Oct 06 double dip

[bigben]

This is our 3rd cruise, but our firt double dip. We're from Ill just outside of chicago in a small town called elwood so we drove 18hrs, 3.5 tanks of gas, 5 states, 2 extra pitstops, & $3.00 in tolls and you have quick little trip.

The joy is on my son's face(Cameron age 6)

This is Heidi and thats pretty much what she did for the trip

Before we got to DCL we did as much as we could online. Our paper work, singing the kids up for thier clubs( I'll get into the clubs later), and anything else that we could do before we got there.

When we got there around 10:30am we dropped off our bags and parked the van. It took about 20 mins to get the kids registered and checked in. We boarded about 12:30ish ate lunch did the lifevest drill and then hit topside for the sailaway party where we had a blast.The dj was playing some cool songs we were all dancing when one of the entertainment staff( Michael I found out later) grabbed my arm and pulled me to the front. Up if the front there were 3 other people.

Thats me the one in the orange shirt

Michael then went on to explain that this was going to be a booty shaking contest
OMG Help me and I've havn't even finished my first beer. The music starts and they start at the other end. Conestents 1 2 3 all go and then it was my turn. The music starts and I start to shake what the good lord gave me.

When it was all said and done and the shaking stopped.
I was victorious and won a spa treatment for my wife Heather.

Dinner on the night one was Animators Palette and we got a visit form MM

The kids wanted to go into thier clubs, so they went to thier clubs and we went to our club then it was off to bed for we were arriving at Castaway Cay
That was day one the rest will come.

 

[tjeagle]

Looking forward to the rest of your report! Love the pictures!

 

[bigben]

DAY 2 Castaway Cay
We got up early to have breakfast topside and this is the view that greeted us.

Just incredible huh, We love CC. You kick back and relax. When you get off the ship you can either walk to the beach ( 5 mins) or wait for the tran to take you there. As you walk you can stop and get a good look at the Flying Dutchman.

Very cool looking the detail of the ship was really amazing. We always get off the ship early so we get our spot by he first life guard stand.You can rent snorkel equipment but we have our own. In we went to do some snorkeling before everyone else got in so all the fish were there. I've got to get an enclosure for my camera. Some of the fish were so cool. They've( being the people that run the island) built some more reefs for more fish. All the way at the back there is a reef that has thousands of fish,and was beautiful. I started to get tired and found a place for me to stand and catch my breath. i took my mask off and cleaned it, waited for a little bit then put it back on put my face into the water and about 5 feet from was a HUGE grouper that scaried the living bejesus out of me. He was about 3' and 60 - 80 lbs. with big teeth. Just floating there watching me. Thats one reason to get an enclosure for my camera. After that came in and played in the shallow water with the kids.

This my brother and sister-in-law Chad and Carrieanne, they made the trip with us its thier 2nd cruise.

On CC they make you lunch which is good and the the kids also have thiers clubs on the island and they have a blast there too. We got back onboard about 4:00(to short need more time) ate dinner at Parrots cove also good.Once again kids to thier clubs an adults to thier clubs.

Day #3 at Sea

This day was nice and relaxing alot of pool time

When the kids went to the club we got to enjoy "quiet cove" which is the adult only pool which is nice.

Dinner was formal night

which I had to go to but it was Monday night and the Bears were on ESPN. Heather made me a deal that i go and eat i could leave early, so I told the sever Louis "I have one request and that is to be quick tonight" he said "No problem". Well he placced our appitizers down and turned around and placed my and only my dinners down and asked "Was that quick enough?" Made it by halftime. After the met the others at "Rock'n Bar D" for some cocktails. Then off to bed, tomorrow Costa Maya.

 

[flymv]

We're on 11/11 DD, looking foward to your report on Costa Maya, keep it coming.

 

[nani]

We are so glad to hear from you October double dippers. We are so glad you had fun and can't wait to hear more. Thanks for the pictures!!!

 

[eus]

What's a double dip???

 

[Spotdude]

2 stops at casta way cay

 

[Spotdude]

18 hours and $3.00 we are Driving in two weeks and it is doing to be spending about $25.00 down and $30.00 on the way back.
Great report.

 

[flafan]

Hi

Loving your report. Pitcures are great Can't wait to hear more

 

[txaggie94gigem]

the pics are great!!! it is making me more excited to go in less than 2 weeks...


DOUBLE DIPPERS UNITE!!!

 

[bigben]

Day #3 Costa Maya

We ate early and got off the ship to do some shopping. There isn't alot in Costa maya, but we had fun in the shopping area. Around the outside of the shopping area is the typical shops Diamonds international, sliver shops, leather goods, and tequilia shops( check the prices around here I forgot to so i don't know how much you would save). In the middle was a swim up bar and saltwater pool which looked pretty cool. Then they have the shops in the middle that you can barder with the locals. That was a lot of fun, so if you see something you want think of a price and then go lower than that. if they say no walk away they will come after you and your money, so don't cave in to them stick to your price. Here are a few picks from Costa Maya.

This is DW Heather and myself when we first got off the ship.

A light house as you walk towards CM look to your left( for those you who are going on the DD)

This is taken from the area by the volleyball pool.

Back on the ship and everyone else was just getting off, so we had the adult pool to ourselves which was nice. Dinner was back at AP then the kids in thier club and the adults to ours Do you see a pattern here? Next was Cozumel.
I'm going to include day #4 in Cozumel in this post.

I've got 1 word for you in Cozumel... EXCURSION!!!!!!!!!


