I Love the Little Fishies. Don't You?
- Thread starter dolphingirl47
- Start date
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
That excursion sounds rough!
Great pictures of you and the characters....but I've come to expect that from your TRs.
I love that purple dress on you. You look fantastic in it and the jewellery is such a lovely touch to set it all off.
Shame you didn't get a decent key lime pie....but glad you made it to the Southernmost Point marker.
Pleased to meet you, Graham.
Great pictures of you and the characters....but I've come to expect that from your TRs.
I love that purple dress on you. You look fantastic in it and the jewellery is such a lovely touch to set it all off.
Shame you didn't get a decent key lime pie....but glad you made it to the Southernmost Point marker.
Pleased to meet you, Graham.Hi Corinna, I've never cruised before but would love too and so wonder when the best time is to book a cruise to get the best deal. Does Disney drop their prices, offering deals or do the DCL website prices stay pretty much the same?
dolphingirl47
In Search of the Tag Fairy
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
Sorry your snorkel trip was so rough! We went to Kermit's last time as well sine the Blond Giraffe had closed. I like my MIL's pie recipe the best, but enjoy the frozen one there. Love the formal pic outfits!
The frozen pie was nice, but it was a little expensive for what it was. Actually I think my favourite Key Lime Pie is still the one at Olivia's Cafe at Old Key West at Walt Disney World.
I'm am really enjoying your character photos.
Your purple dress is lovely and I love the couple's pics. Graham's vest is fab too.
I love meeting all the characters on the cruises. It is usually easier to meet them on the ships than in the parks and especially on the longer cruises there tend to be some special costumes and some more unusual characters around.
I managed to get a whole set of vests for Graham from Ebay that coordinated with my gowns.
We are cutting this a little fine, but all worked out nicely. I heard reports from people who had been to the Southernmost Point later in the day and it was very busy and things got a little hated about taking photos. For us, it was just perfect as we were the only people there.
I was not able to snorkel that day, but I got plenty of opportunity to snorkel later in the cruise.
Things definitely improved and then it was all change again a couple of day later.
First of all: Hi Graham! I had no idea that you were a DISer, too! It's great to get your additional perspective!
Then: What a great update!! Wow!
I am so angry with myself that I never tried that Mango morning smoothie until the last sea day when I had breakfast at Tritons. Now I know to search it out. It is soooo good!
I remember meeting you later that day and you told us that you had trouble on the excursion with the water. What a shame! We snorkeled last year in Cozumel and this year in Cabo and I have to say that I really love those snorkeling excursions! And I enjoy jumping into the water from the side of the catameran. But then when I was a kid I trained for some time with the diving department of our local swim club (never got far as we moved away).
I know what you mean about how easy it was to get pictures! Especially in the first days Michael and I ended up getting so many pictures (he got tired of it after a few days...) because it was really no effort at all!
Sorry about your table mates confusion! And how sad that your new table mates did not make any effort to conversation. I hope that that improved over the course of the cruise!
We ended up snorkeling in every other port apart from Cartagena and it got literally better from port to port.
I love the Mango Mountain Hike. I discovered this relatively soon after we started cruising. As I am allergic to bananas, finding a smoothie that is safe for me to have is wonderful.
In this case it definitely paid to be up and about early. This was only our second morning in the USA and our body clocks were still on UK time so this was no hardship at all.
The next dinner was completely different and as I mentioned earlier, it was all change again the evening after this.
That excursion sounds rough!
Great pictures of you and the characters....but I've come to expect that from your TRs.
I love that purple dress on you. You look fantastic in it and the jewellery is such a lovely touch to set it all off.
Shame you didn't get a decent key lime pie....but glad you made it to the Southernmost Point marker.
The excursion was definitely an adventure. It was not so much that the Key Lime Pie was not decent, but more that it was totally overpriced for what it was. For the price paid, I expected something spectacular.
Much depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for a cruise during the main holiday seasons or if you are going for a unusual itinerary, you are best off booking on opening day or as close to it as possible. If you are able to travel off peak and on one of their itineraries that they offer pretty much year round, there are usually some nice deals to be add once the final payment date has passed and the period where people would have to pay cancellation charges has begun. Over the last couple of years, there were also fantastic deals for the Panama Canal cruises.
Corinna
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2005
Corinna (and Graham)
What a lovely day in Key West. I have to say, we loved Key West during our brief visit a couple of years ago and have both said we'd like to go back. I am a little disappointed that our cruise is not calling there next year. We don't get Castaway Cay either - boo!
Another lovely dress, Corinna, and great character interactions.
Graham, I am with you on sweet potato - although I actually go back and forth. Sometimes I think I like it and then, when I try it again, I realise I actually really don't. Wonder if it's the difference in how it is cooked
Can't wait for more.
What a lovely day in Key West. I have to say, we loved Key West during our brief visit a couple of years ago and have both said we'd like to go back. I am a little disappointed that our cruise is not calling there next year. We don't get Castaway Cay either - boo!
Another lovely dress, Corinna, and great character interactions.
Graham, I am with you on sweet potato - although I actually go back and forth. Sometimes I think I like it and then, when I try it again, I realise I actually really don't. Wonder if it's the difference in how it is cooked
Can't wait for more.
dolphingirl47
In Search of the Tag Fairy
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
Corinna (and Graham)
What a lovely day in Key West. I have to say, we loved Key West during our brief visit a couple of years ago and have both said we'd like to go back. I am a little disappointed that our cruise is not calling there next year. We don't get Castaway Cay either - boo!
Another lovely dress, Corinna, and great character interactions.
Graham, I am with you on sweet potato - although I actually go back and forth. Sometimes I think I like it and then, when I try it again, I realise I actually really don't. Wonder if it's the difference in how it is cooked
Can't wait for more.
We had been to Key West once previously in 2009 and I did not really rate it then at all. I have to say it has grown on me quite considerably this time round. I have not been back to Castaway Cay since our Transatlantic cruise in 2010. We are considering a cruise in December next year that stops in Key West, Castaway Cay and Nassau.
I am another person who does not like sweet potato. The only exception to that rule are the sweet potato fries at Kona Cafe, which I rather like.
