"These bathroom tiles are so nice and cool...." AKA Oct 22, 2016 Magic *COMPLETED*

[poohs4me]

Chambord and Champagne? I never thought to try this. Is this common .

BTW I am quite enjoying your trip report.

What time did the bus pick you up and would you mind sharing the cost of the pickup car, hotel and dcl transportation?

 

[SonyaShay]

just caught up. I do not comment much but I read along with every update.

 

[Quellman]

I love your mini NYC adventure at the beginning. It doesn't look like the ship is that busy while you were on board.
Where did you get that cruiseship shirt that says home? So cool!

 

[SeaSpray]

Chambord and Champagne? I never thought to try this. Is this common .

BTW I am quite enjoying your trip report.

What time did the bus pick you up and would you mind sharing the cost of the pickup car, hotel and dcl transportation?

I don't know how common that drink is, but the Palo waiter mentioned the various Champagne drinks. My husband loves raspberry so he chose that one and he liked it. I stuck with my favorite peach Bellini.

The DCL bus was downstairs of the Marriott Marquis Times Square waiting for us by noon time. We got to the ship in about 15-20 minutes, mainly due to traffic and taking back roads because the port is pretty close to the hotel. I can't remember the price, but for us since they handle our luggage (the took it right from our room that morning) and deliver it to our cabin, it was well worth it. The car service that we used from NY Penn Station to the hotel cost $55 each way. After doing a lot of research we used Luxor Limos & Car Service. The Marriott didn't cost us anything because we used Marriott Rewards Points.

just caught up. I do not comment much but I read along with every update.

Thank you

I love your mini NYC adventure at the beginning. It doesn't look like the ship is that busy while you were on board.
Where did you get that cruiseship shirt that says home? So cool!

One of my sons ordered it for me from a web site online. I'll ask him if he remembers which site it was. I love it and got a lot of compliments onboard the ship.

 

[SeaSpray]

After Palo we were so full and didn't feel like doing much. Since it was such a nice day out we went to the Quiet Cove area and ordered a couple of drinks and found a couple of open lounge chairs to relax in.








There was a CM handing out extra towels and blankets to anyone who wanted them. To this New England girl, the weather was perfect and warm enough to swim, but maybe it was still a little cool out for some guests.







The new Mickey slide. It looked like a lot of fun!

 

[SeaSpray]

Tonight was formal night and we had dinner at Animator's Palate. I love the original "show" in AP, but the new shows totally blew me away! I hadn't done any research so didn't know what to expect in the new AP. I LOVED both evenings that we dined there. Well done, Disney Imagineers!!!

Apparently I took pictures of everything except for our food. lol


This was a cool menu with an articulated picture of Mickey on the front cover.











This is the "No Sugar Added" Chilled Mango Mousse. It was so silky smooth, light, and delicious! Perfect ending for a big meal.




We both ordered a Tiramisu Mocha Latte and asked Allen our assistant server if we could get Mickey on them and he said "Of course!!" We loved these coffee drinks after dinner.

 

[SeaSpray]

Day 3 - Full Day at Sea

We had another room service breakfast and leisurely ate that on our verandah watching the beautiful blue sea and sky go by. Late morning I went for a quick dip in the Quiet Cove pool while John watched a movie.

We both were looking forward to this afternoon because we booked the Couples Choice in a Spa Villa. It's not inexpensive but it was great to do at least once. We each chose the hot stone massage. That alone was worth the price! lol But first, the milk foot bath and hot tub. I didn't take pictures of everything single thing because I wanted to relax and just enjoy the time there. But I snapped a few here and there!



















The massages were done inside the villa and it was so lovely in there; serene colors, serene music, relaxing scent in the air..... ahhh.... that was indeed awesome. My husband and I were on tables just a few inches apart and we both dozed off to sleep during the massage (the masseuses whisper when they ask you to turn over, etc and they only speak when they have to. They create such a relaxing atmosphere.....) and when it was time to wake us up they placed our hands together and rang a tiny bell. That was awesome.

