Our Fantastic Fantasy Cruise! 11/24/12

[mom x4 grandma x4]

11/24/12 to 12/1/12 Fantasy Cruise Trip Report

This was our 22nd cruise on DCL, but the first cruise on The Fantasy. My best description is AWESOME!!!! FANTASTIC!! EXCITING!! FUN!!!
I will warn you this will be a long report but hopefully not too boring. I will try to have more photos than writing.
Saturday we drove to the port which only takes us slightly over an hour.
Seeing how large this ship is was amazing. This cruise it is just me, Kathy and my husband, Greg. Two grandparents enjoying Disney like a couple of kids.

We drove right up to the terminal with no lines around 11:00 a.m. and dropped off our luggage and parked in the lot next to the terminal for a quick exit upon our return. It cost $20 more than the parking garage but we knew we would be tired when we got back and would be happy to have the car so close.
It’s not fair to compare this ship to The Magic and The Wonder, so I will try not to do that too much as each ship is great in its own way. I love them all.
Most of my report will be photos to show the beauty of the ship but I do have 2 comments I want to share. These are NOT complaints but my opinion on 2 things I didn’t care for on the ship. But they are minor items which probably nobody else would even notice. These are just my opinion.
When you step out of the bathroom or shower room into your cabin there is a high ridge which is very easy to trip on. They have one small sign saying to watch your step inside the door but I think they need a bright safety strip across the step also. I tripped 3 times before I even noticed the sign. We both tripped multiple times on this but luckily we caught a hold of the door to break our fall. I can see how people could easily get hurt.
The 2nd item is the new system where when you enter your room there is a slot on the wall where you must put your Key Card or a plastic card such as a credit card in a slot to activate the lights and heat / cooling system in your room. Most people use their key card. It is so easy to walk out and leave your key card in that slot, and then you’re locked out if you’re leaving at separate times. We often come and go separately.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Many people come and go at different times, so that is kind of awkward, plus on a hot day if you set your AC and then remove your card it turns off, so when you return to your room later it’s not cool, its hot. In the summer months it could be a problem. So bring a different card like a school ID or your AARP card, something that isn’t a credit card to leave in the slot to keep your cooling system working. Next time we will know to do this so we won’t have to use our Key card. It was a real pain for us.
Those are the only things I didn’t like.
Ok, now for the fun.
First we walked to the back of the terminal for Concierge check in (Platinum members can do that) and we were the only ones there. It took all of 2 minutes and they escorted us over to the entrance to the ship, opened the rope for us and we walked right in to have our photo taken and then onto the ship we went. Our boarding number said #1 which was a first for us.
As usual they announce your name as you enter the atrium which feels so good because now it feels real. Our vacation has arrived. WOO HOO!!
Here are a few shots of the Atrium all dressed up for Christmas. This is the first thing we saw upon boarding the ship.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

We stopped to stand and look up in amazement at the beauty of the atrium. They were assembling the Gingerbread house across the atrium. It took 3 days of our cruise before they finished it. It took them 7 days all together and it was the first time that Marshall (Head Chef for pastries) and his crew had ever done a Gingerbread house. It smelled so good!! I think they did an amazing job.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Just to the right of the Gingerbread House was the Bon Voyage Lounge. It was very small. There is a small bar with stools and 2 sitting areas across from the bar area. Maybe 8 to 10 people could sit there. A few ladies from my cruise meet thread and I had a Pin trading meet there the 2nd day of the cruise and a few had to stand. If I had known how small it was I wouldn’t have suggested having a meet there. However it was very pretty there

They had a cool looking throne chair for a Queen behind this lounge and on the opposite side (across from guest services) was a Kings throne. The tile was really beautiful behind the thrones. I will try and post photos of them at the end of this report. I need to find them.

Finally we got over the amazement of all the beauty around us and the size of the atrium area and found the long hallway past the Royal Court, towards the AFT and Animators Pallet.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Then we found the AFT elevator and went up to Cabanas on deck 11. This elevator comes out right in the middle of Cabanas Buffet. It’s so nice and easy to use. When you step out of the elevator there is someone to hand you a wipe for your hands and you can go left or right and you’re in the buffet.
This entire area makes you feel you’re in a Cabana. The ceiling and wall décor including a cool Pelican by the elevator all resemble a cabana.

This is the AFT elevator . Note all the details in the ceiling and window to make it feel like your in a Cabana.

I loved this Pelican

This buffet has the most awesome decor. The lighting changes from blues to orange and each section is themed a bit different. Plus a few hidden Mickey's are to be found here.
I love some of the lights. They look like kites and are brightly colored.

One of the kites I was talking about.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

These clocks show the time of all the Disney parks around the world.

These are replicas of the Castles in Disney parks.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Once you enter the buffet it’s like a whole different world. It takes up the entire AFT end of the ship. It’s a huge semi circle. Both sides are an exact duplicate of the food stations with a bar at the back, and some outdoor seating. No lines, you just walk up to the station you want, get your food and move on to another station or sit down. This is a huge improvement from other ships.

The doors on both sides of the buffet are always open so you can get out to the outside decks from there.
The food was awesome. Here is where I must compare the ships. The food was much better on the Fantasy’s buffet compared to the Magic and Wonder. Their food has gone downhill in the buffet the last few cruises we have taken on the Magic and Wonder.
Not sure if it’s true but I heard people talking that they are going to change Topsiders on the Magic to have separate food stations like the Fantasy next year to help ease the lines there too.


