The triplets sail again – Mom’s Day Eastern 2009

[j2bmickey]

Introduction

Well we have all heard the stories of pirates finding their favorite waters and sea lanes to ambush. This will be no different as the cry rings out “Avast me hearties, the triplets sail again. And this time there be a fourth to share the plunder in honor of their moms".

As we start this tale, be warned that it will not be as filled with adventure as the last. Nay this voyage was more about recuperation and restoration than pillage and plunder. But as there seems to be a void in Eastern Caribbean tales, and I promised my muse (disneyzell) to carry the torch, we will attempt to make it through another round of my ramblings.

As before, this will be based on my recollection and opinions and I will not even try to live up to the abilities of other story tellers on this site. So let’s get started shall we.


Cast of Characters

DH (37) – This report will once again be started by me although we “share” DW’s id. She will also pop in occasionally to “correct and supplement” my information.

DW (39 on the boat) – She once again was mostly content to take a backseat in the planning. As usual, she just requested beach time. She did strongly suggest that she would like to play bingo and do some shopping on the islands.

DD (6) – She is still our little princess, but she is acting more the part as she gets older. She also turns more tomboy every time she gets around her “guys”.

Traveling buddies – We still refer to them as neighbors even though we live in different towns. These guys were beyond swamped before this cruise with a new job, new town, new house, and oh yeah; a new child.

DNH (38) – Still one of most laid back people I know, but definitely in need of a vacation. I still need to take him up on the tattoo offer.

DNW (39.9999) – I still think she wants to be the Grand Pubaa Planner, but just doesn’t have the time that the rest of us slackers do. As always, one classy lady.

DNS1 (6) – Still the spitting image of his father. He seemed to want to hang out more with his Uncle (me) which is pretty cool for someone who lives in a house of estrogen.

DNS2 (6) – This kid is still a gear-head and even made sure the sand castles had a place to park the sand trucks and buggies. More on that later.

DND (2) – The newcomer of the crew who was finally old enough to help hoist the sails. Make no mistake, this swabbie could make everyone scuttle.


Planning Stages

So most people who take a Disney cruise and like it will go ahead and book another trip while on board to take advantage of discounts and ship-board credits. For whatever reason, we are not those people. Maybe it was the shock of how much we were already spending on board, or being to busy chasing characters for autographs. Whatever the reason, we decided to wait until back on land to plan our next voyage.

So as we finished our first trip report / scrap-booking session in Dec 2007 and the new dates for 2009 were posted, we decided that we needed to plan our return trip to the islands. We first started looking at trying to book a Christmas Holiday or Rodeo Break (it’s big in Arizona) in early 2009, but none of the school breaks seemed to line up. Plus the prices seemed to be a little expensive for the dates we were looking at. In the end we decided we would like a little warmer weather and a week off from Kindergarten would not stop the march of our next supreme ruler. So it was settled that the May 9-16, 2009 Eastern Caribbean would be our next boat to commandeer. At the time, we did not realize that it was Mother’s Day, DW birthday, and DN’s 15th anniversary (almost) so we were taking care of all kinds of celebrations.

This cruise plan started with the neighbors from the beginning so there was no trying to convince other people to go or linking dining and excursions at the last minute. Although we did have some issues trying to book the excursions and shipboard activities online for everybody. Disney claims that is was probably user error and that we didn’t confirm all of our excursions. I claim that their website had a hiccup and lost our reservations. Whatever the real cause, they were very helpful and we ended up getting everything that we wanted anyway.

We attempted to take a much more mellow approach to the planning this time. Don’t get me wrong, I still did lots of research on the different islands and excursions. I just didn’t constantly bombard our group with information and try to plan activities for every waking moment and half of the non-waking moments. Some other group members even got into the experience a little and came up with their own research and recommendations. We eventually came up with a handful of activities that we would like to try at each port and would go with the flow as the day arrived. I have to admit that there were times when I would feel the urge to become the obsessive planner again, but I think for the most part I stayed pretty calm.

Another thing that we did differently this time was get involved with the DIS Cruise Meet Thread. This was a lot of fun and I highly suggest it for anyone planning a cruise. It is a great way to meet other cruisers and get pointers for any questions you might have. Of course it also leads to more planning, especially if you want to participate in the FE exchange, but well worth it. We had a great group of people and several who stuck out whether for their tips, advice, and planning; or just for their wit and humor.

 

[j2bmickey]

Day 0 – Getting to Cape Canaveral

So not only did we plan a cruise for early May, but we also ended up having TONS of other activities going on in the weeks leading up to the cruise. We were either out of town, had guests staying with us, or had some end-of-the-year kindergarten festival to attend right up until a few days before the cruise. And as we all know, it is hard enough to pack suitcase these days with nothing but time.

