Disney at Sea - Day 6

Five days on a cruise ship, can it get any more relaxing than this? Yes. Today is day six at sea with the Disney Magic and a there are a variety of ship based activities scheduled that include; art at sea, comedy performances, stage shows, movies, lectures, dancing and jackpot bingo, not to mention all the food you can eat, lounging around the pool and visiting the ice cream machine on deck 9.

For those wondering if a Disney Cruise is too straight laced, today there will be the following tasting seminars - Wine tasting, Tequila and Margarita Tasting, Martini Tasting, and Beer tasting, and don't worry the ship is supposed to stagger like that when you walk.

We left Cozumel yesterday evening and will travel all day and night to reach Disney's private island tomorrow morning. There are a number of activities to choose from on a cruise ship and our Personal Navigator lists them all by starting time. As I have mentioned in an earlier story, the teenagers have their own private area on deck 11 in the stack. This exclusive area is in the forward smoke stack, one of two smoke stacks that give Disney ships the classic look of a 1930's ocean liner. They have dedicated counselors and activities planned throughout the day culminating in a "homecoming" dance at midnight.

For younger kids there are age appropriate activities. Parents get a pager so they can be reached anywhere on the ship. Family activities for today include Pajama Jackpot Bingo, where you get extra bingo cards for wearing your pajamas, now that could be interesting. Later in the day Final Jackpot Bingo will held in the large Walt Disney Theater with a jackpot of over $7,000. A few days ago a young man won a trip for two on a future Disney Cruise.

Before the Bingo games I signed up for Gordon Wilson's art talk "cave art to pop art" Gordon is the art auctioneer for West End Gallery, Inc. on Disney Cruise Lines. He could be your favorite art history teacher or professor. His knowledge is vast and interesting and he has a dry sense of humor that enhances his story telling. What I learned from his lecture included: the artist Erte who, as one of the most prolific artist of the twentieth century, may be responsible for the idea of the thin model. His contemporary fashion designs feature stick figure thin models in gorgeous gowns and fashions. Another fact I never learned in history was that Michelangelo signed only one piece of his artwork and sculpture in his lifetime. According to early biographers, a young Michelangelo was thought by some to be a front person for the real artist who created the Pietà in St. Peter's Basilica. To make it clear who the real artist was he returned at night and carved the words "Michelangelo Buonoratti, Florentine, made this" in a prominent place on the sash across Mary's chest. He never again signed any of his work. There were a number of other fascinating details he had on well known and not so well known artists.

Lunch or Dinner can be taken by adults in the reservation only Palo restaurant. This formal dining is an extra cost but has its own kitchen and master chef in an elegant dining area on deck 10. So while the kids are enjoying an activity you can slip away for a romantic getaway.

Two different comedy headliners, Kevin Johnson and John Charles, were on tap in the Rockin Bar D for an evening of laughter. First up was the comedy and ventriloquism of Kevin Johnson, he is the guy from "America's Got Talent" tv show who would do the "Godzilla Theater" with his two birds, where his mouth moves in a delayed non-synchronized way than the words he was saying. John Charles does a different act, as a singer comedian. He warms quickly to the audience, setting up a rapport that has the audience singing along in some of his zany songs. Being on the ship a few days his comedy was tied into what everyone could relate too. For example one of the health features Disney has incorporated very successfully is to have staff hand out disinfectant hand wipes to each passenger at every place food is served, and before leaving or entering the ship. He had everyone swaying their hands above their head singing, "we've got the cleanest hands in the world" to the tune of "He's got the whole world in His hands". He had a number of other songs that kept everyone wanting more.

Also this evening was the theater performance of Disney Dreams, a play about a little girl who discovers the power of her dreams. Peter Pan and other Disney characters let viewers in on the secret of happiness; "with a little faith, trust, and pixie dust, you'll see that your dreams can come true."

Well I didn't win the Final Jackpot Bingo, but was happy for the person who did (isn't that what I'm supposed to say on a Disney Cruise?). A little about the bingo that I'm not sold on, literally and figuratively. They offered electronic bingo cards that would play 96 cards at one time and let you know when you were one away from winning. You could also opt for the real punch out cards and watch frantically to make sure you had the right numbers punched. I have to say, I enjoyed the interactive punching out and watching, although the big winner had his electronic machine blinking all the way to the bank.

Well I'm off for a gentle rocking to sleep to get ready for the last full day at Castaway Cay, and perhaps a bit of parasailing. Until tomorrow pixie dust and all that stuff to you.

