WDW, DCL and DL- arent you jealous!!
Cast Me, Wendy, 32, High School Biology teacher from Aberdeen, Scotland
Doreen aka mum, 67, retired
Yes just reading the title must make you so jealous but bear in mind I have saved all year for this. Mum and I always vacation together since my dad died. We have a great system- I pay and she drives. We get on very well- she is as big a Disney nut as I am.
I have posted all the vacation on the trip reports board but only include the cruise details here.
Saturday 7th July
My birthday. Bags collected from our room at the Swan at 8am (Love the teacher rate- we get no discounts back home - just lots of grief!). Lone swim at the Quiet pool. Breakfast at Tubbis- this was the only disappointment of our stay. The fruit was hard and the French toast cold. We should have complained but it is not something we Brits are good at.
The DCL bus picked us up at 11.45 and we were at the port by 1.30- we even saw a Bald eagle en route. Check in went quite fast- of course being non US we had to hand in our passports. First stop once we boarded was Palos. We got the High Tea, Brunch and dinner reservations we wanted no problem. Then we headed to our stateroom-7129. It was a category 11 and it was perfect for the 2 of us. Much bigger than we thought and Nicole our hostess kept it so neat and tidy. We certainly made use of the over the door shoe holder we brought
Our cases had all arrived and so we headed up to Topsiders for the Welcome Aboard buffet. Then we had to check out our surroundings for the next 7 days. The ship is huge and so beautiful, but what amazed both of us was that you could always find a quiet spot to relax- we even had our own private veranda on deck 7 aft.
Whilst wandering around we met Kurt (KPB13) and his wife Rhonda in one of the lifts- they recognised us straight away! Having on our lime green ribbons also helped. It was thanks to Barbara that I had these- she very kindly sent me the ribbon- it was the start of a great friendship. It was so nice to meet up with such lovely people.
We headed to the spa. My sister had given my mum the 7 day Rainforest room for Mothers Day. Mum thoroughly enjoyed this- use of the aromatherapy chairs, sauna and steam rooms as often as she wanted. She headed here straight after we got back from the islands- leaving me to trail all the bags back to the stateroom!
I also wanted to reserve the Castaway Cay package- use of snorkel equipment, a float and bike while on the island. We had decided to do only one Disney excursion- the under 2 flags tours on St Marten, so we booked that also.
Then it was time for the lifeboat drill. Fortunately we were in Animators Palate for this so we avoided the hot sun. Once this was over it was time for the Sailaway party at the Goofy Pool. This was fun and of course we had to have a couple of Bon Voyage cocktails as we listened for the horn playing When you wish upon a star
Next we thought we should unpack- it was amazing how we managed to get rid of all our bags- the cases do fit under the beds. We dressed for dinner- we had late seating fortunately. There was also a birthday card waiting for me in the fish outside the stateroom. It was from Amy and Matt- again we had met through the internet.
We thoroughly enjoyed the welcome aboard variety show. It was fast paced and a good taster of what was to come. The cruise director Jim (England) was excellent and always stopped to speak if he saw you around the ship. We had a drink at the Promenade Lounge and a long chat to one of the servers. She was Thai and her husband worked in the restaurants- they didnt see much of each other but they enjoyed working on the Magic. I also emailed home but at $7.70 I didnt bother again!
Now it was time to meet our dinner companions. This was one thing that really worried us. We are so used to vacationing on our own that we werent really sure how we were going to like sharing a table with others. We neednt have worried as they were all super. A brother and his 2 sisters from Oklahoma and a family from Tennessee. Their daughter Sarah was the only child but she coped well.
Our servers were Julliano from Croatia and Will from South Africa. Head waiter was Sid from India- he came round the table every evening to chat. Our first restaurant was Lumieres as expected. It was gorgeous but the smell of sea Bass seemed to linger all week. It was wonderful to watch the rose petals fall of in the light fitments. I also loved the different attire the servers had on each evening.