We once again had our handy spreadsheet that listed tips, things to buy, and what clothes to wear each day and therefore pack. It may sound a little over the top, but these spreadsheets really do help you think about what you really need and not over pack. As we collected things we would need, we made a pile in the guestroom. Of course since we had guests before the cruise, this pile would move to the office, our bedroom, and back to the guestroom. I am quite surprised that something didn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Since we weren’t taking scuba gear this time, I figured we would only need 2, mayyybe 3 suitcases for all of the necessities. I also didn’t take a suit (used the second tux shirt with a tie) so I figured that would help lighten the hanging bag which was included in the count and could be used for princess dresses. DW reminded me that we were taking FE gifts and more sand toys (we brought the sand toys, neighbors brought sunscreen) and would probably need 4 bags. I told her no way, but guess who was right? I still think she must have left extra space to require that 4th bag. Actually, I think the biggest reason was that we were watching weight and breakables (think bubblewrap and boxes) since we had two cases of cactus jelly to pack for FE gifts. And once again, coming back required an extra bag. Of course part of that was because of Mother’s Day and birthday gifts, and rum (the pirate elixir of life), and t-shirts, etc.

As Friday morning arrives, we are remarkably organized and calm. We take DD to school, gather up and pack the last few items, and I see who is still left on the cruise meet (I mean I check into how things are going at work). We begin the epic journey at about 11 am as we pick up DD and head for the airport (She gets credit for a full day if she is there past 10:57). Check-in at the airport is very smooth (typical for mid-day), and everyone is in a good mood including the TSA and border patrol agents who said they would be glad to take DD for a weeklong training. Clearly they were all single and hadn’t spent much time with a 6 year-old princess.

Since we still like to fly AA, we made the mandatory stop at DFW before continuing on to Orlando. The entire trip was pretty smooth and nothing out of the ordinary happened this time (last time included a Make-A-Wish family). Of course we still had time for the Skylink tram which DD loves.

Being the seasoned travelers that we are at MCO, we decided that it would save some time if DW collected that bags while I went across the walkway to Avis and picked-up the rental car. This worked pretty well with a few small caveats. DW called me just as I was pulling out of the parking garage to say that they had the bags and were waiting by the curb. Perfect I said, I will be there in a few minutes. Well I was, along with the 4000 other cars picking up and dropping off passengers. Holy Cow, I have never seen so many people in one place since Times Square a few years ago. Surprisingly, everyone is fairly patient and friendly in letting cars in and out of pickup lanes, and I pull into the curb on the first go-round. As I get out of the car, DW has a puzzled look on her face. It seems that instead of the Mazda 626 and booster seat that I reserved, I had pulled up in a Mitsubishi Eclipse with a full harness child seat. After a couple of seat and luggage adjustments, we have everything loaded and ready to go, albeit a little snug. DW was still shaking her head but DD and I thought it was a cool little car and we felt like Orlando Drift.

As we are leaving the airport we decide to call the neighbors to see if they were settled in (this was 10:30pm and they were a few hours ahead of us). They reported that they were just getting into Cape Canaveral because they had spent over two hours at the Cracker Barrel getting dinner. WOW!!! We just don’t seem to have very good luck stopping at restaurants on road trips. They were pretty wiped out and wanted to crash at the hotel, so they would talk to us in the morning. Oh, I’m sure you will.

Again, since we were seasoned Florida travelers (one other trip 2 years ago), and we had a zippy little sports car, the drive over to Cape Canaveral was pretty short. Another thing different that we did this time was get a hotel on the beach. I watched specials on the different travel sites until one day the Hilton Cocoa Beach showed up with a killer deal. You may ask why we booked something on the beach since we were getting in so late. Well, you will just have to wait until the next installment to find out. As we are driving through town we spot the ABC Liquor store and it appears to be open. We figure that the neighbors were probably too worn out to stop and it would be less stressful if we go ahead and stop tonight. We pull in and the store clerk is very helpful in recommending the proper refreshments to quench our crews thirst. She even asks which boat we are on as certain bottles will make it past security on other boats.

Check-in at the hotel was very smooth although the parking seemed a little bit remote. I can definitely say that this one is on the recommend list. After lugging the bags to the room and getting the princess ready for never-never land, I was wide awake as expected. Since DW was looking a little weary, I decided to go down and see what was happening at the hotel lounge. There were only a few other guys but they were watching the basketball game, and since I am a Lakers fan (goes back to Magic, Kareem, Worthy, and Rambis) I decided to sit and have a beer. We started chatting and one of the guys was actually there to watch the shuttle launch. This is the second time I have just missed a launch when going on a cruise and the bartender said there is a very good view from the hotel walkway on the beach. This guy for the launch actually works for the company who make the engines for the shuttle. How cool is that ?!?!? Sorry, a little of the engineer geek showing up. He mentioned that this is the first launch he has seen, but he has been to the test facility in NC where they only have 1 of the 3 engines going, and that is deafening and shakes the ground from a mile away. Again, how cool is that ?!?!?!?

 

[RoyalVizier]

Awesome recount so far!

Thanks so much for sharing. I'll be anxiously watching for more...

 

[disneynewbee]

Can't wait to hear more.

 

[j2bmickey]

Awesome recount so far!

Thanks so much for sharing. I'll be anxiously watching for more...

Many thanks. I will try to get a new post up soon, before your next cruise. That will mean I can't read all of your past reports, which will be tough.

 

[j2bmickey]

Can't wait to hear more.

Hopefully I won't string you out too long, but no promises.

