The ABCs of a Very Merry Christmastime Land and Sea Adventure- M is for: Making the Most of a Morning Safari!

[Steppesister]

Point of order. On a Disney ship, it is never "windy"... it is a blustery day.

Bother.

Good point! Glad no one tried to use an kite out there!

Then a ship is the right place. I believe the poop deck is the topmost deck, aft.

Right place (ship); wrong end.

I didn't know this was your second Disney cruise.

I was using intel from Alison's TRs and know she has talked about that before too.

Someone else is gonna visit the poop deck!

Heh, I'm there a lot lately.

Running from deck to deck at lightning speed will do that.

It was a wonderful workout for sure.

Meh. I doubt I will ever set foot on a Disney ship.

Why not?

They'll keelhaul you!

Like seriously, that sounds like the most horrible way to die EVER.

That's been done, ya know...
And on a Disney ship, no less.

She is a sassy one. No wonder she and Tink didn't get along.

Good point. Your sleuthing skills may have saved your life.

Phew! Close call!

Did any of the animations (other than crush) move?

No, I don't believe so. At least I don't remember them doing so.

Awww... Nice shot of you (both.)

Just me, being silly.

How could they not.
I trust that you too shouted YES!

It would be very un-Merrytime-Cruise of me not to.

Great shot of you with the boss.

I love how it turned out. Fun one!

"Have you seen my pants?"

I'm sure the gift shop has some, Donald.

"That'll be $4,396."

And hamming it up like there's no tomorrow!

Well, yeah! Of course.

Murder! Murder most foul!

"Noooo, not the gumdrop buttons!"

Love the butter knife.

Here's the story:

Kari told me that they had a habit of "disappearing" so now you can buy a whole set in the gift shop. Disney never misses a turn.

Well... it is a Disney cruise. There's gonna be the odd kid or two.... thousand.

Oh! Glad you sent it back and got another one, properly cooked.

Sigh.... no, didn't want to mess up the service- ya win some, ya lose some.

What does your shirt say?
(And cute shot of you too. )

It's the MOST Wonderful Time of the Year...

It was a really nice gift from a dear friend.

Um... no.
That's 47 knots... Which is 54mph! Almost the same speed you might do on the highway.

It was definitely nausea-inducing. Ugh!

"In the early days of Hollywood, movie studios often used bleached cornflakes as a substitute for snow (or even cotton and—yikes!—asbestos)...
...a mixture of Foamite (found in fire extinguishers), soap, sugar, and water that could be shot out of canisters at high pressure and gently wafted over the set with a silent fan."

I knew there was more to it than just cornflakes. Interesting stuff right there!

 

[Steppesister]

This looks like a fun game. We used to play the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game. It was nice to do something new for a change.

We played it quite a bit too, especially with Zach. He collected the cards and had a great time. In fact, there were a few times he struck out on his own and exercised a bit of nice independence. I miss that option a lot.

The kids must have loved that.

There was definitely a lot of excitement and fun in the atrium.

Belle's dress is very pretty. I bet she didn't experience very many people who told her that they read more books than she did.

LOL! Probably not. TBH, I really struggle with character interactions in general. I feel like such a dork and never know what to say or do.

Aren't beverages included in the cost of the cruise?

No. Only sodas, lemonade, iced tea and plain coffee. Cocktails, wine, beer and specialty coffees are all extra.

Dinner does look bad. I don't trust Disney to make a good steak, unless it is one of their signature restaurants.

Agreed. The safer options are the pastas and chicken dishes.

That sounds very unpleasant. I get seasick even in calm waters, which is why I won't go on another cruise.

There were a LOT of people not feeling well, but I also saw a lot of scopalamine patches on. It's really the luck of the draw. There are safer seasons to go for rough seas, but even then it's a risk of open waters.

 

[Steppesister]

Sigh. Jimmy LOVED playing, and what a fun way to spend time in MK when wait times were high. We really miss it!

I know there are now magic band tech things to do, but they totally chew up the battery and even moreso your phone battery if you do it on the app. No thanks. I miss the collector cards and the fun CM interactions you got as you collected them.

Aww, and the Mary Engelbreit edition at that!! Love that you and Mrs. Claus shared a special moment together, too.

