Some background on us. We are a family of 4. 2 adults in our mid forties and 2daughters 14 and 11. This was our 2nd cruise, the first was on Celebrity and now this cruise on the Disney Wonder. I enjoy reading detailed reviews as get a lot more information then just reading the food was good, the entertainment was good.... So if you don't like reading detailed (aka long...) reviews you would be better served stopping here. Food reviews are always a very relative thing and realize that my oldest daughter and I are both vegetarians so I had no personal experience on the meat dishes, just what was relayed from my wife and younger daughter.
We left New York on a cold and sunny February on Southwest and headed to Orlando Airport. We head an evening flight and considered it is a week off from school here everything went fairly smoothly although there are always people confused about the whole Southwest boarding process. The numbered sections work better then the old A, B and C sections but I still don't get why they just don't go with reserved seats.... Anyway we had a great landing (always a good thing) and arrived 15 minutes early, got the luggage the rental car and within an hour we were checked in at the Raddison at the Port Hotel.
Plenty of parking, nice exterior, paths, beautiful pool but rooms were so/so. Sleep number beds weren't very comfy. Room in good condition, well kept and A/C worked well.
Day 1 Sunday 2/15 Port Canaveral
Breakfast at the hotel is either buffet or off the menu but they don't advertise the menu option at all, be aware it's a option. Buffet had omelets to order, waffles, biscuits, pastries, bagels, cereals, home fries breakfast meats... good selection.
One of the nice things is the hotel offers free parking while you are cruising as well as a free shuttle to the port. When you reserve your room asked to be put on the shuttle list. Shuttle was quick and efficient. We booked early and were on the 1st shuttle out at 10 AM and we were at the port terminal 5 minutes later. At that time there were no lines at all. We had our bags taken by the terminal porters, were through security, checked in and photographed for our ID cards within 10 minutes. We were boarding group 2 which is the first group after the guests staying in suites. Check in to confirm my 11 year old was registered for Oceaneer's Lab (kids club for 10 12 year olds) took another 5 minutes. They loan you a pager for the lens of the cruise that the kids club staff can contact you if they or your child need you or wants to give you a message as to where they are.
The port terminal is large and clean with a model of the Disney Magic in the center. Small area to buy snacks, drink and sundries. Disney and a few other characters showed up at different times and were available for photos.
Boarding the Wonder at about 11:45 AM and headed straight to Parrot Cay for lunch as the cabins are not ready until 1:30PM.. As you board the ship they announce your family name and the assembled staff applaud. I thought it was unnecessary and my girls were embarrassed but I know some people feel it's special.
The buffet was great, wide selection of dishes, carving station, pastas, salads, fruit, soup... designed well so you can access it from both sides so lines moved quickly. Everything I tried was fresh, well prepared and tasty. My daughters loved the chilled strawberry and mint soup. Many many deserts from parfaits, cakes, pies, pastries and several types of chocolate cakes (which my wife liked). I had a fruit tart with hard chocolate inside and sabayon sauce... excellent.. Parfaits also excellent. Beer was ice cold.
The only downside to lunch was the constant hawking for wine/beer/water packages. We were asked no less then 4 separate times before the end of lunch and they were persistent.
After lunch everything was still closed so we went to check out Deck 9 and the pools and hot tubs were all occupied with plenty of kids and adults already enjoying themselves. We played some table tennis and at 130 headed to the room.
Room was great. We had a balcony stateroom on deck 7 midship, starboard side. Everything was in great shape and very clean. Split bathroom is a nice touch. Soap/shampoo are all decent H2O products made for Disney Cruise Lines.. mandatory evac drill went smoothly. Great directions, orderly and over in 10 minutes.
Sail away party was well attended by lots of enthusiastic people dancing and partying, We enjoyed a few cocktails and headed back to the room to get ready for dinner. Unlike other cruise lines, Disney rotates you through a different restaurant every night. When you first go to your cabin you have printed cards which list your dining time, rotation and table number. Ours was PTTA which meant Parrot Cay-Triton's-Triton's-Animators Pallette. Table 19 , early seating which was 5:45 which was a table for 8 towards the back and center. Our table mates were a couple with a daughter age 11 and a son age 8.
Ricardo (from Peru) was our server and Mehmet (from Turkey) his assistant. Service was professional and very attentive and relaxed, no rushing at all. Ali from the US was our head server (asst Maitre'D).
