mandymouse
Bahama Mama Time !!
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2003
- Messages
- 72,440
Here we go I hope its not too long winded.
Disney Cruises (Me, DH and 2 DD's)
1. December 2001
We decided to add this cruise to the end of our 2 week stay at WDW. We booked everything thru Virgin which was really expensive as we had to have a 17 night fly drive, 2 weeks at the All Stars and our 3 night Wonder cruise.
As we hadn't been introduced to these fab boards we really didn't know what expect. We arrived at the port around 1pm and quickley boarded the Wonder in no time at all. The ship looked fantastic as it was decked out for Christmas. Our family name was announced as we boarded (which completely took us by surprise). We went up to Plutos for lunch on Deck 9 and then went off to explore. We enrolled with the Internet package so that the kids could check up on their e-mails while we sat and had a drink (or several) and relaxed. Our room was 2112, cat. 9, which had a porthole window and it was all brilliant. At 4pm it was the mandatory boat drill (which lasted about 15 mins, and we did look hilarious in our life jackets), and then it was up to Deck 9 for the sailaway. There was a quick countdown with the Disney characters and at 5pm the ship moved as the ships horn played 'when you wish upon a star'. As our dinner seating was 6pm we dashed off to get changed. We loved all the restaurents, and we would never be able to choose one to drop to do Palo. The kids enjoyed the food too, and the speciality cocktails of the day were mine and DH faves.
On Nassau day we got off the ship and really hated being hassled by the locals who were wanting to braid our girls hair, or did we want taxis or horse and carts. So after an hour of quickley looking in some shops, buying 3 Nassau t-shirts for $10, and taking some lovely photos of the Wonder we headed back on board for lunch (yes more food) and a sunbathe and swim, which was great as most people had got off the ship.
On Castaway Cay the weather was fab, it was in the high 80's and we all just sunbathed or swam - we just took it easy. The Island was beautiful and it was the highlight of the trip. We took loads of photos and met characters there too.
I think the only show we saw was Disney Dreams (which was wonderful and leaves you with a tear in your eye), and we saw a few films when it got a bit too hot, but on the whole we don't bother with rushing around to do excursions or changing our restaurents as all we want to do is take it easy and enjoy, sometimes I think people try to pack far too much to do instead of just standing back and taking in the Wonder in all its glory.
The worst part of the cruise was getting up for 6am for immigration on the last morning. We'd had two bottles of Asti Martini the night before (so we were feeling a bit worse for wear). We had breakfast at Parrot Cay and none of us could eat a thing, it was a very depressing few hours as we knew we had to fly home that night.
Disembarking was a piece of cake it was so easy, they let us off around 8.30am and we were reunited with our cases (that had been left outside our room the night before, so we didn't have to carry them off) and before we knew it we were back in our car.
VERDICT; The cruise was fantastic - WE WOULD BE GOING BACK!!
2. April 2003
This time we booked everything seperately, the cruise was booked on-line thru DCL, flydrive was booked with Virgin and the All Stars was booked directly thru Disney when discount codes came out (see mousesavers.com).
Once again we booked a cat.9 room and a week before our holiday DCL rang and gave us some 'Disney Pixie Dust 'with a free upgrade to a Cat.6 with a verandah (we were soooo excited). We flew in the day before the cruise and stopped at the Best Western Florida Mall so we could do some shopping at Wal-Mart and on the Thursday set off for Port Canaveral. Everything was as the first cruise (just Brilliant), we didn't change our restaurents, didn't do any excursions, the kids again weren't interested in the kids clubs, our servers were the best, the food was brilliant and the room was fantastic as was the entertainment.
But we did do a few things differently;-
We arrived at Port for 10.30am, we took loads of photos and were one of the first onboard.
We had our camcorder ready for when they announced our name as we boarded.
We had our swimwear on ready for a swim while the pools were unbelievably quiet.
I learnt how to braid my kids hair so we wouldn't be hassled at Nassau - but guess what? They were hassling me to have my hair braided like the girls LOL!!!
We got ready for dinner before going to the sailaway party so that we could stay on Deck 9 and take photos and video.
This time we were now members of the Castaway Club, so we received our lovely towel and 2 pins and we were invited to the Castaway Club party (which I think was on the last night) which started at 5.15pm and we managed about 3 Bahama mama cocktails and some rather tasty nibbles before heading off for dinner at 6pm (yes more food, and this time I put on about 10lbs in 3 days - but it was well worth it).
It was much better to be finishing the cruise knowing we were heading to WDW and it made the last morning more bearable, and this time we grabbed a light breakfast at the Beach Blanket.
3. Next Cruise - 12th May 2005 (or 53 weeks tomorrow!!!)
We've booked thru DCL again and we've booked a Cat.6, hubby just loved that verandah where he could retreat to when 3 girls are getting ready and it was just wonderful relaxing out there as the ship sailed into the Ports.
I think the girls want to try out the kids clubs as one will be a teen and the other a bit younger - which will be fine by us. I still won't change my restaurents or do excursions but I am looking forward to The Golden Mickeys show.
