the firstmickeys MAGICAL Western Cruise Aug 12-19: First Time Cruisers

[firstmickey]

And the pics that go with.....


Our professional pics we had done taken with my camera (my scanner isnt hooked up right now!...the white light on it is the flash on my camera!)

and

our servers, Ciao Romano and Kira:

My beautiful cake:

and a Key West Sunset....

Ciao for Now as our cruise director Andy would say!
I have to go back to reality for a little while!

 

[michelle9343]

I am really enjoying you report. Can't wait to read the rest!

 

[Grammyof2]

Loved the matching outfits


Monorail girl

 

[CdnDisneyNut]

Great trip report so far Donna

 

[tmasingo]

Loving the report, Donna

 

[firstmickey]

Thanks for all of the nice comments everyone! Now on to......


Day Three: Character Breakfast and a Day at Sea



I get up at my usual 6 am and since everyone is stills snoozing I head for coffee on Deck 9 and to my favorite spot on Deck 10 at the front of the ship. Those of us that are up this early smile and say good morning.....cause we know what the others don't. That this is the best time on the ship. It's quiet, the sun is rising and it's great to be here savoring the morning before the hustle and bustle. I usually see the same people every day and they feel like friends by the end of the cruise.

I think about signing onto the internet...Im dying to talk to my friends on the Angel/Riddle threads (come play the daily riddle with us...you will love it!) but I resist. Im on vacation. Even from that. (sorry guys!)

Eventually I head back down and get everyone moving cause we have character breakfast in Parrot Cay this morning at 8:15. It would have been nice to let kids sleep a little especially Kaitlin but we had to get moving. Psycho camera of course chose not to work despite recharging it again over night. So I took my lame little disposable camera with me.

At Parrot Cay, we use our "so no one gets sick wipey" and are led to table 54 which is close to the little dance floor area and we can see the show they do later on really well. (I dont want to give anything away for future cruisers...you will just have to see for yourself!) Our server Ciao was ill and not present at breakfast but Kira was there and we had several of the other servers helping her out. Even Stephan our head server was helping. It was kind of fun to get to have them all.

the kids decide to try the clubs after breakfast but Kaitlin was kind of reluctant. Dan heads to work out and I decided to try Bingo. I wasnt even to the door and I got the page saying Kaitlin signed herself out and was heading to the room so I went to get her and she came to Bingo with me in Rockin' Bar D. She said she didnt feel like playing Pictionary so she left. She just had a really difficult time with the clubs. She didnt enjoy the Lab or the Oceanquest. The plight of the tweener I guess. We had fun at bingo but the ship seemed to be really rocking and we could really feel it. Dan joined us for a little bit then was going back to the stateroom so Kaitlin went with him.

Bingo was amusing thanks to Pikey and Karen (Kaz) but I won nuthin'! Again, that Magical anticipation thing...it's much better than actually playing. Unless of course you win! While playing Bingo, I get this page saying Kevin signed himself out and was heading to the stateroom then to the Goofy pool on deck 9. Uhhhh..no, he's not. LOL! But I knew Dan was there to intercept him! I draw the line at pools by yourself especially without a lifeguard present!

I head back to the stateroom and find them all ready to go to the Goofy pool. So I get ready and go too. I find this to be the most disappointing thing about the cruise. It just seems to me that the family pool should be the "WOW" pool on the boat. It's the place where most of the people spend the time. Not to take away from the other pools...I just thought it should be better. But I admit the Dumbotron thing is very cool! It's very loud however and difficult to read with the movie and activities blaring. The kids had fun and they both tried the Mickey slide a couple of times too. JUST AN FYI: make sure you wear flip flops over to the pool and back to your chair and don't walk in bare feet. Kevin burned his feet badly and got huge blisters from walking on the deck. It was extremely hot!

Dan had a wine tasting thing at 2pm which he said was very enjoyable...so I hung out with the kids. They grabbed some hamburgers and chicken and I went and got some fruit and stir fry from the Topsiders buffet. It was pretty good.
The kids went back to the cabin to chill out for a little while and I went to the adult pool with a margarita! I love the little ledge on the adult pool that you can sit and read while being in the water. It's a good thing!


It was formal night tonight so I went back to the cabin to make sure everyone was getting showered and ready to go. I wanted to make sure we had formal pics taken which we did but didnt really care for any of them. Psycho camera was still not working so Dan went to Shutters and bought me the Nikon Cool Pix L2 with 6 megapixels! He knew I would be psychotic without a camera for the whole trip and he wanted me to have one! We also bought the photo package with 8X10's and 6X8's. (VERY EXPENSIVE Shutters trip!) but Im worth it! We bought pics of our matching outfits and ordered more for grandparents too.