I had the Escargot which were great, the beef tenderloin and the Crème brulee. Then Sid came round and asked us not to leave. Well next I knew he had gathered around about 10 servers and they were singing Happy Birthday and presented me with a cake. What a lovely gesture but I couldnt eat even a small piece at that point. We got back to the cabin and had crashed out by 1030. We had intended splitting the double bed but Nicole had made up the sofa so I slept on that. Not the most comfortable bed but I was usually so exhausted that I slept as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Sunday 8th July
We had breakfast at Topsiders this morning. I went to the Art of entertaining Series while mum went to the spa. Corey- the Captains chef- made Mummy fried prawns. I hate seafood but the salsa was gorgeous as was the wine! This set of series was introduced by Mishka. She used to be a dancer on cruise ships- as could be seen at the Island party- but once she married her husband, Gary (the dining room manager) she changed to this so they could be on the same ship.
She and Corey had a great rapport and these sessions were great fun.
Mum and I then met up to go to the Behind the Scenes lectures. These were given by Dave Goodman from Disneyland. He had such a soothing voice that listening was a pleasure. He also had a few giveaways. Everybody got a Disneyland pin and I won a CD of Tokyos electric parade and some keyrings and pins. I also met Dave and Jan form the boards. They were great company and we thoroughly enjoyed speaking to them. We all went to lunch at Parrot Cay for the Italian buffet.
Next was the napkin folding class- sounds boring but it was great fun- we also got a Bahama Mama cocktail. I then met up with mum for High Tea at Palos.
This was so elegant. We both chose the hot cinnamon spice tea. First you have finger sandwiches and scones- these were good. Then chocolate éclairs and finally trifle- I could only mange a few mouthfuls of the trifle- thank goodness we had late seating for dinner.
Back to the room to shower and change for formal night. Tonight during the welcome aboard cocktail party we met the Captain and had our photo taken with Captain Henrik. Then it was off to the Hercules show which we both enjoyed.
Dinner tonight was the Masterchefs series at Animators Palate. I had the corncake, pork tenderloin and pecan cheesecake. We werent so tired tonight so we went to the comedy show at Rocking Bar D and finished a great first day at sea with the desert buffet at Lumieres. This looked awesome. Ice sculptures and chocolate models including a train. We just wished we could have eaten more.
Tonight was the first of our towel animals- a different one each evening. I thought we may not get them being adults but Nicole did not disappoint us!
Monday 9th July
Today we started with breakfast from room service- prompt as it was the rest of the week. We just had coffee and pastries as today was our character breakfast at Parrot Cay. The food wasnt great but the character interaction was wonderful- I just hope the photos come out. I then headed to the pool and mum went to the spa.
Next- more eating! Champagne brunch at Palos topped the high tea. You start with champagne and then help yourself to the buffet. This includes cereal, pastries, stolen, fresh berries. Then there is crab and prawns with various antipastos. Then you choose an entrée. I had the pasta and mum had the pancakes. We also had to try the sweet pizza- a very thin base, blueberries and various other fruits with mascaporne cheese. It was gorgeous. We then had the cheek to try the deserts- who could resist them!
I then went to the snorkelling demo at the Goofy pool. I have never snorkelled and intended to try it at Castaway Cay. I got a few pointers including to spit in your mask to stop it misting up- I would never of thought of that. Then I did the walking tour of the ship. It was about the themeing of the ship and I learnt a lot. The only bit of the ship I do not like is the huge chandelier in the main atrium. Well that cost over $1million and the artist recreated the whole atrium in his workshop to ensure the chandelier would fit in.
I finally got the chance to meet Amy and Matt- you would have thought we had known each other for years and her son was so nice and well mannered. Would you believe they had exactly the same servers as us at the early seating!
Cest Magique show was good and better than the previous version.
Tonight dinner was in Parrot Cay. This was the only disappointing meal of the voyage. The starter was good but there was at least a 20 minute wait for the main course. It didnt help that Julliano was looking after somebody elses tables also. Also the steak was tough. The bananas flambé was good.
Tuesday 10th July
Topsiders for breakfast today. Then we met in Studio Sessions for the bus tour of the island. We both thoroughly enjoyed this. We stopped off at the International lookout and got some great photos (hopefully). Then we had an hour at the French capitol- Magriot. We strolled through the market and then had a cool drink. Then we enjoyed more of the island. The bus driver was very informative and got my vote because he didnt ask for a tip- of course he got a better one.