She was really a sensation in the 90s! I remember when she first started putting out books and my kids sure loved them.

This is such an awesome surprise!! On our Very Merrytime cruise in 2019, Jimmy was in the kids club so much that we didn't bother with storytime with Mrs. Claus, but now I'm bummed we didn't!!

I can imagine though that there were some fun things going on in the club too. Honestly there were so many options it's hard for kiddos to NOT have fun.

Ugh!! Our first night in 2019 was a bit rocky--the curtains in the theater were swaying as we waited for the show to begin, but that was about as rough as it got. 47 mph winds--yikes. Hoping for smoother seas the rest of the way!

Oh dear! Sounds about the same! Not fun!

 

[Steppesister]

I'm enjoying your cruise. I've never done one but I've been very tempted. I'm no so sure now. I could not handle rough seas at all. I'll just live through you for now.

I thought you had been on one! Time to go!! I don't think most cruises are really rough like that. Steer clear of October-Dec and you should be ok?

Loved the interaction with Mrs. Claus an the character surprise. I'm sure the kids were beside themselves. Seeing Belle in her Christmas outfit would make me giddy.

It really was a super nice afternoon with all that was going on in the atrium that day. A nice variety of things both adults and kids would enjoy for sure.

 

[pkondz]

Good point! Glad no one tried to use an kite out there!

I know where you can get a tail for that kite, too.

Right place (ship); wrong end.

Heh, I'm there a lot lately.

Why not?

Funds are on the low side right now, and probably will be for a long while.

Like seriously, that sounds like the most horrible way to die EVER.

What? No interest in having your skin scraped off by barnacles while you drown?

She is a sassy one. No wonder she and Tink didn't get along.

Just me, being silly.

It would be very un-Merrytime-Cruise of me not to.

Good for you.

I'm sure the gift shop has some, Donald.

"That'll be $4,396."

"Thanks, I'll remain pantsless... quack."

Well, yeah! Of course.

Noooo, not the gumdrop buttons!"

Kari told me that they had a habit of "disappearing" so now you can buy a whole set in the gift shop. Disney never misses a turn.

I think I knew that already...

Sigh.... no, didn't want to mess up the service- ya win some, ya lose some.

"Wow. This tastes like someone ran over a dog, then threw the corpse in a fire for 24 hours, scraped it out and put it on a plate."
"Is everything all right with your meal?"
"Yes! Wonderful!"

It's the MOST Wonderful Time of the Year...

It was a really nice gift from a dear friend.

Ah!

 

[Steppesister]

H is for: Harvesting Holiday Happenings at Sea​

Looking ahead to the post-cruise plan, I decided to bank my sleep a bit and rolled my carcass out bed at 8:00. By 9:00, we sallied up to the buffet and chose our fare; I went with a Scandinavian assortment while Kari went with the breakfast of a 5-year-old. There is no shame in that; I applaud her vacation mojo. But I’m old and decrepit and need all the Omega-3’s I can get.

​

The Breakfast Overlord:

​

Invigorated with breakfast, it was time to get our art muscles strengthened. Passing through the Pink lounge, themed to look as if you are inside a bottle of champagne with inspiration taken from the scene in Dumbo where he gets soused, the lounge is actually quite pretty. The soft pinks make a soothing atmosphere and if I ever find myself on another Disney cruise, I wouldn’t mind spending a little time in The District and other lounges to see what they are like after dark.

​

Our after-breakfast destination was another lounge-y space (Sorry, Kari or others more familiar with DCL than myself will have to ID it.) for a morning drawing class. I love these, especially at AK at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. I never go a trip anymore without heading there for at least one session. And normally they turn out pretty decent. Today would not be such an occasion. At all. I managed to turn poor Nick into an absolute freak of nature, and left laughing at my feeble attempt- it’s all in good fun. Kari’s was vastly superior for certain!

​

Failure bred fatigue so we went back to the room, and I proceeded to spend the next 3 hours sleeping. Yep, I paid for a cruise and did a hefty amount of time in my cozy little ship-nest getting some much-needed rest in. It was bliss!

At 1:00 this little beauty accidentally-ish found it’s way into my hands on our way to Disney Music Trivia. But first, a stroll through Vanellope's Sweets and Treats. This is definitely a haven for those with a sweet tooth!

