March 24th Western - updated with tips from an 8 yr old -for kids only

[Floridagram]

miscellaneous thoughts before I get to Castaway Cay day . . .

Hair braiding. My dd had this done sunday morning, and I just took the braids out today, so they lasted 3 weeks. you''ll see a lot of girls on the ship with braids - they really do look cute.

The bartender at the bar near the goofy pool (cant remember the name) mixes the best margaritas. I think he is trained to see THAT LOOK in a parent's eye (you know, the I cant take one more minute of this look), and he pours accordingly.

Shutters - can there be a bigger rip-off? and could it be any more crowded and inefficient? Its 2007, why wouldn't the photos be available on cd? and why are they mostly 8x10s? Last cruise I spent way too much, so this time I chose judiciously. I have to say I got the most wonderful picture of dd on the sand at cc. And the Johnny Depp one is quite fetching. But still, somebody fix this.

Jumbotron - brilliant idea. thats all.

Allergies - from the kids club to the dining room, they make you feel very safe.

Arcade - save me.

Character breakfast - I found it quite hectic, but the kids love it. Great photo ops.

That all I can think of for now.

How hard was it to get the braids out? And how long did the creases stay in her hair? I have always wanted to do this for DGD but her Mom has heard horror stories and doesn't think it is worth the trouble.

 

[pclaire]

finally, Castaway Cay!!

We didn't go to CC on out last cruise, so we were looking forward to seeing what it was like. We woke up, had breakfast and were off the ship as soon as they gave the all-clear. We walked to the family beach, with a few stops for pictures. the weather was great, but as soon as we found chairs, the clouds came in and it began to sprinkle. It only lasted a few minutes, though, and the rest of the day was beautiful. My dd found her friend, and they went to check out the playhouse in the water. I thought the water was very cold - as the day went on, it got better, but it was still a lot Colder than cozumel or Grand Cayman.
We had some lunch at Cookies - it was good good, but not great. My dd found the Mickey crocs in her size - she'd been looking for them on the ship, but they were out. She spent the last of her-hard earned money on them, but it was what she really wanted!

After lunch, we went on a banana boat ride, which was a blast!! since our parasailing had been cancelled, we got our gear and went snorkeling instead. We had fun, but my dd started getting really chilled. After that, she just wanted to go back to the ship, which we did at about 2.

I enjoyed CC, but it wasn't my favorite day. I know - blasphemy. My dd was a little out of sorts all day. She was clearly worn out from the week, and kind of moody. For those of you have that adaptable children that roll with changes to their schedules, I envy you. for those of you with kids that are - how shall I say this - a little more tightly wound and creatures of habit - - I feel your pain. no matter how much fun she's having, she sometimes gets overwhelmed.

I would have liked to explore more of the island - maybe next time.

Anyway, we just relaxed, ordered room service and packed. Yes, I hit the bar. I actually loved being on the ship when it was so empty. After dinner we skipped the farewell show and saw "Wild Hogs." Wait for the DVD.

 

[tamim]

It sounds as if overall it was a great week for you and your DD.
Your observations are all honest and your tips are great!
Thanks for the report!

 

[GrammieMame]

pclaire: I really enjoyed reliving our experiences through your trip report. You have inspired me to type up my notes and try to put up a report. Notice I said "try".