Corinna
SailingScout
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2012
I'm really enjoying your trip report! We are booked to go on the EBPC next year so I'm grateful for all the details and photos.
dolphingirl47
In Search of the Tag Fairy
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
Welcome on board. The EBPC is on our bucket list. We have down a Panama Canal cruise twice now, but both of them were westbound. We are tentatively planning to do an EBPC in 2017. By then the new locks are hopefully finally open and the Wonder will have had her make over.
Corinna
DH of dolphingirl47
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2008
If that new canal is open before 2020 I will go snorkelling and eat raw the first fish I can catch.
dolphingirl47
In Search of the Tag Fairy
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
Mental note: No snorkeling trips for the Eastbound Panama Canal cruise in 2017
Yes, it was, but ultimately it let to something that really worked for me. I am quite excited now about returning to Key West. I did not like it at all the first time round. We did the Conch Train tour then and walked along the main drag afterwards. I think that Key West is a place that lends itself to just wandering and I am hoping to do some more of that if we do get to go again in 2015.
Have a wonderful holiday. Where are you headed?
Corinna
Flossbolna
Sea days are just so relaxing!
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2006
Will be very glad to see you over there, but take your time. I am very slow with writing TRs and we are not even on the boat yet!
Mental note: No snorkeling trips for the Eastbound Panama Canal cruise in 2017
I have to admit that I love sweet potatoes...
dolphingirl47
In Search of the Tag Fairy
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
Day 4
We were awake bright and early at just before 6:00 AM again. We got up and slowly got ready. Then we headed up to deck 9. It was raining again. We went to the drink station to get some coffee and then we headed to Goofy's Galley for some breakfast. Graham had a Blueberry Muffin, a slice of Cheese Lattice, Strawberry Yoghurt and a Banana. I had a Chocolate Chip Muffin, a slice Cherry Lattice and Mango Mountain Hike Smoothie. We also shared a plate with Melon, Grapes and Pineapple. We took our time over breakfast and then headed back downstairs around 8:00.
The first thing that we wanted to do that day was Walk A Mile. The meeting point for this is always outside the Walt Disney Theater. That morning we got some added amusement. This was the day the limited edition pin was going to be released. They had just started to set up for this when we got there. This time round there was only one pin for the cruise rather than a pin for each port like we had for the Panama Canal cruise in 2011 or for our 2012 Hawaii cruise. On our previous Panama Canal cruise, they released each pin on a different day and things had got a little crazy. For our Hawaii cruise, the released wristbands and for each wristband, you could get two sets of pins. Once the period of time that was reserved for sales to the people who had wristbands had passed, there were still plenty of pins left and they sold them right to the end of the cruise. So I was not overly concerned about this especially as it was just the one pin. We had heard that there had been people trying to line up as early as 6:00 AM, but they had been sent packing. There were a number of people sitting on the chairs in that area just hanging out the same we were doing when some people for the pins arrived. They were terribly worried that all of us were in front of them. The merchandise manager tried to explain to them that there was really no reason to line up that early (a full our before the release), as there were plenty of pins to go around. Still, they were not impressed by this and at one stage things got a little heated as people arrived from different sides and there was some disagreement about the order in which people were in the line. I was pretty happy when our Walk A Mile buddy arrived and we were off. By the time we got back from our walk, the line was really rather impressive.
We headed down to Wavebands for the DVC Member Celebration. I normally really enjoy this. Graham is not really interested, but as he had nothing else planned and there was a promise of Mimosa, he came with me. We were given a neoprene drawstring bag as we went in and then found some seats. We had not been sitting long when we were offered a drink. I had a Mimosa and Graham had a Prosecco. At some stage Graham went to the back to get a pastry and brought me back a Cookie. The Member Celebration was a mix of information, a low level sales pitch and panel game. I have to say I miss the days of the icebreaker games were everybody got to play. One thing rubbed me up the wrong way. They asked where members are coming from, but just asked for various regions of the USA. They did not even acknowledge that there may be members from outside the USA. It would not have taken long to just ask if there were any members present from outside the USA. I think there were quite a few of us. When they did the raffle, only two winners were from the USA. The others were from Canada, Germany and New Zealand. Towards the end of the DVC Member Celebration, we were offered another drink and accepted. We were in no particular rush to leave and let the masses file out.
After the DVC Member Celebration, we both went our separate ways. I wanted to go to the Princess Gathering and Graham was heading to deck 4 to watch the world go by. We arranged to meet outside Beach Blanket Buffet at 12:00. I quickly went to the cabin to get my autograph book and pens. On the way back, I decided to go via deck 4 to check out the pin situation. There was still quite a long line so I just carried on walking. Captain Mickey was still out and I stopped to have some photos taken and then decided to hang around for Minnie and I was first in line to meet her. Then I headed down to deck 3 to get in line for the Princess Gathering.
We were awake bright and early at just before 6:00 AM again. We got up and slowly got ready. Then we headed up to deck 9. It was raining again. We went to the drink station to get some coffee and then we headed to Goofy's Galley for some breakfast. Graham had a Blueberry Muffin, a slice of Cheese Lattice, Strawberry Yoghurt and a Banana. I had a Chocolate Chip Muffin, a slice Cherry Lattice and Mango Mountain Hike Smoothie. We also shared a plate with Melon, Grapes and Pineapple. We took our time over breakfast and then headed back downstairs around 8:00.
The first thing that we wanted to do that day was Walk A Mile. The meeting point for this is always outside the Walt Disney Theater. That morning we got some added amusement. This was the day the limited edition pin was going to be released. They had just started to set up for this when we got there. This time round there was only one pin for the cruise rather than a pin for each port like we had for the Panama Canal cruise in 2011 or for our 2012 Hawaii cruise. On our previous Panama Canal cruise, they released each pin on a different day and things had got a little crazy. For our Hawaii cruise, the released wristbands and for each wristband, you could get two sets of pins. Once the period of time that was reserved for sales to the people who had wristbands had passed, there were still plenty of pins left and they sold them right to the end of the cruise. So I was not overly concerned about this especially as it was just the one pin. We had heard that there had been people trying to line up as early as 6:00 AM, but they had been sent packing. There were a number of people sitting on the chairs in that area just hanging out the same we were doing when some people for the pins arrived. They were terribly worried that all of us were in front of them. The merchandise manager tried to explain to them that there was really no reason to line up that early (a full our before the release), as there were plenty of pins to go around. Still, they were not impressed by this and at one stage things got a little heated as people arrived from different sides and there was some disagreement about the order in which people were in the line. I was pretty happy when our Walk A Mile buddy arrived and we were off. By the time we got back from our walk, the line was really rather impressive.
