My Disney Magic May 30th Northern Europe Cruise Trip Report

[WvT3rd]

Hi there! I've decided to get a jump on this trip report this time. I've reported on my TransAtlantic experience before and made reference to the Panama Canal Trip (the very first one, with the infamous pin nightmare). I've decided that for this I'll give you some thoughts on planning and packing as well as the actual trip. If you've read any of my previous reports, you know they can be long. So get yourself a drink, settle down, and we can get started.

 

[WvT3rd]

So, about me. I'm a 58 year old DM. Divorced for two years now, so this is the first Disney Cruise with my DGF. While she has cruised before, she's never done a Disney Cruise. And I'm a gold Castaway member now.

I'm also a DVC member, and one thing in the divorce that we both agreed on was that we would split the DVC points. And we had 600 points to split. So thanks to some saving of points on my part, I'm able to pay for the cruise for both of us entirely in points!

Decided on this cruise because of the location. I had never been to any of the ports of call. And I've traveled throughout Europe over the years. So I'm really excited to see new places. We get a taste of the Frozen locations without being inundated with it.

Speaking of which...if you notice my banner at the bottom, it says to Hell and Back, and then Home. Allow me to explain.
Years ago I was at the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum in San Francisco (at Fishermans' Wharf). On Display was a Ticket to Hell.
From Trondheim, Norway, to Hell, Norway. On seeing it, something inside me said "I've got to go there".
So post cruise we are flying from Copenhagen to Trondheim, and then taking a train to hell. Just so I can boast I've been to Hell and back....

I've made reference to my earlier trip report. It can be found at:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/my-rather-long-westbound-transatlantic-trip-report.1570568/

All for now....

 

[Flossbolna]

I am looking forward to your trip report! Treat the Magic nicely, we are getting on when you leave her!!

 

[Dopey416]

Will you be writing while on board? We're on the one after you as well, June 6th to the Norwegian Fjords. We're also gold so can't wait to find out what the Castaway Club gift is. Have a great trip!!!!

 

[Zarina]

Fun, looks like there will finally be some Northern Europe trip reports! I am on the June 13 Baltic cruise and absolutely excited! Looks like you are almost down to the single digit countdown..

 

[linetbo]

Cant wait to see your report, we are going next year.

 

[disneylove619]

We are sailing in July and can't wait to see your reports.

 

[Annabell]

Looking forward to read your report !

 

[WvT3rd]

Okay! Just one more day until we fly to Denmark! So much to do!

Having made the reservation, we then had to wait until we could book our excursions. Do I take the ballet masterclass in St. Petersberg? I've read the evening at the ballet is already gone....choices, choices.]

I really want to thank DCL for the improvements they have made through the years in terms of the online check-in now availabe. This turned out to be really easy. Print out two documents - including the recent ebola questionarie they sent via e-mail - and we're good to go.

So, what did I pick? Well,I didn't sign up for anything at the spa, and Palo's is a lost cause with my limited pallette.

So, old town trip in Estonia, the very long day tour in Russia ththe Best of at includes the Hermitage Musuem, Helsinki & Old town Porvoo (which i can just imagine W.C. Fields announce) , the best of Drottingham in Stockholm - which leaves no time for touring the ABBA Musuem (darn!), but we're in Denmark for a couple of days first off.

btw. I did a blogon what I'm packing tech wise. you can read it at waltspopcornbytes.com!

 

[ShellB8585]

Looking forward to reading this! have a great trip!!

 

[Tracerr00]

I’ll be doing this same itinerary on June 13th so I can’t wait to follow along!

 

[Pawleys4]

We too are going on the Magic the week after you, Norwegian fjords cruise. We are looking forward to reading your trip report! Would you please let us know what movies are showing onboard? And tell us about the weather in Copenhagen? Bon voyage!

 

[WvT3rd]

Wonderful Copenhagen!

It's sailing day! 30 May 2015. We arrived 2 days ago, Thursday afternoon, after flying non stop from San Franciso sitting on a thinly padded seat. Thank you SAS. Once past passport control and into baggage claim the first thing we spot is Sarah holding the Disney Cruise line clipboard. We check in, having bought transfers. I've hardly slept in the past 16 hours, but did grab a quick hour without two hours let before touch down. I believe transfers are the way to go. No worries, that' my mantra.

there were six of us arriving at this time for transers. We gathered our luggage and walked to the van. Nice large van that could sit six of us and all our luggage. Most were staying at the Tivoli Hotel, but the DGF and I were staying at the Radisson Blu Royal. Lovely hotel, right across from the Tivoli Gardens.
So exciting. Lovely room on the 11th floor. Overlooking the Gardens to the left. Went properly to sleep.
Woke up around seven p.m. local time. Still light out -- sun would not set for another couple hours. Walked around a couple of hours, grabbed a burger. Stayed up for a bit then went back to sleep. Exciting first day. zzzzzzzzz

Got up Friday morning at 4:30. breakfast at 6:30. Went out for a nice walk. There was a walking tour that I had read about that I knew started at 9

 

[WvT3rd]

Dress warmly for the cruise right now. We were lucky in Copenhagen that the brief showers were in the late afternoons while we were napping or at night. As I write this it's just around 12:22 on our first day at sea. I already feel tuckered out! Temps were in the low to mid sixties during our time in Copenhagen.

