RellingTwin
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2000
Cast
Me Mary(40)
DH George (41)
DD Regina (9)
DS George W. (8)
Friday Sept 21st
After 11 months of planning our cruise was finally here. I dropped the kids at school so they would get credit for the day (they can not miss more then 5 days in any one grading period) and headed home to load up the car, go to the bank, and bring the dog to the vet/kennel.
We picked the kids up at 12:15 and hit the road.The drive was easy, and uneventful. We were hoping to make the Radisson by 7pm but did not get there until 8pm. The kids hit the pool and DH and I relaxed with a cold beverage! Steve and Robin and the girls joined us and we chatted for a while until the mosquitoes (the Florida State Bird!) drove us away. We also met Keline, who introduced herself and her lovely family.
Our room at the Radisson was great!It was the 1 bedroom suite. What a nice way to start the vacation.
Sat. Sept 22
My plans to let the kids swim until noon feel through when the kids decided they wanted to head to the ship. DS was not feeling well and I thought OMG ,NOT NOW!!! Thankfully after some Mylanta and a half hour laying down he felt much better.DH went in search of a belt. It seems he had lost some weight since I bought his cruise clothes and we could not find the belt I was sure I packed. He ran into TNRobin and chatted with her for a bit. We headed over to Ron Jons and bought a few items. Then drove to the ship. Both the Wonder and the Magic were at the port. It was an awesome sight!
DH dropped off the luggage, kids and myself, then went to park the car at the Radisson. Check in was a breeze. All the docs were filled out. The only problem was that DH needed his ticket and drivers license to come back, so I checked in without him and got on line. By the time he got back (20 min. later) the line had grown A LOT! And I had met a BUNCH of fellow Disers. Mike (Papa) and Kathy, Dan and Scott, Dave (CheesePlease) Jerry (DVCNuts) Eric (Viking) and Anja, Cathy (@GoofyNut) and Art. I had used Jerrys idea of putting the beer and soda on a luggage carrier and several people asked me are you allowed to do that? YUP!!!!
We boarded the ship about 12:15 and headed to Topsiders. We were too excited to eat much but did get some yummy shrimp and a pretty sail-a-way beverage. DH headed to Palos to make dinner and Brunch reservations and when he got back (5 min later) I saw Scott. He said go get your spa reservations, there is NO ONE there! So I did. I had to get 2nd choice for the Suriel Bath (2pm on Sun instead of 12 noon). But thats it, we were done with the ressies scramble!
We went to check out the Secret Porthole Room 5520 and it was ready! We met Paulett our stateroom hostess. She was so friendly. The baskets I ordered from The Perfect Gift were there and were BEAUTIFUL! The kids baskets were from Mickey and I had to beg them to stop for a moment so I could take a picture of them. DH was thrilled with the Main Man basket. Our luggage had started to arrive and we quickly unpacked. The over the door shoe holder was fantastic! Packing done I headed down to the excursions desk and dropped my already prepared request in the drop box. Then back to the room for the kids to get into their bathing suits. They had the pool to themselves for about a half hour, and then were joined by a few more kids. DS was feeling 100% better (much to my relief)! At 3:40 we headed to the cabin for the lifeboat drill. DD HATED it! But it was over quickly and we put or life vests away and headed up to the Sail-a-Way Party!
What a sight! All those Cruistoberfest shirts!I gave out the red/white and blue lanyards and name tags. And met Rosemary(TuliRose) and Richard(TuliRich) and DS Richie, Dori (WeLovePooh)and family,Robin (TnRobin) and family, Amy(Cammie810) and her family,CarolAnn, Kevin (DCL-Fan) and Sue and the kids,Allison(MicksGirl) and family,Sandee and family,Susan (Susan514) and DH John,Bob(SideShowBob) and his DW Ann, Laura (Needabreak) and DH Kyle and kids, Virgina and Ed, Yasmin (TxJasmine) and DH David and kids, Jean (JNOEL) and Kathie, and Myra, and the rest of the gang we had met in the terminal. I think I named everyone. If I left anyone out please forgive me!
Before leaving the port the Wonder pulled out ahead of us. The Magic followed about 20 minutes later blowing her horn! We all waved our American Flags and cheered! But the best was yet to come. Once we caught up to the Wonder the Dueling Horns started! The Magic and Wonder blew their horns to each other over and over, and everyone on deck cheered like crazy! It was unforgettable! Truly a Magical Moment!!
