WDW/DCL Western Caribbean Honeymoon Extravaganza!! DONE!!! - PG 51!!

[cmcvean]

Wow! Love your TR! It has taken two days, but I'm caught up! Beautiful wedding dress by the way! My DH and I went on our first cruise for our honeymoon and felt the exact same way. Wish we would have gone to WDW. Our first try after that was a Disney cruise with our 4 kids and we had a GREAT time. It is just a different time and experience. So, I totally understand what you are saying - who knows, maybe a couple kids later - you will try again !. Anyway - thank you for such an amazing TR!! I'm looking foward to the rest. Also, did you get a chance to eat at Palo's? I would have tried to eat there every night !!!

 

[wideeyedwonder]

I was really worried people would get mad at me for saying negative things about DCL because I know so many people love it.

Don't worry about it, although I LOVE cruising (so far, only DCL cruising), and my order of preference is DLR, DCL, WDW (blasphemy!), I can TOTALLY understand how it may not be someone's cup of tea. I can see how any type of cruising can be seen as a floating insane asylum from which there is no escape! (OK, for us, that's half the fun!)

So we sat there for a while, had a few more drinks and chatted a little with this couple, Michelle and Kenny (I think were their names). They were really nice and congratulated us on our marriage.

Awesome family! 'Nuff said for now!

Me trying to figure out where the heck I am! I'm the kind of person who always needs to know where I am. (When we used to drive to WDW when I was a kid, I would hold the AAA maps the whole time, checking the cities on the exit signs against the map to see exactly where we were!) So I couldn't STAND that I didn't know my way around. The map was with me at all times for the first half of the trip!

I'll have to agree...our first cruise, it wasn't until the end that we could really find our way around. On the 7 day, though, we had finally "internalized" the ship's layout and could find our way to almost anywhere.

It not only makes sense it sums up my general opinion of the food on the cruise. Don't get me wrong, there are bright spots, but I guess this is a good time to get my biggest gripe out of the way - at least half the food tasted like it should have been on a cafeteria tray. And I'm not talking about the counter service places on the deck (I actually enjoyed the chicken fingers from Pluto's Doghouse), I mean the sit down restaurants.

I'll have to agree on this one as well, although I've NEVER had what I'd consider "delicious food" at a sit down restaurant on any of my cruises (including DCL and Royal Caribbean). Now I know that many people like the sit down restaurant cruise food (my wife included), but my idea of a really good meal is a tasty rib-eye with a nice dry rub, grilled to medium rare, and some nice steamed vegetables. I am not much of a "sauce" person, and many of the entrees are rich in sauces. Even Palo itself doesn't float my boat much, other than the ambiance, the service, and the view (and, OK, the wine selection!) My wife LOVEs one of the chocolate deserts there (I forget which one), but even the deserts there don't do it for me. Oh well.

It's not that the food is bad, it's just that it isn't great, at least according to my tastes...so I tend to eat to satisfy my hunger, and not to taste the food, which may be partially why I gained not a single pound on the cruise!

That being said, I did actually like the chicken fingers that you could get on deck, and I LOVED the BBQ at CC! (See, maybe I have 'simple' tastes).

 

[YoNoSe]

I am not much of a "sauce" person, and many of the entrees are rich in sauces. Even Palo itself doesn't float my boat much, other than the ambiance, the service, and the view (and, OK, the wine selection!) My wife LOVEs one of the chocolate deserts there (I forget which one), but even the deserts there don't do it for me. Oh well.

It's not that the food is bad, it's just that it isn't great, at least according to my tastes...so I tend to eat to satisfy my hunger, and not to taste the food, which may be partially why I gained not a single pound on the cruise!

That being said, I did actually like the chicken fingers that you could get on deck, and I LOVED the BBQ at CC! (See, maybe I have 'simple' tastes).

I very much agree and I had kind of forgotten how sauce-heavy the meals (especially the beef) were. I am also more of a "natural flavor" fan. I don't mind a few accents or counterpoints to spice it up, but it seemed that they were almost disguising the meat with the heavy sauces.

