January 26th, 2018 5-Night Bahamian on Magic

[Myka]

Also, please let us know what we need to do in order to join. Thanks!

 

[crowls]

Welcome Myka!!!! Of course you can be added! More fun for everyone!
I think we are just waiting on the paid-in-full date (next week?) to pass so everyone is able to commit for sure.....then DisneyGirlSara (or someone from the group) will be in touch to get your info for the FE. A list will be sent to everyone of the participants and we can get our gifts organized - my girls are almost the same ages as yours - they will have a hoot doing it (mine can't wait!)

Just one quick note for everyone - you need to have 10 posts on the DIS boards for it to turn on your direct messaging ability. This allows the FE organizer to contact you directly vs having to post your names, ages, fav character and room number on the public board. Feel free to post on here, ask questions on the Cruise boards, etc to get to 10 messages.

 

[crowls]

Also, please let us know what we need to do in order to join. Thanks!

Consider yourself signed up NS8NV will add you to the list and someone will be in touch next week to get info from you (room #, etc). Keep posting and you will have 10 messages in no time, makes the direct messaging easier then posting publicly for some of this info.

 

[Myka]

Thanks! Can't wait! (Look I'm already up to three)

 

[NS8VN]

Welcome to the group @Myka ! Happy to have you and congratulations on booking your first cruise. The Magic is a fantastic first ship, plenty to do and see but not so large as to be overwhelming for a first-timer. Can hardly believe that next Thursday the first people (concierge and Platinum Castaway Club members) will begin checking in to the cruise. The day after that will be this thread's 1st birthday

Crowls has you covered with info on the FE, your family is absolutely invited to join. She is one of the coordinators of the group so feel free to ask her any questions. As for getting your post count up, don't hesitate to ask questions or comment on this thread or any on the entire board. There is just so much experience on the board and people happy to share, nearly everything I know about DCL in the past few years has come from the people here. And of course there are places on the site for all things Disney, so if you have anything to ask or talk about regarding the other parks or resorts you can post in those areas too. There is even a community board where you can just talk about anything. Very easy to get to 10 posts.

Welcome again, just four short months until the Magic begins!

 

[Myka]

So my kids will be picking out activities, during the next few days, that they want to do these on the cruise. I have two daughters the ages of 12 and 10, and was wondering if anyone had any must do's. Please let me know if you do. We will be booking them this weekend. Thanks!

 

[NS8VN]

What kind of activities are you looking at? Like excursions, or activities on the ship?

 

[Myka]

Both. We all want to do fun things on and off the ship. So any suggestions or any must dos?

 

[adamki]

Hello everyone! My family (Mrs. adamki and adamki-kid) and I just decided to book this cruise which will be our 7th on DCL and the Magic will complete the DCL Grand Slam for us. We're also bringing along another family for their first cruise.

We've been to all the ports except Key West, so I'm happy to add my 2 cents about Miami, Nassau and Castaway Cay.

 

[adamki]

So my kids will be picking out activities, during the next few days, that they want to do these on the cruise. I have two daughters the ages of 12 and 10, and was wondering if anyone had any must do's. Please let me know if you do. We will be booking them this weekend. Thanks!

If you haven't done so already, check out the Personal Navigators (daily schedules) for similar cruises to give you an idea of activities that might be available. Obviously, the movies and variety acts will be different. For example, there was one last February and the navigators are available here: http://disneycruiselineblog.com/201...-night-bahamian-cruise-miami-february-3-2017/

For the ports

Key West: Never been, but we're thinking bout doing a kayak tour (not through DCL Excursions) and wondering around town a bit. I think we may need to wait to see what is back up and running in the coming weeks.​

Nassau: We don't get off the ship in Nassau anymore. Not into Atlantis and the ship is a better option than the beach for us. We will watch movies and do other on-ship activiites. If you do want a beach day, the Colonial Hilton is close to the port and offers day passes.​

Castaway Cay: We usually rent bikes and ride the island, snorkel the snorkeling lagoon (very easy for kids with lifeguards posted around the area) and hang out. Our son enjoyed the stingray feeding a couple of years ago, it includes snorkel equipment.​

 

[NS8VN]

Welcome to the group adamki, very glad to have you joining us! Congrats on completing the Grand Slam too! I think you might be the first Gold CC member to join the group, only 3 weeks until check-in day for you.

