May 5th Western - Long Version w/pics!

[pppiglet]

Day One - Friday
Super Shuttle picked us up at 7:30am and took us to LAX.

We were real early since our plane didn’t leave until 11:15 or so. Checked in at the Delta counter

out front and they took our bags and we went through security and found a place to get some breakfast burritos. We sat for a few hours and saw more people around us that were also going on the Disney Cruise or WDW. We were on Delta flight 1828 to MCO. This was Tyler’s first time flying.

He did really well considering he did not want to fly. The flight was pretty smooth, not much turbulence at all.
We landed around 6pm Florida time and checked into the Airport Hyatt. We had a balcony room that overlooked the shopping mall in the airport.

We had dinner at McCoy’s Grill in the Hyatt and then went down to the airport mall to look around and have some ice cream before bed.

We knew Diser Madisonznana was staying here too, but we never found her and her family.

Oops..sorry pics so big! Forgot to edit some of them!

 

[pppiglet]

Day Two – Saturday
Jim went down to the airport mall and got us McDonalds for breakfast while I woke up Tyler. Roger from Sunray Transportation picked us up at 9am in an SUV to head to the port.

We arrived at the port at 9:45am and they started checking us in shortly after that.

We got boarding pass #2! Found some Disers in the terminal while we were waiting to be called. (Madisonznana and CruiseboundinKY) We boarded at 12pm and headed to Parrot Cay for lunch. Met MickeyD and KimberlyC as we were leaving. Our room was ready at 1:30pm. We had been upgraded a week before we sailed from 7620 to 8580.

The extra room was nice. Where the extra twin bed would have been, we had a nice comfy chair and foot stool. We started unpacking, opened the Castaway Club gifts and the romance basket I had ordered with the chocolates, robes, and picture frame. Called Cindy to let her know we had boarded and to see if she needed any last minute instructions. We met our room steward Iketo (Ike) as we were leaving the room.

Next we headed for our DIS meet in the Promenade lounge at 3:15pm.

We had met about 25 DIS families online before we cruised and the kids were exchanging little gifts and things. So that lasted about 30 minutes or so and then it was time to head back up to the room for the safety drill at 4pm.

We missed the sail away party because we were still unpacking. Saw the end of it, but the ship didn’t leave port until 6pm so we missed sailing out of the port too since we had to be at dinner at 6pm.

We had the LAP adult rotation so we ate in Lumiere’s that night. Our servers were Conrad and Hilash and we were at table #47 (remember that number). Our tablemates were a lady from Hawaii named Ruth who lived on property at a pet kennel, a family from PA (mom, 9yr old boy, and grandma) and a family from MI also celebrating their 25th anniversary like us with their daughter (about Tyler’s age). I ate scallops, tomato basil soup, escargot, and sugar free cheesecake for dessert.

Then our servers brought us and the other couple a anniversary cake and sang to us. (Which we never had time to even taste and we forgot it in the refrigerator when we left the ship)

After dinner we headed back to the room for more unpacking and then to the 8:30pm Welcome Aboard show. We didn’t do this show the first time we cruised. Then back to the room for more unpacking. About 11pm we went for pizza by the pool and watched part of Mary Poppins on the Jumbotron screen,

then to deck 3 for 11:30pm snacks (which we really liked). Talked to the nice servers there from Peru and Czech. They had two hot appetizers every night (this night was coconut shrimp and spring rolls) and small finger sandwiches, cheese and crackers, fruits, and little bite size desserts.

We went and set up our internet access so we could stay in touch with Cindy and then we went back up to the room and to bed by 12:30pm. NOTE: Jim and Tyler were in bed an hour before me most nights and I was up an hour before them each morning! The seas were calm (we had heard the first night is usually rough) and we slept well. Our towel animal this night was a duck! (We brought him home)

 

[pppiglet]

Day Three – Sunday

This is Key West day! I got up at 7am and sat out on the verandah in my new robe writing my notes and resting while Jim and Tyler slept in until 8:30am.

We went down to Palo Brunch at 10:30am.

Zita (our waitress from our first Disney cruise) recognized us and requested to have us again. She was great!

We ordered pizza, a frittata, and tilapia for our hot foods, but there were all kinds of foods and breads and desserts.

Brunch lasted until 12:30pm, so we missed us pulling into Key West. (We could see a bit through the windows in Palo, but not much).

We had decided to just walk around in Key West, so we headed off the ship and walked down to the Hemingway House.

It was very hot and humid! Toured the house and saw about 15 or so of the 47 six toed cats!

Then we headed past the Southernmost Point

and then down to the Blonde Giraffe

(with a quick stop into CVS to buy some water. We had frozen key lime pie on a stick dipped in chocolate and the air conditioning was so nice. Next we walked around the marina and to the pirate store, then Hog’s Breath Saloon (so Jim could buy a t-shirt), and back to the ship. We really had a nice day in Key West.
Got back to the room and showered and then headed to Animator’s Palate for dinner. This night was the show night when everything changes color.

