Our Magical 10.17 Western (with pics)....UPDATED Wednesday 11/25

[TotallyAngelic]

Really enjoying your trip report - I love your photos and all of the detail in your descriptions. Wish I was back on the Magic as you bring it all to life so well

 

[podsnel]

Ooooohhh!!!! I LOVE your bracelet!! I know what I need.... Already went to the Chamilia website to have a look! Thanks!

 

[Mickey4me!]

Really enjoying your trip report - I love your photos and all of the detail in your descriptions. Wish I was back on the Magic as you bring it all to life so well

Thanks! That's really nice since your trip report was one of the ones that help me pass the time before we sailed

Ooooohhh!!!! I LOVE your bracelet!! I know what I need.... Already went to the Chamilia website to have a look! Thanks!

I checked them out when I got back home and they seemed to have a much larger selection than the Pandora ones.

 

[Princesspunkin]

really enjoying your trip report. mVant wait to hear about the castaway island cruise.

Dawn

 

[bourgie]

I love your trip report!! The car sounds like a perfect idea for Key West....

did u like the verandah? my husband and I took a look at a room before we got off the ship the last day. A lot of people tell me you dont use it that often, it is not worth the extra $$, etc... i would think i would use it just as much as i do when we go stay at the ocean with an ocean front room with a balcony. I use it in the AM and then again at night, and perhaps during the afternoon to take a break... What is your opinion?

 

[Mickey4me!]

I love your trip report!! The car sounds like a perfect idea for Key West....

did u like the verandah? my husband and I took a look at a room before we got off the ship the last day. A lot of people tell me you dont use it that often, it is not worth the extra $$, etc... i would think i would use it just as much as i do when we go stay at the ocean with an ocean front room with a balcony. I use it in the AM and then again at night, and perhaps during the afternoon to take a break... What is your opinion?

We had a blast with the electric car and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again! As far as the verandah room goes - I do think it's all a matter of how/why you cruise. For us it's definitely the way to go. We enjoy relaxing on vacation and that includes lots of time to read and catch up with each other and not always go, go, go. We spent a lot of time out there - morning, noon and night - as well as attended activities on the ship that really interested us. We are also ocean people. We have a house on the NC outer banks and you hit the nail on the head when you compared it to a balcony room at the beach. Again, it all depends on what you enjoy and for us the verandah is the way to go.

really enjoying your trip report. mVant wait to hear about the castaway island cruise.
Dawn

Unfortunately we never got to experience it. We had a letter (fish mail) the first night that explained that "due to special circumstances" the cruise had been cancelled I think I figured out why when we reach CC (gonna save that for the trip report) It was all good though because it meant there was more time to enjoy the beach!

 

[praisehisname]

That electric car excursion sounds fun! If we make it back to Key West, we'll have to try it. Sounds like you had a lovely evening as well!

 

[Mickey4me!]

Spa Special: Full body massage, Hydrating facial, Frangipani scalp massage and a foot & ankle massage. Plus, a day pass to the Rain Forest Room. For only $149.

Sea Day!! I love me some sea days! Again I woke up before the sun and sat out on the balcony for awhile. I realized what I thought was a line on clouds on the horizon was actually land – must be Cuba!

Sunrise

Chris was up early and took some pics from their verandah

After watching the sunrise, I headed up to grab some diet coke (for Dave) and coffee for me. I lingered for little while outside Cove Café and enjoyed the quiet of early AM. I think I could be happy spending the whole cruise in that one spot. I headed back down to the room and found David just getting up. No visit to Goofy’s today – we had brunch reservations!! But first Ash wanted to attend the shopping seminar in the Walt Disney Theater. I very reluctantly agreed to go with her (big sigh). All I can say is that’s one hour of my life I’ll never get back. I had thought about attending the Making Memories Scrapbooking Party but since it was at the same time as the shopping show and Ash really wanted me to go with her, I skipped it. The shopping show was scheduled from 9:30 to 10:30 and our brunch reservations were for 10:30 so we asked the guys to meet us up there.

Now, this is just my opinion but…..I feel the whole shopping show is a waste. First, if you’re really interested, you can watch it on the stateroom TV (over and over and over again). Second, I don’t see the benefit. The marketing company that Disney contracts with is being paid by the retailers in the ports to promote them. I get that. But because they are getting paid by the stores they are promoting it’s just a big infomercial. You’re not really getting any expert advice that’s worthwhile. All the info can be found in the catalogs and brochures that you can get for free at the shopping desk. Plus, the shopping guy (Marty?) was a little sleazy (however not as sleazy as Gordon the “art” guy). I think Ash wanted to attend in hopes of winning the diamond raffle. OK – hopping down off my soapbox….

So we made our way down to the BV Theater and found our seats. Marty appeared on stage and started pumping everyone up by tossing out prizes (small rum cakes and a couple of Del Sol t-shirts). He had a table of handbags and other stuff but we never saw him give those away. He launched into his spiel and started going through all the shops to see in Grand Cayman. He was also pushing the purchase of a $25 coupon book for added value. At one point he brought out his friend Gordon – the art auction guy. This guy made my skin crawl so bad I was ready to leave then. I stuck it out because Ash really hoping to win the diamond something that was being raffled. We listed and watched for an hour. I kept looking at my watch and by 10:30 he was still on Grand Cayman shopping and hadn’t even started on Cozumel. Ash and I were not going to miss brunch so we had to get up and leave. Being the good Disney citizens we had obeyed the instructions and moved to the center of the aisle when we first sat down (thinking it would be over at the scheduled time when we had to leave). Since Marty was still going strong, we had to climb and step our way over folks to get out. I felt so bad and kept apologizing to them.

