And our latest family vacation … the long awaited 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Disney Fantasy! Fantasy is the latest ship in the Disney line-up; our trip was it’s 9th cruise. We flew in on a Friday night and stayed at the Hyatt hotel at the airport. The kids were SO excited that they had trouble sleeping!
Day 1: Port Canaveral/At Sea
We took the Disney bus from the airport to Port Canaveral. Since we checked in at the airport before getting on the bus, we basically walked right on the ship. Having cruised many times before, I knew we would not get our luggage until later that afternoon, so we put swimsuits and sunscreen in our backpack/carry-on. We had lunch at Cabanas (so much seafood – crab, shrimp, mussels daily!) and then changed into swimwear. I overheard a few parents/kids wishing they had pulled their swimsuits from the checked-in luggage. Oh well! It just meant emptier pools and short lines on the AquaDuck (water slide) for us!
There was a water play area for younger kids – Calie loved it. The manta ray slide was surprisingly slippery and fast! There were two family pools overlooking a big movie screen, as well as an over-18 pool. The self-serve ice cream by the pool was quite a hit, and given late dining (8:15pm reservations), we had afternoon dessert every day. After swimming, we went to our room to unpack, partook in the muster drill (did we have a choice?), danced at the ‘Sail Away’ deck party, and then explored the ship. Previously, we had sailed on the Disney Wonder and this ship was both newer and 40% larger. The kids’ Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab were bigger, with additional themed rooms … for example, a Toy Story room, video games in a Nemo submarine, and a Monster’s Inc play area.
For the first time ever, I had a verandah in my stateroom room. I’ve always chosen the least expensive interior rooms. So why the splurge this time? Lack of choice – despite booking a year in advance, all the least expensive rooms were taken. If anyone is thinking about booking a Disney cruise, especially on the new ships (Dream and Fantasy) during peak season, you’ll want to book well in advance to get the best deal. While it was nice having the verandah, I probably would have rather saved a few hundred bucks and stayed in an interior – we weren’t in our room much except to sleep.
Show of the evening … ‘Fantasy Come True’, where Calie saw Tiana right outside the Walt Disney Theatre. She was so excited! I think she liked the princesses/characters even more this year at 3-years-old than when she was 2. All the shows we saw were new to us, despite having cruised with Disney last year. I was expecting quite a few repeats, so I was pleasantly surprised.
We had dinner at the Royal Court, which is a restaurant on the newer ships … we had napkins folded like suit shirts, bread in wire carriages, and teacups shaped like Chip from Beauty and The Beast. The walls were decorated with scenes from Disney Princess movies made from small tiles. I had escargot for appetizer and bison for my main entree. So delicious! It was probably my favorite meal of the cruise, which is saying quite a lot since they had ahi tuna a few times. As you can see from the above photo, we met up with our friends Sam/Melissa/Alex/Nicole. Thanks Kathy for setting up our cruise and linking our tables!
Last event of the day … Karaoke. Hilarious. Calie and Nicole’s music teacher was on a patriotic kick a few months ago, so I chose America the Beautiful, thinking all the kids would know the words. Did you know America the Beautiful had more than one verse? Well, I didn’t. Calista can’t read … Nicole’s reading is limited (she just turned 5) … so it was up to Zachary to carry the song with words like ‘alabaster’ and ‘halcyon.’ He did a great job winging it though, and the kids earned a standing ovation from the audience (maybe they were so happy it was over?) I was pretty proud of Zach, as I believe the ability to “wing it” is an important life skill.
Day 2: At Sea
A day at sea means running 5k (8 times around deck 4.) Because of the 3-hr time difference, it was hard to get up early … and I’m not sure it would have mattered anyway. It felt hot and humid no matter what hour of the day. Sam, James, and I ran every at-sea day drenched in sweat. Activities today included the Super Sloppy Science Egg-speriment in the Oceaneer’s lab and a juggling lesson. We also went to a port/shopping show (WHY?) where we learned Tanzanite was a “generational stone.”
We had lunch at the Royal Court, followed by meeting princesses … Calie met Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, Belle, and Tiana.
We went swimming in the late afternoon – aside from the last at-sea day, we hit the pool or beach every. single. day. That’s what you do in the Caribbean, right? The show for the evening was ‘Aladdin’ – another well done production, somewhat similar to the Aladdin show in California Adventures. Dinner on our second night was at Animator’s Palate. There was a kids’ menu every night with different activities. While we’ve been to Animator’s Palate before on The Wonder, the new ships include conversations with Crush (sea turtle from Nemo) as well as games on the screens around the restaurant. The kids (and adults) were well entertained!
It was formal night, so there was wine/cocktails at the Captain’s reception, as well as numerous opportunities for pictures. Character sightings: Minnie and Mickey mouse!
