Dixie Springs
05-24-2008, 01:42 PM
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!
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!