A Christmas Ship Comes Sailing In (A Cam and Luke TR) Completed 2/18 - Page 10 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Looked like a nice breakfast at Cabana's! I think, I'll be having breakfast each day there on my cruise! Some nice photos coming into the port of Key West! Glad you were able to have some leisure time on board before coming into Key West!
A couple of quick questions!
On formal nights is the dress code enforced and would khakis, a button down shirt and shoes be fine? Is a jacket and tie required for guys?
For the scheduled arrival into port....how long after this should your reservation times for your port adventures be scheduled for?
Thanks!
I'm as I look at my notes I'll be able to verify this, but I'm pretty sure we ate at Cabana's for breakfast every day. Since it's a buffet, it didn't seem to take as long and it always had plenty of choices that we liked.
I did see several dads who did not have jackets on for formal night, but they did have ties. I don't really remember noticing whether any men had on khakis or not. No one was turned away that I saw for dressing less than formal. In fact, when the other couples at our table asked Augus about dress, he told them they could come just as they had the first two nights.
We based our port adventure times on how long each lasted and what time we had to be back on the ship. Our Key West day was on our own as none of the port adventures appealed to us.
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Originally Posted by KMB733
Breakfast looked delicious and great pictures of the ship. The color of the ocean is just beautiful!!
I can't wait to scrapbook the different photos I got of the ship itself over the course of the cruise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jenseib
Key West looks beautiful. It's been years since I last went to Key West..Probably 12. I have actually looked at a few this year that stop there...I just need to figure out what we plan to do before I dream of a specific spot.
Key West was beautiful, but a teeny spoiler, we won't necessarily book a future cruise because it stops here.
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Caught up. You sure had beautiful weather for getting into Key West. I'm interested to hear about your experience there. It's a favorite place for us to hang out for a few days, but I'm not sure how to cover it on a cruise stop.
To clarify, regarding the Port Adventures: how much time after the scheduled arrival in port, should you make the reservations for? In other words, if you arrive in port at 12 pm, should you make it for 12:30 or 1 pm and so on? Just don't want to have to rush around and not book one of these for too early. Thanks!
__________________
October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
To clarify, regarding the Port Adventures: how much time after the scheduled arrival in port, should you make the reservations for? In other words, if you arrive in port at 12 pm, should you make it for 12:30 or 1 pm and so on? Just don't want to have to rush around and not book one of these for too early. Thanks!
If you are booking through DCL you never need to worry about this. They won't leave until the boat is docked.
If you're booking through a private company, generally they understand you're coming via cruise ship, and will meet you at the dock. They'll realize if the ship is late. But for getting back to the ship, we NEVER go back less than an hour prior to sail away time. Don't want to cut that too close! But again, with the shore excursions done thru DCL, they guarantee not to leave without you, even if you are delayed. That's one benefit of booking through DCL rather than on your own.
If you are booking through DCL you never need to worry about this. They won't leave until the boat is docked.
If you're booking through a private company, generally they understand you're coming via cruise ship, and will meet you at the dock. They'll realize if the ship is late. But for getting back to the ship, we NEVER go back less than an hour prior to sail away time. Don't want to cut that too close! But again, with the shore excursions done thru DCL, they guarantee not to leave without you, even if you are delayed. That's one benefit of booking through DCL rather than on your own.
Thanks for the info Colleen! I'll be making my reservations through DCL online, when they open up for me in about 9 days!
__________________
October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
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Caught up. You sure had beautiful weather for getting into Key West. I'm interested to hear about your experience there. It's a favorite place for us to hang out for a few days, but I'm not sure how to cover it on a cruise stop.
I'm thinking a stay somewhere would give a better impression of Key West than a few hours ashore off a cruise ship.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperDave
Thanks for the info Cam!
To clarify, regarding the Port Adventures: how much time after the scheduled arrival in port, should you make the reservations for? In other words, if you arrive in port at 12 pm, should you make it for 12:30 or 1 pm and so on? Just don't want to have to rush around and not book one of these for too early. Thanks!
Since you are booking through DCL, you will see that the times presented as available to you match the times DCL knows its ships will be in port. As Colleen mentioned the more important time to schedule around is getting back to the ship. We were always back at least an hour beforehand. Missing the boat was NOT in our plans.
Quote:
Originally Posted by xwewhisper
Looks like a beautiful day in the keys!
It was warm enough for shorts, but not scorchingly hot. Near perfect weather!
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Thanks again Cam, regarding Port Adventure ressies! It's all very clear now! Just over 8 days until I can make these! It will be a late night as I can make them at midnight!
__________________
October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
Thanks again Cam, regarding Port Adventure ressies! It's all very clear now! Just over 8 days until I can make these! It will be a late night as I can make them at midnight!
getting the Port Adventures that you want. We really didn't have any trouble booking ours around 9:00 in that morning.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lfredsbo
Thought I had signed on here, but apparently not . But I'm here now!
aboard!
Quote:
Originally Posted by TinkerbellJenn99
I thought I signed on too... in any event, glad to read that you're enjoying the cruise thus far Can't wait to read more!
The line for a trolley into town was fairly long, but we made it onto the third one.
Our bus driver noted places and sites as we went along, such as the end of Route 1. We were dropped off at Mallory Square.
He also pointed out the native Banyan trees. They really are so gnarly they are cool.
Note the Key West rooster, a descendant of the original roosters released when cock fighting became illegal or something along those lines.
We considered buying a ticket for a ride on the conch train, but decided that walking would be fine.