Day 3: At Sea
Started another day with a 5k jog, but blew the calorie deficit with a big breakfast buffet at Enchanted Gardens. I can’t resist smoked fish and a good poached egg. It was a big character day for us, especially Calie who wanted to meet and take pictures with every single one of them (except Buzz) … Daisy, Jake, Goofy, Pluto, Minnie, Remy, Emile, Pinocchio, and Buzz Lightyear.
We played Midship Detective Agency, which is a really neat interactive whodunit mystery for kids. Using your personal badge, you run around the ship to various locations for mini games and hints. There were 3 mysteries: Case of the Missing Paintings and Case of the Missing Puppies (starring Disney villians), and Case of the Stolen Show (Muppets themed). It was very well done and interesting – and in the course of our 7-day cruise, Zach had time to solve all 3 mysteries.
We also played table tennis, mini golf, and shuffle board. Given the large number of people on the ship, I was expecting huge lines, but we never had to wait more than 5 minutes! I loved the mini golf course … there was a Goofy and Max option for adults vs kids. It was a very easy 9-hole course, which kept the game moving quickly.
There was a dance party with characters, and we saw the show ‘Disney Wishes.’ Dinner that evening was in Enchanted Gardens, where the sky changes hue from day to dusk to night. Sam/Melissa opted for speciality dining at Palo, which is an adults-only Italian restaurant for a nominal charge – they said it was totally worth it!
Day 4: St. Maarten
Our first port stop! Since we had to meet the ‘The Tube’ (night club) at 8:15am … aka 5:15am California time … we opted to sleep in as much as we could by grabbing breakfast to go. The ship pulled into Philipsburg, which is the Dutch side of St. Maarten, and we took a bus to a butterfly farm on the French side. It was quite educational, and there were numerous butterflies all over the farm. They gave us juice we could put on our fingertips to lure them. Zach and Calie are both skittish when it comes to animals, so it was mostly me and James trying to ‘catch’ butterflies.
Our next stop was Marigot (French side) for some shopping, where we picked up matching tropical shirts for Zachary and James. Then it was a scenic bus stop on top of a hill, and then back to the port. We had lunch on the ship, and then opted to skip the $6 water taxi and walked (~15 minutes) to Great Bay beach in Philipsburg.
At first, Zach resisted going, as he was addicted to table tennis, but once on the beach, he didn’t want to leave! He made sand moats with some local boys, who had just gotten out of school.
6:30pm meant back to the ship, in time for a quick swim with Alex and Nicole, before Mickey’s Pirates in the Caribbean deck party. We all got dressed up, using costumes I purchased after last Halloween for 50% off. Horrific quality! Mine was also too small (100-120lbs? Yea, right! I wasn’t that small before I stepped on the cruise ship!) I ripped it in 2 places. Calie’s outfit was super cute, but size 2-4years … and as a bigger 3-year-old, it was very short. James and Zach’s outfits fit fine, as they clearly have ideal pirate bodies (months on a ship without food.)
We took some pictures (including one with Stitch) before dinner … which was a good thing because it was a long day for Calie. Since lunch, she had a few meltdowns … and fell asleep before dinner ended. James took Calie back to our stateroom, while the rest of us went up to the pool deck for the Buccaneer Blast party. Disney cruise ships are apparently the only ones in the world who can launch fireworks. (A quick Internet search shows it’s due to their patent on launching fireworks using compressed air vs combustibles. Not sure if that’s true or not … also not sure if Tanzanite is really a generational stone and why people buy diamonds on cruises. All things to research later.)
After the kids were in bed, James went to see a late night showing of ‘The Avengers’, which had just come out in the theatres.
Day 5: St. Thomas
Our second port was St. Thomas. Since, we had a late excursion (11:15am), it didn’t make sense to leave the boat. We had a leisurely breakfast buffet at Cabanas, followed by table tennis and mini golf (what a view!), before heading off to Coral World Ocean Park. Coral World is a smallish aquarium, with iguanas everywhere. I am not a fan of reptiles, so now it was my turn to be skittish! There was also a lorikeet area, where you could feed them nectar, but none of the birds were interested. They were full from being fed by kids (such as Alex and Nicole) who came on the earlier tour.
We saw sea turtles, manta rays, sharks, and numerous fish. We enjoy taking our time with the exhibits, so we didn’t get through all the centers before we had to leave for our semi-submersible activity. Since I like to “do it all”, it still bothers me to this day that we missed the Caribbean Reef Encounter.
The semi-submarine was interesting, although very similar to the Atlantis experience we had in Maui (which was a real submarine.) After we got back to the port, we decided to walk around town and pick up gifts in the souvenir shops. We ran into Melissa on the way, who treated herself to some unique Caribbean jewelry!
We had to be back on the ship by 4pm, so there was plenty of time for swimming, mini golf, table tennis, and a Jam Fest at Sea deck party before the evening events. The evening entertainment was a magic show. I’m not a big fan of magic, and much prefer the bigger dancing/singing productions, but the kids thought it was absolutely hilarious. The magician definitely knew how to cater to little kids; both Zach and Calie were laughing so hard, they were cackling.