I got it on video this time (well, part of it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkoaTTCChgg

I had the mushroom pastry,

Caesar salad, stuffed chicken with jalapeno mashed potatoes,

and chocolate peanut butter pie for dessert. I have no idea what Jim or Tyler ate.
After dinner we went up to deck 10 around 7:45pm and watched us sail away from Key West. They are famous for their sunsets, but to us it looked just like one of ours at the beach!

After that we went to the Gary Delana show. He was very funny! We didn’t see him on our first cruise. Then it was up to deck 9 for some self serve chocolate ice cream and before we knew it, it was time for 11pm snacks by the Promenade Lounge!

The hot appetizers tonight were buffalo wings and crab balls. Jim and Tyler each had a “drink of the day” and then off to bed at 12pm. Our towel animal tonight was an elephant.

 

[SueBill]

Great pics ! We will be going on our 1st cruise in October 2008 so I enjoy reading everything about DCL.

Thanks for sharing

 

[Jillpie]

Great report so far, and love these pictures, thank you!!!!

 

[livvysmom]

Great trip report and I love the pictures!

 

[pppiglet]

Day Four – Monday
Today is a sea day! I was up and out on the verandah at 3am to see the peaceful dark ocean. Then we kind of slept in, but not too late because we had the Character Breakfast at 8:15am. (We didn’t know this had been changed to Mickey’s Island Jam) So there were no characters coming to the table to take pictures with you like on our last cruise. They just sang and danced in the aisles with the kids. Got a short video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOYy5_7Mt4c

You have to be quick with the camera if you want to get a shot of them when they pass you in the aisle.

If we had known this ahead of time we wouldn’t have gone and slept in later. In fact, Tyler did sleep in! He didn’t make it up early so he went to Topsiders for breakfast by himself when he got up. We went to the stores and shopped. I bought some scrapbook kits, and then we got Tyler and went to the Castaway Club meeting and had more food!

After the meeting we went back to the room to take naps and then to deck 9 for some chicken fingers and fries. We walked around a bit and then Jim and Tyler took another nap while I did two loads of laundry.

Tonight was our Palo dinner at 6pm

and Zita knew we were coming back, so she requested we have her as our waitress again. It was also formal night, so we had to dress up.

Disers CruiseboundinKY and her hubby were at the table right next to us. We started off with chocolate martinis. Next I had the warm shrimp salad. Then we all ordered the filet. Wow…it just melted in our mouths!

Zita brought us her favorite….the linguini and it was real tasty too.

For dessert we all had the famous chocolate soufflé

and Zita brought us the panacota cheesecake

and “Happy Anniversary” written in chocolate on a plate all decorated with different flavor gels.

After dinner we went to take our formal pictures. The shortest line was the one they take with the Captain. We had Captain Thord this time. After our pictures we went back to the room and changed our clothes so we could walk some laps on deck 4 before going to Rockin Bar D for music and the Gary Delana Adult Show. Again….he was very funny! CruiseBoundinKY and hubby sat near us for the show. Of course after the show it was close to 11pm so we headed off for those 11pm snacks!

Tonight’s hot appetizers were stuffed jalapenos (the best I ever had!) and spinach quiche. Checked our email and back to the room for bedtime at 12:30am.

 

[Database]

Great Trippie!

The pictures give the sense of re-living the shipboard magic. (I'm homesick!)
Hurry up and post more!

 

[Jillpie]

oh, I loved those late night snacks too! But ya know what, I always felt kind of awkward, like, where do we eat these things? Did you just stand there? Thats what we did. I didn't quite want to go back to the room yet, so we just stood around, awkward.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

Five DCL cruises and I never knew about the late night snacks. Now, if only I can stay up that late to enjoy them.

Fantastic pictures - can't wait to read more.

 

[pppiglet]

oh, I loved those late night snacks too! But ya know what, I always felt kind of awkward, like, where do we eat these things? Did you just stand there? Thats what we did. I didn't quite want to go back to the room yet, so we just stood around, awkward.

The Promenade Lounge was right around the corner, so we sat there and ate them. We were close enough to go back and get more it we wanted!

 

[pppiglet]

Day Five – Tuesday
This is Grand Cayman day and Pirate Night! We had room service delivered at 6:45am and after breakfast headed to Diversions to meet for our excursion “The Island Tour and Butterfly Farm”. Got on the tender boat

and saw that Carnival had a ship here too.

The water is so blue here!

Got on our tour bus #477 (remember this number?) and headed to the small town of Hell!

Very hot in Hell!

It was just a short stop then we headed to the Tortuga Rum Factory

and had samples of their rum cakes.