Highlight of our first dinner, Banana bread with banana butter was excellent as was the Mango soup ( a cold soup) which was so creamy it taste like ice cream. Sweet onion soup also very good,.Tomato, eggplant /vegetable/foccacia was an excellent appetizer. Gnocchi main dish was just ok. My wife had the rib eye steak, huge cut and my wife said it was outstanding. My youngest had the plain grilled chicken which she liked and it is always available on the dinner menu. Dessert we all had lemon meringue pie which was good..
After dinner we went to Studio Sea one of the smaller entertainment areas and saw Who wants to be a Mouseketeer a take off of who wants to be a millionaire, Disney style. Was a lot of fun, kids really enjoyed it. The stage show the first night was the Golden Mickeys. A tribute to the history of Walt Disney. They interviewed several groups of kids as they walked in on the red carpet and played it on the screen for the people already seated in the theater. Very cute. Theater was filled to capacity. After the show we were all pooped. My teenager headed to Aloft (the teen club) but no one was there at 10 PM so we all called it an early night.
Day 2 Monday2/16 Bahamas
We all woke up early for the buffet due to an early shore excursion. Went up to Topsider's on Deck 9 and it was easy to find a seat at 8 AM. There was a great selection of the standard breakfast foods, scrambled eggs (a little runny), fruit, chocolate croissants (yummy), home fries. My youngest reported the Mickey waffles were good, covered with strawberries and syrup and my oldest had an egg white omelet with cheese and mushrooms. You order the omelet, they give you a little metal stand with a number on it, place it on your tray and then when it's ready, they deliver it to your table (nice touch).
Coffee was good and hot. By the time we left at 830 it was starting to get crowded.
Our excursion met in Studio Sea for the Dolphin Encounter. While we were waiting they were selling bottled water for $1.75 and bottled strap for $3.00. Around 1015 they had us lined up at walked us off the boat, through some shops and onto the Dolphin Encounter boat which took about 10 minutes for our group. The excursion boat had plenty of seating on 2 levels and offered nice views of the shore, the Atlantis, hotels and private homes during the 20 minute boat ride.
We disembarked and were divided into groups and had a short (10 minute) lecture on dolphins and how they trained them. We then were further divided into groups of 40 persons for our encounter. There were lockers to store your extra clothes and gear and we then proceeded to sit around a large rectangular pool area that was separate but gave the dolphin in and out access to deeper water.
Our dolphin's name was Salvatore. Each family entered and knelt on an underwater platform so the cameraman could take a photo of the dolphin kissing a member from your group. Then the trainer demonstrated how she trains him to kiss, hug and dance and rewarded him for his efforts from a cooler full of fish. 10 people at a time then lined up on the platform and Salvatore would kiss, hug, dance (or blow raspberries) with each person on cues from his trainer as well as allowing each person to touch him. It's amazing how powerful he felt when you are hugging him and when his trainer had him swim on his back to outside the enclosure his acceleration was incredible. All told you get to spend about 10-15 minutes up close and personal time then it's the next' groups turn and you are basically done. There is a gift shop where you can view and purchase the photographs and video. A wide variety of photo packages are available from a simple magnet or 5 x7 all the way up to a spiral photo album with a nice amount of photographs and some information about dolphins.
There is an area where they have several famous dolphins they have trained like Jake who was in the movie version of Flipper. There is also a Sea lion area.
After you are done you can cross a small wooden bridge and take a short walk to their private beach passing a small touch tank along the way with some sea stars and other small marine life. At the beach there are paddle boats and aqua trikes for rent, tubes, a full bar and a lunch area where you get your choice or a hamburger/hot dog/veggie burger, chips and fruit punch for $12/person. There is also a volleyball net, games, chess, basketball and lots of hammocks all free of charge. There was a lifeguard on duty on the beach. Boats return to the cruise dock at 1, 2 and 4 and you can pick up the boat either at the beach or by the dolphin encounter where we originally disembarked. The return boat docked closer to the cruise ship, requiring less of a walk but didn't really tie up and they only had the aft end of the boat against the dock so there was a lot of swaying. They did assist everyone off but if you are unsteady on your feet, just a word of caution.
Relaxed when we returned to the ship, showered and changed for dinner. I went up to Deck 100 to take some more photos of the island.
