Triple dip, triple surprise, big birthday blow-out Dream cruise - Page 12 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Just found you PTR/TR and have gotten myself all caught up! I'm so glad you were able to pull off your suprises and that you had a great encounter with the dolphins. That's always been something I've wanted to do. for your DH!
OK, I'm back for a bit of an update.
So, our at sea day was disappointing only in the fact that we were unable to get a reservation for brunch at Palo's. I tried at the 90 day mark, and had no luck, and then went straight to Palo's when I boarded (even though the Navigator said go at 1 pm). So at 12:30 on embarkation day, they already had nothing but were taking names for a waitlist. I wasn't very optimistic, and it turned out that was right, as we never got a call. Oh well, maybe next time....
We really just took it easy on our sea day. It ended up raining pretty hard for some part of the late morning/early afternoon, which drove me out of the adult pool where I'd been sitting reading on my iPad (couldn't have the iPad getting rained on!). I did spend a fair amount of time looking at everything in the shops, and think I even did a bit of damage on my account there. I was thrilled to find out that when I spent $100, I got a $25 shipboard credit, thanks to my Gold Status....oh wait, that wasn't on this cruise, it was on leg two! So maybe I didn't shop much this trip......
We had our second day on Castaway Cay next. I really think I would be happy spending a week there. I think Disney should build a resort there, and then have some kind of cruise that drops you off, and picks you back up a week later! Wouldn't that be great?!
This time, we went to the "new" family beach. We all took a turn on Pelican Plunge, which was a lot of fun.
This giant bucket on Pelican Plunge fills with water and then dumps out on the deck:
My DD found a way to make her own floating lounge chair:
I did decide that eating at Cookie's twice in 3 days is too much. The food really isn't bad, but it also isn't spectacular. They could certainly learn to cook the burgers about half as long. So I pretty much stuck to fresh fruit (and maybe a chocolate chip cookie) rather than a full lunch.
The Castaway Cay crew waving goodbye to us at the end of the day:
Since that was our final day, we of course HAD to go to see the crew's skit "If I Were Not Upon the Sea" that night. This is a VERY adult, VERY non-Disney skit that they do on all the ships on the final night, and it is HILARIOUS. (in a very inappropriate, raunchy way)
That's all I'm saying about this, but if you've never seen it, GO on your next cruise. It's usually done around 10:30 or 11 on the final night.
We actually convinced the kids that our luggage didn't need to go out in the hall that night because we were driving - that they would be happy to get our luggage in the morning, to allow for those flying home to get their luggage sooner! I couldn't believe they bought that! Although to their credit, this was the first cruise we'd ever taken where we weren't flying home. This was almost blown, though, at dinner, when our server started to say "I hear you're sailing with us again tomorrow." Luckily, we'd just been having a discussion about how to stow away in order to not go home tomorrow. So I told the kids that Rocky had clearly heard that, and was joining in on the joke! They bought it, but it was a great acting job on my part, and that of DH, not cracking a smile at all this!
Tomorrow - when would the kids learn the surprise?
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So, we woke up the "last" morning of the (first) cruise, and told the kids we were allowed to leave our luggage in our room, in order to help those catching flights find theirs faster! Bought it, hook, line and sinker!
We had some pretty unhappy looking kiddos at breakfast that morning, thinking we were ending our vacation...
We had the latest time for breakfast, and we were in Royal Palace. After breakfast, it was time to make our way off the ship. First, we stopped for a picture with the Captain, and thanked him for a great cruise.
So, when we got in to the terminal, we said a sad good bye to our friends, who WERE heading to the airport. It was so great having friends along on the cruise! And they were all sold on the Disney cruise experience after this! Maybe that will mean another cruise together in the future?!
We got to the baggage area, and made a kind of half-hearted attempt to look for our luggage. Of course, it was no where to be seen....so we told the kids that since we couldn't find the luggage, perhaps we should just get back on the ship?!
They were so excited!!
So after going through customs, we got to go right back up the escalator to the check in area!! We were the ONLY ones in there when we arrived!
We had to wait about 20 minutes until they were actually ready to check people back in, and by then, there were several other families. At one point, I did know how many people were getting back on with us, but I don't seem to have written it down. But it was a fair number - at least 25 or 30 others ended up in the terminal with us prior to it opening for the new folks. One couple was actually going on the next one too - 3 cruises in a row!!