We headed down to Wavebands for the DVC Member Celebration. I normally really enjoy this. Graham is not really interested, but as he had nothing else planned and there was a promise of Mimosa, he came with me. We were given a neoprene drawstring bag as we went in and then found some seats. We had not been sitting long when we were offered a drink. I had a Mimosa and Graham had a Prosecco. At some stage Graham went to the back to get a pastry and brought me back a Cookie. The Member Celebration was a mix of information, a low level sales pitch and panel game. I have to say I miss the days of the icebreaker games were everybody got to play. One thing rubbed me up the wrong way. They asked where members are coming from, but just asked for various regions of the USA. They did not even acknowledge that there may be members from outside the USA. It would not have taken long to just ask if there were any members present from outside the USA. I think there were quite a few of us. When they did the raffle, only two winners were from the USA. The others were from Canada, Germany and New Zealand. Towards the end of the DVC Member Celebration, we were offered another drink and accepted. We were in no particular rush to leave and let the masses file out.
After the DVC Member Celebration, we both went our separate ways. I wanted to go to the Princess Gathering and Graham was heading to deck 4 to watch the world go by. We arranged to meet outside Beach Blanket Buffet at 12:00. I quickly went to the cabin to get my autograph book and pens. On the way back, I decided to go via deck 4 to check out the pin situation. There was still quite a long line so I just carried on walking. Captain Mickey was still out and I stopped to have some photos taken and then decided to hang around for Minnie and I was first in line to meet her. Then I headed down to deck 3 to get in line for the Princess Gathering.
dolphingirl47
In Search of the Tag Fairy
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
I ended up walking into quite a long line. The first Princess Gathering always is very busy. Having said that, the line did not look as long as on some of the previous cruises and more often than not, the line moves pretty swiftly once the princesses have arrived. So I decided to go for it. I had arrived a little before the princesses were due to come out. They actually came right past us so we knew when they had arrived. It took forever until the line moved at all. Still, I had no other plans for a while and for the most part I had a porthole to look out of so I was OK. Eventually it was my turn and I got photos and signatures from all 5 princesses. The line up had changed a little. Traditionally the "Royal Court" on the Wonder consisted of Cinderella, Snow White, Tiana, Belle and Ariel. This time round we had Cinderella, Rapunzel, Tiana, Belle and Ariel. Even though the princesses must have been aware of the long line and ended up being out a lot longer than scheduled, they spent a little bit of quality time with everybody. The princesses are not exactly my favourite characters normally, but the interaction that I had that day could have easily changed this.
I had missed two other character sets while I was in line, which were Princess Sophia and Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, which are both from Disney Channel shows. Still, I was assured that they would be out again later in the cruise and I had plenty of opportunity to meet characters that day. I still had a little bit of time before I had arranged to meet Graham. I decided to have a proper look around the shops and check out the pin situation. I headed into Mickeys Mates first and I was looking around. There was nothing really that grabbed me. I then headed over to Treasure Ketch. In the past they had baskets with pins around after the official pin release. I could not see any evidence of the pins. I asked one of the members merchandise staff if they had any pins left and she did not know, but directed me to the merchandise manager. I went to ask her and she told me that there were plenty left in Mickey's Mates. I mentioned that I had just come from there and had not seen any. She advised me that they had them behind the counter as they were still restricted the purchase to two per cabin. That was fine by me. I thanked her and headed over to Mickey's Mates. When I asked for the pin, they got a list of all staterooms out and crossed me off the list. I was then asked if I wanted one or two pins. I just wanted one for my personal collection so I paid for this and I was on my way. I quickly went down to the cabin to drop this and the autograph book off and then I headed up to deck 9.
While I made my way to Beach Blanket Buffet, I heard the horn. Graham had arrived just ahead of me. The line was huge and only one side was open. They said that the other side would open shortly, which meant a long line started to build on that side as well. People were getting grumpy and kids started to cry. We decided to give up. We found somewhere to sit near the adult pool. I decided to go and check out what Pluto's Dog House had on offer, as they tend to do a daily special. On the way, I spotted that Goofy was out at the gazebo wearing his beach outfit. So I had to stop to say "hi" and get a photo. Once I had said goodbye to Goofy, I resumed the quest to find some food. It was a good idea to head to Pluto's Dog House. The special for the day was a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich. I could not resist this. I headed back to where Graham was sitting. I offered to share with him, but he did not fancy it. He did however quite like the idea of a Roast Beef Sandwich from Goofy's Galley. I was going to head in that general direction anyway to get some Coke so I brought him back a sandwich and a Garden Salad. I left him to enjoy his food.
There had been a good reason why I was so keen on an early lunch. I knew that Stitch would be at the gazebo. Stitch is my absolute favourite character and I like to joke that he is the second biggest love of my life. So there was no way I was going to miss him the first time he was out and about during that cruise. So I headed back to the gazebo. Stitch did not have much of a line and I got a nice big hug.
When I said goodbye to Stitch, I headed back to Graham, who had just about finished his sandwich. We were both still hungry and I had the added complication that I had a Martini tasting at 14:00 and really needed to line my stomach ahead of this. I decided I was going to check out what Beach Blanket Buffet had on offer that day and was going to get a plate of good from there. Graham decided to join me. As we were passing the gazebo, Stitch's escort called out to me. By that time, Stitch had no line at all. There was one family with him and that was it. I convinced Graham to come and have some photos with Stitch and me.
