Tag Archives: DCL

Disney Cruise Line – 10 Amazing Things I’ve Seen

Posted on by

DSCN3322I talk about Walt Disney World a lot.  We love it there.  I can honestly say, for our family, no other type of vacation compares with the incredible fun, thrills, food, and entertainment we can experience at Disney World.  Except for one – a Disney Cruise.

Think about the ship as being your resort – all the amenities you love about Walt Disney World are there.  Plus, your favorite Disney characters are all aboard and you get to experience some absolutely top notch shows.  Today I started thinking about the cruise we’ll be taking this summer aboard the Disney Magic to see the fjords of Norway and that got me thinking about the incredibly fun cruises we’ve already taken over the past nine years.  While there’s really no way I could name the TOP ten things I’ve seen along the way, I did come up with…

Disney Cruise Line – 10 Amazing Things I’ve Seen

DSCN17691. Seals, icebergs, mountains, waterfalls, Goofy, and a glacier!  No, that doesn’t count as six things (I know what you’re thinking) when you see them all at the same time.  On our Alaskan Disney cruise (2011), we were fortunate enough to experience the incredible beauty of Tracy Arm Fjord on a gorgeous sunny day.  We sailed slowly through the fjord, making our way to Sawyer Glacier with an Irish Coffee in one hand and a camera in the other.  At lunch, the on-deck barbeque meant we could eat while not missing a single second of the action!  DSCN1843We looked down and watched seals floating by on little icebergs.  We looked up and saw beautiful waterfalls rushing down the sides of the snow-covered peaks on either side of the ship.  Goofy came by for a visit while we were enjoying the view.  Finally, we felt the air grow colder as the ship approached Sawyer Glacier.  Oh, and maybe we saw some nesting bald eagles in the middle of all that other stuff.  It was good.  Really, really good.

2. Pompeii.  When we sailed on the Magic in the Mediterranean, we felt like it gave us the opportunity to see a little bit of a lot of places; like small tastes of what would have been delicious meals if we’d only had more time.  This was never more true than at Pompeii.  Pompeii DSCN3563We had just a few hours of a single afternoon to explore these ruins and we barely saw a fraction of all there was to take in.  DSCN3138Same thing with the Leaning Tower of Pisa!  Beware taking a Mediterranean cruise – it leaves you wanting to see and do that much more.  Going back to Spain, France, and Italy is high on our list of things to do in the future.

3. A ship wreck.  Luckily not our own…and it was really more of a boat wreck, technically.  In Grand Cayman on Disney’s Western Caribbean cruise, way back in 2008, we took an excursion that was as fun as could be.  Grand Cayman ExcursionWe boarded a couple of Zodiac boats and followed our leader through the docked cruise ships and off to explore a couple of different snorkeling sites.  One of them included a sunken ship (okay, boat) on the ocean’s floor we could see as we swam.  It was a beautiful day, Grand Cayman is gorgeous, and we fondly remember our visit there as one of the best days we’ve ever had on a Disney Cruise.

4. The southernmost point of the United States (we could see Cuba!).  IMG_0256Key West is everything you’ve ever heard about it – the architecture, lush foliage, chickens running around, great shops and bars – it’s all there!  We were able to leave our ship and easily take in all the sights while making our way to the southernmost point of the U.S. and back.  While more about the journey than the destination, all in all, it stands out in our memories as a perfect day!

5. The Swiss Guard – Ah, Italy – not one moment of time we spent there was less than amazing.  IMG_6225There was something about seeing the Vatican’s Swiss Guard that gave our day in Rome a special something.  DSCN3356 IMG_6099 DSCN3494 DSCN3509The Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, St. Peter’s Basilica – all amazing in their own right.  The Swiss Guard was just, I guess, the embodiment of all that we saw that day – exotic, colorful, traditional, and impressive.

6. The Tongass National Forest.  In the Alaskan rainforest, the air is indescribably clean and fresh.  The Tongass National Forest, the nation’s largest national forest, surrounds Alaska’s inside passage.  DSCN1926 DSCN1912We experienced the forest high above its rushing waterfalls and sphagnum moss-covered floor on a series of zip-lines and suspended bridges.  Hands down, one of the most fun things we’ve ever done!

