GOS
Livin' for Disney holidays with great friends
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2006
- Messages
- 12,107
Friday 2nd May 2008 - Southampton
The day started for us at 6.45am. We are to meet Dave, Bev, Nicola and James at their home at 9.00am. The sun is shining as we leave the house at 8.00am, and it is looking promising for a good journey down to Southampton. We dont stay long at Dave and Bevs we are all keen to get on our way.
The journey takes about 1.30hrs and we have a few rain showers along the way, but the sun is shining as we approach the port and find the ship waiting for us. So, we pull up at the dock and once we have found our documents, we unload the cars of all the luggage and then the car park attendants directs us to the parking lot.
Once parked, we make our way over to the terminal no ears! Check in is relative quick and we receive our first gift of the cruise two handy carry bags. The officer asks us to wait in the lounge area as we have been given boarding pass no.6 and like Disney, have to wait to be called. But we dont have to wait long before we are called and we are finally on board at about 11.30am. As our cabins, which are on deck 6, are not yet ready, Dave takes on a quick tour of the ship, as the layout is much the same as that on the Navigator.
We have lunch in Windjammer, which is on deck 11 a buffet style restaurant with two speciality restaurants off to the side Portofino (Italian) and Chops Steak House. Like Palos there is an additional cover charge to eat here. 1pm soon approaches and as we can get access to our cabins, we head down to deck 6 and offload our carry-on luggage whilst checking out our home for the next 4 nights. It looks smaller than a cat 11 Disney cabin but lovely and extremely comfortable. It is well stocked with amenities including a kettle and a proper hairdryer.
Deck 11 beckons us back and we take the elevator. Dave and Bev meet an old friend .Randolph, a bar waiter from their previous cruise. The Pool areas are wonderful and even the pools are heated. The adult pool areas are lovely, including the two spa pools that hang over the side of the ship. I wish now that I had packed a swimsuit.
At the aft of the ship is the new flow rider, a basketball court and we all have a go at shooting some hoops, a huge climbing wall and 9 hole golf course. Rick and I challenge Nicola to a game and cheat Miller wins.
After a drink in the Olive or Twist bar, we go back to our cabins to collect our lifejackets, as Muster is a 4.30pm. Dave, Bev and the two children are at one muster station on deck and Rick and I are directed into the main dining room as we have a different Muster station. The lifejackets, although a necessity, are very uncomfortable the worst we have ever worn. Once completed and jackets stowed away once more in the cabin, Sail away party is being held on Deck 11 and this time we take the stairs. Who do you think we meet on the stairs .yes, Chris and Hazel! No time to chat, and definitely not on the stairs, we agree to meet up later for a drink.
Once up on deck the party is in full swing with the photographers and cameraman circling round the deck catching people as they wave to people on shore. The views are stunning; there are load of small boats trying to keep up with us as we sail out of Southampton.
Dinner tonight is at 6pm and once the deck party is over, we only have 30 mins left to get changed for dinner. The restaurants are all named after Shakespeare plays and our dining room is named after the Scottish one. Our table no 480 is in a really awkward place and once our meal is over, we ask to be moved.
I had the fruit medley to start, poached salmon plus Jamess veggies and then Strawberry Pavlova for dessert. It was yummy and the meringue is really chewy. Rick had the International cheese platter for starters, beef tenderloin and then chocolate lava cake for dessert.
The shops are now open along the main promenade, and we have shock in store as although the prices in the shops are all in dollars the ship has to add 17.5% sales tax to every purchase something to do with not visiting a non-EU port. Some of the shops sell a lot of designer goods, so it is all quite expensive.
Our next port of call is the evening show called Under the Big Top in the Alhambra Theatre. As you would expect it is all based around the acts that you would see at a circus. Very entertaining and very well put together.
There is a sail away celebration in the Pyramid Lounge with the house band after the show. By 12pm we are all flagging, so we head back along the royal promenade for our cabins. I stop on the way for a Latte, which I have to say was not nice. I will not be having another one. Once back in our cabin, I settle down to type up my thoughts of the day for this trippee.
I have to say that the ship is definitely huge and we havent even seen a third of it yet. It is very comfortable, clean (well, it is new) and not at all gaudy like the Carnival Glory. Apart from the prices in the shops, I havent got anything bad to write about yet.
