The BuckeyeFortFamily went on The Dream and all you get is this lousy trip report

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I think now would be a great time to mention that I don't think we have had a dinner in the past week and half since leaving the ship that hasn't included a discussion on how much we miss Clayton! Especially this little BuckeyeFortKid

 

Are you referring to Clayton the Cruise Director?  My kids will still do the Carlton dance now and then....which they learned from Clayton, not from watching Fresh Prince.  

[BuckeyeFortFan 35]

BFD-

 

I have a couple of questions for you:

 

1.  In your first post you said you booked two deluxe family ocean view cabins.  The photos show you got verandah cabins.  Did you actually book verandah cabins, or did you get an upgrade?

 

2.  I see some of the BFF gang wearing Magicbands.  Are they using Magicbands for something on the cruise?  If so, that's news to me.

 

TCD

 

I misspoke.  We got the rooms we booked.  I checked the original reservation and they are referred to as "Deluxe Family Oceanview Staterooms with Verandah".

 

Those yellow magic bands are their ID for the kids clubs.  They use the magic band technology to check them in and out of the kids clubs, and can actually tell you where in the club the kids are when you come to pick them up, which is very helpful.  BUT.....if you do not turn the bands in by 11 pm the last night of the cruise you will be charged $12 per band for this "souvenir".  Needless to say we turned those suckers in.

 

Are you referring to Clayton the Cruise Director?  My kids will still do the Carlton dance now and then....which they learned from Clayton, not from watching Fresh Prince.  

 

Clayton was our server for dinner, the Jamaican fellow in the picture with BFS4.  I do not remember the cruise directors name.  He was from the UK....maybe Darren?  BFM will remember.  Funny about the Carlton dance.

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

Perfect!  

 

In reality....other than Mickey bars and cookies, that's about all we did.  

 

Darn! I wish I would have thought about cookies.  They would have been perfect with my morning coffee.  I swear the chocolate chip cookies at Cabana's were the best Disney chocolate chip cookies I have ever had.  In my mind they are like the famous cinnamon rolls or the steak fries.

 

Seriously Dave, my mornings were made glorious after I remembered that you said to order a carafe of coffee before bed.  I have a night owl kid and rooster so I don't get much sleep as a general rule and even less on vacations.

 

I didn't actually believe it would still be hot by morning but it was steaming even after I put in my cream.  Thank you!  Just another reason why Fort Fiends is AWESOME! 

 

 

 

 

And BFM-

 

This is such a sweet comment:

 

 

That is so true about DCL.  The CM's on the ship are outstanding!

 

TCD

 

Honestly I found this to be true for everyone but the photographers. 

 

They were indifferent to downright nasty the whole trip.  All of them. 

 

It was as if they functioned outside of the Disney umbrella.  They were just there to do their job and not make anyone happy.

 

Everyone bought the photobook anyway (except me) so they made the sale regardless.

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

I misspoke.  We got the rooms we booked.  I checked the original reservation and they are referred to as "Deluxe Family Oceanview Staterooms with Verandah".

 

Those yellow magic bands are their ID for the kids clubs.  They use the magic band technology to check them in and out of the kids clubs, and can actually tell you where in the club the kids are when you come to pick them up, which is very helpful.  BUT.....if you do not turn the bands in by 11 pm the last night of the cruise you will be charged $12 per band for this "souvenir".  Needless to say we turned those suckers in.

 

 

Clayton was our server for dinner, the Jamaican fellow in the picture with BFS4.  I do not remember the cruise directors name.  He was from the UK....maybe Darren?  BFM will remember.  Funny about the Carlton dance.

 

It was Darren.  We only heard a million times, "Hello this is Darren, your cruise director" over the course of the 4 nights.

 

The kids also used the location function of magic bands to find each other in the kid's club.  If they lost their sibling they just asked a cast member.  When the cast member scanned their magic band it would show all the kids in our party and their pictures and they could see where the sister or brother was in the kid's club and what they looked like so they could help find the needed sibling.

[CampMImi 22]

Page 3 arrival.  I am forever late.  But I am totally enjoying this trip report!  

[Seals 111]

I just realized you got on the Dream the day my brother and his family got off!

 

 

 

Cruise ships... the idea of being on a boat where you cannot see land, terrifies me.  Plus throw in actually sleeping while floating in the dark where you (know) you cannot see land... mercy.  Truly nauseous thinking about it.  I grew up on an island in Washington State, so I've been on (large) ferries several times and those never bothered me but 1) I could see land and 2) I wasn't in a bed sleeping.

