NYC-Bahamas 6/22/12: True Tales from under the Verrazano update 7/20

[Mom2PrincessesLinSy]

Hi El!! I honestly considered taking bathroom pictures just for you this trip, but the girls kept me too busy running around this trip! LOL Didn't take too much "food porn" either this time...we re-booked on this trip, but set up a dummy date to hold the vacation for us. We want to go on the Fantasy in 2014, and are anxiously awaiting the dates!! *sigh* the Election Day Castaways seems so long ago!!

Michele, if you are OK with it, I will add in the pics of your girls too. They are in so many, it would be hard otherwise!!

We just finished watching a TV special on the NCL Epic cruise ship. That thing is freakin' huge! I don't know if I can wrap my brain around a big ship! Guess the Fantasy will be a good test!

Well, continuing onto the report!!

 

[Mom2PrincessesLinSy]

We headed up to Deck 9 for the sail away party, which, I have to admit, looked a lot less crowded than usual. Considering how full the pools were all week, I know that the ship was packed, so maybe people were busy unpacking, or exploring? The girls were anxious to get up to the party and hopefully look for their new internet friends, who they had been "talking" with for the last few weeks. It really made the trip that much more exciting for them, and they said the best part of the trip was having found friends their age to experience the cruise with...

Pics of the crowds, as seen from the Pizza Joint:

Deck 10 Port Side:

Deck 10 Starboard Side:

Dancing around, grooving and bopping to the music (and thoroughly enjoying embarrassing my children) and here comes the girls friends, who found us probably because of our shirts (and the fact I texted the kids pictures to their Mom Michele, on our way...)

Finally getting the kids to get over their shyness, and finally dance, and the cameras picked up the girls all dancing. I was lucky enough to get pictures of the pictures of them all on the Jumbo (Dumbo?) tron...

Finally, the countdown...5..4..3..2..1...da..da..da..da..da..da..dahhhhh. Streamers fly and the ship is off ready to finally sail past the Liberty and under the Verrazano!! Thankfully, that torrential thunderstorm earlier was gone, and we appeared to be getting out of town just in front of the next storm!!

Sailing by all the buildings of NYC...such a cool, different view for us, or at least for me. Seeing NYC from land on trips back and forth between Long Island and New Jersey to visit relatives is so different!

Empire State Building!

On the Jersey Side, the girls were excited to see this building, familiar to those who watch Cake Boss

Progress on the Freedom Tower:

Lady liberty approaches

and passes...

possibly a Christmas card picture??

Fun other things we saw alongside the ship (starboard)

Up next? Views from UNDER the Verrazano Bridge!!!!

 

[Kristina - Mom]

Love all the pics....we go in a little over a month....can hardly stand it.....

kristina

 

[Mom2PrincessesLinSy]

Well, the moment I have been waiting for...

Here it is!! The progression of the ship under/through/past the Verrazano Bridge. We just about got to the bridge around 5:45pm, so we ended up to dinner at 6pm that night. But it was all worth it!

And there she goes!

Love this picture!

A hot and hazy Coney Island

So there you go. Under the bridge, past Sandy Hook and we are heading out into the Atlantic...8 glorious days...4 of those at sea. Bring on some magic

 

[Dislaney4n6]

Any issues getting to dinner at 6pm the first night?
I know going under the VNB is a must do for my family and from previous cruises this seems to happen anywhere from 530-6pm, depending on how many ships are leaving port at the same time.

 

[Mom2PrincessesLinSy]

Up above I listed the timeline. Got to the VNB about 5:45, so we got to dinner around 6. Part of that was my husband's insistance on going back to the cabin and changing for dinner. The girls and I were already in acceptable dinner attire, and didn't need to change

 

[disney debi]

Enjoying your trip report. Super excited to hear about this cruise as we will be on the 8/17 sailing. Our first disney cruise!

 

[mtquinn]

Yay!!! I love seeing those girls together. I just noticed that the girls are kind of dressed the same as well. White top and pink shorts. Ha! Please keep the recap, and pics, a-comin'!

 

[mtquinn]

It was Edie who saw you guys, btw. I was so wrapped up in the sail away festivities that I didn't notice you guys all standing RIGHT NEXT TO US. Any closer and we would have been on top of you all.

 

[Mom2PrincessesLinSy]

Once we ran to the Dining Room (we started in Animator's for this sailing). I felt bad we were late (we got in the Dining Room at 6:05) but there were so many people who came after us, it didn't appear to be an issue.

Our servers for this trip were Andrae (who is from Maryland, but his tag says Jamaica) and also Gede. They were great with the kids. Great sense of humor, very knowledgable.

Dinner was great, although I couldn't even begin to tell you what we ate. Doesn't matter, I didn't have to cook it, I didn't have to clean it up, and it was heavenly.

My daughter stole my Potato Soup!!

Every cruise, my daughter orders a Sprite with LOTS of cherries. This is what they end up bringing this out to her:

It was show night at Animators:

I have to say it was VERY dim in there that night, and really hard to get pictures without the flash (which I had turned off).

From there, we went to the Theater, to see the Welcome Aboard Show. We have seen it numerous times, but it is always still a good show. The comedian (John Charles ) was pretty entertaining as well.

 

[mtquinn]

More more!

I look forward to your 9/12 report as well )

 

[disney debi]

Can't wait to hear more. Sounds like a great start!

 

[Mom2PrincessesLinSy]

Back in the Room...

Well, just before we got to the room, we happened upon Uncle Sam Mickey, and the kids were able to catch the line and pose with the beloved critter

He really liked the shirts my cousin had made, with a large Steamboat willie proudly displayed on the front...

After our picture, Mickey guided us back up to our room...

Where we found this little charmer guarding our bed and goodies:

On the left, the box with the DVC lanyards, invite to tomorrow's DVC Member party and the card to redeem our "Free DVC Cruise Pin"

On the right, our Gold Castaway gifts, including luggage strap, note cards and a small pleather "portfolio" with a small tree in the shape of a pad inside, sealed with a pen...

And so it was off to sleep, gently rocking to the motion of the waves, sailing our way to Castaway Cay...

 

[disney debi]

Love the shirts!

 

[jedijill]

Those shirts are fantastic! Can't wait to hear more....I love the Magic and I love sea days!

Jill in CO