 

[SeaSpray]

We were so relaxed after the 2+ hours in the Spa Villa! We found something somewhat corny to do under the "Adults" section of the Navigator. "Make your own tile coaster". It was like a summer camp activity for adults! LOL And a great reason to try another drink of the day. It was held in O'Gill's Pub.

 

[SeaSpray]

After our "arts & crafts" session we walked around the ship and I did some window shopping, looking at everything, and planning what I was going to purchase.

That night dinner was "cruise casual" in Carioca's. I think this was the night that the ship held the Halloween on the High Seas activities. We don't do Halloween so we didn't pay much attention to that.

They created towel hats for everyone, as evidenced below. lol



















I vividly remember the appetizer beef empanada and this coconut cake type thing. Not to be indelicate, but I would be reminded of this food over and over for the next 36 hours.....

 

[SeaSpray]

After dinner I was still feeling great and we were so excited about the next day: CASTAWAY CAY! And we had a cabana on Serenity Bay!!!!! Here are a couple of pics of the paperwork and info and wrist bands that we'd need the next morning:






According to my camera, these pictures were taken at 11:48pm. Then it was bedtime.... until about 2am......

 

[SeaSpray]

This is the only picture of me taken during the next 3 days. My husband took this picture of me while I was being treated and given an IV in the medical department. I didn't take any pictures at all until 3 days later. I've blurred the picture a bit because its not exactly very flattering, and I felt like I was dying at the time.




Ok, so now is a good time to explain the title of my report "...these bathroom tiles are so nice and cool...."

For the next 48 hours straight that I was stuck in the bathroom :ill: I was so hot and sweaty and I realized that the bathroom is so small that if I lean towards the wall, the ceramic tiles were nice and cool and felt good while I was "dying" in there. That's all I can remember thinking for those 48 hours "these tiles are nice and cool" and "if I open the door more towards me it offered great support to lean on." It's the little details that Disney is famous for, right?!?!?!?!

 

[SeaSpray]

I was quarantined to my cabin for 2 1/2 days and I lived on these - Pedialyte freezer pops. I had gotten so dehydrated from being so sick so continuously.
Anytime I wanted them I had to call Guest Services and they'd run them up to me. I could only tolerate the orange ones, any other flavors made me sick. I lived on these ice pops and sipping PowerAde and gingerale. I was so weak that the medical department had to bring me back to my cabin in a wheelchair. They also called several times a day, and also supplied me with as much prescription anti nausea medication (Zofran) and Imodium that I needed.



So needless to say we did not see Castaway Cay and we didn't go to Disney World the next day. I was so sick and weak that the day we were docked at Castaway Cay, I didn't have the energy to walk to the verandah and look out. Now THAT is illness - not even being physically able to sit on your verandah and breathe in the fresh air of CC. I have never been that sick in my entire life.

 

[SeaSpray]

So, let's pretend that these are pictures of my husband and myself on Castaway Cay at our own Cabana #24 on Serenity Bay!

I figured this is a good time to post the pictures of turndown service. lol

Sat Night:



Sunday Night:



Monday Night:


Tuesday Night: No Castaway Cay. No turndown. I was still so sick and was quarantined.

Wednesday Night: No Disney World. No turndown. Still sick, still quarantined.

So now it's Thursday. Sea Day. I felt so bad for my husband because he didn't want to leave my side he was only eating room service. So I told him I'd get dressed and go to the buffet with him so he could eat lunch. This is the first picture on my camera after the last picture Monday night of Cabana paperwork.

This is what I thought might be ok to nibble on.


I had no appetite but the bites of bread and slice of cucumber didn't make me any sicker, so that was good.

 

[SeaSpray]

Spent the rest of the day in our cabin sleeping/resting, eating Pedialyte ice pops, and trying to build up energy for semi formal night.

That night was Semi-formal night and I did not want my husband to miss the lobster dinner. So I threw on whatever was comfortable, he ditched the tux (LOL), and I shuffled my way, literally, down to animator's Palate. There was a line to get into AP so I stepped outside the door so I could sit on a deck chair until we could walk in and sit at our table.

