Donald is #1
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2006
- Messages
- 6,922
Well today was the day that we have been looking forward to... Its time for the cruise!!! 
As usual for this trip, we were both up early and packed by about 7:30. It was still raining lightly from the storms yesterday and breakfast wasn't until 8. So we decided to get the car and load it up so that we could leave right after breakfast. We finished loading the car and still had about 15 minutes until breakfast. We figured that we would head in and hang out in our room for 15 minutes, but just as we were about to head in, the guy working the front desk told us that breakfast was ready and if we wanted, we could eat now. Score!!!!
Breakfast was great again! This time it was cheesy scrambled eggs. DSis and I will certainly miss this B&B.
After breakfast, we hit the road. It was still raining lightly, but since we had time, we decided to drive A1A south along the coast. The drive was actually very nice and it even stopped raining for a few minutes.
The drive down was really nice until we got to the outskirts of Daytona Beach. It got very commerciallized outside of Daytona. We then moved to one of the more in-land routes until we got to the Nature Preserve outside of Cape Canaveral. We went through the nature reserve and then pulled into the National Seashore. I was hoping to get a stamp for my Narional Parks Passport. However, there wasn't a Visitor Center at this entrance. So we just turned around and headed down to Cocoa Beach. Our first stop was Ron Jon's so that we could get a T Shirt for DSis' son. This is a nice store and wasn't very crowded on a Sunday morning.
Now it was time... Off to the port! It was very easy to get to the port and every thing was well signed so that it was very easy to find the parking area for DCL. We were very lucky, that we were able to get everything from the car to the over hang before the rain started again.
I think that we got to the terminal about 11:30 or so. It was very easy through security and as soon as we got to the top of the escillator, there was a CM there directing us to the current line. Since we have cruised once before, we were able to go to the Castaway Club lines. However, all of the lines were very short. Once we were checked in, we were given a boarding number and then sent off to get our photographs taken. Everyone on the cruise needs to be photographed before boarding the ship.
There were characters out for pictures and also the magician from the BW was there. DSis and I thought that it was really well organized. We felt much less frazzled than on our cruise back in '04. We sat down for about 15 or 20 minutes and soon it was time for us to board.
As we were boarding, we were each given DVC Mickey Ears.
As soon as we boarded, we headed up to Deck 9 to get lunch. We picked a table outside near the little kids pool, and DSis went first to get her food.
Once she got back, I headed in. The meal was excellent! Since we had dinner at 6, we didn't want to eat too much, but we still ate well. Also, there was plenty of seating throughout our meal. When we cruised the last time, it was very difficult to find seating for lunch. However, this time it was great! We really enjoyed this meal!
By the time we finished lunch, it was after 1:30, so we decided to head downstairs and check out our room. Our room was number 7600 and it was great! It was on the starboard side and our balconny overlooked the dock. My luggage had already arrived, but it would take the rest of the afternoon to get both of DSis' bags. However, I will say that all bags arrived before 5:30.
We opened the door to the room, and what did we find???
Presents!!!
There was a Castaway Club bag for us to share since as I mentioned earlier, we are Castaway Club members. This bag had a mesh bag, 2 water bottles, a notebook and some stencils in it. Very cool!
There were also 2 DVC presents, one for each of us. This present was a small suitcase, with a DVC hat, duffle bag, licence plate thingy, picture frame, metal water bottle. Really really cool!!!!
Boy am I glad that we drove since we needed to get all of this stuff back home!
Well I unpacked and hung up our Fish Extender (FE). We then headed off to explore the ship prior to the life jacket drill.
.
Our next stop was to head to the DISmeet. For the year leading up to the cruise, I have been on the DISboards thread for the cruise meeting many of my fellow cruisers. Plus many of us are friends on Facebook. So it was really cool to meet all of these people that I have been talking to on-line!
(thanks for sending the photo Flo)
.
Well, its getting late, so I will end this post here. Is anyone interested in me scanning the daily Navigators and posting them?
