The 'Wonder'ful Mexican Riviera with a nut (allergy) Full report w/pics!

[ll_california]

Great review. Fantastic pictures. Thanks!

 

[Stinkerbe11]

Was your Stateroom host Sanjay? Thanks for the picture of the room, we will be there in November. Wondering if we will miss the steamer trunk for storage. We had the room next door for our NYE trip.

Yes, we had Sanjay and I thought he did a good job but he did seem a little shy. There were four of us and we totally overpacked, yet somehow managed to get everything stored away sufficiently without a trunk.

 

[justcrusin]

Awesome trip report. Thanks!

 

[Mindyjoy]

Awesome, awesome report. Thank you!

 

[pnwprincess]

Thanks so much for the report and pictures. It's reassuring to see that you had a positive experience.

I have a question about showering in the spa. Can anyone do that, or did you buy a spa day pass for your trip?

 

[Mindyjoy]

That reminds me, I also had a question about showering in the spa. Did you ever have to wait in line for the showers? Also, can you wear the robe back to your room?

 

[IndianaPrincess]

Another great report! Thanks!!!

 

[Stinkerbe11]

That reminds me, I also had a question about showering in the spa. Did you ever have to wait in line for the showers? Also, can you wear the robe back to your room?

There are two showers and I never had to wait (I was usually there around 4) and I brought my own robe, so I'm not sure about that. You don't need a spa pass to use the changing room and shower, they are amenities of the gym. If you want to go in the rainforest room, it is 16.00 per day or you can buy a week long pass. I used the rainforest room with a spa treatment and decided that for me, it's not worth the extra money.

 

[mmmears]

Wonderful update! I love all the photos and the details. Thank you -- I'll be checking back for your next update!

 

[ForTheLoveOfDCL]

TQ-----you are in MY room!!!! Well my room for our Oct 2, MR. I am so glad to be hearing that you seem to be having a Great time!! This MR will be our 4th --7 nighter on DCL. Our first on the Wonder though. I am hoping that any issues they are having will be ironed out by my cruise, but we are cruising with 5/6 families that we cruised with in 2009. We became good friends with one family and booked this to cruise with them again so I am hoping this MR will be as fantastic as our Magic cruises!! Looking forward to more days of reporting!!

 

[Camonkeygirl]

I am really enjoying your trip reports. My DH and I just signed up for our first cruise in Sept (The Repo from Vancouver to LA), and your reports let me know what to expect.

We also just got our room assignment on the ressie. Room 2560, so I am ready for Sept. to get here quickly.

 

[XMom]

So when you went to the tea, was it packed? Did people not show up that had tickets? Were others allowed in that didn't have tickets?

Thanks....can't wait for day 3

 

[ironmickey]

Thanks for the detailed report and pics - nothing looks crowded at all. THIS is a report - informative and balanced with the good and the bad.

 

[Quimby]

The day #3 suspense is killing me we head to the port Sunday morning.
My kids and I are enjoying your report and picutres.

 

[Stinkerbe11]

So when you went to the tea, was it packed? Did people not show up that had tickets? Were others allowed in that didn't have tickets?

Thanks....can't wait for day 3

The tea was not crowded at all and it really annoyed me Apparently lots of people high tailed it to guest services as soon as they embarked and then they decided to blow the whole thing off-without turning in their tickets. I know that there were two very long waiting lists, I was at the top of one of them and I never received a call. I also didn't see anyone standing outside waiting in case their were no-shows, so this looks to be a good option if you don't get tickets.

 

[LuvIt]

Not sailing until Oct 2011, but loving your report to get a preview of what to expect. Thanks for taking the time to share. If you took home daily Navigators, please consider posting them.
Lastly, YOUR KIDS ARE BOTH ADORABLE . . . and I love the pic of your little princess sleeping on the chairs/bed Worthy of being blown up to 8 x 10 and putting up on a wall!

 

[Stinkerbe11]

I am sorry to say the title is a bit misleading, yes we were in Cabo, but Divot was still in his “I’m not getting off the boat in Mexico” frame of mind. I really didn’t care either way, so we decided to hang out and enjoy a less crowded boat.

We went back to Triton’s for breakfast and I never noticed until I read a comment on another thread, but they were only open from 8:00 to 9:30. This was never a problem for us because if Divot and GG don’t have food in their stomachs-watch out! Their world will come crashing down, so breakfast was always the first thing on the daily agenda. GG had the melon boat and yogurt(she’s a fruit monster), BASS had Mickey waffles(which he liked, but I think they have a weird consistency and not much taste), scrambled eggs and bacon and Divot had Triton’s shell, which is an omelet with grilled tomato, bacon, baked beans and caramelized onions (for obvious reasons I didn’t taste this one, but he didn’t complain so I guess it was ok).

