Mandymouse’s ‘Double Dipping with the ‘Bahama Mama’s’ Report

[mandymouse]

Castmembers



Mandy (44) & Paul (43)



Becky (15) & Kerry (17)

Sunday 24th August ‘08 ~ Port Canaveral

We left the Caribbean Beach Resort around 9am and set off for Port Canaveral. The journey was uneventful and within 50 minutes we could see those large red funnels in the distance. We got to the port around 10am, but it wasn’t open, so we waited on the road to be let in. We didn’t have too long to wait, maybe about 10 minutes and before long we were pulling up in front of the terminal to drop our luggage off.



Paul went off to park the car, and as me and the girls walked into the terminal, we ran into Laurie & her family, and Veronica and her family (two of the 'Bahama Mama’s', which we had named ourselves on our DISboards Cruise thread that started 18 months previous to our Cruise)

We cleared security quickly and set off up the escalators to check-in. We waited in the ‘non US citizen’ line and we were at the front. Even though we had arrived so early, we were still given boarding card number 3. Paul joined us, and within moments the check in desk opened, and in no time we were walking away with our room keys (Stateroom 6056), our dining rotation (Animators Palette/Parrot Cay/Parrot Cay/Tritons) and our Castaway Club lanyards



We took all the usual photos around the terminal and outside by the ship, and then I went hunting for the ‘Bahama Mama’s’. I met Suzanne, then before long we were joined by more of the girls who I had been chatting to for months



Boarding began around 11.45am, and minutes later our number was called.

We showed our room keys and ID’s and had our embarkation photo taken, and then I heard my fave sentence in the world . ‘Welcome aboard the Disney Wonder, the Martindale Family’ and then the CM’s started clapping (I love that moment, and it was great to be home)

We went straight up to Deck 9 and to the Beach Blanket Buffet. The girls went off to Pinocchio’s Pizzeria for some er pizza and we sat outside on the deck by the Mickey Pool

After lunch the girls went off to explore, so Paul & I got changed and lay out in the sun by the Goofy Pool, where we had our first Bahama Mama (thanks Suz for taking the pic)



Around 2pm, I headed to our room to cool off and get changed for our meet at 2.30pm. We were on deck 6, midship near the elevators and it was a great location.

At 2.30pm the ‘Bahama Mama’s’ met up, and we had a great time getting to know each other. It was lovely to meet everyone. The only person who was noticeable by her absence was Michele, but thankfully she turned up (she’d had a blow out on the way to the port). I also met my new friend of the Cruise, his name was Samson, a CM, and after that first meeting, I was always met with a ‘Hello Mandy, how are you ?’ everytime I went to the Goofy Pool bar



It was time for the Lifeboat Drill at 4pm, so we grabbed our life vests and went to our drill station. Thankfully the drill didn’t take too long, so after dropping the vests back at the room, we went up to Deck 10 for the ‘Adventurer’s Away’ party





We had a great time and we met up with our friends up there. Sandy gave the kids bubbles and the CM's gave out streamers as the party got started. The party was fun (though not as good as the old sailaway party). When the party was over, we did some unpacking and put up our Fish Extender (where you leave little gifts). Kerry & Becky then went off to watch the Golden Mickey’s show and Paul & I went to take some more photos and have a cocktail or two



When the girls got back, we all got ready for dinner. We were on late seating (8.15pm) and we had linked our reservation with two other families. We shared our table with Sandy & her family and Michele & her family. Between the families there were 6 teens, Kerry & Becky, Nicole & her sister Sarah, and Tori & her best friend Bethany. These 6 girls spent all their time together. They had a fantastic time and we hardly saw them – they really had a brilliant time together



Our server Brent was great with the girls. He did magic tricks and kept them entertained throughout the Cruise

After a delicious dinner, the girls went to Aloft, so Paul & I went down to Diversions for a nightcap, and where I got a good beating playing draughts

On our way back to our room, we picked up some snacks and the girls rolled in around 12.30am after a fun evening too. It seemed that everytime we came back to the room, we would find little gifts in our Fish Extender ~ it was lots of fun to take part in

[mandymouse]

Monday 25th August ‘08 ~ Castaway Cay 1

I was awake at 7am, and I sat out on our verandah watching the ship reverse into Castaway Cay

Everyone was awake around 8am, so we had breakfast at the Beach Blanket Buffet. We got off around 9.30am and we went to the family beach.







Around 10.00am, CM’s came round closing all the beach umbrellas as a storm was heading this way, and at 10.30am it poured down. We took shelter near Cookie’s BBQ, and 20 minutes or so later, it stopped raining and we headed back to the beach

Around 12ish the girls had had enough sun, so I walked them back to the ship

Once back onboard, the girls chilled out in the room and I took off for the beach again. Paul & I had lunch at Cookie’s BBQ and we had a cocktail at the Conched Out Bar



We left the beach around 2.30pm and took a slow walk back to the ship. After a quick shower, Paul & I wandered around the ship taking photos and taking in the odd cocktail along the way (well it would’ve been rude not too )



We watched the ship leave Castaway Cay at 5pm and then we got ready for our 6pm dinner reservation at Palo. Kim from Belguim was our server and she was lovely. We had a bottle of Asti Spumante and our meal started with a basket of different breads, some dips and a plate of cheeses and meats.







For our starters, Paul had the Grilled Portobello Mushroom and I had Mozzerella & Plum Tomatoes. For our mains, Paul had the Palo Beef Tenderloin with a red wine sauce and I had Lamb which was a special for the day ~ and it was all DELISH !

For dessert I had Chocolate Amaretto Indulgence and Paul had the Panna Cotta and then Kim brought out some Pineapple & Almond Ravioli ~ Mmmmm

We finished off with a vodka based sorbet drink. We had a great time in Palo, it is so relaxing in there and it is hard to believe that you are sharing your Cruise with 2,000 other people ~ it is so peaceful in there





Anyway, tonight is Pirate Night. Kerry & Becky had gone off to dinner with the others, and we were going to meet them down there once we’d got changed. We grabbed a couple of Bahama Mamas in the Promenade Lounge and went to find them

Pirate Night was lots of fun, and we enjoyed watching the girls doing the limbo in Parrot Cay. We all sang Happy Birthday to Tori (the Cruise was her Sweet 16th birthday present)



After dinner the girls all went off to have some professional photos taken, so Paul & I went up to Deck 10 to see the Pirate Party and the fireworks ~ it was great

After one last drinkypoo we headed back to the room around 11pm (lightweights eh ?) and the girls came in around 1am ~ I wish I had their energy

Once again today there had been lots of lovely gifts left in our Fish Extenders, and today we got lots of Pirate based goodies like stickers, tattoos and glow sticks for the party etc. We are really enjoying these exchanges and the girls loved delivering our gifts to everyone ~ Thank you Bahama Mama’s, you’re all so generous

[mandymouse]

Tuesday 26th August ‘08 ~ Nassau

We had a very lazy day today. Paul & I watched from our verandah as the ship docked into Nassau

We’re not too bothered about getting off the ship at Nassau, but we planned to take some photos from the dock later in the day

We found some loungers up to Deck 10 around 10.30am and we happily lazed in the sun while watching Lilo & Stitch on the big screen above the Goofy Pool

We had lunch at the Beach Blanket Buffet around 12ish, and were joined by Laurie and her family who had just got back from a jaunt around Nassau. After a quick chat, Paul & I went back to lie out, but we only lasted about ½ an hour as it was so hot, so we retreated to our room with some ice-cream

Later in the afternoon, Paul & I disembarked and went to take some photos in the harbour









Once back onboard, we had a couple of cocktails on top deck and watched the Wonder leave Nassau at 7pm before getting ready for dinner







Tonight is ‘dress up’ night and we were again in Parrot Cay. We had a lovely meal again and after dinner, we got changed and met up with some of the ‘Bahama Mama’s’ in Wavebands before moving to Diversions for a chat and a few cocktails



Today’s cocktails of the day was the Planter’s Punch, and my, they were strong ! We got to bed around 1am, and I was out for the count the moment my head hit the pillow. The girls came back around 2am, but I didn’t hear them as I was zonked out

[mandymouse]

Wednesday 27th August ‘08 ~ Castaway Cay 2

Our plans for today were to get off the ship at 8.30am, have an hour on Castaway Cay and head back for 10.30am for our 11am reservation for Brunch at Palo

Well thanks to all the Planter’s Punches from the previous day, I didn’t surface till 9am. The girls were meeting up with the other girls at 9.45am on the island, so Paul got ready and walked them off the ship to meet their friends. When he got back, he got changed and had ½ an hour in the sun up on a very quiet top deck. I just chilled in our room and I had a good look at all the wonderful gifts I’d been given through our Fish Extender exchange



When Paul got back, he got changed and we went up to Palo. We were seated looking out over Castaway Cay, it was a beautiful view. Once again we had Kim as our server and again she was great. She gave us a tour of all the tables of food. There were tables with fruit, seafood, breads, ham, cheese and desserts







