This was the day I had been dreaming of all along. But truth be told, it was also the day I had been dreading. I had read too many reports of people not being able to dock at CC, more often than not in January. So I was nervous we wouldn't be able to visit. And then there is the whole last day thing.
BUT I was determined to be positive and not let anyone know my fears. The kids and I were set for the first stingray feeding of the day. And I went to sleep dreaming of warm sand and a cabana boy bringing me drinks... ahhhh....
I awoke to the phone ringing. Room service was on the way. DH had ordered cereal for the boys, and bagels and fruit and (most importantly) coffee! What
a great man.
As I peered out the window I wasn't feeling too good about our chances. It was overcast and a bit windy. Still we sun blocked up my alabaster skinned children. T1 took a shower and I plastered her hair with conditioner and then braided up her hair for her.
We arrived on Deck 9 as we began backing into CC. Even with a slight drizzle it was so cool to see! The kids all kept saying "Oh wow... cool!" Then Ray, the cruise director, came on too announce that it would be an overcast day and not to forget your sunscreen none-the-less. As if I need that warning! Really, you have seen how white my kids are, right?!
Anyways, it's obvious things are running behind. We had a 10:00 Stingray Time and there was just no way with us taking so long to dock. But we went ahead and got into the mass of humanity waiting to rush unto CC. It took about 15 minutes of waiting with the grumpy T1 being even more grumpy than usual. And I'm sorry, but whoever was allowing their child to scream over and over and over and over and over and over (you get the point, eh?) please bring along copious amounts of Tylenol for those around you next time.

Hey, I have kids... and they are no angels. I understand. But really.. Tylenol. Thanks. (And if anyone is wondering this was giggling having fun 'I think I'm being cute' scream that we all got to enjoy!)
Finally about 9:55 we are let off. There was some character in front of the post office and next to no line. I wanted to stop, but DH is a man who needs to be on time. So we didn't. *Note to self: when you know you want a picture, just tell DH he has to wait next time. Like the frozen lemonade snack credit from Disney 2006... really just do it!
So... we power walked to the tram. Hopped on thinking we'd get all the way to the Stingray Shack.
Crud. Obviously, something got lost in translation. I had no idea you had to walk to the next tram station. And the very cheerful staff would only say 'not too far' when we asked just where they fricking' frackin' stingrays were. Really, I am starting to need a drink people. So, we began the second power walk with an increasingly agitated pre-pubescent almost 11 year old ANGEL of a daughter. I think I muttered something about if rain wasn't going to ruin our dream vacation then her attitude sure the heck wasn't going to either ... as we continued to stalk to the durn stingrays.
We arrived at the little stingray hut and had to wait. We waited almost 20 minutes.
Sigh... see, I should have got that picture by the post office!
As we waited it was so cool to watch the stingrays basically stalk up and down the beach in large groups. They knew it was time to eat! I loved watching them.
Anyways, the education part was interesting. T3 helped demonstrate how large some species of stingrays could get. Holy Moly! I think she said like 24 feet?
And then we divided into groups to feed. T2 is my more serious (at times) quiet child. He had been wanting to feed the stingrays more than anything in the world (well, minus get a picture with Sorcerer Mickey!) I could sense he was feeling a bit nervous. Add in very cold water and next to no body fat on this kid and I was starting to worry this could go south very quickly.
My wild man, T3 was all excited and could hardly wait for his turn. As he fed the stingray (having a very difficult time holding that funky green jello stick between his itty bitty fingers) he declared the experience 'totally awesome!'
T1, despite her grumpy demeanor, loves all animals and was thrilled as well...
And sweet little T2 was shaking (a bit of cold and a bit scared I think) but he did it. He turned to me and all but yelled 'this is the best day of my life!'
Video link:
Castaway Cay Stingray Adventure
Feeding the stingrays
I fed one too. It was really cool, I have to admit. Then we could snorkel. That... that didn't go so well. T1 was being T1. She was cold but she wanted to swim out... so she got mad at me. Perfect sense, right?!

T3 was cold and wanted to go build a sandcastle. And T2 was fighting his inner demons. He had been dreaming of this day for so long. But, I kid you not, the kid is all skin and bones. And 7.5 years he weighs all of 44 pounds. The water was cold... he was shaking head to toe. But he desperately wanted to snorkel with the stingrays.
If he wanted to do it, I was going to stay with him. Eventually he did force himself to swim around some. And grinned so big when he spotted some fish and stingrays. It was so worth it.
I forced my very merry crew to take one picture before we headed out. Some were not pleased. Grrrrrr...
DH, love that he is, had secured some chairs as well as a much anticipated hammock for me. Now... ask me if I ever got in the hammock.
Nope!
Oh well, that's okay. I was too excited to be there at any rate. All of our family eventually congregated at the same spot. Even if we weren't all there at the same time.
I took the boys out on a raft for about 20 minutes. We were heading out to the playset, but they closed it. Eventually I took them in. T1 was hungry (and even grumpier... see a theme here?) so we headed off to Cookies.
When you go to Cookies head over to the left side far back. There is NO one in line there at all. It's weird. Food was yummy. I did have seconds on ribs. And even a bit of the cookie dough soft serve. Ah, the magic of Disney. T2 heard that there was a dance party. So DH took the EVEN grumpier (it was getting BAD) T1 and T3 back our beach-base. While I took T2 to the dance party. Eventually T3 heard the music and wanted to come back to me. They had a lot of fun dancing around.

At one point I heard a mom say, "Look at those cute twins with Mickey!" I looked... they weren't twins, they were my boys. Seriously, people, if they were twins, well, they were born 22 months apart! (I get this question often actually, very strange.) It made me giggle a bit. And the boys were thrilled to be dancing with Mickey.
I made multiple drinks of lemonade for the beach... we had some minis of Malibu to add... yum! As we headed back the wind picked up and the boys started to shiver a LOT. I found T1 on the hammock under a towel. Hey... let's make the kids into towel animals!!
Hmmmm.... how about two slugs?!
Ok, that's the best I can do at towel animals. Sorry!
DH headed out to snorkel with his younger sister and her husband. While I had a drink, or two, chatted with my MIL and told the kids to stop fighting over the hammocks already. Oh yeh, the boys ended up flipping over and landing flat on their back at one point. Oy!
No one wanted to swim. By the time DH returned, thrilled he had found the Mickey statue, my crew was ready to revolt. I threw in the towel, realized that they were simply too cold and there was no reason to make them miserable. And we headed back. We stopped by Monstro's Dig on the way out.
Bought some fun stuff at the shop. The boys used some of their cash to get stuffed stingrays that they adore and T1 got a pen and a CC bracelet. I was eyeing a long sleeved shirt, but decided against it. Again, * Note to self: just do it next time!
And too soon, we were back on board.