Yesterday was boarding, air "embarkation" day. I arose again quite early, 5 a.m., finished re packing for the cruise portion of the trip, and had the bags ready to be picked up at 9 am....
Breakfast at seven, back to the room. Nine a.m. arrives. No bag pickup. We go for a short walk and visit Hambleys toy store nearby. Disappointing after seeing the one in London. Go back to the hotel. Ten a.am. No pickup....mind you, we're set to depart at 11:30 so I was getting a wee bit anxious, as they say. At ten thirty I go down to the Disney hospitality desk in the lobby. 15 minutes later our bags are picked up. We gather our things and proceed to wait. A quick and painless check out at the front desk, I might add. Glad we chose this hotel.
11:30 arrives and we are ushered to the bus....this is it! About 20 minutes later and we arrive at the port terminal, with the Majestic Disney Magic berthed in front of us. What looks like a long line to have your passports checked and to go through security goes thankfully quick. We then proceed to the line to get the Key to the World Cards. Take our docs and passports again....slight hiccup. My reservation name doesn't 100 percent match with my passport name. For the reservation I left out that I'm the "III". The agent actually calls over a supervisor, who looks at it and gives the okay. Yay! Our photos are taken, I get a GOLD lanyard to signify I'm now a gold level Castaway club member, and we go to wait to be called to board....whoops. He didn't give us a time! We contact one of the many cast members helping out. She goes to help and brings us back a card...we can board immediately. : )
A pic with Minnie and a pic for embarkation, and we go aboard!
To be continued....

 

[WvT3rd]

All aboard....

Of course, being embarkation day, staterooms would not be ready for another hour or so. So I took the DGF on a short tour of the ship (no being announced : ( since we were entering on deck one) which of course ended at Cabanas for lunch. We signed up for a navigators veranda, but were put into the "we'll give you what you want or maybe something better" category.
Cabin 7120 is on the port side of the ship and classified as a navigators veranda. It is not. As you can see, it is a "partially obscured " veranda. Works for me.

Unpacked, lifeboat drill, spa tour - DGF signed us up for a couples spa treatment, deck party, "All Aboard" show at the Walt Disney Theatre, Dinner - we start and end in Animators, and then to bed. Sea day tomorrow. Should be quiet.....

 

[elena_n2o]

Thank you for sharing!! We're also doing our fjords cruise next week

So I took the DGF on a short tour of the ship (no being announced : ( since we were entering on deck one

Oh, they don't announce guests when they arrive?? I was so looking forward to that!!

 

[PMcFad]

Thanks for keeping us up to date! We are planning the same itinerary in 2016. Please collect and post the Personal Navigators for your cruise!

 

[WvT3rd]

I was told by someone the guest announcement, or non guest announcement was because you board on deck one. They greet, just didn't announce.

 

[gismo1554]

Last time I entered through deck 1 they whisked up to pool deck and announced up there but this was the elevators near the spa. If they were using the ones by Cabanas then not sure they could announce easily. Bit sad though

 

[WvT3rd]

Sea Day

Awoke early to the sound of the cabin expanding and contracting (it always reminds me of my tree house in the wind when I was younger) and the feel of the engines thrumming along. We're traveling about 20 knots per hour hour, a nice fast clip across the Baltic towards Estonia. It was a little off putting watching the map last night, for to leave Copenhagen it looked like we were going in the wrong direction then making a broad u-turn and getting back to the right direction!
Morning passed quickly, starting with the DVC get together and then the Captains reception for Gold and Platinum Castaway members. Early lunch, another DVC presentation...looks like the DGF is going to be signing up, did the talk on Disney Innoventions of Animation, the Art of the Theme show ship tour, went and saw Cinderella (2015) in the Buena Vista Theatre and then it was time for our couples Massage.

Now our couples massage happen to be at 6:00, which caused us to miss "Twice Charmed" (you're probably going 'ahhhh' right now, aren't you?).
I saw the Premiere of "Twice Charmed" way back when. I still feel today the way I felt about it then: can't stand it.
All I'm saying on the subject. Love the other shows, just not that one.
Dinner at Carioca's, a bit of a look at Keys, Clara Oman was playing. She's good.
Early to bed. Three days of countries ahead and a LOT of walking!
Two down, five to go...