Jammin' to Jamaica - Aug 30 2014 ~ Fantasy ~ 7-Night Western

[LiseG]

Also, for the mommy with a 2 year old asking about port excursions. I have been on the fantasy on this itenerary 2 other times traveling with small children. Jamaica is new this year (replaced Costa Maya) so I can't add to that discussion. If it were me I'd consider this:

Cozumel- Get off the ship at the port. You will cross the street on an overhead bridge. I'd get a taxi and go to Chakanaab park. I highly recommend for those with little ones OR older kids. It is a gorgeous place. There is a pristine beach. You can sign up for dolphin experiences there. There is also a really nice walking trail area and you can see some animals. We LOVED It. There is a gift shop and small restaurant and a few bars and places to grab a quick bite. The trip before we took a taxi as well and just toured the island and stopped at some of the beaches. This was beautiful but I didn't feel as safe in a few of the places. You do pay an entrance fee at Chakanaab but if you do this on your own vs. through the cruise line it will save you big bucks. We left early and saw all the Disney Cruise guests coming in a large group about 1 1/2 hours after us. For us this was nice because our dolphin experience was really small. Also, my older boys have already swam with the dolphins so I sat with them while my hubby did it with my littlest. Little kids are free with a paying adult for the dolphin at the gate. There is a really nice swimming pool right by the dolphin experience that I enjoyed with my other boys. I'd also recommend that you are clear that you want pictures of your child if you do the dolphin. We planned to buy some and for some reason the photographer was a ditz our day and took none of my three year old because he was being shy. There is no way to take pics of others doing the experience. I could watch them but it was from a distance.

Grand Cayman is a place that I feel very safe traveling in. I will say it seemed like traffic could be slow so if you go on your own thats a consideration. The most famous thing to do here is visit the stingrays. But I have found my boys are too nervous when we get close to rays so I haven't done it. I would probably say with a two year old I'd skip that. We did a dolphin experience here once that we booked on our own. We loved it and had a really great time. It is called Dophin Cove. If you book from them they will pick you up at the port and take you to the place. You can read lots of reviews on tripadvisor. I believe children were free with paying adult. We saved hundreds booking this way. This year we plan to do the cayman turtle farm which should be really good with a little one. We will probably book through the ship because I get nervous about getting back on time.

We've been on the DCL Western 3.5x. I've commented on excursions for toddlers in these ports earlier on the thread. I asked Sabrina tonight about the excursions we did in Grand Cayman Submarine (2005) vs. Island Tour with Hell and Turtles (2006). From her current perspective at age 13, she thinks that the Submarine was better... "it was cool seeing all the sealife." At the time she was WOWed on each excursion. I liked the turtles but the photos in the sub are the ones on the wall. In Cozumel, the dolphin memories from age 5 are strong and we still ahve the DVD we bought

I agree about being nervous about direct excursions. We have always done excursions through DCL (except in California in 2012). I like that it's easy to re-book onboard if the ports change (happened 2x). It's also reassuring that you won't get left behind... if they have to leave port, DCL will pay for transportation to catch up with the ship.

Lise

 

[TAYLOR4651]

Finally, we have our room assignment #7690. Yeah!!!pixie dust:

We can't wait!!!!

 

[staffieri]

When we booked had to book a GYT cabin. We got our cabin. No pixie dust got exactly what category our GYT was in. Got placed on deck 2 which I'm not sure is a good deck. Cabin 2008. I'm so worried about it. Feeling bummed.
Kim

 

[Dis_Yoda]

You could always try to upgrade when you get to the port.

We find we never spend that much time in the room outside if sleeping or getting dressed.

Don't be bummed!

 

[OldPyrate]

When we booked had to book a GYT cabin. We got our cabin. No pixie dust got exactly what category our GYT was in. Got placed on deck 2 which I'm not sure is a good deck. Cabin 2008. I'm so worried about it. Feeling bummed.
Kim

Don't be bummed!!! Its a Disney ship! There are no bad decks!! And the Enchanted Garden is just down the hall from you! That's pretty cool!