Also I would point out that one of the couples we met mentioned specifically that they had noticed a drastic difference in the food quality from previous Disney cruises. So it may just be that it was a transition or trial period.

 

[Jillpie]

Nikki, thank you so much for your honesty. Don't change a thing and please don't think you have to almost please us and say what you're not feeling. I LOVE that you're speaking from the heart and telling us everything, just as it happened, no filters, thats what makes you so fun!

Our family loves DCL, but to be honest, our first cruise on the Wonder (we did the Magic too, a year later) and that first day, we felt kind of "lost" too. Kind of like, everyone knows where to go, and they're all having a blast, but what exactly are we supposed to be doing? I remember that feeling. And you expressed it so clearly. I am so sad that the ears are gone, I loved seeing them all over the World. But I get it. So sorry you were feeling that way. But keep telling us everything, just as it happened, ok? We're still right there with ya! And my DH and I loved the adult section so much too!!

So on with the rest of the story....

 

[emum]

Hi Nikki - I'm new to posting to your TR, but have been reading along fervently. I'm loving every detail you've added - thanks for sharing it so descriptively. We are doing a similar trip from Australia at the end of next year, to celebrate our 40th birthdays.

Ever since you mentioned DH's elbow, I can't help but check out how red it is in each consecutive photo.....

Cheers,
Sally

 

[BippityBoo]

Hey Nikki! Yea---the food looked "So-so"...and it seems that we probably have the same taste buds

The ship is looking nice, however, the hallway totally freaks me out. If we go, I want to make sure we dont have to walk too much down the hall! Was it really narrow? I get uncomfortable in small spaces too!

Animaters looked pretty though! Cant wait to see how it is when you dock and explore Awesome job...I dont want it to be over!

 

[msGAJeepgurl]

I am so sorry your cruise experience wasnt great. I will say that when I went I was 16 & 18 on DCL respectively.

Now that I am older I have no idea what my parents did?? DCL is very much oriented to families, despite a few adult themed ideas. However, I'd say consider if you might have appreciated the cruise with less children, etc & perhaps consider a river cruise (up and down the Mississippi) or another cruise line that isnt as popular with the kids.

 

[anetnmike]

You guys are not the first to comment on the decline of the food quality. It is an unfortunate truth. It looks pretty but does not taste as such. And the buffets are a means to end, I think, for feeding hoards of people with hungry kids that can't wait for the sit down service (and do we want them sitting next to us in the restraunt anyway? - I say this as a mother of 2 boys myself).
I'm so sorry that you did not enjoy your experience. After our first cruise I do distinctly remember thinking that the park experience and the ship were 2 very unique things unto themselves. You don't have to apologize for for how you feel! I'm sad for you that it was not what you'd hoped it would be though.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Unfortunately for you guys you were sailing soon after the new menu was released on the Magic. Pretty much everybody, at least here on the Dis, who has cruised with the new menu has not liked the food, maybe they were still working the kinks out. I was on one of the last cruises to have the old menu in May and in general found the food pretty good and that is coming from a picky eater.

Well it's good to know that it wan't just us! Like Tom said, we talked to another couple (SusanC and her DH) and they were telling us there was a significant difference in food quality than DCL has had in the past.

Wow! Love your TR! It has taken two days, but I'm caught up! Beautiful wedding dress by the way! My DH and I went on our first cruise for our honeymoon and felt the exact same way. Wish we would have gone to WDW. Our first try after that was a Disney cruise with our 4 kids and we had a GREAT time. It is just a different time and experience. So, I totally understand what you are saying - who knows, maybe a couple kids later - you will try again !. Anyway - thank you for such an amazing TR!! I'm looking foward to the rest. Also, did you get a chance to eat at Palo's? I would have tried to eat there every night !!!

Oh I'm so glad you are enjoying the TR! You're right, we just may end up DCL lovers when we vacation with kids! But I don't know that we'll ever have the guts to even try it again. You never know!

We DID eat at Palo for brunch and dinner!

Awesome family! 'Nuff said for now!


