From the Sea to the World - Completed!

[nodnol]

Oh - and mentioning Katharina's trip: As some of you might have noticed she had a ticker for DLP in her signature. Her trip to France included DLP. And I think you might be able to convince her to share some of her travel experiences to DLP with you here if she felt that people would want to hear about it!

I vote for a Katharina TR!!! I'm always ready and eager to hear about DLP and Paris too for that matter...

Second vote for a Katharina TR!!

I also VOTE for a Katarina TR!!!!

okay..... let's see I have only one tiny page of my note book full of notes for the disney part of our trip and no food porn, but I guess I could include the journey to DLP as well, so that it will be more than 3 posts.

 

[CRdisMom]

love seeing the photos. How is the towel compared to the one offered at WDW? I bought one two years ago and it was plush, this year's offering was very cheap. Kind of disappointed.

 

[Flossbolna]

Well, dagnabbit. I knew I was missing something.

Sorry!! It was difficult if you have not spent time in that area...

I stopped in here one evening to watch a football game. But there were too many Dallas Cowboys fans around, so I couldn't stay.

Ok, so I guess you are not a Dallas Cowboy fan...

As beautiful as ever!

They truly have a gem there with Castaway Cay.

I love these maps. It's always fascinating to see where you've been.

Yes, I hope my next cruise will be a little longer, so offer a more interesting map!

It's funny because it's true!

You just need to pick 10 random individuals, look at them and you will see immediately that you will never be able to create a piece of clothing that would fit everyone!

Simple and understated. I always thought the DCL logo was pretty classy.

Yes, I really like the DCL logo, too.

 

[Flossbolna]

So glad you were able to finish up the Route 66 tour. I really liked looking at the billboard/poster pictures and remembering things like that from my childhood!

I really need to email DCL about Route 66. I have seen the artwork for the new area on the Magic that she will get during her drydock and it looks so bland. I would hate for the wonderful Route 66 area to go away and I intend to let DCL know. Not sure I will make a difference, but maybe if they get enough positive feedback, they will not change it up too much. But then - at least from pictures - I think the Magic's adult area was much more in need of a complete redo. Here is a picture gallery: http://www.wdwinfo.com/Photos/DCL_Magic-Beat-Street/index.htm#55

The artwork in your stateroom is so cool! I especially like the pirate one.

I really liked the picture of Walt and his wife on a boat!

Nice jammies!!! But I can't believe you don't iron them.......

And I like the pin!

I am happy that you approve of my souvenir purchases!!!

So cool the app you can use to see where you are in relation to your cruise........at least until there is a majority of your path behind you and only a very small portion still remaining.

Yes, it is a little sad when you see the ship nearing its final destination. Quite the opposite of on an airplane with the flight maps. There you can't wait to have the little plane to finally be at the destination.

It's a little sad that this is your last night! I don't know if it felt this way to you or Michael, but it seems to have gone by rather quickly!

Yes and no - it seemed that we enjoyed all our cruise days so much that they did not seem short, but very long, in a positive sense. But we also thought that the cruise was over far too quickly. I certainly understand why so many people here on the boards say that longer cruise is nearly always better than shorter cruise. I can't imagine going on a 3-night cruise. Those 5 nights were just ok, longer would have been better!

I always get sucked in to the buy x receive y deals, I'm a bargain shopper!!

Usually they offer something that I would not be interested in anyway, so I am safe. But this towel was really nice!

I love a good comfortable pair of PJ's!

And those are really good! The t-shirt is rather long, which I like. I have worn them on some cold nights we had in May and they were very comfy!

Cannot wait to see the first day at AKL, I love staying there!!

I am a huge AKL fan myself! But it will be a awhile until we get there. But I do have plenty of pictures!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Will be back with more replies tomorrow. But it is getting late and I wanted to post another update today, so will do that and continue with the replies tomorrow!

 

[Flossbolna]

Finally it was time to head to our last dinner. We were eating in Tritons again this night which suited me fine, as I really liked that restaurant.