We made it up to Palo’s a few minutes past our appointed 10:30 and found the guys already seated and sipping mimosas. How cute! I had really been looking forward to the brunch. We didn’t try it on our ’02 cruise and now I regret it. Our server (sorry, didn’t get his name) took us on “the tour” and showed us all we had to choose from. Yummm. After the tour we all got our first plate full. I made sure to try the Stolen Bread with fresh whipped cream and berries as recommended on this board. It was heavenly. I would have been satisfied with just that. But no, there’s more – wonderful cheeses, fruits and the best assortment of pastries I’ve seen.

I’m not a seafood lover but Chris and Ash are and they really enjoyed the offerings. I really could have stopped with just the buffet but we had also ordered some hot dishes – one of the flatbreads (can’t remember which one) to share, some kind of pancakes for Chris that looked yummy, frittata for me and Chicken Parmesan for David and Ash. We were all too busy stuffing our faces to carry on much of a conversation but we did share with each other. Ash proclaimed the chicken parm the best she ever had and the bite I tried was wonderful. Just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite – time for dessert! Now this is where things went south for me. After making my selections from the dessert table, I was in the process of returning to my seat when somehow David’s mimosa over turned and ended up all over me – I mean all over! Unfortunately I had on a white top and that ended up a pastel shade of orange. My skirt was soaked as well. Everyone helped to clean up but I decided to call it a day and headed back to the room to change and rinse my clothes out. Really lousy way to end a wonderful meal.

I didn't get any pics but Ash got a couple of the dessert table

A little while later, Dave returned to the room with a plate of almost every dessert that was on the buffet. He had asked our server to put a couple of selections on a plate and he ended up with a sampling of everything. He’s such a sweetie!

All changed, I decided to take my book and head up to Cove Café. Dave was off to explore the ship. Not sure what Chris and Ash did but I think they hung out at the pool. I considered the spa special and now I wish I had booked it. It was a great price. Instead I just enjoyed a good cup of coffee and read for awhile. Later, David and I met and went to see the Disney Nature movie Earth which we really enjoyed. Afterwards we spent some time on Deck 4 and then hit Pinocchio’s for some pizza. All in all a delightful afternoon.

Tonight was formal night so we all got dressed and headed down to Animators for dinner. We passed on the Captain’s reception. Once again Orlan and Cindy were there to greet us and ask about our day. We had briefly considered not getting dressed up and going to Topsiders instead but realized that we really looked forward to see them each evening. Cindy took our drink order which was an Avant Premiere for Chris, Shining Star for David and Ash and a glass of cabernet for me. We gave Chris a hard time because he kept ordering drinks that ended up looking very girly..

Appetizers included Prosciutto and Honeydew for me plus the salad of mixed baby greens with pears pistachios and apple cider vinaigrette (which was wonderful!) and the Parmesan Souffle for everyone else. Some enjoyed it more than others….For an entrée I chose the potato gnocchi (mainly because I didn’t want beef again) and it was rather bland. Chris got the swordfish and David and Ash both ordered the chicken. Everything was good, but not great (this is by far our least favorite menu). Dessert was another matter… Ash had the strawberry sundae and loved it (she loves anything strawberry) David and Chris each go the Golden Mickey dessert and I had the Sweet Temptations. Dave and I finished it off with coffee. More goodnight jokes from Orlan along with tips for touring Grand Cayman and we said our goodnights.

Tonight’s Golden Mickey show was a new one for us. They didn’t have it back on our last cruise so we were excited to see it. David and I took a stroll out on deck 4 then met Chris and Ash in the shops before the show. The show was good, but it’s not my favorite. Ash felt the same way and we decided that it was because the music they picked. It was still fun and we enjoyed it.

After the show, Chris and Ash headed down the bars and planned to catch the 10:30 Alfred & Seymour show. Dave and I really wanted to make it, but after another stroll on deck 9 we headed back to our room.

I didn't get a pic of our towel animal this night but Ash got one of theirs.

We were both a little hungry so we ordered room service. Dave tried the Ham & Turkey sandwich while I had the BLT (really miss that sandwich!). We sat on the verandah and enjoyed our food and then called it a night. Tomorrow – Grand Cayman!

Gotta run check on my pies. Hope everyone has a wonderful Turkey Day!

 

[praisehisname]

I really enjoyed reading about your Palo brunch. That was the highlight of the cruise for us! That was so nice of your server to send dessert back for you.

 

[Angelia'sthree]

I am sooo enjoying your report. You are doing so many of the same things we have planned for our January cruise, so this is a HUGE help~!!
Thank you for taking the time to share your vacation with us~!

 

[Angelia'sthree]

Hope you will be back soon~!

 

[beansf]

I have enjoyed your trip report so far. It reminds me of how much I enjoyed our cruise and helps me keep the excitement up until our next one. Sorry to read about the spilled drink. That was a bummer...but small stuff not for sweating, right? Palo brunch is too good to be ruined!

 

[Tinkerkell123]

You are making the wait until our first cruise bearable! Thanks!