Mother/Daughter Cruise to Tortola, May 23rd, Lots of pics! COMPLETE 7/14

[Tink rules]

Ok everyone... take lots of notes and LOTS of pictures... All of us over on the 9/12 Tortola Cruise are DYING to hear all about the new itinerary and we're counting on you!!!

Have a GREAT cruise and for those who are first timers... MY mom and I (77 & 44) went on the 15 night Panama Canal Repo last year (this very week last year) and we had never cruised before and we didn't want to get off the ship!!!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Ok everyone... take lots of notes and LOTS of pictures... All of us over on the 9/12 Tortola Cruise are DYING to hear all about the new itinerary and we're counting on you!!!

Have a GREAT cruise and for those who are first timers... MY mom and I (77 & 44) went on the 15 night Panama Canal Repo last year (this very week last year) and we had never cruised before and we didn't want to get off the ship!!!

You can count on me for full details and tons and tons of pictures.

 

[Disney owl]

great start look forward to reading your report

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

great start look forward to reading your report

Thank you! I really hope that my report is helpful and informative for future cruisers.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Well I started the packing process today, good thing too as I noticed something on my formal night dress that needed a quick patching up. I of course being useless when it comes to anything domestic can not sew so I handed the dress off to my mom to fix.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Well we are leaving in just 12 hours! Got my bags all packed, door magnets printed out and completed our online check-in for the cruise.

 

[Tink rules]

SAFE TRIP!!!!!! Take lots of pictures and make sure you have a Mickey Bar when ever you want one!!! (even from room service!!!)

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

We are back! Arrived home around 6:30pm yesterday evening. We had a great cruise and can't wait to sail again with Disney in the future. Just uploading my pictures now but if anybody has any questions about Tortola/The Baths or St Thomas/Trunk Bay feel free to ask! I should get the proper report started sometime tomorrow.

 

[JOANNEL]

We are back! Arrived home around 6:30pm yesterday evening. We had a great cruise and can't wait to sail again with Disney in the future. Just uploading my pictures now but if anybody has any questions about Tortola/The Baths or St Thomas/Trunk Bay feel free to ask! I should get the proper report started sometime tomorrow.

How are you? After I saw this I realized who you were!!! it was nice meeting you and talking to you and your mom. I am going to try to post some pictures too this week end. Been too busy at work to even think about it.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

How are you? After I saw this I realized who you were!!! it was nice meeting you and talking to you and your mom. I am going to try to post some pictures too this week end. Been too busy at work to even think about it.

Hey! I'm great, just getting over the nasty cold I caught on vacation. I've passed it onto Mom though. I wish I was back on the ship though, can't wait to go on another cruise!

I've been a bit slow on this TR thanks to being sick and I was focusing on my main TR which is over on the WDW TR boards. Links in my sig for any who are interested, it will have both WDW and the cruise in it.

I'll get this sucker started tonight once I go into work! I'm mainly writing it separately from my main TR for all the June/July/August Tortola cruisers. So they can have some info on the excursions and ports before they go.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Saturday morning dawned as a beautiful sunny day in Orlando, of course it would be sunny the day we leave! (In case you didn't know Orlando pretty much had a huge rain cloud hanging over it the whole week leading up to the 23rd).

We had packed everything up the night before so that morning all we had to do was haul it all down to the car. Mom went down to the POP food court to pick up some Mickey waffles while I showered. After that we stopped to gas up the rental and we were off!

As we got closer and closer to the port the sky started getting darker and darker. Our rain curse continues! The rain was so bad at one point that we could barely see, the cars on the highway were traveling at a snails pace. We were very thankful when we got to the port and the rain seemed to slow down a bit. Budget was easy to locate and I went into the office to drop off the key while Mom stayed outside with the luggage. She did snap a picture of this sign which we found amusing.

Of course we know that there are alligators in Florida, we had just never seen signs before warning us about them.