Lunch was back at the ship and then we headed into Philipsburg. We did some shopping and then had a drink at the Kangaroo Court Café. I went for a swim at Great Bay. Mum headed back to the spa and I went to the pool. The adult pool was great and rarely crowded.
Dinner tonight was at Palos. I was convinced to order the most expensive bottle of wine I have ever heard- and it was worth it. I had the Portobello mushrooms on polenta and the ravioli. Of course we both had the hazelnut soufflé and
they also brought the tiramisu. We were sitting next to Jim and Theresa from the crew and although they were both of duty they made a point of speaking to us. We went back to the cabin full and slightly tipsy. We got changed into island attire and headed to the party. We had great fun watching and who walked by but Jim, he recognised and even commented on our change of attire.
Wednesday 11th July
Today we had to be up at 6.15am for immigration- it all went very smoothly and we were back in our cabin by 6.45am. I grabbed some breakfast from topsiders and then it was off to St Thomas. We caught a taxi to get the 9am Red Hook ferry to Cruz Bay and then a taxi to Trunk Bay. This was heaven on earth and just what I imagined. Clear blue sea and white sands. We had plenty of time before our SNUBA expedition so we went swimming. Then it was time to meet our guide- Frank. It was just the 2 of us and it was wonderful. He had so much patience- mum was very nervous and although an excellent swimmer is not keen on putting her face underwater. He put her totally at ease. We had an hours tuition and then it was into the water. It was so liberating swimming with the air hose but no air tank- this was on a raft. We could get right down and we saw so many different types of fish and coral. The colours were amazing. The hour went by so quickly. We then did the journey in reverse and headed to the Havensight Mall in St Thomas. Mum got a gold necklace and we bought some presents- all got back intact.
I headed to the Sailaway party while mum went to the spa- again! One family managed to miss the ship but a small boat brought them alongside.
We later found out that a stupid teenager had been dared to jump into the harbour. He had done so and had narrowly missed the propellers. I hope his parents punished him. That was the only criticism of the cruise. Even though the teenagers had Common Grounds they still thought it was more fun to hang out at the elevators and stairwells. Now I deal with teenagers every working day and although I expect them to enjoy their cruise I do not want to have to work my way round them and put up with their rude, arrogant behaviour. Please and thank you seemed to be forgotten phrases. Ok off my hobby horse now!
Who want to be a Mousketeer was fun but we werent choosen. We also went to bingo but again no luck.
Dinner was at Animators Palate and tonight we got the show- it was good and I loved the waistcoats the servers had on. I had the Caesars salad, sirloin steak and strawberry shortcake.
Thursday 12th July
Breakfast at Lumieres today. It was lovely and very relaxed. Then I went to the cookery demonstration- he was using a $50 bottle of truffle oil- because it was expensive and he wasnt paying for it! I left early to go to the Captains Corner- mainly to get a ticket for the bridge tour in the afternoon. The Q & A was interesting though. I then went to the last of Dave Goodmans talk but we had to leave early for Palos. They had offered us another brunch on Monday and we couldnt turn it down! This time I had the omelette and mum had the sweet pizza. We were totally stuffed but they came with more tiramisu. It would have been rude not to have it!
It was a busy afternoon as I wanted to do the Galley tour and the Bridge tour. The galley tour was fascinating and it was taken by Chef Steve, a fellow Scot. The galleys were tiny for all the people who work there. We got a freshly baked cookie which was delicious. Everything is freshly made apart from the Mickey Mouse bars. The bridge tour was also good- First Officer Andy (another Scot) had just come off duty.
The Disney Dreams show was excellent- no wonder people have tears in their eyes when exiting the theatre. The Captains Gala at Parrot cay was excellent- I had the grilled vegetables, beef tenderloin and chocolate lava cake. Tonight I forced myself to go to the cinema- there were so many films I wanted to see but I only managed to see one- Pearl Harbor. I finally got to bed at 1.30am.
Friday 13th July
Another room service breakfast- I sure was going to miss this. We watched the ship docking at Castaway Cay- what a gorgeous island. We were one of the first off the ship and managed to get an umbrella on the family beach. I collected the snorkelling gear and then tried it out. I had fun walking in the flippers but finally got the hang of it. I saw most of the items on the trail but didnt find mickey mouse. We hit the shops- thank goodness we didnt leave it till later in the day. They even deliver the parcels to the ship. I went back to the post office to post some cards. They arrived back in the UK within 2 weeks. Cookies BBQ was the next stop- those hamburgers were great.