The Princess gathering was at the top of our to do list, but it started at 9:30, so crazy T.Q. lined up a little after 9 while everyone else sat in Triton's having a hot meal. TIP: If you want to participate in this event, it is wise to show up 20 minutes before it starts (I’m really not kidding), it’s either wait 20 minutes at the beginning or 1 hour + if you show up late.

We also had lunch in Triton's: I had a grilled chicken salad(very good),
BASS had a hamburger and GG had the usual chicken with mac & cheese. Divot had the scallops and crab appetizer(good), the ginger-carrot soup(good) and halibut(dry). The kids were really looking forward to the Lava Flow activity in the Lab (even GG who is 3 LOVED the science experiments in the lab), so Divot and I went to the Cove, grabbed a cappuccino and settled into our perch above the quiet cove pool...until we received a wave phone page from BASS saying he wanted to swim. The kids went swimming, then we grabbed some soft serve and headed up to deck 10 where we saw quite a few whales(this was really cool)!

Then it was time for...

Minnie’s Fiesta Grande: This was a 30 minute show on the Goofy pool stage-it featured Minnie, Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Pluto and dancers, all were dressed in Mexican themed outfits.

I thought this was cute and it was surprisingly un-crowded. TIP: Bring a highlighter to note things to do in the navigator, it is easy to lose track of time and miss something. Also, if you forget your navi in the room you can pick one up at both kids clubs and at guest services (I’m sure they can be found in other places too).

Dinner tonight was in Animator’s Palate and the kids loved eating there.

Here’s the menu from the DCL website:

Ahi Tuna Tartare With Caviar, Chives, and Wasabi Cream
Wild Mushroom Risotto and Porcini Twist Served with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Black Truffle Oil
Taleggio Cheese FlatbreadTopped with Bacon, Fingerling Potatoes, Micro Greens, and Balsamic Reduction drizzle
Roma Tomato and Portobello Mushrooms on Polenta Cake
With Monterey Jack Cheese and Red Curry-Coconut Marinara

Soups and Salads
"Mulan" Chilled Gazpacho Raw Tomato and Vegetable Soup with Calamata Olive Crostini
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Garnished with Chives and drizzled with Sour Cream
Confetti Tomato Salad With Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Olive Oil, Jerez Vinegar, and Herb Dressing
Smoked Salmon and Trout with Goat Cheese Salad On Baby Greens, with Toasted Almonds and a Cranberry-Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

Feature Selection
Penne Pasta In Parmesan Cream, topped with Julienne of Turkey Breast and Prosciutto
Spicy Potato and Pea Samosas With Mango-Mint Chickpeas and a Tamarind Sauce
Phyllo-Wrapped Salmon Fillet With Sun-dried Tomato, Garlic Cream Cheese on Fava Beans, and Green Pea Ragoût
Fragrant Five-Spiced Fish Sauteéd White Fish Fillets with a Classic Chinese Five Spice Sauce over Baby Bok Choy
Lemon-Thyme Marinated Chicken Breast On top of Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Root Vegetables, and Grain Mustard Jus
Animator's Grilled Veal Chop With Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes with Sweet Onions and a Morel Mushroom Sauce
Black Bean Chipotle Cakes Over Corn Kernels and Brown Rice topped with Tomato-Cilantro Salsa
Shere Khans Asian Marinated Beef Short Ribs On Smashed Yucca topped with Wok-fried Bok Choy and Red Cabbage

Baked Salmon and Oven-roasted Chicken Breast available upon request.
Bread Selection
Garlic and Herb Focaccia Bread Roasted Garlic Dip

Dessert:
Animator's Sweet Temptations A Trio of Strawberry Sable, Cranberry and Orange Cheesecake, and Double-Fudge Chocolate Cake
Strawberry Sable With Passion Fruit Cream
Cranberry and Orange Cheesecake With a rich, dark Chocolate Sauce
Buckled Warm Apple Crumble
Double-Fudge Chocolate Cake With Caramel-Orange Chocolate Sauce
Ice-Cream Sundae Chocolate and Strawberry
Ice Cream, with Date and Walnut Cake
No Sugar Added Dessert
Seasonal Fruits with Sugar-free Cookies
Chilled Lemon Soufflé with Raspberry Drizzle

We tried the black bean cakes(good), mushroom risotto(bland), Divot had had the veal chop (something that was consistently very good), I had the filet (good) and the kids had chicken, fish nuggets and mac & cheese. For dessert I had the apple crumble w/ice cream(good), Divot had chocolate cake(good) and the kids’ dessert became the same thing from here on out: Mickey bars with a nut-free cake or brownie and cookies for BASS (he never ate the cookies but they insisted on bringing them anyway).

