Merrytime Magic - A December 2016 Trip Report!

[Ariel484]

Happy New Year to you as well!

I have heard Nassau is not a good place to go off the ship.

I knew you would go on the Aquadunk again.

Palo looks amazing!

I may be addicted to the AquaDunk...and to Palo!!

Sometimes a nice, laid-back day is exactly what you need in the middle of a vacation. Yay for trying the AquaDunk again (and again) - I'm glad you liked it better this time!

Palo dinner looks and sounds yummy!

I'm glad you guys enjoyed Rogue One! I finally finished watching the first 6 movies a few weeks ago, so now I feel like I should probably see Rogue One (and The Force Awakes, which I haven't seen yet) ... but I'm probably going to wait until it hits TV. I do feel like being able to watch all of the latest movies is one of the major pluses of a Disney cruise.

Yes! These laid-back days are a big reason why Mr. A prefers cruising to going to the parks, and I can't say I blame him.

So at this point, we have seen episodes 4-7 and Rogue One. People have been telling me to just skip episodes 1-3, but I feel like at this point I have been hearing how bad they are for so long that i'm just curious to watch them! Like...maybe going into it KNOWING they are bad will make them fun to watch?

I did like Rogue One a lot. I think it's supposed to take place between episodes 3 and 4 and it seems like a great set-up for episode 4!

Happy New Year!! Great updates. I really want to visit Key West- your day trip looked quite fun. That key lime pie looked divine!! As does both Palo meals- yum, yum!

Oh and I have to comment on the lame Snuggly Duckling overlay. I feel like they missed an opportunity for a cool experience. It's a nice try though!

I'm not sure if I would have been brave enough to try the AquaDunk. I am a huge baby about water slides. The fact that you ended up going three times though makes me think it may be worth it haha

I love how it seems you were really able to relax on this vacation (as seems the case with most Disney cruises!). I have only done Disney parks which for me is pretty non stop, so I would really love to experience a slower side to Disney!

I'm glad you liked Rogue One. I thought the movies was very interesting and compelling!

The AquaDunk was fun! I can now echo the advice that you need to do it more than one...it took me an extra day or so but I am glad I followed that advice!

The cruises are WAY different than the parks! You still get your Disney fix, but like you said, so much more relaxing. I highly recommend them!

I was surprised at how much I liked Rogue One...when Disney first bought Lucamfilm and were saying how they were going to start churning out movies I was just like, "oh man, they are going to milk that cash cow dry and overdo it!" (which...man, Star Wars is everywhere!). But with this movie, I thought it actually added to the overall story, it didn't just seem like a blatant cash grab to me. I thought it answered some questions that were set up in episode 4, so I was really impressed by that! And the last minute or so was just crazy!

You definitely should. We only got to spend half a day in Vancouver since we arrived the day before our cruise departed and flew home the day the cruise ended. I wish we had had more time there, but we did manage to see the Olympic cauldron! Since it was just for one night, we stayed at the Pan Pacific hotel right at Canada Place where the cruise terminal is, and the cauldron was right there.

That's awesome that you got to see the cauldron! I don't know specifically what I would want to see, I just remember thinking that the scenery looked so beautiful during the Olympics. Thanks for the hotel recommendation!

 

[Ariel484]

Day 5: Thursday, December 22, 2016 - Castaway Cay

Only the greatest place on earth, amiright?!

We pulled the curtains open at about 8:45 and were greeted with this perfection...

YAAAASSSS!!

We headed up to Cabanas for breakfast before getting our beach bags together, sunscreening up and heading off of the ship! There was a super cute little Christmas set-up with snoap on the dock!

We took the tram to the first stop and then walked from there. Minnie was out all by herself at Mt. Rustmore, so we stopped to say hi!

And from there we just walked until we reached the Serenity Bay tram stop...one of the big reasons that I have heard people say they prefer the classic ships to the newer ships is because with less people on the classic ships (2,700 passengers on the Magic vs. 4,000 on the Dream/Fantasy), Castaway Cay feels a lot emptier. This certainly seemed true to us!

We hopped on the tram to Serenity Bay, the adult beach...aka heaven.

Empty!

We attempted to get into the water...it was COLD! Neither of us made it very far!

This day was a lot like the previous day, except that I didn't fall asleep. Just lots of sitting and chatting and reading. At one point we headed over to the Castaway Air Bar to get Konk Koolers...Ana from Keys was there and she made these for us! Yum!!