On the subject of Key West, I have been once and it is a very nice place. I have no doubt that by January everything will be back up and running, they were lucky enough to not take the hardest hit and are even expecting to open the port to cruise ships this week. Unlike the islands they have the luxury of a highway to the mainland so bringing in supplies is a lot different. Not to minimize what they went through, the Keys will take time to recover, but in January things should be back to relatively normal. We are planning to take a hop on hop off tour of the island and stop at the Hemingway House. We also have no definite plans for Nassau though we will at least get off the boat and walk around a bit as it will be my wife and daughter's first visit. CC depends on how much our daughter wants to spend time with the kids club vs with us.

Just a heads up Myka that you won't be able to actually book anything on the ship or any DCL excursions until your check-in date, November 12th. If you are booking excursions outside of DCL then you can do that whenever that company allows you. The only advice I can give is on the ship is to make sure the kids attend the ice breaker session for their club if they are going to spend much time there. I have been told by many people that this is the best way to meet friends the first night. DD12 will be able to join DD10 in the kids club if she wants, or attend Edge. (DD is shorthand for daughter around here) It can be difficult with those ages, especially if they want to stick together but the older one doesn't want to be with the "little kids" and the younger one can't go to Edge. So something to maybe talk about beforehand with them if you think that could be an issue that pops up.

 

[adamki]

Thanks for the welcome @NS8VN

You're right, I'm sure all the main attractions at Key West will be up and running. I think an RCC ship is arriving this weekend. My concern would be for the smaller tour operators that may not have weathered the financial impact of losing everything and having to start over again. They will return, but it might take longer.

We'll do our part and book a tour or two!

 

[Myka]

Thanks for all the feedback! That gives me a few ideas, but I bet my kids will want to do some other things to.

Can't wait until the cruise! My 12yr old daughter cannot stop talking about it. They are already counting down the days (since we get to Miami a day early we have 125days).

 

[Myka]

We also read something on line that said we can bring our trading pins on the cruise. We have some from Disney World. Is it true that we can trade onboard as well?

 

[adamki]

We also read something on line that said we can bring our trading pins on the cruise. We have some from Disney World. Is it true that we can trade onboard as well?

Yes, the kids (or anyone) can do pin trading.

It works pretty much the same as at WDW. If a Cast Member or other guest has pins on a lanyard then you can approach them to trade; Cast Members are obliged to trade any pin they display on their lanyard.

Usually the CMs in the stores have lanyards and I think I remember a pin trading book in one of the stores last time. They also have scheduled "Officer Pin Trading" events. In the example I linked earlier, there's one scheduled on the sea day.

 

[Anna Johnson]

I am surprising my family for Christmas with this cruise. Me, my husband, our two daughters, ages eight and six and our son, age 3 are going. We would be interested in any fish extender groups!

 

[crowls]

Welcome Anna!!!!!! What an fabulous surprise gift - a great video moment for sure!
I think the FE list and everything will kick off in the next few weeks once the paid in full date passes - in the meantime keep posting on here great place to ask questions and get info (the folks on here seem to be incredibly experienced!). We can all communicate here, on the public board but once you have 10 messages it will turn on the private messaging which works best for gathering the names, etc for the FE exchange.

 

[Mrsktbrown]

Hi everyone! This is going to be my family’s very first cruise! I’m so excited!! I have a 9, 7, and 3 year old, so I’m hoping the ship will keep us all entertained. I’m curious about Nassau...we want to do a dolphin interaction, but I haven’t heard much about any of the ones offered. Does anyone have any recommendations?

 

[NS8VN]

Welcome to the group Anna and Mrsktbrown! Can't believe we are about to hit T-120 days, but Thursday will mark that date and check-in starts. Seems like just the other day the "2018 cruise watch" thread was going strong with speculation.

I don't have an answer on the dolphin swim, it isn't something I have done before or have ever really looked in to, but I see you threw the question up in the main DCL forum so I'm sure you will get some good answers. If you have read through you will see you are far from the only First Timer The Magic is a beautiful ship, perhaps smaller by today's standards but still plenty to do and see.

 

[NS8VN]

I know I mentioned it several times before, but very exciting to say "Yay, check-in has begun!" Today Concierge and Platinum CC members have begun checking in to the cruise. Only 15-30-45 days until the rest of us do.