Here's a selfie we took while waiting out on deck; I look happier here than I did in days. lol



Our servers were great and were worried about where we'd been for the last few nights. I told them I'd been ill and couldn't leave the cabin. They took good care of us, as did our head server John.



I actually ordered the pork medallions and plain baked potato. The pork was so tender and lightly seasoned and delicious, I was able to take a few bites, and a couple of bites of potato. John enjoyed his lobster and steak.








In retrospect I am SO GLAD that we didn't miss the new shows in AP. I really loved them. It was fun to look for your characters up on the screen.








And here's turndown from that night:



If you notice on the right side of the bed, its the placemats they give you to draw your character on. At the end of the meal they return it to you, and it has a sticker on it that says "Official Disney Animator". How cute is that??

 

[DnA2010]

Oh my goodness! Newbie jumping on board, I was so sorry to read about how ill you got missing you Castaways day, how brutal, your trip was sounding so great till then!

 

[lorimay]

Oh no! I am so sorry you were so ill...... That is the most horrible feeling, especially when you are not in your own home in your own bed.
Did they think it was Norovirus? Were there any other cases reported?
You poor thing, you plan plan plan and this happens..... awful.

 

[Quellman]

We were so relaxed after the 2+ hours in the Spa Villa! We found something somewhat corny to do under the "Adults" section of the Navigator. "Make your own tile coaster". It was like a summer camp activity for adults! LOL And a great reason to try another drink of the day. It was held in O'Gill's Pub.

I totally want to do a tile now!

I can't believe you had to miss the warm sunny parts of your voyage in quarantine! Absolutely abysmal. Especially after such a relaxing time at the spa.

 

[SeaSpray]

Oh my goodness! Newbie jumping on board, I was so sorry to read about how ill you got missing you Castaways day, how brutal, your trip was sounding so great till then!

Thanks! Our trip *was* great until I got so sick! Missing Castaway Cay and Disney World was very brutal.

Oh no! I am so sorry you were so ill...... That is the most horrible feeling, especially when you are not in your own home in your own bed.
Did they think it was Norovirus? Were there any other cases reported?
You poor thing, you plan plan plan and this happens..... awful.

Yes they think it Norovirus. I know that other people were also sick, to varying degrees.

 

[SeaSpray]

I totally want to do a tile now!

I can't believe you had to miss the warm sunny parts of your voyage in quarantine! Absolutely abysmal. Especially after such a relaxing time at the spa.

I really did get a kick out of the Adults Only craft activities. LOL Unfortunately, that was the only one we made it to.

 

[SeaSpray]

So I left off at Thursday night. One more day at sea and then we'd be back at NYC, along with another night at the Marriott Marquis. Since I wasn't able to beam myself home when I was at my worst point, I realized that spending that extra day and night in NYC would be good because it'd give me a little more time to recuperate before getting back on the 4 hour train ride home.

All day Thursday my husband was trying to cheer me up and asking me if I wanted to go shopping for souvenirs. I really didn't feel up to walking around the shops, so he suggested booking another cruise the next day, especially since that day they had just released more itineraries for the first half of 2018.

Day 7 - Sea Day

For some reason I felt better yesterday (Thursday) than I did today. Nausea was back and I had lost my appetite again. We didn't do too much. At noon I went to the shop where the Captain was holding an autograph session. It's a tradition for us to get a photo map or something signed by the captain, so I purchased a cute postcard with Captain Mickey on it, and had the Captain sign that. The CM there snapped a picture for me:




Before our cruise we signed up to do a Wine tasting and a Champagne tasting with a private group. I had to cancel the Wine Tasting that was held on Thursday, but since my husband basically didn't get to do much on this cruise because of me, I decided we'd go to the Champagne tasting on Friday afternoon even if I didn't drink anything.

It was held in Keys, and the head sommelier ran the tasting. Here are a few of the pictures: