EJanss

Cabana's.
(crosses fingers for Feb '22)

I chickened out of my Feb 1. Marvel DCL, and had them change it to a Nov. 13 '21 Christmas DCL.  

368.  😐

Just bumping this thread since the June 2020 TCM Classic Cruise (6n, Western Caribbean, on the Fantasy from Canaveral) has been emergency rescheduled for October 24-30, 2021, assuming DCL is back and cruising.
Which means I'm finally in time to sign up for one, but given the huge jump in price from 5-6 nights, I'd have to split an Access Standard Inside with another traveler.

It's a TCM charter, so most of the pertinent info is on TCM's site, but since conversation traffic there is a bit slow, like the OP, I'd thought discussion might be a little more active among the veteran cruisers.

(Er, I hope?)  🙄

Just thinking ahead for '21, if/when things have calmed down for a Feb. cruise:

Only had one cruise to Nassau before, and was so hammered by longtime cruisers "horror stories" of what a "dump" the city was, I was a little hesitant to go further in--I was traveling in a wheelchair, and was curious about Atlantis, but didn't want to trust the onslaught of pier taxi drivers drumming up business (not sure of which were genuine and which might be scamming), so I just wheeled around the colorful tourist Bay St. shops for that first glimpse of the city.

Now I'm feeling a little more adventurous, and might TRY to make it out to Atlantis to see it up close...Any advice?
Last time, a few would-be drivers saw me in the chair and said "It's okay, I have a van!", but I wasn't sure (I have a lot of trouble getting out of it).  With an early start, would I have a reasonably good travel option for finding my way out to Atlantis' other side of the bay, and back again by 3pm?

On 4/30/2020 at 1:38 PM, LeeW said:

Added:  Character encounters can be a lot of fun.  For example, a large group was getting their formal pictures taken on the staircase.  We were above.  Peter Pan sneaked down into the back of  their group and they didn't see him.  We had a few minutes to talk with him when he snuck back up the stairs and he was disappointed that the art gallery didn't have many pictures of him or Wendy - mostly just of Tink.  All of the characters onboard are like this.  A Disney cruise is an immersion into Disney.

I was just about to choose a RC ship (now that I know their Access cabins are on a par with DCL's), but...at the last minute, it was the ambient Disney-immersion that got me.  I may do RC next, if I can get an Oasis, but for now, I couldn't go five nights without it.  😊

For those who do like characters, it's fun on a longer cruise, since--unlike the thousands of anonymous guests that come in and out of the parks every day and are never seen again--the characters are more familiar with the same guests for four or five days, you can get a greet of recognition as they pass by, and there's more chance for a little random fun.

On 3/7/2020 at 11:39 AM, preschool teacher said:

is it better to have a sea day to soak up more Disney fun?

now I heard that you Get more of a Disney experience leaving from Port Canaveral ???

Sea days are fun, because it's usually the "theme" day--If there isn't a stated theme on the cruise, like Christmas, Halloween, Star Wars/Marvel, etc., one of the sea days will usually be the default Pirate-themed night.  (And a whole day to prepare for it.)  

And apart from the Disney bus from Orlando--and having your luggage handled directly from a Disney resort or the Airport Hyatt--there's nothing particularly "Disney" about the Port Canaveral terminal that you wouldn't get from a Disney resort hotel lobby.

On 4/6/2018 at 12:58 PM, IsabelG said:

Can anyone give advice about an Oceanview room vs a Verandah with a young child?

I never went for an Oceanview, as there's rarely anything you can SEE outside the portholes:
There's nothing at sea, and even less at night, and if you're enjoying shore activities, you'll miss a day view of the port if you get one.  

I suppose having a porthole, for light, makes the cabin seem less closed-in and gives a place to sit, but with a large family group, it's nothing to pay extra for.

I'm no gun-toting Covidiot, but I've optimistically gambled everything--okay, just a third of my stimulus check--on the Disney Magic being up and running again in the Bahamas by Feb. 1.  

(I'd never been at the right time or right place to find an affordable Marvel Day at Sea before, and I'm not passing up this chance now...Although I'm still getting Cancellation insurance just in case.)