After dinner we took the kids back to change for Pluto’s pajama party in the club and Divot and T.Q went in search of some adult entertainment.

Our first stop was Wavebands where Kissimmee Simmons (Nala in Broadway production of the Lion King) performed a 45 minute set(this was excellent).

Next, we sauntered in to the (totally empty) Cadillac bar and blew some of our onboard credit on tequila(Arriba!)

Actually, thanks to Damien, we tried something I had never had before and that is Don Julio Reposado. Now, I won’t give you a course on tequila (definitely do the tasting onboard, it’s really educational) but I will say that the people of Mexico know their stuff. I have always liked the good stuff (Patron, Partida etc...) but I had no idea that Paul Mitchell (the hair guy)
owns Patron! It’s no wonder that Patron is disliked in Mexico, did you know that the Mexican government wouldn’t even allow it to be sold there for years? Now, you can buy it there, but it costs 2 to 3 times more than it does in the States. I apologize if this bores you, but this is a subject that interests me, so just hang with me for a minute. For those of you thinking “why didn’t she just bring her own bottle with her and save the 80.00 that she spent on shots”? know that I did indeed do that, but the information gleaned while sitting at a bar talking to a bartender who has no other customers is priceless my friends. I learned more about crew-member culture than I ever cared to know, I tried tequilas that I didn’t know existed and best of all, I was on a date with Divot!!! One of the best things to come out of the evening was the introduction to the aforementioned Don Julio reposado.

Don Julio is the No. 1 choice among tequila connoisseurs in Mexico. Don Julio Gonzales is one of Mexico's most renowned premium tequila makers. His tequila, made in the same way since 1942, is his masterwork.

Don Julio Tequila Reposado is said to be silky smooth with a compelling combination of light cinnamon, honey and herbaceous flavors balanced by a lightly smoky taste and dark chocolate notes. (tequilasource.com)
So there-it’s not just an evil, nasty tasting yellow liquid that only exists to make you dance on tables and vomit.

Anyway, I was shocked to see that the Patron in the duty free shop was 49.95 and the Don Julio was 142.00! I mean, it was better, but not around 100.00 better. Now, I was on a mission to venture out into the wilderness of Mexico, find a precious bottle of this glorious nectar(surely it has to cost less there) and return to the ship without being shot by the infamous drug cartels that are lurking around every corner looking for tourists wearing anything with a Disney logo. Sadly, you will have to wait until tomorrow’s report to see if I was successful in my mission.

At this point we were feeling pretty good (although I do have a high tolerance for this stuff) and we decided to check out the Outlook bar up on deck 10.

Before we go there, I wanted to throw in a shot of the restrooms along Route 66-just because they are so cool.

The outlook is pretty much empty during the day, but at night this is one fun place to be.

We met a great group of cruisers from San Diego(these were the partiers who brought their own bottles of wine to the shows in the theatre). We had a very informative and friendly bar tender named Victor Hugo (not kidding) from Brazil and ended up hanging out here until around 10.

We show up at the club expecting the kids to be more than ready to leave, but once again they were having a great time and probably would have spent the night in there if we let them.

For some strange reason, I can't recall which towel animal awaited us this night, as a matter of fact I can't remember much of anything after leaving the Outlook...

Coming up tomorrow...or Monday depending how the weekend goes: Day 4- Puerto Vallarta and the quest for the golden nectar, the Exotic Rasul and Pirate night!! It promises to be dangerous, steamy and a boat load of fun!!!

 

[Mindyjoy]

Thanks again, I am really loving your TR!!!! Making me so excited for my sailing in April.

 

[VickiHD]

I am loving your trip report. You writing is fun and keeping me on the edge of my seat !!!! Looking forward to Day 4.

Also. looking forward to booking another MR cruise for Oct 2012. Waiting....not so patiently for the dates to be up in order to book.

 

[EricaG]

Great TR!! We leave in just over a week and your pics are making me so excited!