7. A medieval village high above the sea.  We had our doubts as we caught a bus in Villefranche on the coast of France and made our way straight up via a precarious series of switchbacks, but once we reached the top?  DSCN3042 DSCN3036Breathtaking!  Eze is a wonderful place to shop, eat, and spend a leisurely half-day exploring a tiny little gem in the Maritime Alps.

8. The Gothic Quarter of Barcelona.  We booked our own tour around Barcelona the day before our cruise departed.  Our party of six all agree and will happily tell you that the only way to see Barcelona is on a Segway.  Barcelona, Spain DSCN2852Those alleyways in the Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic) are incredibly narrow, but easy to navigate on a Segway.  I wish I had taken more pictures!!!

9. A sea turtle.  Sure, you can get a look at a sea turtle in lots of places, but glancing around while snorkeling in the clear waters of the Bahamas and realizing that a sea turtle is swimming next to you is so cool!  Castaway Cay SnorkelingRight off the shore of Disney’s own private island, Castaway Cay, is an amazing array of aquatic plants and animals just waiting for Disney cruise guests to explore – so we did!  You have to book an excursion to do this (almost nothing live is visible in the designated snorkeling lagoon), but it is worth the price!

10.  The view from Palo.  We were fortunate enough to score a brunch reservation at the adults-only Palo on our ship for Megan’s birthday in August, 2013.  IMG_1758 IMG_1754We sat down to eat just as the Magic was passing between the islands of Corsica and Sardinia.  Palo is located at the very top of the ship and the views are spectacular!  Oh, and so is the food!!!

Have you taken a Disney cruise?  What are some of the most amazing things you’ve seen?

 

A Disney Souvenir of a More Permanent Nature

Posted on by

Mediterranean LandscapeOr maybe I should call this post, “A Disney Souvenir More Naturally Permanent.”  You be the judge.  We live in the country, The Fam and I (well, mostly just Raymond, Junior and I do now).  When I say “the country” I mean we live on a farm – the kind with crops instead of animals, but it is totally normal for me to take the dog out in the morning and hear both roosters crowing and cattle lowing or mooing or complaining – whatever you want to call that boisterous bovine nonsense at 5:00 am.  Our neighbors do raise livestock.

What does living in the country have to do with Disney souvenirs?  Thanks for asking!  I’ll Hillside in the Mediterraneantell you about it.  In August, 2013 – after dreaming about it for many years – we took a Disney cruise in the Mediterranean.  As you might expect, we did and saw some wonderfully amazing things.  Oh, the places we went!!!  While we were in there, we noticed some very beautiful pine trees.  They were almost everywhere and looked a bit like cartoon trees – shaped like umbrellas, their lovely arched branches atop tall, tall trunks, provided shade in a way we found charming and so different from anything we’d seen before.  We asked our guide in Florence, Italy about them and were told they were simply “Mediterranean Pines”.  Back home, a little Google research revealed they may also be “Umbrella Pines” or “Stone Pines”.  Whatever their name, I thought they were lovely.

Pine Tree Groot!

I AM GROOT

Raymond, being the agricultural expert in the family, took it upon himself to surprise me with some actual Mediterranean Pines to grow in our very own backyard, side yard, adjacent field, and so on.  He ordered both seeds and saplings from a couple of different suppliers in far away places like California.  He carefully nurtured the tiny trees and carefully tended the seeds when they sprouted.  The net result is that now, after a year, we have some half-a-dozen baby Mediterranean Pines well on their way to providing some beautiful umbrellas of shade from the hot Louisiana sun.

So, the point of all this is to say – sometimes a tee shirt is a great souvenir.  Sometimes something that will last for years and years while reminding you everyday of one of the most wonderful experiences of your life – all while keeping you cool in the summer (eventually, anyway) – is the very best souvenir of all.

What’s your favorite Disney vacation souvenir?

If you want to read all about our adventures on the high seas in the Mediterranean, start here.