 

This was me. Despite really wanting to go on a cruise the first night on the Dream out of Port Canaveral I couldn't lie down because of the rocking motion of the ship. I also started inwardly freaking out after the lifeboat drill about not being near land (I also have a fear of heights -- related to needing to be on solid ground) and that kept me awake too. I amuse my children by telling them that as I sat there in bed awake and feeling the rocking motion of the ship I thought of how sailors would go insane on long ocean voyages.  I also began to wonder if I was getting scurvy but then I remembered I'd had fruit for dinner (that part always amuses, but it was my actual thought process that long night).  However, after we landed in Nassau the next day it was like I realized that there was land out there and I was ok.  The next two nights I could sleep after I made myself think about all the fun things I'd done that day. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Those yellow magic bands are their ID for the kids clubs.  They use the magic band technology to check them in and out of the kids clubs, and can actually tell you where in the club the kids are when you come to pick them up, which is very helpful.  BUT.....if you do not turn the bands in by 11 pm the last night of the cruise you will be charged $12 per band for this "souvenir".  Needless to say we turned those suckers in.

That is new.

I've always thought that a cruise would be the perfect place to use Magicbands. Instead of having to carry around your KTTW card, which, as you surely found, you must always have with you, you could just wear a MB around. That would be so much easier.

 

 

Darn! I wish I would have thought about cookies.  They would have been perfect with my morning coffee.  I swear the chocolate chip cookies at Cabana's were the best Disney chocolate chip cookies I have ever had.  In my mind they are like the famous cinnamon rolls or the steak fries.

Did you get any steak fries from room service? I hope you did.

 

 

Honestly I found this to be true for everyone but the photographers. 

 

They were indifferent to downright nasty the whole trip.  All of them. 

 

It was as if they functioned outside of the Disney umbrella.  They were just there to do their job and not make anyone happy.

 

Everyone bought the photobook anyway (except me) so they made the sale regardless.

As I understand it, those photographers are not Disney CM's. DCL subcontracts that out to a third party, and you can tell the difference. I hate the whole ship photography thing so much that on our last couple of cruises, we never even bothered to go and look at our photos.  That had become an unpleasant thing for us to do on previous cruises, and we choose to just avoid it.  No more of that hassle, and we saved money too.

 

I'm not sure if you saw the art gallery, but those people are not Disney employees either. Just like with the photographers, you can tell that right away.

 

TCD

[Beckers 1,136]

I really want to do DCL but I just can't. God forbid Adam has an allergic reaction, I can't imagine being in the middle of the ocean.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Now that I think about it, I think Clayton moved over to the Fantasy when it was launched.  But I'm all of them are great. 

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

Oh please! This is the easy trip report to write.

I had to write about 2 weeks AND a major Holiday in my previous trip reports (Christmas and Easter).

Let's see how BFF does with this simple Double Dip trip report.

I'll just be snarky when I can.

I thought it was really sweet that your referred to you husband as your Best Friend Forever.   

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

KFK Ghost

[BuckeyeFortFan 35]

I thought it was really sweet that your referred to you husband as your Best Friend Forever.   

 

Everyone does.  I am that cool.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

I remember Clayton on the Fantasy. He was great.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Are you referring to Clayton the Cruise Director?  My kids will still do the Carlton dance now and then....which they learned from Clayton, not from watching Fresh Prince.  

 

 

I remember Clayton on the Fantasy. He was great.

 

Clayton?

 

You mean this guy?:

 

 

TCD

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

I just realized you got on the Dream the day my brother and his family got off!

 

 

 

This was me. Despite really wanting to go on a cruise the first night on the Dream out of Port Canaveral I couldn't lie down because of the rocking motion of the ship. I also started inwardly freaking out after the lifeboat drill about not being near land (I also have a fear of heights -- related to needing to be on solid ground) and that kept me awake too. I amuse my children by telling them that as I sat there in bed awake and feeling the rocking motion of the ship I thought of how sailors would go insane on long ocean voyages.  I also began to wonder if I was getting scurvy but then I remembered I'd had fruit for dinner (that part always amuses, but it was my actual thought process that long night).  However, after we landed in Nassau the next day it was like I realized that there was land out there and I was ok.  The next two nights I could sleep after I made myself think about all the fun things I'd done that day. 

