Feb 1 - 4, 2007 Disney Wonder

[Wendy1953]

Okay...53 years old (both of us...married for 30 years)...our first cruise ever! Start out from LI, NY...20 degrees...fly into MCO...warmer here!!! Yeah...out of the cold! Get boarding pass #5....okay, not the greatest, but wonderful and on the beautiful big, big boat by 12:00! Go to Beach Blanket Buffet...handed a "sani-nap"...okay now where do we throw it out once we cleanse our hands(no garbage pails in sight)?....okay, just stick it in our pockets and lets get our food! Fresh fruits-watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, lets go gotta get some real food on this plate, salads, didn't I say lets get some real food? Oh...there's the shrimp....grab some! Get a beautiful table near the railing...eat, eat, and eat some more.....DH takes ginger capsules...me-"how will I know if I get sea sick if I start out using anything?" Decide to give "nothing" a try! Well, I didn't take or use anything the entire cruise, and I was fine(except for two days after....felt like I was rocking and rolling)! No, that can't be the bathroom....how do all those "big" guests on this big, big ship fit in there? I can't move in here, how do they? Oh well, I guess they do, or they wouldn't be here! Okay, now DH who does not like to eat in front of, or with strangers,, goes to the desk to ask if we can have a table for two for dinner every night...answer...smallest table is for 4....okay we'll go with that! Really only two nights since we have a table for 2 ressie at Palo's for Saturday! (I'm thinking...should've left well enough alone...suppose the other 2 people are obnoxious, smelly, wear too much perfurme?????? ......and then we're stuck with them for dinner throughout the cruise).....okay they don't have any openings for us at our 8:30 scheduled seating, but can change us to 8:15...okay DH says, put us there! So now I'm totally confused as to which restaurant we go to every night (except Saturday when we're going to Palo's) because our key card has the original restaurant schedule...well I'll have to deal with it! We are now scheduled for Triton's tonight, table for 4. Time for sail away party....I thought it was wonderful...loved the "when you wish" horn...DH - "I can't believe they are still using YMCA, the hustle, etc. as dance songs now in the 2000's....we used them at our wedding 30 years ago"....okay....time for arrival at Tritons..."you're at table 67", we get seated, our table mates are already there.... Kermit and Barbara, yes, that's right a man named Kermit! Everything in me says "here's DH's payback for not wanting to socialize"....we find out they are really wonderful people, live in PA & FL, they're "snow birds", they've cruised many, many times on many different cruise lines (never Disney), now for my problem....they found this great deal on this cruise at the last minute and booked it (meanwhile, here we are using precious DVC points-lots of them for a cat 11, inside stateroom could have spent two weeks in OKW)and here they are, paying $349 for a cat ?, but they were upgraded on arrival to a cat 6.....where is the justice in this? We "own" a piece of Disney, use lots of points months ahead of time, they come in at the last minute...don't own a "piece of Disney".. and they're upgraded, and here DH and I..are still on the big, big ship in a little, little room..no upgrade, no window, and I'm still asking "is this really the bathroom"?
Okay, anyway dinner was delicious! Oh, by the way, I ordered a gift bag for DH and I from The Perfect Gift....bottle of Vanilla Vodka, chocolates, peanuts, and pretzels for DH, bottled water and pretzels for both of us, and wine for me......they did a great job!!!!! Shirley and Nona were wonderful people to deal with! They packaged it in a zippered, Disney themed bag!!! Okay, being home for two nights now, I have to go and get some household things taken care of.......to be continued!

 

[disneyfan19712006]

I can't wait for your next insallment. I sail on 3/1 with DS17 on our FIRST Disney Cruise. 4 times Carnival, 1 Royal Caribben. Kicker is 2/19-2/14 I am sailiing with DH on Carnival out of Galveston. Home for 4 days then on to My Disney Cruise. Makes the first one kind of anticlimactic.

 

[Minniespal]

Looking forward to reading more.