We then headed to Serenity Bay- it was a lot quieter but the beach was quite steep. We were glad we had worn our water shoes. The heat was getting to us so we headed back to the ship by 3pm. The island was wonderful and we were so glad we had made it there.
Unfortunately an elderly gentlemen had a heart attack this afternoon so we had to stay at Castaway Cay till a helicopter could airlift him to Miami. This was delayed by high winds so it was 9.30pm before we left.
I went to the Disembarkation talk and then stayed to watch the childrens show. I had tears in my eyes and none of the children were mine! I am so impressed by the kids clubs counsellors- they have such patience. They certainly could get the kids to behave.
After heading back to the stateroom to change it was time for the farewell variety show. We had enjoyed all the shows in the Walt Disney theatre and this was no exception. Our final dinner was in Lumieres and it was Its a small world dinner. The servers waistcoats were wonderful and the flag show they did excellent. All week when ever anybody dropped anything a great roar went round the dining room. Well we suggested Julliano did it so we could give him a cheer- what a laugh he and the rest of us had. Tonight I had Greek salad, Quesidilas, prime rib and Baked Alaska. We handed out the tip envelopes and although we hoped to see everybody the next morning we said our goodbyes.
I went for a final tour of the ship- we had packed earlier and put our bags out by 10pm. I couldnt understand how people had them ready by 6pm though!
Saturday 14th July
We were going to be late arriving back at port so immigration was delayed until 8.15am. This was pushed back but we were finally finished by 9.15am. This meant we missed our sit down breakfast at Lumieres. We couldnt have got through the crowds in the main atrium anyway though. We headed back up to Topsiders for breakfast. Fortunately the gentleman was recovering from the heart attack.
We finally disembarked at 11am. All credit to Disney- they opened up the childrens clubs, had coffee and juice stations set up. The Captain even personally said goodbye and apologised for the delay. We grabbed a porter and caught the Budget shuttle to pick up our hire car. We were very sorry to leave- the cruise had been MAGICAL!!!
Cast Me, Wendy, 32, High School Biology teacher from Aberdeen, Scotland
Doreen aka mum, 67, retired
Yes just reading the title must make you so jealous but bear in mind I have saved all year for this. Mum and I always vacation together since my dad died. We have a great system- I pay and she drives. We get on very well- she is as big a Disney nut as I am.
I have posted all the vacation on the trip reports board but only include the cruise details here.
Saturday 7th July
My birthday. Bags collected from our room at the Swan at 8am (Love the teacher rate- we get no discounts back home - just lots of grief!). Lone swim at the Quiet pool. Breakfast at Tubbis- this was the only disappointment of our stay. The fruit was hard and the French toast cold. We should have complained but it is not something we Brits are good at.
The DCL bus picked us up at 11.45 and we were at the port by 1.30- we even saw a Bald eagle en route. Check in went quite fast- of course being non US we had to hand in our passports. First stop once we boarded was Palos. We got the High Tea, Brunch and dinner reservations we wanted no problem. Then we headed to our stateroom-7129. It was a category 11 and it was perfect for the 2 of us. Much bigger than we thought and Nicole our hostess kept it so neat and tidy. We certainly made use of the over the door shoe holder we brought
Our cases had all arrived and so we headed up to Topsiders for the Welcome Aboard buffet. Then we had to check out our surroundings for the next 7 days. The ship is huge and so beautiful, but what amazed both of us was that you could always find a quiet spot to relax- we even had our own private veranda on deck 7 aft.
Whilst wandering around we met Kurt (KPB13) and his wife Rhonda in one of the lifts- they recognised us straight away! Having on our lime green ribbons also helped. It was thanks to Barbara that I had these- she very kindly sent me the ribbon- it was the start of a great friendship. It was so nice to meet up with such lovely people.
We headed to the spa. My sister had given my mum the 7 day Rainforest room for Mothers Day. Mum thoroughly enjoyed this- use of the aromatherapy chairs, sauna and steam rooms as often as she wanted. She headed here straight after we got back from the islands- leaving me to trail all the bags back to the stateroom!
