The Twelve Days of Swinter: From Castaway 'Key' to a Partridge in a Palm Tree!

[Charleston Princess]

Happy New Year to you, too, Rinky!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Are you having any luck convincing your DH to do another cruise or WDW trip? I know you said he wasn't in love with WDW, but he seemed to enjoy the cruise more, so.... ???

No He told Jared the other day that he would go back to WDW when he had grandchildren to take. I guess I'm just going to have to be happy going without him. I'm hoping to take Jared over Labor Day this year, fingers crossed that that works out!

I know Don would go on another cruise, it's just finding the funds to do it that is the issue right now. I need to book more travel and get some more $$ rolling in here!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Happy New Year!

 

[sharonW]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
May all your disney dreams come true!!!!!:

 

[petals]

Joining in and catching up. Love the trip report so far!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

No He told Jared the other day that he would go back to WDW when he had grandchildren to take. I guess I'm just going to have to be happy going without him. I'm hoping to take Jared over Labor Day this year, fingers crossed that that works out!

I know Don would go on another cruise, it's just finding the funds to do it that is the issue right now. I need to book more travel and get some more $$ rolling in here!

Well I hate to hear that about Don, but at least he will still do the cruise. And maybe you can talk him into a couple of nights before the next cruise like you did before without going to the parks. I think that's great though that you and Jared are going together!

And I know what you mean... I need my money tree to bloom too!

Thanks for the New Year's Tink!

Happy New Year to you, too, Rinky!

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
May all your disney dreams come true!!!!!:

Thanks for all the New Year's wishes everyone. I sure hope 2012 brings joy and happiness for all of us (and more Disney trips wouldn't hurt either!).

Joining in and catching up. Love the trip report so far!

Welcome! So glad you could join in!

 

[CandleontheWater]

What a wonderful ending to the day! I love swimming at night best, so I think you guys made an excellent choice!

The show looks really cool too, maybe even cool enough to keep my 2 year old engaged!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

On the third day of Swinter my vacation gave to me... a heavenly blue lagoon and palm trees as far as you can see!

Friday, October 28, 2011

I'm so excited to finally be sharing the second day of the cruise with you. This was such an exciting day for us! We had one new experience after another and it was everything I had imagined it would be. A real dream come true of a day!

It all started early... really early. Well, it was really early to be getting up on vacation anyway. My goal was to see the sunrise over the ocean, so we had to be up on deck by 6:30 a.m. I had been looking forward to this for months.

I woke up around 5:00 and got showered and ready for the day. DH and DD soon followed, although a little sluggishly. I knew exactly where I wanted to go to watch the sunrise... our 'secret' spot at the bow of the ship.

We headed out and there was absolutely no one stirring about yet. We only passed by one person on the way up and that was a CM who was moping the water up on the deck floor.

It was so incredibly peaceful and beautiful up there!

There was NO need for DD and I to have fixed our hair that morning, but it was so worth it!

This picture takes me right back there in my mind.

This boat coming by looked like an ant compared to the Dream.

Again, being up there was easy on the eyes, but not the hair!

Yes, I got carried away with the pictures, but it was so beautiful that I couldn't help myself.

Here's a short video I took from up there. (54 sec.) Sorry about the shakiness at the end, but the camera couldn't focus with all the motion. I was trying to zoom in on Atlantis that we could see way off in the distance.

Click on the picture.



This is a seating area in the adults only section.

I wanted to stay put right where we were until the ship pulled into the port in Nassau. There's a lighthouse on an island that you can see as the ship sails in and I really wanted to be there to get some pictures of it. DH on the other hand wanted to go eat breakfast. He's ready to eat about 30 seconds after his feet hit the floor each morning, and we had been on deck for about an hour by then. He knew I had my heart set on seeing that lighthouse (I love lighthouses... we have lots of them in NC and I've always been very fond of them), but his belly was telling him it was time to go. What to do, what to do? I knew he was going to be a grump and rush me until he was fed, so I caved and went on with them to Cabanas. I was certain that I was going to miss seeing the lighthouse.

There still weren't that many people out and about yet, even at Cabanas. We walked right through the buffet with no line. They had lots and lots of choices and everything we ate was good.

We had a nice window seat. The whole meal was just a really nice experience. Quiet, relaxed, uncrowded, awesome view, good food... it was just a great day to be alive kind of feeling in the air!

We finished up pretty quickly and decided to walk back up to the top deck to see if by some miracle we hadn't passed by the lighthouse yet.

This flag flies on the front of the ship.

I couldn't believe it but we hadn't quite made it to Nassau yet! I was really excited! You could easily see Atlantis though so I knew we were really close.