I had missed two other character sets while I was in line, which were Princess Sophia and Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, which are both from Disney Channel shows. Still, I was assured that they would be out again later in the cruise and I had plenty of opportunity to meet characters that day. I still had a little bit of time before I had arranged to meet Graham. I decided to have a proper look around the shops and check out the pin situation. I headed into Mickeys Mates first and I was looking around. There was nothing really that grabbed me. I then headed over to Treasure Ketch. In the past they had baskets with pins around after the official pin release. I could not see any evidence of the pins. I asked one of the members merchandise staff if they had any pins left and she did not know, but directed me to the merchandise manager. I went to ask her and she told me that there were plenty left in Mickey's Mates. I mentioned that I had just come from there and had not seen any. She advised me that they had them behind the counter as they were still restricted the purchase to two per cabin. That was fine by me. I thanked her and headed over to Mickey's Mates. When I asked for the pin, they got a list of all staterooms out and crossed me off the list. I was then asked if I wanted one or two pins. I just wanted one for my personal collection so I paid for this and I was on my way. I quickly went down to the cabin to drop this and the autograph book off and then I headed up to deck 9.
While I made my way to Beach Blanket Buffet, I heard the horn. Graham had arrived just ahead of me. The line was huge and only one side was open. They said that the other side would open shortly, which meant a long line started to build on that side as well. People were getting grumpy and kids started to cry. We decided to give up. We found somewhere to sit near the adult pool. I decided to go and check out what Pluto's Dog House had on offer, as they tend to do a daily special. On the way, I spotted that Goofy was out at the gazebo wearing his beach outfit. So I had to stop to say "hi" and get a photo. Once I had said goodbye to Goofy, I resumed the quest to find some food. It was a good idea to head to Pluto's Dog House. The special for the day was a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich. I could not resist this. I headed back to where Graham was sitting. I offered to share with him, but he did not fancy it. He did however quite like the idea of a Roast Beef Sandwich from Goofy's Galley. I was going to head in that general direction anyway to get some Coke so I brought him back a sandwich and a Garden Salad. I left him to enjoy his food.
There had been a good reason why I was so keen on an early lunch. I knew that Stitch would be at the gazebo. Stitch is my absolute favourite character and I like to joke that he is the second biggest love of my life. So there was no way I was going to miss him the first time he was out and about during that cruise. So I headed back to the gazebo. Stitch did not have much of a line and I got a nice big hug.
When I said goodbye to Stitch, I headed back to Graham, who had just about finished his sandwich. We were both still hungry and I had the added complication that I had a Martini tasting at 14:00 and really needed to line my stomach ahead of this. I decided I was going to check out what Beach Blanket Buffet had on offer that day and was going to get a plate of good from there. Graham decided to join me. As we were passing the gazebo, Stitch's escort called out to me. By that time, Stitch had no line at all. There was one family with him and that was it. I convinced Graham to come and have some photos with Stitch and me.
dolphingirl47
In Search of the Tag Fairy
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
Afterwards we carried on towards Beach Blanket Buffet. After the earlier crowds, it was now nearly empty and we decided to just find a table and stay there rather than taking the food outside. It was an International Buffet that day. Graham had a plate of salad, some Peel and Eat Shrimp, assorted Cured Meats and some hot salmon dish. I had some Pasta with Tomato Sauce, Polenta and Chicken with Provençal Sauce. After this, we were both suitably stuffed.
At that stage Graham and I went our separate ways again. Daisy was in the gazebo in her beachwear and I decided to go and meet her. Once Daisy was done, Chip and Dale were about to come out. So I decided to hang around for them. They wore old-fashioned swimsuits and looked absolutely precious. They were also in a very mischievous mood so the interaction was a lot of fun.
By that time, it was nearly 14:00 and I headed down to the Cadillac Lounge for he Martini tasting. This was one of a number of private group tastings that a couple on our cruise meet thread had organized. This turned into a complete blessing. Normally I would not even consider ordering a Martini. My normal go to cocktails are Mojitos, Margaritas and Caipirinhas. However, when I am on a cruise, I like to do a Martini tasting. So I jumped on this. It was nice meeting some more people from the cruise meet thread. My heart sunk when I realized who was doing the class. Jesus had done the mixology class on our Los Angeles to Vancouver Repo last year and he seemed to be a little full of himself. It did not help things that I came literally within an inch of having an allergic reaction in his class. We either had caught him on a bad day or he has mellowed over the last year, but I actually rather liked him this time round and he grew on me even more as the cruise went on. Something he said as part of his introduction really resonated with me. He said that for him there are is no such thing as guests, but that he considers everybody on the ship his friends and family. I think he is not the only crewmember on the Wonder that feels that way and this is why the Wonder is such a wonderful ship. I could never put my fingers on what makes the Wonder so special and suddenly it all made perfect sense. This also explains why on our last two cruises on the Magic I was drawn to members of the crew that I know from the Wonder.
This time I was playing it safe. I asked one of the bartenders if there was any banana in any of the Martinis and she confirmed they were all safe for me to drink. This was one of the best Martini tastings I had. The Martinis were very diverse. I always assumed that for a Martini to be a Martini the main alcohol has to be either Gin or Vodka. This is not true. It is the Martini glass that makes a Martini a Martini. We learned a lot about the history of Martini and how it has evolved. We also got a demonstration on why James Bond got it all wrong when he asked for his Martini "shaken not stirred". For all the education, we did plenty of drinking, too. We got to taste 5 half size Martinis and they were about as different as they could be. We started off with a Classic Martini, which consisted of Gin and Dry Vermouth with the obligatory Olive. I can't remember the name of the second Martini, but it consisted of Vodka, Blue Curacao, a splash of Lime Juice and a little Agave Nectar. This very much tasted like a Margarita and a lot of people including myself had thought that this contained Tequila. Next up was a Sidecar, which consisted of Cognac, Grand Marnier and Lemon Juice. The next Martini was a real surprise for me. This was a Washington Apple, which consisted of Jack Daniel's, Sour Apple Pucker Schnapps and Cranberry Juice. I am not exactly keen on Whisky in all its variations, but I loved this drink. The last cocktail was a Chocolate Martini. I enjoyed every single one of the Martinis and was not merry as I would normally be after a tasting. Before I left, I asked Jesus if he was going to do the private mixology classes. He said that he would. I explained what had happened the previous year and asked him if he could give me a heads up if there was something that was not safe for me. He asked me in which of the two groups I would be and told me that I did not need to worry and that he would make sure I was safe. Little did I know what he meant by this, but that is a story for another day.
