Eastern: 8/9/03-8/16/03

[gwtw110oscars]

I just returned from DCL Eastern cruise 2 days ago....and I haven't stopped thinking about it. This was my second cruise....having done the Western last summer. I prefer the Eastern, but only b/c of the islands....and the fact you have more time on the ship. I was once again impressed w/ the service, the people, and the overall experience. I can't imagine traveling another cruise line. I think if I did, I'd be like...."I want to be on the Disney Magic."

I traveled w/ three of my friends, who happen to be triplets. We are often thought to be much younger than we are...I am 27 and they are 25. We were carded quite a few times on this cruise...especially the first few days before the staff got to know us. Like we went into Bingo and were asked for our I.D. We just laughed...I suppose it's a compliment...

Throughout the cruise, we were assumed to be very young...some good quotes were, "Where's your chaperone?"..."Oh how nice...the older sister taking her 3 younger sisters on a cruise..." and our head server, Jeff, staring at my friends the first night in total shock such "young" kids were cruising alone! We were in dining rotation LAPLAPL...

But the best was the last night at dinner...this very nice family that had been sitting behind us all week asked me if I was their mother...lol...so apparently i went from looking too young to play bingo to old enough to have triplets in a matter of a week!

This wound up becoming a running joke on the cruise...but I think it helped us become remembered by the cruise staff...well, that and the fact that not many triplets are walking around the Disney Magic each week.

NOw, about the actual trip....unfortuately...it rained on the first day so the sail away party had to be held inside....we were disappointed b/c this happened to us last summer...oh well.

St. Maarten was fun...we actually didn't see mlch of St. Maarten b/c our dolphin excursion was in Anguilla...but it was still a great experience....

St. Thomas was beautiful! It was exactly what you would picture an island to be...white sands...blue water...

we took a bike tour....we did pretty well...but then we had an option to go to "Honeymoon Beach" for an hour...or continue on the bikes for 1/2 hour....so what do we do? That's right...continue on the bikes...BAD IDEA! all it did was show me how out of shape i am...lol. Just a tip...when given an option between exercise and the beach....GO TO THE BEACH MON!

My friends and I also played "So you think you know your 50s and 60s music?" We won....people near us said..."whoa...and look how young they are..." lol.

I also enjoyed watching the Gloria Gayner competition...one lady was really funny....don't know if she was a plant or had too much to drink...or was just really outgoing! lol....but the lady that won deserved it.

Overall, the best memories were in Rockin Bar D......that' is just the place to be...it's fun, relaxing...and I was impressed w the dancers and comedians...

the last night when everyone was sleeping or packing, my friends and i went into Rockin Bar D...practically had the place to ourselves...the DJ wasn't really playing anything we wanted to dace to...I think he thought we were only 18 or so...lol...

Anyway, we were sitting around chatting and i had a chance to talk to Dan the comedian up at the bar...nice guy...as well as jacqui, the cruise director. I was glad i had the chance to tell them how much I loved the cruise.

So, that's about it for now...I hope to read other opinions from this week's experience....

See ya real soon!

 

[xnascar2x]

We will be doing the Dolphin Encounter in Anguilla on our upcoming Easter Cruise. Did you enjoy the Dolphin Encounter? Any feedback will be appreciated.

 

[catspjmas]

Hi! Enjoyed reading your report and glad you loved the cruise! Just wanted to share not to feel bad about the "getting carded" thing. I (age 26)was on the Western Magic the week before you with my 19 year old sister. (The rest of our family couldn't make it so it was just the two of us) We had a blast but according to a waiter in Rockin Bar D "looked very, very young". The night the jugglers performed we were asked to show ID. I said, "Oh no, we don't need anything to drink now, thanks." and they said they didn't believe my sister was even 18! I assured them that she was but they asked us to leave. (They said they would let us back in with passport/drivers license, etc but we were offended by this point and just went back to the room. This was the only negative comment we made on the comment card. They need to have a better system!) My guess is that they must have accidentally served a minor one time and so now they have to be extra cautious! I'm sure you don't look THAT young. (And for the record, I don't think we do either!) Glad the rest of your trip was awesome! If you and your sisters haven't done the Western one yet, consider it! You would have an amazing time, especially in Key West and Cozumel!

 

[catspjmas]

Oops, you guys did the Western! Duh! Need to read better! But both are fun!

 

[shellbelle11]

Hi there!

It definitely became a running joke to see how often I would get carded. I'm 26 and would often get carded for just walking into Rockin Bar D. We had the same head server as gwtw110oscars and when Jeff heard that my family was going up to Palos the next morning for brunch he was shocked to learn that I was old enough to go! He told me I looked about 15 not 26!

My family was thrilled to be able to have the same server as we had last year- Ireene from Uganda- she's outstanding. When we walked into Parrot Cay for lunch on Saturday she greeted us with a huge smile. We immediately tried to swap to the APL rotation to have her but instead they kept us in our LAP rotation and moved her to our rotation. She definitely helped to make the trip "magical"

I did the Golden Eagle Catamaran in St Maarten. It was one of the best excusions I've done (this is my 3rd time on the eastern) The beach that they take you to is absolutely beautiful and the trip back to the ship is very relaxing- especially after having a rum punch or 2.

We went over to St John, went on the Eco-hike excusion, which is great! The guide takes you on a 1.2 mile hike, then a stop at Honeymoon Bay for about 45 minutes- it is beautiful there! Beautiful white sand, gorgeous warm water, it was paradise! Then the guide takes you over to Caneel Plantation, which is also beautiful.