Tonight is dress up night and we are dining at Triton's. There was a wide variety of dress from casual pants, to suit and tie. Most of the men were wearing shirts and slacks and ties. Most women were wearing shirts/blouses with some pants and tops and a few dresses. Our table mates didn't show up tonight, perhaps they were late getting back from an excursion? A quick call to the dining room would have been nice. We waited 15 minutes and then proceeded to order. My wife order the shrimp medley appetizer which she enjoyed and I had the Normandy salad which was just OK. My daughter had the tomato basil soup which she really enjoyed.. I had the cold ratatouille appetizer which was also just OK.. My main course was rigatoni and cheese which was good and my wife had the Coquille St. Jacques which was just average. The highlight of the meal was dessert. We all had the creme brulee and loved it. Ricardo also brought us a plate of Crepe Suzette to try which was also excellent. We went to the pin trading after dinner, bought a few, then bought a few more in the shops and then got in line for a good seat for the evening show; Toy Story the Musical My older daughter didn't want to stay (too much dinner I think) but my youngest and my wife told me it was really good.
Tomorrow is Castaway Cay
Day 3 Monday 2/17 Castaway Cay
Woke up this morning and went out on the balcony to see if we were going to make this port. I had read a lot of people who were disappointed because due to high winds the ship was unable to dock here. It was very windy but the docking was very smooth; so much so that at one point I had thought the captain had stopped the ship but apparently we had already docked, lol. We went up to deck 9 for breakfast at 8 AM and we were unable to find a table inside. We sat outside but it was so windy I had to run back to the cabin to get jackets; nice and sunny though. Menu choice were basically the same, except they had Belgian waffles instead of Mickey waffles and hash browns instead of home fries. Everything was still good but the wind made the breakfast a little less enjoyable. The temperature started out at about 70 and went to 76 with the wind on and off throughout the day.
The island is beautiful, lots of turquoise water , white sand and plenty of chairs, hammocks and space.
We went to the family beach which is about 5- 8 minute walk but you could also take the tram. Rented tubes for $12/day and snorkels/mask/fins for $25/day. We snorkeled early but the water was very cold so we didn't last long. There was a separate roped off area for snorkeling and for tubes/swimming. We never made it to the adult only beach. We visited the stores and purchases some sandals/t shirts/mugs etc. For lunch we tried Cookies BBQ on the island but there wasn't much selection for us vegetarians. They had burgers/hot dogs/chicken/ribs, couscous, pasta salad, cole slaw, potato salad and chips. Potato salad was very good. Corn on the cob had been swimming in the water way too long. Desert were huge chocolate chip cookies that weren't very good and some apple dessert which we didn't try. Lots of lines to accommodate the masses. Plenty of tables. Self serve soft drink areas. My opinion is the food here was to up to the standard of the rest of the week.
I spent a nice relaxing day in the lounge chair with a Konk Kooler which are not to be missed. I'm not a big fan of fruity drinks but I really enjoyed it.
We returned early to the ship, showered and picked up some free hats and lanyards for being a Disney vacation club member. We went to the Disney Animation class where they taught us how to draw the mouse himself and we also played pictionary in Preludes, both lots of fun. Neville from the entertainment staff was the host for both.
Dinner tonight is the Pirate's in the Caribbean themed dinner along with paper pirate themed menus.
About half the dining room was dressed up in some pirate type dress(eye patches, hats. Etc.) My daughters were low key in pirate necklaces. Our table mates were no shows again. Appetizers we tried were Fried Wontons stuffed with cheese, pico de gallo and guacamole. Very good stuff. Dinner was Tiger Lily's grilled eggplant with Jamaican vegetable stew which was great. My wife loved her Black Pearl oven roasted beef tenderloin with sour cream and chive smashed potatoes with glazed carrots in a wine glaze. Gumbo was also very good. Dessert were a banana flambe which we didn't try and Walk the triple layered chocolate gangplank cake which was excellent. The calypso ice cream sundae was just okay.
After dinner we relaxed in our room awaiting the big party on deck at 9:45. We got there about 9:30 and got a great spot on deck 10, right opposite the big screen and had a great view. Lots of dancing, singing, Disney characters and above all energy. Saw the fireworks which were great but short, only 3 minutes. After there was a huge dessert buffet with a chocolate boat and ice carvings but we were still full from dinner and didn't partake.
Day 4 Tuesday 2/18 At Sea
Was nice waking up a little later because there was no need to rush off the ship. Enjoyed a late (9AM) breakfast and today we sat inside. Not crowded when we got there but was when we left, just luck and timing I guess.
Went to Animator's Palette where we participated in another animator's drawing class. Mickey again. Would have been nice to do a different character but as I Mickey is far from perfect I didn't mind the extra practice. We also watched the movie Steamboat Willie. My daughter had notice the ship was moving fast and it was due to a medical emergency they had on board. We detoured to Port Everglades where an ambulance was waiting to take a passenger to the hospital. Hope they are okay. We then went directly back out to sea. After the drawing class my kids hit the arcade which is a decent size for a cruise ship, about 30 or so games, air hockey, etc and my wife and I relaxed at a table nearby enjoying the view. When the kids were done we had lunch there. I had a grilled vegetable panini which was very good. They also had other paninis like turkey and cheese, ham, and the kids had pizza which was also very good. Fries were way too salty.. Next to the sandwich spot is a self service soft serve ice cream machine that has chocolate or vanilla and chocolate and caramel sauces.