 

[RoyalVizier]

Many thanks. I will try to get a new post up soon, before your next cruise. That will mean I can't read all of your past reports, which will be tough.

*L* Well don't rush on my account. I'd rather you do it right and include all of that marvelous detail than to rush just to get it all done by June 20th. I'll be watching! And thanks for taking a peek at mine too!

 

[my3m]

Subscribing

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

Sounds great so far......
MOre....MOre!!!!

 

[j2bmickey]

As I may or may not have mentioned, I am a pretty light sleeper in general and it usually gets worse when there is something exciting about to happen. This day would start no different as I was awake by 6 a.m. (which was 3 a.m. in my time zone), and of course the rest of my crew is still sleeping like normal people who have only gotten about 5 or 6 hours sleep. I decided there was no use fighting it and would get dressed, start some coffee, and head over for a stroll on the beach.

So now for the explanation of why the hotel on the beach, and no it wasn’t just to say we did it. We had decided that since we already had our dining linked and didn’t have any urgent changes that needed to be made, we would have a leisurely morning and let the kids play on the beach. I know, I know, that is blasphemy coming from a true DIS’er, but it actually was pretty cool. Now don’t get me wrong, it is also pretty cool getting to port early and checking out all of the stuff in the cruise terminal, but we were on a much more mellow path this time around.

Anyway, even though I really am trying to be quiet, the smell of the coffee brewing wakes DW. She doesn’t really like coffee, but she likes the smell. I tell her that I am going to walk down and check out the beach. She says to have a good time and that she was going to try to catch a few more z’s. After brewing up the morning cup of java, I head out on my adventure. The outdoor setup was pretty cool with a patio area, swimming pool, rental desk, and a private boardwalk to the beach. As I start strolling toward the pier, I am thinking, oh yeah, this was a good choice to start the vacation. As I watch some of the fishing boats gather bait fish and start their day, I make a mental note that that would be an almost perfect start to a vacation. After about an hour of beachcombing, watching some of the surf fishers catch breakfast, and chatting to others enjoying the morning (did I mention that I have never met a stranger), I decided to head back to the room.

DW was fully coherent at this time, but DD wasn’t. To give here a few more minutes of shuteye, we started adjusting any of the packing that needed to be done, putting the luggage tags on, and making sure we had all of the paperwork filled out. We also sent a text to the neighbors to see if they were awake yet. After a few minutes we received a return text that most of them were up. Since DD was also awake, she and I snuck down to their room while DW called to start making plans. It turns out that their room was directly below ours and DW could hear us knocking and the ruckus as the kids saw each other again. As pandemonium breaks out DW says she will head down also. One of the first things we do is hand out the first of our gifts. We had ordered both families green bracelets with the cruise dates to wear. These were very cool and had been set up and pre-ordered by a fellow DIS’er (Thanks again scottie). Since the kids are bouncing off the walls and having a grand time, DNH and I decide that we will just run to the convenience store and pick up some donuts for everyone to eat. As we are selecting the proper sugar tubes, I get a phone call to please also grab a coffee for DNW. It seems that she could not master the art of pouring water and hitting the on button. Actually there were a few fancy features for one or two cups, that could make it a little difficult if you were in the middle of a kid frenzy.

After the proper nourishment of sugar and milk, it was time to head for the beach. When I had been down earlier, I thought the water was pretty cold and the kids probably wouldn’t want to swim. Naturally since we just let them wear shorts, the first thing they did was head straight for the water.

After frolicking in the sand and water for a while, it was time to rinse off and head for the boat. DD was cold by this point and wanted a warm bath so we took her up to the room along with DND, and DNW. The boys wanted to swim so they stayed down at the pool with DNH for a little bit longer.

Our plan for boarding was similar to before. We would drop off the women, kids, and luggage at the port, stock any last minute rations, and return the rental cars. I was a little curious as to how the crowds and traffic would compare to last time since we were heading out later (it was around 11:30 as we left the hotel). It turns out that it was a breeze. We eased up to the curbside checkin with no backups or delays whatsoever. After unloading both cars worth of luggage onto one, I repeat one worker’s dolly, DNH and I head out on our errands. Of course there are several phone conversations to make sure that all is well: are we getting the proper type and amount of libations (good thing we still have two carry-on bags), do we need to get the kids a snack before coming back to the port, how is check-in going, etc. We ended up getting boarding group 16 which sounds like a nightmare but they board so fast that it wasn’t a problem at all. By the time we were dropping off DNH’s car, they were already to group 9 and not slowing down. And by the time we made it back to the port, there was nothing to do but take our picture and get on the ship. It was kind of strange to see the terminal so empty and non-chaotic. The only slight bummer to this method was that being after 1 p.m., the kids were getting pretty hungry, so that would be a top priority. I also still didn’t get to go out the terminal doors to look at the ship. Maybe the old saying of “third times a charm” will hold true.

DW insert – since we had done all our paperwork online, check-in was again a breeze. DNW and I check in together even though we are not all in the same cabin. The cast member informs her that DNH has not signed his passport! What?! Is that going to be a problem? No she says just have him sign it before we get back. Cool! Keeping four excited kids from tearing down the terminal was a bit of a struggle. I think every one of them tried to tear down the blinds.

