Abee Normal's Final thoughts on Cruising DCL

[AbeeNormal]

Cast:

Me - Abee (AKA Chris) 40 in Feb. Yeahooooo!
DH - Jeff 37
DS - Jack 7
DS - Jones 6
Lee - (Abee's Mom) Age is a # & hers is unlisted
MIL
FIL

Just click on the link to see our trip pictures:
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562288939qRaoix

I never was that interested in cruising before we left, well folks I sure can't say that any more. This was an amazing experience & I can't wait to do this again. I'm so glad that my children are experiencing this young so they won't wait to start enjoying life, especially with their families.

I was really excited to tell you all about my cruise plans for next year which was going to be the repositioning cruise from Port Canaveral thru the Panama Canal and ending at the Port of Los Angeles. We were so excited about it. Well Disney isn't offering that next year so a wonderful gal named Nanci from Magical journey's is looking into back to back cruises for us in the Bahama's. I wish I would have used them last time instead of AAA, or agent from AAA was really bad. But hey now I know just what to do.

For those of you out there with or without kids do this vacation it's an absolute must, if you've been thinking about it do it now that way you have less of the "I wish we did this a long time ago" don't wait until you're almost 40 like I did. The memories you take with you are joyous, happy, amazed, delighted, excited, gleeful, surprised, relaxed, rejuvenated, exhuberated, exhilerated, triumphant, (I love that word) stuffed, half stuffed, full, giddy, in love & in awe(lots).

If you can - get a veranda - I think that was one of the things we enjoyed the most and didn't expect to because of the "you don't spend anytime in your cabin" from most cruisers. Not true with a veranda talk about stars at night like nothing you've ever seen.

Nassau - Ladies bring your cash and shop with the natives - they are delightful and fun & have some amazing bags and other trinketts just waiting to be bought.

Castaway Cay - The clearest water, the cleanest prettiest softest sand you've ever touched. Hammocks for relaxing - Buffets for eating - Ice cream for fun - & shopping to boot. & Much, much more of course.

Being on the ship at sea - I think I enjoyed this most. It's kind of like Matthew Broderick says "It's not what are we going to do today - it's - What aren't we going to do today. There are so many activities it will make your head spin.

Thanks to all of you here on Intercot - I was able to have a fabulous week with my kids having the time of our lives. Thank you for your guidance, sharing your experiences with me, being honest, telling the good and the bad, always being there, laughing out loud (LOL) and being a guide to so many like me that didn't have a clue.

I am going to try my best to somehow get my pictures to you so that I can truly share the experience.


Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you on the ship!!!

[pogo]

I've enjoyed reading all your reports but your DCL reports were special. :cloud9:

I've relived so many memories through your delightful stories that we are thinking of returning for another cruise this summer. :D

[thejens]

Thanks for your report. I really enjoyed it! I can't wait until ours in April. I'll be sure to post.

[laughingplace<3]

I have some questions to ask about disney cruise if you don't mind answering them:mickey:

I have always been hesitant about disney cruising, or cruising in general. Do you really have things to do all the time? I don't want to get bored, and the pool on board also looks very small. I am considering booking a 4 day cruise this summer, but I still don't understand why everyone is crazy about it! Wouldn't you rather be in the parks? :confused:

[AbeeNormal]

I have some questions to ask about disney cruise if you don't mind answering them:mickey:

I have always been hesitant about disney cruising, or cruising in general. Do you really have things to do all the time? I don't want to get bored, and the pool on board also looks very small. I am considering booking a 4 day cruise this summer, but I still don't understand why everyone is crazy about it! Wouldn't you rather be in the parks? :confused:

Book the Cruise - You won't be board - I promise - Read thru my reports like I said in the PM I sent and ask me any questions you want.

[AbeeNormal]

Thanks for your report. I really enjoyed it! I can't wait until ours in April. I'll be sure to post.


You are going to have an amazing time from the second you see that ship. :thumbsup:

Have you been before?