A Disney Cruise Tale – Spain Without Spanish

Posted on by

Barcelona's Sagrada FamiliaSpain Without Spanish – Joseph Green

“The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain was designed by architect Antoni Gaudi in 1882. It stands fifty feet tall at its tallest point, the central spire of Jesus Christ. The Sagrada Familia is also covered in some of the most beautiful carvings one would ever hope to see,” said the short, pale woman leading the tour. “Blah. Blah. Blah,” is all I heard through the roaring crowd of sweaty tourists craning to get a glimpse of the cathedral. Now that was all good and well, but by the time I looked upon the face of that beautiful cathedral, I had been awake for well over forty-eight hours. I looked at my friends, and by the look on their jet-lagged faces, I knew they shared my grief. Don’t get me wrong the cathedral was absolutely stunning! I had never seen something so beautiful in my life, but at this point all I wanted was lunch. What was the best part? I had no idea how to order lunch. I, regretfully, did not think Spanish was important to learn in high school. Now I am in Spain with a horde of grumpy tourists and no way to communicate.

In 2012 I was given the privilege of choosing a destination of my choice for my senior trip.The Heart of Barcelona  My family, being avid Disney vacationers, gave me no other choice but to choose a destination provided by Disney. My mother read me a list of possible cruise destinations for 2013, and after a little consideration I chose a seven-day cruise through the Mediterranean. The cruise departed from Barcelona, Spain and included stops in France and Italy. My mother had taken French in high school and college and spoke it well enough to get by. Mom had also recently started teaching herself Italian in preparation for the cruise. It seemed as though my trip would turn out to be quite lovely! We would fly from Atlanta to Barcelona, hardly having to wait at the airport, and board the ship promptly. That is until my parents made the choice to spend two days in Airport on the way to BarcelonaBarcelona to do some sightseeing. No one in my family spoke, or had taken any classes that taught the Spanish language, except for me. So who do you think they expected to communicate to the locals in Spain? You guessed it, me.

Bill Gates once said, “I give the most difficult jobs to the laziest people because I know they will find the simplest way to complete them.” Although I passed Spanish with an A, the online program teaching us had a slightly faulty teaching design. The “lazy people,” or as we called them, “gifted slackers,” found a way to complete the percentage of work we were asked to complete without doing any work at all. If one were to log on to this program and choose a speaking assignment without plugging in a microphone, one would find that the program itself would complete their work. Nearly the entire 2013 graduating class of Riverfield Academy passed Spanish I and Spanish II by doing absolutely nothing. We thought we were so smart. Unbeknownst to my parents, I could not speak one bit of Spanish. Unbeknownst to me, at the time, I was actually going to need to speak Spanish.

August of 2013 finally came. After months of preparations, and constant haggling, courtesy ofSpain from the Air my mother, we were on our way. Approximately eleven hours and roughly 25,000 miles later, we landed in Barcelona. Early morning Barcelona was stunning from the airplane window. An orange and pink sunrise cast over the mountains broke through crests and painted the seaside city. I couldn’t wait to step foot on the ground, and experience the view firsthand. Sadly, my excitement was diminished by the hours of airport hell I had to endure. We had planned on seeing the Sagrada Familia as early as possible in a hope to avoid the crowds, but it was already 11:00 and we hadn’t even checked into the hotel.

Buildings in BarcelonaAfter a short break in my hotel room, I met my family in the hall and we decided to walk to the Cathedral. I enjoyed seeing the historic city during the walk; the pastel buildings with intricate balconies and moldings. It felt good to stand after such a long flight. As we wove our way through mazes of crowds, the smell of pastries and pastas filled the air. The tempting smells would mean my demise. Sure enough, as we approached the cathedral, my only thought was, “food.” Apparently my family felt the same because after our tour it was my time to shine. My mother turned to me and said, “I’m hungry. Everyone else is hungry. Let’s get something to eat!” My stomach dropped. They were all expecting me to order, and I did not know how.

We walked back toward the hotel. Along the way, my mother or father would ask, “What Exploring Barcelonaabout here? This place looks good.” I would respond with, “It doesn’t matter to me. I’m fine with anything.” That bought me time. The group, being too tired and grumpy to come to a consensus, would not choose a restaurant to eat. This did not bother me at all! The more time we killed arguing about food, the more time I got to hide the fact that I didn’t know how to speak Spanish. After an hour of listening to my stomach growl and seeing food pass right before my eyes, not even I could handle it. It was time to man-up and deal with situation at hand! Though running and hiding seemed rather appealing as well.

