daltonsdodisney
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2001
We woke up early, got ready and were at Tritons by 6:45. The food was good and service excellent as usual. We left our server tips, which we tipped the recommended. I would have liked to tip our server and asst. more, but just felt like that was all I could afford. I guess I could have given some of the head server money to them, since she only came around to the tables, asking how everything was and that was it, but you don't really give them a lot anyway, so I didn't want to stiff her. We already had $400 we had charged throughout the week and WDW coming up, so I left it alone. AFter breakfast, I went to get our Palos pics at Shutters and pick up a few extra since I bought the 10 pic package. (more than I intended to buy). By the time I was back, there was a huge line snaking around the lobby of people beginning to debark, so the rest of my crew had to get out of line to wait for me, but it moved fast and soon we found our luggage, tagged with the Donald Duck tags they gave us, found a porter, and were off. We headed straight to WDW and Port Oreans Riverside for 2 nights, going to Magic Kingdom on Fri. to avoid Gay Day. It was a good way to come down gently after the cruise.
Final Thoughts: I bought the CD that contains most of the songs that they play on the decks. I found it at Wal-mart and it's called Radio Disney Kids Jams.
The cruise is a grreat idea for multi-generational families or friends. There is so much offered and my parents enjoyed the Navigators and exploring the ship on their own terms. This is better than WDW as you have ways to escape the heat, children, and long lines. They also enjoyed the cleanliness, service, and entertainment.
The first dinner, when our servers asked the kids for their drink ordered and they asked what they had, they replied with milk, fruit juice, Smoothies, etc.. and the kids jumped on the Smoothies with my husbands encouragement. Well, he decided those things were pretty good and ordered one for himself and then when my youngest one preferred her sister's chocolate over her Strawberry, he ordered her another one. To our surprise, we had an additional bill of $16 for those things. I think we were just giddy being our first day or something and didn't check it out first.
There's no way to do everything you want. I never got in the whirlpool, never exercised at the fitness club, didn't do any massages, didn't see any movies and never got to the arcade. It was a little more rushed than I expected. If you don't care to get a good spot at the beach or pool, then you'll be fine. Otherwise, there is a little WDW parks mentality that goes on with timing and tricks of the trade that I got from these boards.
We'll definitely do it again, maybe the 7 day Western when the kids are 12 and 10. I think that would be enough time in between that they could enjoy new activities and maybe try some exursions, plus we like to go to other places and see new things as well.
Overall, it was fabulous and like no other vacation. It's a guaranteed party and the joy in my girls' faces as they danced on the deck among the characters and other kids overlooking the Carribean is priceless. Also, it can be affordable. We had a Cat. 11 and used the Springtime Magic discount, drove down, didn't book any big excursions, and tried to keep our on board spending in check.
Hope to check in again to these boards in a few years when I'm frantically doing my planning,
The Daltons
Final Thoughts: I bought the CD that contains most of the songs that they play on the decks. I found it at Wal-mart and it's called Radio Disney Kids Jams.
The cruise is a grreat idea for multi-generational families or friends. There is so much offered and my parents enjoyed the Navigators and exploring the ship on their own terms. This is better than WDW as you have ways to escape the heat, children, and long lines. They also enjoyed the cleanliness, service, and entertainment.
The first dinner, when our servers asked the kids for their drink ordered and they asked what they had, they replied with milk, fruit juice, Smoothies, etc.. and the kids jumped on the Smoothies with my husbands encouragement. Well, he decided those things were pretty good and ordered one for himself and then when my youngest one preferred her sister's chocolate over her Strawberry, he ordered her another one. To our surprise, we had an additional bill of $16 for those things. I think we were just giddy being our first day or something and didn't check it out first.
There's no way to do everything you want. I never got in the whirlpool, never exercised at the fitness club, didn't do any massages, didn't see any movies and never got to the arcade. It was a little more rushed than I expected. If you don't care to get a good spot at the beach or pool, then you'll be fine. Otherwise, there is a little WDW parks mentality that goes on with timing and tricks of the trade that I got from these boards.
We'll definitely do it again, maybe the 7 day Western when the kids are 12 and 10. I think that would be enough time in between that they could enjoy new activities and maybe try some exursions, plus we like to go to other places and see new things as well.
Overall, it was fabulous and like no other vacation. It's a guaranteed party and the joy in my girls' faces as they danced on the deck among the characters and other kids overlooking the Carribean is priceless. Also, it can be affordable. We had a Cat. 11 and used the Springtime Magic discount, drove down, didn't book any big excursions, and tried to keep our on board spending in check.
Hope to check in again to these boards in a few years when I'm frantically doing my planning,
The Daltons