 

[Wendy1953]

After hours of trying to get to sleep, and finally my eyes closed and brain shutdown ....the alarm goes off and okay, day 2 - docking at Nassau, and going for the Dolphin Excursion.. DH really wanted to do the Dophin Swim, but it's not offered by Disney (could've gone for it outside of Disney, but then there are always circumstances that could arise, and we didn't want to take the chance). Shower, and actually the shower isn't a bad size....the bathroom however is tiny! Blow dry my hair (I used the ships hairdryer, and it worked perfectly for my hair - wouldn't advise anyone without pin straight, thin, baby fine hair to use it though, don't know that your hair would dry before your cruise is over). While waiting for DH to shave & shower, I took myself down to get my first cup of coffee for the morning! Beautiful day, warmer than FL, going to have a great time with the dolpins! DH is finally ready to go for breakfast, okay, now big decision..where do we want to have breakfast??? Off to Parrot Cay we go (this is the restaurant we will skip due to ressie's at Palo). Sani wipe, and into the buffet we go! We ordered a mimosa each, and off to select our foods.....DH get's an omelet, me I go for some fresh fruit, bacon, and pancakes! Yummy! Off to the pre-excursion meet, bellies full! Okay, almost to the end of the meeting, we can send one family member up with the signed waiver, and our tickets, I volunteer to be the one family member to stand on line, and then DH remembers he forgot something in the room. Okay, no problem, you go up to the room, and I'll stand on line, by the time you come down, I'll be done! Patiently waiting on this long line, and finally get to the front, I give the CM the signed waiver, the ticket they gave us when we checked in for the pre-meet, and the CM says, and we need the individual tickets you were given at checkin...oh no....I don't have DH's, he went up to the room and didn't leave it with me.....here I go ..... to the back of the line and hope he comes down before I get to the front again! Okay, here he comes, okay tickets given in, and now we're approved...grab some towels to take with you, and wait again! Okay time to leave the boat....play follow the CM with the sign that says Dolphin Excursion....it's very crowded on the dock, and we loose sight of the guide, but found our way through the crowds and got on the boat to take us to Blue Lagoon. Half hour to 45 minutes later we arrive, check in with Blue Lagoon, okay have a seat, we'll explain how this works....next thing I know is they're saying that they have 6 spots open for the swim...anyone interested...first person to respond wanted 5 of those spots ($80/person additional cost), I knew my husband really wanted to do this so I raised my husband's hand and he got the last spot! Other than the water being a little cool, this was a great excursion! Those dolphins are wonderful creatures! I got kissed, danced, and hugged by Dot (my dolphin), pet her, rubbed her belly, teeth and tongue! My encounter is over, and now I wait for DH...I see him in the group of people in the water next to my station, so off I go to take some pic's of him! I actually got a picture of the two Dolphin's that he's swimming with! He's done, now lets catch the next boat back to the ship! We go onboard the Wonder, have burgers and pizza for lunch, and I'm off to shop Nassau...he's off to read a book and swim in the adult pool! Meet you back here in the room at 7! I walked over to the Straw Market, purchased a fan and a necklace, bought a bottle of Nassau Rum and a bottle of Vanilla Absolut....the two bottles were only $21.00 total, and now it's back to the ship - Tonights Pirate night! Animator's Palate for dinner, again wonderful food & service - the color change is wonderful! We receive our pirate bandana's and head on upstairs! Okay, now, here we go again....songs from the 70's and 80's for the dance party! Ship is all decked out with pirate flags, the CM's are all decked out in pirate outfits! Party, Party, Party.....now the "grand finale"....fireworks off the ship...beautiful! but wait....the grand finale really is the buffet tables they have been busy putting together while we were all watching the fireworks! I can't believe the amount of food that is given out on a cruise...beautiful pastries...cream puffs in the shape of swans! Okay, DH wants to retire to the stateroom, I'm still too wound up from the party and fireworks, so he goes to the room and I walk the ship! Tomorrow's Castaway Cay day! Yeah!

 

[CapnJackGroupie]

Can't wait to read some more!

 

[rylisal]

Waiting for next 'chapter' its great!!
Doing same cruise Feb 22nd for my 40th Birthday so this is so good to read, now I cant wait!!

 

[jockey]

Looking forward to reading more

 

[Wendy1953]