It was so crowded in the shop we could barely move! Our next stop was the Turtle Farm.

We really liked it. It wasn’t what I was expecting. Neat turtles!

After this stop it was on to the Butterfly Farm.

Ok…this was neat, but kind of boring. Very pretty there though!

The tour bus dropped us off at the pier around 12:30pm and we walked over to Senor Frogs and had lunch.

We were out on the patio on the balcony and could watch the street and stores around us.

Grand Cayman is expensive. Our lunch came to $100 US money (and that was with a free quesadilla!)

We shopped a bit afterwards and then went back to the ship. On our tour we had seen a water spout coming out of the clouds!
We got back to the ship and walked around a bit, had some ice cream, prepaid our gratuities and rested until 5pm sail away. A huge cloud came over

and we watched it pour from our verandah for about 15 minutes or so as the last tender boat was pulling up. We got dressed for Pirate Night. Tyler had bought a full pirate outfit at a fair in Covina a week before we left. I had bought a dress that had skulls all over it and I found a t-shirt with a full skull head on it for Jim.

We had dinner in Lumiere’s tonight. I don’t remember what I ate, then we headed up and took pictures with pirate Chip and Dale

and then off we went to the Pirate Party.

We had excellent seats right under the stack that Mickey flies down from and the fireworks were great!

Stopped by the buffet,

but none of it looked very interesting, so I went and got some pizza by the pool. We checked our email and then to bed at 1am. I don't remember the towel animal tonight.

 

[pppiglet]

Day Six – Wednesday
This is Cozumel day! We headed to Topsiders for breakfast at 8:30am.

The ship was pulling in next to the Carnival Holiday. We were so close to it!

The water was beautiful in Cozumel and this ended up being our favorite port of this trip.

There was another Carnival ship at the other pier. We walked around the ship and the pools were empty.

We watched people lining up for their excursions from Deck 4.

We met in the Promenade Lounge for our Jeep excursion at 11:45am. Then down to the pier and across a shopping mall where our guides gave us the rules and directions.

Then out to the mall parking lot and along the back wall were all the jeeps.

We selected a white one (to keep cooler). We drove quite a ways

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTsX9ngR8OY

before stopping at a lighthouse.

It was so hot here! None of us went up the lighthouse stairs. We were just so tired and hot! The view of the beach was so beautiful and blue here.

Got back in the jeeps after about 30 minutes

and headed to a small ruin

and then to a bridge where we were about 5 feet above some huge crocodiles!

There were vultures hanging around too. I know they were just waiting for one of us to fall in! After here, we drove quite a ways again to a private beach

and they had a Mexican buffet waiting for us and we had some time to swim in the ocean.

It was like bath water! We spent about an hour or so at the beach and then headed back to the jeeps and drove (Jim drove the whole time as it was manual) to a shop called the PeePee station.

Souvenirs and of course bathrooms here! After this we headed back to the mall, dropped off the jeeps and shopped a bit. Headed back to the ship so we could clean up for dinner.
Well, we didn’t make it in time for our rotation dinner, so we went to Topsiders. We had never been there for dinner before. It was very much unorganized and our waiter was slow. You couldn’t get near the buffet to get what you wanted because the line was out the door with new people coming in. It was quicker than the regular dinner though.
After dinner we headed back to Cozumel to see the sights at night.

We hadn’t seen the Magic lit up at night before. It was beautiful!

We walked around and bought some t-shirts and stuff and were back on the ship by 10pm. We checked our email and then I did three loads of laundry which finished right at 1am so I was able to see us sail away! The clocks had to be set forward one hour tonight so that made it 2am! So I was in bed by 2:15am. Our towel animal tonight was that scary hanging monkey!

 

[pppiglet]

Day Seven – Thursday
This is a sea day! I woke up at 8am. The seas were still smooth and Jim and Tyler slept in again. I worked on my notes out on the verandah

and got a list of websites written to give to Ruth. (Of course one of those was the Disboards!) I finally remembered our table mate’s names by this day. Rose, Marcia, and Anthony from PA, and Sue, Richard, and Jennifer from MI.
Me and Jim went to Topsiders for breakfast at 10:30am.
It was real windy up there! Tyler slept until 11am. We finally met up with him on Deck 4 listening to his music.

We sat and relaxed for a bit

then me & Jim went to the pool to get a drink of the day. Saw Tyler walk by up on deck 10, but he didn’t see us. Took us awhile to find him afterwards.
Me and Jim went to Goofy’s for Panini sandwiches and then to Pinocchio’s for pizza. We took it over to the family pool and watched High School Musical on the big screen while we ate. We weren’t going to watch it, but it was addicting! So we sat in the sun burning until it was over then headed back to Goofy’s for some ice cream. (See why I gained 8lbs on this cruise!)
I went back to the room and started organizing our luggage. I didn’t want to spend the last night doing it all. We had dinner in Parrot Cay tonight. It was semi-formal, but we didn’t dress up much. We had the lobster and the chocolate lava cake tonight, but I decided lobster just didn’t sound good and I had the chicken parmesan and fettuccine,

shrimp appetizer, and mushroom soup. Supposedly no one at our table liked the lobster tonight, but my chicken was excellent! Tonight was also the dessert buffet in Lumiere’s at 11pm. We were not really hungry, so just went in to take pictures and just a few little samples of stuff.