 

Glad to see I'm not alone!  I keep telling my husband, that if he gets me on a ship, to bring lots of sleep aid :)    I love how Disney does things, so I'm sure the boat itself is beautiful and Disney's island has always sounded like sooo much fun to me :)

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

Why didn't you just order Mickey Bars for breakfast the night before?

It has milk so, it qualifies as a breakfast item in my book.

[BuckeyeFortFan 35]

Update time.  When I left you, we were enjoying the beach on our first day on Castaway Cay.

 

It was a gorgeous day, but windy.

 

 

The rest of the day was spent swimming and eating lunch at one of the BBQs on the island.  We did explore a little, but only as far as finding the splash zone for the little ones and the game area where you can shoot baskets or play chess or checkers or Ping-Pong.  We decided to head back to the ship midafternoon and get some time on the Aqua-Duck. 

Back on the tram we go….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s what we were headed for.

 

 

After re-boarding we went straight to deck 11 where the pools and slides are.  A shot of the island from way up there….

 

 

BFS4 loved the Mickey Slide.

 

 

BFD11 and I hit the Aqua-Duck once but only once, as the line was kind of long.  Aqua-Duck kicks ass.

 

 

Back in our room, getting cleaned up for the evening and watching the ship cast off.

 

 

 

We must have been heading north as we had a beautiful view of the sun setting.

 

 

 

The evening went the same as the previous evening for the most part.  We saw the show, a Villains tribute tonight, starring Hades trying to get his groove back.  Dinner was at The

Enchanted Garden but we stopped to see Mickey Mouse in his Christmas sweater before dinner.  Shots of the lobby and Christmas tree while we waited.

 

 

 

 

 

We do not have any pictures from dinner this night.  As I said our dinner rotation took us to The Enchanted Garden, which is on deck 2 midship, and is fashioned after the palace at Versailles.  It is very pretty, and I think we have some pictures later in the trip report as we ate here twice more.

 

After dinner the kids went back to the kids clubs and we relaxed for a bit.  When we returned to the rooms the steward had gotten them ready for sleepy time.

 

 

 

 

At this point it is getting to be about 10 or 10:30.  Before the trip I swore we were going to get the most out of it, first out of bed in the morning and last into bed every night.  Well…..I was half right.  Up early we accomplished, but after a full day of the beach and a big dinner, that pillow top bed was too inviting.  So we hit the sack and were all asleep in minutes. 

 

Tomorrow is another day on Castaway Cay, and since being early off the boat worked well for us today, we wanted to repeat tomorrow.  Will cut it here so we can start fresh in the morning.

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

They actually sailed away from Castaway Cay only to sail back in the morning?  What is the purpose of that?

[sherryberry 35]

Man, I am itching to go on another DCL cruise! Looks like you guys had a great time!

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

They actually sailed away from Castaway Cay only to sail back in the morning?  What is the purpose of that?

 

I have heard there are some really nasty bugs that come out at night on the island which is why they dont stay in port. Also that they have to pay the Bahamas if they stay in dock there a portage fee I think it was. 

[BuckeyeFortFan 35]

They actually sailed away from Castaway Cay only to sail back in the morning?  What is the purpose of that?

 

 

I have heard there are some really nasty bugs that come out at night on the island which is why they dont stay in port. Also that they have to pay the Bahamas if they stay in dock there a portage fee I think it was. 

 

I did not hear about bugs, but as is usually the case with Disney it is "all about the Benjamins".  For one thing, they do not open the souvenir or duty free shops while at port.  I assume because they do not want to pay the tax on any sales made while at port.  I would also assume there would be a fee to stay docked overnight, possibly related to hotel taxes that they do not pay if out at sea.  So yes, we went out on the ocean....I could not tell you how far or where we went, and in the morning we headed back into the island.  It was nice to be back on the water though, so we didn't mind.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

The water there is amazing!!  It is SO blue and clear!

 

If I understand "how it works"...everything on the island is included in your trip correct?  Food..water toys...etc?

 

Oh...love the Christmas decorations :)

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

The water there is amazing!!  It is SO blue and clear!

 

If I understand "how it works"...everything on the island is included in your trip correct?  Food..water toys...etc?

 

Oh...love the Christmas decorations :)

Food is yes. If you want to rent snorkeling gear or other things that is additional. 

[BuckeyeFortFan 35]

Castaway Cay Day #2 went very much like Day #1, with a few differences.  We again awoke early and watched the island approach. 
 

