Cruising the Dream on our 1st cruise ever!!! (5 Night Double Dip)

[Shell54]

Another CC update..yay! LOL on the fork pic..your TR has me so excited for our cruise next month..cannot wait to get back to that magical island.

 

[Pinkocto]

I guess this is a little off topic but I'm excited about it so must share. I decided to squeeze one last trip in with my AP this year so booked OKW for 12/6-12/13 at exactly my 7 month window, and within the day the 6th and 7th weren't available so was very glad I had booked that morning. How did I know they were unavailable? I'm obsessed about checking the availibility on the website, I have no idea why since I had already gotten what I wanted. So then got to thinking that maybe I'd like to go down the night before after work to avoid getting up really early on arrival day. I always get the first flight of the morning, usually 6:20 or 7:00 depending on SWs schedule. So of course the 5th wasn't available so I put a waitlist in for it and only had to wait two days before it came through I'm very excited that I'll be able to take an evening flight for once.

 

[dgbg100106]

I guess this is a little off topic but I'm excited about it so must share. I decided to squeeze one last trip in with my AP this year so booked OKW for 12/6-12/13 at exactly my 7 month window, and within the day the 6th and 7th weren't available so was very glad I had booked that morning. How did I know they were unavailable? I'm obsessed about checking the availibility on the website, I have no idea why since I had already gotten what I wanted. So then got to thinking that maybe I'd like to go down the night before after work to avoid getting up really early on arrival day. I always get the first flight of the morning, usually 6:20 or 7:00 depending on SWs schedule. So of course the 5th wasn't available so I put a waitlist in for it and only had to wait two days before it came through I'm very excited that I'll be able to take an evening flight for once.

Whoop Whoop!

 

[franandaj]

You got some excellent shots! Ah, how I wish I could be back there right now...stretched out on one of the loungers, sipping on a Konk Kooler, reading a book. Castaway Cay is beautiful! Now if they could only bring back the double dip itineraries.

My pharmacist just got back from a double dip, or do you mean they aren't planned for 2013?

I guess this is a little off topic but I'm excited about it so must share. I decided to squeeze one last trip in with my AP this year so booked OKW for 12/6-12/13 at exactly my 7 month window, and within the day the 6th and 7th weren't available so was very glad I had booked that morning. How did I know they were unavailable? I'm obsessed about checking the availibility on the website, I have no idea why since I had already gotten what I wanted. So then got to thinking that maybe I'd like to go down the night before after work to avoid getting up really early on arrival day. I always get the first flight of the morning, usually 6:20 or 7:00 depending on SWs schedule. So of course the 5th wasn't available so I put a waitlist in for it and only had to wait two days before it came through I'm very excited that I'll be able to take an evening flight for once.

Good for you! How much fun is that?

I'm finally caught up again, this only having to go to the doctors once a week is really helping me catch up on things.

 

[MEK]

I did not do this.

Funny!

I get it now - you did the 5 night cruise. DOH! Are you glad you did that versus the 4 nighter. I am planning to start with the 4 nighter. I really need to nail down my dates. First I was going with late October 2013, but now I'm wondering if I should move it up to September. Decisions. Decisions.

You brought your own snorkling gear. I'm impressed. Cool pictures.

Thank for the clarification on the parasailing. So amazing!

 

[Pinkocto]

Whoop Whoop!

Good for you! How much fun is that?

I'm finally caught up again, this only having to go to the doctors once a week is really helping me catch up on things.

Thank you ladies I'm so excited that the first morning I'll be waking up at Disney instead of having a flight. I like the idea so much I might have to work this into the point calculation for future trips

My pharmacist just got back from a double dip, or do you mean they aren't planned for 2013?

Right, none scheduled for 2013 as of now.

 

[Pinkocto]

Funny!

I get it now - you did the 5 night cruise. DOH! Are you glad you did that versus the 4 nighter. I am planning to start with the 4 nighter. I really need to nail down my dates. First I was going with late October 2013, but now I'm wondering if I should move it up to September. Decisions. Decisions.

You brought your own snorkling gear. I'm impressed. Cool pictures.

Thank for the clarification on the parasailing. So amazing!

Very very glad we did the five nights. We were not ready to leave by any means, but having that extra night helped make it feel more complete. What really helped above that was knowing we were still going to WDW immediately after so the vacation was not coming to an end just changing.

I'm glad we took our snorkel gear, and plan to do so again only because we could go at our own pace and not have to pick up/drop off equipment.

You're planning to do WDW as part of your cruise trip right? Late October you'll have all the characters in their Halloween outfits, which I'm sure is really cute

 

[Pinkocto]

Thank you for your patience everybody, and I apologize I've slowed down considerably in the updates. Work has been so stressful and exhausting lately that I just haven't had the time.

So I left off with us leaving Serenity Bay and heading over to the Family Beach to continue our snorkling.

One last look back.

I know I posted very similar ones on CC day #1, but I think these turned out better and I didn't realize I had these when I posted the others.