 

[SueTravelsWithKids]

We've been on the DCL Western 3.5x. I've commented on excursions for toddlers in these ports earlier on the thread. I asked Sabrina tonight about the excursions we did in Grand Cayman Submarine (2005) vs. Island Tour with Hell and Turtles (2006). From her current perspective at age 13, she thinks that the Submarine was better... "it was cool seeing all the sealife." At the time she was WOWed on each excursion. I liked the turtles but the photos in the sub are the ones on the wall. In Cozumel, the dolphin memories from age 5 are strong and we still ahve the DVD we bought

I agree about being nervous about direct excursions. We have always done excursions through DCL (except in California in 2012). I like that it's easy to re-book onboard if the ports change (happened 2x). It's also reassuring that you won't get left behind... if they have to leave port, DCL will pay for transportation to catch up with the ship.


Lise

Did you do the submarine experience that goes deep or the one that stays nearer the surface? We did the Atlantis and I heard the other was better even though it wasn't as deep. I'm curious because our pictures and view were all murky and definitely not wall worthy. As I said my boys LOVED the sub.

Also for mommy of so year old if you do Atlantis sub through disney they do not bring you back to the boat. It's not that far but a bit of a walk. Maybe half a mile?. I remember vividly because it was pouring rain when we went and when we got home we were soaked to the bones.

 

[staffieri]

You could always try to upgrade when you get to the port.


I think we will get to the port to late, but still might try. Thanks.

We find we never spend that much time in the room outside if sleeping or getting dressed.

Don't be bummed!

Don't be bummed!!! Its a Disney ship! There are no bad decks!! And the Enchanted Garden is just down the hall from you! That's pretty cool!

Maybe being so close to Enchanted we will eat breakfast. Good thought. Thanks for the feedback!!!

 

[Srdiana]

We are first time cruisers and I have a question about the kids club for any veteran out there that knows. My son just turned 5. And I am worried about bathroom times. My son still gets engrossed in exciting things and forgets to the very last minute to go. Does anyone know if they do bAthroom times or do I need to get him every once in awhile to make sure he is remembering and taking a few minutes from all the fun.... I can see him not wanting to miss anything

 

[LiseG]

Did you do the submarine experience that goes deep or the one that stays nearer the surface? We did the Atlantis and I heard the other was better even though it wasn't as deep. I'm curious because our pictures and view were all murky and definitely not wall worthy. As I said my boys LOVED the sub.

Also for mommy of so year old if you do Atlantis sub through disney they do not bring you back to the boat. It's not that far but a bit of a walk. Maybe half a mile?. I remember vividly because it was pouring rain when we went and when we got home we were soaked to the bones.

Here's my wall worthy photo on the sub ... Our cute little Sabrina the day before her 5th Bday

We have done both the Atlantis Submarine Expedition in Grand Cayman (pictured above) and Seaworld Explorer, the one that doesn't submerge, on See and Sea Island Tour in St. Maarten on DCL Eastern Carib. I'd say photos through the windows would be similarly murky. Both were fun. The Sub goes deep and you learn about light and color under water. The Explorer is more like snorkeling without getting wet, and there's a diver outside the ship that shows stuff. I think he was feeding the fish to get them near the windows.

I think the Atlantis Submarine Expedition is the same in all ports just the underwater scenery would be a little different. The semi-submersibles in our ports o' call look pretty similar in build to the Seaworld Explorer. Check out Ocean View Explorer Tour in Cosumel and the Nautilus Undersea Tour in Grand Cayman (looks like they view shipwrecks).
The semi-submersibles needs to add bubble windows so you think you're going deep like on Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

 

[SueTravelsWithKids]

Thank you for all the wonderful information about the subs. That picture is precious!

For the mommy inquiring about the bathroom and kids club I remember worrying about the same thing for my son who was five. You could ask them to check on your son but in reality there are no routine bathroom times and I'm not sure that they have the capacity to remind every child. What I will tell you is my son did have a pee accident there that year and if I recall they made very light of it and just called my wave phone. I'm sure if it has happened more than once they would have had to make a bigger deal of it. They may have even given him a pair of shorts to wear. I just can't remember, which probably means it wasn't too traumatic for him or for me, Best of luck!