 

 
We were able to watch the land crew tying the ship to the dock today.  As the ship approached it shot these lines out, using some kind of air canon I assume, at the stern and bow.  The cast members on land then pulled these little lines in until they had the big ropes and tied the ship off. 
 

 

 
Those of you from more tropical regions might not be impressed by this process, but us land locked Fiends found it quite fascinating.
 
One thing we did different today was to eat breakfast at The Enchanted Garden instead of Cabanas.  Although it did not open until 8 (Cabanas starts serving at 7:30), The Enchanted Garden had way fewer people, and is on deck 2, only one deck above the exit of the ship, so we actually saved time by waiting in shorter lines and being closer to the gang plank to the dock.  The food was still exactly the same as every WDW breakfast you have ever eaten. 
 

 

 

 
We also had a nice view out this porthole behind our table.
 

 
After breakfast we went down the one flight of stairs and right off the boat.  As we walked the 150 yards to the tram stop it started to rain but it was warm and not really bothersome.  Most guests huddled under the roofs of the buildings along the way.  Olaf, who was standing outside the post office, wasn’t visible today due to the people crammed under the porch hiding from the rain, but the BuckeyeFortFamily trekked onward.  By the time we got to the tram the rain had stopped and once again we were one of the first ones on the beach.  That allowed us to claim this sweet spot right next to these hammocks, on the family beach closer to the ship, as none of the kids wanted to do the water slide today either.
 

 
 
 
We swam awhile, the wind was less today and it seemed warmer.  The 3 older kids and I swam out to this little playground in the ocean,
 
 
 
BFD11 and I decided to give snorkeling a try.  I have only snorkeled once, as a Boy Scout in a swimming pool when I was 12, and I didn’t do well at it, but if my 11 year old daughter wanted to do it……. I was going to do it.
 
Suiting up to head out into the snorkeling lagoon.
 

 
Snorkeling was not as difficult as I remember.  BFD11 and I headed out into the snorkeling lagoon, with no idea where the objects that they placed on the bottom for snorkelers to find actually were.  So we started snorkeling.  And snorkeling.  And snorkeling.  It turns out the snorkeling lagoon is way out past the swimming lagoon.  We finally got there and found what I believe was the first statue, a Minnie Mouse on a pedestal.  We found this Minnie Mouse about 5 minutes after I had all the snorkeling I could take.  I believe I had a combination of sea sickness, as when you snorkel you basically lay on top of the water and are picked up and dropped by any passing waves, and hyperventilation, because I know I was breathing way faster than I should have through the snorkel.  My daughter on the other hand, was a natural.  She was snorkeling circles around me, but since we were about 200 yards from shore and I felt miserable, I told her we had to head in.  She obliged her old man and we swam for shore.  It seemed to take forever, but I finally dragged my sorry ass onto the beach and thanked God he let me live through that ordeal.
 
We had planned to eat lunch after our snorkeling trip, but as I was in no shape to do anything, especially eat, BFM gave me a Dramamine and I passed out on a lounge chair.  Apparently someone took this picture of me sleeping it off.
 

 
I don’t know exactly how long I was asleep, but when I woke up I was refreshed and hungry.  So we went to grab lunch at the same BBQ we ate at yesterday.  The food on the island is pretty simple.  Burgers, ribs, chicken and different salads, and assorted desserts.  The best thing was the all you care to enjoy soft serve ice cream machines.  They also had one of these ice cream locations on the ship, and what I missed in Mickey Bars I made up for in soft serve.
 
This is just a nice picture of an island view.
 

 
In front of Mount Rustmore.
 

 
After lunch the kids wanted to check out the kid’s area on the island, called Scuttles Cove.  It operated just like the kids clubs on the ship.  We checked the kids in with their wrist bands and our room key.  They were able to play with sand toys, and there is a splash pad in this area, and the CM’s have organized games they play throughout the day.
 
BFM and I went back to our beach spot and relaxed some more.
 

 
After an hour or so we packed up and headed back towards the ship, picking up the kids on our way.  We had planned to hit the Aqua-Duck again today so we headed for deck 11.
 
BFM and BFS4 hung out…….
 

 
and took some pics of the kids and I on the Aqua-Duck.
 

 

 
Time for another break.  Join us next time for pirate night!

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Caught up.

Way to much to comment on. But your kids took some really good pix. I still can't believe you hit castaway cay twice.