We head to Parrot Cay for Formal night and it was a very nice dinner. Our server Ciao was still sick so we had everyone filling in but then mostly had a server named Pairoj from Thailand. Kevin loved him! He was awesome with him. They became fast friends and he remembered him all over the ship. He even came to visit us when Ciao was back. He was truly wonderful and he really added to Kevin's magic on the whole trip!

I can not for the life of me remember what we ate besides the cold mango soup which Kaitlin even tried and loved. I know dessert was good! LOL! and Kevin had a selected assortment of ice cream again which cracked Pairoj up.

We head back to the room to change clothes and then off to the Golden Mickeys. This was our favorite show of all of them. I won't give any of it away but it was really good. After that we shopped a little. Kaitlin had a little meltdown and complained of a headache so we took kids back to the room and they went to bed. I forgot to add that all night long last night when she was in the top bunk, she would accidentally kick the metal thing on the wall. It woke me up about 100 times so I told her no more top bunk for her. She was quite ok with that...she said it was too hot up there anyway.
They enjoyed the towel elephant that Albert had left us. It was good that they went to bed early...we had to be up early for Grand Cayman tomorrow.

Dan and I went to Rockin' Bar D and saw the adult cabaret Gary Delena show. He was quite funny and again we saw Michelle and family there. It was nice to sit and relax with some drinks in the evening together.

All in all...another magical day and I no longer have to worry about psycho camera.

 

[firstmickey]

Pics:



Kaitlin on formal night:

Kevin with the elephant:

My babies on Formal Night!

 

[pam66]

I'm loving your trip report!

 

[firstmickey]

More pics:

 

[firstmickey]

Ok....


Day 4: Grand Cayman Day



I wake up early and head up for coffee and my favorite spot on Deck 10. I stand and watch the sunrise and Grand Cayman come into view...it's breathtaking. (Do you believe I left my new camera in the room? )
I stand at the front with the others and we all kind of just take it in then head on our way. I feel like Im in the sunrise club. Btw...Dan had yelled at me for not waking him up so this morning I did and he mumbled....mmpphh..too early....blah blah blah and went back to sleep. His loss. I go back and get everyone up, swimsuits on and sunscreen. We have to be in Diversions at 8:20 for our excursion to Rum Point Beach advenure and snorkeling with stingrays. We send the kids up to start eating breakfast at Topsiders while we finish getting ready pack up to go. I PAINFULLY decide to leave my brand new camera behind and take a disposable one because I didnt know how safe it would be to take it and leave it on the beach. I take several disposable ones and two of the water cameras that I brought.

After a quick buffet breakfast...mickey waffles with strawberries YUM!..we head to Diversions and we are placed in the Donald Duck group and given tickets for tenders and towels. It's all a very organized system. They do it quite well but you still feel kind of clueless at first. We tender to shore...incredible views and of course get to look back at the Magic. Kaitlin gets a little ill on the tender...it was rocking pretty good for a while there! After the tender they load us on buses for a 20 min ride to a FERRY which is another 45 minute ride. Kevin fell sound asleep on me and the beach bag on the ferry. (fun is exhausting ya know!)

I look over at Kaitlin and she is just beaming. She's on the end...enjoying the sun and the breeze...looking at the water and just everything. I take this fabulous picture of her. She seems like my Kaitlin again and it just made the ride all that more fun for me. Im happy she's happy (for a change!) The water seemed to get bluer and more fabulous the longer we were on that ferry! When we get off the ferry, they told us that half of us could go do the stingray tour now and half when they got back. I wanted to do it early so we could enjoy the beach later. We get on yet another boat to go to Stingray Island and the captain announces that there are too many people on the boat. He says that some people need to get off. No one is jumping up to do this but finally one couple volunteers. He says that he needs three more people to leave so Dan decides it should be us. (I was a little miffed but we got off and did the nice thing...which no one appreciated or even said thank you!). Oh well, no worries! We will do it next and enjoy the beach first. We are in Paradise.

As we walk along the pier...we see the gorgeous beach. Palm trees...sand....crystal clear blue green water. Rum Point Beach is beautiful. We play in the water and Kevin gets all worked up about the SALT in the water. I forgot that he hadn't been to the beach in a couple years and forgot to remind him to keep his mouth closed! Whoops! Who put the all that salt in the ocean to ruin his magic I say to him! He had a little episode where he said he wasnt going in the ocean and sulked on the sand for a little while! I just left him there to sulk and we got some snorkeling equipment to try.

Kaitlin, Dan and I enjoyed snorkeling. We saw a conch walking along and a stingray with a fish on his back. We were laughing and having a good time and Kevin couldnt stand it so he finally came out and joined us but said he wasn't going underwater! I told him...that's too bad...I was going to have you take some pics under there. (He LOVES cameras!) He had that mask on in a heartbeat and took pics of who knows what! One of them was Kaitlin holding a duck!