​

Music Trivia sounded fun so we settled in to give it a shot. We sucked. But that's not the story I want to share:

Enter… Ms. Annoying...

Why does there always have to be “that one”? Playing along was a couple of ladies who wanted to make sure everyone else in the room knew that they got every single answer and in the most annoying way possible. They were loud and frankly obnoxious. Maybe I’m being too harsh; everyone has fun in their own way, but oy.

Anyway, we didn’t do very well at Trivia but definitely enjoyed the live piano played to present each song for guessing. I LOVED that in fact! I think, when comparing cruise lines, that’s one way in which Disney excels a bit.

​

At that point, Kari went back to the room while I joined a 3:45 Art of the Theme Show Tour which highlighted the theme and design of the ship’s various venues and areas. It started in the Meridian Lounge where I learned all about the detailing that I shared in a previous chapter.

​

Unfortunately, like a tick under my sock, the same ladies from Trivia were part of the tour and, true to form, she interrupted our guide multiple times, bragged about how much she knew and was generally “that one”.

From there, the group of about 30 of us went into Palo where our sweet guide, Megan, shared about the use of space to make it appear very open and how the theme of ocean, specifically Venice, was used. The chandelier was perplexing when we’d visited earlier in the cruise but when she said that it was literally named “Spaghetti and Meatballs” and was made of Venetian glass it all made sense. Fun details as always with Disney.

​

We made our way from area to area, and she focused a lot on the art in the staircase landings and how they were chosen to blend with the venues adjacent to them as well as the process of its building from steel cutting to decorating. I found it fascinating that the ship starts with a shell and each cabin is a pre-fabbed unit that is slipped in later. I don’t remember too many other details, but the tour was very enjoyable and well worth the hour.

​

Continued in next post...

 

[Steppesister]

The tour ended a little before 5:00 so I had a bit of time to kill until our 5:45 seating at The Enchanted Garden. I was a bit peckish already and had a hankering for a cocktail. Remember that sweet little lounge, The Cove, we’d visited for coffee? I headed there after grabbing a slice of Flo’s pizza and ordered up “one for Dad”- his favorite, a Cuba Libre. One turned into two and was enjoyed paired with an elegant Rice Krispy Treat. There is no better tangible illustration of “putting lipstick on a pig”.

​

At some point we texted to meet in the Atrium and enjoyed a few minutes of piano music before heading to dinner. I can’t be sure but think this was the same gal who’d played earlier for our Trivia game. As we sat and listened, we caught a sighting of the brand-new Disney Treasure passing us- I’d been seeing a few Vlogger/Influencers who were onboard during that voyage and everyone was giving rave reviews- especially about the Haunted Mansion-themed lounge. Yes, I’d sail on her JUST for that. . I also spied my first ever (and only) rubber ducky there on the seats! Lucky me!! Kari found one earlier tucked up into the elevator ceiling- a super clever find!

​

The Enchanted Garden was fine. Of all the venues I think this one is my favorite in terms of design and décor. I really love the garden theme and its faux open feel.

​

The meal was much better than the previous night’s. I started with a cream of asparagus soup and followed with a spinach and raspberry salad. Both were quite good and light. For my main course I chose the seabass on risotto which was also pretty good. I don’t know who from the table ordered these, but I ended up with photos of the lobster ravioli and the ahi tuna as well. One of our tablemates liked to order multiples from EACH course and shockingly, he actually even ate them all, so I’m guessing it was him- the one from Vegas. LOL!

​

The wind had died down and the ship was back to its usual smooth sailing which was a blessing after the couple of rough nights we’d had already. With hopes of a beautiful night’s sleep, we said good-night to the unidentifiable towel animal and hit the sack with our little glowing Christmas lights making things merry and bright.

​

Speaking of "Merry and Bright"... I've been unreliable with my Christmas Alphabet Hunt- so to catch up, I present:

F is for: Festival Favorites

​

Frost

​

and Fires in the Fireplace

​

G is for: Gingerbread, of course!!

​

and

H is for: Hot Cocoa!