Can you see it?

Ok, I'll zoom way in for you...

I'd really like to check that place out the next time we go.

Continued in next post

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

There were now a handful of people in our 'secret' place on the bow of the ship watching to see us pull into the Bahamas. Somehow, DH and I got into a conversation with a guy while we were waiting. Well, I say it was a conversation, but we could hardly get a word in edgewise. He just went on and on about how expensive everything was and how Disney was trying to gouge all of us out of every penny we had. He griped about the cost of the alcohol and the pictures the photographers take of you. He said that they tried to charge him $150 for one picture of him and his wife at dinner. I was almost certain that he was dead wrong on that but I kept my mouth shut. I later found out that he was indeed wrong. In fact... he was VERY wrong! One picture is $20! Then he went on to complain about having to pay tips, and pay for excursions, and pay for rental equipment... yada, yada, yada! He was a REAL sourpuss, so I discreetly slipped off to take more pictures and left DH to deal with him!

Nice of me huh?

Anyway, what's the moral of this story??? If you're going to sink major cash into a vacation, do your homework first and know what's included and what's not. Don't just show up blissfully ignorant and expect to have a good time.

It wasn't too long before this boat came out to greet us and led the ship into the port.

And we're getting closer...

And then... there she was!

I got just a little bit snap happy... but as the boat sailed by, the view kept changing, and it just kept getting more and more beautiful. I couldn't help myself!

Atlantis is in the background.

Our parking spot for the day

This is the entrance to Nassau.

We never made it here. Maybe next time.

A swanky Bahamian resort

Then the captain started to turn the ship around and backed us into the port.

There were lots of seagulls flying around hoping someone would throw them a morsel.

It had been a fantastic morning so far, despite our time with Henny Penny, but we had to get back to the room to redo our hair and pack up our backpack for our excursion. This fish extender gift was stuck to our door when we got back. Thank you Wisconsin Princess! I use this almost every day!

It only took a few minutes to get ready to go. We were all really excited about our excursion. We were doing the dolphin encounter on Blue Lagoon island! Another dream come true for me! So stay tuned... lots more pictures and fun to come from this awesome day in the Bahamas!

Up next... The third day of Swinter: Part 2!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

What a wonderful ending to the day! I love swimming at night best, so I think you guys made an excellent choice!

The show looks really cool too, maybe even cool enough to keep my 2 year old engaged!

The shows are great! And they are only about an hour long so I think a little one would probably last without getting too antsy.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I agree - the shows are awesome for little ones (and big ones)! They really are captivating.

Rinky - I feel like I'm reliving our trip too - thank you! You really got some beautiful shots of the sunrise and light house. I am anxious to hear how your dolphin encounter was, since we also did that!

Might I be nosy and ask - did your DH lose weight? He looks thinner in these pictures- just great, he's a handsome man!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I agree - the shows are awesome for little ones (and big ones)! They really are captivating.

Rinky - I feel like I'm reliving our trip too - thank you! You really got some beautiful shots of the sunrise and light house. I am anxious to hear how your dolphin encounter was, since we also did that!

Might I be nosy and ask - did your DH lose weight? He looks thinner in these pictures- just great, he's a handsome man!

Do you want him? 'Cause I've been looking for someone to take him off my hands!

Just kidding!

If he's lost any weight... I've found it! He is very fortunate that he is 6' tall and has a racing metabolism. He eats like a government mule and never gains a pound! Disgusting I tell you! But as far as I know, he hasn't lost any weight. In fact, he thinks he's starting to gain some. He says the older he gets, the more he is getting his mother's double chin! He's even named it his 'gobbler' because he says it shakes just like a turkey's does! He's a nut! But I'll tell him you thought he had lost weight and that will make his day!

I know, our trips were really similar with us doing the same excursion. I think a lot of us did that one. I know Jen, Michelle, and Anita all did that one too. I knew that was the excursion for me. I didn't even have to research the others. I've always wanted to get in the water with the dolphins. Next time I would like to see Atlantis though. I just don't know if I am brave enough for their water attractions. They all look really intense, and I am such a chicken. And I absolutely fell in love with Blue Lagoon island so I might be better off just going back there. We ended up spending the entire day on BLI and we didn't want to leave at 4:00 when the last boat came. WE LOVED IT!

Glad you guys made it back home safely.

 

[sharonW]

Really, Really enjoying every moment of your magical trip. you pics are awesome!!! Its like heaven on earth!!! Keep it coming, Rink!!!

 

[mom2rtk]

I feel like I was right there with you! Great photos, great start to the day.

