First FANTASTIC Disney Cruise!!!

Felixfelicis1990

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 11, 2018
Hello, so as you can tell this will be my first Trip Report Blog that I have ever written so I do ask for some patience. I also have to say that all of you have inspired me writing this, so thank you for that!

I am going on a Disney Cruise Line Western Caribbean Cruise on the Disney Fantasy. My name is Heather and I am going with my Husband Bailey, my best friend Amber, her boyfriend Terry and Amber's Mama Debbie. My husband has been on 4 Disney Cruises at this point but as for everyone else, this will be our first cruise ever!

Amber and I are HARDCORE planners so we have had so many planning meetings but I have a feeling all that planning will go out the door due to my not-so-good-friend Tropical Storm Issac blowing through. But, as of right now we have our excursions planned out for 2 of the 4 Ports that we are stopping at. We booked all of our excursions through Disney. I have read so many times that it is more affordable to schedule the excursions without Disney as a "Middle Man" but since it was my first cruise, I felt more comfortable going through Disney, maybe next cruise we can get braver.

We have been planning this since May 2017 and as tough as it may have been waiting, we have 3 days left and now I am so scared it's going to fly by. This cruise is a Celebration for Amber's 30th birthday and my 28th birthday!

I think that is enough for now, I am sure there are a lot of grammatical errors or what-not so I am sorry about that but I am so excited to share this with you guys.
 
I hope you have so much fun! We are doing the Western Fantasy in June next year. We'll be celebrating our 20th anniversary and my daughters 16 & 13 birthdays (all a little late, but cruise date worked for us!). Looking forward to your trip report!
 


I hope you have so much fun! We are doing the Western Fantasy in June next year. We'll be celebrating our 20th anniversary and my daughters 16 & 13 birthdays (all a little late, but cruise date worked for us!). Looking forward to your trip report!
Thank you! I’m all for celebrating everything all at once. Makes the celebration even more special!
 
Okay, so tomorrow is finally here! I’m so excited I don’t even think I can sleep.

My friend and I decided when we first started planning this cruise, that we will stay close to the port even though we live in Orlando, we wanted 1 last thing to worry about. So we got our pedis and started the drive. We walked around Cocoa for a bit and ate at this amazing restaurant called The Preacher Bar. I HIGHLY suggest it for anyone who is at Cocoa Beach before the cruise. The best way to describe it is organized chaos but the food is amazing! It might be too adult for children but it is still delicious!

Afterward we went back to our hotel at Four Points Of Cocoa Beach, which I have to tell you, we got an amazing deal on, and then went to bed.

So the hotel part, Amber and I wanted to spend our money for the cruise and we were told that if we parked at Port Canaveral it would be for the 8 real days we are there and after the math it was a little more than what I bargained for, this hotel on the other hand does the stay and cruise packages. So you stay at the hotel for a night and then the provide a shuttle for 2 people and let you keep the car in their parking garage. If you have more than 2 people in your car, it’s only $12 additionally. So in all for the 5 of us and for 2 cars it was $92. ($40 per car for the overnight parking)

I’m still trying to understand how to post photos but it’s so cool. Maybe you can look at their website to get a feel for their look! I’m also going to try and do an update before sailing away!
 
I’m back!!! Holy moly what an amazing experience!!!

Okay, so I hope this works, this is the closest I can get to posting photos. so Wish me luck.

This is the look of the Preacher Bar
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144305988@N05/31086509098/in/dateposted-public/

This is what I had to eat. It's the Mac 'n Cheese. It was delicious.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144305988@N05/30022130317/in/dateposted-public/

Bailey had the shrimp scampi pizza and that was delicious as well!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144305988@N05/44959315411/in/dateposted-public/

This is me, and the handsome dude is my husband Bailey! His real name is William but when he was younger he went by Billy and would mumble his name when introduced so most people thought he would say Bailey and he decided to stop the fight.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144305988@N05/31086509208/in/dateposted-public/


Day 1: Embarkation day!!!

So the night before, I had to take a Benedryl because I was not getting any sleep. I was like a little girl on Christmas Eve.
The next morning we woke up, Bailey ran down and got Starbucks in the hotel and got me a pastry. While waiting for Bailey, I looked at my Disney app. This is what I saw!!!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/144305988@N05/44047092345/in/dateposted-public/

I had a notification and then realized it MUST have been important. I then, redownloaded the app and I wasn't allowed to put that day as the day I was sailing so, I put the next day assuming that that would automatically update while on the ship...it didn't. Newbies mistake, if you don't have the app now, go ahead and download it...don't do it the day of.

Amber and I put the luggage tags on and got everything gathered up for the shuttle ride. We met with the shuttle driver who stopped at a number of hotels and then dropped us off at the port! We tipped the shuttle driver and the person who picked up our luggage and was on our way. My biggest tip is to already have your room number memorized unless you are wanting to upgrade, it would help you out a lot. Bailey had it down pat, I couldn't remember it for the life of me. There are 2 security checks which I was not expecting, one to check your room number and ID and the other to do the metal detectors and such.
2 security checks-1 just id and room number, 2 checked self.

This is us going up the beautiful escalator.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144305988@N05/44239861534/in/dateposted-public/

I guess we came early enough in the morning or in that in-between time because we immediately walked up to the check-in desk.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144305988@N05/44047092175/in/dateposted-public/

Look at those beautiful ears!!!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144305988@N05/44239853514/in/dateposted-public/

We showed the passports and our booklet and then the 2 most beautiful things were handed to us, we go our Key to the World card and our boarding number card. I swear I heard angels singing and heavens opening. It was beautiful!

