Newbies Complete 4-Day Wonder...Questions?

[Dixie Springs]

Though I alluded to it in a previous post, we just complete our first cruise - a 4-day Wonder, with Castaway Cay double-dip 5/18 through 5/22/08. It was a 25th anniversary celebration (1 year late, due to events last year).

If you've never been, I would be happy to answer questions from a newbie point of view (or even if you have been, and would like some recent updates).

Suffice it to say, it was wonderful (no pun intended). Our expectations were exceeded (and we are already at the Disney-expectations level, after 25 years of experience).

Before we left, I solicited some tips regarding excursions from this board. The responses were kind but few, so I went to the 'other' site, which had bales of info - but don't worry, I didn't join! Their are people there that cruise all the time, and actually rate state rooms by number! I don't think I want to get to that point (though I wouldn't mind having that kind of money to blow, I guess).

Now for some newbie cruise observations (pardon any repeats from a previous reply post):

The CM's:
The CM's are the best - especially the servers. They were very attentive and sincere. They will do anything, short of tossing themselves overboard, to please you. We saw a few guests complaining and being rude to the servers - this gave us cruise-rage.

Nassau:
Nassau gets a lot of bad press in cruise forums. Truly it is a bustling marketplace with aggressive hair-braiders and taxi drivers every 3 feet (I actually got asked if I would like some refer). I told DW it reminded me of my hometown Detroit without the guns. But once you say no, they quickly move on to the next tourist. Nobody stuck to us for more than a couple of steps. We did Discover Atlantis, and the bus-ride there included a Nassau city tour, narrated by "Big Mama". She was incredibly informative and funny. We have never been outside the US, except Canada, so this was a thrill for us.

Castaway Cay:
Paradise-like Disney-private island. That's about all you need to know. Yes, it is exactly as wonderful as it sounds. We did the extreme getaway package (snorkling, bikes, stingrays, floats) the first day. DW actually likes stingrays now ("they're cute", she says). The second CC day, we just laid around like cruise-fattened whales. Bring/apply sunscreen!!! I haven't been that burned since Typhoon Lagoon.

Shows:
All good. We liked "Disney Dreams" the best (even more than the newly added "Toy Story - The Musical"). We even saw Narnia II.

Any other questions, please let me know!

[Turk82]

thanks for the awesome, fun post!!! I just laughed so hard over the "cruise-fattened whales!!!" That is so going to be me!!
Your post just makes me wish I was sailing away tomorrow!!! Oh well only 173 more days to wait!

[TammiMcMan]

Thanks for posting your impressions. I think the double dip on Castaway Cay is a great idea, but I'd do the same and stay on the boat. The sea days just get way too crowded for me and I do like that you have a choice of staying on board or going back to the beach.

[SgtTigger]

Thanks Tammi.....

We too are really first time cruisers even though it is our second cruise.....

We did a small boat 15 years ago....... Commodore out of New Orleans....... so I guess this is cruise #2 really.... Honeymoon......

I really dont want to do anything at Nassau... we were just going to walk around and shop..... what do you think?????

7 more days for us.... cant wait......

[TammiMcMan]

I really dont want to do anything at Nassau... we were just going to walk around and shop..... what do you think?????

DH and I vacationed on Nassau years ago and honestly being there once was enough for me. I have gotten off the ship though for a quick shopping tour and we did visit the Atlantis one time for a little gambling. My suggestion is to enjoy an early breakfast in one of the sit down restaurants and then disembark for a little bit. There are plenty of shops within walking distance of the ship and if you've never been, the Straw Market is very touristy.

A word of advice though, if you aren't planning on having lunch in Nassau, double check your Navigator for dining times on the ship. We got delayed coming back from Atlantis and both the restaurant and buffet were already closed. You can get fast food or room service, so you definitely won't starve, it just won't be sit down.

[BluewaterBrad]

Glad you had a good time!

[Dsnygirl]

What a fun post! I'm glad to hear you loved it so much -- we're doing our first-ever cruise next October with our girls (they'll be 7 and 10) and we can't wait!!

I can't think of any specific questions for you now except one - did anyone talk about their experience doing the Dolphin Encounter in Nassau? That's the only thing I want to disembark for, really -- and I want to do the "real" encounter (the one where you get to swim w/ them), not just the one that is advertised. It's extra, but for me, it'd be worth it... I've always wanted to do that. So - did you hear anything, good or bad, about it?

I also noticed you mentioned you guys loved seeing Nassau, as you'd never been outside the US - neither have we - so, what did you like about it?

[TammiMcMan]

I can't think of any specific questions for you now except one - did anyone talk about their experience doing the Dolphin Encounter in Nassau? That's the only thing I want to disembark for, really -- and I want to do the "real" encounter (the one where you get to swim w/ them), not just the one that is advertised. It's extra, but for me, it'd be worth it... I've always wanted to do that. So - did you hear anything, good or bad, about it?

Most people aren't aware that you can book the "real" encounter on your own, so many do the excursion offered through DCL. It's a nice intro to the dolphins, but for the money/experience, I'd have to go off the board and recommend Discovery Cove. If you're able to schedule an extra day before or after your cruise, this is definitely worth it.

[ElenitaB]

Thanks for your report! I would have loved to have double-dipped at CC. It truly is paradise! Isn't Disney Dreams an awesome show?

Bret, we're two for two: two cruises and we've yet to make it into Nassau. Since we've done the shorter cruises, we take our Nassau day to enjoy an emptier ship. (I lived in San Diego for years and I guess I just equate Nassau with Tijuana.)

[Dixie Springs]

Thanks for all the comments fellow Intercotees!

Dsnygirl: while we did not do the dolphin encounter ourselves, our dinner mates (who were a wonderful mother & daughter) did, and enjoyed it very much.

Regarding what we liked about Nassau, I suppose it was just the different culture, and the feeling you are truly 'abroad' with relative ease. Yes, it is replete with tourists, but it is 'real'. When you disembark and make your way through the market/peddlers, you are in a functioning country - the courthouses, schoolchildren in strict school uniforms, police officers dressed like they popped out of a travel brochure, etc. This is apparently old-hat for many on other cruise forums, but for us, it was exciting.

DW also liked the shops. We attended a shopping seminar on the ship (how's that for a loving husband?), and got some education about where/where not to go.

Obviously, there are negatives. The traffic, beeping horns, desparate peddlers, some blight, etc.. I don't think I would want to stay there overnight. I guess knowing that we were steps away from a floating Disney refuge gave us some guts!

[JMTStone]

Thanks for the cruise report! Ours is just over a year away and I am dreaming of it. We'll be on the Magic.

Can you tell me what you did for transportation? I'm going to try to "add on" a few days before the boat to visit the World.

[Dixie Springs]

JMT - We rented a car from Thrifty, and spent 3 days at All Star Jazz before the cruise. The flight deal (Thursday to Thursday) was so good, we just decided to front-load the cruise with some non-park activity at WDW. We rode bikes at Fort Wilderness, hotel-hopped, Downtown Disney, etc.

DW got a good deal on the car. We parked at Port Canaveral for $15/day. So the whole outlay for Florida ground transportation was about $160, plus gas. It was worth it for the pre-cruise 'excursion'.