​

 

[missjackiemcg]

Passing through the Pink lounge, themed to look as if you are inside a bottle of champagne with inspiration taken from the scene in Dumbo where he gets soused, the lounge is actually quite pretty.

I had the same feeling when we visited there!! Next time I'd like to spend more time there or maybe even do a champagne tasting! I love all things pink, so it's definitely my style!

I managed to turn poor Nick into an absolute freak of nature, and left laughing at my feeble attempt- it’s all in good fun. Kari’s was vastly superior for certain!

I feel like the "pointy" characters are a lot harder to draw, LOL!! Speaking from my own experience. I've created a couple Disney freaks of nature, as well, but I do love an animation class!!

I headed there after grabbing a slice of Flo’s pizza and ordered up “one for Dad”- his favorite, a Cuba Libre.

Love this!

I also spied my first ever (and only) rubber ducky there on the seats!

It's such a simple thing, but I just love rubber duckies!!!! I've never found one on a cruise, but have had a couple of amazing ones dropped into my fish extender pocket! Most recently, I got "Doris," with her matching accessories--a blue hat, gold necklace, sunglasses and a tiny duck intertube to float on. She went everywhere with us for the rest of our cruise! And I'm packing her again in May for sure!

 

[Steppesister]

I had the same feeling when we visited there!! Next time I'd like to spend more time there or maybe even do a champagne tasting! I love all things pink, so it's definitely my style!

It's super pretty in there, and the holiday garlands made it even more sparkly and pretty.

I feel like the "pointy" characters are a lot harder to draw, LOL!! Speaking from my own experience. I've created a couple Disney freaks of nature, as well, but I do love an animation class!!

They are! Oy! what a nightmare but, like you, I still have fun and enjoy the process.

Love this!

It's such a simple thing, but I just love rubber duckies!!!! I've never found one on a cruise, but have had a couple of amazing ones dropped into my fish extender pocket! Most recently, I got "Doris," with her matching accessories--a blue hat, gold necklace, sunglasses and a tiny duck intertube to float on. She went everywhere with us for the rest of our cruise! And I'm packing her again in May for sure!

Such a fun little "extra" on these cruises. Not something you'd see on my usual fuddy-duddy HAL line. Nice way for adults to have a little childlike fun for sure!

 

[pkondz]

I decided to bank my sleep a bit and rolled my carcass out bed at 8:00.

I don't think of getting up at 8am as sleeping late.

I went with a Scandinavian assortment while Kari went with the breakfast of a 5-year-old.

There is no shame in that; I applaud her vacation mojo.

Upon inspection, I think I'm gonna side with Kari on this one.

The Breakfast Overlord:


[][/]

inspiration taken from the scene in Dumbo where he gets soused

What an odd place to take inspiration from!

Totally see it there.

Not at all vertigo inducing!

I love these, especially at AK at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. I never go a trip anymore without heading there for at least one session.

You must be an expert by now!

... or perhaps... not so much.

Failure bred fatigue

so we went back to the room, and I proceeded to spend the next 3 hours sleeping.

How is that even possible???

Yep, I paid for a cruise and did a hefty amount of time in my cozy little ship-nest getting some much-needed rest in. It was bliss!

Well, I'm glad you enjoyed that aspect of your voyage!

At 1:00 this little beauty accidentally-ish found it’s way into my hands on our way to Disney Music Trivia.

Always a mystery how that happens. Scientists everywhere are baffled.

mmmmm.. yes please.

Enter… Ms. Annoying...

Why does there always have to be “that one”? Playing along was a couple of ladies who wanted to make sure everyone else in the room knew that they got every single answer and in the most annoying way possible. They were loud and frankly obnoxious. Maybe I’m being too harsh; everyone has fun in their own way, but oy.

They really think that people enjoy their antics. I suspect their three-year-old kid once found them amusing and now they think they're the best form of entertainment.

definitely enjoyed the live piano played to present each song for guessing. I LOVED that in fact!

Huh! Now that's impressive.

Art of the Theme Show Tour which highlighted the theme and design of the ship’s various venues and areas.

I would definitely want to do this.

Unfortunately, like a tick under my sock, the same ladies from Trivia were part of the tour

Great word-play. <bravo>

true to form, she interrupted our guide multiple times, bragged about how much she knew and was generally “that one”.

