~May 7, 2011~ 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Magic!

[Lexa]

The stuff they have on the ship is really good. You probably won't need yours.

Maybe I should give it a try.....thanks!

 

[bellanapoli]

Maybe I should give it a try.....thanks!

It's good. I still have some left over that I keep in my gym bag. I'm kind of bummed to be running out. Guess I'll have my chance to get more in a few months!


Does anyone know if the restaurant menus are similar to the Wonder? We did a 4-nighter fairly recently and I'm trying to figure out which night I want to book Palo. I don't mind missing an evening in the main dining room where I've already had that menu.

 

[MinnieMeg]

The menus are identical for all the rotational meals and Pirate night. We decided to try for Palo on Pirate night.

 

[rusafee1183]

Is this anyone's first cruise on the Magic... or ever? It's our 1st time cruising

It's kinda hard to get out of 'super crazy Disney planner' mode. I'm used to planning our WDW trips to the 'T', so this is a little out of the norm for me. I keep trying to 'plan' and get ready, but then I just kinda sit there and realize that there's not *too* much that I can do yet. It's driving me crazy!

Anyone who has sailed on the Magic before - are there any recommendations? I saw that there's a must do/see/eat thread around here and I just love to get people's opinions on what they enjoyed during their trip.


Here's what I have so far that I would like to do, but may cut because of money, time etc etc... It will be just me and my DH on this trip. We don't have kids yet

1. Brunch at Palo
2. Margarita tasting
3. Captain Nautica
4. Buy some Guavaberry liquor to bring home
5. Dress up for Pirate night (we'll see if we have the luggage space/desire to pack it)
6. Rent the big "Trike" at Castaway Cay
7. Relax, relax, relax and sip a cocktail by the pool with my Nook

Anybody else want to share their plans?

 

[bellanapoli]

Thanks MinnieMeg. That's what I was thinking. We'll probably see you there on pirate night.

Is this anyone's first cruise on the Magic... or ever? It's our 1st time cruising

It's kinda hard to get out of 'super crazy Disney planner' mode. I'm used to planning our WDW trips to the 'T', so this is a little out of the norm for me. I keep trying to 'plan' and get ready, but then I just kinda sit there and realize that there's not *too* much that I can do yet. It's driving me crazy!

Anyone who has sailed on the Magic before - are there any recommendations? I saw that there's a must do/see/eat thread around here and I just love to get people's opinions on what they enjoyed during their trip.

We've just done one prior cruise on the Wonder so I'm by no means an expert. But, I've found the planning to be much different. I get into crazy plan mode right around the time I have to book stuff (for me, just a few days which is why I've been trolling around here like a mad woman) and then about a month out when I have to go buy suncreen etc.

For me, it's just coming up with a list of stuff I want to do and then once I've finished, putting it down and leaving it alone. It's a much more relaxing vacation when compared to WDW so I don't want to over do it.

This time around I'm making sure we:
1) Give Palo dinner a try (we did brunch last time)
2) Get back to the rainforest room, a lot
3) Try the exotic rasul, that seems to get rave reviews
4) Try one of the tastings since I never got a chance to do that last time

I'm still on the fence whether I want to try to get tickets to tea with Alice.

I will say that I brought a photo mat last time and dropped it off at guest services for autographs and I'm really glad I did that. If you're considering it, I'd say go for it. It's a great souvenir. I also went out and purchased one of those over-the-door-shoe things that get recommended here as well. I didn't for the 4-night (it seemed a tad excessive to me at the time) but after constantly forgetting where I kept putting the sunscreen I realized why they're so popular.

I think your list looks good. You'll probably find you have more time to do things as you don't have a kid who constantly wants to be at the water slide!

 

[bibbidibobbidiboo07]

Just wondering, as I am now in planning mode, if anyone has any tips on crusing with a baby? DS will be 7 month when we cruise.

