"Back from OKW and Castaway Cay" (DCL).......

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Checking e-mail so decided to do a short trip report halfway through.................

Arrived at OKW Saturday afternoon and checked into our NS 1BR in buiding 13, across from HH. We were only there 1 night. Weather was in the low 80's.

I asked about the "slide"..........all the CM's would say it is in the plans for later this fall.
The Trumbo Ferry boats will be replaced with larger boats in time for the SSR opening in May.

Left OKW Sunday morning and drove to Port Canaveral. I am not going to go in full detail now, but this is our 1st cruise ever and what an "Experience".We are in a catagory 6(with verandah).

We are on Castaway Cay(Disney's private island) today and the island is "gorgeous"!! I highly reccomend DVC members to do a cruise if you haven't tried it yet, and we are 2 adults(only) on this cruise and with the adult only areas(pool,restraunts,Castaway beach,etc) we are highly "impressed".

Will finish this report when we get back.

edited to add.......completed this report at end of this thread.

 

[floridafam]

I'm jealous!

 

[HookdonWDW]

Glad to hear you're having a good time!

 

[BWVDee]

I'm jealous, too!
Thanks for the report. It sounds wonderful. Did you book a category 6 w/verandah or were you upgraded? We have the same category booked for our Nov cruise and I keep reading about people getting free upgrades to a category 6 w/verandah on the cruise line board! Makes me wonder if we should have saved the extra money?
Can't wait to read more about the cruise!
Have a great trip!

 

[childsplay]

Thanks for the post......DW and SIL are thinking of cruising next year without the kids, sounds like they have done a nice job of creating an atmoshere conducive to both families and adults only

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks for the report. They must be getting lots of pool questions and now have a "stock" answer.

 

[MAC3]

Thanks for checking in Nick. Glad to see you & Cindy are enjoying yourselves!

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by BWVDee
We have the same category booked for our Nov cruise and I keep reading about people getting free upgrades to a category 6 w/verandah on the cruise line board! Makes me wonder if we should have saved the extra money?

BWVDee -- free upgrades are VERY RARE...don't let the cruise board fool you. I can't stress this enough --> always book the category you'll be most happy with. BTW -- Verandahs are well worth the $$$ especially on the 7-day cruises.

JMO, though.

Can't wait to hear a full report from Nick! ENJOY the REST OF CASTAWAY CAY! It's absolute paradise!

 

[disgirl]

It is great to hear you are having a great time. I can't wait until the full cruise report. Enjoy the rest of your trip!!

Patty

 

[BWVDee]

Originally posted by CRSNDSNY
BWVDee -- free upgrades are VERY RARE...don't let the cruise board fool you. I can't stress this enough --> always book the category you'll be most happy with. BTW -- Verandahs are well worth the $$$ especially on the 7-day cruises.

JMO, though.

Thanks for the reply. That makes me feel better. We really want a verandah so that is why we went for the much higher price but then I kept reading about free upgrades and thought: "what the heck???". I thought it sounded a little fishy that all these people were getting free upgrades!
We are going on the 7 day cruise and are really looking forward to enjoying the verandah. Any advice on which locations are better than others with a category 6 w/verandah room? We are a party of all adults.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by BWVDee
Thanks for the reply. That makes me feel better. We really want a verandah so that is why we went for the much higher price but then I kept reading about free upgrades and thought: "what the heck???". I thought it sounded a little fishy that all these people were getting free upgrades!
We are going on the 7 day cruise and are really looking forward to enjoying the verandah. Any advice on which locations are better than others with a category 6 w/verandah room? We are a party of all adults.

Yeah...I've cruised three times and never a free upgrade. I'm not complaining, though. I always book what I want => 2xs in CAT5, once in CAT8. Next cruise a CAT8.

We don't have children, so we aren't concerned with being closer to children's areas. We prefer to be midship to forward, decks 6 or higher mostly because we spend a lot of time at the spa and adult pool. It makes it so much easier going up and down the forward stairs from our room to the spa and pool and vice versa. Plus, you can just take the forward stairs down to the night club section of the ship. That's why we like forward best...more convenient to our favorite places on the ship!

 

[DVCLady]

Delete

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by DVCLady
After the April 18th 4 day Wonder cruise we are doing 5 days at VB in an oceanview inn room.

Out of curiosity -- how long do you think it'll take you to drive from Port Canaveral to VB?

 

[kathleena]

Great Nick - I will be on 1st cruise in May 2005 and we are so excited. Me, DD, DGD8 and DGS6. We booked Cat 10, but got one of the secret porthole rooms. We went with 3 day because I tend to have vertigo, so have to see how things go......

BWVDee, I would definately get the verandah with a 7 days cruise. We just decided with the 3 nights we could stick it out in the small room and since we will have some daylight, whoo-hoo.

 

[mikesmom88]

Glad to hear you are enjoying your trip. We cruised in August 2002 and are going again in August 2004 (7 days on the Magic - Western).
Can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip

 

[DaisyDebbie]

Glad you're enjoying your cruise A verandah is the ONLY way to cruise and Castaway Cay is the BEST island to visit

 

[MJTinNH]

Sounds like you are having a wonderful time. Enjoy the rest of your trip!

 

[msdis]

Nick, cat. 6 is like a 1-br................now you can never go back. Those verandahs are just wonderful. Glad you are having a wonderful time as that first DCL experience is just so magical.

Does this mean OKW will be getting larger shuttle boats?
Let's hope so.

Enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

[niks81]

So glad you guys are having a great time!!! Envious of the verandah

 

[Caskbill]

Have a great time Nick.