They've added a new 60's night (n place of 50's night) in Rockin Bar D which is a lot of fun. The band dresses up like the Beatles and it's a huge dance party.

That's all for now- good night everyone!

 

[markey]

What was your table #? We had the same rotation and I think you might have been sitting next to us, we were table #28. There was a table of four sitting next to us, and you seem to fit the bill. Was Irene your server? We were the table of 7 with a couple and their 9 year old daughter and we had our 2, 8 and 9 year old grandkids. Glad you had a great time, we were on the Easter in 01, and the western 02. This year was the first rained out sail away party, but at least we are 4 for 4 at CC.

 

[gwtw110oscars]

Hey!

I was at the table of four...hehehe. Sitting w/ the triplets...that everyone thought we were all under 18....lol.

 

[shellbelle11]

Markey- I was at table 29- the table of 8!

I was traveling with my parents, my 14 y.o sister, my parents' friends and their 16 y.o daughter, and my friend, so everyone asumed I was a teenager too I guess, lol

 

[jlawall]

We had a blast at 60s night the week before. I'm glad you enjoyed it too. It is an improvement over the old 50s night program.

 

[gwtw110oscars]

hey can anyone tell me how to get a disney icon by my name on here????

Thanks!
Dina

 

[musicgirl]

For all of you who get carded at a young age, always,always consider it to be a compliment!!!! I'm a teacher and I have had my share of "compliments". My first week teaching, I was asked by a young man which class level I was in-where were these guys when I was in hs!!! About 2 months ago, I got carded in the grocery store and at a bar. This last week, I was told that people couldn't believe my husband and I were married. Now I don't know if they meant he really looked old or I really looked young! LOL We're the same age 40.

I enjoy every minute of it!

 

[gwtw110oscars]

How do you guys get the countdown to your next cruise thing on your emails???

 

[gwtw110oscars]

Hey Musicgirl,

Enjoyed your response...I am teacher also (Kindergarten)...my first year ( I was 25) I went into the lunchroom and of course went directly to the front like all teachers do...I got yelled at infront of all these 8th graders by the lunch aides for "Cutting in line"...they felt so bad when I said...I teach here...lol.

I never bought lunch again....thank God we've since then moved into our own building...separate from the Middle School...hehehe.

Congrats on getting carded at 40...

 

[Karel]

Can I ask you about the weather in August? One of my sons and I don't function well in the heat and humidity. (We like to lay around instead.) After a WDW trip one May, I swore off Florida as anything but a winter destination. But it looks like if we ever want to cruise again, we'll have to go in the summer. Is it too hot to be comfortable, to move around and explore?

 

[gwtw110oscars]

Hey Karel,

Well, I'll tell you this...I've been to WDW a bunch of times...I wouldn't compare the heat when in WDW to the heat on the cruise...

Last summer, we did the 7 night western cruise...the only unbearable heat was the day we were in Keywest...but that was only on athe island...I've never been unbearably hot on the ship...

This summer I was on the Eastern....it was very nice weather...but in St. Thomas and St. Maarten, the excursions we did were by the beach...and that's just what those islands are anyway...sand, water....the islands on the western were more like walking around....shopping, etc....of course that depends on your excursions...

Overall, I wouldn't avoid a cruise in the summer b/c of heat...it's very easy to escape it unlike in WDW....!!!!

Any other readers out there agree???

 

[jlawall]

I sailed in the summer the last two years and I love it! However, I also have been to Florida many times in the summer and I don't mind the heat. The only time I was very hot this summer was in Key West while waiting for our excursion to start. Because you spend so much of your time in water it's not bad. Also, there is always a breeze on the ship while sailing.

 

[TeensMom]

I, too, swore off Florida in the late summer because of the heat, but I love to cruise (all three times in August). The ship is fine in the heat - always a good breeze or just go to one of the inside venues.

Just pick your excursions - the only times I have been "unbearably" hot were (1) Trolley in Key West and (2) St. John's Island Tour out of St. Thomas. Just pick "beachy" or boat excursions and you'll be fine.

 

[rae519]

None of our family does well in the heat - but a cruise is a cruise is a cruise..

And I only wish I was still at the age to be carded!!!! What I know now about what I thought I knew then!!!!!

Rae

 

[shellbelle11]

I agree with Dina, the heat on a cruise doesn't compare to the unbearable heat in Disney World. It does, however, get pretty hot walking around on the islands if you're shopping or site seeing. My friend is very sensitive to the heat and that was the only time that she had a problem. But she said it wasn't so bad to keep her from not wanting to cruise again in August, especially since the water was always close by.

As TeensMom said, just be careful about the excursion you do. If you stick to water based excusions you should be fine.

 

[rae519]

Originally posted by gwtw110oscars
Enjoyed your response...I am teacher also (Kindergarten)...my first year ( I was 25) I went into the lunchroom and of course went directly to the front like all teachers do...I got yelled at infront of all these 8th graders by the lunch aides for "Cutting in line"...they felt so bad when I said...I teach here...lol.

I never bought lunch again....thank God we've since then moved into our own building...separate from the Middle School...hehehe.

Congrats on getting carded at 40...

Now that was funny!
I bet you don't "cut in line" anymore!!!!!!

Only problem I've had in a similar vein is when Tom and I are mistaken for Michael's "grandparents"! But that's not the kind of age problem we want to have!!!!!

Thanks for that laugh!!!!!

Rae