mexican cruise 7-20 ==== 7/27 remember the magic

[Torjohnson]

I was given a surprise riviera cruise for my birthday present...I knew we were going somewhere. I woke up to the bags packed,all donning green tags that said "the magic". Wow.....ok,can I say it again....Wow. DW and DS rock. This whole trip came from the fact that I almost exploded planning the WDW trip two years ago...and asked for a trip where I had to do no planning...I am going to give a trip report pretty soon. It was my first cruise ever,so if you have any question about the magic,or the riviera,,,,let me know.

I have to say that I am a quasi fan,not crazed,but a fan....and I live on the west coast....I think the disney cruise is probably one of disney's greatest accomplishments.....,not just the magic of technology,but the magic of people....From the moment you walk on the boat,you are treated special...Your family is announced,you are in a place that you will be greeted positively for 7 days....down the halls,in the stores,in the restaurants(my only less than positive experience),early,late...there is a sense of joy and respect. The staff represents 55 different countries,and are brimming with positivity.
Don't get me wrong,the disney magic is in the boat as well. I mean,you are having a dance party onboard, and the cruise director,Christiaan,who is incredible says :Here we go" and the boat takes off. Later on,the boat shoots fireworks on Mickey's command....
and N SYNC;s Joey Fatone was on the cruise...

more about the specifics later....

 

[DMMarla07860]

sounds awesome, can't wait to hear about it all. The day you got on the boat I got off it and I'm still sad

 

[Torjohnson]

THE FIRST DAY...

While dancing to "we're all in this together",and " Hey, Baby",accompanied by the outrageous dance energy of many of the cast members, I wander up to Cruise Director Christiaan...Julie McCoy's job with Kojaks head...and I tell him hi,and begin my story....I am so excited,I just got taken on this trip...I didn't know I was going...on and on. He looks to my family with insane wonder and reverance. We chat,and go on... The boat takes off,and here we are....moving along...
We spend some time getting our bearings...the ship is extraordinarily well marked. If you are going for the first time,don't panic. It will become clear. If all gets overwhelming,look for signs....and if all fails there,ask. We wandered,looking at shops,restaurants,etc...we look at the theatres,try to get my son a wrist band. After some technical snafus,etc,we got one. It did take four tries. My suggestion on this is that your kid,or you,won't die if you don't get this right away.
We wander into the promenade lounge,and I begin grooving to the lounge sounds of Midtown...Will on guitar, Sharon on vocals....Ok,these musical acts have to do all kinds of special stuff. Kids dance parties,Jimmy Buffett tributes. I was waiting for the tribute to William Hung,but no go. We meet Ken from Jersey and his son Matt. Ken tells us that we cannot miss the shows,the live performances....
JUMP CUT to the first show. I get called up onstage by juggler,acrobat Jeff Civillico,and he begins to attempt to get on a unicycle with the "assistance" of myself and Emmanuel,my new best friend from Mexico. After ten minutes of Jeff's rear end in my face, I exit the stage...it was very fun....This is when Cruise Director Christiaan jumps up onstage and says" That guy, David(me) didn't even know he was coming on this cruise". So for 1/2 the boat...those who saw the show...I become quasi famous. All week I hear " Great Show"...or "How's the Cruise?". I actually wait for Midtown to sing a tribute to me.

More Later.

 

[amanuensis]

We saw your ship take off on July 20 - we are on the 8/3 sailing and wanted to visit the port and scope it out. We were standing on the opposite side of the pier waving (but I think most of the cruisers were not looking our way of course). Saw the streamers, heard the horn, and the music and the announcements. Can't wait until it's our turn! It will be our first (and maybe only) Disney cruise.

 

[mouserus]

Great start can't wait to read more! Congrats on the surprise We were on the July 6th cruise and had the best time; my first cruise too.
Loved Jeff Civilico-he's a hoot!

 

[Dizney73]

Liking your story! Keep it goin'! We are on the August 10 sailing and as a first time DCL cruiser I need all the tips I can get!!

