News from the Ship

Hello out there from somewhere east of the Dominican Republic! 400 nautical miles to St. Maarten (hey, are nautical miles different than statute miles?? I don't know, email me and tell me the difference.) Partly cloudy skies, moderate swells (4-8 feet), 80* F. Here are some impressions and some news about our trip. (I'll have to post pictures when we get back.)

First of all, the kids did great on our drive down here on Friday--a twelve hour trip, the most harmonious trip we've ever had with all three children in the car at the same time. It was also the longest day of driving we've ever had. (I know, Dad, twelve hours should be the norm, but we usually go only about 8 hours before stopping. And, we actually stop for real food, not Vienna sausages and warm Shasta soda pop!) Of course, having one kid sit up front while Mom or Dad is driving and then switching drivers and front-seat passengers every few hours helps.

Secondly, when we got to the port on Saturday, we were amazed at the beauty of the ship. Disney's ship is classic in design. It was berthed (is that the right word when you want to say "parked" a ship?) right next to a Carnival Cruise Line ship--that Carnival ship looked a lot like I would imagine Noah's ark to look--I always imagined Noah's ark to be a big box that floated. Carnival's ship looked very boxy, not pretty at all. Click on the link here to see what our ship is like. (If you are really interested, we are in a Deluxe Family Stateroom with Veranda, on Deck 8. We are able to be here because of our Disney Vacation Club membership. The room is about the size of a hotel room, with a bunk bed for JT that pulls down out of the ceiling. Since we can sometimes hear deck chairs being moved overhead, I can only feel sorry for those passengers who have cabins below the nightclub area.)

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/dcl/en_US/cruises/landing?name=7NightEasternCaribbeanCruiseLandingPage

When we got onboard, JT said that our bathroom is just like an airplane's bathroom! (well, except that it is bigger, there is a separate room for the shower and another sink, it does not smell like an airplane's bathroom, there is no Occupado sign that shows up when you close the door, and the light switches are outside in Luci's reach--so, if you are in there and the lights go out, it is Luci's fault!)

Luci's had fun getting autographs of different Disney characters, as long as the characters keep their distance. We have a few photos of Mickey, Chip, and others with a smiling JT, Bryan and a screaming Luci. But she is calmer than she was when she saw Santa! So maybe there is hope for a peaceful photo some day.

The food is pretty good--I am more of a Cracker Barrel person, so the gourmet food at dinner (you don't say "supper" on board!) is beyond me. But breakfast and lunch look familiar. John enjoys the fancy stuff more than I do. I guess I ought to gussy-up supper at home more often.

Bryan and JT have their own separate programs that keep them busy most of the day. Luci has a babysitting area that is available--but only 10 hours total for the entire trip. I suppose that some parents might try to park their babies in there the whole trip. (Who would do such a thing? Don't think it hasn't occurred to me, especially after last night when Luci decided to wake up EVERY hour just to make sure I didn't sleep.) The boys' programs are free and lots of fun, evidently, since we didn't see them at all last night after supper (oops, that is "dinner") and Bryan finally showed up at midnight! He was still sleeping when we left for brunch at 10 a.m. Luci's babysitting has a fee, but it is in line with what I would pay someone at home, so that seems fair to me.

Tonight we have will have the boys busy with programs and Luci in babysitting (Flounder's Reef, if you looked on that website) so John and I get a 2 hour date! The first alone time in a long time--and we have to book a cruise to get it! Our dinner is scheduled for Lumiere's, one of the fanciest places on the ship, so that will be very nice. There are three main dining rooms--Lumiere's (named after the candlestick in Beauty and the Beast), Parrot Cay, and Animator's Palate ( I did spell that correctly).

Last night we took Luci to her first big show depicting Disney music throughout the years. It was like a Broadway show. We thought she'd be scared of the loud-ness of it, but she loved it! Afterwards, I asked her if I could take her to another show tomorrow night, and she got a very happy look on her face and nodded YES! Finally, after 15 years, I have a kid to go to musical shows with me! Hooray!

There is constant movement on the ship, which I am not crazy about. Dad and John's Dad would probably be ashamed at that, since one sailed with the Naval Academy and the other was in the Navy, but there you have it. I do NOT have "sea legs." Most people watching me might assume I've had some of those drinks they serve with the little umbrellas in them. Nope! Just ungraceful. John, who gets dizzy just thinking about the Teacup Ride at Disney World, is doing FINE. It is not fair. All three kids love the movement, and JT proudly tells people of his "navy heritage" from his grandpas. This movement is just like riding on an airplane to me, with the movement and the noise. If you know me well, you know I am scared of flying, so this is not a happy feeling for me. Add to it the fact that this plane is skimming along the ocean's surface--it is NOT keeping its altitude! Well, I guess it is keeping the altitude just fine since we are above water.

And, why, you ask, is Susan on the internet when there is so much to do on board??? If you are busy chasing a 2 year old and cleaning her up and putting her down for a nap, the possibilities for Mommy are rather limited. There is a spa area, but of course those items are pretty expensive and spa stuff just isn't my thing--add to that the fact that I am not exactly a swimsuit model, and the choices for me are sort of limited. So I have a cup of cappuccino next to me and I've paid for internet access for the week (cheaper than a spa treatment) and I get to check out the news, weather, and bore you with this.

Now, let me tell you that Disney does this cruise very well. There is a lot to do, you could never do everything listed on the schedule every day. John got to run around with kids doing stuff yesterday and Saturday, so I am having some free time now. When we get home, I'll post some pictures. We have quite a few, so far.