People like this have not learned to Shut. Up.

how the theme of ocean, specifically Venice, was used. The chandelier was perplexing when we’d visited earlier in the cruise but when she said that it was literally named “Spaghetti and Meatballs” and was made of Venetian glass it all made sense. Fun details as always with Disney.


[][/]

Ohhhh!!!! I totally see it! Love that.

she focused a lot on the art in the staircase landings and how they were chosen to blend with the venues adjacent to them as well as the process of its building from steel cutting to decorating.

Cool!

I found it fascinating that the ship starts with a shell and each cabin is a pre-fabbed unit that is slipped in later.

I did know this.

I was a bit peckish already

ordered up “one for Dad”- his favorite, a Cuba Libre.

Awww...
Very nice of you.

One turned into two and was enjoyed paired with an elegant Rice Krispy Treat. There is no better tangible illustration of “putting lipstick on a pig”.

I was just thinking how the two just didn't go together. Well said!

Mind you, it's a pretty fancy piece of Rice Krispie treat.

I can’t be sure but think this was the same gal who’d played earlier for our Trivia game.

I think so? Looks similar, at least.

As we sat and listened, we caught a sighting of the brand-new Disney Treasure passing us- I’d been seeing a few Vlogger/Influencers who were onboard during that voyage and everyone was giving rave reviews- especially about the Haunted Mansion-themed lounge.

I've heard of that! Such a great idea.

Yes, I’d sail on her JUST for that.

I also spied my first ever (and only) rubber ducky there on the seats! Lucky me!!

Good for you!

faux open feel.

[][/]

It does look like a skylight, doesn't it? I presume it's not on the top deck...

I started with a cream of asparagus soup and followed with a spinach and raspberry salad. Both were quite good and light. For my main course I chose the seabass on risotto which was also pretty good.

All sounds pretty good.

The wind had died down and the ship was back to its usual smooth sailing which was a blessing after the couple of rough nights we’d had already.

phew!

we said good-night to the unidentifiable towel animal

Slug. I'm going with slug.

Frost

Oh, please. I go to Florida to get away from that nonsense.

G is for: Gingerbread, of course!!

Of course!

It certainly appears that you did!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

By 9:00, we sallied up to the buffet and chose our fare; I went with a Scandinavian assortment while Kari went with the breakfast of a 5-year-old.

Froot loops used to be one of the highlights of holidays in the US.for my kids. We dont really have them here so they were always the first thing they wanted to eat. At least it was a cheap treat on my end

Pink lounge, themed to look as if you are inside a bottle of champagne

Ooh I could definitely enjoy a glass or two there . Very pretty.

a morning drawing class.

That looks fun.

Failure bred fatigue so we went back to the room, and I proceeded to spend the next 3 hours sleeping

I think both drawings look way better than anything I could do.

It was bliss!

Sometimes sleep is sheer luxury!

At 1:00 this little beauty accidentally-ish found its way into my hands on our way to Disney Music Trivia.

But first, a stroll through Vanellope's Sweets and Treats.

I might just have set up residence in there! I have a very sweet tooth. Tbh I like savoury just as much. Basically I just like food in all its forms except shellfish and offal which I detest in equal measure.

Why does there always have to be “that one”?

I don’t know but there always is!

definitely enjoyed the live piano played to present each song for guessing. I LOVED that in fact!

Love this.

Art of the Theme Show Tour

I also think this sounds good. I never knew about the coin tradition.

Unfortunately, like a tick under my sock, the same ladies from Trivia were part of the tour

Murphy’s Law!

ordered up “one for Dad”- his favorite, a Cuba Libre.

I can’t be sure but think this was the same gal who’d played earlier for our Trivia game.

I think so too.

we caught a sighting of the brand-new Disney Treasure passing us-

That is very cool.

I also spied my first ever (and only) rubber ducky there on the seats! Lucky me!!

I didn’t know about the ducks until quite recently. Such a fun find.

The Enchanted Garden was fine.

It looks quite pretty and your meal sounded decent.