DD has no fear of Mickey Mouse or any other of the characters (see above, she gets this from her dad), unfortunately DND does not share the same mentality. Needless to say I’m in half the pictures with her and the characters so that DNW can get the pictures. Oh well, I LOVE the characters!! End DW insert.

Hmmm, maybe this title should have been “Almost getting back on the boat”.

 

[disneynewbee]

LOL the picture of the kids on their heads is hilarious. That's exactly what my girls would be doing, actually they do it at home all the time. I'm sure I'll be posting a pretty similar picture come November. Now get on that boat already

 

[j2bmickey]

LOL the picture of the kids on their heads is hilarious. That's exactly what my girls would be doing, actually they do it at home all the time. I'm sure I'll be posting a pretty similar picture come November. Now get on that boat already

Yeah, I thought about naming the report "The monkeys sail again".

I thought we were going to have the all aboard posted last night but it turned into a rather lengthy section. So unfortunately, it is still at the publishers being edited for content. Hopefully it will be up sometime this evening.

 

[j2bmickey]

Ok, I ran out of steam before completing the first day during the last session, so let’s get back to it shall we.

Getting the security pictures taken was a little chaotic since DND was staying in our room. Plus the kids were definitely ready to be on the boat. After a quick stop for the first “portrait”, it was across the gangplank and into “THE LOBBY” for our formal welcome and fanfare. Since we were so close to Rockin Bar D and the Guest Services desk, we decided to see how busy it was before heading up for lunch. I know, we are horrible parents for our starving offspring.

I headed off to see if I could make adjustments to our Palo brunch reservations since we had Sunday and DN’s had Monday with childcare also reserved (We weren’t sure DND would be completely potty trained by the cruise). The concierge (P.J.) was very helpful and surprisingly said he could switch all of us to Sunday, but there were no openings for a table of 4 on Monday. I told him that it was greatly appreciated but we were really hoping for Monday because of the childcare (with none available Sunday). He excused himself for a few minutes and came back with a reservation card for the four of us on Monday. Outstanding. In the meantime, the rest of the crew headed over to Guest Services to drop off the photo mattes (Complete with colored pins and chocolate bribes).

Ok time to get some sustenance into the little urchins (and big ones) so we head up to Topsiders. As we are standing in line, we spot the first of our fellow green bracelet wearing DIS’ers. The bracelets would prove pretty handy in striking up conversations throughout the week. I have to admit that I couldn’t remember her name at first (dilmaluvs2cruise) but I did recognize the face from an awesome website that another DIS’er had set up (airtime247). We would actually see each other quite often during the week, partially because our dining tables were in close proximity. As we are nearing the end of the buffet, DNH decided to go in search of seats as it looks pretty packed. Unfortunately, we got separated waiting on new cups and had to wander around a little with one of the servers trying to help us out. Before too long, DNH returns to guide the lost sheep to the tables he had scored by the Mickey Pool. Bonus. The next order of business is to break into the 40 lb bag of adult beverages we had lugged on. There is nothing like a little rum to properly start off a Caribbean vacation. Ahhrrrr.

Naturally, the kids all inhaled their food and announced that they were ready to swim. Since some of the adults were still eating, we convinced them to hang around the Mickey pool for starters. They were fine with this although they weren’t as interested in the slide this time. They also got to try out the new splash zone which DND loved.

It was about this time that we ran into another DIS’er (ufcabear) and had a nice chat. This is another group that we seemed to run into quite often even though they weren’t traveling with children. We also spotted Pluto and ufcabear was kind enough to take mine and DW’s picture.

Using the chaos of the Pluto sighting, DW decided to take the opportunity to slip down to the rooms and see if the luggage had arrived and unload the next of our surprises for the neighbors. We had made door signs for both rooms, although we had played innocent a few weeks earlier when questioned about it. Of course I have to give the proper thanks to all of the people on the DIS boards who share their ideas and blanks for these.

DW insert – Once down in the room I notice that all four of our bags have been delivered, Sweet! I quickly bring them in and then proceed to stick the door magnets and FE’s up and get out before I get caught. I then carefully make my way back up to the pools. DH calls me just as I have reached the Goofy pool. Perfect. End insert.

Before too long, DNW notices that someone is missing and asks where she went. I nonchalantly reply that she said something about taking some of the carryons down to the room. She decides this is a good idea so after a few orders to her offspring and topping of the refreshments, she is away also. I hurriedly call DW to ask where she is and say that DNW is on the way. No worries, she is almost back up to the pool and all door signs and FE’s are in the proper places.

The kids had decided by this point that they wanted to swim in the Goofy pool (and more likely sit in the hot tubs). So the guys took turns splashing in the pool and relaxing (sort of) in the tubs, while the ladies helped watch for anyone wandering back to the Mickey pool. We had learned from last time not to spend the whole time playing in the pool before the lifeboat drill so about 3 p.m. we pack up and head for the room. The ladies start herding the children while DNH and I fill up our mugs with soda. When we get down to our floor, we somehow get turned around just looking at room numbers and head the wrong way. We end up going all the way around the ship before getting to our rooms. It wasn’t a total loss as I spotted the door sign of a fellow DIS’er (lyn9856) and decided to knock. They were very nice and had been on holiday at WDW for a week or two already.

