My rather long Westbound Transatlantic trip report

[WvT3rd]

Part 8
Who wants to be a Mouseketeer? I do!

First off, sorry it’s been so long since my last posting. I’ve been working on the over 1000 pictures I took, plus looking at the DW’s, in hopes of putting some up for your perusal. Stay tuned.!

Felt a lot better the morning of the 28th, good enough to actually get up and exercise. I was done with exercising and breakfast at Topsiders just in time to watch Goofy Fitness. And that was pretty much it for the morning. It was a kinda lounge around day. Had lunch, went to the DVC Member Mixer – interesting – and before you know it, it was time for today’s round of “Crusin’ for Trivia”. Kris and Magdalen joined us this time, and guess what – we aced it! 25 out of 25! The fact that they had done the same questions the day before had nothing to do with it : )…well, I did have to remember the correct answers to the three questions I had missed. Something the other team didn’t do, as they got the question wrong about the 1st U.S. National Park (Yellowstone, not Yosemite). Dinner (in Lumiere’s’) featured the “Small World” menu according to the Navigator – except on the menu it was “Around the World”.
I ordered a Quesadilla for starters. I like Quesadillas, coming from California, they way they are nice and big and cheesy. What I got was more like a raw nacho. I don’t want to say it was small, but…if you tried to write “Quesadilla” on top of it you would run out of room. The rest of the dinner, and mini parade was fine. Dessert was a surprise. The table next to us was about to leave when Hemant told them he had a surprise for them…a giant choclate chip cookie. By giant, think pizza size. They graciously shared it with our table. Chocolate Chip Cookie ala mode. Ahh, decadence.
Afterwords DW and I went to Studio Seas, just catching the first show of “Who wants to be a Mouseketeer?”. The DCL’s abbreviated version of “Who wants to be a Millionaire?” with only five questions and two lifelines. I wasn’t picked, but the questions by and large seemed very easy.
Here is my take on “When Mickey Dreams”.
So, when Mickey dreams he dreams of the Cirque de Soleil? Who’da thunk?
I thought you could have eliminated Mickey entirely (I know, sacrilege on a Disney vessel) and had a leaner, better show. To be honest, I’m not a fan of Cirque de Soleil shows – I’ve always avoided them until now, and I will probably be avoiding this one if I get the chance.
By this point the DW was tired and planning to go to bed. I was planning to see “Casino Royale” at 11:00 p.m., but had time to kill, so to speak.
So, I went to to the second showing of “Who wants to be a Millionaire?”.
I got there just as they were letting people inside. I received number 97 and found a place to sit down.
Our host Ray was introduced, he explained the rules of the game, and let the computer choose the first number.
Mine. Number 97.
I walked up, sat down, adjusted my own mic, and we began.
He asked me five questions. I gave five correct answers. As they say on the button “That was easy!”.
I won. I can proudly say that yes, “Today, I am a Mouseketeer!”
I only wish I could remember the questions.
Okay, I can remember four of them.
The first one had to do with Alice in Wonderland (a favorite book of mine, by the way). The question was to the effect “What was the White Rabbits problem?”. He was late, of course.
Another question was “Where at WDW is the Carousel of Progress located?”
Now, I’ve only been to the Magic Kingdom of WDW once. But even I remember that the Carousel of Progress is in Tomorrowland.
The next question I remember was basically “Who played John Patrick Mason in “The Rock”. As Nicolas Cage’s name wasn’t one of the choices, I knew it was the fellow who just celebrated his birthday two days before – Sean Connery.
The number five question is supposed to be the hardest, and although I kinda knew the answer, I used my two lifelines (50/50 and Audience Choice) to help answer the Final Question;
“In the original Mickey Mouse Club roll call, who was the last person to introduce themselves?”
If you answered Jimmy Dodd, you’d be right. .I did, and I was.
Roy Williams– the Big Mooseketeer, and Jimmy always introduced themselves after the kids.

My crystal plaque is sitting nicely next to the one we got on the Panama Canal Cruise.
If anyone was there and maybe took a Photo, or knows what the missing question was, please let me know.

After that, I took my winnings back to the stateroom, and then wandered a bit before going to the movie theatre and meeting the DSS. We sat down and enjoyed “Casino Royale” together. Bonding, you might say, in the process.