The wind had died down and the ship was back to its usual smooth sailing

Always the better option. I’m sure you were thankful for that.

we said good-night to the unidentifiable towel animal

I have no idea. Slug sounds about right

 

[franandaj]

Due to health issues, we were able to request and utilize the golf cart/shuttle option to travel the approximately 9 miles from ship to shore on the pier. Ho-leeee-smokes that is a long one! We were both glad that was available to us!

From a long time of caring for someone with health issues, I know that while folks are envious of the fact that you can utilize these services, it's tough on the person to live with them. But believe me, that walk is no joke!

First, we slowly wandered in the more developed areas and got a good overview of what was where, but one of our main goals of the day was to walk along the Nature Trail to the little historic lighthouse and back. We found the path and started our slow journey.

I didn't even know about the nature trail, but still not sure I would have wanted to wander it. You'll see that mine and Jill's visit was much different, and still a few updates away.

I’ll bet you’re dying to know if we found ANY of them...

Well sort of.....

The amount of searching we did bordered on ridiculous, but we had a ball chasing the gigantor Money-bat Moths from their palm tree perches.

But these would be the least of what I searched for. I am not a fan of moths!

The lighthouse was interesting but nothing that held us there for more than a few minutes.

Yeah, I don't think I would have been enthralled with that one.....

We were able to spot a couple more of Lookout Cay’s animals including a really nice Land Crab who patiently posed for me.

Now that's cute!

We found the adult-only lunch venue called Serenity Bay BBQ. All of the offerings are the same at the family-friendly areas as this one and while there is less noise from kiddos, they more than make up for it in loud (and not very good) Calypso-esque live music.

Did you have a problem with flies? Evidently that was thing on our cruise.

I took my little cup of deliciousness to the ice cream station and made myself a pretty decent affogado which served as a perfect dessert and afternoon pick-me-up before heading back to the ship.

Now that sounds tasty!

I came away with this wonderful little basket which we’ve actually used quite a lot since I gave it to her. The artist/weaver was right there and explained how this little chip and dip basket was woven with silver palm leaves (mostly dried, but not quite). I LOVE it and love that we can use it for evening snacks together.

It's so nice when you can find something on a trip that reminds you of the experience when you use it!

Grief is so very hard, as you know.

Oh yes, and it hits you at the strangest moments.

I actually think you were there a week before me. You guys were gone by the time I was able to finally get there, after a TON of trip re-arranging. Would have been nice to see you guys.

We left on the 17th....I'm not quite sure when your days were.....

Breathlessly, I gathered my clues from Pepe’s door, rode every elevator the Dream has, and re-introduced myself to every Muppets character ever conjured up by Mr. Henson.

I really enjoyed doing these Midship Detective adventures!

First up was a really nice ensemble singing some acapella Christmas carols and songs. It was my understanding that this was a grassroots group of regular ship staff that organically came together.

I bet they had some great Christmas entertainment!

I must have been mouthing the words as Mrs. Claus read. After her story time, I wanted a photo with her, and she was tickled that I recited (silently) along with her.

How sweet!

And she told them she had a really fun surprise for them and to close their eyes and turn around. As they did, a slew of characters descended the grand staircase and when she told them to turn around and open their eyes there they all were!!

I love this! Disney does the best surprises.

I should have anticipated and guessed this, but I was just as thrilled and surprised as the 4- and 5-year-olds surrounding me.

I know! I get "Disney shamed" by people who don't get it, but I can't help getting just as giddy as any 4-5 yo when I see the characters. Rather than shaming, they should just be happy for my happiness.

She laughed when I told her I probably read even more than she did but that I was still jealous of her library.

And I love these interactions with characters! They have so many fun responses to individual situations!

I went out on a limb and ordered the steak. I should have known better- it was literally so tough I could hardly chew it.

That's odd because usually they do a great job on steaks.

Kari did me a solid and reminded our server that I’d still love to try that Grand Marnier Souffle that we’d missed the night before at the Royal Palace. True to his word, he showed up with the loveliest pot of Heaven ever.

Oh isn't it absolutely the best?

I am convinced that @franandaj knows a good thing when she tastes it!

I can't wait to have one in May on my Birthday Cruise!

But our server wasn’t done yet… within 5 minutes he then showed up with a small piece of rich, dark chocolate mousse cake for a Graduation Celebration. I needed this like I need another round of snow this year. There was zero chance I’d even try a bite so asked for a cover and took it to the room where it died a slow, cold and painful death in the room fridge.