I decided to head back up to deck 9 to catch some more characters. I had missed Pluto while I was in the Martini Tasting, but I managed to catch Donald before he finished his set and then Mickey was out straight after. I got myself a Coke from the drink station while I was waiting for Minnie. I was so happy that I nearly got the full set of characters in their beach outfits. I was just missing Pluto, but I was reassured that I would get another chance during the cruise.
I had a look for Graham, but he was in none of his usual spots. When I looked for him on deck 4, I noticed that everything was already set up for The Golden Mickeys. I was surprised that considering it was mid afternoon on a sea day, the place was absolutely deserted. That was too good an opportunity to miss. Fortunately I still had my camera with me so I was able to take some photos. Then I headed down to our cabin where I just chilled out and got started on my new Kingdom Keepers book.
I had decided to get a Coke from the drink station at some point. When I came back, Graham had returned to our cabin. He asked if there was anything on and I mentioned Walk A Mile. We decided to do this and headed up to deck 4. All the chairs had been removed from the area by the shops to allow for the "red carpet arrivals" for The Golden Mickeys. We did not have long to wait until our Walk a Mile buddy arrived. They had roped in the DJ for this and he was not entirely sure how this was going to work. We told him that it was just a question of walking three laps around deck 4 and we were off. He was so excited as this took him to areas of the ship he had never been to before. We had a lot of fun and he is a really nice guy. Once we had done our three laps, we said goodbye to him and headed off.
I wanted to check out if Mickey was still around as this was supposed to be my only chance to catch him in his Gold Tuxedo. A little birdie had told me that for the second set that evening, he would wear his Captain's outfit and would join Captain Fabian for photos. I expecting Graham to head off, but he decided to join me. We were even offered a drink when we joined the line. I had a non-alcoholic fruit punch and Graham had a Sour Apple Martini. It took me a little while to realize where Graham's new love for the characters had come from. On one of our previous cruises I was in line for the characters on formal night and I had already changed into my gown. He was wearing swimming trunks and a t-shirt when he came to tell me something. People's faces were a picture. He has always regretted that he did not join me for a photo. He was going to put this right. It did not quite work out though. The swimming trunks that he was wearing are quite understated and just look like black shorts. It did not help either that I did not have the chance yet to get changed and was just wearing a sundress. After we our photo taken together, I had a couple of photos taken with just Mickey.
As Minnie was just about to come out, I decided to hang around. Graham was happy to wait for me. I did not have to wait long until it was my turn. Graham was standing off to one side waiting for me, but Minnie signaled him to come over. That Mouse definitely knows what she wants. I got an interrogation Mouse style. Minnie had been admiring my dresses every time I saw her on that cruise. So when I saw her earlier that day, I told her that I had a rather special gown and that we would be matching in the evening. When I turned up in the same dress that I had worn earlier in the day, she asked me what had happened. It is amazing how easily the characters can get their point across without using a single word. I told her that I had not had a chance to change yet, but would come and see her in that gown later. I was let off the hook and Graham and I had a couple of photos taken with Minnie.
At that stage Graham and I went our separate ways again. Daisy was in the gazebo in her beachwear and I decided to go and meet her. Once Daisy was done, Chip and Dale were about to come out. So I decided to hang around for them. They wore old-fashioned swimsuits and looked absolutely precious. They were also in a very mischievous mood so the interaction was a lot of fun.
By that time, it was nearly 14:00 and I headed down to the Cadillac Lounge for he Martini tasting. This was one of a number of private group tastings that a couple on our cruise meet thread had organized. This turned into a complete blessing. Normally I would not even consider ordering a Martini. My normal go to cocktails are Mojitos, Margaritas and Caipirinhas. However, when I am on a cruise, I like to do a Martini tasting. So I jumped on this. It was nice meeting some more people from the cruise meet thread. My heart sunk when I realized who was doing the class. Jesus had done the mixology class on our Los Angeles to Vancouver Repo last year and he seemed to be a little full of himself. It did not help things that I came literally within an inch of having an allergic reaction in his class. We either had caught him on a bad day or he has mellowed over the last year, but I actually rather liked him this time round and he grew on me even more as the cruise went on. Something he said as part of his introduction really resonated with me. He said that for him there are is no such thing as guests, but that he considers everybody on the ship his friends and family. I think he is not the only crewmember on the Wonder that feels that way and this is why the Wonder is such a wonderful ship. I could never put my fingers on what makes the Wonder so special and suddenly it all made perfect sense. This also explains why on our last two cruises on the Magic I was drawn to members of the crew that I know from the Wonder.
This time I was playing it safe. I asked one of the bartenders if there was any banana in any of the Martinis and she confirmed they were all safe for me to drink. This was one of the best Martini tastings I had. The Martinis were very diverse. I always assumed that for a Martini to be a Martini the main alcohol has to be either Gin or Vodka. This is not true. It is the Martini glass that makes a Martini a Martini. We learned a lot about the history of Martini and how it has evolved. We also got a demonstration on why James Bond got it all wrong when he asked for his Martini "shaken not stirred". For all the education, we did plenty of drinking, too. We got to taste 5 half size Martinis and they were about as different as they could be. We started off with a Classic Martini, which consisted of Gin and Dry Vermouth with the obligatory Olive. I can't remember the name of the second Martini, but it consisted of Vodka, Blue Curacao, a splash of Lime Juice and a little Agave Nectar. This very much tasted like a Margarita and a lot of people including myself had thought that this contained Tequila. Next up was a Sidecar, which consisted of Cognac, Grand Marnier and Lemon Juice. The next Martini was a real surprise for me. This was a Washington Apple, which consisted of Jack Daniel's, Sour Apple Pucker Schnapps and Cranberry Juice. I am not exactly keen on Whisky in all its variations, but I loved this drink. The last cocktail was a Chocolate Martini. I enjoyed every single one of the Martinis and was not merry as I would normally be after a tasting. Before I left, I asked Jesus if he was going to do the private mixology classes. He said that he would. I explained what had happened the previous year and asked him if he could give me a heads up if there was something that was not safe for me. He asked me in which of the two groups I would be and told me that I did not need to worry and that he would make sure I was safe. Little did I know what he meant by this, but that is a story for another day.