Barcelona SelfieWe sat down outside of a corner-side restaurant. Locals walked in and out carrying food, their faces satisfied with their order. I looked at my family. They were sweaty and worn out from walking. I knew they must be starving. As I stood there, feeling regret for not taking Spanish more seriously, a thought crossed my mind. “What if, instead of telling my parents I couldn’t order food, I do what I’m supposed to do? Ask this guy if he speaks English!” A burst of energy flowed through me. If the man working the counter spoke English, there would be no need for my family to know that I don’t know Spanish. If he didn’t, not only would I embarrass myself in front of the locals, but I would also have to explain to my family that I couldn’t communicate with anyone. I balled my fists, swallowed what little pride I had left, and marched into the restaurant.

The man working the counter looked at me and said, “hola.” I immediately felt stupid and Lunch at a cafe in Barcelonaintimidated as I muttered, “hola,” back to him. Nervously, I looked him in the eye and said, “Engles?” He responded, “Engles? Si!” I buried my face in my hands and thought, “Oh, God. If this guy really spoke English he would’ve said yes, not si!” My thoughts were interrupted when the man corrected himself to say, “Ah! I mean yes!” Upon hearing those words, my jaw dropped. Relief flowed over me in the form of a tall, tan Spanish worker with a strange accent. I smiled and said, “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get my family.”

Through lunch I contemplated my actions. I may not have taken the best approach by not La Rambla, Barcelonatelling my parents I didn’t know Spanish, but I realized something. I could navigate this city if I needed to. I could be an ordinary, adult, American tourist. Simply asking that man if he spoke English gave me the confidence I needed to speak with others. In that moment, I realized that I had become literate in the subject of tourism.

Walt Disney World Versus Disney Cruise Line

Posted on by

Disney Cruise LineI’m a Disney fan – I’ll bet you already had a pretty good idea about that.  What I mean is, I believe in the Disney brand and with few exceptions, am pleased with Disney products I purchase.  This includes Disney vacations.  We love vacationing at Walt Disney World – it’s the perfect place for us and has been the source of so many unforgettable experiences and happy memories.  Why mess with this excellent vacation formula?  What made us take that first Disney Cruise?  Well, first and foremost, a Disney cruise is still a Disney vacation.  When we cruised for the first time, our children had reached the (*cough* difficult *cough*) age where they wanted to explore more of the world, see new and different things.  Devastated, we tried to be accommodating (within reason) and combined a trip to Walt Disney World with a Disney Cruise – best of both worlds and still Disney!!!

Turns out this was a perfect plan!  Raymond was anti-cruise and admitted later (after he had aCastaway Cay's Mt. Rustmore wonderful time) that he’d been practically dreading the cruise portion of our vacation.  What we thought would be one cruise turned into many – we’ve seen amazing, fantastic parts of the world – and still got to vacation in the Disney Bubble!  My mission today is to give you a kind of comparison between Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line – in case you’ve been curious about how they stack up.  To keep from gushing on all day about a couple of my favorite topics, I’ll limit todays discussion to 10 key areas.

Walt Disney World Versus Disney Cruise Line

Beach Service on Castaway Cay1. Service – Ah, those famous and fabulous Cast Members!  I’d say it’s a tie with the edge going to Disney Cruise Line.  With rotational dining on the cruise, you get to experience different restaurants.  The best part of switching dining experiences is that your assigned servers go with you – they’re the same servers you have every evening of your trip.  Should you choose to dine in one of the signature, adults-only restaurants, you’ll have different servers, but they are absolutely top notch – hands down the best service we’ve had anywhere.  The stateroom hosts/hostesses are fantastic (better than Mousekeeping at the resorts, for sure).

Disney Cruise Line / Ship2. Price – I’m not a travel agent and I’ve not price-compared all the different resort types (value, moderate, & deluxe) with each cabin type and the prices during all seasons for Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line, but I’m confident – a Disney cruise can be comparably priced to a Walt Disney World stay.  The cruise may actually be even more economical (depending on length and itinerary) when you consider food.  All you care to eat, 24 hours a day (room service included) is hard to beat!  Food at Walt Disney World (unless you take advantage of a free-dining promotion) is expensive!  Park tickets are another big expense – We have found that while we can spend as much on shore excursions, we usually don’t have to.

