October 11, 2014 7-Night Southern Caribbean Cruise on Disney Magic (San Juan)

[threewilmingtonwalls]

I've really gone to NOT do DCL excursions. We went on recommendations from our server, a gal I work with who was born in San Juan & lived there for 25+ years, & have recommendations for next time from a new friend at DCL in the ships.

We got off the ship after breakfast & went "left." Toured Old San Juan by foot (very hilly) & went into a few shops. Continued to one of the forts, El Morro. Amazing. Beautiful. Can't wait to go back.

Then, walked to Pier 2 & hopped the commuter ferry. For $1 pp round trip, it takes you across the water to another part of San Juan where we hopped a taxi for $3 pp and headed to the Bacardi distillery. Very fun!!!! The tour is free & you get 2 (small) free drinks. The tour is ~45 min long. Then, back on a taxi (7 min drive) to the commuter ferry and back to Pier 2.

San Juan is gorgeous. Lots of people are bilingual, which helped. I loved it. I will say, having iPhones was invaluable though.

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This is great! I would definitely love to do the Bacardi distillery tour. Thanks for the info!

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[threewilmingtonwalls]

My hubby wants to sleep on a bench and says he can eat once he boards the Magic and shower later. Ew. He's gross LOL

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Haha! Dizzi and I are too high maintenance for that. LOL!

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[threewilmingtonwalls]

what do u mean by a combat zone exactly.......

I'm very curious about this, as well. Are you referring to violence of some sort, or do you mean to say that there a military patrols in the streets or something like that? I've never heard anything like that, so my interest is piqued.

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[oybolshoi]

This is great info - thank you. We want to spend a few days in San Juan before the cruise and your day sounds pretty much like an ideal one for us. And the Bacardi tour was a given.

I've really gone to NOT do DCL excursions. We went on recommendations from our server, a gal I work with who was born in San Juan & lived there for 25+ years, & have recommendations for next time from a new friend at DCL in the ships.

We got off the ship after breakfast & went "left." Toured Old San Juan by foot (very hilly) & went into a few shops. Continued to one of the forts, El Morro. Amazing. Beautiful. Can't wait to go back.

Then, walked to Pier 2 & hopped the commuter ferry. For $1 pp round trip, it takes you across the water to another part of San Juan where we hopped a taxi for $3 pp and headed to the Bacardi distillery. Very fun!!!! The tour is free & you get 2 (small) free drinks. The tour is ~45 min long. Then, back on a taxi (7 min drive) to the commuter ferry and back to Pier 2.

San Juan is gorgeous. Lots of people are bilingual, which helped. I loved it. I will say, having iPhones was invaluable though.

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[dizzi]

I GOT MY BOOK!!!!

an embarrassment of mangoes.

the print is so small.....ugh

but will start reading tomorrow

 

[dizzi]

i dnt normally get mixed drinks, the first day i will get a drink of the day then use the cup to make my own mixed drinks in from the stash i bring with.

and in tying that i now wonder how will i get myalchhol for this cruise, wll we have t purchase in SJ. and if so weneed to hyping have sme one find where the best liquor store is .....

left hand typing sucks

 

[TifffanyD]

Ya I am gonna be scouting liquor stores when I go to San Juan in jan. it will be tough bcz we usually bring things that aren't always easy to find but we will make do

 

[Silverfox97]

What's your favorite Disney concoction available on a cruise?

I usually get the "Drink of the Day" - favorites are the Paradise, High Tide, Yellow Bird, Stinger & Sunken Treasure. I do not get it in the plastic souvenir glass because I'll never use it again.... This time, I got a champagne cocktail in Ooh La La that was just "ok" and over priced. DH & I talked to the bartender for an hour; it was just us in the bar from 8:30-9:30pm. Personally, I am not a fan of anything frozen either.

I brought some coconut rum and a bottle of prosecco on board last week, and although I did miss having wine, I didn't crack into my own liquor stash once. Being that this cruise is so port intensive, we are probably not going to bother trying to bring our own or trying to find a liquor store in San Juan. At most, we may buy a bottle of wine somewhere, but I doubt it.

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[Silverfox97]

I'm very curious about this, as well. Are you referring to violence of some sort, or do you mean to say that there a military patrols in the streets or something like that? I've never heard anything like that, so my interest is piqued.

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The day we were there, there was a protest going on at about Noon. It was something about the police & money. It was kind of annoying LOL.

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[threewilmingtonwalls]

What's your favorite Disney concoction available on a cruise?

Well, it's not a Disney concoction...but I only drink it when I am on a Disney cruise, so does that count? I like a Piña Colada, but not the heaviness or calories of a frozen drink, so I order vanilla vodka and soda with a splash of pineapple juice. Tastes just like a PC! I need to give this concoction a name...