Eventually we made it over to the Serenity Bay BBQ Area for lunch - Mehmet, our server from Palo, WAS in fact there and greeted us warmly! He took us around to show us what was available...I tried a rib-eye on his recommendation and was surprised at how good it was! Apparently they don't have these at Cookies and Cookies Too (the family BBQ areas).

After a bit more time in our chairs, we decided to head back to the ship, walking most of the way. We looked through the gift shops but didn't see anything we wanted (same with the gift shops on the ship - I went through the gift shops multiple times and REALLY wanted a DCL sweatshirt, but didn't see anything I liked. I ended up claiming a whopping $25 on our customs form - for one pin and one Christmas ornament!).

Anyway...we walked.

Continued...

 

[Ariel484]

We were on the ship by 12:30...we cleaned up and began to (sob) pack. Eventually it was time to go. Wahhh!!

We were sad that the trip was coming to an end, but were starting to get excited to get back home and see our little dog!

Away we go...

Our final dinner was back in Carioca's - this time it was the "Till We Meet Again" menu. We both struggled to find an entree that appealed to us.

I started with a caprese salad...not quite as mind-blowing as Palo's, but pretty good!

Mr. A had the broccoli cheddar soup for his first course - I had it for my second course. He had some other kind of salad but I didn't get a picture.

Yum!!


I don't have pictures of our entrees, but we both had chicken spaetzle - it was just okay. I think I had half of mine. We also had it with our leftover wine from last night's dinner! There was just enough left for each of us to have a decently-sized glass.

Dessert time!

I got the trio of desserts - some kind of chocolate cake, cheesecake and cappuccino mousse. I would say I liked the mousse best (because coffee), then the cheesecake and then the chocolate cake. Mr. A got a portion of the mousse on its own.

And that was it! We were planning on eating breakfast in Cabanas the next morning, so we said farewell to our awesome serving team and took a little stroll around the ship.

Adult pool:

Goofy pool:

We headed back to the room to pack and watch more movies...and then went to bed. It was almost time to face the worst day ever...

 

[Ariel484]

Day 6: Friday, December 23, 2016 - Debarkation

...debarkation day!

We woke up around 6:45 or 7 and were already docked at the Port of Miami. We got ready, did our last-minute packing and headed up to Cabanas by 7:30 where I spotted a rainbow...a good omen for our travel day?!

We had elected not to have DCL take our luggage for us and to instead carry it off of the ship ourselves...this turned out to be a GREAT decision. Apparently they were making people who had set their luggage out the night before wait in groups to get off of the ship, but since we had our own stuff, we were able to bypass a HUGE line. We rolled our bags right off of the ship and through customs without having to wait in any lines, and were in a taxi to the airport by 8:15 (very short ride, 15 minutes or so)...which was great except that our flight wasn't scheduled to take off until about 12:30! So we had a good 4-hour wait in the Miami airport. Better to be too early than too late, though.

We took off on time and I got a surprise when I looked out my window...the Magic!!

Good-bye, you beauty...

We landed in ATL and had about a 1.5-hour layover, so we were much more relaxed compared to the last time we were here! Our bags DID make it onto the plane - hooray for an uneventful travel day!

And then the next day we picked up the monster from camp...he was so happy to be home! You can't tell because he's sleeping, but he was pumped.

And that's it for our first cruise on the Magic! While there were some things I liked more about this ship compared to the larger ships (the CMs - still great on the Dream and Fantasy, don't get me wrong! - the ease of getting around, less-crowded Castaway Cay), I found myself really missing the Dream and Fantasy a lot. But I'd get on any DCL ship tomorrow in a heartbeat! We just love cruising. It's the best.

Thanks for reading!

 

[ZellyB]

Sounds like a truly wonderful and relaxing trip. That deserted looking beach at Castaway Cay looks especially great. Glad you made it home without any difficulties.

 

[SarahDisney]

What, no Castaway Cay 5K?

The end of a trip is always so sad. But it looks/sounds like it was a nice cruise and it seems like you guys really took advantage of the opportunity to relax!

 

[Cesar Blanco]

great report. Thanks.

 

[Ariel484]

Sounds like a truly wonderful and relaxing trip. That deserted looking beach at Castaway Cay looks especially great. Glad you made it home without any difficulties.

It was a great trip. Serenity Bay was, well...serene!

What, no Castaway Cay 5K?

NEWP. You noticed that, did you??

The end of a trip is always so sad. But it looks/sounds like it was a nice cruise and it seems like you guys really took advantage of the opportunity to relax!