I also wanted to reserve the Castaway Cay package- use of snorkel equipment, a float and bike while on the island. We had decided to do only one Disney excursion- the under 2 flags tours on St Marten, so we booked that also.
Then it was time for the lifeboat drill. Fortunately we were in Animators Palate for this so we avoided the hot sun. Once this was over it was time for the Sailaway party at the Goofy Pool. This was fun and of course we had to have a couple of Bon Voyage cocktails as we listened for the horn playing When you wish upon a star
Next we thought we should unpack- it was amazing how we managed to get rid of all our bags- the cases do fit under the beds. We dressed for dinner- we had late seating fortunately. There was also a birthday card waiting for me in the fish outside the stateroom. It was from Amy and Matt- again we had met through the internet.
We thoroughly enjoyed the welcome aboard variety show. It was fast paced and a good taster of what was to come. The cruise director Jim (England) was excellent and always stopped to speak if he saw you around the ship. We had a drink at the Promenade Lounge and a long chat to one of the servers. She was Thai and her husband worked in the restaurants- they didnt see much of each other but they enjoyed working on the Magic. I also emailed home but at $7.70 I didnt bother again!
Now it was time to meet our dinner companions. This was one thing that really worried us. We are so used to vacationing on our own that we werent really sure how we were going to like sharing a table with others. We neednt have worried as they were all super. A brother and his 2 sisters from Oklahoma and a family from Tennessee. Their daughter Sarah was the only child but she coped well.
Our servers were Julliano from Croatia and Will from South Africa. Head waiter was Sid from India- he came round the table every evening to chat. Our first restaurant was Lumieres as expected. It was gorgeous but the smell of sea Bass seemed to linger all week. It was wonderful to watch the rose petals fall of in the light fitments. I also loved the different attire the servers had on each evening.
I had the Escargot which were great, the beef tenderloin and the Crème brulee. Then Sid came round and asked us not to leave. Well next I knew he had gathered around about 10 servers and they were singing Happy Birthday and presented me with a cake. What a lovely gesture but I couldnt eat even a small piece at that point. We got back to the cabin and had crashed out by 1030. We had intended splitting the double bed but Nicole had made up the sofa so I slept on that. Not the most comfortable bed but I was usually so exhausted that I slept as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Sunday 8th July
We had breakfast at Topsiders this morning. I went to the Art of entertaining Series while mum went to the spa. Corey- the Captains chef- made Mummy fried prawns. I hate seafood but the salsa was gorgeous as was the wine! This set of series was introduced by Mishka. She used to be a dancer on cruise ships- as could be seen at the Island party- but once she married her husband, Gary (the dining room manager) she changed to this so they could be on the same ship.
She and Corey had a great rapport and these sessions were great fun.
Mum and I then met up to go to the Behind the Scenes lectures. These were given by Dave Goodman from Disneyland. He had such a soothing voice that listening was a pleasure. He also had a few giveaways. Everybody got a Disneyland pin and I won a CD of Tokyos electric parade and some keyrings and pins. I also met Dave and Jan form the boards. They were great company and we thoroughly enjoyed speaking to them. We all went to lunch at Parrot Cay for the Italian buffet.
Next was the napkin folding class- sounds boring but it was great fun- we also got a Bahama Mama cocktail. I then met up with mum for High Tea at Palos.
This was so elegant. We both chose the hot cinnamon spice tea. First you have finger sandwiches and scones- these were good. Then chocolate éclairs and finally trifle- I could only mange a few mouthfuls of the trifle- thank goodness we had late seating for dinner.
Back to the room to shower and change for formal night. Tonight during the welcome aboard cocktail party we met the Captain and had our photo taken with Captain Henrik. Then it was off to the Hercules show which we both enjoyed.
Dinner tonight was the Masterchefs series at Animators Palate. I had the corncake, pork tenderloin and pecan cheesecake. We werent so tired tonight so we went to the comedy show at Rocking Bar D and finished a great first day at sea with the desert buffet at Lumieres. This looked awesome. Ice sculptures and chocolate models including a train. We just wished we could have eaten more.
Tonight was the first of our towel animals- a different one each evening. I thought we may not get them being adults but Nicole did not disappoint us!