August 29th and 30th.
Only a few more nights left! Tuesday and Wednesday seemed to go by so quickly, I remember little of the day to day. Remembrances over these last two days include passing through the Sargasso Sea, and my last massage of the trip.
Tuesday had the usual gym and breakfast, strolling the deck, had another Pizza size cookie at Animators – our table ordered one this time to share with table 39 – the Comedy and Magic of Rich Purpura (I’d forgotten how funny he was) for both the family and adult show
(the adult was very shaggy doggish in stories and magic tricks). The show on Tuesday night show was the crew talent show. Very good, although I thought some of the singers were a bit long, and part of the talent show was “Dancing with the Crew”, where guests had been paired up for a quick dance routine, the highlight had to be Rachel dancing with Don “Ducky” Williams. Rachel is a former dancer, and has definitely kept up her practicing. They were great.
Tuesday night was also our final 25 hour day. As of Wednesday, we would be in the Eastern Time Zone.


Wednesday morning was gym, breakfast, and then more deck walking. The atmosphere was different, because tonight was Pirate night. Dinner in Parrot Cay would be the perfect venue, and tonight in the Walt Disney Theatre was Susan Egan, the original Belle from Broadway’s “Beauty and the Beast”.
We attended the Pirate Lecture from Kevin McCarthy at noontime, meeting up with Kris and Magdalen at the end of the lecture, and lunching together in Parrot Cay. We told Kris that we had a spare Pirate Shirt if he wanted to use it, it was a red striped number that we had gotten in case I wasn’t able to find the shirt that I wanted (needless to say, I found it). He took us up on the offer and we got it to him soon after. We all went to “Team Trivia”, which, while challenging, proved no match for our team. We all received the gold medal. DW and I had to go change for dinner while Kris and Magdalen got to go to the show.
Dinner was fun, looking how everyone dressed up and getting our photo’s taken.
We had remembered not only to bring Pirate style clothing, but also some Pirate Style Mickey Ears (although DSS wore our old Goofy Pirate Headscarf). DW and I had gone down to Disneyland in mid July, managing only having to wait a half hour to get on the Nemo ride, btw.
Then came the show by Susan Egan. She was great. Simply great. The anti Jim Brickman, although she didn’t play the piano. We saw clips from Beauty and from Hercules (she was the voice of Meg), and was treated to a song cut from the movie. I could have listened all night.
But no, we have to go to a Disney party. The Pirates in the Caribbean Party! Avast there, ye be seeking salty old pirates, eh? It be too late to alter course now…
Actually, it turns out the Captain was altering course, quite a lot, to keep us not only high and dry, but where the ship could also shoot off the fireworks that are the highlight of the Pirates Party. We could always see Clouds around us, but we were in the clear. The sight of Mickey swinging across the deck in the air was great. I can’t imagine doing something like that in a costume of that proportion.
We were able to maneuver ourselves to be in front of the crepe station right before the buffet opened. Yum.
It be with high spirts that we went to bed that evening, maties.

End of Part 8.

 

[WvT3rd]

Part 9
The Parting of the waves.

Believe it or not, we are at the last two days of our journey.
This morning found us still at sea, with one day left before we find ourselves back in familiar waters and docked at Castaway Cay. Disney Dreams is the big production tonight, and we’re both looking forward to it. We did the Stageworks behind the scenes tour in the morning. Fascinating to see what goes on during the show that you can’t see. I would have loved to see the Master Control room that controls what goes on Television on board, since that’s what I’m connected with on shore (I help operate a public access television station).
After that we wandered until lunch time, then afterwards I went to the Susan Egan Q&A, followed by the autograph session. They handled the autograph session really nicely. You got a number when you arrived, and then were called up in groups of ten, so no long lines, etc. I wondered if someone from Southwest got the idea from Disney…nah. I also wonder how long Susan was signing autographs – I was number 78 and I know I wasn’t at the halfway mark yet, and I had been waiting close to an hour before my group was called.
The DW has already started packing, btw. Can never start early enough, according to her.
We were just in time for “Family Team Trivia”. We won fair and square this time.
And then it’s time for dinner already….and that’s when disaster hits. The ship is out of lemons. On a formal night. The ship is out of lemons. I have to drink my ice tea with lemons. Good thing we have landfall tomorrow. I can scurvy speading through the ship otherwise (just forget the fact we have plenty of other fruits – we’re out of lemons).
After our lemonless dinner (and by the way, I couldn’t find anything on the dessert menu that really tickled my fancy, so I asked for a Mickey Bar – got the substitute. Not the same but hey, at this point I was glad they had ice cream.),
The DW and I went to the “Family Talent Show”. Some good, some really not so good. Stayed until it was time to go to Disney Dreams. I liked the improvements.
Still my favorite. Went for another round of “Who wants to be a Mouseketeer”, stopped in briefly at Rockin’ Bar D, and went to bed. Castaway Cay tomorrow!