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[threewilmingtonwalls]

Being that this cruise is so port intensive, we are probably not going to bother trying to bring our own or trying to find a liquor store in San Juan. At most, we may buy a bottle of wine somewhere, but I doubt it.

That's a really good point! We usually bring several bottles of wine, but I am thinking that we will be fine without it this time.

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[Silverfox97]

Well, it's not a Disney concoction...but I only drink it when I am on a Disney cruise, so does that count? I like a Piña Colada, but not the heaviness or calories of a frozen drink, so I order vanilla vodka and soda with a splash of pineapple juice. Tastes just like a PC! I need to give this concoction a name...

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Oooohhhhh that sound good!! I might sub in the amazing Rock Coconut rum I tried at Bacardi for the vodka tho! Had it with pineapple juice and it was heavenly!!! I never order anything with coconut milk in it either -- calories are a KILLER!!! I was sitting at Heads Up bar at Castaway Cay watching them make those calorie-laden Konk Koolers - they use SO MUCH Coco Lopez in them!!! Yikes!!!!

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[TifffanyD]

Oh I would sub in Ciroc coconut vodka instead of vanilla. YUMMYYYY!!!! And maybe cream soda for the soda to get the creaminess back. Yesss.... I think this will work.

 

[ShellB8585]

I only really go on fb but wow there's a lot going on here! Think I'll have to check in more often!

 

[TifffanyD]

I usually get the "Drink of the Day" - favorites are the Paradise, High Tide, Yellow Bird, Stinger & Sunken Treasure. I do not get it in the plastic souvenir glass because I'll never use it again.... This time, I got a champagne cocktail in Ooh La La that was just "ok" and over priced. DH & I talked to the bartender for an hour; it was just us in the bar from 8:30-9:30pm. Personally, I am not a fan of anything frozen either.

I brought some coconut rum and a bottle of prosecco on board last week, and although I did miss having wine, I didn't crack into my own liquor stash once. Being that this cruise is so port intensive, we are probably not going to bother trying to bring our own or trying to find a liquor store in San Juan. At most, we may buy a bottle of wine somewhere, but I doubt it.

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I never get the cup either! Bah just a way to drive up prices. On the rare occassion I get the drink of the day (not a huge fan) I ask for it in regular.

I am sure we will still get a few "easy" things for the southern... maybe a basic rum and vodka to mix. And if we only drink 1-2 drinks out of it each we will still come out ahead...

 

[TifffanyD]

Well, it's not a Disney concoction...but I only drink it when I am on a Disney cruise, so does that count? I like a Piña Colada, but not the heaviness or calories of a frozen drink, so I order vanilla vodka and soda with a splash of pineapple juice. Tastes just like a PC! I need to give this concoction a name...

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Do you not like coconut? Don't you need coconut?

I don't like frozen drinks either. They just fill me up and make me pee without getting me buzzed. And yeah high calories. What is the point?!

 

[threewilmingtonwalls]

Do you not like coconut? Don't you need coconut?

I don't like frozen drinks either. They just fill me up and make me pee without getting me buzzed. And yeah high calories. What is the point?!

I love coconut, but I have yet to come across coconut vodka. I might consider adding a shot of Malibu...

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[TifffanyD]

I love coconut, but I have yet to come across coconut vodka. I might consider adding a shot of Malibu...

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Critic makes a GOOD coconut vodka. It's not cheap tho (bcz it's good). I recommend it

 

[threewilmingtonwalls]

Critic makes a GOOD coconut vodka. It's not cheap tho (bcz it's good). I recommend it

Can't get that here, thanks to archaic ABC rules. I will look for it next time I go out of state, though. Thanks!

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[luvmygrljb]

I've really gone to NOT do DCL excursions. We went on recommendations from our server, a gal I work with who was born in San Juan & lived there for 25+ years, & have recommendations for next time from a new friend at DCL in the ships.

We got off the ship after breakfast & went "left." Toured Old San Juan by foot (very hilly) & went into a few shops. Continued to one of the forts, El Morro. Amazing. Beautiful. Can't wait to go back.

Then, walked to Pier 2 & hopped the commuter ferry. For $1 pp round trip, it takes you across the water to another part of San Juan where we hopped a taxi for $3 pp and headed to the Bacardi distillery. Very fun!!!! The tour is free & you get 2 (small) free drinks. The tour is ~45 min long. Then, back on a taxi (7 min drive) to the commuter ferry and back to Pier 2.

San Juan is gorgeous. Lots of people are bilingual, which helped. I loved it. I will say, having iPhones was invaluable though.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Wow! Sounds like you had a fun trip just from the one port!!! Any pics to share? Would love to see!!!