We swim and decide to head back for lunch which was included with our excursion. We sit a picnic table and the waiter brings us our food....just burgers/fries and chicken for kids along with THE BEST margarita I have ever had. It was electric blue and I dont remember what was in it but it was great! And I've had a lot of margaritas...I should know! of course, the second we got our food the boat came back for snorkler trip number 2 which was us. So we had to woof down our food and didnt even get to finish most of it because they told us to hurry out there. That was a bummer and I didnt get to finish my fabulous margarita either! LOL!


next up...snorkeling with stingrays!

 

[firstmickey]

Pics:

Happy Kaitlin:

Sleepy Kevin:

 

[Madaboutthemouse]

Great Report Donna!!!

 

[firstmickey]

Last pics for the night.....


Sulky Kevin on the beach

The pics he took when he finally got in the water!

Stingrays will have to wait till tomorrow!

 

[jrose529]

I'm really enjoying your report & the great pics. Sorry about your first camera, but getting a new one is fabulous!

I can't wait to read about the stingrays.

 

[Jillpie]

Oh my gosh, what a blast I just had reading your report. I think I spent an hour reading it, and I didn't want it to end . We did the Magic in June (double dip), so I can really appreciate everything you are talking about (except we never saw GC, oh wait a minute, or Key west either! lol). But I have 3 teenage boys, so do understand Kaitlin's moods. Anyway, I can't wait for your next installment tomorrow. Please hurry, I'm on the boat with you to go snorkeling!!!!!!

 

[ReggieB]

Hey Donna!

Loving your trip report. Had a bit of camera issue too, but thanks to Marco, who is at the moment, my most favorite person in the world, I seemed to have recovered most of the photos I thought I had lost.

It's funny looking at your photos, it's the first time on the Dis I've been "Hey I know those people!"

 

[firstmickey]

Hi Louise! I wish we had more time to spend with you! Ben was so adorable at the pirate party and looked like he had a great time! Im glad you recovered your pictures!


I got up and looked out my window today and thought.....THIS IS SOOOO NOT Grand Cayman!



ok, DAY 4: Grand Cayman/ Stingray Snorkeling


We hurry out to the glass bottom boat to take us to the Stingray Sandbar which was about a 20 minute ride. Since nothing was really visible other than sand through the glass, we pretty much just stood and enjoyed the view, the wind, the water and the sun. This was pretty much a high point for me. It was so beautiful and I was in my happy place. I said to Dan: This just doesn't suck...at all! Everyone was in a pretty good mood. We get out to the sandbar where there were a lot of boats just anchored and lots of people in the water. After a few minor mishaps with broken masks, we get into the water. Our guides must have thrown some shrimp in because the stingrays were on ATTACK! It was a little unnerving at first and Kevin kind of freaked. He clung to me (yeah...cause I wasn't freaked out...lol...go find Dad!) and I tried to move a little bit away. You really didnt need the snorkel equipment to see them and Kevin wouldnt snorkel. Kaitlin was a little freaked too and kind of hung back.

The stingrays keep brushing up against you the whole time...kinda like cats up against your legs! Finally, I got the nerve to ask the guide to show us how to feed them some shrimp. He gives one to Kevin (who is still clinging to me for dear life) and shows him how to hold it with your thumb tucked in. (so they don't mistake it for the shrimp?????? ). Once you have that shrimp in your hand....you are so toast! They circle like hounds and Im holding Kevin and they are all over me....Im like feed one! hurry!!!! I confess I let out the girly squeal. Ok, maybe twice or three times....but geez. Finally the guide captures a little one (that's a little one???) and helps Kevin feed it......which leads to him letting out a squeal! He said it felt like a vacuum.
I immediately head out of there a little bit away. It was cool...and Im glad we did it...but I don't need to ever feed one of those things again.

We did pet one that the other guide had picked up separately away from the herd (what are a pack of them called anyway?) It was a baby so it was smooth and a little slimey. Kaitlin petted one too and Dan was off snorkeling away making stingray friends all over. He tried to feed one too but just threw the shrimp at them when they started the attack! (at least that's Kaitlin's story!)

Soon it was time to get back on the boat and return to Rum Point. Kevin and I sat together at the back in the sun because he was cold. (yep...cold...that's Kevin!). I remember sitting with him......having some oranges (they pass them around after) and just loving being there in the sun listening to his little Kevin comments.

When we got back to Rum Point, we go about 10 mins before we had to head back to the ferry...to the bus....to the tender. There wasn't even time to shop in town! Bummer! but Dan and I had Palo reservations that night and I wanted time to get ready! The tender ride made us all a little ill but part of that was because the guys in the yellow suits were hanging off the side of the boat painting YES PAINTING the black bottom part of the Magic. We had to wait there a long time to get off the boat and the rocking with the fumes was just NOT a good thing! We got back about 3pm and we just had some chill time for a little bit.