[ElenitaB]

Chris, thanks so much for your reports. I'm glad to see that you're another cruise convert.

I was excited about our cruise next month, but your reports have made me even more anxious to see those stacks appear over the hill!

Got navigators???

[BMan62]

Great reports, both land and sea!!

Sounds like something I'm going to have to talk DW into doing!! Veranda room, of course!!!

[MauiMouse]

Glad to hear that you had a great time. I'd love to take a cruise at some point. :mickey:

[adoptionislove]

I am so happy to be able to have read all of the reports. I can only hope I do half as good a job as you!!!!!!

Michelle:thumbsup:

[Hair_Razor]

Can't wait to see your pics!! Had fun reading your reports.

[DisneyDudet]

I have some questions to ask about disney cruise if you don't mind answering them:mickey:

I have always been hesitant about disney cruising, or cruising in general. Do you really have things to do all the time? I don't want to get bored, and the pool on board also looks very small. I am considering booking a 4 day cruise this summer, but I still don't understand why everyone is crazy about it! Wouldn't you rather be in the parks? :confused:

OK, I am a Disney World nut, I mean, absolutely. I don't want to go anywhere else but Disney World. But, the cruise is a WHOLE different story.

The parks are fun and can get rather busy. We tend to like that, because we don't want to be board and we just love to parks. But the cruise is something for relaxation and at your own pace. There are things to do, so you can be as busy as you want to be. We were rather busy on our 7 day cruise, especially on sea days. Those were some of the best days, even though we liked the islands and CC.

There is plenty to do, especially on island days. You can get off look around and/ or do an excursion. You come back, get ready for dinner/shows, and do that, then you have some time to do some of the other things like deck parties, movies, etc.

I can't say that we prefer a Cruise over WDW, but its one of those things where we can get the Disney Magic (no pun intended) and still not be at the park

My dad was in the Coast Guard and so he's burned out on the whole sailing, doing days on the water type of thing. He went on a Carnival cruise a few years before doing the Disney cruise, and he wasn't impressed with cruising. We went on the 7 day (I had gone on a 4 day with my HS graduating class before), and he fell in love with it. He's even wanting to plan on doing the inaugural sailings of the new ships! We were planning a trip to DC and NYC this summer, but found it out of our price range, and we didn't want to do WDW, since we'd have to go mid June (too hot and crowded, but it was plan B). We thought about the money, and decided that a 4 day cruise with a Navigator's Varandah would be a good vacation. The one we are going on has two stops at Disney AMAZING island, so that was BIG draw!

I can say that if you are skeptical, a 3 or 4 day cruise will give you an idea on if you'd like it or not. With that, you can book a land and sea package, getting some days at WDW, so you have the best of both worlds in one trip!

If you have anymore questions, please PM any of us!

Chris, I enjoyed your reports, and I'm glad you are going to try to do a longer cruise! We are thinking of hitting up one of the new special Easterns to Tortola next summer!! We'll probably book on the ship, then have the ressies transferred over to MJ, so we can get the discount, plus get to work with MJ! They are doing great with the ressies we already have for our 4 day this summer!

Glad to hear you had an amazing time!

[AbeeNormal]

:thumbsup:

[poohluva]

Thanks for sharing so much of your trip with us, the reports and pics were great!!!

I can't wait until our land/sea trip starting
April 27th!!!!!

I just wish my DD14 was more excited about the cruise part of it!!
:captain:

[SgtTigger]

Thanks for the reports.............

I was looking for someone who could just tell me what they thought and you have done this with great detail.....

Thanks for taking the time............



:cop: :tigger:

[Tonyajo]

Chris,

We're just in the "planning" part of our cruise and your reports have gotten me SO excited, I want to go NOW! LOL

We're hoping to go in 2009 (when I'll be almost 40! LOL ) and I can not WAIT to see the expressions on my kiddo's faces! :cloud9: Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us... sounds like you had a fabulous time!!!