 

[Minniemiss]

Is this anyone's first cruise on the Magic... or ever? It's our 1st time cruising

It's kinda hard to get out of 'super crazy Disney planner' mode. I'm used to planning our WDW trips to the 'T', so this is a little out of the norm for me. I keep trying to 'plan' and get ready, but then I just kinda sit there and realize that there's not *too* much that I can do yet. It's driving me crazy!

Anyone who has sailed on the Magic before - are there any recommendations? I saw that there's a must do/see/eat thread around here and I just love to get people's opinions on what they enjoyed during their trip.


Here's what I have so far that I would like to do, but may cut because of money, time etc etc... It will be just me and my DH on this trip. We don't have kids yet

1. Brunch at Palo
2. Margarita tasting
3. Captain Nautica
4. Buy some Guavaberry liquor to bring home
5. Dress up for Pirate night (we'll see if we have the luggage space/desire to pack it)
6. Rent the big "Trike" at Castaway Cay
7. Relax, relax, relax and sip a cocktail by the pool with my Nook

Anybody else want to share their plans?

Are you flying home? Make sure you have packing supplies for your quavaberry in your checked luggage, if you are.

 

[Lexa]

I have a question about FE. How far in advance you start making/buying gifts? Do you buy some extra if someone else signs up later or what do you do if you are already done and then is more people in a game?

Maybe silly questions, but i'll do that for the first time

 

[rusafee1183]

Are you flying home? Make sure you have packing supplies for your quavaberry in your checked luggage, if you are.

I am flying home and was wondering how I should handle this... do you just buy the bubble wrap type bottle holders? I am totally open to suggestions here

 

[Lexa]

I am flying home and was wondering how I should handle this... do you just buy the bubble wrap type bottle holders? I am totally open to suggestions here

If i'll buy some then bubble wrap is what I'll probably use. But i'll not put it in checked luggage...in carry-on only. They are really hard with checked luggage. throwing and stuff....i don't think bottle would survive.

 

[bellanapoli]

If i'll buy some then bubble wrap is what I'll probably use. But i'll not put it in checked luggage...in carry-on only. They are really hard with checked luggage. throwing and stuff....i don't think bottle would survive.

I'd probably take a look at buying some of those liquid-tight bottle cover things they sell through wine stores or on amazon if you're going to put any alcohol in your luggage. I don't think you'll be able to get through TSA with a bottle in your carryon.

 

[rusafee1183]

I'd probably take a look at buying some of those liquid-tight bottle cover things they sell through wine stores or on amazon if you're going to put any alcohol in your luggage. I don't think you'll be able to get through TSA with a bottle in your carryon.

I looked on Amazon and they seemed pretty reasonably priced. 3 for around $12 and qualified for the free shipping

 

[MinnieMeg]

I have a question about FE. How far in advance you start making/buying gifts? Do you buy some extra if someone else signs up later or what do you do if you are already done and then is more people in a game?

Maybe silly questions, but i'll do that for the first time

Never silly questions.

We should decide how we want to do this. Do we want to close the sign up for FE on a certain date, or not?

Dianatlol - How much lead time do you need to ship your FE items to DCL?

 

[U.R._Courageous]

We are trying to plan some of the details of our upcoming cruise and were contemplating reserving two excursions on the same day in St. Maarten. We were looking at booking the Twelve Metre Regatta, which according to the Passporter, has a meet time of 8:15 am and is 3 hours long, which would bring us to approximately 11:15 am. We thought that we could possibly book the Golden Eagle Catamaran as well, which has a meeting time of 1pm, but we were wondering if anyone could tell us if they thought that we would have enough time to return to the boat to have lunch in between the two excursions. Please help ASAP, as we are trying to finalize our decision on the excursions fairly soon. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Lexa]

Never silly questions.

We should decide how we want to do this. Do we want to close the sign up for FE on a certain date, or not?

Dianatlol - How much lead time do you need to ship your FE items to DCL?

And...are we doing this once per cruise or some other way?

 

[Lexa]

Never silly questions.