Next time I need a food alert though. I was sitting her fending off my morning hunger........... and that plate of gorgeous food popped onto my screen!

Sunrises are the best though aren't they. When we're at the beach I'm up every morning to photograph it.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Really, Really enjoying every moment of your magical trip. you pics are awesome!!! Its like heaven on earth!!! Keep it coming, Rink!!!

Thanks Sharon! It absolutely is a paradise! I think the Bahamas in general gets a bad wrap because the city part is slummy, but there are other areas that you can go to that are truly awesome! We really loved the Bahamas and would go back in a heartbeat. I don't think I'd ever go into the city, but I'd go back to Blue Lagoon or Atlantis in a split second.

My DD has been asking lots of questions about Heaven lately. She's at that age where she is starting to really ponder the things she hears in church. Anyway, she asked us the other night what Heaven looked like and if it was as beautiful as the islands we went to. We told her it was even MORE beautiful and she said, "Wow! Really? That's going to be one awesome place then!" So yes, it's about as close to Heaven on Earth as you can get!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I feel like I was right there with you! Great photos, great start to the day.

Next time I need a food alert though. I was sitting her fending off my morning hunger........... and that plate of gorgeous food popped onto my screen!

Sunrises are the best though aren't they. When we're at the beach I'm up every morning to photograph it.

Thanks Janet! It was really hard to take pictures up at the front of the ship because of all the movement. I kept thinking the whole time that I really needed a tripod, but then it dawned on me that DUH... the whole ship is moving, that won't do any good!

Oh the cruise food... how do I love thee! That Mickey waffle with the strawberries on top... YUM!!!

I know your sunrise pics are gorgeous! I love natural beauty. That is my favorite thing to take pictures of. I remember seeing some of your pictures from one of the National parks I think and they were so so beautiful. I can tell you have a love for the natural stuff too!

 

[jecskc]

I need to get on the FE list for our trip. About what time did you get to Cabanas that day ?? 7 ish ?? This would be good info for us. Thanks so much for sharing your trip. 90 more days for us. I soooo can't WAIT !!

 

[jenseib]

I love your lighthouse shots...as you know...I took a million of them too. Isn't is just such a beautiful morning arriving in port. I got up at the crack of dawn each day too.
I am thinking of doing the Atlantis aquarium tour next time. Still thinking it over. Skip and I did it on our own many years ago and enjoyed it, bu with it being just Claire and I, I think I'll do it through Disney. She can get a glimpse of how pretty the place is then too. I am not much of a swimmer, so I'll leave the swimming for CC and the ship.
My Mom keeps pushing me to do the dolphin encounter again...and she wants my sisters family to do it as well. But it is a lot of money, and if I go to WDW after the cruise, I really need to watch my spending this time around. I still have a long time to think it over. I know Claire wants to snorkel but I am thinking of doing that on CC.

 

[mom2rtk]

Thanks Janet! It was really hard to take pictures up at the front of the ship because of all the movement. I kept thinking the whole time that I really needed a tripod, but then it dawned on me that DUH... the whole ship is moving, that won't do any good!

Oh the cruise food... how do I love thee! That Mickey waffle with the strawberries on top... YUM!!!

I know your sunrise pics are gorgeous! I love natural beauty. That is my favorite thing to take pictures of. I remember seeing some of your pictures from one of the National parks I think and they were so so beautiful. I can tell you have a love for the natural stuff too!

LOL! I guess that does sort of negate the whole tripod thing. I guess a fast lens would be helpful so you could keep the shutter speed up.

I had breakfast, so you are now cleared to post more food photos. I could never do a long cruise. I'd gain way too much weight. Heck, even free dining in the parks does me in!

Thanks for the kind comments. I love photographing Disney. But put me in some scenic national park......... and I really am in heaven. Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon at sunrise.......... on Sanibel Island at sunset........ man, I have to get working on some summer vacation plans. Oh, and I should move. I live WAY too far away from anything pretty!

 

[sjs314]

Rinky - Happy New Year! Watching the sunrise is the way I like to start my days on vacation, I love it just on the balcony of wherever we are staying, but from the bow of the ship with the wind in your hair was the best, the video really made me want to be there with you guys

The food looked scrumptious and my DH is a breakfast nut too that is why we always have to go to a TS or buffet and early.

The pictures of the lighthouse and pulling into port were gorgeous. I like lighthouses too and was just reading on the cruise thread about all the lighthouses you pass on the cruise to Canada.(I am 99% sure we are going to book one, just not sure when yet)

Can not wait to see and read more about your day in port!!!