I decided to head back up to deck 9 to catch some more characters. I had missed Pluto while I was in the Martini Tasting, but I managed to catch Donald before he finished his set and then Mickey was out straight after. I got myself a Coke from the drink station while I was waiting for Minnie. I was so happy that I nearly got the full set of characters in their beach outfits. I was just missing Pluto, but I was reassured that I would get another chance during the cruise.
I had a look for Graham, but he was in none of his usual spots. When I looked for him on deck 4, I noticed that everything was already set up for The Golden Mickeys. I was surprised that considering it was mid afternoon on a sea day, the place was absolutely deserted. That was too good an opportunity to miss. Fortunately I still had my camera with me so I was able to take some photos. Then I headed down to our cabin where I just chilled out and got started on my new Kingdom Keepers book.
I had decided to get a Coke from the drink station at some point. When I came back, Graham had returned to our cabin. He asked if there was anything on and I mentioned Walk A Mile. We decided to do this and headed up to deck 4. All the chairs had been removed from the area by the shops to allow for the "red carpet arrivals" for The Golden Mickeys. We did not have long to wait until our Walk a Mile buddy arrived. They had roped in the DJ for this and he was not entirely sure how this was going to work. We told him that it was just a question of walking three laps around deck 4 and we were off. He was so excited as this took him to areas of the ship he had never been to before. We had a lot of fun and he is a really nice guy. Once we had done our three laps, we said goodbye to him and headed off.
I wanted to check out if Mickey was still around as this was supposed to be my only chance to catch him in his Gold Tuxedo. A little birdie had told me that for the second set that evening, he would wear his Captain's outfit and would join Captain Fabian for photos. I expecting Graham to head off, but he decided to join me. We were even offered a drink when we joined the line. I had a non-alcoholic fruit punch and Graham had a Sour Apple Martini. It took me a little while to realize where Graham's new love for the characters had come from. On one of our previous cruises I was in line for the characters on formal night and I had already changed into my gown. He was wearing swimming trunks and a t-shirt when he came to tell me something. People's faces were a picture. He has always regretted that he did not join me for a photo. He was going to put this right. It did not quite work out though. The swimming trunks that he was wearing are quite understated and just look like black shorts. It did not help either that I did not have the chance yet to get changed and was just wearing a sundress. After we our photo taken together, I had a couple of photos taken with just Mickey.
As Minnie was just about to come out, I decided to hang around. Graham was happy to wait for me. I did not have to wait long until it was my turn. Graham was standing off to one side waiting for me, but Minnie signaled him to come over. That Mouse definitely knows what she wants. I got an interrogation Mouse style. Minnie had been admiring my dresses every time I saw her on that cruise. So when I saw her earlier that day, I told her that I had a rather special gown and that we would be matching in the evening. When I turned up in the same dress that I had worn earlier in the day, she asked me what had happened. It is amazing how easily the characters can get their point across without using a single word. I told her that I had not had a chance to change yet, but would come and see her in that gown later. I was let off the hook and Graham and I had a couple of photos taken with Minnie.
dolphingirl47
In Search of the Tag Fairy
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
After this, the pool was definitely calling Graham. I needed to get changed into my swimsuit first. We headed to the forward elevators together and then I sent him ahead, while I went downstairs to get changed. At least he would have found out by the time I got there what the water temperature was like. He pronounced the water temperature to be rather pleasant. It was a little chilly when I first went into the pool, but I think that was just because I was quite hot. Once I was in, it was a lovely temperature for swimming. We swam for a while and then we spotted that one of the hot tubs was empty. So we made good use of this and relaxed in the hot tub for about 15 minutes. Then it was time to get dried off and head back to the cabin.
I quickly hopped in the shower and then started putting my make up on while Graham got showered and changed. Then it was time for him to tie me into my gown. He is getting rather quick at this and he is very good at it as well. While he finished getting ready, I put on the rest of the make up, my jewellery and my Minnie ears. I wanted to get up to the atrium nice and early. When we were waiting for our turn to see Mickey, I had looked down to deck 3 and it was an absolute zoo down there. The line for the Captain's photo was probably nearly as bad as the line for the Princess Gathering that morning. I really wanted to get a photo of us with the Captain so I knew my best bet would be to get there nice an early. So we headed upstairs at just gone 19:00. I had expected to go up by myself and Graham would join me later, but he decided to tag along. He made himself comfortable on one of the chairs in the atrium while I got in line. I managed to be second in line for the Captain. I got chatting to Sophie, one of the members of cruise staff who was doing crowd control. It turned out that she only lives about 25 miles away from us. Initially when she heard where I come from, she joked that she could not speak to me. There is a huge rivalry between the two football clubs in her town and the two football clubs in my town. When I told her that I had no interest in football whatsoever, she conceded that this was OK then.
Jewellery photo courtesy of www.wyrdingstudios.com:
While I was waiting, the character manager Drew came past and stopped to tell me that there had been a change of plan and Mickey would not join Captain Fabian after all, but would wear his golden tux and would join Minnie up on deck 4. They had a last minute change of plan, as it was just too busy earlier on. As much as I liked the idea of having a photo with Captain Mickey and Captain Fabian, I was actually rather pleased about this change of plan. I was very happy that I would get a photo with Mickey and Minnie with all of our outfits matching.
Our tablemates were in line right behind me and I spent some time chatting to them. Chatting with all those different people made time fly and soon Captain Fabian appeared. I signaled Graham to come over. He had made friends and was busily chatting with them. Captain Fabian did recognize us from the Hawaii cruise and welcomed us back. We had our photos taken with him, thanked him and then headed off.
Graham went to rejoin his new friends and I went to visit Mickey and Minnie. This time round the line was longer, but still manageable. Unfortunately while I was in line, I observed something very scary. They were doing portraits on the staircase in front of Triton's and I was facing that staircase. One member of the family that had their photos taken at the time just collapsed. I thought this was handled really well. Officers appeared from all over the place and kept people away and a path clear so that the medical staff could get there as quickly as possible. They responded very quickly, too. When they arrived they checked her over and then administered oxygen and took her away in the wheelchair. I cannot even begin to think how scary that must have been for everybody involved. However, witnessing how this was handled gave me the confidence that you are well looked after in case of a medical emergency.