It's harsh on DCL - basically you just wake up and they want you to GTFO, for lack of a better term. Back to reality!

great report. Thanks.

Thank you for reading!

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

Great report! I love that last selfie of you two on the boat. The lighting is so warm and you both look relaxed and happy!

 

[BigEeyore]

What a lovely and relaxing trip!! One of the best things about the Disney cruise is you get the fun Disney atmosphere and feels, without the hectic and tiring aspect of being at WDW!
Love the Christmas décor at Castaway! Did they even offer the Castaway Cay 5K for your cruise? I know you have done it before, and once is probably enough, but ya know...free bling and all...
SO jealous of the adult beach...and I didn't know there was an adults only restaurant over there too! Love my kiddos but that looks super relaxing and peaceful!
Disembarkation is SO sad! I remember being at breakfast tearing up I was so sad to leave on our cruise!
This report has made me super excited for our upcoming cruise - we are back on the Dream for spring break. Last one was 2 years ago. I got to make my reservations this morning (I'm coming for you Palo!) but it still seems so far away. Loved living vicariously through your TR!!

 

[condorthb]

bump

 

[Mimsy Borogove]

What a lovely trip! You've *almost* gotten me reconsidering our whole non-cruise stance.

Your anti-Nassau at sea day was especially wonderful - I felt relaxed just reading about it. And yes, the water's cold this time of year! So glad I don't have any project-related dives this winter. Castaway Cay looks amazing, and an adults only section, you say?

Awesome TR!

I'm seriously going to save this post in a Word document to refer to if we go back to Key West.

I have lots more if you ever need! For instance, it's a day-killer, but Fort Jefferson/Dry Tortugas NP. It's only accessible by seaplane or catamaran (recommend the latter), you get dropped off at the Fort and can explore it and the surrounding water which is phenomenal snorkeling. I'm also familiar with a good portion of the Keys between research, fun, and working whale strandings, it's like home away from home.

Really enjoyed your TR! Good luck at Dopey!

 

[roxymama]

Sorry for filling your alerts with likes pre-dopey day. I couldn't help it because I finally was able to read your whole report. Looked lovely!
So i think I've figured out that risotto and ice cream are kinda your thing. I can respect that

I'd love to cruise one day, maybe once kiddo is older.

 

[tltay2005]

Great report so far! DH and I aren't cruisers (we tried, and we just can't, totally our issue not anyone else's) but you make this sound amazing! The onboard activities sound fun! I'm really excited you got to see Tangled, because that would be the reason why I'd even do a DCL cruise, it's one of my favorites. Sorry to hear that The Snuggly Duckling wasn't up to par, though, it sounds like you made the most of the situation!

Girl...Key West is my JAM! I've been going there quite regularly for 20+ years (went to college in Miami, it was 3 hours away, do the math) and definitely get off Duval Street! It's great for wandering around and bar-hopping, but Key West is so much more. Turtle Kraals, Schooner Wharf, Louies' Backyard, Blue Heaven (to die for breakfast with the chickens!), so many others. Glad you had a good time, though. Key lime pie is the best! I'm actually a key lime pie/mojito connoisseur and I will tell you that Kelly's (owned by Kelly McGillis) on Caroline Street has some really good pie AND a martini with the same theme. It's really great. Also, just FYI for those who might be heading to WDW soon, Publix (grocery store) actually makes a really great key lime pie (and a mango version if you want a less tart pie), and there's a Publix really close to property on Osceola Parkway, east of Shingle Creek.

Also, when in Key West (and I realize you couldn't have done this due to cruise time) there is a really fantastic drag show at a club called Aqua. We had a great time there a few years ago, and Christian Slater was even there. What?! Anyway, fun times. Hemingway House is wonderful (they have a resident polydactyl cat population, really great story there), as is the lighthouse across the street, Truman's house, and Fort Zachary Taylor and beaches. We usually stay at the Westin (nee Hilton) on Mallory Square there, and our view of the water has been obstructed by the cruise ships in the past.

What even with an Irish mojito? What the what? No. Just no. Very interested to read more about your adventures in Nassau!

Hate that I am jumping in on someone's trip report, but you got my attention. Have lived in central Fl all my life and never been to Key West. We are planning a trip this summer so I have just started doing research. Would love to here some more recommendations on hotels and stuff to do. DH want to do a charter fishing excursion, any experience with that? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Thanks! Great trip report.