Monday 9th July
Today we started with breakfast from room service- prompt as it was the rest of the week. We just had coffee and pastries as today was our character breakfast at Parrot Cay. The food wasnt great but the character interaction was wonderful- I just hope the photos come out. I then headed to the pool and mum went to the spa.
Next- more eating! Champagne brunch at Palos topped the high tea. You start with champagne and then help yourself to the buffet. This includes cereal, pastries, stolen, fresh berries. Then there is crab and prawns with various antipastos. Then you choose an entrée. I had the pasta and mum had the pancakes. We also had to try the sweet pizza- a very thin base, blueberries and various other fruits with mascaporne cheese. It was gorgeous. We then had the cheek to try the deserts- who could resist them!
I then went to the snorkelling demo at the Goofy pool. I have never snorkelled and intended to try it at Castaway Cay. I got a few pointers including to spit in your mask to stop it misting up- I would never of thought of that. Then I did the walking tour of the ship. It was about the themeing of the ship and I learnt a lot. The only bit of the ship I do not like is the huge chandelier in the main atrium. Well that cost over $1million and the artist recreated the whole atrium in his workshop to ensure the chandelier would fit in.
I finally got the chance to meet Amy and Matt- you would have thought we had known each other for years and her son was so nice and well mannered. Would you believe they had exactly the same servers as us at the early seating!
Cest Magique show was good and better than the previous version.
Tonight dinner was in Parrot Cay. This was the only disappointing meal of the voyage. The starter was good but there was at least a 20 minute wait for the main course. It didnt help that Julliano was looking after somebody elses tables also. Also the steak was tough. The bananas flambé was good.
Tuesday 10th July
Topsiders for breakfast today. Then we met in Studio Sessions for the bus tour of the island. We both thoroughly enjoyed this. We stopped off at the International lookout and got some great photos (hopefully). Then we had an hour at the French capitol- Magriot. We strolled through the market and then had a cool drink. Then we enjoyed more of the island. The bus driver was very informative and got my vote because he didnt ask for a tip- of course he got a better one.
Lunch was back at the ship and then we headed into Philipsburg. We did some shopping and then had a drink at the Kangaroo Court Café. I went for a swim at Great Bay. Mum headed back to the spa and I went to the pool. The adult pool was great and rarely crowded.
Dinner tonight was at Palos. I was convinced to order the most expensive bottle of wine I have ever heard- and it was worth it. I had the Portobello mushrooms on polenta and the ravioli. Of course we both had the hazelnut soufflé and
they also brought the tiramisu. We were sitting next to Jim and Theresa from the crew and although they were both of duty they made a point of speaking to us. We went back to the cabin full and slightly tipsy. We got changed into island attire and headed to the party. We had great fun watching and who walked by but Jim, he recognised and even commented on our change of attire.
Wednesday 11th July
Today we had to be up at 6.15am for immigration- it all went very smoothly and we were back in our cabin by 6.45am. I grabbed some breakfast from topsiders and then it was off to St Thomas. We caught a taxi to get the 9am Red Hook ferry to Cruz Bay and then a taxi to Trunk Bay. This was heaven on earth and just what I imagined. Clear blue sea and white sands. We had plenty of time before our SNUBA expedition so we went swimming. Then it was time to meet our guide- Frank. It was just the 2 of us and it was wonderful. He had so much patience- mum was very nervous and although an excellent swimmer is not keen on putting her face underwater. He put her totally at ease. We had an hours tuition and then it was into the water. It was so liberating swimming with the air hose but no air tank- this was on a raft. We could get right down and we saw so many different types of fish and coral. The colours were amazing. The hour went by so quickly. We then did the journey in reverse and headed to the Havensight Mall in St Thomas. Mum got a gold necklace and we bought some presents- all got back intact.
I headed to the Sailaway party while mum went to the spa- again! One family managed to miss the ship but a small boat brought them alongside.
We later found out that a stupid teenager had been dared to jump into the harbour. He had done so and had narrowly missed the propellers. I hope his parents punished him. That was the only criticism of the cruise. Even though the teenagers had Common Grounds they still thought it was more fun to hang out at the elevators and stairwells. Now I deal with teenagers every working day and although I expect them to enjoy their cruise I do not want to have to work my way round them and put up with their rude, arrogant behaviour. Please and thank you seemed to be forgotten phrases. Ok off my hobby horse now!