The weather couldnt have been any better for us today a glorious departure from Southampton and the English Channel is very calm tonight.
The day started for us at 6.45am. We are to meet Dave, Bev, Nicola and James at their home at 9.00am. The sun is shining as we leave the house at 8.00am, and it is looking promising for a good journey down to Southampton. We dont stay long at Dave and Bevs we are all keen to get on our way.
The journey takes about 1.30hrs and we have a few rain showers along the way, but the sun is shining as we approach the port and find the ship waiting for us. So, we pull up at the dock and once we have found our documents, we unload the cars of all the luggage and then the car park attendants directs us to the parking lot.
Once parked, we make our way over to the terminal no ears! Check in is relative quick and we receive our first gift of the cruise two handy carry bags. The officer asks us to wait in the lounge area as we have been given boarding pass no.6 and like Disney, have to wait to be called. But we dont have to wait long before we are called and we are finally on board at about 11.30am. As our cabins, which are on deck 6, are not yet ready, Dave takes on a quick tour of the ship, as the layout is much the same as that on the Navigator.
We have lunch in Windjammer, which is on deck 11 a buffet style restaurant with two speciality restaurants off to the side Portofino (Italian) and Chops Steak House. Like Palos there is an additional cover charge to eat here. 1pm soon approaches and as we can get access to our cabins, we head down to deck 6 and offload our carry-on luggage whilst checking out our home for the next 4 nights. It looks smaller than a cat 11 Disney cabin but lovely and extremely comfortable. It is well stocked with amenities including a kettle and a proper hairdryer.
Deck 11 beckons us back and we take the elevator. Dave and Bev meet an old friend .Randolph, a bar waiter from their previous cruise. The Pool areas are wonderful and even the pools are heated. The adult pool areas are lovely, including the two spa pools that hang over the side of the ship. I wish now that I had packed a swimsuit.
At the aft of the ship is the new flow rider, a basketball court and we all have a go at shooting some hoops, a huge climbing wall and 9 hole golf course. Rick and I challenge Nicola to a game and cheat Miller wins.
After a drink in the Olive or Twist bar, we go back to our cabins to collect our lifejackets, as Muster is a 4.30pm. Dave, Bev and the two children are at one muster station on deck and Rick and I are directed into the main dining room as we have a different Muster station. The lifejackets, although a necessity, are very uncomfortable the worst we have ever worn. Once completed and jackets stowed away once more in the cabin, Sail away party is being held on Deck 11 and this time we take the stairs. Who do you think we meet on the stairs .yes, Chris and Hazel! No time to chat, and definitely not on the stairs, we agree to meet up later for a drink.
Once up on deck the party is in full swing with the photographers and cameraman circling round the deck catching people as they wave to people on shore. The views are stunning; there are load of small boats trying to keep up with us as we sail out of Southampton.
Dinner tonight is at 6pm and once the deck party is over, we only have 30 mins left to get changed for dinner. The restaurants are all named after Shakespeare plays and our dining room is named after the Scottish one. Our table no 480 is in a really awkward place and once our meal is over, we ask to be moved.
I had the fruit medley to start, poached salmon plus Jamess veggies and then Strawberry Pavlova for dessert. It was yummy and the meringue is really chewy. Rick had the International cheese platter for starters, beef tenderloin and then chocolate lava cake for dessert.
The shops are now open along the main promenade, and we have shock in store as although the prices in the shops are all in dollars the ship has to add 17.5% sales tax to every purchase something to do with not visiting a non-EU port. Some of the shops sell a lot of designer goods, so it is all quite expensive.
Our next port of call is the evening show called Under the Big Top in the Alhambra Theatre. As you would expect it is all based around the acts that you would see at a circus. Very entertaining and very well put together.
There is a sail away celebration in the Pyramid Lounge with the house band after the show. By 12pm we are all flagging, so we head back along the royal promenade for our cabins. I stop on the way for a Latte, which I have to say was not nice. I will not be having another one. Once back in our cabin, I settle down to type up my thoughts of the day for this trippee.
I have to say that the ship is definitely huge and we havent even seen a third of it yet. It is very comfortable, clean (well, it is new) and not at all gaudy like the Carnival Glory. Apart from the prices in the shops, I havent got anything bad to write about yet.
The weather couldnt have been any better for us today a glorious departure from Southampton and the English Channel is very calm tonight.
Any plans on returning to it?