As the Wonder was left behind we headed out to sea. Our group started to break up as it was time to get ready for dinner and the show. For us it was back to the pool. We decided to skip the show the first night (I later regretted it after hearing how good it was). We went to sign the kids up for the Oceaneers Lab, then went to get ready for dinner.
We had APLAPLA rotation 2nd seating table #4. Our server (Cedric) and assistant server Depesh introduced themselves. We were at a table for 4, no tablemates. I had mixed emotions about this as we were looking forward to meeting some fellow cruisers, but having family time was nice too. Dinner was very good.We both had the baked stuffed tomato. I had the Veal, DH had the Salmon. We both had the cheesecake for dessert. The show was very nice. The kids were more impressed then DH or myself, but the kids Ohhhhed and Ahhhed all through dinner.
After dinner we tucked the exhausted kids into bed, and headed to Dueling Pianos. We joined a group of Disers already there. The show was very funny. However for some reason no waiter ever came over to offer us a beverage. I finally went upstairs to our room and fixed one for DH and myself. Jerry (DVCNuts) and his wife Laura went on stage and sang a song to each other for their anniversary. Sorry, I cannot remember the name of the song. I just remember laughing! It was Great! We headed to the cabin for some sleep before the show was over. It was a long exciting day.
Sun. Sept 23rd
Our room service order arriver right on time (8am). The kids ate bagels, DH and I had coffee and tea. The kids wanted to watch TV for a while so DH and I went to Limmers for breakfast. We were brought to a table where another couple was already seated. It turned out to be Eric (Viking) and Anja! We had a very nice breakfast. DH had eggs and bacon; I had the bagels and loxs. Back to the cabin to get the kids and off to the pool we went. Lunch was at Parrot Cay (Italian Buffet) and it was very good. The kids loved the pasta. Our appointment at the Spa for the Suriel Bath was at 2pm so at 1:30 we dropped the kids off at Animators Palette (where the 8-9 group was) and headed to deck 9. We were about 20 min early so we sat on deck 9 and enjoyed the view. Then horror of horrors, the beeper went off! We hurried down to get the kids. They did not want to stay! Not having time to argue we brought the kids to the cabin and settled them in front of the TV and returned to the Spa, just in time! The Suriel Bath was everything I thought it was going to be. We had fun with the mud, the steam room was HOT! It was a very relaxing and enjoyable hour. We went back to the room and realized the ship had stopped. DD told us there was an announcement that there was a medical emergency and we went up to deck 10 to see what was going on. A crewmember was sick and was transported to San Salvador via a small boat. We heard later that he/she? was in the hospital in Miami and doing well.
Now a word about the kids club. I was disappointed the kids did not wish to go, but feel very sure it had nothing to do with the club. DD has been very shy lately. I think she was a bit overwhelmed by all the kids. She prefers to just watch for a while, before joining in. At the time we dropped the kids off the activity was underway, and I think the pressure to jump right in, was a bit much for her. Since we only had a few times that we had adult only activities planned (Brunch and Dinner at Palos) we decided to let the kids stay in the cabin during that time. While this would not work for all kids, it worked for us. The kids were happy with some down time and we did not have to battle to get them to do something they did not wish to do. I did feel like they were missing out, but the end result was they were happy.
Next was the DVC Reception. Free hats for all. The trivia game was fun, but it was very crowed. Once again we saw Kevin (DCL-Fan) and Sue and kids there. My advice it to get there early.
We went to the show, Hercules. DH and I loved it, the kids thought it was just OK. We rushed to get ready for dinner (Formal night). The lines to get pictures were VERY LONG. Too long for us to get pictures and be on time for dinner. I knew we would have another opportunity for formal pictures so we went to Parrot Cay where Cedric and Depesh were waiting for us. Once again we took Cedrics advice. We both had the scallops appetizer,DH had the Mahi Mahi and cheesecake. I had the Rack of Lamb and the struddle . The struddle was the only thing we ordered that was NOT recommended and it was the last time I made this mistake. The crust was thick and tough and the apples were tasteless. The service was excellent! We got the kids settled in bed and went for a walk. Then joined them. It was a wonderful day!
Days 3-7 will follow tomorrow.
