What was your favorite experience from a DCL ship?

[hunterfaimly]

That mermaid story totally had me crying at my computer and trying to hide it from my dd. I think the moment on the cruise that got me was when we were up on deck 9 waiting for the sailaway party to start and I reliezed we were moving, i started tearing up then too. I guess it just hit me that all those months of planning at this was what it was all about.

Noelle

 

[cindy18]

That mermaid story totally had me crying at my computer and trying to hide it from my dd. I think the moment on the cruise that got me was when we were up on deck 9 waiting for the sailaway party to start and I reliezed we were moving, i started tearing up then too. I guess it just hit me that all those months of planning at this was what it was all about.

Noelle

I agree with that! There's a moment during the sail away party when the CM tells us to wave goodbye to Florida and says "YOU'RE ON VACATION!" For some reason , that moment on our first cruise stays with me, that feeling of letting all the stress of getting away from work and on that ship just completely disappear along with the Florida coast. When it happened, I started to cry from complete happiness. It was really great!

I also have to say that a close second was when they called DH up on stage to dance with the Disney dancers during the same sail away party. He is a very shy, unassuming man and for a good 30-60 seconds he simply refused to go up. Rather than picking someone else, the CM just waited for DH to get up the courage to go on stage. The moms nearby pushed me up close so that I could take as many pictures as I wanted, while our two DDs (then 10 and 8) stood there with their mouths hanging open in shock. Once he was on stage, DH went for it, following the moves, really getting into the dancing, while everyone watched him on the big screen and I took as many pictures as I could between bouts of hysterical laughter. What a great way to start a cruise!!!!

 

[dreamcometrue]

omg so many favorites... seeing the Magic for the first time as you drive across the bridge into Port Canaveral... there are no words! You read about it, you dream about it, but unless you actually experience it, there are no words... then stepping foot on board for the first time and they announce your family and clap. The sailaway party, when everyone counts down and the sound of the horn. I get goosebumps just thinking about it again!

There was one moment during our cruise that was special! DD and I walked inside deck 9 aft to catch the elevator down to deck 2. As we walked in, there were Chip and Dale standing there. I quickly took a pic of DD and them, and then the elevator came. Much to our surprise both Chip and Dale and their handler squeezed into the elevator with us! They went all the way down to deck 3 with us, while one of them played with my DD hair all the way down! She was soooo excited and would not stop talking about it.

 

[EllenD]

Our Uncle was diagnosed with cancer and was told he had less than a year to live....so we booked a celebration of life Disney Wonder cruise for 35 people...his immediate family (kids/grandkids/brothers/neices & nephews)....originally scheduled for a November cruise, in July the Dr. gave us the terrible news that he would not make it past August....so we rebooked for August....somehow avoided the hurricanes...and set sail on the wonder..."Uncle Mike" passed away two days after getting off the cruise...but while on the cruise...the staff made his final days the most memorable anyone could ever ask for...even though Uncle Mike was now on oxygen and in a wheel chair....Captain Henry came to Tritons with several characters and sang happy birthday to Uncle Mike who would never make it to his actual birthday days later....Captain Henry then invited Uncle Mike to sound the horn while leaving the Bahamas....we all gathered as he some how lifted his left arm (something he could not do for days) to push the button to sound the horn....it was the most touching moment ever....Uncle Mike's organs began to shut down and as a final farewell...captain Henry placed Uncle Mike in the front row of the show and had his grandkids go onstage as the seven drawfs.....memories everyone will remember forever...instead of sitting in a hospital bed during his last days, Uncle Mike was able to experience the magic of Disney on the Wonder.....May God Bless his soul....thank you Disney!

*tears*

We are still in the planning stage of our cruise trip. I was not sure what line to go with. We live in Florida and was really leaning towards Disney, your story seals the deal.

What an amazing last few days your Uncle Mike had. *tears*

 

[Katink]

The first sighting of the ship and hearing our family announced used to give me chills (OK...still does).

For me, too - announcing our family was the best. Here's another -at dinner, the server asked my grandson what he wanted for dessert and he said nothing. When it came time for dessert, the server put a plate in front of DGS with the word "nothing" spelled out in chocolate sauce with a whipped cream border. Talk about magical

p.s. loved the story - DGD is the same age so I see the behavior on a daily basis.