Day Three-
Once again, get up shower, ready before DH and up I go to deck 9 for my first cup of coffee....early enough to catch the sunrise.....if anything do not miss the sunrise (or sunset...forgot to mention that for day two).....beautiful colors eminate from the sky onto the reflection on the ocean.....slept a little better....probably from sheer exhaustion! Early morning is the best time to take a walk around the boat...hardly anyone up and about, the neon lights are on, and the coffee's brewing! Watch us approach and then dock at Castaway Cay.....how beautiful.....the Ghost ship is anchored and beached in the lagoon! Take, I don't know, maybe 25 pic's of the sunrise, lagoon, and the ghost ship! Go back to the room to retrieve DH, and down we go for breakfast....I want my Mickey Waffles so it's Beach Blanket Buffet....wish I had 4 hands now...one to carry the plate of fresh fruits (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes, grapefruit wedges, sliced pineapple, and a strawberry) and the other to hold the coffee, juice, and plate of bacon and Mickey waffles....did I mention they have chocolate Mickey waffles also? Well they do, and they are great...wish I had thought to put the whipped cream and fruit topping on it...wait this is breakfast...so I eat the regular Mickey waffles with butter and syrup, and of course the bacon and fresh fruits, then I try the choco Mickey waffle...oh well too full to go back and get the proper toppings for it....they should serve these with lunch and dinner as a dessert! Back down to the room to change into bathing suits and shorts and now we're off....DH is scheduled for parasailing, eco-tour, and a bike ride....me, I'm off to the glass bottom boat (mistake)....DH walks me to "Marge's Barge" and waits til they're loading the glass bottom boat (what was I thinking....first cruise...and now that I'm off the big, big boat...I'm getting on a small, small boat?????) Well...I'm off and boy do you feel the sea.....you look through the bottom of the boat and sea the ocean floor, sea ferns....no pretty colored fish whatsoever....okay they're taking us further out to see the fish....disappointing...they take us to an area where they always go....throw of all things..oatmeal flakes overboard, and two different types of fish come to eat it....big long funny looking ones, and pale yellow and blue ones...maybe I hit it on an off day, but I was not impressed. By now,one of the ladies on the boat turns to her husband and says "I'm feeling a bit "pukey" right now...oh boy....I think..I'm stuck on this little boat, in the middle of this wavy ocean, and I'm going to get sprayed with puke....then I'll puke, and then one by one, dominoe effect....the boat will be out of service for quite awhile for cleanup of hazardous waste....thank the good Lord...she didn't toss her cookies, and neither did anyone else....back ashore at Castaway Cay...The plans are DH and I are to meet at the Adult Beach eatting area between 11 and 11:15 (both of us should be done with our first excursion by then)...okay..I take the tram to the family beach, and am smart enough (while on the glass bottom boat I see the distance between the family beach and the adult beach) to take the tram to the adult beach....arrive, sit wait, walk around, sit wait, walk around, sit wait...you get the picture.....did I remember correctly where we're supposed to meet....was I supposed to wait at Marge's Barge for him? No, definetly said at Serenity Bay at the bar-b-que area....oh no...hope he didn't try and walk here...I'll be waiting until after the Wonder leaves shore! One tram comes in...no DH.....second tram comes in....still no DH......Oh boy.....he's gone parasailing.....suppose something happened to him? How will they get in touch with me? Cell phones are useless....turned off and left in the stateroom safe.....okay, don't get worried...watch for the people who are walking, he may not know how far it is.....and, actually wait for the next tram ... he has to be on that one........finally, the tram pulls up and here he is (now mind you....he has the Eco tour scheduled, and we still wanted to at least eat lunch together) Hi sweetheart, glad you're finally here....lets go sit, relax, wait...what time is your eco tour? Oh well, lets catch a glimpse at the adult beach, put our feet in the water, hurry up and get back to the bar-bque because you have 1/2 hour before your tour begins. DH "Oh no...I left my ticket for the tour on the boat"...me..."okay, lets be calm about this...they have to have a listing of people who paid and are going on the tour, where are you supposed to meet for this tour?" DH...."I can't remember"...me: "hope it's not Marge's Barge...cause you'll never get back there in time"...okay...approach a CM and ask...she tells us the tour starts right where she is, whew...that's great...let's go eat! Great food...no crowds.....best deal....steaks, ribs, chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs - all bbq'd right there.....different salads (potatoe, coleslaw, greek, tossed) couscous, fresh fruits, choco chip cookies, banana bread, soft serve ice cream (cookies and cream and strawberry)! Okay...see you later...back at the boat...have a great time on your eco tour! Well, as I'm waiting for the second tram (the one that takes you from the family beach to the ship)....I see this little golf cart flying by.....and who's on it? My DH....the CM back at Serenity Bay made a mistake and the Eco tour takes off from a beach nearby the Family beach...they rushed him over so he wouldn't miss the tour! Me, I'm strolling along the beach, looking in the shops...have to mail a postcard from the Castaway Post Office...okay...instead of buying the postcard in the shops, I'll purchase one in the Post Office! Great idea Sue...if it was in the USA you can....I go all the way back to the PO...which is very close to the ship, before you take any tram......and guess what...they don't sell postcards there you have to buy them at the shops....okay....wait for the tram, get off at She Sells Sea Shells and buy the postcards....now, it's in the high 70's, walking quite a distance, now rushing cause I want to make it back to the PO before it closes........back on the tram, postcards in hand...writing them out on the bumpy ride..hope everyone can read what I wrote on them (well, hope at least they do get delivered...one never knows with the Bahamian mail from Castaway Cay)...into the post office I go...costs at least $1.50 to mail each one.....no self stick um stamps here....lickem..stickem! Okay...now he hand stamps them and puts them on a pile on the desk.....will they ever arrive anywhere but that desk???????? Still don't know...mailed them February 3...it's now the 12th...no sign of any of them(now it's costing me phone calls to see if anyone I sent them to has received them....DD in FL still hasn't gotten hers either)! Okay, back on the boat.....time for some quite adult time all by myself.....into the adult pool, which has maybe 4 people in it! No one in the jacuzzis!!!!!! This is the life! Warm temperature, empty pools! Wonderful! day three to be continued!