When we finally make it back to the rooms, all that I see are the remnants of the cruise baskets we had gotten the kids from Shirley at The Perfect Gift. She did an awesome job as usual. The kids loved them and had the toys everywhere. They girls toted their water bottles everywhere the rest of the week. DW also got a surprise as I had ordered her a bouquet of flowers for Mother’s Day and a pampering gift basket for her birthday which included an autographed photo of Jimmy Buffett.

It was now time for the infamous life boat drill. We didn’t get as lucky as last time and had to go outside on deck 4. It was toasty, but seemed to be over fairly quickly. Time for some more partying at the Adventures Away celebration. Another tip that we had learned from last time, don’t worry about trying to unpack until after the party and maybe even after dinner. We made it to the party in plenty of time for dancing and hearing THE most awesome ship horn in the Caribbean. We also met a cool couple (can’t remember their names) that had been on some awesome scuba dives. Since DW and I are also divers, we were very interested in their tales.

Before we knew it, it was already time to get ready for dinner since we had the early seating at 5:45. I think we may try the late seating on the next cruise since we always seemed to have things going on around the early time and seemed rushed most of the time. The kids club will also come and pick your children up after about an hour into the late seating. This way they can go hang out and you can enjoy a leisurely dinner. Anyway, DD really wanted to stay a little longer and watch us head out to sea. I volunteered to stay with her for a few more minutes while everyone else left to start getting ready. We wandered the decks enjoying the views and the breeze and before we knew it, it was 5:30. Whoa, we better get a move on.

As we got back to the room, both FE’s were stuffed with the first of many, many gifts. This was always a kick to see your FE with all its booty. It was also pretty cool making the deliveries while trying not to get busted. Once inside, DD announces that she is reeaalllyy tired and doesn’t feel like going to dinner. Hmmm, you know I am pretty worn out too (something about rum and sun) and will stay with her. We had also had a snack of chicken fingers and fries during the party, so weren’t very hungry. So while the rest of the crew filed out to dinner, we hung out in the cool room reading books and playing with the new magnetic fishing pole she got. We did eventually get hungry and ordered room service. We also got to meet our room steward: Made from Bali. He was very nice but I think at times he felt a little overwhelmed with all of the people running around in the connecting rooms.

Our dining rotation was APL, so we missed the light show by skipping dinner. We also found out that our server was quite handy with crafts and magic. The twins both came back with ferrets made from napkins that could leap out of their arms. You can already guess what the first thing DD will want when she meets him. Since everyone else was also pretty worn out by this time, we decided to just hang out, unpack, and get some of the FE gifts ready for delivery.

 

[RoyalVizier]

We had also had a snack of chicken fingers and fries during the party, so weren’t very hungry.

I wonder how many times I'll type this exact same sentence on my own TR.

 

[MagicMe]

Enjoying your report! Can't wait to hear more!!!

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

Your report is so fantastic, you are doing a wonderful job. The pics of the kids running on the beach brings tears to my eyes. My kids loved the beach and I can just picture their smiles playing in the water! Im so happy your family is having a magical time so far.....cant wait for more!!!!

 

[j2bmickey]

I wonder how many times I'll type this exact same sentence on my own TR.

It should be the last time I post that we missed dinner because of an earlier snack, but won't be the last time we miss dinner. Oops, I'm giving away hints to upcoming events!!!

Enjoying your report! Can't wait to hear more!!!

Thanks. I have been trying to work on the next installment, but life keeps getting in the way of my Disney habit.

Your report is so fantastic, you are doing a wonderful job. The pics of the kids running on the beach brings tears to my eyes. My kids loved the beach and I can just picture their smiles playing in the water! Im so happy your family is having a magical time so far.....cant wait for more!!!!

You are too kind. The kids have definitely gotten the hang of the beach thing and love it. Too bad I have to travel so far to get to it.

 

[j2bmickey]

We knew from the last cruise that we would like more sea days as they seemed to “make” us relax and not plan so much. This day would follow that route although it started fairly early as this was our day for the Island Jam Breakfast. Of course we all know that no alarm was necessary as I was awake in plenty of time.

The theme of the breakfast has reverted back to the original format since the last time we cruised when it was a free-for-all. I know everyone has their preferences and I like certain aspects of both. It is nice to have the characters come to your table for a brief encounter with pictures and autographs. And if your children are at all shy, this would be perfect for them. It is also fun to watch all of the games and interactions that the kids had at the free-for-all. Of course, our kids have no fear about getting into the middle of things, so they fit right in. Again, I am glad that we got to experience both types.

This was also DD and my first chance to meet the serving team. Although these guys were extremely kind and efficient at their jobs, something just seemed off the whole cruise. Don’t get me wrong, they didn’t do anything wrong, and we enjoyed the service, there was just something not quite right. I don’t know if it was new for them working together or something else. One thing that was off the first few nights, and they asked about it and corrected, was bringing the kids meal during the adult’s appetizers and salads. They were bored to death by the time we were ready for dessert. It helped once this was adjusted, but it seemed to me that the entire dining area seemed to move slower than before. I think I heard someone mention that they were trying more of a European pace to dinner with plenty of conversation between courses. Unfortunately, that didn’t work so well with the younger members of our party.