Dinner that night was at Animator’s Palate again. This time, we all received a paper place mat to draw a character. We handed in our drawings to our servers, and at the end of dinner, our characters danced for us on the big screens around the restaurant. WE were the animators! I wish I could describe the kids’ expressions, but I was too fixated on seeing my own drawing on the wall – it was really well done! This is a new experience, only available on The Fantasy. After dinner, we went dancing at Saludos Amigo Fiesta. I loved seeing the siblings dance together – it made me glad we have 2 kids.
Day 6: At Sea
Our final at-sea day! After our required 5k morning run and breakfast at Cabanas, we went to the Mickey 2000. It was a race car competition, where you could only use a potato, a carrot, 2 toothpicks, and a set of wheels. You know the proverb “Measure twice, cut once”? James did not. We lost. Melissa’s race car name “The Volks-vegan” was awarded best name, and they received 4 key chains as prizes. Afterwards, Zach displayed a poor attitude towards doing family activities by calling them “boring.” James decided to show him what boring really meant and had Zach sit in the stateroom facing the wall, while Calie and I went to a paper airplane making class.
With a much improved attitude, we grabbed lunch, finsihed the last Detective Mystery, and took pictures with Jesse, Woody, Phineus, and Ferb.
The girls (Princess Nicole and Princess Calista, per the handwritten invitations) had 3pm appointments at the Bippidi Bobbidi Boutique. For ~$60, the girls had their hair, makeup, and nails done. They also received a pink pageant sash, and a princess cinch bag to put their nail polishes (2 bottles – 1 light blue, 1 pink), make-up kit (eye shadow and lip gloss), and face jewels. Calie went for a princess look with a crown and Mickey hair clip. Nicole, at a year older, went for a more trendy style which included rhinestone bobby pins and hair extensions! There was definitely a “Toddlers in Tiaras” feel, but the girls had fun, and it was a one-time, special experience.
The evening show was ‘Disney’s Believe’, a show about a father who needed to put aside work to spend with his daughter. It wasn’t my favorite, as I know many good parents (often fathers or single moms, sole breadwinners) who have to work long hours to provide for their families. Not everyone is as privileged as we are, and watching that show on a not-so-cheap family vacation, felt a bit self-righteous. Dinner that night was at Enchanted Gardens, and the recommended entree was lobster. Sam and I got into the habit of ordering extra appetizers, entrees, and desserts “for the table”, where “the table” really meant the two of us. That night, we ordered (and ate) every single dessert. As the vacation was coming to a close, we were more reckless with our calorie intake, knowing that we would soon have to cook for ourselves. We ended the day at The Family Dance Party.
Day 7: Castaway Cay
The last day of the cruise was Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas. We started the day with a 5k, where Sam ran an impressive ~23 minutes. Zach completed the course in ~30 minutes, and I finished a few seconds under 34 minutes. Given how hot and humid it was, we did pretty well! Everyone who participated receieved Mickey shaped medals. Since I only brought 3 exercise outfits (I like to travel light), I had to re-wear for the race. ~shudder!~
We spent the day playing in the sand and water. There was a new Spring-a-Leak water play area, as well as a water slide (Pelican Plunge), which was new since our last visit in 2006.
We had a barbecue lunch (yummy ribs!) and played table tennis and Foosball on the island. The beach was much more crowded compared to our last visit (likely because the newer ships were 40% bigger) and the water wasn’t as clear – but it was still a very nice island, no complaints! We spent the whole day out on the island and didn’t head back until we heard the ship’s horn blast warning. (And yes, Calista kept her princess hair-do … for $60, it was going to last a few days, sand and salt water be damned.)
We had dinner at The Royal Court, and after dinner, the kids got to meet Chip and Dale. Calie has reminded us a few times that James and I took pictures with Chip and Dale at The Aulani while they were in Auntie’s Beach House. So finally, it was their turn! And we just happened to run into Tiana one last time while returning the ID wristbands (used to track kids) – and she remembered Calista’s name!
The next morning, we had breakfast on the go since our flight was at noon (earlier than what Disney recommends.) It was a smooth flight back, although with a pretty long stopover since our options was limited by using frequent flier miles. On Sunday, we settled back home … unpacked, did laundry, stocked groceries, and played indoors (lots of Wii Sports). I did go to a yoga class, thinking ‘This will be easy after running a 5k in the Caribbean heat/humidity’ but I was pretty sore afterwards. And there we have it … my final vacation for 2012. Yep, halfway through the year, and I’ve burned all 4 weeks. 
Did we love our vacation? Yes we did! Was the Disney experience worth the higher price tag? Yes it was! And to prove it, both families booked Disney cruises in 2013.
