Dec 4-8, 2005 Wonder-ful Cruise

[LuvEeyore]

I am just getting re-oriented and very bummed out about being home. I left the ship on a rainy/foggy morning and experienced delays getting home. That helped a little however the beautiful weather while on board spoiled me and then I came home to ice and snow.

We did a land/sea package with airfare and transfers through DCL. I will start and finish later (work will call soon).

Dec 1-3 at WDW stayed at POFQ
We met in the hotel lobby at 11:45 a.m. and boarded a DCL bus at 12:15p.m.
My DM (dear mother-age 70 and I-40 yo female) boarded the bus. The DCL staff in the hotel said the trip would take 1 hour and 20 mins. The trip took about 1 hour and 5 mins. They showed a video and then put on a G rated Disney movie for the rest of the time.
We got off the boat within 5 minutes of arriving at the port. We went through the security check in and then up the escalator and past the check in. Minnie was available for pictures and autographs. We saw the model of the ship and through the ears we went.
note: all persons who are not US citizens had to check in at the port
Had our picture made at about 1:20 p.m. and boarded the boat. They were not allowing us to rooms. After they announced us they directed us to deck 9 to the buffet. In fact, I asked about Parrot Cay and was told they were full. We went directly to Parrot Cay. The buffet was great and plentiful and very few people were even in the restraunt yet. The shrimp were great!!!

After lunch we went to our rooms and got our dining ticket and navigator. Mom worked on unpacking our day bags and I went up to try to get Palo reservations. By the time I got there 2:24p.m. or so Tuesday evening was full. We got the last Brunch reservation. 11:30 a.m.

We went on the ships tour and that was great information and fun. The cruise cast member was great.
Back to the room about 3:30 or so and our luggage was there. We were in room 2602, a category 9 room and Wintson was our stateroom Host--He was great, very kind, thoughtful and left very cute animals for the adults every night!!
The drill well...was a drill. Back to the room for quick unpacking and up to deck 10 for the Sail Away party.

This is not very imaginative trip report writing and more will come later. Please ask questions if you have them.

 

[gggpack]

I would like to thank everyone for all the tips prior to this cruise and provide my review. This vacation was not cheap but I would love to do it all over again. We also stayed at the POFQ prior to the cruise. The hotel did misplace my sons backpack but had it available at Port on our return from our cruise. They did offer a complementry 1 day visit for their mistake. The hotel was average w/a great pool for our kids age 7 & 11. The bus transfer system also has 2 times as many passengers due to the FQ and Riverside. It did take 45 minutes to get onto a bus at Epcot around midnight on extra hours night. Try to book a room near the pool to avoid the long walk.

Dec 4th:
We took the shuttle for convenience. The cost was $230 for the 4 of us for airport-restort, resort-port and port back to airport. I will prob try a 1-way car rental next time. I did upgrade at port from a cat 11 to a cat 9 for $250. The window was great but next time I will go the cheap route since we were not inside the cabin that much. There is just too much to do on the ship outside your room.

Food? Palo's Dinner and brunch was great. This is a MUST DO even for a cheap person like me. If you can only afford to do 1, try the brunch. I was a little disappointed with the food and service at the regular restaurants. It was above average but I expected more. The service at Palo's was A+.

We also had Winston and he provided good service for us. He did clean our stateroom 2 times a day and was well worth his tip at the end of the cruise. The rest of the ship was very clean. Overall service was very good.

Nassau: We booked a room at Atlantis for a great price. However, we had no idea how huge that resort is. Our room was at the Beach Tower and the cab dropped us off at the main area. We had to walk forever to get to our room. The room was just okay, however, the pools were great. The beach was FULL of pesty vendors constantly walking past trying to sell their junk. Very annoying.

Entertainment: My family enjoyed all the shows and my son Sam even was part of the comedian's show. We also loved Casteway Cay. I would love to attend a 7 day w/2 visits to this beautiful Island.

Also, (from the wife): I wish I had taken more pictures and even forked out the money for the professional photos. They were very good and that was a one-time opportunity. I only bought a few and wish I had bought more. I did get the Christmas card through DCL and am so glad I did. They are sent out and I am getting great feedback. Good price on the cards, too.

