Thoughts from last-weeks Fantasy Cruise

Thank you for the great information! My family is going on our first cruise in November!
 
Thank you for all the nice comments above. I hope I didn't dwell on the few negative things too much, as it was one of the best vacations of my life.

Also, thanks to all the Dis Board members who provided fantastic tips and responses to my questions before the trip.

How was Palo brunch for your gluten-free wife? Were they able to make GF pizza? Any yummy GF foods to take the place of the large spread of wheat-filled carby foods (cinnamon rolls, stollen, etc)? Any chance she had the chicken parm? Last cruise I was not GF. I now must be GF and I hope I enjoy Palo brunch GF as much as I did pre-GF!

Palo was excellent for GF. The one thing the server did that was helpful was to get the chef. The chef came out and walked around with my wife to go over her options. There were many GF options on the buffet. He then said he could prepare just about anything for her that she wanted. She ordered GF pizza, which my wife said was very good. She raved to the chef about it and he brought out the UPC from the box for the crust they used. We were a bit disappointed to see that it was Amy's pizza crust, because we know that Amy's is not made in a GF free factory. Disney claims to be very aware of cross-contamination, so I am surprised they wouldn't know better about purchasing from GF factories too. But, my wife didn't have any reaction to the pizza. She didn't order anything else, and the waiter didn't offer to bring her any GF deserts. I don't recall if there were any already available, but she didn't get any.

My wife really liked the GF cookies from room service. One night, I ordered 3 of them (she saved 2 for the next day).

One other thing that I forgot in the initial report - I did not think the water at Castaway Cay was uncomfortably cold. I had worried about that based on some reports. But it was so hot on the island, that the water felt great. It was a bit shocking one you first got in - but I have the same reaction to most pools in the summer too. Within a few seconds it was just right and refreshing. By comparison, it felt much warmer than the Pacific ocean in California or Oregon - which you just have to get numb to to enjoy, even in mid-summer.
 
Thanks for your review, sounds great.

I don't know if I would have expressly booed those passengers, but it is extremely inconsiderate of them. Regardless of what caused them to be late (traffic?), unless it was a medical emergency, they got mugged, etc., it annoys me when people feel like they're so special that they don't have to follow the same rules as the 3,996 other people on board. It's just simply rude and inconsiderate.
 
Thanks for your review....glad your had a fabulous first cruise....

The first is always magical, however, all of mine have been magical to me....


Thanks for sharing your thoughts
 


Thanks for a really great report.....oh yes always take something for seasickness. It happen to me on our first cruise and I always come prepared.


We too always found the stateroom host and dining room staff to be excellent and we too always tip more.:thumbsup2:thumbsup2

And we find there is never enough time to do everything that is offered.

My DH and I never make to the adult area at night...we too are always too pooped!pixiedust:
 
Thank you for all the nice comments above. I hope I didn't dwell on the few negative things too much, as it was one of the best vacations of my life.

Also, thanks to all the Dis Board members who provided fantastic tips and responses to my questions before the trip.



Palo was excellent for GF. The one thing the server did that was helpful was to get the chef. The chef came out and walked around with my wife to go over her options. There were many GF options on the buffet. He then said he could prepare just about anything for her that she wanted. She ordered GF pizza, which my wife said was very good. She raved to the chef about it and he brought out the UPC from the box for the crust they used. We were a bit disappointed to see that it was Amy's pizza crust, because we know that Amy's is not made in a GF free factory. Disney claims to be very aware of cross-contamination, so I am surprised they wouldn't know better about purchasing from GF factories too. But, my wife didn't have any reaction to the pizza. She didn't order anything else, and the waiter didn't offer to bring her any GF deserts. I don't recall if there were any already available, but she didn't get any.

My wife really liked the GF cookies from room service. One night, I ordered 3 of them (she saved 2 for the next day).

Thanks for the GF Palo review. I've never had Amy's pizza crust because I make my own. I may need to try it for the grape pizza. I'll be on the Magic next month. Since the Magic will be in the Med, it may be a different company for the pizza crust.

I didn't know you could order GF cookies from room service. I've always been told room service is a no-go for allergies (DS15 has been GF for a few cruises). Were they the pre-packaged cookies?
 
Yes. GF cookies from room service were prepackaged. But there was no extra charge for them. They warmed them up, unless you asked for them not to warm them, in which case they were slightly frozen.
 


All of the cruises are magical. Just some are more magical than others :goodvibes

Loved your trip report. Thank you for sharing.
 
Loved your report!

My hubby loves relaxing on the verandah (he naps) while I get ready and get DD ready. I love to see that.

Best sleep I ever have is on a ship. :thumbsup2 I love Castaway Cay.....exhale...so relaxing I never want to go eat.

Before cruising, my nightmares, us missing the boat, me just missing the boat (and no one notices), forgot bathing suit, forgot make up. :lmao:
 
Initial thoughts: We returned from our cruise to the Eastern Caribbean on the Fantasy last Saturday (May 11, 2013). I don't have enough interesting things to post an trip report, but wanted to share some of my thoughts. This was my families first cruise (I took a cheap Baja cruise as a teenager). It was with my wife and two young girls.

The Fantasy was breathtaking. What a work of engineering and art put together. It was spotless everywhere we went. In many ways, it was nicer than a Ritz Carlton I stayed at.

Is the first cruise always better than the rest? Or are they all just as magical?

That was our second Disney cruise - and I think the staff make and people you meet make it even more magical. This 7 day was Awesome, the 3 day dream was way to short, but just as magical.
 
Great TR - thanks for the details. We did our first cruise Dec 2012 - Fantasy Western. Are going Fantasy Eastern May 2014 and I hope it will be just as magical (or dare I hope more so) than the first! Our cabin steward and servers were fantastic and they certainly make a difference to the trip. I hope to have just as good service this next time. And we tipped above the minimum to all - though I don't remember exactly how much extra. I agree they all work very hard long days, so when they still greeted us at 2nd seating or on our way to our room with a smile and our names we felt they more than deserved the extra.
 

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