Halloween Cruise 2004 Trip Report
Part 1: Embarkation Day, Saturday, October 30
Hi everyone! Thought that I would get started on my trip report for this 7-day Easter Caribbean cruise just so that I can relive all of those nice memories again. I plan on writing about one day at a time so look for several installments.
Heres the cast: theres me DM Shirley (58), DD Debbie (30), DSIL Paul (39), DGS Hunter (6), DD Beth (36) and DSIL Daryl (30). We were booked in SPH 5520 and inside cabin 5513 which was just down the hall. Me, Debbie, Paul and Hunter were in 5520 and my other daughter Beth and husband Daryl were in 5513.
Started the trip on Friday morning, October 29 by driving from Virginia to Florida so me, Debbie, Paul and Hunter got to know I-95 really well. I wouldnt have minded flying but the rest of the family is very nervous about it. Wanted to take the train but just couldnt leave early enough on Thursday to get there with a nice margin of safety so driving it was. We had good weather and no traffic problems which made the trip tolerable. Had a portable DVD player which helped Hunter pass the time but will buy an auto AC adapter since the battery only lasted about 4.hours (should have thought of this earlier). Got to Port Canaveral around 1:00 am Saturday morning and had made a reservation at the Radisson so that we could use the cruise parking package.
It was good thing that I had gone Mapquest to get the directions because I was getting a little nervous about finding the Radisson so late at night but Mapquest said it was 14.3 miles from I-95 and just as I was wondering where it was and saw that the odometer was at about 14 miles, I spotted it on the right side of the road. YEAH!! We were tired! Check-in was simple and the room was nice.
In the morning, we got 2 free breakfasts, paid for one extra and Hunter ate free. Not bad. After eating, we went back to the room to get our suitcases and bring them to the front of the hotel to get the shuttle at 10:30. Also moved the car to the cruise parking lot. Hung the placard on the rearview mirror and parked in the back of the hotel in the places with the yellow lines simple and easy.
The shuttle has a trailer in which we loaded the luggage. Had lots of people with us from New Jersey (as the bingo caller Caz said, was wondering if they shut the state down ). As we drove to the port, it was so exciting to see the Disney Magic. We were dropped off in the parking lot, told that this is where we will catch the shuttle when we return and gathered our luggage for the short walk to the port terminal. Had to get our picture ID out before we entered the building/terminal to be checked against a cruisers list and then show it again before we went through a security checkpoint (x-ray, etc.) Now we were going up the escalator to the check-in!
There were a couple of standalone kiosks with cast members who checked your cruise docs and organized them (would tear them out of the booklets and staple them). With that done, we went to check-in and were processed without difficulty. The line to board was quite long already but I didnt get in line yet since I was watching for my other daughter and her husband who had flown in from Texas Friday night. I told her that I would look for her at the ship model and sure enough, I spotted her. So happy to see her and then my other daughter Debbie went with them to help them check in. Donald Duck also showed up and my grandson had his picture taken with him at the ship model.
Now, heres where the fun starts Daryl left his birth certificate at the hotel. Yes, he checked the room before leaving but totally missed these docs and he remembers that they were sitting on the floor next to the desk. He called the hotel and asked them to try to find them and keep them for him until he returns. In the meantime, Debbie remembers from these boards that there is a waiver document that he can sign that would allow him to get on the ship without his birth certificate. She reminds the cast member about it and Daryl signs it and is processed to be able to board. Thank you DisBoards!
We get in the line to board and got our embarkation photo taken. I had purchased t-shirts for everyone with Making MAGICal Memories and October 30 November 6, 2004 printed on them along with Disney characters. The picture turned out great and is a treasure to me.
Rather than go to make Palo reservations right away, we went to eat at Parrot Cay buffet since everyone was starving. Preferred going there as opposed to Topsiders since I love the tropical theme of this restaurant and it was easy to find a table for the 6 of us. Enjoyed the shrimp! Even tried an orange-mango chilled soup it was kind of like an orange smoothie.
After eating, I went to make reservations at Palo I made a ressie for Sunday @6:00 since I thought that was formal night. I go to my stateroom 5520 and after checking the Navigator more closely, I see that formal night is Monday. After some thought, I go back to change the ressie and now have to be waitlisted for Monday@anytime. Good news is that this reservation came through (they say that about 80% of those waitlisted get their reservation) and I will tell you about the meal in another post.
Also, had reserved High Tea on Sunday but had to waitlist for the Brunch (never got to eat Brunch although I was offered Sunday brunch at 11:00 but had to refuse since this was DisBoards Trick or Treat time). Will tell you about High Tea later too.
Debbie went to the Kids Club to get a pager. She chose to complete Hunters registration the next day since the line was so long. Plus she went to Vista Spa to make ressies for two treatments the alpha capsule and surial mud bath (which is now called something else).
My other daughter Beth made a spa ressie for us to get a pedicure at 4:30 on embarkation day this was her birthday present for me. Loved it and got my toenails painted Aruba Blue just a fun color for the cruise.
Got the LAPLAPL dining rotation so off to Lumieres for dinner. Got a table for 8 and had a couple from Florida dining with us who were celebrating their 10th anniversary. They were OK but I was sadly disappointed later in the week when they never showed up for dinner on Friday night or breakfast Saturday morning I think that they were avoiding tipping the servers. I think that next time I will request a table that will accommodate only my family so as not to be embarrassed by others.
Anyway, I had the roast duck (wanted to try something that I dont usually eat) and got a strawberry mousse birthday cake October 30 was my birthday. Our servers were Ancell and Luis they were very nice and learned what we like to drink so that they had our drinks ready for us.
I am trying to remember if we went to see Hercules that night after dinner. If not this night, it was on Sunday and we enjoyed the show. One good tip we sat in about the same row for each show so that even though we didnt go there together, we still sat together in the end. Practiced using our new digital camera to take pics without the flash hopefully will be able to setup a slide show later for you. Took about 150 pictures altogether during the entire cruise.
Dont believe how long this is thank you for bearing with me and perhaps my next post wont be quite so long. Feel free to ask questions as I post.
Part 1: Embarkation Day, Saturday, October 30
Hi everyone! Thought that I would get started on my trip report for this 7-day Easter Caribbean cruise just so that I can relive all of those nice memories again. I plan on writing about one day at a time so look for several installments.
Heres the cast: theres me DM Shirley (58), DD Debbie (30), DSIL Paul (39), DGS Hunter (6), DD Beth (36) and DSIL Daryl (30). We were booked in SPH 5520 and inside cabin 5513 which was just down the hall. Me, Debbie, Paul and Hunter were in 5520 and my other daughter Beth and husband Daryl were in 5513.
Started the trip on Friday morning, October 29 by driving from Virginia to Florida so me, Debbie, Paul and Hunter got to know I-95 really well. I wouldnt have minded flying but the rest of the family is very nervous about it. Wanted to take the train but just couldnt leave early enough on Thursday to get there with a nice margin of safety so driving it was. We had good weather and no traffic problems which made the trip tolerable. Had a portable DVD player which helped Hunter pass the time but will buy an auto AC adapter since the battery only lasted about 4.hours (should have thought of this earlier). Got to Port Canaveral around 1:00 am Saturday morning and had made a reservation at the Radisson so that we could use the cruise parking package.
It was good thing that I had gone Mapquest to get the directions because I was getting a little nervous about finding the Radisson so late at night but Mapquest said it was 14.3 miles from I-95 and just as I was wondering where it was and saw that the odometer was at about 14 miles, I spotted it on the right side of the road. YEAH!! We were tired! Check-in was simple and the room was nice.
In the morning, we got 2 free breakfasts, paid for one extra and Hunter ate free. Not bad. After eating, we went back to the room to get our suitcases and bring them to the front of the hotel to get the shuttle at 10:30. Also moved the car to the cruise parking lot. Hung the placard on the rearview mirror and parked in the back of the hotel in the places with the yellow lines simple and easy.
The shuttle has a trailer in which we loaded the luggage. Had lots of people with us from New Jersey (as the bingo caller Caz said, was wondering if they shut the state down ). As we drove to the port, it was so exciting to see the Disney Magic. We were dropped off in the parking lot, told that this is where we will catch the shuttle when we return and gathered our luggage for the short walk to the port terminal. Had to get our picture ID out before we entered the building/terminal to be checked against a cruisers list and then show it again before we went through a security checkpoint (x-ray, etc.) Now we were going up the escalator to the check-in!
There were a couple of standalone kiosks with cast members who checked your cruise docs and organized them (would tear them out of the booklets and staple them). With that done, we went to check-in and were processed without difficulty. The line to board was quite long already but I didnt get in line yet since I was watching for my other daughter and her husband who had flown in from Texas Friday night. I told her that I would look for her at the ship model and sure enough, I spotted her. So happy to see her and then my other daughter Debbie went with them to help them check in. Donald Duck also showed up and my grandson had his picture taken with him at the ship model.
Now, heres where the fun starts Daryl left his birth certificate at the hotel. Yes, he checked the room before leaving but totally missed these docs and he remembers that they were sitting on the floor next to the desk. He called the hotel and asked them to try to find them and keep them for him until he returns. In the meantime, Debbie remembers from these boards that there is a waiver document that he can sign that would allow him to get on the ship without his birth certificate. She reminds the cast member about it and Daryl signs it and is processed to be able to board. Thank you DisBoards!
We get in the line to board and got our embarkation photo taken. I had purchased t-shirts for everyone with Making MAGICal Memories and October 30 November 6, 2004 printed on them along with Disney characters. The picture turned out great and is a treasure to me.
Rather than go to make Palo reservations right away, we went to eat at Parrot Cay buffet since everyone was starving. Preferred going there as opposed to Topsiders since I love the tropical theme of this restaurant and it was easy to find a table for the 6 of us. Enjoyed the shrimp! Even tried an orange-mango chilled soup it was kind of like an orange smoothie.
After eating, I went to make reservations at Palo I made a ressie for Sunday @6:00 since I thought that was formal night. I go to my stateroom 5520 and after checking the Navigator more closely, I see that formal night is Monday. After some thought, I go back to change the ressie and now have to be waitlisted for Monday@anytime. Good news is that this reservation came through (they say that about 80% of those waitlisted get their reservation) and I will tell you about the meal in another post.
Also, had reserved High Tea on Sunday but had to waitlist for the Brunch (never got to eat Brunch although I was offered Sunday brunch at 11:00 but had to refuse since this was DisBoards Trick or Treat time). Will tell you about High Tea later too.
Debbie went to the Kids Club to get a pager. She chose to complete Hunters registration the next day since the line was so long. Plus she went to Vista Spa to make ressies for two treatments the alpha capsule and surial mud bath (which is now called something else).
My other daughter Beth made a spa ressie for us to get a pedicure at 4:30 on embarkation day this was her birthday present for me. Loved it and got my toenails painted Aruba Blue just a fun color for the cruise.
Got the LAPLAPL dining rotation so off to Lumieres for dinner. Got a table for 8 and had a couple from Florida dining with us who were celebrating their 10th anniversary. They were OK but I was sadly disappointed later in the week when they never showed up for dinner on Friday night or breakfast Saturday morning I think that they were avoiding tipping the servers. I think that next time I will request a table that will accommodate only my family so as not to be embarrassed by others.
Anyway, I had the roast duck (wanted to try something that I dont usually eat) and got a strawberry mousse birthday cake October 30 was my birthday. Our servers were Ancell and Luis they were very nice and learned what we like to drink so that they had our drinks ready for us.
I am trying to remember if we went to see Hercules that night after dinner. If not this night, it was on Sunday and we enjoyed the show. One good tip we sat in about the same row for each show so that even though we didnt go there together, we still sat together in the end. Practiced using our new digital camera to take pics without the flash hopefully will be able to setup a slide show later for you. Took about 150 pictures altogether during the entire cruise.
Dont believe how long this is thank you for bearing with me and perhaps my next post wont be quite so long. Feel free to ask questions as I post.