Katink

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Promise not to laugh??? My favorite was waking up to Hurricane Hilary on the EB Panama Canal cruise in 2005. We enjoyed watching our view from the porthole getting completely covered by waves. We loved riding the waves. We loved it all. Crazy, huh?

 

[Kim in TN]

Wonderful stories Everyone!!

 

[bigferrell]

bump

 

[poohssmum]

What a great thread ... I just can't stop myself from jumping in with this one. On our first cruise, our youngest DS was just shy of 4. He's not the most patient of kids (never has been, probably never will be ) but during the family show in the dueling piano bar (when it was still on the Magic), they were asking kids to tell jokes. DS wanted to tell a joke in the worst way and asked how he could get up on stage. I said, "raise your hand." So he did ... but we were in a corner booth hidden behind a big column from the piano guys. He was disappointed until they asked for another volunteer. He was now standing right behind the pillar with his hand raised and I motioned for him to walk a little further so they'd see him. They did see him, a little boy of 3 in his sweater vest, dress pants and shoes standing oh-so-patiently, not making a sound with one hand raised straight into the air and the the other tucked into his pocket. One of the piano players commented, "This is probably one of the most adorable things I have ever seen." Unfortunately, the other piano player had just called a different volunteer. But DS didn't give up and once more they called for volunteers with the comment, "Wonder who we'll pick this time?" Once DS got on stage ... he was so excited to have finally been picked, that he couldn't remember his joke

 

[binky1]

Okay, my turn. DD (then 6) loves to sing and has a great voice but at the time was horrendously shy. We decided to stop by Family Karaoke on Pirate Night and she decided she was going to sing. Well, no amount of convincing on her part could get us up there with her so she went up by herself.

She started singing in a VERY quiet voice and since she couldn't read very well at that point, she quickly lost her place. The CM who was running the Karaoke quickly jumped in and finished the song with her and led the big round of applause at the finish. He was awesome and the smile on her face lit up the room. Afterwards, she kept saying "Did you see me, Mom? Did you see me, Mom? I got to sing for everybody!!"

Can't wait to make more MAGICal memories in '09!!

 

[crystalnva4]

FIRST TIME I CRIED ON MY CRUISE WAS WHEN WE STOOD ON THE TOP DECK AND HEARD THE HORN SOUND AND THE BOAT MOVING...MY DD AND DS WERE SHOCKED THAT IT HAD REALLY COME TRUE (WE HAD SURPRISED THEM WITH THE TRIP FOR CHRISTMAS)

SECOND TIME I CRIED WAS WHEN DS FINALLY CAME OUT OF HIS SHELL AND WANTED TO STAY IN THE LAB (HE WAS ALSO IN LOVE WITH THE CM BECKY..LOL)

THIRD TIME I CRIED WAS WHEN MY 13 YEAR OLD DD TURNED AROUND AS WE LEFT OUR ROOM THAT LAST MORNING, LOOKED AT ME AND SAID "YOU PROMISE WE'LL COME BACK?" WITH TEARS IN HER EYES. I WAS THROUGH!!

LAST OF ALL I CRIED AS WE LEFT THE PORT KNOWING NO ONE ELSE WOULD EVER UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS WILLING TO DRIVE FROM VA TO FL AND PAY THAT MUCH FOR A CRUISE AND CRY AS I WAS WHEN IT WAS OVER.

 

[LovableGluttons]

I have some terrific memories with my family from our first cruise on DCL.


The one I want to share has nothing to do with the CMs or the boat itself.

See, I have some seriously hanging skin from extreme weight loss and had not had my legs or arms done yet, just my torso.

I found a Mickey bathing suit and wore it to Castaway Cay. I was self conscious of being seen in public, but determined to find that sunken Mickey. So there I was in my bathing suit and all that hanging skin.

People did stare.


Just as I was about to cover up again, I had two different women come up and ask where I got my cool bathing suit!

The stares weren't for the skin, but the suit! I was at home with other Mickey clothing afficionados who couldn't see the hanging skin because of my great suit!


Yes, I only wear Disney bathing suits now!


Only at Disney would this happen, people outside of the magic just can't get past everything else to appreciate the magic around us.