Our first adventure was walking through a shopping center, but we neither one were really interesting in any of the shops, so we stayed for only a quick tour of the center. From the shopping center, we started walking down Whitehead, looking in a few shops along the way. My notes of our meanderings are rather sketchy, but I know that at some point we did go in the famous Diamonds International, which seemed to be at every port where we stopped. We had been given coupons to use here, and I thought it might be worth a look. I wasn’t really interested in anything specific, but we did walk through the entire store. I decided to leave when I overheard another customer’s comment that she had really hoped to spend less than $2,000 because I didn’t plan on even spending a couple hundred. Honestly, I was in the market for diamonds today. I’m lucky because Luke has already given me quite a few. From there we used our map given us on board to guide us down Whitehead. We stopped at one of the souvenir shops that our trolley driver had pointed out. I picked up a couple of postcards to use in my scrapbook layouts for this port. We had a good laugh at some of the corniness on a lot of the souvenirs. Back out on the sidewalk, we kept walking south. Another shop caught my interest when a sale sign mentioned Sanuk sandals for 50% off. They had a nice variety of these, which have become a favorite for me, but unfortunately, the starting sticker price was so much higher that even with 50% off, my local shoe store sells them cheaper. At some point we switch to a parallel street, Duvall, still using the amp as our walking guide. We walked the entire 14 blocks out to the pier on the ocean. Beautiful! Now we crossed back over to Whitehead in order to see the Southern Most Point of the Continental United States. A line had formed to get pictures taken with the buoy that marks the spot. The line moved slowly, but at least, it kept moving. The temperature was in the upper 70s, but it wasn’t as breezy in town as out in the ocean, so we kept to the shady side of the line. While in line an interesting denizen of Key West drove up on his scooter in a most unusual garb. Even more interesting than the way he was dressed was the matching outfits his two small dogs were wearing, though they each had a hair bow that he did not. The dogs were riding between his feet. He parked and sat on his scooter bouncing to some unheard music.
One of the dogs is visible here, but she looked away as I snapped the shop and you can really see her goggles.
Finally, our turn came and the folks behind us took a picture of the two of us with the famous buoy. Folks had been really nice the whole time taking pictures for each other.
At this point, we realized we missed a place we’d picked out for having a slice of Key Lime pie. We again switched streets to the 800 block of Duvall, finding Kermit’s Key Lime Pie. We each got a slice for $4.50 each and a Coke to share. Two chairs were available so we got to enjoy our pie in the cool A/C shop.
We shifted back to Whitehead to see more sights, including a church celebrating its 150 anniversary, lots of Banyan trees, and strolled around the Harry S. Truman Little White House. We weren’t in the mood for a guided tour, so we continued our walk back to the trolley stop.
We caught a trolley back to the Magic at 3:00 PM. After the security check, we were officially back on the ship. We had walked 11,798 steps.
We had actually chosen this version of the Western Caribbean cruise in order to visit Key West. We were mildly disappointed in the town, and left with the attitude that we'd been there, no need to go back. Maybe we should have taken a guided tour. We missed Ernest Hemingway's home as I misread the map. But I don't think that would have helped us like the town any better because he's not one of my favorite authors anyway. We did see Sloppy Joe's in passing though. One of the couples from our table did stop at Hemingway's home, and weren't overly impressed. Or we could have relaxed on a beach for part of the time, though we usually don't enjoy that for more than an hour and a half. Overall, it just felt like a tourist trap to us.
We both wanted off our feet, so we returned to our stateroom. Luke stretched out on the couch while I curled up in bed, writing notes and uploading photos to my laptop. We also watched One Chance on the TV, such a sweet movie. A little after 5:00, we started getting ready for dinner.
Thanks for the info regarding the Port Adventures. I have to work that day and won't be able to do them otherwise, until after 6 pm at night otherwise. Would like to lock in at least three of these and Palo as well! A few other things can wait!
__________________
October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
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I think, I'll be having breakfast each day there on my cruise! 
Some nice photos coming into the port of Key West! 
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Thank
Pixie Dust
DLinNH
. But I'm here now! 
~ Jenn 
getting the Port Adventures that you want. We really didn't have any trouble booking ours around 9:00 in that morning. 
aboard!
Honestly, I was in the market for diamonds today. I’m lucky because Luke has already given me quite a few. From there we used our map given us on board to guide us down Whitehead. We stopped at one of the souvenir shops that our trolley driver had pointed out. I picked up a couple of postcards to use in my scrapbook layouts for this port. We had a good laugh at some of the corniness on a lot of the souvenirs. Back out on the sidewalk, we kept walking south. Another shop caught my interest when a sale sign mentioned Sanuk sandals for 50% off. They had a nice variety of these, which have become a favorite for me, but unfortunately, the starting sticker price was so much higher that even with 50% off, my local shoe store sells them cheaper. At some point we switch to a parallel street, Duvall, still using the amp as our walking guide. We walked the entire 14 blocks out to the pier on the ocean. Beautiful! Now we crossed back over to Whitehead in order to see the Southern Most Point of the Continental United States. A line had formed to get pictures taken with the buoy that marks the spot. The line moved slowly, but at least, it kept moving. The temperature was in the upper 70s, but it wasn’t as breezy in town as out in the ocean, so we kept to the shady side of the line. While in line an interesting denizen of Key West drove up on his scooter in a most unusual garb. Even more interesting than the way he was dressed was the matching outfits his two small dogs were wearing, though they each had a hair bow that he did not. The dogs were riding between his feet. He parked and sat on his scooter bouncing to some unheard music.
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