book or on any of the message boards…like I said, read all you can.

So, we disembark and head to the right…towards the strawmarket.
You are constantly tormented by cabbies wanting to take you to Paradise Island, a huge resort that Regis and Kelly were broadcasting from. But DH didn’t want to go…rats…and I wasn’t going to venture out alone. I did see darling little kid size baskets with Dora the Explorer and got one for my DGD with her name on it for $10. I could have bargained, but I just didn’t feel like it. We just strolled the main street then and got some rum cakes….DELICIOUS…don’t miss this one, they give you a sample. Then back on board.

There are really lots of activities going onboard the ship. Everyone seems to be enjoying the pools and quick counter food on deck 9. We grabbed some burgers and fries which were quite good from Pluto’s Dog House. And the self service soft ice cream in Goofy’s Galley.

The stage show for this night was Hercules. We had to go to the early show at 6:30…we always arrived at 6:15 and had pick of seats. This show was entertaining. Lots of dry humor about the cruise thrown in it. Don’t miss the shows. They are good. I read that the treats sold outside the theater are expensive. I didn’t think so. I got sour gummies for less than 2 dollars. There are servers combing the audience selling all kinds of frozen beverages and alcohol or soft drinks. We brought our free soft drinks from deck 9 in our Disney mugs.

Dinner was at Tritons. We were assigned with another couple our age and a mom with her grown daughter. They were very pleasant company and it turned out we had lots in common. It made the trip more interesting. Dinner was good, not outstanding, but good. The service was excellent. DCL has so many folks working in the restaurants that it is amazing. I must say service onboard is tops. Crew goes out of their way to assist you. Our server always told us what was going on after dinner, where to get snacks and food, where we were going to be the next night..where to get breakfast.

Each night after the entertainment Christian the cruise director gives a little talk about what is going on…he is the most charismatic person I have ever seen. Disney has a gem in him and I hope he is substantially rewarded. He is an excellent speaker and representative of the cruise.
The captain also speaks quite often. He is very visible and approachable.

So, we wandered around the ship for a while after dinner and saw on deck 9 for a while, and then on deck 4 on the padded lounge chairs until people came outside smoking…yuk…..so we left and went to our stateroom. Again it was spotless with chocolates and a new towel creature waiting for us.

What was really a nice touch was that as DVC members, we always got a little something from them on our bed or door. We got magets on our door saying welcome home DVC member, and a ship’s log book that was very nice. It felt good to be appreciated by the DVC.

We didn’t have any type of a view from our veranda…very dark, very overcast…so off to bed we went.

Tomorrow, Castaway Cay

Susan

 

[bsusanmb]

THis happened to me once before. I have been off the ship now for 2 days and I feel like I am still on the ship. I keep listing from side to side and stumble easily. I keep feeling the room moving. Took the bonine last night and this am, but my head is swooning...don't know if this happens to other people. Dh not having a problem...

Oh well

 

[howleyfamily]

We are near Hamburg..your trip report is very nice..we recently went on a 7 day eastern oct.27th-nov 3rd, 2007..we have a trip report also online...please check it out..cant wait to see the end of yours.

 

[frdeb1999]

Great report...looking forward to the rest of it! Glad you had a wonderful time!

 

[podsnel]

THis happened to me once before. I have been off the ship now for 2 days and I feel like I am still on the ship. I keep listing from side to side and stumble easily. I keep feeling the room moving. Took the bonine last night and this am, but my head is swooning...don't know if this happens to other people. Dh not having a problem...

Oh well

I am LOVING your report- thanks so much for writing it! I usually feel like I am still on the ship for a day or two afterwards,too. I feel like my body keeps trying to balance like it was, even though it doesn't have to! No sea sickness, though, either before or after. Hope you're feeling better by now!!

 

[CapnJackGroupie]

Enjoying your TR - thanks for sharing!!