Since the previous cruise was my 5th, I got a GOLD Castaway Cay lanyard this time! And the rest of my family only got Silver!
We were able to reboard around 10:45. When we got on, there was a lot of commotion in the atrium. There were all kinds of CM's lined up, and Mickey & Minnie were there, and there were TV cameras...
We later learned that there was a family boarding who were being featured on the Home Makeover show! They are from NY, and we're looking forward to seeing that episode! We saw them filming all over the ship on different days.
This time, we had an inside stateroom on deck 2:
We did not like this one nearly as much as our cabin on the previous cruise. First, there is a BIG difference between Cat 11 & Cat 5A. We lost SOOOOO much storage space, not to mention the split bathroom. We missed the verandah, but I think I could still live without that, but not the split bathroom! How quickly we were spoiled! (We've always had Cat 11 in the past, and had the attitude that since you only really sleep in the room, why pay for something else? So much for that!)
This would be the cruise that included my birthday, so I had a special addition to the door this time:
We weren't as lucky with our lifeboat station this time either - last time we were in the theater (and AC!) but this time we were melting on one of the decks. We did get to see inside one of the lifeboats, though!
Looks pretty roomy - but hoping I never have to try one for myself!
We had our same dining room team this cruise, and we were glad to see them! Rocky was apologetic that he almost ruined our surprise, but we assured him that we still pulled it off! It was nice having him and Mareen again, since it meant there wasn't a night of "warming up" to each other! We also had a table for just the four of us - which meant at EG we got one of the cool booths that look like they should rotate. (They don't, but that didn't stop DD from constantly referring to them as the rotating booths!)
Another drawback of B2B cruising, is the fact that unlike on a 12 night cruise, you're actually repeating the same menus. Last summer when we did the 12 night Baltic, every night was a new menu. This time, we had 4 of the same menus from our first 5 nights. It was good on the nights where there was something I'd really liked, but on the nights where there wasn't something that really stood out, it felt a bit repetitive and boring. Something I'll be keeping in mind when deciding on itineraries the next time.
The next day would be our second stop in Nassau - 36 hours ahead of Irene!!
I love seeing the kids' faces go from oh-so-sad to elated! Very cool to be able to get back on the ship before the crowds. I hadn't thought about the drawbacks you mention, but definitely something to think about. I loved, on the 15-night Panama cruise that there was a different menu every night, not to mention more special entertainment. Speaking of longer cruises, don't you think the Castaway Club levels should be determined by the number of nights you've cruised rather than number of cruises? I'm not crazy about the different levels of priviledge , but I think long cruises like the Baltic or Panama should count for more than a 3-day.
Speaking of longer cruises, don't you think the Castaway Club levels should be determined by the number of nights you've cruised rather than number of cruises? I'm not crazy about the different levels of priviledge , but I think long cruises like the Baltic or Panama should count for more than a 3-day.
Yes, I have long thought that! Doesn't seem fair, does it, if you've done a long cruise (7+ nights) and have the same credit as someone on a 3 night. We've done 7 night, as well as 14 night.....
But now I'm GOLD!! Trying to work up to Platinum!
So great to see the change in the kids' faces! I can't wait to go on my first Disney cruise...so many things I want to do, but so little time and money!!!
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The people (Dismeet) I met on my first day down in Aug were going 3 times too. I beleive their first cruise might've been your 2nd. I know they sailed once before Irene and the 2nd I bleive was right after/ during. I think she said the 2nd cruise didn't stop at CC.
They were there for a month. They arrived the day before me and were staying at WDW for a week and then on the 3 cruises and back to WDW again. They are from Austria. I eny her because she just got back from DL paris today and is going on another Dream cruise in Feb and back to back in Aug again. I wanna be her. LOL
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and that you had a great encounter with the dolphins. That's always been something I've wanted to do. 
for your DH!
Oh well, maybe next time....
Luckily, we'd just been having a discussion about how to stow away in order to not go home tomorrow. So I told the kids that Rocky had clearly heard that, and was joining in on the joke! They bought it, but it was a great acting job on my part, and that of DH, not cracking a smile at all this! 
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