The kids decided not to go to Lumiere's for dinner without us even though our servers told them they could. They went to deck 9 for some food up there and then to the arcade. I tried to get them to go to the kids clubs for a little while but neither one of them were interested. They ended up seeing the Shaggy Dog in the movie theater and then went to save us seats for the show later. (I know...I know...no seat saving! )


Up next.....dinner at Palo!

 

[firstmickey]

And the pics.....

 

[firstmickey]

I forgot to add.......while the excursion was really nice and we enjoyed the stingrays.....I don't think I would do that one again. Next time I would grab a cab to the nearest beach. There was just way too much time spent traveling to and from the excursion. (although we really enjoyed the boats). We would have really liked more beach time. It just didnt seem like the most efficient way to spend your day. JMHO.

 

[firstmickey]

Day 4: Palo


So the kids are off and we are ready for dinner early. (amazing how fast you can be when you only have to get yourself ready to go!). Dan and I head out to Shutters to look at pics. ( I spend waaayyy too much time there!) and we stop to get our pic with Sorceror Mickey and stop to talk to Belle who is wandering around by herself by the elevators. We head up to Palo 15 mins early and they seat us right away at a beautiful table right at the very back of the boat by the window. It's very elegant and pretty in there and not too many people. Our server is Aleksander from Croatia and I cant possibly even describe to you how wonderful he was. People had told me ...oh you have to try Palo....and I was always like...Ok...we will but you truly don't get it till you are there. It's the best service and meal I ever had. I feel like I am in the I know all about Palo club now!

He gave us a menu and chatted with us about our day and about his home a little. He told me that since I was there for the first time, he would let me see a menu but he was pretty much going to just take care of everything. I just gave him control! LOL! (it was kind of nice not to have to make decisions). He brought us bread and three dipping sauces....one made of olives, one of red peppers I think?, and the mayonaisy one which was scrumtptious! Also olives, prosciutto from Parma and Parmasan cheese. It was so yummy. I could have just been happy with that. We got the lemon martinis that he recommended and mixed at the table for us. DELCIOUS!

They have several pizzas on the menu which are not really appetizers or main food...they are just there...lol. We ordered the special one...with goat cheese, mozzarella and basil and he laughed and said he already put the order for that in for us because we had to try it!

I got the portabella mushroom for an appetizer and he brought Dan the Calamari and the salad with the best balsalmic dressing ever!
Dan had a bottle of wine that he had ordered with dinner the night before which our asst. server, Kira, had sent to Palo for him and I got the Fairy Tale Curvee.

When he took our order and I couldnt decide between tuna or pasta, he told me he already took care of it for me. Dan was going to order the filet but Aleksander told him the lamb was: "music for his mouth" so he switched to that! (he wasnt sorry!).

He brought me the tuna slightly rare (a little too rare for me but still good) on a plate of linguini with artichokes/asparagus in a light sauce and a side of the tortelloni stuffed with crab in a light tomato cream sauce. YUM! Dan had the lamb and said it was wonderful. (his mouth did indeed...feel very musical!) I tasted it (never had lamb before) and it was very good.

He asked us to trust him for dessert and we did. He brought us each a chocolate souffle with warm vanilla and warm chocolate sauce for the middle and he also brought us his favorite dessert which was panna cotta with fresh huge berries and a berry sauce. I actually liked that better than souffle (if that's possible!). We had coffee and he brought us these little lemon sherbet champagne drinks on him to finish out our meal.

It was a very nice slow paced enjoyable meal. We both loved it. The elegance...the ship...the view...the company.


too bad we needed a wheelbarrow to get out of there!


We then went down to meet the kids for the Twice Charmed show which was pretty cute but not one of my favorites.


After the show, we made it to Mickey Mania and Kaitlin and I got picked to be the Purple Plutos! I thought....those other people are so toast....lol....but we couldnt buzz in fast enough and those darn Red Minnies beat us on the buzzer every time. We did win the handwritten What happens next questions after seeing a movie clip. We got them all right!
We got a commemorative coin for our experience.

After that, the kids headed to the room and Dan and I were just going to look at Shutters and then join them but we decided to go see the adult cabaret Magician Mike Super that night. He was pretty funny. (a Pittsburgh guy! ) and we had a good time and a few drinks. (wow..how much did I drink on this vacation???? ...Pictures and alcohol...that's where my money went!)

When we got back to the room, Kevin was sound asleep and Kaitlin was all worried. Where were you? You said you were going for pictures! Oops....sorry Kaitlin. Dan kept teasing her calling her mom.

all in all....(say it with me now)....it was a pretty MAGICAL day!




Next up....COZUMEL.........and this doesn't suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!