Port Call - Cayman Islands, Day 4

GRAND CAYMAN, British West Indies - After an all night journey we arrive at our destination just offshore of George Town, Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is the largest, and most populous, of the three island country that make up the Cayman Islands. The other two, smaller islands, are Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Surrounding all three islands are healthy coral reefs and underwater walls that drop off hundreds of feet deep. The clear water makes this one of the best diving and sport fishing locations in the Caribbean.

Along with hundreds of other passengers we were anticipating taking part in some of the many shore excursions offered. The previous evening at dinner many people were overheard discussing going golfing, scuba diving, swimming with stingrays, spending the day at 7 mile beach, or like us, planning on a submarine tour and snorkeling. These hopes were soon dashed for many.

As we were getting ready for our 7:30 am departure, for the Nautilus Undersea adventure, our cabin was invaded by the booming voice of Christian, our cruise director. He apologized for making an early, and intrusive announcement ,in the stateroom. Normally all announcements are in the hall and other public areas of the ship. He informed us that due to high Westerly winds we would be departing two hours earlier than planned and that all afternoon and late morning excursions were canceled. We needed to be back on board by 2 pm. Later one of the crew told our group that if we were late making it back to the ship by two it would be a good idea to have a camera with us. He paused and then said "the Disney ship looks great sailing into the sunset." We got the point to be back on time.

Even though it looked very calm outside the prediction was for rougher seas later in the day, not necessarily a storm. At Grand Cayman there are no docks and not a defined harbor for the visiting cruise ships. Here we needed to use a tender, a smaller boat, to offload from the ship to shore. Any increase in wind and waves would make the transfer of passengers to and from the 964-foot (294 meter) long cruise liner hazardous. In the past, when the waves became rough, hundreds of passengers were stranded on the island and had to wait hours for conditions to improve before making a safe return.

Fortunately we had an early excursion. We offloaded on one of the first tenders and headed to shore. Our tour guide met us at the dock and we followed him to the waiting bus where we did just that, wait. After about twenty minutes we left for the Nautilus, a semi-submersible boat that has a lower deck that is under the water about five feet, but because of the design has plenty of head room. The top side of the ship stays on the surface and is used for steering and as a platform for snorkeling or diving. The lower level of the Nautilus is air conditioned with slanted windows on all sides, giving passengers an unobstructed view of the sea bottom, with coral, colorful fish and even shipwrecks.

Once underway the captain on the Nautilus provided interesting footnotes on the two sunken ships we passed over, the Callie and the Balboa. Now not more than a debris field on the bottom of the harbor we could still see the engine and some of the key components, like the ships' mast.

The Balboa was a freighter carrying a large load of lumber and oil when she sailed into George Town harbor during a 1932 hurricane. After being beaten by high waves the ship sank. Reportedly the lumber floated all the way to the shore in such volume a person could walk to shore without getting their feet wet. The wood was eventually used to build a church on the island. Over the years more ships came to the island and the wreck was becoming a hazard to shipping. In 1957 the British Army Corps of Engineers blew up the ship which accounts for the debris field. The propeller and stern sections could be seen clearly despite the lack of visibility due to the high waves

Passing over the nearby wreck of the Callie, the captain told us about the four masted schooner that ran aground in 1944 with a cargo load of rice. Once grounded the rice became wet and expanded to the point that the seams burst and the ship went down. This ship was also blown up to keep the harbor clear.

We continued over several areas of coral and watched out the windows while a diver from the ship fed and attracted large numbers of fish to the windows. After seeing a number of stingray, barracudas and other tropical fish we went topside for some snorkeling. The water was perfect, around 82 degrees, and extremely clear with 60 to 70 feet visibility.

After the ride back over the shipwrecks we opted to walk back through town instead of waiting for the bus. The shops were typical of a tourist town and reminded me of Bermuda. Prices were a bit higher here than Key West. As we headed back to the tender boats we could see the water was more choppy than when we left a few hours before. When the smaller boat pulled alongside the Magic there was quite a lot of up and down motion of the gangplank.

Back on ship we enjoyed another theatrical performance in the Walt Disney theater. Twice Charmed is an original twist on the Cinderella story and was very well down, once again.
After dinner in Lumiere's dining room we tried another movie in the Buena Vista theater, Bedtime Stories. Then it was off to get a good night sleep before our next shore excursion in Cozumel, Mexico.