I digress. Our truly awesome server team consisted of: Okim the magician from Indonesia, Samuel the shy (at least in the beginning) assistant from Sweden, and Allesandro the head server from Italy. I have to make one more detour before continuing. Allesandro was amazing. He seemed much more interactive than any head server I have seen before. I am pretty sure that he stopped by several times a meal and would stay for several minutes, not just shaking hands and moving on. He also helped out with many of the smaller details like handing out drinks or food. We even saw him at Topsiders one morning clearing tables and helping fellow cruisers find seats.

Of course one of the first things that DD asked was for Okim to make her a napkin ferret. He said that he would see what he could do, but it was a very busy morning with all of the characters. Of course he not only made the ferret, but also napkin hats and bows. The kids loved it.

After being one of the last diners out, we head over to the kids club since we haven’t registered anyone and they want to do Flubber at 10. We also went ahead and did a trial run with DND in the kids club even though she was slightly under-aged. It turned out that she loved it and had no problems with the bathroom. Granted, it was a fairly short period and we made sure she went before venturing off on her own. The adults used this time to wander around and look at the art, check out photos, and sign up the guys for the martini tasting (such sophistication). So about 20 minutes later, we get a page that DNS2 is ready to be picked up. DNW says no way, he can at least stick it out for the hour. I am not sure what the issue was, but it was common as he had an attitude about the club every time they went, which was not often.

As flubber was ending, we decided to check on the kids to see if they were ready for new adventures. They all reported a hearty “yes, let’s go swimming”. We had a bit of sad news as DD had somehow lost her glow-in-the-dark DIS bracelet during the science experiment. It was a good fit so she must have set it down to wash her hands of something. Needless to say, it was never turned into lost and found. I was a little concerned at first because she can sometimes be very sensitive about things like this. Luckily there was enough Magic on board and she wasn’t overly sad. Also good to know, is that I didn’t give any lectures about taking care of things because that would have come back to haunt me.

So off we head to the Goofy pool and hours of fun and sun. Somehow we scored several chairs by the pool and in the sun. This was a big deal to DNW as that was all she wanted for the whole cruise. As lunchtime approached, I stuck to my guns of trying something I missed before (sorry that will probably be a common theme to this report) and headed for Goofy’s Galley for a wrap. I thought they were pretty tasty although the tuna seemed a smidge dry.

As 1 pm drew near, the ladies decided that they wanted to go to the “Port and Shopping Show”. That’s cool, the kids are still having a blast in the pools. Although I have to admit it was a little hectic at times since they all seemed to suddenly want to be in different pools. I also went and grabbed one of the sand buckets since DND had seen another kid with one and thought this was a grand idea. For the most part it was, with kids sharing and dumping water on each other. It was around this time that I had my first glimpse of the legend of MouseNDaHouse (actually it was his lovely ladies first). Unfortunately it was from across the pool as they were leaving. This would be a common theme throughout the cruise and I would never have the honor of actually talking to them. Perhaps next time.

With the afternoon winding down towards martini time, we menfolk decided it was probably a good idea to take the children down for a little downtime. While unloading the bags in the room, I discover that I have lost a pin from my lanyard. I am not heavily into the pin trading, nor do I wear the lanyard much, but I have a little bit of bling and unfortunately I have lost the “2007 Magic” one. Bummer. I take a page from DD’s book and make it through the rest of the cruise, although I am a little harder on myself because I am usually very careful with these pins. Note that DW went out and bought locking backs later that evening. The ladies return shortly before our departure (Good thing, as the kids were looking sleepy and we might have had to leave DNS1 in charge ), and of course they have bought the shopping book. DW points out that there is some coupon that they will be using that pays for the book on the first stop. She also wants to know how much I love her as she won a St. Thomas Del Sol pirate shirt. Since I am very much into pirates and a geek for color changing apparel, I reply “Duhhh, huh, that would be me”.

Off we go to the debonair world of martini tasting. The tasting was a lot of fun and as usual, we learned a few things along the way. Things were led by a CM from Poland whose name I can’t seem to remember. She was great and had lots of funny stories. Things start off with the only “true” martini as it contains Tanqueray and Vermouth, all others were made from vodka (which of course the CM said was a better sipping alcohol anyway). Sadly, I will not be the next Bond as I was not very fond of the gin martini. DNH tried a “dirty” martini later that night which has olive juice in it. It was better, but the taste still lent itself more to a shot than a full drink. The next two drinks were an apple martini and a pomegranate cosmo. The final drink was mine and DNH’s favorite, a chocolatini. This thing was made from vanilla vodka, dark Godiva liquer, Franjelico, and Baileys. Holy cow was it good. I didn’t even know that Godiva made alcohol.

Before heading back to the room, DNH and I decide to take a lap around deck 4 (not a jog, just a stroll). That was pretty cool especially in the forward part of the ship where you can actually see some of the workings. Upon arriving back at the room we discovered two things: children that were well rested and cheese platters from room service. Both of our families really like cheese and we usually get several platters during the week.