We went back to the room and did some more packing. Our towel animal tonight was a huge turkey made out of the spare blanket.

Tyler went to the arcade and won an IPod! Bedtime tonight was 1am!

 

[pppiglet]

Day Eight – Friday
This is Castaway Cay day! We pulled into Castaway Cay about 8:30am.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq0U9jteYPw

We ordered room service for breakfast. We had a great view from our verandah.

We left the ship and headed to the boat beach.

We had a 10:30 Eco Tour on jet skis.

This was my first time on one and the water was rough today. Quite a few of the other excursions had been cancelled. Well, Jim was right behind the guide and I was right behind him and Tyler behind me. They told us to stay about 50 feet from the person in front of us. So I had heard you don’t get too wet on this. WRONG! Jim took off and the stream of water from his jet ski hit me square on the forehead! I didn’t have to worry about the 50ft rule because he was probably ½ mile ahead of me. I could barely see him in the distance. Tyler was ¼ mile behind me and the others (about 10 of us total) were way back there! The water was so rough the Jet Ski was going way up in the air and then slams down and the waves would come crashing over me. I was soaked! At first I didn’t think I was going to make it the 1-1/2 mile out there to the sand bar,

but I did and it was really fun!

I would do it again, but wear water shorts and goggles next time. (I had huge sunglasses on, but they did not keep the water out of my contacts!) The tour lasted about an hour. This was another highlight of our cruise.
We headed to Serenity Beach (with a quick stop at the bathroom and shower to rinse myself off). Next time we’ll take the tram.

It was a long hot walk.

Stopped and ate lunch first at the adult BBQ. It was very good. Of course by this time the beach was pretty full and we had to walk all the way down to the end to get a place to sit

and our dreams of drinking pina coladas on the beach were gone! Who wanted to walk all that way back just to get a drink! So we swam a bit,

Tyler found a starfish,

and then hit the bar on the way back to the ship to try that Konk Kooler I’ve heard so much about on the DIS!

It was delicious! Got on the tram and stopped by the shops

before heading back to the ship. We got cleaned up and headed to dinner.
Dinner was at Lumiere’s tonight and our servers were so slow. They did not work well together. I had the seafood fettuccine, lobster bisque, and celebration cake. (Oh and of course the baked Alaska). After dinner we headed to Shutters to pick up our pictures and then we went back to the room to pack. We could feel the ship a little tonight. The rest of the cruise we never felt it moving. There was lightening in the distance we watched from the verandah. We had workers in our room off and on all week doing maintenance on the verandah and also our curtains would disappear and mysteriously reappear after being cleaned. Not really annoying, but weird.
We headed back downstairs and checked email, then to Diversions for Pub night. I had heard about this on the DIS. It was hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFs4UQ3YxlU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXzgPaQ4cxs

Off to our 11pm snacks after that and pizza! Walked a few laps on deck 4. It was creepy tonight because of the storm I guess there were birds that kept flying onto the deck and they’d hit the ship and we saw dead birds all over (or ones that couldn’t fly anymore and were just sitting on the deck). We didn’t see the rain, but I guess it rained quite a bit tonight while we were in the show. Luggage out in the hall by 11pm. Bedtime 12:15am.

Day Nine – Port Canaveral
We’re back! Had a wake up call for 6am. We were already in port. We packed up and went to Topsiders for breakfast, then right off the ship. Got a porter to help us (tip from the DIS) and he got us out of there real quick. Roger from Sunray Transportation was waiting to take us on to the next part of our trip….our first time to Walt Disney World!

 

[pppiglet]

Thanks for travelling along with me!

 

[granmaz]

Thank you so much for your great reports and wonderful pictures. Loved it!

 

[lunsusie]

Great pictures and narrative! Thanks for sharing!

 

[PizzieDuster]

What a great trip report. I loved the pictures, expecially the ones with the food. I showed my DH last night because his only complaint about cruising on DCL is the food. It looks much better! We have cruised since the drydock where they added Goofy's Gallery (with the sandwiches, etc.) and the jumbrotron. We can't wait.

I also never realized the snacks on Deck 3 at 11pm. Watching the pub act brought back so many memories.

 

[laura_hattaway]

Thanks for sharing! My heart is beating a little faster now... I REALLY love getting a foretaste of things to come. Awesome pictures. Awesome that you took the time to post everything here.