We started off with some bread with a dip that supposedly had caramelized onions and sundried tomatoes in it. To me it tasted more like sour cream:

This were our choices for this evening:

I am pretty sure that the dish Michael had was the Grilled Potato and Goat Cheese Napoleon:

And I had the Sesame Crusted Tuna Sashimi  if there is raw tuna on a menu I most likely end up getting it, especially if I dont have to worry about it most likely being the most expensive item on the menu:

I then continued with the Cranberry Salad  Mixed Field Greens with crumbled Blue Cheese, Sunflower Seeds, Craisins and Cranberry Dressing:

This was a perfectly nice salad, but not special. Michael had the special salad: Edamame and Napa Cabbage Salad with chopped Bok Choy, shredded Carrots and Daikon Radish with Sesame Seeds and Rice Wine Vinaigrette.

He really loved this salad, it was quite a bit exotic, but had lots of different flavours that went together very well.

For my main course I decided to try the Beef Wellington:

And I was a bit disappointed that my beef was served well done. I had not been asked and just assumed it would come medium. But the pastry, the mushrooms and the vegetables all were good to excellent.

Michael on the other hand had troubles with the menu this night. We had a long conversation about how he thought that the choices in the menu were very limited, to which my reply was that he actually limits himself and that is why it appears to be so limited. Not totally fair since he has to stay away from fish due to an allergy. But he also does not really like more exotic meats. So in the end the choice came down to beef or chicken for him every night. To be fair, I am not that fond of fish either (except raw tuna and smoked trout) and I cant eat shellfish due to an allergy. For example I would have loved to eat a pasta dish maybe, but in the main dining room these always seemed to come with shellfish. I also really like pork and I think I did not see pork on any of the menus.

So, wanting to have something different than beef or chicken, he went with a vegetarian dish:

Wild Mushroom and Onion Strudel  Sauteed Mushrooms, Sweet Onions, Spinach and Tofu wrapped in Phyllo Dough with a Sun-dried Tomato Reduction.

I expected something different from the description, but Michael said it was good, so that is all that matters.

For dessert we both had the apple pie:

The crust was very dry, but otherwise it was nice. At first I had thought I should get the baked Alaska, but then this looked more appealing.

At the end of dinner there is once again a little show, all the waiters come around waving flags. Here is Josip, our Croatian head waiter:

And our server:

After having handed the tip envelopes to our servers and saying goodbye as we had no intention to have breakfast in the dining room on the last morning, we headed out. It was really nice when we gave Josip his envelope, we continued to chat a little bit, about his experiences on the river cruises and how impressed he is with Disney. It was really interesting.

After dinner we returned to the shops, I think Michael had to do some last minute purchases as well. We walked around the ship some more, saying goodbye to it. I decided that there was one thing that was so important to my enjoyment of the cruise that I really needed to take a picture of it: the restrooms!! I think I have talked about it for quite a bit, but these were so exceptionally clean, it was truly amazing!

And with that we decided that it was finally time to head back to our cabin to finish packing the bags (we would carry them off ourselves, we decided not to let Disney transport them off the ship, if we had chosen that, we would have had to place them outside our stateroom by 10pm).

Next: From the Sea to the World

 

[eandesmom]

Very different menu than either of the ones we had on our cruises, I might have struggled with it a little as well. Although actually now that I think about it, on our last cruise our Palo night was the last night so maybe I just missed it. Other than your tuna, it was a bit underwhelming to me which is sad.

Love the bathroom pictures, I am terrible about remembering to get those.

 

[Poolrat]

What a nice last meal. As you know with my allergies and that menu, I would struggle somewhat too.

I could see me taking the easy way out and ordering a steak every night.

I think it is great that Michael went out there a bit to try something new.
A bit sad to walk around on the last night and say goodbye ....
But I am sure knowing you had a good time, you are leaving with happy memories makes it bittersweet.

 

[lovealldisney]

Sorry your meal wasn't as you expected. I would have sent the beef back and gotten it the way you wanted. Looking forward to your next update.

 

[wiigirl]

Great pics!

 

[Flossbolna]

Very different menu than either of the ones we had on our cruises, I might have struggled with it a little as well. Although actually now that I think about it, on our last cruise our Palo night was the last night so maybe I just missed it. Other than your tuna, it was a bit underwhelming to me which is sad.

Love the bathroom pictures, I am terrible about remembering to get those.

Oh, both of our salads were really nice!!

So did you not have a night which had beef wellington? I thought it was a typical cruise line dish...

What a nice last meal. As you know with my allergies and that menu, I would struggle somewhat too.

I could see me taking the easy way out and ordering a steak every night.

I think it is great that Michael went out there a bit to try something new.
A bit sad to walk around on the last night and say goodbye ....
But I am sure knowing you had a good time, you are leaving with happy memories makes it bittersweet.

I have heard that for people with allergies you can order special things beforehand. So I am sure they would be able to make stuff for you!

It was sad to leave, but I still had a nice long stay at WDW to look forward to. So that made leaving there much easier!

Sorry your meal wasn't as you expected. I would have sent the beef back and gotten it the way you wanted. Looking forward to your next update.

To be honest, I was not that hungry. And I was not sure whether I was mistaken by thinking it could come medium. But now I have seen pictures on here from others I know that it can be medium. So if I have it again, I will make sure to get it just the way I want it!

 

[eandesmom]

Oh, both of our salads were really nice!!

So did you not have a night which had beef wellington? I thought it was a typical cruise line dish...

Not that I recall, which really doesn't mean much! The baked Alaska I definitely remember as being on the last nights menu. As I think about it though I am sure Palo was the last night of our Dream cruise and it's very possible that the last night menu has chanced since our 2011 Alaska cruise. I'm not big on medium or well done meat...unless it's the end cut of a prime rib.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

We started off with some bread with a dip that supposedly had caramelized onions and sundried tomatoes in it. To me it tasted more like sour cream:

It probably had a lot more sour cream than sundried tomatoes.

And I had the Sesame Crusted Tuna Sashimi – if there is raw tuna on a menu I most likely end up getting it, especially if I don’t have to worry about it most likely being the most expensive item on the menu:

I usually do the same if a meal is "free", but I look for the steak instead.

At the end of dinner there is once again a little show, all the waiters come around waving flags.

That's a neat little show.

 

[cmaee]

I've really enjoyed reading about your cruise. I have been on the fence whether we should take a cruise this spring or go back to WDW. I have not completely made up my mind yet, but I am leaning towards the cruise. If Disney doesn't come out with any great discounts for spring travel, we will most likely sail on the Magic over my kids spring break from school.

 

[nodnol]

I just realized I did not comment your last update, sorry! I guess that!s why you called yesterday

Of the meal, only the starters and you salad looks appealing to me. I guess I would have been all over the goat cheese and potatoe thing - cheese I can eat and potatoes But I'm sure the used cow's milk or cream to smooth the cheese...
Michael's main course looks like something a carnivore without any fantasy would come up with when having to cook something without meet. I'm very happy it did not disapoint him as much as it would have disappointed me.

Now I'm hungry....

The bathroom looks really tidy and very well themed!

Looking forward to the rest of your trip!

 

[GoofyFan1515]

Enjoyed the update of your final meal, although I think it would be a little bit of a downer to be reminded on the front of your menu "Till We Meet Again"

I was actually surprised looking at the menu that so many of the choices appealed to me. I guess it helps not having all the allergies that you mentioned.

Your Beef Wellington looks like a really good choice in the picture. Too bad they didn't get it cooked the way you preferred so you could enjoy it more.

Strange looking apple pie. I think I would have opted for the Baked Alaska.

I'm sure it was very sad having to say goodbye to everyone you grew fond of during your cruise. Can't wait to hear about the WDW part of your trip. Hopefully you had many more highlights and great experiences!

Thank you guys! We had a wonderful trip. And .... mission accomplished! My husband told me over breakfast today that he spent yesterday's lunch hour reading about BTMR and Phantom Manor in the different parks... He still refuses to say he's a fan, but I think the facts speak for themselves!

Welcome Back Katharina! So good to hear that your husband is starting to come around. I'm sure that means a lot to you!

 

[Flossbolna]

Lovedthe pix of the end of Route 66 and your purchases !! Sounds like you accomplished a lot while Michael watched the show !! We didn'ttry the fast foods places on the Dream either !! Just sooo much else to do!!!

Yes, those short cruises are far too short to try out everything!!!

Love your last photo tour of the route 66 area

I am very pleased with myself that I managed to document it all!

This is so my kind of last evening! wandering around, documenting, shopping...

And the great thing was that it was no rushing around, just enjoying to the fullest extent possible!!

LOVE the PJ's and the towel. I would absolutely get those too! I do not like nightdresses for some of that very reason, sorry but one size does not fit most. And I just like PJ's better anyway.

I really like merchandise that is really useable, so those were great things to get!

That's pretty funny about the hot dog, I wonder if they really taste different

I need to ask Michael...

 

[Flossbolna]

Palo Brunch looks really delicious! I like it that you're not rushed there, enjoying your meal and can even get something "salty" after desert - as you like to do...

Yes - like the famous soup for dessert! You would have loved Palo Brunch, so many different things to try, especially lots of seafood which I am sure you would have really liked!

Thank you for taking us on your walk burning off the calories, your pictures really give the impression that you were alone on the ship!

That is one thing that I really liked: How easy it was to avoid the crowds. Just do things a little differently and suddenly you have the ship for yourself. I think part of it was that this cruise had lots of kids as there had been a "kids sail free" promotion going on for it. Michael and I were not into the kiddie entertainment...

I like the linen napkins at the bar - very nice touch!!!

Yes! I had never seen a linen cocktail napkin, but immediately fell in love with it! So stylish!

I loce castaway cay - what a great beach! And umbrellas for free! But why on earth didn't you try the apple and cinamon spices bread - it looks much better than the banana bread.

I kept thinking that this would be the type of beach you would love! No scary waves, lots of shade. I like banana in my cake better than apple combined with cinnamon. Like both on their own better than combined. Next time I will do as instructed though!

And what's the difference between a castaway hot dog and a shi hot dog?

I meant to ask Michael and forgot... Sorry. I have no idea. But I will try to remember to ask him.

okay..... let's see I have only one tiny page of my note book full of notes for the disney part of our trip and no food porn, but I guess I could include the journey to DLP as well, so that it will be more than 3 posts.

You are welcome to throw a few posts into my thread here! I am sure the readers would not mind!!!

 

[Flossbolna]

love seeing the photos. How is the towel compared to the one offered at WDW? I bought one two years ago and it was plush, this year's offering was very cheap. Kind of disappointed.

The towel is ok I would say. It is not the plushest beach towel I have, but it does not feel totally flimsy either. It is about the same quality as the majority of my beach towels. Hope this helps! And sorry that WDW tried to offer you such a cheap towel this year!

 

[Flossbolna]

Not that I recall, which really doesn't mean much! The baked Alaska I definitely remember as being on the last nights menu. As I think about it though I am sure Palo was the last night of our Dream cruise and it's very possible that the last night menu has chanced since our 2011 Alaska cruise. I'm not big on medium or well done meat...unless it's the end cut of a prime rib.

It might also be different for the Alaskan cruises? I am following a trip report about the Westbound Panama Canal cruise and I noticed that they had the same offerings on a different night under a different menu name...

It probably had a lot more sour cream than sundried tomatoes.

Yes, hence the pink colour!

I usually do the same if a meal is "free", but I look for the steak instead.

It is very easy to have steak every night during the cruise! I had beef three times I think... Out of 5 nights.

That's a neat little show.

Yes, it feels like that TV show that I mentioned in an earlier post!

I've really enjoyed reading about your cruise. I have been on the fence whether we should take a cruise this spring or go back to WDW. I have not completely made up my mind yet, but I am leaning towards the cruise. If Disney doesn't come out with any great discounts for spring travel, we will most likely sail on the Magic over my kids spring break from school.

If you have been to WDW recently and go regularly, I would say skip it and go on a cruise instead. It is a very different type of vacation, but it is nice to mix it up now and then. The Magic should be great after her refurb this fall, so that would be a good choice! Also, not sure how old your kids are, but I think the kids clubs on the ship look like a lot of fun - and once they are too old for them, they might be sad that they missed out on going to them when they were younger.