What a pit of a place,but I heard nothing but good things about everyone's excursions, but the shopping was like taking your own life in you hands. From the time you get off the dock you are constantly being bomb-barded by "need a jeep or a scooter""Hey pretty lady""Big boy I got something for you" and my personal favorite" Want to touch my lizzard". No, I'm not kidding there was a man with a 4' iguana(sp?). The city was dirty and just not nice so after 45 mins of this back to the pool and a drink called the "Yellow Bird". Then dinner back at PC. Kids-clubs, adult-clubs , so that was Weds.

 

[bigben]

I almost forgot when we were leaving Cozumel(yeah!) they had a pirate party.

It was alot of fun

Captain Jack was there, Savey?

and the charters were dressed as pirates too.

They showed potc-bp on the big screen at the goofy pool and potc-dmc in the movie theatre.
Just a quick one before i forget about it.

 

[interested]

And ofcourse rooted BigBen on. Not only am I from Chicago originally, so there is an unwritten rule that you pull for any one from that area, BUT He absolutely earned the winner's title!
I know at some point my husband and I talked to you, but I cannot place when or where......hmmmm.....

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This is where we went in Cozumel.

 

[interested]

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[interested]

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[bigben]

Here is Thursday and Friday
Thursday was at sea, so it was an easy laid back day. Lots of the pool and the kids in thier clubs.

It was by far our most relaxed day. Cocktails, bingo, pirate trivia(which I won), and dinner back at lumiarie's for lobster(yum!). Then the night happens with kids, clubs, & cocktails.

Friday the last full on the ship (boohoo)
Castaway Cay - My DW & DS-in-L took the kids to the breakfast with Mickey while Chad and myself went to the beach and got our spot. While we had the time Chad and I went snorkeling so when we hit the water the first thing I saw was a stingray about 6' away from me it was cool. Then we made our way out to find the grouper and we did. The fish followed us for a little while, and by the time we got back everyone was there.

played with the kids and had lunch.

This is the some of the band that was onboard NTWINE they were pretty good.
Now Cameron, Chad, and myself had a fishing excursion to go on at 1:00. We head over to Marge's Barges and get on the boat and head out. I don't know about anyone else but I have never seen water as beautiful as the water in the Bahamamas. I couldn't get over how clear the water was, we were in 50' of water fishing with a piece if bait the size of a half dollar and you could see it on the bottom, amazing! Well anyway, we were out there for about an hour and we had caught a few fish (strawberry grouper, trigger, and macrille(sp?)) which was cool, but then we moved to another spot and then something happened. The guide wanted to catch some bait. he had a grouper on and the BANG! a barracuda cut this fish in half! it looked liked someone hit it with a meat cleaver the cut was that clean. Thats when he decided to catch the 'cuda' and brought out a pole with heavier tackle and put the fish head on as bait and threw it out there. He had a strike and it was the 'cuda' and he asked who wanted to fight this fish.
"I got it" I chimed in and then took the pole. I started to reel it in and then...

The line stopped coming in and then started to go out in a hurry. I was like what the hell do I have here? It took me about 10 mins to get the fish about 30 feet from the boat and then I hear the guide. "ah crap." he says and at this point I still don't know till I get him 20' from me and then I can see him...

Thats when I turned into a little kid in a candy store. I started laughing and smiling from ear to ear. The guides were laughing at me. My BinL was laughing the other guy fishing was laughing. I battled him for 20 mins with 2 huge runs in him and I was dead I handed the rod off to the other guy for 5 mins and 1 run and then he stopped laughing and handed the rod to Chad. he fought it for 15 mins and 1 big run. I took the rod one last time and about 10 mins later I had hime to the boat.

how cool is that? I had to touch him. I don't know who was more tired the shark or myself. Well we fished for an hour more and as Chad reeled in a fish another shark took the fish he had on his line, very funny. All pumped up and had to board the ship. I went to bingo and then the kids had thier graduation from the club.

It was very cute.

Dinner was at AP for the third time, no kids they wanted to stay in the club this time so we let them. After dinner they were having "Pub Night" for adults in Deversions which was very funny. The entertainment staff had all kinds of costumes on. They had on rain coats, tutus, and other things. When it was over everyone went to "Rock'n bar D" where Ntwine was playing. One of the young lady singers pulled Heather and myself to the dance floor. The costumes were all over the place. I look over and one of the staff was straighting out one of them. Just before he was done I knew where he was going to go with it. Yes, you guessed right, he headed straight for me. After he got me dressed the band pulled me on stage and this is the end result...

Cute huh?
Well I stayed up there for a whole song because I knew it and could sing it.

Lets just say I had a blast. I couldn't have ended the cruise with any better of a day and night. Just as we getting ready for bed something get put under the door. The paper was an award for the "Best dancer at Rockn' bar D" and it was signed by the staff and at the bottom one of the staff wrote "You rocked tonight". All in all it was fantastic and we are going back next year.
Well Saturday came and we ate breakfast and 18.5 hrs, 3.5 tanks of gas, and a stop at McD's and Sonic and we were home.
I know this was long winded but I just could stop.

 

[bigben]

Interested - 14 cruises? WOW thats too cool!

 

[bigben]

Interested - Cool pix, the one of the back of the Dutchman was realy cool.

 

[luckyeddie777]

thanks for sharing. great pics!!
3 more days then off to sea I go! yeeehaa

 

[bigben]

Lucky777 - Have fun are you going on the magic or the wonder?