There was also the debarkation talk today. It was played continuously on Channel 42 on the ships television. I missed it.




August 31st.
Castaway Cay.

Up bright and early – we were just docking and the sun was just coming up over the clouds. Breakfast at Topsiders – seems the only way we’re going to have Breakfast at Lumiere’s’ is on the last morning when Topsiders is closed.
The family is splitting up today, the DW and DSS are doing the nature walk/kayak tour, while I’m doing the personal ecotour on a Waverider. I get to beach first, as my tour doesn’t start until around 11:00 a.m. We plan to meet up for around lunch. The weather is nice. Hot, but not unbearably so. I hang around the beach, but I’m restless. I’ve never done a jetski type of craft before.
So, my tour starts near where the Black Pearl is docked. We learn the basics of how to start, stop, and signal for help. We need to board our Waveriders from the sea. Takes me two tries to clamber aboard, but at last I get seated and start the engine.
Now, I do not drive motorcycles, and in fact, have not been on one for over thirty years. So I take it easy. I do not race away, but I’m enjoying myself. The route we are following takes us past the Black Pearl, alongside the Magic (they are doing lifeboat checks while in port), and then out of the harbor and in the open sea. We drive a mile and a half off shore to a sand bar, where the guide asks everyone to reach down and grab a handful of sand. He then asks if anyone knows what this is – I do. “Fish poop” I say. I’m right. You should have seen the expression on this one woman’s face when she realizes what she is holding – she quickly lets it slide off her hand and then she bends downs and washes her hand in the sea – like that will help!
We are a mile and a half off of Castaway Cay, and in the distance – which is eight and a half miles away, lies the next island. The average depth of the sea between the two islands is only about 12 feet. Wonder if anyone has tried to walk/swim between the islands?
I get back and wait a bit before grabbing lunch. DW and DSS are nowhere in sight. I do meet up with Kris and Magdalen – they are going to be parasailing!
I find out when and say I’ll try and get a photo of them if possible.
DW and DSS finally show up. They had a slow tour. We go back to the ship to grab a few things, and I stay aboard to grab my camcorder. I get some footage of the ship, and then I see Kris on the boat going out for the parasailing.
Maybe I’ll try that one of these days….
Afternoon was spent at the family beach. We rented a couple of tubes. Usually I like to go snorkeling, but not this time. The beach was fine. I swam out to the lifeguard station away from the crowd. Just floating along…
Kris and Magdalen showed up – let them have the tubes. Then we all finally went back aboard. Nice day.
We went onto deck ten as we sailed away. Can’t believe the trip is over tomorrow.
Last dinner aboard the Magic. We are in Lumiere’s’. And in spite of us ordering a lot of desserts, Hemant also brings me a honest to goodness Mickey Bar.
Still no lemons, though.
Tonights’ show is remember the Magic. It’s a nice tie in to the first show.
Brings the cruise full circle, and all that. Skipped whatever was happening in Rockin’ Bar D, but met up with Kris and Magdalen one last time. We went to Diversions and talked for a long time. It was so good to see them again.
Went back to our cabin late, got ready, and then got rocked to sleep one more time.

August 31st
Now it’s time to say goodbye…

Got up early. Made sure we had everything. We have only our carry on items to worry about until we reach our final airport stop.
- I haven’t told you about this part. Last Sunday, we received a notice about a new service (at least to us). If you qualify (by flying on certain leaving your luggage outside the night before (by 8:00 p.m.), Your luggage will be processed and taken to the airport for you. Certain restrictions apply. –
Anyway, the nice thing is we qualified, and so when we disembark merely have to go through customs with our carry-ons and passports. How civilized.
We get to breakfast slightly early, joined by our tablemates, and say goodbye to the team of Hemant and Gigi Disembarking is simple and easy. No long lines, no long waits. We walk through customs and find the bus that will take us to the airport.
Arrive early at the airport, to the point that I wonder if I could have booked an earlier flight home.
Anyway, we make our flight, make our connection, and by eight p.m. Pacific time find ourselves back home.

And that’s my rather long trip report.

What I miss from the cruise

Breakfast at Topsiders.

The treadmills.

The rocking of the ship when I’m trying to get to sleep.

Looking down at the water, glowing in the light as it hits the ship.

Sunrise over (fill in the blank).

Now it’s time, to say goodbye….

........See ya real soon!