I would be happy to reply to any others questions. Enjoy your cruise, it goes by fast. Take care, Gregg.

 

[LuvEeyore]

After the lifeboat drill, we went to our rooms, changed for dinner, and unpacked for a few minutes then went to deck 10 for the sail away party. The party was great. I enjoyed the three cast members in their Mickey hands waving us off. What I enjoyed more was watching everyone on the shore, at resteraunts, etc. and in boats waving us off. The Wonder and Magic departing must be a local past time.
We had main seating. We were in Parrot Cay the first night. It was very loud. I loved our table mates; they were alot of fun. It was difficult though to carry on a conversation because of the loudness of the room. I also felt like our table, table 61 was in the middle of the floor that night. Our servers were Sunil and Hannahlee. WE enjoyed them. Lunch was a different affair entirely than dinner. They had no idea what to do with my diet--low fat, low, low salt and I am diabetic; they could have handled any one of these well so for the first night I had the salmon off the light menu.
We went to Hercules and loved it. It was fun and light hearted however to get some of the jokes you had to have lived through the 70's and 80's and understood mythology.
Mom went to bed and I went shopping and then had an early night.

More to come ...

 

[LuvEeyore]

Nassau Day
After getting up, we went up to deck 9 for the buffet which was plentiful and we did not wait in line. After breakfast we got ready for our shore excursion which met at 10:15 in Diversions. We went on the powerboat tour which myt 70 year old mother loved and would do again.
After the tour we walked around Nassau and shopped them headed back to the boat about 12:45 p.m. We had lunch at Trition's which was very good. Then mom had a 2:15 spa appointment to have her nails done and I worked out. We went on a bridge tour then to our room for a short seista.
Dinner was semi formal night in Triton's and great. Triton's was our favorite restraunt for the food. The show was the Golden Mickey's which was alot of fun for everyone.

More to come....

 

[LuvEeyore]

Castaway Key Day
We got up as the sun came through the porthole in our room. After underdressing bathing suits we wnet to breakfast at the buffet. After going back to our rooms to brush our teeth, we were off the boat. Castaway Cay-- what can I say other than I fell in love with paradise. I snorkeled, without a lot of luck, played and swam and went parasailing. Mom played on a float and sat on a lounge chair with a book. We went to lunch at Cookies. The ribs were good, I am not sure what they cooked the corn in (maybe cinnamon and sugar), well the corn on the cob left something to be desired. This was both mine and mom's least favorite meal. Again the service was good and the atmosphere great.
About 1:30, we went back to the ship and I went to the hot tub which was great. Few people were at the pools at this time. A nap, then dressed for dinner and the sail away party from deck 10.

Tip if you want to watch the action at deck parties and be out of the way and be able to get away from the noise, deck 10 is the place to be. We walked forward and watched the ship be navigated out of the port just like we had been told about in the bridge tour the day before. The sunsets were beautiful...so serene.
We went to dinner again at Tritons for the Pirates Night. The menus are great because you get to take them home. I had the maple glazed salmon and a shrimp medley (a shrimp cocktail). Never say no to dessert, it is always great including the sugar free desserts.
The pirates night party was cute and the buffet great. This night we also went to see Mike Harrison (I think that was his name) in the Walt Disney Theater. Mike was a comedian, vintrilioquest, and magician. This show was a lot of fun.

We also so "Who Wants to be a Millionare" in Studio Sea. This was well done. Arrive early for a good seat. Cara the assistant cruise director was really good with the young contestants and everyone who got in the hot seat walked away with at least pins.

Bakc to the real world. The worst part has been coming back to below freezing temputures and ice storms.

 

[LuvEeyore]

Day at Sea

We had a great day at sea which started with sleeping in. A light breakfast from room service and dressing for Palo's brunch. We did some shopping, then had an 11:30 reservaton for brunch. Serina was our waitress and she was great. The food was wonderful and so was the view. Try the crab legs and shrimp. I almost slept through my spa appointment I was so full.