Magic at Sea - Day 3

Gulf of Mexico - This is day three of a seven day cruise on the Disney Magic.

As the sun comes up we skirt the coast of Northwest Cuba on the Disney Magic. The ship glides through the still deep blue water on the way to the Cayman Islands at 21.5 knots, or roughly 25 miles per hour. We have all day for shipboard activities since we won't reach the island, on the Southern side of Cuba, until morning.

After enjoying the ocean view we checked the informative Personal Navigator to make our plans for the day. I started with a workout in the Vista Spa Fitness Center located just above the ship's bridge. There were a number of people on treadmills and elliptical trainers with an excellent view over the bow of the ship at the Gulf of Mexico. After about an hour workout I joined the family for a late breakfast topside.

This was a good day to explore the ship and learn some interesting facts. One unique feature of the Disney Cruise Line is that there is no gambling on board, except for the jackpot bingo games. This frees up a lot of space for family activities and kid areas. Most ships the size of the Magic, 964 feet in length, have only one funnel on deck, while the Magic has two. The twin stacks give the Magic an elegant look reminiscent of the 1920's and 30's cruise ships. Only one of the stacks is functional for the emissions. The forward stack is designed for the teen area and is their hangout, no parents. It is called the Stack or deck eleven.

There are four pools, one for children that includes a slide, a family pool, an adult pool and a crew pool on the fore deck. Activities for the day included a number of seminar type demonstrations for making "dazzling desserts", volleyball, scrapbook making, plenty of photo opportunities with the Captain and crew, and of course the Disney characters that made appearances at various times throughout the ship.

In the afternoon I enjoyed an Art at Sea auction with Art historian and auctioneer Gordon Wilson of West End Gallery Inc. He was extremely knowledgeable of artists and their work. The artwork on display ranged from early Disney animation cels, Miro and Dali prints and an original Duaiv valued at $40,000. The auction lasted about an hour and covered a number of artists. I was surprised at the number of pieces sold. Gordon has a seminar on Thursday entitled "Cave Art to Pop Art" which sounds very interesting.

My wife tried the Vista Spa for a facial and gave the experience a 4 star rating (out of 4). In the early evening we ventured back to the Walt Disney Theater for the red carpet "Golden Mickey's". This stage performance celebrates the music of Disney and had incredible special effects, as good as most Broadway plays. The songs were from Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Pocahontas, Lion King and other classics. The only downside was the volume of the sound was excruciatingly high. My daughter put rolled up napkins in here ears. With the quality of everything else in the theater they must have had someone new running the audio. Even with the loudness the performances were very good.

We had the second seating for an excellent dinner with a number of choices for the appetizer, soup, salad, main course and a desserts. Following dinner we tried the Buena Vista Theater, located mid ship to watch Bolt in 3D. The showing of Bolt was the first ever 3D movie on a cruise ship. Seeing the movie in the 270-seat Buena Vista Cinema was a great way to end the evening and get ready for a big day at Grand Cayman, British West Indies. Until tomorrow...

Cruising with Pirates

Ever take a cruise on the high seas with a boatload of pirates? If not, then Disney Cruise Line has the adventure for you. From the moment we boarded the stylish red bus, at the Orlando International airport, our vacation was everything that was promised in the brochure, and more. Not to sound like a Disney employee or pirate groupie, but we found this cruise to be the overall best for a family vacation.
Disney's customer service, cleanliness and attention to detail are first class. The only problem, which I'm still reminded of, is trying to select which activity to participate in at any given time. Entertainment, sports, games, crafts, movies, pools, the list of choices goes on and on, and that's just the choice onboard. Shore excursions and activities when docked are many. On our four day, three night, cruise there were no hold ups, no disappointments, and the crew was always professional and friendly.

The Ship

Elegance from a bygone age is how I would describe the Disney Wonder, one of two "twin" cruise liners by Disney. From the Beeline Expressway, as we approach the terminal, the black bottomed ship looms large on the horizon. Entering the Pier area of Port Canaveral we are greeted by the impressive $27 million dollar art deco style terminal where we breeze through the check in process. Once through the terminal we walk the gangplank and enter another world. The Atrium opens before us, with a three-story lobby covered with marble, wood, and bronze. There are four glass elevators and a grand staircase sweeping down to a bronze statue of Ariel, the mermaid. Intermingled among the guests are elaborately dressed Disney characters, come to life, to greet the passengers. Children line up with there eyes sparkling and their voices filling the air with excitment and awe. Even the traditional deep sound of the foghorn that signals our departure is replaced with the magical horn sounds playing "When you Wish Upon a Star."