I hope this all helps, and if you've (or anyone else) has any questions - please just ask.
mandymouse
Disney Cruises (Me, DH and 2 DD's)
1. December 2001
We decided to add this cruise to the end of our 2 week stay at WDW. We booked everything thru Virgin which was really expensive as we had to have a 17 night fly drive, 2 weeks at the All Stars and our 3 night Wonder cruise.
As we hadn't been introduced to these fab boards we really didn't know what expect. We arrived at the port around 1pm and quickley boarded the Wonder in no time at all. The ship looked fantastic as it was decked out for Christmas. Our family name was announced as we boarded (which completely took us by surprise). We went up to Plutos for lunch on Deck 9 and then went off to explore. We enrolled with the Internet package so that the kids could check up on their e-mails while we sat and had a drink (or several) and relaxed. Our room was 2112, cat. 9, which had a porthole window and it was all brilliant. At 4pm it was the mandatory boat drill (which lasted about 15 mins, and we did look hilarious in our life jackets), and then it was up to Deck 9 for the sailaway. There was a quick countdown with the Disney characters and at 5pm the ship moved as the ships horn played 'when you wish upon a star'. As our dinner seating was 6pm we dashed off to get changed. We loved all the restaurents, and we would never be able to choose one to drop to do Palo. The kids enjoyed the food too, and the speciality cocktails of the day were mine and DH faves.
On Nassau day we got off the ship and really hated being hassled by the locals who were wanting to braid our girls hair, or did we want taxis or horse and carts. So after an hour of quickley looking in some shops, buying 3 Nassau t-shirts for $10, and taking some lovely photos of the Wonder we headed back on board for lunch (yes more food) and a sunbathe and swim, which was great as most people had got off the ship.
On Castaway Cay the weather was fab, it was in the high 80's and we all just sunbathed or swam - we just took it easy. The Island was beautiful and it was the highlight of the trip. We took loads of photos and met characters there too.
I think the only show we saw was Disney Dreams (which was wonderful and leaves you with a tear in your eye), and we saw a few films when it got a bit too hot, but on the whole we don't bother with rushing around to do excursions or changing our restaurents as all we want to do is take it easy and enjoy, sometimes I think people try to pack far too much to do instead of just standing back and taking in the Wonder in all its glory.
The worst part of the cruise was getting up for 6am for immigration on the last morning. We'd had two bottles of Asti Martini the night before (so we were feeling a bit worse for wear). We had breakfast at Parrot Cay and none of us could eat a thing, it was a very depressing few hours as we knew we had to fly home that night.
Disembarking was a piece of cake it was so easy, they let us off around 8.30am and we were reunited with our cases (that had been left outside our room the night before, so we didn't have to carry them off) and before we knew it we were back in our car.
VERDICT; The cruise was fantastic - WE WOULD BE GOING BACK!!
2. April 2003
This time we booked everything seperately, the cruise was booked on-line thru DCL, flydrive was booked with Virgin and the All Stars was booked directly thru Disney when discount codes came out (see mousesavers.com).
Once again we booked a cat.9 room and a week before our holiday DCL rang and gave us some 'Disney Pixie Dust 'with a free upgrade to a Cat.6 with a verandah (we were soooo excited). We flew in the day before the cruise and stopped at the Best Western Florida Mall so we could do some shopping at Wal-Mart and on the Thursday set off for Port Canaveral. Everything was as the first cruise (just Brilliant), we didn't change our restaurents, didn't do any excursions, the kids again weren't interested in the kids clubs, our servers were the best, the food was brilliant and the room was fantastic as was the entertainment.
But we did do a few things differently;-
We arrived at Port for 10.30am, we took loads of photos and were one of the first onboard.
We had our camcorder ready for when they announced our name as we boarded.
We had our swimwear on ready for a swim while the pools were unbelievably quiet.
I learnt how to braid my kids hair so we wouldn't be hassled at Nassau - but guess what? They were hassling me to have my hair braided like the girls LOL!!!
We got ready for dinner before going to the sailaway party so that we could stay on Deck 9 and take photos and video.
This time we were now members of the Castaway Club, so we received our lovely towel and 2 pins and we were invited to the Castaway Club party (which I think was on the last night) which started at 5.15pm and we managed about 3 Bahama mama cocktails and some rather tasty nibbles before heading off for dinner at 6pm (yes more food, and this time I put on about 10lbs in 3 days - but it was well worth it).
It was much better to be finishing the cruise knowing we were heading to WDW and it made the last morning more bearable, and this time we grabbed a light breakfast at the Beach Blanket.
3. Next Cruise - 12th May 2005 (or 53 weeks tomorrow!!!)
We've booked thru DCL again and we've booked a Cat.6, hubby just loved that verandah where he could retreat to when 3 girls are getting ready and it was just wonderful relaxing out there as the ship sailed into the Ports.
I think the girls want to try out the kids clubs as one will be a teen and the other a bit younger - which will be fine by us. I still won't change my restaurents or do excursions but I am looking forward to The Golden Mickeys show.
I hope this all helps, and if you've (or anyone else) has any questions - please just ask.
mandymouse
I would love to try a cruise one day 