The rental car drop off would have gone smoothly but there was a customer ahead of me at the counter who was arguing with the rental agent that she shouldn't have to put a credit card down as a deposit for her car as she wanted to pay cash. It didn't matter how many times the agent explained it she just kept arguing. I think it went on for at least 10-15 minutes. I spent the time waiting chatting with the people who were in line behind me. They had just gotten off the Magic and were telling me all about their cruise.

Finally the argument over I was able to go up to the counter and hand the key over. The shuttle to the terminal pulled up shortly after and Mom and I were the only passengers. The driver was nice and friendly and gave us all sorts of tips for the cruise.

When he dropped us off the terminal was not open yet as we had arrived fairly early so we just huddled under the shuttle drop off shelter with the other people who had arrived super early like us.

It was still pouring down rain and was blowing into the shelter so we all got completely soaked. It was not a pleasant wait. Thankfully after about 20 minutes they started letting people in and we were soon out of the rain. It didn't make much difference though as we were already pretty wet.

No line at the check-in counter so that went by pretty quickly. Look at what boarding group we were in!

They sent us over to get our security pictures taken which I hear is a new thing and then we settled down into our seats near the windows. We each took a turn going to the bathroom to clean-up, I also took the opportunity to take some pictures of the nearly empty terminal. It would not stay that way for long.

These are the ears you go through when your group is called to board the ship.

Mickey came out for pictures so of course I had to jump up and get in line, Mom stayed behind with our bags and to save our seats. A nice lady in line offered to take my picture for me, thanks!

Mom and I spent the rest of the time talking to the people seated around us. It was actually quite funny as these two families are the people we saw around the ship most frequently. (You know who you are ) In fact we had a running joke with the father of the one family as everywhere we went, there he was, we said we were stalking each other.

Soon boarding group number two was called and so we got up and attempted to board the ship. Of course we had to fight through the throng of people that were blocking the entrance. I really do not understand why people do that, it happens at airports too. You can not board until your boarding group is called so what is the point of crowding around the entrance and blocking the way of the people who's turn it is to board! Vent over.

We did get through the throng, had our cards scanned, picture taken and then we were welcomed aboard. Ahhhh, the moment I had been waiting two years for was finally here.

First order of business was to head over to Rockin Bar D to reserve a Palo brunch. We had to ask a CM the way of course since this was our first cruise and we did not yet know our way around the ship very well. There was not much of a line when we arrived and we were able to snag a brunch reservation for Thursday at 10:30, this would be in addition to the dinner we had already booked online for Friday night. Happy with our success we made our way to Parrot Cay for lunch passing the now very long Palo line that was stretching out of the club.

We were seated with a friendly family of three at a large table. A server stopped by to get our drink order and then we were off to the buffet!

My first plate

Strawberry soup, salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing and cheese

Mom's dessert plate

My dessert plate

Strawberry cheesecake, white chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce, a brownie, chocolate chip cookie and jello

It was all very delicious but I simply could not finish it all, I had a taste of each though. The white chocolate mousse was superb!

Once we were done lunch it was getting close to 1:30 so we decided to head on up to deck 6 and wait for our stateroom to become available.

The sketch hanging in the staircase on deck 6

Mom reading the navigator and checking everything out that was going on that day.

Deck 6 mid-ship elevator lobby

The pretty design on the elevator

You will soon learn that I take a LOT of pictures! The quality of them improves, I was still getting used to the lighting on the ship which was playing games with my camera.

Soon they opened up the corridors and we were allowed to make our way to our rooms!

Click here to continue

 

[jbm02]

Hi Leesa!!!
We're on the 8/15 Tortola so really appreciate your trip report!! Thanks so much for all the great pictures and description so far.
We're also at the POP (first time!) and then to a category 6 room (our first with a balcony!! ) Right now we plan to try the Baths DIY (read your suggestions on the other thread - thanks!) ...but am nervous too. We're also planning the Dubloon Snorkel in St Thomas - did anyone that you know try that??
I'll keep checking back to finish reading....