That being said, I did actually like the chicken fingers that you could get on deck, and I LOVED the BBQ at CC! (See, maybe I have 'simple' tastes).

Michelle and Kenny were great! We were sitting in the "section" feeling completely out of place while every one around us seemed to be having a BLAST and it was so nice of them to start talking to us. They made us feel way more comfortable and settled in, even though, I'm sure they didn't even realize they were doing that for us at the time.

We enjoyed the chicken fingers, as well!

Nikki, thank you so much for your honesty. Don't change a thing and please don't think you have to almost please us and say what you're not feeling. I LOVE that you're speaking from the heart and telling us everything, just as it happened, no filters, thats what makes you so fun!

Our family loves DCL, but to be honest, our first cruise on the Wonder (we did the Magic too, a year later) and that first day, we felt kind of "lost" too. Kind of like, everyone knows where to go, and they're all having a blast, but what exactly are we supposed to be doing? I remember that feeling. And you expressed it so clearly. I am so sad that the ears are gone, I loved seeing them all over the World. But I get it. So sorry you were feeling that way. But keep telling us everything, just as it happened, ok? We're still right there with ya! And my DH and I loved the adult section so much too!!

So on with the rest of the story....

That's exactly it!

Yeah, the ears had to go. In WDW, I felt great wearing the ears but on the cruise, something just didn't feel right, like, I felt like I looked stupid.

I will keep it up just the way I've been going! Thanks for the encouragement!!

Hi Nikki - I'm new to posting to your TR, but have been reading along fervently. I'm loving every detail you've added - thanks for sharing it so descriptively. We are doing a similar trip from Australia at the end of next year, to celebrate our 40th birthdays.

Ever since you mentioned DH's elbow, I can't help but check out how red it is in each consecutive photo.....

Cheers,
Sally

Glad you decided to post and that's you're enjoying the TR. Yeah, his elbow is clearly getting redder and more swollen in each picture, if you can catch it! The elbow story is NOT over yet!

Hey Nikki! Yea---the food looked "So-so"...and it seems that we probably have the same taste buds

The ship is looking nice, however, the hallway totally freaks me out. If we go, I want to make sure we dont have to walk too much down the hall! Was it really narrow? I get uncomfortable in small spaces too!

Animaters looked pretty though! Cant wait to see how it is when you dock and explore Awesome job...I dont want it to be over!

The hallway was crazy. Very narrow and looooooong. If we were on the front end of the ship, we'd try to get to the back end BEFORE going up to our floor because walking from one end to the other in that hallway can make you nuts!

I am so sorry your cruise experience wasnt great. I will say that when I went I was 16 & 18 on DCL respectively.

Now that I am older I have no idea what my parents did?? DCL is very much oriented to families, despite a few adult themed ideas. However, I'd say consider if you might have appreciated the cruise with less children, etc & perhaps consider a river cruise (up and down the Mississippi) or another cruise line that isnt as popular with the kids.

You are absolutely right. They market DCL like it's a cruise for everyone. And the DO have adult areas but it was clearly a family cruise. Maybe more so because it was summer, but it was clear, we weren't their priority.

I don't think we'll try another cruise because, honestly, the best thing about this cruise was the Disney stuff! We're not interesting in doing a "booze cruise" or anything like.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Day 8 ~ July 26, 2009 (Key West Day)
Brunch at Palo​

We woke up kind of early (as usual) and decided to go get some coffee from the beverage station. Can I just go in what I slept in? SURE!

My legs were looking PALE! I'll work on that this week....

We went back to the room and got ready for our Palo brunch which was at 10am.

We really LOVED our verandah, can you tell??

Okay, any LOST fans out there?! If you are a true LOST fan, you'll get why THIS picture was necessary for me to take! Ever since Tom heard the name of this restaurant, we've been talking about taking this picture.

I liked that if you take the aft elevator to Deck 10, it's like an elevator JUST to Palo. It was kind of the same way with the Beat Street elevator, although at the moment, I can't remember which floor or elevator gets you there!