That's too bad. I'm sure it was deeelicious!

I think we did stay for the whole show “Believe” but had a really tough time getting back the room. There were already people throwing up and there were cast members here and there handing out barf bags to those who needed them.

Ugh.

I decided to bank my sleep a bit and rolled my carcass out bed at 8:00.

I'm lucky if I make it to 6AM these days. Most of the time I give up on sleep now at 5AM.

The Breakfast Overlord:

I love him!

Passing through the Pink lounge, themed to look as if you are inside a bottle of champagne

It looks so cute with the Christmas Decorations!

Sorry, Kari or others more familiar with DCL than myself will have to ID it.

I think that was the D-Lounge, I didn't spend much time in there because the adult activities were in other spaces.

Why does there always have to be “that one”? Playing along was a couple of ladies who wanted to make sure everyone else in the room knew that they got every single answer and in the most annoying way possible.

Oh geez, yeah, super annoying!

Unfortunately, like a tick under my sock, the same ladies from Trivia were part of the tour and, true to form, she interrupted our guide multiple times, bragged about how much she knew and was generally “that one”.

Ugh....

From there, the group of about 30 of us went into Palo where our sweet guide, Megan, shared about the use of space to make it appear very open and how the theme of ocean, specifically Venice, was used.

I wish we would have went to Palo, but seeing the kids area was fun too!

One turned into two and was enjoyed paired with an elegant Rice Krispy Treat.

I love those rice krispy treats. All sorts of things I have to experience in May!

I don’t know who from the table ordered these, but I ended up with photos of the lobster ravioli

I hope it was better than my Lobster Ravioli, mine was gross.

 

[vamassey1]

I'm enjoying all the activities you did on your cruise. I think the details tour would be my favorite.

I'm glad the food was getting better for you too.

Cruises are meant to be relaxing, so taking naps are what your should be doing.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I also spied my first ever (and only) rubber ducky there on the seats! Lucky me!! Kari found one earlier tucked up into the elevator ceiling- a super clever find!

Are the rubber ducks part of a cruise activity? I'm sure that the kids would love to hunt for them.

 

[franandaj]

Are the rubber ducks part of a cruise activity? I'm sure that the kids would love to hunt for them.

They have actually been banned by DCL. People hide them around the ship, but they have become a nuisance, so Disney does not condone people hiding them. However people still do it.

 

[Steppesister]

I don't think of getting up at 8am as sleeping late.

No, but it wasn't easy to haul the keister out either.

Upon inspection, I think I'm gonna side with Kari on this one.

I thought you might.

What an odd place to take inspiration from!

One of the few scenes in Disney where inebriation happened.

You must be an expert by now!

Getting there!

... or perhaps... not so much.

You took the words right out of my mouth! (Someone should take the pencil right out of my hand)

How is that even possible???

Extreme fatigue?

mmmmm.. yes please.

I still cannot figure out why cruise lines charge extra for gelato. Both HAL and DCL do. So odd....

They really think that people enjoy their antics. I suspect their three-year-old kid once found them amusing and now they think they're the best form of entertainment.

I think they do. In most situations it's just called being rude.

I would definitely want to do this.

It was a wonderful tour for sure!

Great word-play. <bravo>

Thanks! I was rather pleased with that one myself.

People like this have not learned to Shut. Up.

Nope.

Bwock, bwock!

I was just thinking how the two just didn't go together. Well said!

Nope, they sure didn't!

Mind you, it's a pretty fancy piece of Rice Krispie treat.

How to make a cheap treat appealing.

It does look like a skylight, doesn't it? I presume it's not on the top deck...

No, definitely not. But a great job at creating the illusion.

Oh, please. I go to Florida to get away from that nonsense.

Yeah, nothing like a frosty scene when it's 85 degs out.

It certainly appears that you did!

 

[Steppesister]

Froot loops used to be one of the highlights of holidays in the US.for my kids. We dont really have them here so they were always the first thing they wanted to eat. At least it was a cheap treat on my end

They were actually a staple for my childhood breakfasts and I do like them, but I am trying really hard to eat better, healthy food. I have too much I want to be able to do without getting diabetes or heart disease. (Now if I could only get out and exercise more.)