 

[Torjohnson]

Well, I can wander...so I may not do this day by day. Things become a blur and days melt into one another.
So far people have been excited from a first time approach,so I will give you a few mantras..."You are on the cruise to enjoy it" and "you can't do it all". I have some biases. I have heard people say their kids grow bored at the kids clubs. We actually limited it to three hours at any one time. I go on family vacatioons to spend time with my son and wife. So my son,who loves most things, got enough,not too much and we went on.
I would say if you are bored,walk around....talk to people,get the stories.Chat up the cast members,learn how to say hello in their native languages,ask about where they are from. 55 countries,there are bound to be stories.
Restaurants: I am no gourmet,but I have an experimental nature. Don't like jello or aspic,don't like lychees...and that recipe you have for lychee aspic...sorry. Otherwise I"ll go. You can order anything,and if it bites,eat the chicken. So I had seafood like ya wouldn't believe. My 10 year old,who wants to be a chef,tried rattatouille and baked alaska,all kinds of stuff...my wife,queen of the midwest,loved the beef in every way.
The formal nights are fun...nothing to stress about
Lunches and breakfasts are great,always a different variety of places to try...
they give you this thing at night called the navigator,which gives you the schedule for the day....One day there might be a deck lunch barbecue,another day you might just want to get a sandwich at goofy's galley(or six), a hot dog at Plutos,(or two and a bratwurst) a slice(or five) at pinocchio's, or all of the above.
here is a song my son and I wrote about the buffets...sung to the tune of I"ll make a man out of you from Mulan
LET'S GET DOWN TO BREAKFAST
AND WE'LL EAT THE BUNS
NOW THEY GIVE ME HONEY
WHEN I ASK FOR NONE
NOW THEY BRING THE BAKED GOODS
AND BEFORE THEY CRUISE IS THROUGH
MISTER,THEY'LL MAKE A PIG OUT OF YOU.

(eAT THE HAM) iN THE FORM OF SOME FRIED UP BACON
(EAT THE HAM) OR THE SHAPE OF SOME SAUSAGE TOO
(EAT THE HAM)mAYBE CHOPPED UP IN AN OMELETTE
THEY"LL MAKE A PIG..OUT OF YOU

more later

 

[Torjohnson]

bump

 

[andriade]

more....more......more.......

 

[frdeb1999]

Love your TR so far!

 

[Torjohnson]

SHORE EXCURSIONS: Let me interject that you are you,and you know what you like,but I am not so sure that I could just stay on the boat in a port city.People do,and it allows the quiet of the boat,no motors,no dance parties...but it isn't for me.
Since the trip was a surprise for me,my wife booked the trips. I am sometimes a worrier,and having it taken out of my hands was nice. For those of you who are new,let me say that Disney organization will not let you down....will not!!!!It is extraordinarily clear how to proceed on these trips. You meet by excursion name in different boat locations(and they are always bars and clubs early in the morning). They talk you through everything,and it is so well done.
CABO: My wife set up a family resort getaway. Get on a bus,go to a five star cabo resort,swim in pools and ocean,eat a mexican buffet and go back. Easy! Well, this is the one excursion that kinda broke down. Do understand that Disney does not run the tours,they subcontract them out. This was a popular idea,this family resort, and there were three buses.Two buses went to the right part of the resort,and one bus(our bus) went to a different part.Chalk it up to new guides and drivers.
So,our quiet,close to bilingual tour guide has us waiting.We are in the heat,watching people swim...Finally 3/4th of our bus storms into the resort pool,starts stripping off clothes,and swimming.
My family waits.....
finally a trolley comes to get us,and takes us to the other part of the resort....but not before we have to wait for our tour guide to hunt down all the people who couldn't just wait....
If this sounds disasterous,it wasn't. Once we got in the resort,and the pools,it was so lovely. The buffet was great.(Remember,no ice or fresh washed vegetables...we looked dumb drinking warm coke)
Mazatlan: A lot of people are scared of Mazatlan. It is a working port city,in an industrial part of town. Our tour was called City Highlights and folkloric show. We really liked it. We got on a bus with Armando,a happy,chatty guide, and saw the lighthouse,cliff divers,a beautiful church,and then took in this wonderful show of dance, and cultural ritual which entails five guys spinning on a platform high above your head. It was a relatively short tour...we were back on the boat by one,but it was wonderful. Armando was a Mazatlan native,so he would say things like "This Church was built in..." right next to "My Parents lived right there" and "Here is my old school". But we really loved Mazatlan because of Armando and his basic purpose....He wanted us to love Mazatlan.
Puerto Vallarta: I like tequila. My wife booked a small towns and tequila tour. THE BEST TOUR EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!But let me say before you start with the drunk comments that my ten year old son loved it,and my wife(not a tequila fan) loved it.Our tour guide,Santa, told us "This is not a tour about downtown Puerto Vallarta. It is a town about the small villages,where everyone knows each other...about the churches,and the tortilla makers,about the city halls and the cobblestones". And there we were...an amazing tour by an amazing woman. She showed us churches,coins,a small family owned distillery where the owner introduced his family,she bought us tortills,which we pulled fresh off the maker,she talked about her culture, and then we ate in a family owned restaurant.
and I bought the best tequila ever.
About shore excursions,they do rise and fall on the charisma of the guide....but
I would suggest a little ocean,a little culture....to at least get a taste of the place(like....a buffet....and if you don't know buffets,well,you will.)