We started off with a plate of items from the tables and we were given a Mimosa. Next came the egg dish. Paul had eggs benedict with salmon and I had eggs benedict with spinach. Then we had the lunch part of our meal. Paul had veal and I had chicken with mozzarella risotto, and we finished off with a couple of the desserts (which are very small ) ~ the tiramisu was yummy

Once again we had a ‘Wonder’ful meal. We finished it off with another glass of Mimosa. It was a lovely, relaxing meal and we were seated with a perfect view

After Brunch, we got changed and rolled ourselves down to Castaway Cay

We found Kerry, Becky, Tori & Bethany and we stayed with them on the beach for a while until Kerry & Becky had had enough (around 2pm). After an hour of sitting out in the sun (it was really hot today), Paul & I stopped off for a couple of Konk Koolers at the Conched Out Bar



We stayed till about 3.30pm and then headed back to the ship

After showers, we chilled out for a while and then we made a start on the depressing job of packing

After a quick Bahama Mama, we stopped off at the desk to re-book for next year, as we wanted to get the discount and onboard credit, (so we are now booked for 16th August ’09, though we may change it depending on when we decide to fly out). Once we had re-booked we got changed and we met up with the ‘Bahama Mama’s’ to have some photos taken in the Atrium



Dinner tonight was at Tritons. Once again we had a lovely meal and a bottle of Asti Spumante. We handed out our tip envelopes and said our goodbyes and thankyous to our servers

After dinner, we finished off our packing and had our cases outside our room before the 11pm deadline, so that we didn’t have to carry our luggage off ourselves

Paul & I took one last walk around Deck 9, and I went to see Samson one last time at the Goofy Pool for a Bahama Mama and I left him a little tip too



We had an earlyish night and the girls came back around 1.45am

[mandymouse]

Thursday 28th August ‘08 ~ Back at Port Canaveral

We were up around 7am and took our time getting ready, as we were due to have breakfast in Tritons at 8.15am and we had to vacate our room by 8am. It was quite sad sitting with our tablemates for the last time and having to say goodbye to them

I was doing OK till Kerry's eyes started to fill up, so I ended up having to put my sunglasses on as mine filled up too

We had met some ‘Wonder’ful people and we had made lots of new friends

We disembarked around 9am and sadly said goodbye to the Disney Wonder, but at least with the happiness of knowing that we had another Cruise booked for next Summer





Thoughts

We had an amazing time on this Cruise. It was great to meet the people who I had been chatting to on our Cruise thread or on instant messaging ~ I’ve made some lovely new friends, and I really hope that we get to meet up again

Kerry & Becky had so much fun with the other teenage girls, and they are all keeping in touch with each other too

Another plus for this Cruise, was the double dip to Castaway Cay. It was so much fun to go there twice and I really hope that DCL will run more double dips in the future

I'm so pleased that we linked our reservations with our friends. Dinner was so much fun and it was great chatting about what we'd been doing that day

As ever, Palo was fantastic. The food was really good and our server Kim was the best. I still can't decide whether I prefer Brunch or Dinner, so I will just have to book both when I get the chance

[TinkTatoo]

Sounds like a fantastic cruise Mandy and it was great being able to read it having been there myself. The double dip would have been right up my street and if they do them again that may tempt us back

[jdybnsn]

Mandy your cruise trip report & pictures really cheered me up on this dismal rainy day !

My gosh... you have two very pretty girls (obviously, they take after their Mother ! )

...glad to hear you have rebooked, because of course you'll HAVE to try the Palo high tea, to be able to make accurate comparisons

[Rossalino]

Thanks for posting this report - great photos and really enjoyed reading it, especially as we will be on the Wonder in just over 3 weeks and I can't wait! It seemed like it was extra special that fact that you met up with friends you'd met online and also lucky for your daughters there were other girls their age.

Do you get a good discount, booking for next year when you're still on the ship and would you be able to cancel it if you had to?

Wendy

[Bats]

Thanks for the report .. absolutely brilliant looking at the photos and thinking 'we'll be there in 22 days' (same cruise as Rossalino )

We're also going to book again while we're onboard, I've heard it's a 10% discount, is that right? We'll amend our booking once the 2010 dates come out .. looking at doing a 7 night Western perhaps.

Come on countdown, tick away quicker!

[Michelle]

Wonderful trip report as always Mandy

At least you have another one to look forward to.