Ooh I could definitely enjoy a glass or two there . Very pretty.

Definitely! I have no idea how loud it would be when it's open in the evenings.

I think both drawings look way better than anything I could do.

Nah, but have you ever done one at Art of Animation Resort or at Rafiki's?

I might just have set up residence in there! I have a very sweet tooth. Tbh I like savoury just as much. Basically I just like food in all its forms except shellfish and offal which I detest in equal measure.

I'm not much of a sweets fanatic and would choose a savory far more often, but everything was sure pretty in there!

I also think this sounds good. I never knew about the coin tradition.

I didn't either. Such a really nice way of commemorating.

That is very cool.

I sure thought so!

I didn’t know about the ducks until quite recently. Such a fun find.

IT was!! Lucky me!

I have no idea. Slug sounds about right

I'm going to go with that too. Maybe a lowkey commentary on how cruisers feel after a week of buffets and laziness.

 

[Steppesister]

From a long time of caring for someone with health issues, I know that while folks are envious of the fact that you can utilize these services, it's tough on the person to live with them. But believe me, that walk is no joke!

It is for certain. I'm so happy they have an option to make it great for everyone and less hard.

I didn't even know about the nature trail, but still not sure I would have wanted to wander it. You'll see that mine and Jill's visit was much different, and still a few updates away.

Then I'm anxious to read all about it. Our crappy weather played a bit part of our time there and abbreviated visit.

But these would be the least of what I searched for. I am not a fan of moths!

They were really big.... the blur of a shape we got anyway. They are fast too!

Did you have a problem with flies? Evidently that was thing on our cruise.

They had some little battery operated fan like things that kept most at bay. But it was SO windy that it wasn't that big a problem.

Now that sounds tasty!

Gotta get creative now and then. Especially for coffee emergencies.

It's so nice when you can find something on a trip that reminds you of the experience when you use it!

For sure! I try to get souvies that I can actually use- at least Disney ones.

Oh yes, and it hits you at the strangest moments.

It does. You just never know what's going to trigger those memories or times of grief.

We left on the 17th....I'm not quite sure when your days were.....

Hmm, I'd have to go back and look actually. Everything was all messed up with the multiple changes. I'm just glad I could go at all given the circumstances.

I really enjoyed doing these Midship Detective adventures!

Just another reason for me to do another DCL some day.

I bet they had some great Christmas entertainment!

I absolutely loved all of it. A nice variety too!

I love this! Disney does the best surprises.

They really do.

know! I get "Disney shamed" by people who don't get it, but I can't help getting just as giddy as any 4-5 yo when I see the characters. Rather than shaming, they should just be happy for my happiness.

Agreed!

And I love these interactions with characters! They have so many fun responses to individual situations!

They must really practice a lot or just have a natural talent for thinking on their feet. I just don't very well. :/

I'm lucky if I make it to 6AM these days. Most of the time I give up on sleep now at 5AM.

I have a permanent 6:15 alarm every weekday set. Yuck.

I think that was the D-Lounge, I didn't spend much time in there because the adult activities were in other spaces.

That sure rings a bell. I think you're right!

I wish we would have went to Palo, but seeing the kids area was fun too!

I guess there is just a limited time and they have to pick and choose. I think both might be equally fun to learn more about.

All sorts of things I have to experience in May!

So excited for you!

I hope it was better than my Lobster Ravioli, mine was gross.

I don't think I asked whoever ordered it- the conversation was a bit.... limited... with the language barriers.

 

[Steppesister]

I'm enjoying all the activities you did on your cruise. I think the details tour would be my favorite.

I'm glad the food was getting better for you too.

Cruises are meant to be relaxing, so taking naps are what your should be doing.

I do think you'd love that tour. For those of us that love the backstories and attention to theming and detail this is the perfect tour.

It was, but I wish it'd been better overall.

They are! And I sure got my share of that.

 

[Steppesister]

Are the rubber ducks part of a cruise activity? I'm sure that the kids would love to hunt for them.

No, a little passenger bit of fun, but apparently, it's gotten to be a no-no. I'm sure the crew has their reasons they think it's getting in the way, but it's definitely a fan favorite.