I did not have to wait too long to see Mickey and Minnie. Both of them approved of my gown and Minnie was very excited. I don't think either noticed that I had grown a pair of ears. Once I had said goodbye to them, I rejoined Graham and the people he was talking to. For some reason they had thought that we were newly-weds. I took that as a compliment. We must do really well if we get mistaken for newly-weds after having been married for over 16 years.
Soon it was time for dinner. We said goodbye and headed over to Triton's. That night we had the Golden Mickeys menu. Our table mates were a bit late even though they had been around the atrium pretty much the entire time we were there. I think they went to get some photos. We were in absolutely no rush and were happy to wait for them. They arrived shortly afterwards. The previous evening had been a little uncomfortable and I am sure that playing musical tablemates had something to do with this. That evening was very relaxed and we spent the whole meal chatting. When our head server did come over to check on us, I did ask him what had happened and he shared that there had been complete chaos the first evening, as there suddenly seemed to be two tables with the number 18. He did suggest that with this being a 15 night cruise and both tables having the same serving team, we may want to mix and match and sit with different people on different evenings. I did not really think that this would work and I was quite happy were I was, but this would be sorted out by the next evening in a much more pleasing fashion.
While we were waiting for our order to be taken, something strange happened. We had noticed that the ship seemed to be slowing down and that in itself was nothing unusual. This could have been down to us making more progress than expected. It was also a little bit bumpy that evening and speed could have been reduced to help with this. What made us wonder what was going on was that the thrusters were being used, the ship turned and then essentially just stopped. At that stage we would still have been a long way from port. All soon became clear when we heard the rotor blades of a helicopter. It looked like the medical emergency was too severe to be dealt with on board. My heart went out to the family. How awful to have to go through something like this on any holiday, but especially right at the beginning of a very special cruise. Fortunately there was a happy ending, but that has to wait for another day.
Graham asked Ahmed to choose for him again. He ended up with Crispy Cheese Ravioli served with Tomato Concasse and Lemon Zest followed by Broccoli and Maytag Blue Soup with Crushed Walnuts and the Ginger and Lime Swordfish with Jasmine Rice, Braised Swiss Chard and Red Pepper Coulis for his main course. I also had the Crispy Cheese Ravioli, but then went with the Chilled Sangria Bisque and the Yachtsman Steakhouse Grilled NY Strip with Marinated Green Asparagus, Oven-baked Potato and Herb-Garlic Butter for my main course. Neither of us fancied or indeed had room for dessert. At some stage during dinner a photographer came round and took some photos. They may not be pieces of art, but they were quite nice.
We were still at that part of the trip where we were fading very fast in the evening. We also wanted to have some portraits taken. So when Ahmed came to take the dessert order, we made our excuses and said goodnight. We then went to have our photos done. They had two photo opportunities that evening apart from the characters, which were staircase photos and the ship backdrop. We started out with the stairs and then headed over to the ship backdrop. Both had minimal waits and the photos came out really nice.
Then it was time for bed. We headed back to the cabin. The towel animal that day can best be described as minimalistic. I think it was meant to be a tuxedo. The other thing that was on the bed was much more interesting. There was a cardboard envelope, which on a special cruise means one thing: a lithograph by Don "Ducky" Williams. I was not disappointed and this is probably my favourite of the ones we own. It was a real shame that he was not on the ship this time to sign it. I had a quick look at the Navigator and then got ready for bed. We had a busy day ahead of us.
I quickly hopped in the shower and then started putting my make up on while Graham got showered and changed. Then it was time for him to tie me into my gown. He is getting rather quick at this and he is very good at it as well. While he finished getting ready, I put on the rest of the make up, my jewellery and my Minnie ears. I wanted to get up to the atrium nice and early. When we were waiting for our turn to see Mickey, I had looked down to deck 3 and it was an absolute zoo down there. The line for the Captain's photo was probably nearly as bad as the line for the Princess Gathering that morning. I really wanted to get a photo of us with the Captain so I knew my best bet would be to get there nice an early. So we headed upstairs at just gone 19:00. I had expected to go up by myself and Graham would join me later, but he decided to tag along. He made himself comfortable on one of the chairs in the atrium while I got in line. I managed to be second in line for the Captain. I got chatting to Sophie, one of the members of cruise staff who was doing crowd control. It turned out that she only lives about 25 miles away from us. Initially when she heard where I come from, she joked that she could not speak to me. There is a huge rivalry between the two football clubs in her town and the two football clubs in my town. When I told her that I had no interest in football whatsoever, she conceded that this was OK then.
Jewellery photo courtesy of www.wyrdingstudios.com:
While I was waiting, the character manager Drew came past and stopped to tell me that there had been a change of plan and Mickey would not join Captain Fabian after all, but would wear his golden tux and would join Minnie up on deck 4. They had a last minute change of plan, as it was just too busy earlier on. As much as I liked the idea of having a photo with Captain Mickey and Captain Fabian, I was actually rather pleased about this change of plan. I was very happy that I would get a photo with Mickey and Minnie with all of our outfits matching.
Our tablemates were in line right behind me and I spent some time chatting to them. Chatting with all those different people made time fly and soon Captain Fabian appeared. I signaled Graham to come over. He had made friends and was busily chatting with them. Captain Fabian did recognize us from the Hawaii cruise and welcomed us back. We had our photos taken with him, thanked him and then headed off.
Graham went to rejoin his new friends and I went to visit Mickey and Minnie. This time round the line was longer, but still manageable. Unfortunately while I was in line, I observed something very scary. They were doing portraits on the staircase in front of Triton's and I was facing that staircase. One member of the family that had their photos taken at the time just collapsed. I thought this was handled really well. Officers appeared from all over the place and kept people away and a path clear so that the medical staff could get there as quickly as possible. They responded very quickly, too. When they arrived they checked her over and then administered oxygen and took her away in the wheelchair. I cannot even begin to think how scary that must have been for everybody involved. However, witnessing how this was handled gave me the confidence that you are well looked after in case of a medical emergency.