Who want to be a Mousketeer was fun but we werent choosen. We also went to bingo but again no luck.
Dinner was at Animators Palate and tonight we got the show- it was good and I loved the waistcoats the servers had on. I had the Caesars salad, sirloin steak and strawberry shortcake.
Thursday 12th July
Breakfast at Lumieres today. It was lovely and very relaxed. Then I went to the cookery demonstration- he was using a $50 bottle of truffle oil- because it was expensive and he wasnt paying for it! I left early to go to the Captains Corner- mainly to get a ticket for the bridge tour in the afternoon. The Q & A was interesting though. I then went to the last of Dave Goodmans talk but we had to leave early for Palos. They had offered us another brunch on Monday and we couldnt turn it down! This time I had the omelette and mum had the sweet pizza. We were totally stuffed but they came with more tiramisu. It would have been rude not to have it!
It was a busy afternoon as I wanted to do the Galley tour and the Bridge tour. The galley tour was fascinating and it was taken by Chef Steve, a fellow Scot. The galleys were tiny for all the people who work there. We got a freshly baked cookie which was delicious. Everything is freshly made apart from the Mickey Mouse bars. The bridge tour was also good- First Officer Andy (another Scot) had just come off duty.
The Disney Dreams show was excellent- no wonder people have tears in their eyes when exiting the theatre. The Captains Gala at Parrot cay was excellent- I had the grilled vegetables, beef tenderloin and chocolate lava cake. Tonight I forced myself to go to the cinema- there were so many films I wanted to see but I only managed to see one- Pearl Harbor. I finally got to bed at 1.30am.
Friday 13th July
Another room service breakfast- I sure was going to miss this. We watched the ship docking at Castaway Cay- what a gorgeous island. We were one of the first off the ship and managed to get an umbrella on the family beach. I collected the snorkelling gear and then tried it out. I had fun walking in the flippers but finally got the hang of it. I saw most of the items on the trail but didnt find mickey mouse. We hit the shops- thank goodness we didnt leave it till later in the day. They even deliver the parcels to the ship. I went back to the post office to post some cards. They arrived back in the UK within 2 weeks. Cookies BBQ was the next stop- those hamburgers were great.
We then headed to Serenity Bay- it was a lot quieter but the beach was quite steep. We were glad we had worn our water shoes. The heat was getting to us so we headed back to the ship by 3pm. The island was wonderful and we were so glad we had made it there.
Unfortunately an elderly gentlemen had a heart attack this afternoon so we had to stay at Castaway Cay till a helicopter could airlift him to Miami. This was delayed by high winds so it was 9.30pm before we left.
I went to the Disembarkation talk and then stayed to watch the childrens show. I had tears in my eyes and none of the children were mine! I am so impressed by the kids clubs counsellors- they have such patience. They certainly could get the kids to behave.
After heading back to the stateroom to change it was time for the farewell variety show. We had enjoyed all the shows in the Walt Disney theatre and this was no exception. Our final dinner was in Lumieres and it was Its a small world dinner. The servers waistcoats were wonderful and the flag show they did excellent. All week when ever anybody dropped anything a great roar went round the dining room. Well we suggested Julliano did it so we could give him a cheer- what a laugh he and the rest of us had. Tonight I had Greek salad, Quesidilas, prime rib and Baked Alaska. We handed out the tip envelopes and although we hoped to see everybody the next morning we said our goodbyes.
I went for a final tour of the ship- we had packed earlier and put our bags out by 10pm. I couldnt understand how people had them ready by 6pm though!
Saturday 14th July
We were going to be late arriving back at port so immigration was delayed until 8.15am. This was pushed back but we were finally finished by 9.15am. This meant we missed our sit down breakfast at Lumieres. We couldnt have got through the crowds in the main atrium anyway though. We headed back up to Topsiders for breakfast. Fortunately the gentleman was recovering from the heart attack.
We finally disembarked at 11am. All credit to Disney- they opened up the childrens clubs, had coffee and juice stations set up. The Captain even personally said goodbye and apologised for the delay. We grabbed a porter and caught the Budget shuttle to pick up our hire car. We were very sorry to leave- the cruise had been MAGICAL!!!