We took advantage of the afternoon Showing of Disney Dreams rather then deal with the evening crowds and knowing we would be busy packing. Excellent show with a Wendy/PeterPan theme.
After the show we went to a towel folding demonstration where members of the housekeeping staff demonstrate the fine art of taking towels and turning them into animals while the rest of us attempted to follow along with towels they supplied. Fortunately they also gave us instruction sheets to take with us.
We went back to our cabin to pack and they had delivered the pillowcases which I had brought down on the first night to the Guest relations desk. If you bring them t shirts, pillowcases etc along with some sharpie markers, they will get them all signed by the characters and return them to you the last night of the cruise.
Tonight's dinner was at Animator's Palette. Don't want to ruin the show they have there but the kids loved it and you will enjoy it. I had the gazpacho which I didn't like and the mushroom risotto appetizer which was excellent. For the main course I had the vegetables in curry with rice which was also very good. Deserts included double chocolate cake excellent, chocolate peanut butter pie, also excellent and strawberry shortcake- very good.
We tipped our waiters, thanked them for the great service and went back to the cabin to finish packing luggage tags they leave in the room are different characters so when you disembark you can find your luggage in that section. We were TinkerBelle which works since she is my favorite Disney Character. Afterwards we headed to the area outside of triton's for the character goodbye. We went up on the deck above and got a great view from the railing as all the characters came down the staircases. Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Captain Hook, Daisy, chip and dale and Stitch. They all took separate spots and people lined up for pictures and photographs.
Day 5 Last day
Port Canaveral
Breakfast on your last day is served in the same dining room where you had dinner from the night before. For us that was Animator's Pallete. Times are staggered according to your seating (early or late) and the dining room. AP was 6:30, Parrot Cay was 6:45 and if you were lucky enough to be in Triton's, you got to sleep later and didn't have to be there until 7 AM. Late seating began an hour and 15 minutes after the early seating. The buffet is also open but they don't really advertise the fact as I think they need to get you off the ship quickly so they can get it cleaned up for the next cruise. We brought our carry on to breakfast so we could depart after we ate. Breakfast was limited but still had a good selection of omelets, waffles, potatoes, bagels croissants and fruits, juice coffee and tea. Said our goodbyes and we were in the lobby awaiting the doors to open. 5 minutes later we were off the ship.. A porter was available to help with our luggage and we were through customs and by the shuttle stop 5 minutes later. We waited about 15 minutes for the Raddisson shuttle and we were in our car and headed to Disney World before 8 AM.
Some Final thoughts.....
We had a great cruise on a great ship. The Wonder shows her age very well. Despite the fact that there were tons of kids on the ship there was never a time when it seemed overwhelming. They were busy, occupied, having fun and pretty well behaved. The food was much better then I expected . Comparing it with my last cruise on Celebrity I would have to give the edge to Celebrity on their breakfast buffet for quality and variety. Lunch selection/quality was close. Disney's pizza was better, their paninis were good. Dinner selection and variety was more upscale on Celebrity. Disney's was less pretentious but they usually succeeded in what they were trying to accomplish where sometimes Celebrity didn't. This is not a bash on Celebrity at all. I'm just saying if you were happy with Celebrity's food, I think you would be with Disney's as well. Disney had much better desserts. Disney had much larger cabins and their condition was better. An extra 40 sq ft in the cabin and the balcony was 50% larger. Plenty of storage for the 4 of us for the 4 days but we would have had enough for the week.
The entertainment was better on Disney; the big shows were done only the way Disney can with multiple backgrounds, props and such. Of course, one needs to like the Disney product. We never went to the kids clubs other then the first day so I can't give you the scoop on those.. My daughters never wanted to go which I thought odd but they said they enjoyed going to the family activities with us. My 14 year old thought Disney catered to family activities more where Celebrity was more separate events for adults and children. Hard for me to say as we didn't attend as many activities on the Infinity when we were on her. I asked her which she preferred and she didn't have a preference, She liked them both quite a lot. The wait staff on Disney was excellent. They couldn't do enough.