Now it was time to find our room. We were in 10654 which was AFT deck 10. We were next to the last room in the hallway. It was a perfect location. We were only 3 doors walk from the elevator. We had a nice balcony. There is an overhang above our balcony which didn’t obstruct the view (It was high up) but it did block rain and hot sun from the deck which was really nice.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Soon it was time for our cruise meet in the Vista Café. So many great people to meet but I never got around to everyone. Then it was time for the safety drill. This time we were not required to wear our life jackets which made it much easier to navigate down 6 flights of stairs.

It was short drill and soon the Deck Party was in full swing on deck 11. This party was much better than others I have been to. Lots of characters on stage dancing. With no divider between the pools, it made for a huge area for people to attend the party. It didn’t feel crowded at all. That was great planning by Disney.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Then as we pulled out the channel I put on my Mickey hand to wave at the people on shore watching us pull out.

Sunset as we pulled out.

Looking down as we went out the channel we saw 2 Dolphins, then 3 more and by the time we were out to sea we had seen a total of at least 15 Dolphin. They move so fast it’ hard to get a photo of them, but look for black spots and rippled water and hopefully you can make them out.

I am not going to bore you with all the day to day activities we did, let’s just say there is something for everyone to enjoy. Instead I am going to post photos now of different areas of the ship for a bit.
Then I will talk about our excursions and the shows and of course the hidden Mickey’s I found around the ship later in the report.

I will also scan our Navigators from eveyday and save them on a file so anyone who wants to see them you can contact me to get a copy and will try to just post it too. My e-mail is by my signature, just be sure and put Navigator on the subject line or i will delete you. It may be ther first of the year before I get that done.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Here are some photos of the Restaurants:

This menu didnt come out as good as i hoped for but if you can zoom in or enlarge you may be able to read it.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

The Royal Court Menu
The tile mosiacs were awesome!!

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Love this light. It looks like Cincerellas Coach. The bread baskets look like coaches too. I had a photo of one but it was one of the photos that disappeared.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

The Enchanted Garden

The only elevator to get to this restaurant is te Mid ship one or use the stairs in the atrium.

Love the lights in all the restaurants. The pictures don't do them justice.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

The clubs are almost all together in the AFT section, deck 4. That was perfect for us. We just got on the AFT elevator by our room and went straight down to the club area.
Aft is the most convenient place on the ship if your booking a room.

Just around the corner of the elevator to the right is The Tube which has a few family events in the daytime but is all adult entertainment at night. It is British themed and the dance floor lights up as well as the ceiling changes color all the time. We attended a few shows in this venue. There is also a door into the Skyline bar in there


This is British themed and colors change constantly.

It is hazy looking due to the lighting part of the time.

John Charles Performing a family show. He is so funny.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

To the left of the elevator was another door into The Skylight Lounge. Sorry we never got a photo of it. It’s always so dark in there to show off the views that a photo just wouldn’t work well with my camera.
Now when you leave the Tube Lounge it was so much fun to walk straight ahead into a weird sort of hallway toward La Piazza. I am not sure how to explain this area but it’s full of twists and turns with tall brown walls that resemble walking through a rock tunnel to the next club. It’s really cool.
They have bathrooms in there that are unbelievable. You have to look in them, including the handicap ones. They are all different. I had my husband take photos of the men’s rooms and I got the ladies rooms. The tile in these rooms was so beautiful. My pictures don’t do them justice.

This is the curvy hallway heading towards La Piazza.

Different shots of the bathrooms.

This one is near Animators Pallet

The Mosiacs are just amazing in person.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Next you walk into a sitting area just outside La Piazza. This also has a door to the area where you do the Wine Tasting and events like that which you have to sign up for .I think it was called Ooh La La!! It’s really pretty there and very relaxing. Plus they have late night snacks in there too.

Now in the center of LaPiazza it looks like a Carousel. It’s very bright and colorful. The bar is never busy in the evenings, even though they have live music almost every night there. That is the center hub for other clubs like O’Gills Pub which is a Sports bar and The Skyline bar both has doors at La Piazza. Most of these areas have family events in the daytime but is adult only at night. Although anyone can walk through La Piazza at anytime.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

The Wave is also AFT, but is on deck 11. This was so small and out of the way, its actually on the side of the walkway behind some stairs that lead up to the mini golf area. I didnt find it until the last night on board.

Inside on deck 4 mid ships is D Lounge which is like Studio Sea on the Magic and Wonder. This had lots of family game shows, Karaoke, cooking demos, and Family Dance parties.
We watched a cooking demonstration on making strudel in there. Plus a sample of the strudel!!

The chairs are strange shaped and kids got in and out of them really easily but it took me awhile to master getting out of them. LOL!! The ones in this photo are normal but I got stuck in a short odd one. Will try to find a photo of it later.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Ok, now we will move up to the upper decks of the ship before going to the mid ship and Forward parts of the ship.
The Aft section deck 14 has Goofy’s mini golf. It was fun to play and often it wasn’t crowded but you must remember it is very windy on a ship and they do have a wall to block much of it, but not all of it. Be sure and take a close look at all the details there, it’s full of funny stuff from the first hole to the last. Be sure and stop to read the instructions on the book on the wall at each hole too.

The blowing hair shows the wind on deck.

The basketball court is right next door.

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Also the Basketball hoops are up there. Just below the Basketball court is a splash area for young kids. It’s perfect for those too old for Nemo’s reef but not comfortable to go in the pool yet. It’s Donald’s Splash Zone. Made me wish I was a kid again. I could have stayed in there all day!! It was 3 days before I saw this area. Just follow the Ducks foot prints.

These shots were taken when it was clsoed for cleaning. Water spurts out fo everywhere, top and bottom of things.