Rock and Roll'n and Chang'n 2-20 Cruise

jtravisl

Earning My Ears
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
37
As I found a lot of value in others TR...it's only fair I repay the favor. 2/20 was the first cruise for our family of 4. DH, DW, DS, DD. In fact, it's the first plane ride for both the kids. We had high expectations for the cruise...unfortunately, we returned home a little disappointed. 7 day cruise and we only got a legitimate chance to get in the ocean 1 day. Even on board it was fairly cold and windy...to the point the kids only swam once. I tried the hot tub, but it was too hot...maybe 110 degrees. When in working order and warm enough to swim, all pools and hot tubs were jammed full. Too full to be comfortable.

Great service and all the staff were wonderful. Food was great, if not overwhelming. At one point, I think we all were ready for a simple PB and J.

We were in a Cat 9, and even that was smaller than we expected. Really the minimum for a family our size. Any smaller and we'd been stepping on each to get dress and use the bathroom.

The ports of call were probably the source of our greatest disappointment. The Mayan Ruins were a whole lot smaller in number and size than we had anticipated. There are no pyramids, few visible structures, and the mosquitoes were unbearable. A stop on the far side of the island at the ocean was nice, but very brief. The rest of the tour was tourist trap to purchase silver jewelry and various palm and coconut items that customs doesn't allow into the country. Key West was the cleanest of all ports save Castaway Cay. You could tell there was history there, and maybe even a nice town somewhere....but near the ship and downtown is over run with tourist trap shops and business. Little of Hemingway's Key West survives. Grand Cayman and our snorkel adventure got canceled due to high waves that would have prevented us from tending. Instead we went to Nassau. Other than the area around Atlantis, I struggle to find anything pleasant to report about Nassau. Atlantis and it's areas are spectacular. At their prices, it should be. Going to Atlantis would be the only reason I could ever see to return. High winds killed our replacement snorkel adventure...for the second day.
Redemption at Castaway Cay....great beaches...fantastic facilities...and they are making it better with new water features and customer areas. Plan a relaxing day at Castaway Cay...you won't be disappointed. We'd been happy to skipped Nassau and spend 2 days at Castaway Cay.

I'll continue to update with pictures and notes... I took over 1000 images, parred it down to 130 for the web... the gallery can be seen here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/tloyd01/Cruise?authkey=Gv1sRgCPajwuC88Y-TTg&feat=directlink
 
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Mom and the kids ready for the flight
 

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This is what the Disney transportation looks like.... just look for the buses with the port holes...

FYI... the Disney transportation desk is on the lower level...all the way on the end.
 
After about an hour ride...we arrived at Port.... get all your documents together while on the bus when you can see the boat .... it's a bit a rush to get into the gate once the bus stops rolling...

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Once you make through Disney security at the port, you get a chance to meet Mickey before you get your key to the world call....1st of many photo opts with Disney. Later you can purchase any or all of them...packages range from $90-300.
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If you arrive after 130, but before 4pm, you should be able to get into your room, but without your bags... we were in room 1072 small double port holes

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If you are fast...you can get the kids swimsuits on ... from the carry on you brought... and get to the Mickey pool before it gets too busy..

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Following the party there's a great chance to get pics on deck while everyone gets their luggage and set up in their room. Take a look around and see what there is to see.

I'll post more the next day or so. Feel free to let me know if you have questions.
 
Great photos!!! :thumbsup2

Sorry to hear the weather ruined part of your trip. This has been a bad year for weather everywhere. I'm sure that really had alot to do with your cruise not being as good as you anticipated. I feel badly for you because w ehave been really lucky with good weather most of our cruises. It really makes a difference.

I an anxious to see more of your photos when you get a chace to post them.

Kathy
 
At the times that the weather was cooperating... the view can be spectacular....
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Key West had the potential to be a lot more than it was. It just felt to us that it'd been ran down by tourism... If you stop here..be prepared to walk a lot or fork over a $50 a head to ride the trams.. The walk to the southern most point is more like 30-45 mins from the pier than the 20ish minutes we were told. I ended up paying a bike taxi for a ride down and back $30 and it took about 45 mins to get down back and wait in line for the picture. Be prepared to do some wondering around... the streets aren't all marked well, and the maps of the area depend on landmarks that can be a bit confusing. If the weather's good and you ok with walking...have at it... it will be fun.
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Key Lime Pie on a Stick...the BEST!!!!
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The area around the marker isn't very big...when we got there...there were 20 people in line ahead of us...and it had been raining...
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Key West has a wild Rooster population....
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Unique Key West Art
 
Our kids enjoyed getting Character autographs... If you take a pillow case or an autograph book to Guest Services on the first day, they will get it signed for you and deliver it to you cabin on the last night.

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If you are looking for the princesses.... check with guest services to find the schedule, and get there early. We divided... me waiting in line, mom getting kids from lab. I got in line 45 mins early...within 10 mins., the line was over 50 people long, and by the time the event started, the line was 2hrs long, it wrapped all the way to the aft of the ship. Disney's great about letting you get your turn if you get in line on time. They only allowed 30 mins to get in line and it took 2 hrs to get through the line....
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Have YOUR camera ready...you can get nearly as good as pictures as Disney...and won't have to pay the $20 each they cost. 5 Princesses were there at once...I got them all with my camera...only posted a couple here.
 
As noted...we weren't entirely impressed with Cozumel. We think a trip to one of the private beach would have been better. As we drove past them, most all looked well kept and very clean.
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The port in Cozumel
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Mayan Ruins.... the junior edition of what you get mainland.
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The bigger friends on Cozumel. If go inland, away from the beach...wear bug guard. The mosquitoes were horrible...
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Beaches on the opposite side of the island from docking.
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Locals tried to sell us coconuts and palm products....only later did we learn neither were allowed back in the US...glad we didn't buy.
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Welcome site....Magic waiting for us at Cozumel
 
The food on board was great... except for what ever made my daughter sick one night...no telling, because none of the rest of us got sick. Next day she was fine.

On deck 9, there's a soda station open all hours...I think they had milk there also.
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Ice Cream Brain Freeze
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Breakfast at Topsiders...sitting at the aft of the ship looking over the ocean...pretty surreal.
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Animators is cool.
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Character breakfast.
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Once on board...go to guest services to sign up for Tea with Alice and the Mad Hatter.
 
More tomorrow friends.
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Does this qualify me as an International Soccer player?
 
Great pictures! Sorry the weather wasn't cooperating. Since the weather has been icky this winter it should be great when I sale next winter. :-)
 


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