I will write one more installment later.

 

[tortuga_jack]

Awesome surprise. I was surprised last year, but that was because I was going to start planning a DC and my wife told me that she had already done it. Wives who plan surprise vacations rock!!!

Anyway, thanks for your trip reports. Can you please comment on the weather for the days at sea. I've seen pictures of people in coats and blankets on the deck from the last few cruises. Just want to know what we should bring. We'll be sailing next Sunday, Aug. 3.

Thanks.

 

[Torjohnson]

we had beautiful weather....I would bring a long sleeve for the first couple of days. It is night time on a boat. The morning on day 2,day 6,and day 7 could be a little chilly too.
Mexico is hot.....hot...hot...(not that Buster Poindexter song) and you will not need that longsleeve,even on the ship.
Here is something...always plan for a little rain...Puerto has much rainfall,and the two weeks before us were rainy on those days. Be prepared mentally as well. Long ago we decided that weather was like that family member you don't always love,but make the most of on your family trips. We now call that stuff that falls from the sky Uncle Rain...and no way is Uncle Rain gonna screw up our vacation...
But,a pancho might be good,just in case....

so,prepare for a Aunt Chilly and Uncle Rain....
if they come to visit,you have them fed
if not...well,all the better

 

[Torjohnson]

we had beautiful weather....I would bring a long sleeve for the first couple of days. It is night time on a boat. The morning on day 2,day 6,and day 7 could be a little chilly too.
Mexico is hot.....hot...hot...(not that Buster Poindexter song) and you will not need that longsleeve,even on the ship.
Here is something...always plan for a little rain...Puerto has much rainfall,and the two weeks before us were rainy on those days. Be prepared mentally as well. Long ago we decided that weather was like that family member you don't always love,but make the most of on your family trips. We now call that stuff that falls from the sky Uncle Rain...and no way is Uncle Rain gonna screw up our vacation...
But,a pancho might be good,just in case....

so,prepare for a Aunt Chilly and Uncle Rain....
if they come to visit,you have them fed
if not...well,all the better

 

[Torjohnson]

we had beautiful weather....I would bring a long sleeve for the first couple of days. It is night time on a boat. The morning on day 2,day 6,and day 7 could be a little chilly too.
Mexico is hot.....hot...hot...(not that Buster Poindexter song) and you will not need that longsleeve,even on the ship.
Here is something...always plan for a little rain...Puerto has much rainfall,and the two weeks before us were rainy on those days. Be prepared mentally as well. Long ago we decided that weather was like that family member you don't always love,but make the most of on your family trips. We now call that stuff that falls from the sky Uncle Rain...and no way is Uncle Rain gonna screw up our vacation...
But,a pancho might be good,just in case....

so,prepare for a Aunt Chilly and Uncle Rain....
if they come to visit,you have them fed
if not...well,all the better

 

[tortuga_jack]

we had beautiful weather....I would bring a long sleeve for the first couple of days. It is night time on a boat. The morning on day 2,day 6,and day 7 could be a little chilly too.
Mexico is hot.....hot...hot...(not that Buster Poindexter song) and you will not need that longsleeve,even on the ship.
Here is something...always plan for a little rain...Puerto has much rainfall,and the two weeks before us were rainy on those days. Be prepared mentally as well. Long ago we decided that weather was like that family member you don't always love,but make the most of on your family trips. We now call that stuff that falls from the sky Uncle Rain...and no way is Uncle Rain gonna screw up our vacation...
But,a pancho might be good,just in case....

so,prepare for a Aunt Chilly and Uncle Rain....
if they come to visit,you have them fed
if not...well,all the better

Thanks a lot. That really helps.

 

[tortuga_jack]

Thanks a lot. That really helps.