 

[j2bmickey]

Since the kids were starting to get restless, DW and I decided to take them out on an FE delivery run. They had a lot of fun, but their stealthiness lacks a little to be desired. We didn’t stay out too long because it was formal night and we wanted plenty of time to get everyone gussied up and ready for pictures before dinner. And I do mean everyone was dressed up, to the nines. Both families had been involved in recent weddings so all guys were in tuxedos and all ladies had fancy dresses. DW had shown her craftiness again and was wearing a dress that she made. DD wore a white dress that happened to match the wedding gown worn in her aunt’s recent ceremony. I think most people who saw us probably thought we were part of a wedding party.

Formal dinner for us was once again at Parrot Cay. Maybe some day we will get the timing right to be in Lumiere’s for formal night. Oh well, the food was still good and the service friendly. DNS1 even got into the magic act by sticking spoons to his face.

We mentioned to Samuel that we had really enjoyed the chocolatini earlier and he suggested a chocolate dessert that was not on the menu coupled with a port wine. I can’t remember the name of either (I really need to start writing the food down as I always forget the names ), but oh man were they good. The ladies also received a Mother’s Day cake which was pretty to look at, but not very tasty according to them.

Tonight’s show was the Golden Mickey’s and once again we couldn’t get any of the kids to interview on the red carpet, although they did enjoy seeing all of the different characters on stage. We had talked about going to some of the after parties, but we ended up just hanging out and delivering more FE gifts. The towel animal was a pair of kissing swans, which we were very excited to get tonight.

 

[j2bmickey]

The second sea day dawned with the crew definitely in vacation and relaxation mode, taking full advantage of being able to sleep in late. Everyone, of course, except me. Yes it is sometimes quite disgusting that I very seldom sleep in late. Oh well. Since everyone else seemed pretty content to stay in slumberland, I decided I would head to the gym and try to keep from gaining too much weight. It was a nice thought but didn’t work very well. DW actually lost weight on the cruise. Huh, how does that happen?

Since I was still getting my sea legs and remembered that it is slightly more difficult to exercise on a boat, I started with the elliptical so I would at least have something to hold onto if we hit a big wave. After awhile I started getting my confidence and decided to try the treadmill. This worked out fairly well, but you definitely have to pay attention to you footing more than on dry land. There were a couple of times that I would be looking out at the ocean and catch a slight bobble. Luckily I never completely tripped as that would put a serious damper on the rest of vacation.

After about an hour of various exercises I figured I would head for the room to see if anyone was ready for breakfast. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Wow, these guys are taking their rest and relaxation seriously. This seemed the perfect time to take advantage of the adult pool without feeling any guilt about leaving other adults out. I guess most of the boat was in sleep mode this morning as it was pretty empty at the pool. I took advantage of the empty pool to swim a few laps before relaxing in the hot tub. I topped off the morning by stretching out on a cushioned lounger to enjoy the sun and breeze. Man are those chairs comfy. That is probably one of reasons people with no kids like to cruise with Disney. I decided that 45 minutes in adult land would have to suffice for now and headed back to the room sure that someone would be up by now. On the way to the room I ran into DW heading for the gym so I knew that someone was awake. Most of the kids were either still asleep or quite content to stay lounging in bed so the adults took turns bringing plates of food down to the room. We all stayed pretty light on the breakfast as today was our Palo brunch. Before long it was time to take the kids to the club and head for the feast.

I think brunch is my favorite of the Palo meals. Probably because there is such a variety of food and mounds of cheese. As we entered the restaurant, I recognized our martini host who was one of the bartenders (I still can’t remember her name). She also recognized us and asked if we would like to start the day with a dry martini. Uh, no thanks, I think I would rather have a mimosa. Our server this morning was Emanuel from the Philippines. He was very friendly with a good sense of humor. He had a nearby table of ladies in stitches by telling them to just press their service button and he would appear with their order. The tour of all the different food stations was a little crowded as several large tables started at the same time we did. It moved smoothly however and soon it was time to sample the delicacies. We all loaded up on the different cheeses and seafood shooter. Yummy. DNH is a sweets guy which included a fresh cinnamon roll and stolen bread. We all ordered slightly different hot selections and shared the portions. Except for the Oysters Rockefeller which I enjoyed by myself. The meal was completed by a trip to the dessert section and of course included the tiramisu. We did notice that several of the other choices seemed much richer and sweeter than before.

We left the restaurant full, but not overly stuffed and went to pick up the kids for the movie. This was the one time that DNS2 actually wanted to stay in the club. And it wasn’t car related as one would expect. He wanted to stay for the Ratatouille Cooking School so we obliged. I was a little surprised that DD didn’t want to stay also, but she had really been wanting to see Bedtime Stories. It is a pretty good movie with some of the typical Adam Sandler silliness, but on a family friendly level. Unfortunately not everyone got to see the whole movie as DND became restless and DNS1 was freezing so DNW took them to warmer surroundings.