So when we got to the snorkling lagoon the CM told us they were closing in 15minutes but still allowed us to go in the water. She shouldn't have. We should have just waited until next trip because it definitely wasn't enough time to have any kind of relaxing swim. I was hightailing it out to the red buouys where the Mickey statue was supposed to be, and mom had a real hard time with the lifevest that we were forced to wear. There was nobody enforcing the lifevest rule over in SB so we should have just been content with our rough sea adventure and left the Family Beach alone. That said I did get some pictures but it was very murky for a while.

This fish was so big it startled me when I finally noticed it. I would say it was as long as my entire arm.

I found some sites but never found the Nautilus or Mickey which I really wanted to see. They started saying over the megaphone that we needed to be heading in, and every minute after that relayed the same message. We really shouldn't have gone at all.

another giant fish but not quite as big as the other one. They were very curious fish.

another one, and this was a monster!

finally something other than sea grass and sand.

all these fish got within my arm reach. It was amusing how curious they were.

photo limit, continued in next post.

 

[Pinkocto]

The beach was empty, it really was time to leave!

There was one other person on the beach when we got to shore, and we quickly got our bags, threw our gear in and walked as fast as we could to the tram stop because I most certainly did not want to walk to the ship. Thankfully we made the last tram. They were really wonderful and waited for everybody who was in view of the tram to load up before leaving.

this was fun to see.

some last shots of CC. We absolutely loved it, and felt like it was Typhoon Lagoon but real. With all the Disney touches and conveniences but still be a beautiful tropical island.

We boarded the ship with less than 10 minutes to spare. There were still people behind us, but we were cutting it close. I have no idea how they make sure everybody is on the ship that got off. As I wrote that I guess it's by the key cards. I wonder if they go hunt for anybody who hasn't swiped in. I know ships can leave people in main ports, but would they leave people on their own island? Anybody know the answer?

We headed up to Deck 11 to wash off our snorkle gear in the Quiet Cove shower and lounge a little bit. The ship pulled away from CC around 5:15 and we had gotten on around 4:50. I went and got some pizza and fries and joined mom on the lounging deck. The next thing on the agenda was the show at 6:15 so we relaxed for probably 20 minutes and then headed down to the room.

Castaway Cay was absolutely wonderful and so relaxing. We really enjoyed going twice, and would definitely do this itinerary again.

 

[tiggrbaby]

Lovely pics! I totally agree with your view that CC is a tropical paradise with Disney magic thrown in.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

Your pics are so good! Sorry you didn't get to see as much while snorkeling as you hoped. I am amazed that the fish came so close. I guess they are used to having people around.

Enjoyed the update!

 

[Pinkocto]

Lovely pics! I totally agree with your view that CC is a tropical paradise with Disney magic thrown in.

Thank you yes, it was so wonderful. And everything so clean! I was constantly amazed at the level of cleanliness the CMs kept. Can't wait to go back to CC. Unfortunately on next year's cruise it is the last day.

 

[Pikester]

Great update!

 

[Pinkocto]

Your pics are so good! Sorry you didn't get to see as much while snorkeling as you hoped. I am amazed that the fish came so close. I guess they are used to having people around.

Enjoyed the update!

Thank you so much

I really was shocked they came so close. Im sure you're right, they see people all the time. If we had more time to enjoy I'm sure I would have found all the statues and fun things, we just should have left the snorkel lagoon for next trip.

 

[Pinkocto]

Great update!

Thank you

 

[MEK]

Talk about being the last one back to the ship. Good for you! The snorkling again looked great and you got more great pictures!

Congrats on booking one last AP trip. I thought about doing that , but decided not to.

 

[Pinkocto]

Talk about being the last one back to the ship. Good for you! The snorkling again looked great and you got more great pictures!

Congrats on booking one last AP trip. I thought about doing that , but decided not to.

I know, we were really cutting it close. And the thing is, when the CM said the lagoon was closing in 15 minutes I asked if it was possible to get to the Mickey statue and back and she said definitely, no problem. she should never have let us go out. Oh well, every experience helps for next time.

From all the wonderfully positive remarks about OKW you received on your TR I'm getting really excited to stay there. I'm so glad to be seeing the Christmas decorations again, there was a bunch that we missed last time so I have to make a good game plan to see the rest. You aren't able to squeeze another one in, or don't want to? I'm curious to see if you'll make it a year between Disney trips like you're planning. Sometimes the World just calls to you

 

[franandaj]

We sailed on the Wonder in 2001 and the snorkeling lagoon was very new. They said that it would take at least 10 years for the creatures and things to build up and grow since the area was originally open to the sea. Could you tell if more "stuff" was there say compared to what you saw in Serenity Bay?

 

[Pinkocto]

We sailed on the Wonder in 2001 and the snorkeling lagoon was very new. They said that it would take at least 10 years for the creatures and things to build up and grow since the area was originally open to the sea. Could you tell if more "stuff" was there say compared to what you saw in Serenity Bay?

That makes sense. Yes, there was much more than at Serenity Bay. The only thing is that it was quite murkier than SB.

 

[jennyjinx3]

Oooh I just loved all your water pics and the fish! Wow, how beautiful! Sorry, hadn't checked in in a while, was getting over the pain of us deciding NOT to do a cruise next year... We are going to wait until the DD's are a wee bit older. But we will do one...oh yes I will see to it!!