I did not have to wait too long to see Mickey and Minnie. Both of them approved of my gown and Minnie was very excited. I don't think either noticed that I had grown a pair of ears. Once I had said goodbye to them, I rejoined Graham and the people he was talking to. For some reason they had thought that we were newly-weds. I took that as a compliment. We must do really well if we get mistaken for newly-weds after having been married for over 16 years.
Soon it was time for dinner. We said goodbye and headed over to Triton's. That night we had the Golden Mickeys menu. Our table mates were a bit late even though they had been around the atrium pretty much the entire time we were there. I think they went to get some photos. We were in absolutely no rush and were happy to wait for them. They arrived shortly afterwards. The previous evening had been a little uncomfortable and I am sure that playing musical tablemates had something to do with this. That evening was very relaxed and we spent the whole meal chatting. When our head server did come over to check on us, I did ask him what had happened and he shared that there had been complete chaos the first evening, as there suddenly seemed to be two tables with the number 18. He did suggest that with this being a 15 night cruise and both tables having the same serving team, we may want to mix and match and sit with different people on different evenings. I did not really think that this would work and I was quite happy were I was, but this would be sorted out by the next evening in a much more pleasing fashion.
While we were waiting for our order to be taken, something strange happened. We had noticed that the ship seemed to be slowing down and that in itself was nothing unusual. This could have been down to us making more progress than expected. It was also a little bit bumpy that evening and speed could have been reduced to help with this. What made us wonder what was going on was that the thrusters were being used, the ship turned and then essentially just stopped. At that stage we would still have been a long way from port. All soon became clear when we heard the rotor blades of a helicopter. It looked like the medical emergency was too severe to be dealt with on board. My heart went out to the family. How awful to have to go through something like this on any holiday, but especially right at the beginning of a very special cruise. Fortunately there was a happy ending, but that has to wait for another day.
Graham asked Ahmed to choose for him again. He ended up with Crispy Cheese Ravioli served with Tomato Concasse and Lemon Zest followed by Broccoli and Maytag Blue Soup with Crushed Walnuts and the Ginger and Lime Swordfish with Jasmine Rice, Braised Swiss Chard and Red Pepper Coulis for his main course. I also had the Crispy Cheese Ravioli, but then went with the Chilled Sangria Bisque and the Yachtsman Steakhouse Grilled NY Strip with Marinated Green Asparagus, Oven-baked Potato and Herb-Garlic Butter for my main course. Neither of us fancied or indeed had room for dessert. At some stage during dinner a photographer came round and took some photos. They may not be pieces of art, but they were quite nice.
We were still at that part of the trip where we were fading very fast in the evening. We also wanted to have some portraits taken. So when Ahmed came to take the dessert order, we made our excuses and said goodnight. We then went to have our photos done. They had two photo opportunities that evening apart from the characters, which were staircase photos and the ship backdrop. We started out with the stairs and then headed over to the ship backdrop. Both had minimal waits and the photos came out really nice.
Then it was time for bed. We headed back to the cabin. The towel animal that day can best be described as minimalistic. I think it was meant to be a tuxedo. The other thing that was on the bed was much more interesting. There was a cardboard envelope, which on a special cruise means one thing: a lithograph by Don "Ducky" Williams. I was not disappointed and this is probably my favourite of the ones we own. It was a real shame that he was not on the ship this time to sign it. I had a quick look at the Navigator and then got ready for bed. We had a busy day ahead of us.
dolphingirl47
In Search of the Tag Fairy
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2007
How nice! A photo with your two favorite men!Is that the dress you bought in Hawaii? It's very cruise-y!
Yes, I got this in a garden centre on the Big Island of all places.
Corinna
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2005
What a lovely day with yet more fabulous character interactions. I absolutely love your Golden Mickeys dress. I really wish we had the luggage space for me to be able to take so many beautiful dresses with us but, sadly, I will have to stick to a couple of formal gowns and then mix and match the rest. I am living vicariously through your wardrobe though 
Such a sad thing that somebody was taken ill on board, although I am relieved to read that there will be a happy ending. I am also intrigued to find out what happens with your seating arrangements for dinner. We played musical chairs on our last cruise somewhat, since we were in a huge group and it did throw the servers off somewhat. They quickly adjusted though and did a sterling job, although it did cost us extra in tips as we had an additional serving team for a couple of nights, it was well worth it as they were all excellent.
I am probably going to be disappointed but I really hope you get another update posted before I leave for NY on Tuesday morning
Such a sad thing that somebody was taken ill on board, although I am relieved to read that there will be a happy ending. I am also intrigued to find out what happens with your seating arrangements for dinner. We played musical chairs on our last cruise somewhat, since we were in a huge group and it did throw the servers off somewhat. They quickly adjusted though and did a sterling job, although it did cost us extra in tips as we had an additional serving team for a couple of nights, it was well worth it as they were all excellent.
I am probably going to be disappointed but I really hope you get another update posted before I leave for NY on Tuesday morning
Flossbolna
Sea days are just so relaxing!
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2006
Another great update!
I totally agree with you on the introduction at the DVC meet. I thought it was odd that they did not ask for any members outside the US. And thought that it was only fair that then a number of people whom they picked were not from the US!!
I remember that long long line for pictures with Captain Fabian. No way would I have been able to convince Michael to wait for that photo op!! And we witnessed the medical incident as well, but never noticed that the ship stopped! How intriguing, I am going to find out something about the cruise that I did not know yet.
Also, interesting about the pins. How did you find out about them being released? We only saw pins later in the cruise (just on display) and wondered why they had not been out earlier. Was it the same design as the magnets/postcards/t-shirts? I got one of those later in the cruise.
I totally agree with you on the introduction at the DVC meet. I thought it was odd that they did not ask for any members outside the US. And thought that it was only fair that then a number of people whom they picked were not from the US!!
I remember that long long line for pictures with Captain Fabian. No way would I have been able to convince Michael to wait for that photo op!! And we witnessed the medical incident as well, but never noticed that the ship stopped! How intriguing, I am going to find out something about the cruise that I did not know yet.
Also, interesting about the pins. How did you find out about them being released? We only saw pins later in the cruise (just on display) and wondered why they had not been out earlier. Was it the same design as the magnets/postcards/t-shirts? I got one of those later in the cruise.
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