 

[CapnJackGroupie]

I'm loving your TR!!!

I heard it takes 2 weeks for the postcards to arrive from CC! So hopefully they'll be arriving soon!

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Love your report,
our post cards took exactly 30 days to arrive when we sent them.

mom x4,grandma x4

 

[Wendy1953]

Thank you all for your kind words about this report....and as promised....the continuation of day three....I get out of the pool and sit on the side of the ship facing port and watch as all the other cruisers are either coming on board or actually getting off to get one last bit of land before we depart. Wow...there he is...DH is actually coming on board...race to the elevators to catch him, so we can take a nice quite swim together! I go down to deck 7 and wait by the elevator bank...(mind you there are 3 elevator banks on the ship - one forward, one aft and one mid ship) The elevator doors open, I catch him and up to the 9th deck for a swim! Both of us decide not to see the show that night, so we swim a little longer and then go up to get changed for our Palo dinner seating of 8:30. Palo was wonderful! The service and food were excellent! At dinner, I tell him about my glass bottom boat excursion, and he tells me all about his Banana Boat ride, his parasailing trip (again), and his eco tour excursion ....personal ski boat...high speeds, land on a sand bank, get explanation of some ecological facts -did you know that the sand in the Bahamas is actually the waste product of a certain type of bottom dwelling fish? YUCK....I just had my bare feet in that sand! By the time dinner is over, DH is exhausted from his busy day of excursions....we have to go up and pack our bags for the 11pm pick up, after packing he decides to go to sleep, and of course..I'm not tired at all....so I walked the ship again, one last night to take in the ship! Stopped in the night club to watch a karioke contest...hilarious! Decide it's time for me to hit the hay...breakfast is scheduled for 8:00 tomorrow morning, and then disembarkation, customs, shuttle bus to Avis car rental. Day four, I awake shower and go up on deck to catch another sunrise (we're already docked in Pt. Canaveral). Meet DH at Parrot Cay for breakfast, and our first cruise is over. Okay, here's the worst part...for two and a half days after getting off this big, big, magnificent boat....I'm still swaying with the ocean!

 

[Wendy1953]

Hercules the first night was excellent....lots of fun....but the heartbreaker for me was Friday's show...The Golden Mickeys....don't want to spoil it for all who haven't seen it.....all I'll say that in the end when they tell the whole audience...(now please think about how many little children sit and watch this show)...If you believe in yourself, and think you can do it....you can achieve anything you want in life....your dreams can and will come true if only you believe they will......well, I sat there thinking how wonderful, how magnificent, this message is for all those children....tears streaming down my face!

My husband happens to do a lot of work for the Make a Wish Foundation.......he got the opportunity, while we went to WDW (OKW DVC) after the cruise, to visit the "give kids the world" complex, and he was wishing I could go with him, but when he came back from the visit told me he was glad I didn't come...I would have been in tears the whole time he was there....happy tears thinking of how wonderful so many corporations are for giving these unfortunate families such wonderful memories, sad tears for seeing these unfortunate families who are dealing with, in my opinion, the worst possible event in anyones life...having your child come down with a life threatening disease, and once again crying happy tears knowing that at least these children are being granted their wish and having the best time they can possibly have! The complex has a 24-hour ice cream parlor, a merry-go-round that has horses that go up and down and accomodate a wheel chair bound child, a swimming pool that has a ramp which accommodates the special wheelchairs that are made out of pvc piping so those children who are confined to wheel chairs can actually spend time in a pool, and lots of other extras and magic! I wish to thank all of those sponsors for their donations...the man who started the complex, who is an amazing human being....corporations who want any type of acknowledgement (such as plaques, signs, or advertising campaigns), are turned down, no matter how much they are offering....his theory is give from your heart and expect nothing in return! KUDOS to the Disney Corporation for being involved in such a wonderful endeavor!