Me Mary(40)
DH George (41)
DD Regina (9)
DS George W. (8)
Friday Sept 21st
After 11 months of planning our cruise was finally here. I dropped the kids at school so they would get credit for the day (they can not miss more then 5 days in any one grading period) and headed home to load up the car, go to the bank, and bring the dog to the vet/kennel.
We picked the kids up at 12:15 and hit the road.The drive was easy, and uneventful. We were hoping to make the Radisson by 7pm but did not get there until 8pm. The kids hit the pool and DH and I relaxed with a cold beverage! Steve and Robin and the girls joined us and we chatted for a while until the mosquitoes (the Florida State Bird!) drove us away. We also met Keline, who introduced herself and her lovely family.
Our room at the Radisson was great!It was the 1 bedroom suite. What a nice way to start the vacation.
Sat. Sept 22
My plans to let the kids swim until noon feel through when the kids decided they wanted to head to the ship. DS was not feeling well and I thought OMG ,NOT NOW!!! Thankfully after some Mylanta and a half hour laying down he felt much better.DH went in search of a belt. It seems he had lost some weight since I bought his cruise clothes and we could not find the belt I was sure I packed. He ran into TNRobin and chatted with her for a bit. We headed over to Ron Jons and bought a few items. Then drove to the ship. Both the Wonder and the Magic were at the port. It was an awesome sight!
DH dropped off the luggage, kids and myself, then went to park the car at the Radisson. Check in was a breeze. All the docs were filled out. The only problem was that DH needed his ticket and drivers license to come back, so I checked in without him and got on line. By the time he got back (20 min. later) the line had grown A LOT! And I had met a BUNCH of fellow Disers. Mike (Papa) and Kathy, Dan and Scott, Dave (CheesePlease) Jerry (DVCNuts) Eric (Viking) and Anja, Cathy (@GoofyNut) and Art. I had used Jerrys idea of putting the beer and soda on a luggage carrier and several people asked me are you allowed to do that? YUP!!!!
We boarded the ship about 12:15 and headed to Topsiders. We were too excited to eat much but did get some yummy shrimp and a pretty sail-a-way beverage. DH headed to Palos to make dinner and Brunch reservations and when he got back (5 min later) I saw Scott. He said go get your spa reservations, there is NO ONE there! So I did. I had to get 2nd choice for the Suriel Bath (2pm on Sun instead of 12 noon). But thats it, we were done with the ressies scramble!
We went to check out the Secret Porthole Room 5520 and it was ready! We met Paulett our stateroom hostess. She was so friendly. The baskets I ordered from The Perfect Gift were there and were BEAUTIFUL! The kids baskets were from Mickey and I had to beg them to stop for a moment so I could take a picture of them. DH was thrilled with the Main Man basket. Our luggage had started to arrive and we quickly unpacked. The over the door shoe holder was fantastic! Packing done I headed down to the excursions desk and dropped my already prepared request in the drop box. Then back to the room for the kids to get into their bathing suits. They had the pool to themselves for about a half hour, and then were joined by a few more kids. DS was feeling 100% better (much to my relief)! At 3:40 we headed to the cabin for the lifeboat drill. DD HATED it! But it was over quickly and we put or life vests away and headed up to the Sail-a-Way Party!
What a sight! All those Cruistoberfest shirts!I gave out the red/white and blue lanyards and name tags. And met Rosemary(TuliRose) and Richard(TuliRich) and DS Richie, Dori (WeLovePooh)and family,Robin (TnRobin) and family, Amy(Cammie810) and her family,CarolAnn, Kevin (DCL-Fan) and Sue and the kids,Allison(MicksGirl) and family,Sandee and family,Susan (Susan514) and DH John,Bob(SideShowBob) and his DW Ann, Laura (Needabreak) and DH Kyle and kids, Virgina and Ed, Yasmin (TxJasmine) and DH David and kids, Jean (JNOEL) and Kathie, and Myra, and the rest of the gang we had met in the terminal. I think I named everyone. If I left anyone out please forgive me!
Before leaving the port the Wonder pulled out ahead of us. The Magic followed about 20 minutes later blowing her horn! We all waved our American Flags and cheered! But the best was yet to come. Once we caught up to the Wonder the Dueling Horns started! The Magic and Wonder blew their horns to each other over and over, and everyone on deck cheered like crazy! It was unforgettable! Truly a Magical Moment!!