This right here is the wonderful group I was able to be with this vacation. From left to right its, Mama (Amber's mom, Bailey, Myself, Amber, and Terry
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144305988@N05/44047092265/in/dateposted-public/

We sat down for what I would say is 5 mins before walking on the catwalk onto the ship.
 
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I think it's the best feeling when you first walk onto the cruise at the start of your trip.
 
Sorry, it took so long for this post taking so long to write out. I am trying to get the picture thing figured out and now I'm just hoping it works.

We walked through the Mickey head and that's when the tears started up. We skipped the photo because we were just too excited to get on the ship we couldn't even think of taking a photo. That's when we handed our camera over to record us walking onto our new home for the next week. Okay, one thing about me I am a crier if I am overly happy. My heart is just too full and I can't do anything but cry. I have been like this since I was a little girl.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipM0dUHEyH0ofMSiQSsmqkkjn9KIQkfTQqY5Exo

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipOb9JVpPmX64Mkc3gPYHsbFWIB5JE75pyjJxks

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipOdRFg3-hI8Vc32PionN1sHWE8CXXUdL_NtZaw

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNG0wupCYXJBGYg28CD1GQb9DmqWJQ0tAA6E9o

Then I got into gear, we went to Guest Services to sign up for the 5k, which we found out we did not HAVE to do that day, and to find out more information on the Art of the Theme tour. We could not find a lot of information on it sooooo I will start this information unload for the newbies out there. You don't have to sign up for the Art of the Theme tour which is 18+, you just show up and a meeting spot and be prepared for some stairs and standing.

Back to the day, we ran up the stairs to cabana's, gave up at level 8 and took the elevator the rest of the way up.

We saved a spot in Cabanas and took shifts to grab food. I do have a nut allergy so I had to speak for a chef and they weren't much help, so my suggestion is if you have an allergy if you see something you like see if a chef walks by and ask if its safe and they will say yes or no. That's basically what I waited 25 mins to do.

By then we had to go to the bathroom and let me tell you if you have to go, go a floor above or below deck 11. Everyone else wants to swim and they will take up all the space and when you gotta go, you gotta go.

By then it was getting close to dropping things off in our room. We sat for a good 10 mins and created the plan for the rest of the day. Namely, the raffle at the senses spa, taking advantage of the open house, the muster drill and then the Sailing Away Party.

We went to Amber, Terry and Mama's room first. They were in 10658 which is the port side aft of the ship (look at this ship talk!) and then Bailey and I went to our room to check things out and we were in 9162 which is starboard aft of the ship.

My Bailey is loving that porthole!!
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMneKWNpV7yFZCN_vffXjcuewRAF7NGrSJmxiI

Here is a tour of the room!!!
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipPjOw7IxAkLJofNkpvd0emIXHPsV0yOhQbOOzs

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipOblhb8AsHjjbVRXClGiyqypcSpbbid8V_clTE

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipPF3bb86fKcUzisnFVK6ig2clXoCuQUFYLM_G8

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNbPCy57KIvo5sci_SzlnuzZ5vUIYwJ68Wuyx8

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipM7W0J2VBOSKn683hA_7CtD9nzdjzXhi7Nku3s

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipO6ITgKk228aqF3fTx58SthawzzjJ7GYwe6a9M


We just had to climb 1 flight of stairs and we were with our friends so that was great!
 
After that it was Open House time, so everything was open but halfway through that was the Senses Spa raffle. So we ran downstairs to the kid's clubs and then ran all the way upstairs to go to Senses.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipOnzXMHfYg1gBAoCcNBXZC85ieAbtJaQHJ-myQ
Amber enjoying the bigger things in life.

That's when 2 mistakes happened. We left the kids club and the exploration of our home for the next to hopefully win prizes.

We won no prizes and by the time the raffle was done, it was time to start getting ready for the muster drill. So many regrets at least for us. Because we didn't have a chance to explore any other area.

Amber, Mama, and Terry didn't know where to find the location of their muster drill so we had to run to their room and show them. I noticed no one really says anything until about 10 mins before the drill and for a family like us who has to be early, it made things a bit confusing. Just so anyone knows, your Key to the World card has a letter on it and the back of your stateroom door has the same letter and the door will be able to give you directions on where to go if there is an emergency.

That took a solid 15 mins and then it was the running of the bulls we ran up the stairs from level 4-11 to try and get a good spot for the Sail Away show. Before the show even started we were sailing away. We did buy a drink during the show to get a souvenir cup. Okay for the newbies out there, if you plan on getting the drink of the day for $5, get this cup. Its $6 more one time but you are getting more of the beverage for your buck. We only got the drink of the day twice because when we are walking around the ship, we are not thinking about our cups, we are just enjoying what's around us and when we wanted a drink, it was a lot of work to run up to our room and grab our cups.


By then it was starting to get close to dinner time. so we stopped by our room really quick to see if our luggage was at our rooms and met our room hostess, her name was Calcia from Jamaica and she was amazing. I have heard of some people having issues with their stateroom hostess but the family all agreed that our hostesses were amazing.

(Sorry I didn't have much for photos, I have to move photos from my husbands phone to mine for dinner)
 

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