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Hi Leesa!!!
We're on the 8/15 Tortola so really appreciate your trip report!! Thanks so much for all the great pictures and description so far.
We're also at the POP (first time!) and then to a category 6 room (our first with a balcony!! ) Right now we plan to try the Baths DIY (read your suggestions on the other thread - thanks!) ...but am nervous too. We're also planning the Dubloon Snorkel in St Thomas - did anyone that you know try that??
I'll keep checking back to finish reading....

Hi! Thanks for reading and commenting.

Sorry no, I don't know anybody who did that excursion. Most of the people I chatted with did St Thomas on their own, booked a private sail or were on the Trunk Bay excursion with me. Sorry I couldn't help on that front!

I plan on getting this report done fairly quickly so check back often!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

l

 

[PoohJen]

Enjoying your report, Lessa! Loving the food pics!

Glad you reminded me about the hair dryer - gotta remember to pack my own.

We're leaving in 10 weeks for our Tortola romp. Very excited, but I think we'll be missing our "usual" verandah rooms - opted to save money this time around in a Cat 10, so I was looking at your verandah pics longingly...

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Enjoying your report, Lessa! Loving the food pics!

Glad you reminded me about the hair dryer - gotta remember to pack my own.

We're leaving in 10 weeks for our Tortola romp. Very excited, but I think we'll be missing our "usual" verandah rooms - opted to save money this time around in a Cat 10, so I was looking at your verandah pics longingly...

Thanks! I have lots more food porn coming. My tablemates were very accommodating. When they saw me taking pictures of my food they had me take pictures of their food too! Some nights they even reminded me to take pictures or I would have forgotten.

Yes, if a hair dryer is important make sure to pack your own that's for sure!

We did love our verandah. It was lovely to sit out there and relax away from the hustle and bustle of deck 9 and we had awesome views of the ports from it as well.

 

[lwilliam]

Loving your report AND your pictures - thanks for taking the time....
we leave for Tortola on July 18!
Lucy

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Loving your report AND your pictures - thanks for taking the time....
we leave for Tortola on July 18!
Lucy

Not a problem! I'm already writing a TR on the WDW boards for this two week trip but I'm not going to get to the cruise portion over there for quite a while. I figured I would go ahead and write it separately over here so as to help out future cruisers and I'll just copy it over to my WDW TR when I finish up with the WDW portion of the trip. This way it is already written and very few changes will need to be made.

 

[PizzieDuster]

I absolutely love your trip report. Has to be the best I've ever read. Because I like details and tons of pictures!!!!!!!



Your pictures bring back so many memories and details that it makes me feel like - oh yeah, I remember those elevator doors. Or, oh yeah, I remember that walk way with the windows and the curtains! Sometimes we forget the details that we love while being on board a cruise ship. Your stateroom pictures were awesome. I forget all the little labels all over the place, bathroom, verandah, stuff on the desk.

I loved your door. I actually like simplicity rather than OTT (over the top).

Can't wait to read more and see more pictures!!!!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I absolutely love your trip report. Has to be the best I've ever read. Because I like details and tons of pictures!!!!!!!

Well thanks! I love writing trip reports, it helps keep the trip alive, serves as a memento to look back on once the trip becomes fuzzy in my mind and I like sharing my pictures and info with people. I know that reading trip reports always helps me plan a trip.

Your pictures bring back so many memories and details that it makes me feel like - oh yeah, I remember those elevator doors. Or, oh yeah, I remember that walk way with the windows and the curtains! Sometimes we forget the details that we love while being on board a cruise ship. Your stateroom pictures were awesome. I forget all the little labels all over the place, bathroom, verandah, stuff on the desk.

That's why I love digital cameras, you can pretty much take as many pictures as you want, of anything and everything, no limits! Pictures are the best souvenir one can bring back from a vacation, in my opinion at least.

Can't wait to read more and see more pictures!!!!

Glad to have you reading along, don't be a stranger!