We were asked to choose a champagne and we chose different ones so we can try both!

Our watier took us around the buffet and explained everything to us, while I took pictures, of course!
OKAY! BUFFET PICTURES!!!!

I started with this and then ordered a pepperoni pizza!!

Some shots inside the restaurant.

MMMMMM, so good!

Tom ordered the pancakes with fresh whipped cream FOLLOWED by a sausage pizza!

I got the tiramisu dessert! Tom got some sort of cheesecake.

Overall, the food at Palo brunch was DELICIOUS! Definitely the best food we had all week.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

After brunch, I ran to the bathroom and Tom waited just outside. Well, as I walk out of the bathroom, who passes right by me but MICKEY MOUSE!! I ran after him, caught Tom outside and we stopped him real quick to get a picture. The camera was still on the food setting so it was really zoomed in and sort of had this blue tint to it but I think this pictures is fantastic!

At this point, we were about to dock in Key West, so we went back to our room to get ready.

Up Next: Key West ( well at least for a little...)

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Oh yum! Palo brunch is the best!

 

[wideeyedwonder]

OKAY! BUFFET PICTURES!!!!
I started with this and then ordered a pepperoni pizza!!

Overall, the food at Palo brunch was DELICIOUS! Definitely the best food we had all week.

Yeah! FOOD PORN! (Thanks for posting these, we never did get to our Palo brunch, I think we just forgot!) That Pizza looks awesome, I like a good thin crust pizza (was it thin crust?), it's so hard to get our here in Cali.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Oh yum! Palo brunch is the best!

Yes, it REALLY was the best!

Yeah! FOOD PORN! (Thanks for posting these, we never did get to our Palo brunch, I think we just forgot!) That Pizza looks awesome, I like a good thin crust pizza (was it thin crust?), it's so hard to get our here in Cali.

Oh we were all about the food porn this trip! The pizza was fantastic, yes, thin crust. Thank god for that pizza because the pizza at Pinocchio's was total crap!! We needed a good NY pizza immediately when we got home!! The picture party at my sister's house the day after we got back, quickly became a pizza picture party once we realized how much we missed GOOD pizza! Thank you Roma's!

 

[mamaboogie]

My eyes are still out on stalks after seeing all that buffet food - it looked amazing!

Did you help yourself or was it like a sit down restaurant where you just had a look then ordered at the table?

The restaurant also looked beautiful - it's hard to believe it's on a ship!

BTW - your yellow dress is just adorable and you look so cute in it!

Sharixx

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

My eyes are still out on stalks after seeing all that buffet food - it looked amazing!

Did you help yourself or was it like a sit down restaurant where you just had a look then ordered at the table?

The restaurant also looked beautiful - it's hard to believe it's on a ship!

BTW - your yellow dress is just adorable and you look so cute in it!

Sharixx

Oh thanks!! Most of the clothes that I wore on the ship I bought specifically for this cruise! For the past year Tom has been getting so sick of me coming home with bags shouting, "CRUISE CASUAL!!!"

The restaurant was mostly help yourself but some things you ordered from your waiter like the pizza and pancakes.

 

[PopArtGal]

The food looks delicious!!

Especially the desserts lol

 

[BippityBoo]

Loved your dress..adorable and perfect for a cruise brunch!

Now Palo's food is more like it Looks awesome!! Especially the pancakes..yum!

I am anxious to see if you liked Key West

 

[YoNoSe]

Palo was definitely the high water mark for food on the ship and I felt the brunch was the high water mark for Palo. We would also go to dinner there and it was great but the brunch just had so much to offer.

It is easy to forget your limits though - Alaskan King Crab legs followed by pancakes with freshly whipped cream followed by sausage pizza - not the most gastrointestinally sound brunch!

 

[podsnel]

Ok- I have fallen behind AGAIN! Just wanted to say- you're a freakin' NUT!!! The pic with the sombrero and wedding ears and maracas???? SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hilarious!!! And your pics by the castle on your last night are BEAUTIFUL- really!!

OK- back to reading the rest....