The big question is: Is Disney worth the price premium you pay? My opinion is that perhaps it is. You are getting something tangible for your dollar. I need to take a Royal Caribbean cruise soon to judge the activities and other tangibles that are more geared to kids but not Disney before I make my final judgment. I can see the appeal of the Disney Cruise. If you are a cruiser, it is worth trying it and deciding for yourself.
We left New York on a cold and sunny February on Southwest and headed to Orlando Airport. We head an evening flight and considered it is a week off from school here everything went fairly smoothly although there are always people confused about the whole Southwest boarding process. The numbered sections work better then the old A, B and C sections but I still don't get why they just don't go with reserved seats.... Anyway we had a great landing (always a good thing) and arrived 15 minutes early, got the luggage the rental car and within an hour we were checked in at the Raddison at the Port Hotel.
Plenty of parking, nice exterior, paths, beautiful pool but rooms were so/so. Sleep number beds weren't very comfy. Room in good condition, well kept and A/C worked well.
Day 1 Sunday 2/15 Port Canaveral
Breakfast at the hotel is either buffet or off the menu but they don't advertise the menu option at all, be aware it's a option. Buffet had omelets to order, waffles, biscuits, pastries, bagels, cereals, home fries breakfast meats... good selection.
One of the nice things is the hotel offers free parking while you are cruising as well as a free shuttle to the port. When you reserve your room asked to be put on the shuttle list. Shuttle was quick and efficient. We booked early and were on the 1st shuttle out at 10 AM and we were at the port terminal 5 minutes later. At that time there were no lines at all. We had our bags taken by the terminal porters, were through security, checked in and photographed for our ID cards within 10 minutes. We were boarding group 2 which is the first group after the guests staying in suites. Check in to confirm my 11 year old was registered for Oceaneer's Lab (kids club for 10 12 year olds) took another 5 minutes. They loan you a pager for the lens of the cruise that the kids club staff can contact you if they or your child need you or wants to give you a message as to where they are.
The port terminal is large and clean with a model of the Disney Magic in the center. Small area to buy snacks, drink and sundries. Disney and a few other characters showed up at different times and were available for photos.
Boarding the Wonder at about 11:45 AM and headed straight to Parrot Cay for lunch as the cabins are not ready until 1:30PM.. As you board the ship they announce your family name and the assembled staff applaud. I thought it was unnecessary and my girls were embarrassed but I know some people feel it's special.
The buffet was great, wide selection of dishes, carving station, pastas, salads, fruit, soup... designed well so you can access it from both sides so lines moved quickly. Everything I tried was fresh, well prepared and tasty. My daughters loved the chilled strawberry and mint soup. Many many deserts from parfaits, cakes, pies, pastries and several types of chocolate cakes (which my wife liked). I had a fruit tart with hard chocolate inside and sabayon sauce... excellent.. Parfaits also excellent. Beer was ice cold.
The only downside to lunch was the constant hawking for wine/beer/water packages. We were asked no less then 4 separate times before the end of lunch and they were persistent.
After lunch everything was still closed so we went to check out Deck 9 and the pools and hot tubs were all occupied with plenty of kids and adults already enjoying themselves. We played some table tennis and at 130 headed to the room.
Room was great. We had a balcony stateroom on deck 7 midship, starboard side. Everything was in great shape and very clean. Split bathroom is a nice touch. Soap/shampoo are all decent H2O products made for Disney Cruise Lines.. mandatory evac drill went smoothly. Great directions, orderly and over in 10 minutes.
Sail away party was well attended by lots of enthusiastic people dancing and partying, We enjoyed a few cocktails and headed back to the room to get ready for dinner. Unlike other cruise lines, Disney rotates you through a different restaurant every night. When you first go to your cabin you have printed cards which list your dining time, rotation and table number. Ours was PTTA which meant Parrot Cay-Triton's-Triton's-Animators Pallette. Table 19 , early seating which was 5:45 which was a table for 8 towards the back and center. Our table mates were a couple with a daughter age 11 and a son age 8.
Ricardo (from Peru) was our server and Mehmet (from Turkey) his assistant. Service was professional and very attentive and relaxed, no rushing at all. Ali from the US was our head server (asst Maitre'D).
Highlight of our first dinner, Banana bread with banana butter was excellent as was the Mango soup ( a cold soup) which was so creamy it taste like ice cream. Sweet onion soup also very good,.Tomato, eggplant /vegetable/foccacia was an excellent appetizer. Gnocchi main dish was just ok. My wife had the rib eye steak, huge cut and my wife said it was outstanding. My youngest had the plain grilled chicken which she liked and it is always available on the dinner menu. Dessert we all had lemon meringue pie which was good..
After dinner we went to Studio Sea one of the smaller entertainment areas and saw Who wants to be a Mouseketeer a take off of who wants to be a millionaire, Disney style. Was a lot of fun, kids really enjoyed it. The stage show the first night was the Golden Mickeys. A tribute to the history of Walt Disney. They interviewed several groups of kids as they walked in on the red carpet and played it on the screen for the people already seated in the theater. Very cute. Theater was filled to capacity. After the show we were all pooped. My teenager headed to Aloft (the teen club) but no one was there at 10 PM so we all called it an early night.
Day 2 Monday2/16 Bahamas
We all woke up early for the buffet due to an early shore excursion. Went up to Topsider's on Deck 9 and it was easy to find a seat at 8 AM. There was a great selection of the standard breakfast foods, scrambled eggs (a little runny), fruit, chocolate croissants (yummy), home fries. My youngest reported the Mickey waffles were good, covered with strawberries and syrup and my oldest had an egg white omelet with cheese and mushrooms. You order the omelet, they give you a little metal stand with a number on it, place it on your tray and then when it's ready, they deliver it to your table (nice touch).
Coffee was good and hot. By the time we left at 830 it was starting to get crowded.
Our excursion met in Studio Sea for the Dolphin Encounter. While we were waiting they were selling bottled water for $1.75 and bottled strap for $3.00. Around 1015 they had us lined up at walked us off the boat, through some shops and onto the Dolphin Encounter boat which took about 10 minutes for our group. The excursion boat had plenty of seating on 2 levels and offered nice views of the shore, the Atlantis, hotels and private homes during the 20 minute boat ride.
We disembarked and were divided into groups and had a short (10 minute) lecture on dolphins and how they trained them. We then were further divided into groups of 40 persons for our encounter. There were lockers to store your extra clothes and gear and we then proceeded to sit around a large rectangular pool area that was separate but gave the dolphin in and out access to deeper water.
Our dolphin's name was Salvatore. Each family entered and knelt on an underwater platform so the cameraman could take a photo of the dolphin kissing a member from your group. Then the trainer demonstrated how she trains him to kiss, hug and dance and rewarded him for his efforts from a cooler full of fish. 10 people at a time then lined up on the platform and Salvatore would kiss, hug, dance (or blow raspberries) with each person on cues from his trainer as well as allowing each person to touch him. It's amazing how powerful he felt when you are hugging him and when his trainer had him swim on his back to outside the enclosure his acceleration was incredible. All told you get to spend about 10-15 minutes up close and personal time then it's the next' groups turn and you are basically done. There is a gift shop where you can view and purchase the photographs and video. A wide variety of photo packages are available from a simple magnet or 5 x7 all the way up to a spiral photo album with a nice amount of photographs and some information about dolphins.
There is an area where they have several famous dolphins they have trained like Jake who was in the movie version of Flipper. There is also a Sea lion area.
After you are done you can cross a small wooden bridge and take a short walk to their private beach passing a small touch tank along the way with some sea stars and other small marine life. At the beach there are paddle boats and aqua trikes for rent, tubes, a full bar and a lunch area where you get your choice or a hamburger/hot dog/veggie burger, chips and fruit punch for $12/person. There is also a volleyball net, games, chess, basketball and lots of hammocks all free of charge. There was a lifeguard on duty on the beach. Boats return to the cruise dock at 1, 2 and 4 and you can pick up the boat either at the beach or by the dolphin encounter where we originally disembarked. The return boat docked closer to the cruise ship, requiring less of a walk but didn't really tie up and they only had the aft end of the boat against the dock so there was a lot of swaying. They did assist everyone off but if you are unsteady on your feet, just a word of caution.
Relaxed when we returned to the ship, showered and changed for dinner. I went up to Deck 100 to take some more photos of the island.
Tonight is dress up night and we are dining at Triton's. There was a wide variety of dress from casual pants, to suit and tie. Most of the men were wearing shirts and slacks and ties. Most women were wearing shirts/blouses with some pants and tops and a few dresses. Our table mates didn't show up tonight, perhaps they were late getting back from an excursion? A quick call to the dining room would have been nice. We waited 15 minutes and then proceeded to order. My wife order the shrimp medley appetizer which she enjoyed and I had the Normandy salad which was just OK. My daughter had the tomato basil soup which she really enjoyed.. I had the cold ratatouille appetizer which was also just OK.. My main course was rigatoni and cheese which was good and my wife had the Coquille St. Jacques which was just average. The highlight of the meal was dessert. We all had the creme brulee and loved it. Ricardo also brought us a plate of Crepe Suzette to try which was also excellent. We went to the pin trading after dinner, bought a few, then bought a few more in the shops and then got in line for a good seat for the evening show; Toy Story the Musical My older daughter didn't want to stay (too much dinner I think) but my youngest and my wife told me it was really good.
Tomorrow is Castaway Cay
Day 3 Monday 2/17 Castaway Cay
Woke up this morning and went out on the balcony to see if we were going to make this port. I had read a lot of people who were disappointed because due to high winds the ship was unable to dock here. It was very windy but the docking was very smooth; so much so that at one point I had thought the captain had stopped the ship but apparently we had already docked, lol. We went up to deck 9 for breakfast at 8 AM and we were unable to find a table inside. We sat outside but it was so windy I had to run back to the cabin to get jackets; nice and sunny though. Menu choice were basically the same, except they had Belgian waffles instead of Mickey waffles and hash browns instead of home fries. Everything was still good but the wind made the breakfast a little less enjoyable. The temperature started out at about 70 and went to 76 with the wind on and off throughout the day.
The island is beautiful, lots of turquoise water , white sand and plenty of chairs, hammocks and space.
We went to the family beach which is about 5- 8 minute walk but you could also take the tram. Rented tubes for $12/day and snorkels/mask/fins for $25/day. We snorkeled early but the water was very cold so we didn't last long. There was a separate roped off area for snorkeling and for tubes/swimming. We never made it to the adult only beach. We visited the stores and purchases some sandals/t shirts/mugs etc. For lunch we tried Cookies BBQ on the island but there wasn't much selection for us vegetarians. They had burgers/hot dogs/chicken/ribs, couscous, pasta salad, cole slaw, potato salad and chips. Potato salad was very good. Corn on the cob had been swimming in the water way too long. Desert were huge chocolate chip cookies that weren't very good and some apple dessert which we didn't try. Lots of lines to accommodate the masses. Plenty of tables. Self serve soft drink areas. My opinion is the food here was to up to the standard of the rest of the week.
I spent a nice relaxing day in the lounge chair with a Konk Kooler which are not to be missed. I'm not a big fan of fruity drinks but I really enjoyed it.
We returned early to the ship, showered and picked up some free hats and lanyards for being a Disney vacation club member. We went to the Disney Animation class where they taught us how to draw the mouse himself and we also played pictionary in Preludes, both lots of fun. Neville from the entertainment staff was the host for both.
Dinner tonight is the Pirate's in the Caribbean themed dinner along with paper pirate themed menus.
About half the dining room was dressed up in some pirate type dress(eye patches, hats. Etc.) My daughters were low key in pirate necklaces. Our table mates were no shows again. Appetizers we tried were Fried Wontons stuffed with cheese, pico de gallo and guacamole. Very good stuff. Dinner was Tiger Lily's grilled eggplant with Jamaican vegetable stew which was great. My wife loved her Black Pearl oven roasted beef tenderloin with sour cream and chive smashed potatoes with glazed carrots in a wine glaze. Gumbo was also very good. Dessert were a banana flambe which we didn't try and Walk the triple layered chocolate gangplank cake which was excellent. The calypso ice cream sundae was just okay.
After dinner we relaxed in our room awaiting the big party on deck at 9:45. We got there about 9:30 and got a great spot on deck 10, right opposite the big screen and had a great view. Lots of dancing, singing, Disney characters and above all energy. Saw the fireworks which were great but short, only 3 minutes. After there was a huge dessert buffet with a chocolate boat and ice carvings but we were still full from dinner and didn't partake.
Day 4 Tuesday 2/18 At Sea
Was nice waking up a little later because there was no need to rush off the ship. Enjoyed a late (9AM) breakfast and today we sat inside. Not crowded when we got there but was when we left, just luck and timing I guess.
Went to Animator's Palette where we participated in another animator's drawing class. Mickey again. Would have been nice to do a different character but as I Mickey is far from perfect I didn't mind the extra practice. We also watched the movie Steamboat Willie. My daughter had notice the ship was moving fast and it was due to a medical emergency they had on board. We detoured to Port Everglades where an ambulance was waiting to take a passenger to the hospital. Hope they are okay. We then went directly back out to sea. After the drawing class my kids hit the arcade which is a decent size for a cruise ship, about 30 or so games, air hockey, etc and my wife and I relaxed at a table nearby enjoying the view. When the kids were done we had lunch there. I had a grilled vegetable panini which was very good. They also had other paninis like turkey and cheese, ham, and the kids had pizza which was also very good. Fries were way too salty.. Next to the sandwich spot is a self service soft serve ice cream machine that has chocolate or vanilla and chocolate and caramel sauces.
We took advantage of the afternoon Showing of Disney Dreams rather then deal with the evening crowds and knowing we would be busy packing. Excellent show with a Wendy/PeterPan theme.
After the show we went to a towel folding demonstration where members of the housekeeping staff demonstrate the fine art of taking towels and turning them into animals while the rest of us attempted to follow along with towels they supplied. Fortunately they also gave us instruction sheets to take with us.
We went back to our cabin to pack and they had delivered the pillowcases which I had brought down on the first night to the Guest relations desk. If you bring them t shirts, pillowcases etc along with some sharpie markers, they will get them all signed by the characters and return them to you the last night of the cruise.
Tonight's dinner was at Animator's Palette. Don't want to ruin the show they have there but the kids loved it and you will enjoy it. I had the gazpacho which I didn't like and the mushroom risotto appetizer which was excellent. For the main course I had the vegetables in curry with rice which was also very good. Deserts included double chocolate cake excellent, chocolate peanut butter pie, also excellent and strawberry shortcake- very good.
We tipped our waiters, thanked them for the great service and went back to the cabin to finish packing luggage tags they leave in the room are different characters so when you disembark you can find your luggage in that section. We were TinkerBelle which works since she is my favorite Disney Character. Afterwards we headed to the area outside of triton's for the character goodbye. We went up on the deck above and got a great view from the railing as all the characters came down the staircases. Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Captain Hook, Daisy, chip and dale and Stitch. They all took separate spots and people lined up for pictures and photographs.
Day 5 Last day
Port CanaveralBreakfast on your last day is served in the same dining room where you had dinner from the night before. For us that was Animator's Pallete. Times are staggered according to your seating (early or late) and the dining room. AP was 6:30, Parrot Cay was 6:45 and if you were lucky enough to be in Triton's, you got to sleep later and didn't have to be there until 7 AM. Late seating began an hour and 15 minutes after the early seating. The buffet is also open but they don't really advertise the fact as I think they need to get you off the ship quickly so they can get it cleaned up for the next cruise. We brought our carry on to breakfast so we could depart after we ate. Breakfast was limited but still had a good selection of omelets, waffles, potatoes, bagels croissants and fruits, juice coffee and tea. Said our goodbyes and we were in the lobby awaiting the doors to open. 5 minutes later we were off the ship.. A porter was available to help with our luggage and we were through customs and by the shuttle stop 5 minutes later. We waited about 15 minutes for the Raddisson shuttle and we were in our car and headed to Disney World before 8 AM.
Some Final thoughts.....
We had a great cruise on a great ship. The Wonder shows her age very well. Despite the fact that there were tons of kids on the ship there was never a time when it seemed overwhelming. They were busy, occupied, having fun and pretty well behaved. The food was much better then I expected . Comparing it with my last cruise on Celebrity I would have to give the edge to Celebrity on their breakfast buffet for quality and variety. Lunch selection/quality was close. Disney's pizza was better, their paninis were good. Dinner selection and variety was more upscale on Celebrity. Disney's was less pretentious but they usually succeeded in what they were trying to accomplish where sometimes Celebrity didn't. This is not a bash on Celebrity at all. I'm just saying if you were happy with Celebrity's food, I think you would be with Disney's as well. Disney had much better desserts. Disney had much larger cabins and their condition was better. An extra 40 sq ft in the cabin and the balcony was 50% larger. Plenty of storage for the 4 of us for the 4 days but we would have had enough for the week.
The entertainment was better on Disney; the big shows were done only the way Disney can with multiple backgrounds, props and such. Of course, one needs to like the Disney product. We never went to the kids clubs other then the first day so I can't give you the scoop on those.. My daughters never wanted to go which I thought odd but they said they enjoyed going to the family activities with us. My 14 year old thought Disney catered to family activities more where Celebrity was more separate events for adults and children. Hard for me to say as we didn't attend as many activities on the Infinity when we were on her. I asked her which she preferred and she didn't have a preference, She liked them both quite a lot. The wait staff on Disney was excellent. They couldn't do enough.
The big question is: Is Disney worth the price premium you pay? My opinion is that perhaps it is. You are getting something tangible for your dollar. I need to take a Royal Caribbean cruise soon to judge the activities and other tangibles that are more geared to kids but not Disney before I make my final judgment. I can see the appeal of the Disney Cruise. If you are a cruiser, it is worth trying it and deciding for yourself.
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