We all started to split up at this point with DNH taking the boys up to swim, while the rest of us went to the room to relax. DD and DND both said they wanted to watch a movie on tv and take a nap so I volunteered to watch them while the ladies went to bingo. A nap sounded like an excellent idea but the novelty soon wore off with DND. She wasn’t obnoxious or anything, just the typical inquisitive 2-year-old who is not going to let you get any zzz’s. DNW returned before much time and rescued me, I mean took some medicine, and decided to take DND to DNH for swimming since she had so much energy. Of course with the cabin peaceful and quite, DD decided she wasn’t tired anymore and wanted to go explore the boat. I’m pretty sure she sensed a disturbance in the force and was afraid somebody was having fun without her. So we wandered the ship for awhile before ending up in the shops on deck 4.

Of course we noticed the do not climb sign after I took the picture, oops.

The original intention of the shopping was to find a birthday present for DW, but we couldn’t quite agree on what she would really want, so we ended up buying DD a charm necklace and a couple of charms instead. We actually had a lot of fun and came up with some pretty good gift ideas that we would feel DW out about later. DD even pointed out the frosted glass doors that showed a young Mickey on one side and a grown up Mickey on the other. I had never noticed this before. However, I was only able to get the one picture since there was a display set up in front of the other door.

Dinner tonight was at Lumiere’s and was one of the few times that we didn’t have tons of things going on and weren’t rushed. We were able to casually get ready and even stop for a couple of pictures.

One thing I forgot to mention before was our table location. We once again scored a very nice table with a window view, table 12. And as before, we had to fight the children to actually get the chair next to the window. I have the same problem on airplane trips. I will usually allow it without too much grumbling as long as there is no pouting, fighting, sleeping, or watching movies. DNH and I had also mentioned to Okim and Samuel the night before that there were many meals that we liked with salsa, and inquired what kinds they had. Every night for the rest of the cruise there were at least 2 and often 3 different types of salsa waiting on the table. And always, at least one of them was hand made. There was usually some kind of mixture that was similar to what Okim was familiar with in Indonesia. He mentioned one night that a common meal would consist of raw and cooked vegetables and many different dipping salsas. I need to check this out sometime.

We had conditioned the children that we loved to hang out with them, but there would be a couple of times throughout the cruise that were adult only. Tonight would be one of those times and they had no problems with it. Well most of them, but we won’t rehash that scenario. On the downside, this meant that we would also miss “Twice Charmed” again. Hmm, what was it that I mentioned about third time’s a charm? I may need to start a must-do list for the next cruise. Anyway, after dropping the kids off, we did what most adults would do: take some pictures, hang out on deck 4 and the Cove Café, stroll the top decks….. Wait a minute, I must be reading someone else’s report. We did enjoy strolling around and taking some pictures though. We thought the beach backdrop would be really cool, but none of the pictures turned out very flattering. And for the entertainment, wait for it…….., we went to the arcade. I know lots of people have given this the thumbs down, but I guess we are easily entertained. Actually it had the basic requirements we were looking for except a pinball machine (Maybe that is more information than I should be sharing). It had an upgraded air-hockey table, a couple of decent racing games, the classic Galaga/Ms Pacman cabinet, and Guitar Hero. Yes we do live the simple life, but DNW and I had been trash talking for weeks about who was the better ax grinder, and tonight we would find out. We stayed pretty evenly matched, but I think my fingers kept from cramping a little longer to declare me the winner.

Before long it was time to pick up the offspring. We had promised them only a couple of hours and DND was in the nursery as we weren’t quite sure how long she would last in the club at night. She loved them both and was content either way with no accidents. The women had glimpsed CM’s setting up the cheese buffet which they remembered from last time. So DNH and I took the kids back to the room to get ready for bed while they backtracked to get the scoop. It turns out that the feast didn’t start until 11 p.m. so none of us quite made it. I was still wound up however, and convinced DNH to go to “One Hit Wonders” with me.

DW – Insert. While on our search for the cheese table we run into Max heading for his photo session with dad Goofy.

I took a quick shot of him in the hall and then DNW said she wanted to get the boys and have them take a picture with Goofy and Max. I told her we could try, so we consult the navigator and see they are only out for 15 minutes. We figured by the time we got the boys, convinced them it would be fun and got back to deck 3 they would be gone. Oh well, something to do for the next cruise. That way all kids can act goofy with Goofy. End insert.

The format for this night was that the DJ would play part or most of a song that was a one-hit wonder. Most of the songs were from the 80’s which is when we grew up, so we recognized a good portion. As the songs would play, the MC would grab people from the dance floor to identify the song and singer. If they were correct, they were treated to a free shot. We had a blast singing along although we stayed off the dance floor (unlike some other DIS’ers). After a few songs, I spotted a fellow DIS’er (ufcabear) and walked over to say hello. As we are chatting, they start playing Twisted Sister “We’re Not Gonna Take It” which I know fairly well. I start singing with my best Dee Snider impression which the MC pointed out and said “I think this guy knows the song”. I reluctantly walk onto the stage and continue my bellowing for a couple of versus to the cheering of the crowd. Needless to say, I knew the song and group and was awarded the free shot. I think I should have gotten a double for actually knowing the words.

Towel animal for the night was a cool looking lobster.