We should decide how we want to do this. Do we want to close the sign up for FE on a certain date, or not?

Dianatlol - How much lead time do you need to ship your FE items to DCL?

How much in advance needs to be sent to the ship? I know I read that somewhere, even wrote address down, but now i can't find it....maybe I need a notebook, not just piece of paper

 

[Minniemiss]

How much in advance needs to be sent to the ship? I know I read that somewhere, even wrote address down, but now i can't find it....maybe I need a notebook, not just piece of paper

Send it out about a week in advance. The info is in the FAQ sticky on the main fourm.

Boxes Sent the Ship Ahead of Cruise - PLEASE follow these instructions carefully!!!!!! UPDATED AS OF 2/25/2009
• ONE box per stateroom, no exceptions.
• The package must have the guest full name, ship, sailing date, stateroom number or GTY if you have not been assigned a stateroom number.
• The package also must have a packing slip attached to the outside of the box that details the contents of the package. For prescriptions, a copy of the prescription is sufficient. Your list may or may not be read but it must have one. Write packing slip on the outside of the envelope.
• NO FOODS/DRINKS OF ANY KIND, LIQUOR OF ANY KIND, FIREARMS, ETC.. Items that cannot be shipped to the Disney Cruise Line Warehouse and delivered to the ship include: food products (any and all food products including baby food/formula), beverages (liquor, water, etc.), chemicals, and luggage. These items will not be accepted at the warehouse and will be returned. This may cause the dogs to hit on your box and that would be a bad thing.
• The required size of the cartons you are shipping down have to be about the size of a record storage box 12 inches on a side and should not weigh more than 20 lbs. (This has been asked personally by Dave Adams who is the owner)

Address your package(s) to:
Disney Cruise Line Warehouse
Guest Name / Stateroom # (GTY, if you don't know what it is when you send the package)
8633 Transport Drive
Orlando, FL 32832
Phone: 407-566-8196

In the bottom left corner of the top of the package put the following information: ATTN: HOUSEKEEPING
*Name
*Sail Date
*Ship
*Stateroom Number
*Packing slip that details contents of the package (for prescriptions, a copy of the prescription is sufficient)
• Packages must arrive by Friday by 3:00pm for the 7-Night Cruise on the Disney Magic (Saturday).
• Packages must arrive by Friday by 3:00pm for the 4-Night Cruise on the Disney Wonder (Sunday).
• Packages must arrive by Wednesday by 3:00pm for the 3-Night Cruise on the Disney Wonder (Thursday).

If your box is hit on by the screening dog or chosen for additional screening they will open the list and the box and look through it. They will close it back up and provided nothing bad is in it then it will be in your room as usual later after boarding. These boxes will be coming on the ship with the crew mail among other things so they may be in the staterooms later then they were before as they are low priority in the scheme of things for Disney.

 

[Lexa]

Thanks Minniemiss...you always find all the answers

 

[Minniemiss]

Just wondering, as I am now in planning mode, if anyone has any tips on crusing with a baby? DS will be 7 month when we cruise.

Sorry our kids are grown. Here is a trip report that might help.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2617020

 

[Minniemiss]

I have a question about FE. How far in advance you start making/buying gifts? Do you buy some extra if someone else signs up later or what do you do if you are already done and then is more people in a game?

Maybe silly questions, but i'll do that for the first time

I have never made a FE gift. I usually find something at Target or on line. Making or buying whatever you feel comfortable with, timeline wise, go for it. On some of our cruises people have them ready months in advance others are finishing up the day before they leave. What ever you are comfortable with works.

I usually pack a few extra, there are always the last minute folks, that join the FE group. You will also fine that people who have not joined the DU FE exchange will have FE's out as well. Some of them will put things in your FE.
Others are part of other board groups (I think) of just looking for some freebies (IMHO). If you want to add them to your delivery list, you can. It's up to you.

I deliver to the folks in our group. If I have any left over. I will add to the closest FE to my room that isn't on our list.