The Food

A different dining experience each night is a refreshing change from the traditional formal seating for diner that is on most cruises. Disney has provided a rotating dining schedule among its three main resturants, Animator's Palette, Triton's, and the colorful Parrot Cay. Each themed restaurant provides a unique dining experience with the same table mates and wait staff each night. In the Animator's Palette, my favorite, the restaurant is decorated in black and white. Black and white pictures, black and white patterns on the walls, black and white flowered columns, you get the picture - black and white. Even the the wait staff is wearing, you guessed it, black and white. As dinner progresses everything in the room that was black and white begins to change very slowly to color. The transition is almost impreceptible and then, before I realized it, the pictures, walls and columns were all in full color. By the end of the meal, even the wait staff's vests changed to color. Triton's is the second of the themed restaurants. It is casually elegant with an under-the-sea, little mermaid decor, with an entire wall made up of thousands of tile pieces depicting King Triton himself. The third dining experience is Parrot Cay, a fun Caribbean style restaurant with brightly colored parrots and fruit baskets everywhere. During our evening we at Parrot Cay we dressed as pirates, along with everyone else, and followed the meal with a giant conga line snaking around the tables.
Naturally, there are plenty of other eating areas throughout the ship, from snack bars to full buffets. There is even an elegant restaurant for a romantic dinner with your partner at Palo's. The meal is served on the highest deck by reservation and while the adults eat the little pirates can take over the clubhouse. If for some reason you would rather dine in your spacious cabin the ship has 24-hour room service.

The Fun

I would start each morning in the Vista Spa, running on a treadmill, looking out over the bow of the ship as it plowed through the open sea. One of the highlights of the spa is its rain forest steam room. Back in the cabin, we would look over the personal navigator, a newsletter left in your cabin each day, listing all the events and opportunities available for that day. This was our planning guide and where I got into trouble. There are so many choices, I would schedule us for a tour of the bridge and then try to catch the kitchen tour, four decks below. Then back up to deck 5 and the Buena Vista Theater for a first run Disney movie. The kids have plenty of their own options to keep them busy having fun all day. They can join the fun at Flounder's Reef nursery, the Oceaneer Club, or for the teen in your family, they can hang out in Aloft. All areas are well controlled and supervised.
Just looking over the rail at the ocean is a wonderful treat, or try a little shuffleboard. In the evening, we entered the large, well appointed, 975-seat Walt Disney Theater, which features Disney on Broadway-style productions. The sets are creative, the actors fantastic, and the music excellent. Below deck there is a piano bar, comedy clubs and even jackpot bingo. I enjoyed the art auction and casual discussions, with very well informed art dealers, during one of the evening activities. The last evening, after dark, deck 9 is overtaken by pirates, with music, a dramatic rescue and finished with spectacular fireworks bursting against a pitch black sky.

The Excursions

Not all the fun is onboard ship. Our first stop was Nassau, Bahamas for a day of touring and shopping. Be sure to sign up for the excrusions to make the most of your visit. We signed up for the snorkel trip and traveled by catamaran to a relatively calm cove. Masks, snorkels and fins were handed out along with a brief demonstration on how to use them. The water was deep, clear, and full of beautiful tropical fish in a variety of colors. At Nassau there is plenty to choose from including regatta racing, dolphin encounters, scuba diving, tours and of course shopping, jewelry is very popular. If you didn't get enough to eat on the ship there are plenty of places to eat, even a Hard Rock Cafe.
One day is reserved for Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. Moored near the dock on the island is the ghots ship, the Flying Dutchman, straight from Hollywood and Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest movie. Early in the morning the crew of Wonder moves their dining rooms onto the island for all you can eat buffets throughout the day. The beach is laid out with lounge chairs, umbrellas and a place to pick up fins, snorkels and other water accessories. We started the day with a bike ride around the island. We traveled down an abandoned runway, past the "adults only" beach and back. And for fairness Disney even has a beach for kids only, no parents. There are jet skis for rent, banana boat rides, and even para-sailing high over the crystal blue waters.
There is only one negative to this cruise and you can probably guess what it is....leaving. They didn't make us "walk the plank" but as we left we felt just as abandoned. Next time we'l have to go for the seven day cruise.