As usual for this trip, we were both up early and packed by about 7:30. It was still raining lightly from the storms yesterday and breakfast wasn't until 8. So we decided to get the car and load it up so that we could leave right after breakfast. We finished loading the car and still had about 15 minutes until breakfast. We figured that we would head in and hang out in our room for 15 minutes, but just as we were about to head in, the guy working the front desk told us that breakfast was ready and if we wanted, we could eat now. Score!!!!
Breakfast was great again! This time it was cheesy scrambled eggs. DSis and I will certainly miss this B&B.
After breakfast, we hit the road. It was still raining lightly, but since we had time, we decided to drive A1A south along the coast. The drive was actually very nice and it even stopped raining for a few minutes.
The drive down was really nice until we got to the outskirts of Daytona Beach. It got very commerciallized outside of Daytona. We then moved to one of the more in-land routes until we got to the Nature Preserve outside of Cape Canaveral. We went through the nature reserve and then pulled into the National Seashore. I was hoping to get a stamp for my Narional Parks Passport. However, there wasn't a Visitor Center at this entrance. So we just turned around and headed down to Cocoa Beach. Our first stop was Ron Jon's so that we could get a T Shirt for DSis' son. This is a nice store and wasn't very crowded on a Sunday morning.
Now it was time... Off to the port! It was very easy to get to the port and every thing was well signed so that it was very easy to find the parking area for DCL. We were very lucky, that we were able to get everything from the car to the over hang before the rain started again.
I think that we got to the terminal about 11:30 or so. It was very easy through security and as soon as we got to the top of the escillator, there was a CM there directing us to the current line. Since we have cruised once before, we were able to go to the Castaway Club lines. However, all of the lines were very short. Once we were checked in, we were given a boarding number and then sent off to get our photographs taken. Everyone on the cruise needs to be photographed before boarding the ship.
There were characters out for pictures and also the magician from the BW was there. DSis and I thought that it was really well organized. We felt much less frazzled than on our cruise back in '04. We sat down for about 15 or 20 minutes and soon it was time for us to board.
As we were boarding, we were each given DVC Mickey Ears.
As soon as we boarded, we headed up to Deck 9 to get lunch. We picked a table outside near the little kids pool, and DSis went first to get her food.
Once she got back, I headed in. The meal was excellent! Since we had dinner at 6, we didn't want to eat too much, but we still ate well. Also, there was plenty of seating throughout our meal. When we cruised the last time, it was very difficult to find seating for lunch. However, this time it was great! We really enjoyed this meal!
By the time we finished lunch, it was after 1:30, so we decided to head downstairs and check out our room. Our room was number 7600 and it was great! It was on the starboard side and our balconny overlooked the dock. My luggage had already arrived, but it would take the rest of the afternoon to get both of DSis' bags. However, I will say that all bags arrived before 5:30.
We opened the door to the room, and what did we find???
Presents!!!
There was a Castaway Club bag for us to share since as I mentioned earlier, we are Castaway Club members. This bag had a mesh bag, 2 water bottles, a notebook and some stencils in it. Very cool!
There were also 2 DVC presents, one for each of us. This present was a small suitcase, with a DVC hat, duffle bag, licence plate thingy, picture frame, metal water bottle. Really really cool!!!!
Boy am I glad that we drove since we needed to get all of this stuff back home!
Well I unpacked and hung up our Fish Extender (FE). We then headed off to explore the ship prior to the life jacket drill.
Our next stop was to head to the DISmeet. For the year leading up to the cruise, I have been on the DISboards thread for the cruise meeting many of my fellow cruisers. Plus many of us are friends on Facebook. So it was really cool to meet all of these people that I have been talking to on-line!
(thanks for sending the photo Flo)
Well, its getting late, so I will end this post here. Is anyone interested in me scanning the daily Navigators and posting them?
My massage therapist was good, but it wasn't the best massage that I have ever had. However, it was sooooo relaxing with the waves and breeze in the background!