As the Wonder was left behind we headed out to sea. Our group started to break up as it was time to get ready for dinner and the show. For us it was back to the pool. We decided to skip the show the first night (I later regretted it after hearing how good it was). We went to sign the kids up for the Oceaneers Lab, then went to get ready for dinner.
We had APLAPLA rotation 2nd seating table #4. Our server (Cedric) and assistant server Depesh introduced themselves. We were at a table for 4, no tablemates. I had mixed emotions about this as we were looking forward to meeting some fellow cruisers, but having family time was nice too. Dinner was very good.We both had the baked stuffed tomato. I had the Veal, DH had the Salmon. We both had the cheesecake for dessert. The show was very nice. The kids were more impressed then DH or myself, but the kids Ohhhhed and Ahhhed all through dinner.
After dinner we tucked the exhausted kids into bed, and headed to Dueling Pianos. We joined a group of Disers already there. The show was very funny. However for some reason no waiter ever came over to offer us a beverage. I finally went upstairs to our room and fixed one for DH and myself. Jerry (DVCNuts) and his wife Laura went on stage and sang a song to each other for their anniversary. Sorry, I cannot remember the name of the song. I just remember laughing! It was Great! We headed to the cabin for some sleep before the show was over. It was a long exciting day.
Sun. Sept 23rd
Our room service order arriver right on time (8am). The kids ate bagels, DH and I had coffee and tea. The kids wanted to watch TV for a while so DH and I went to Limmers for breakfast. We were brought to a table where another couple was already seated. It turned out to be Eric (Viking) and Anja! We had a very nice breakfast. DH had eggs and bacon; I had the bagels and loxs. Back to the cabin to get the kids and off to the pool we went. Lunch was at Parrot Cay (Italian Buffet) and it was very good. The kids loved the pasta. Our appointment at the Spa for the Suriel Bath was at 2pm so at 1:30 we dropped the kids off at Animators Palette (where the 8-9 group was) and headed to deck 9. We were about 20 min early so we sat on deck 9 and enjoyed the view. Then horror of horrors, the beeper went off! We hurried down to get the kids. They did not want to stay! Not having time to argue we brought the kids to the cabin and settled them in front of the TV and returned to the Spa, just in time! The Suriel Bath was everything I thought it was going to be. We had fun with the mud, the steam room was HOT! It was a very relaxing and enjoyable hour. We went back to the room and realized the ship had stopped. DD told us there was an announcement that there was a medical emergency and we went up to deck 10 to see what was going on. A crewmember was sick and was transported to San Salvador via a small boat. We heard later that he/she? was in the hospital in Miami and doing well.
Now a word about the kids club. I was disappointed the kids did not wish to go, but feel very sure it had nothing to do with the club. DD has been very shy lately. I think she was a bit overwhelmed by all the kids. She prefers to just watch for a while, before joining in. At the time we dropped the kids off the activity was underway, and I think the pressure to jump right in, was a bit much for her. Since we only had a few times that we had adult only activities planned (Brunch and Dinner at Palos) we decided to let the kids stay in the cabin during that time. While this would not work for all kids, it worked for us. The kids were happy with some down time and we did not have to battle to get them to do something they did not wish to do. I did feel like they were missing out, but the end result was they were happy.
Next was the DVC Reception. Free hats for all. The trivia game was fun, but it was very crowed. Once again we saw Kevin (DCL-Fan) and Sue and kids there. My advice it to get there early.
We went to the show, Hercules. DH and I loved it, the kids thought it was just OK. We rushed to get ready for dinner (Formal night). The lines to get pictures were VERY LONG. Too long for us to get pictures and be on time for dinner. I knew we would have another opportunity for formal pictures so we went to Parrot Cay where Cedric and Depesh were waiting for us. Once again we took Cedrics advice. We both had the scallops appetizer,DH had the Mahi Mahi and cheesecake. I had the Rack of Lamb and the struddle . The struddle was the only thing we ordered that was NOT recommended and it was the last time I made this mistake. The crust was thick and tough and the apples were tasteless. The service was excellent! We got the kids settled in bed and went for a walk. Then joined them. It was a wonderful day!
Days 3-7 will follow tomorrow.
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