3. Rides and Attractions – Walt Disney World is the clear winner in this category, however, don’tGrand Cayman Snorkeling Adventure think for a minute that there aren’t a wide variety of amazing experiences available on a Disney cruise.  You may not be going to Disney parks, but there are plenty of excursions that are very adventurous (either through Disney Cruise Line or on your own).  Zip-lining in Alaska?  We loved it!  Touring Barcelona on a Segway?  VERY fun!  Biking, hiking, snorkeling, a stingray adventure?  All available on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay (visited on most itineraries sailing from Port Canaveral).  There are too many experiences to name here, but rest assured, you will not be bored on a Disney cruise.

4. Entertainment – We know there are awesome live shows and 3D movies to enjoy at eachDisney Cruise Line Entertainment Walt Disney World park.  On a Disney cruise, you can enjoy first run movies onboard the ship along with extremely well-done, Broadway quality entertainment every evening of your cruise.  We LOVE the shows on Disney Cruise Line!  The ships’ entertainment areas designed for children (kids’ clubs) are extraordinary!  So much to see and do – just in a different way than at Walt Disney World.

5. Characters – The character meet-and-greets are plentiful at Walt Disney World and also on a Pluto on Disney Cruise Line in AlaskaDisney cruise!  Because they’re confined to a ship and not spread out among 4 parks, the characters on Disney Cruise Line are, to me, more accessible than at Walt Disney World.  Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto – and a plethora of princesses along with many more characters are fairly easy to meet.  For spontaneous, unexpected character interaction, Disney Cruise Line is the winner.  Nothing makes returning to the ship at the end of an action-packed day more special than being welcomed back by your favorite Disney characters.

6. Food – I can find plenty of delicious foods to enjoy on either type of vacation.  However, there are many more dining choices at Walt Disney World.  Because of this, I feel like Disney Cruise Formal Night on Disney's Magic in the MedLine makes an extra effort to please every type of person and their meal preferences (and special dietary needs). For example, if you don’t like one entrée – order another.  If you don’t like any of the desserts on the menu, order a bowl of ice cream or a Mickey Premium ice cream bar.  If you don’t feel like eating in the dining room, order room service.  We like getting up early and walking on deck for a look around before stopping at one of the counter service eateries and taking our selections back to our cabin to enjoy.  We also love the convenience of making our room service selections at night and having our breakfast delivered right to our cabin first thing in the morning – all included in the cruise fare.

Relaxing on Deck / Disney Cruise Line7. Resort / Cruise Ship Amenities – Unlike different amenities available for different resort types, all guests on Disney Cruise Line enjoy the same perks.  Access to the spa and salon, pools, exercise room, restaurants, pools, hot tubs, pubs, lounges, shops, theaters – equal access for all passengers.  Yes, the spa and salon treatments are extra, but worth the splurge if your cruise itinerary includes an at-sea day.  The ships’ exercise rooms are excellent (with awesome views) – we’ve even attended spin class!

8. Accommodations – Both types of vacations offer a variety of room/cabin choices to suit every family size and budget.  I feel the need to mention that Disney Cruise Line’s cabins are among the largest in the cruise industry.  The cabin spaces is used creatively with convertible couches and beds that drop down from the ceiling.

9. Location – If you choose a cruise out of Port Canaveral, you’re not far from Walt DisneyChip & Dale on Castaway Cay World.  It’s easy to combine a Walt Disney World stay with a cruise.  If you want to see other parts of the world, you may need to fly to departure ports outside of Florida – airfare can add a significant amount to your vacation expenses.  Walt Disney World never moves, so it’s easy to have a good idea about the time and expense it takes to get there.

10. Experience – This is the hardest one of all.  The experiences are certainly different, but with many of the same special Disney elements.  With so much to enjoy on each type of vacation – I can’t pick a favorite.  We alternate visits to Walt Disney World with a Disney cruise as often as we can.  This summer we visited WDW for a week and next summer we’ll be cruising with Disney in Norway.  Every Disney vacation is special, exciting, and tons of fun.  I’d call this one a tie.

Call your favorite travel agent or check out Disney Cruise Line vacations here.

Formal Minnie on Disney Cruise Line Castaway Cay Snorkeling