 

[bigferrell]

We were worried about how our 7 year old son would deal with being in the kids clubs; he is ADHD and ODD among other things and has problems in school. We carried our pager around checking it often waiting to be called at any minute.

One night when I went to pick him up the supervisor in charge of the child care staff said "I need to talk with you about your son". I was devastated and thought that he had done something bad and was getting ejected from the kid's program. Her eyes filled with tears as she began to speak and my heart really sunk! I thought omg what did he do that would make this experienced cast member cry!

She then proceeded to tell me how wonderful and how sweet he was. He had gone out of his way to befriend a handicapped child with serious medical issues when the other kids were afraid to talk to him. She then lead me over and pointed to him; he was sitting, helping the boy hold a crayon so that he could color! My eyes teared up and we both watched for a minute while my ADHD son patiently and slowly helped this boy with his artwork. At the end of the cruise when we went to the DisneySea graduation there were several pictures of them working and sitting together on the big screen. I was so Proud!

 

[tinkerbellmom1]

After a rough day, reading these last 3 posts have brought me to tears!

These experiences are hard to explain to people who haven't been there and done it! It's why I love the Disney Cruise Line and Disboards! It makes me feel like my DCL obsession is normal!

Thank you for sharing your experiences!

 

[lawhit88]

Great stories!! Makes me want to go again!!

 

[patita71]

Tinkerbellmom1 you have said EXACTLY what I was thinking/feeling. I'm sitting here wiping away tears, and I knew I was going to cry the same way I cried when I read a similar thread about Disney World!!!
Out of the many fave here are three:
Hearing the horn as we depart from Florida, I did not know about it and my husband and I were totally surprised!!
My son was picked to be one of Snow White's dwarfs, since he was the smallest he got to hold Snow White's hand!
On our 1st trip (3day) it was cold and rainy on the sail away day (the party was held in doors, didnt take away from the magic)
On the Nassau day it was cold and rainy... still had an awesome time
On Castaway Cay day nothing but SUN!!! while eating breakfast in Parrot Cay the song "It'll be a bright, bright sun shining day" was playing... how perfect. This was 4 years ago, to this day when I hear that song I instantly transport back to that morning!

Thanks to all for posting and keep sharing!

 

[swcruiser]

We were just on the 6/22 Mexican rivera cruise. My DS and I have always been closed but he is 12 now and well you all know how much fun 12 year olds can be and how frustrating that can be at times. We had a great time and I always cry everytime I hear the ships horn. My DS would just shake his head. Then there was the farewell show and at the end when Mickey and Minnie come out and talk about not being sad because the Magic is always in our hearts, and the characters come out, the fireworks, and then "When you wish upon a star" played and I looked over and my oh so cool 12 year old had tears streaming down his face. He isn't so grown up after all! I will never forget that moment as long as I live.

 

[rox]

My favorite experience started down in one of the gift shops. There was a lovely castmember named Anastasia working. It was the day of our 25th wedding anniversary. She asked is it really the actual day of your anniversary? We said yes, and had a delightful little conversation explaining we wanted to get something special. So she got out a beautiful silver commemorative special edition coin. It was perfect...So we made our purchases thanked her and enjoyed the rest of our cruise. On our last day we had gathered up all of our belongings and had proceeded halfway down the hallway to the elevators when for no apparent reason, I realized that I hadn't taken a picture of our cabin door. So we walked back to our room to take the picture and in our Fish outside our door was a special note from Anastasia from the gift shop. She thanked us for celebrating our 25th anniversary with the Wonder and hoped to see us again on our 50th anniversary. As hard as these castmembers work and she took time out of her day for that special little moment just for us. I stood there and had great big old crocodile tears streaming down my face.

 

[ccander2011]

My son, just shy of 1 year spent the evening in flounders while we had dinner with our DD. During the evening we had seen snow white walking around Deck 5. When we came to pick up DS, he was sleeping in a crib with a big red kiss mark on his forehead. The CM told me that snow white had come in to kiss all the babies good night.
That is my favorite moment so far. Looking forward to adding more moments like this on our next cruise!

Aww that is so sweet

 

[Moxin]

My first cruise was on the Magic in 1998. Yes, inaugural year...everything was so new, and so exciting. I don't even know where to begin to describe the most memorial part about it.

Honestly...the whole thing. It was so new and amazing and Disney...yeah...such awesome memories.