 

[staffieri]

We are first time cruisers and I have a question about the kids club for any veteran out there that knows. My son just turned 5. And I am worried about bathroom times. My son still gets engrossed in exciting things and forgets to the very last minute to go. Does anyone know if they do bAthroom times or do I need to get him every once in awhile to make sure he is remembering and taking a few minutes from all the fun.... I can see him not wanting to miss anything

They do not do plan bathroom times. I would have him go before you take him and ask a few castmember to remind him to go. The bathrooms are very clean and everything is small size.

 

[Srdiana]

Thank you for all the wonderful information about the subs. That picture is precious!

For the mommy inquiring about the bathroom and kids club I remember worrying about the same thing for my son who was five. You could ask them to check on your son but in reality there are no routine bathroom times and I'm not sure that they have the capacity to remind every child. What I will tell you is my son did have a pee accident there that year and if I recall they made very light of it and just called my wave phone. I'm sure if it has happened more than once they would have had to make a bigger deal of it. They may have even given him a pair of shorts to wear. I just can't remember, which probably means it wasn't too traumatic for him or for me, Best of luck!

Thank you that makes me feel better

 

[Srdiana]

They do not do plan bathroom times. I would have him go before you take him and ask a few castmember to remind him to go. The bathrooms are very clean and everything is small size.

Thank you. I am hoping that it won't be a problem. But from what I am hearing he is going to be overly excited especially the first day. I will defiantly ask someone and probably check on him.

 

[anderson08]

Looks like everyone is making some wonderful plans. Are any of you planning NOT to get off the ship at any of the ports? If so which port are you skipping and why?

I might be Grand Cayman for us. We tender there so a little more difficult to get off the ship and the port tours seem to be more expensive.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Same here. It's because we are tendering.

V

 

[LiseG]

Looks like everyone is making some wonderful plans. Are any of you planning NOT to get off the ship at any of the ports? If so which port are you skipping and why?

I might be Grand Cayman for us. We tender there so a little more difficult to get off the ship and the port tours seem to be more expensive.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

The first time we visited Grand Cayman was on the day before Sabrina's 5th Birthday (I posted a photo yesterday). Tendering wasn't an issue. Just a free excursion We actually went back and forth to the ship a couple times (No, you can't pay for lunch ashore with a DCL Key To The World Card )

If you like, skip the excursions but go down and take a peek at the tendering senerio. If it looks like fun... go ashore and wander the street by the harbor for an hour and come back. The Tortuga Rum and Tortuga Rum Cake samples are to die for. It's what fills our suit cases. (Sometimes DCL has limited flavor choices in the duty-free shop onboard)

In 2009, I picked up some deals on top brand make-up in a beautiful harborside shop. You may not want to ask my DH about me "forgetting my make up at home" on my BFFs DCL wedding cruise, re-buying EVERYTHING then finding it in a suitcase pocket the night we packed to leave the ship.

Grand Cayman is the one that I would not skip. It is beautiful and the one port that I felt the safest in. We may skip Cozumel this time because I just don't see an excursion that we're interested in this time around.

I agree

Same here. It's because we are tendering.

I understand. With a squirmy, wee babe tendering could be unnerving.

 

[OldPyrate]

FORTY....SEVEN....DAYS....'TILL.....WE....SET....SAIL!!!

 

[anderson08]

Hey I have a quick question. Will I need a car seat and/or booster seat for my DD3 and DD6mo when we board the Disney shuttle from MCO to the port?

V

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Hey I have a quick question. Will I need a car seat and/or booster seat for my DD3 and DD6mo when we board the Disney shuttle from MCO to the port? V

No you will not.

 

[KBinCO]

Is there a lot of activity going on on the FB page? Are there requirements to join? I requested quite a while ago but haven't been accepted.

 

[Haidee]

Does the ship have an ATM?