That snot story is one of the grossest things I have ever heard. If it had been me I probably would have gagged and thrown up all over the kid.
What's up with the coffee cards? We do the same thing and used old coffee cards on the dream a few months ago. I wonder if it was just the cm? At least I am hoping that's it!
I am pretty sure we had Mehmet on the wonder as our headwaiter more than a few years ago and he was amazing. One of the few cms we remember from years back. Unless it was a different Mehmet (obviously! ). Thanks again.

 

[Ariel484]

Great report! I love that last selfie of you two on the boat. The lighting is so warm and you both look relaxed and happy!

Ahhh, we were! I wish I could go back!

What a lovely and relaxing trip!! One of the best things about the Disney cruise is you get the fun Disney atmosphere and feels, without the hectic and tiring aspect of being at WDW!

Yes, exactly! This is why I think we will likely stick to Disney for our cruising needs - yes, we are those "idiots" who will pay a little more for the Disney factor on our cruises!

Love the Christmas décor at Castaway! Did they even offer the Castaway Cay 5K for your cruise? I know you have done it before, and once is probably enough, but ya know...free bling and all...

They did offer the Castaway Cay 5K on our sailing, but I HATE that race! It's always so hot (funny that I say that because this would have been probably the best conditions I could have done it in - being December when we normally cruise in the summer) and I think the course is boring! I only do it if they change the medallion to something I don't have already...so I have the 2016 medallion from our June cruise and since they hadn't changed it for our December sailing, I stuck to the treadmill.

SO jealous of the adult beach...and I didn't know there was an adults only restaurant over there too! Love my kiddos but that looks super relaxing and peaceful!

Yes! They only have the steak at that restaurant! You should definitely check it out sometime!

Disembarkation is SO sad! I remember being at breakfast tearing up I was so sad to leave on our cruise!

Ugh, I know - it's the worst!!

This report has made me super excited for our upcoming cruise - we are back on the Dream for spring break. Last one was 2 years ago. I got to make my reservations this morning (I'm coming for you Palo!) but it still seems so far away. Loved living vicariously through your TR!!

Oh yay! I LOVE the Dream! Seeing that chandelier just gives me chills. Yay for Palo, can't wait to hear about your trip!!

What a lovely trip! You've *almost* gotten me reconsidering our whole non-cruise stance.

You know you want to give it a shot! I'm sure you could get an awesome Florida rate!

Your anti-Nassau at sea day was especially wonderful - I felt relaxed just reading about it. And yes, the water's cold this time of year! So glad I don't have any project-related dives this winter. Castaway Cay looks amazing, and an adults only section, you say?

Awesome TR!

Yes, adults-only on the ship (though I felt like I DID see kiddos in those areas more than I expected...) and on the island! It's so nice!

Thanks for reading!

Sorry for filling your alerts with likes pre-dopey day. I couldn't help it because I finally was able to read your whole report. Looked lovely!
So i think I've figured out that risotto and ice cream are kinda your thing. I can respect that

I'd love to cruise one day, maybe once kiddo is older.

Haha, that's okay! Risotto and ice cream, how can you go wrong?

I think a cruise would be great for a kiddo! You don't have to pack a ton of crap on the stroller, and if they need to go back to the room for a nap, it's super easy because the room is just minutes away. And there are the kids clubs, character meets, etc. Seems easier to me than a parks trip, though I know it's not quite the same!

Thanks! Great trip report.

Thanks for reading!

That snot story is one of the grossest things I have ever heard. If it had been me I probably would have gagged and thrown up all over the kid.

It was one of the grossest things I have experienced! He and his mother could tell from my expression that I was not very happy about it. BLECH!!!

What's up with the coffee cards? We do the same thing and used old coffee cards on the dream a few months ago. I wonder if it was just the cm? At least I am hoping that's it!

It very well could have been the CM. I was hoping he'd cut me a break since it was obvious that I had been a good customer of Cove Cafe, but I guess not!

I am pretty sure we had Mehmet on the wonder as our headwaiter more than a few years ago and he was amazing. One of the few cms we remember from years back. Unless it was a different Mehmet (obviously! ). Thanks again.

Ahhh he was so awesome! I hope we get to see him again...he may be the best CM we have ever had, DCL or otherwise!

 

[rteetz]

Sounds like you had a great cruise! I loved following along. Some day I will get on one.

 

[Ariel484]

Sounds like you had a great cruise! I loved following along. Some day I will get on one.

We did! Definitely try it some time - you still get the Disney details but it's soooo relaxing!

 

[Owlpost23]

Enjoyed your report-thanks for writing it!

 

[Ariel484]

Enjoyed your report-thanks for writing it!

Thanks for reading!