Even if it means packing masks along, I'm used to it by now.  Now I just have to find a few more fashionable ones.

It's the one thing getting me through spring in New England, where winter doesn't officially end until Memorial Day.

(Oops, never mind--
A quick check of the Deck plan puts the theater nowhere near my cabin choices...

Well, see folks in February '21, if things improve.)  😁

I'm choosing an Access room for the next cruise, and the available Insides on the Magic at the price range (playing it conservative) are either on Deck 7 Aft, which seems a bit too low, and Deck 6 Aft, which, the website advertises is "Just above the Buena Vista Theater, for movie lovers".  (Oh, did I mention this was a Marvel cruise?  🙉 )

When I sailed on the Wonder, the rooms were all the way Aft, at the end of the hall, and IIRC, so was the BVT--I'm having the nervous feeling I may be "Just above the movie theater", at that.  And the fact that the Deck 6 cabin is cheaper than the 7 does little to calm my worries.

That's not a deal-breaker, though, as I spend most of my time outside except for the mornings and after 11pm, I know the ship is well-built, and there probably won't be too much "Noise from the neighbors downstairs"...Am I worrying TOO much?  Has anyone had a similar cabin, and can report?

Are there any available hotel shuttles in and out of MIA and Port Miami accessible to wheelchair riders?

Large coach-tour buses usually have an outside lift, while most of the small van-service shuttles don't.  Uber claims to offer some access vans in some cities, but even there the service is said to be spotty, where it is available.

Any travel experience I can count on?

Step in the right direction - Thanx.  🙂

I'm currently looking at early possibilities for a WTIAO'21 (When This Is All Over '21) cruise, and most of my early picks seem to be departing Miami's port.

I've only had one cruise so far, a Disney departing Port Canaveral, and I've been spoiled by their private MCO -> Canaveral shuttle/luggage service.  

What's the favorite recommendation for a pre-overnight Miami hotel stay with easy access from the airport and/or to the terminal, for those who don't get around much (wheelchair passenger) and would have to rely on public transportation?  Or UberX, if it came to that.

If I end up settling on a departure out of San Diego or New Orleans, I'll save those questions for another post.

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

This is it - in a nut shell.

That, and if you're going to keep to yourself the whole time, might as well take a plane.

Are there any ships that cruise in the caribbean from Florida that aren't necessarily an accessible room but has showers and not tub/showers together. Having a hard time finding. Such as we'd like a mini suite on princess but we want a mini suite and it just has a tubs with showers in it. Don't want to book a year or so out which you seem like you have to do with accessible rooms. We need a room that we can fold up the wheelchair and he can walk a short way but can't get into a bathtub. Thanks in advance.

Had an access cabin on Disney Cruise, and their baths have a shower corner (depressed floor and ringed by curtains) with a solid pull-down bench, optional hand-shower, and one open double-size bathroom accessible to manual chair.

As another chair rider, I'm afraid to try other lines worrying they won't have another one as accessible. :)

I'm not the "shorts" type, wasn't planning to beach, and wore long slacks on Castaway Cay.

Okay, note to self, buy Bermuda shorts, or at least Bahama ones.

The only question is whether a movie is the way you choose to spend your time on board or whether there is something else you'd rather do knowing that you can see movies at home.

Actually, I saved all my movies for the trip, since I'm very much about the theater a movie is shown in (those who grew up with a one-screen main-street theater, and not cineplexes, it's hard to explain it to those who didn't), and it felt like there was an extra bit of coziness watching it in the middle of the ocean, along with everything else the self-contained ship was providing on its sea day...No distractions! :D

I loved your review. What made it so refreshing was you were looking at it through non-Disney rose colored glasses with the added experience of having cruised multiple lines. I was sorry to hear about your Palo server. He was way out of line. You never build up your product by putting down your competitors'. That's just poor taste.

That sounds like he was just getting his own fresh personal cruise-server experiences off his chest, rather than polishing apples for the company, but yes, bad form.

I'm Disney-literate, but not the kind of raving Disney fan who decorates doors or gushes over Beauty/Beast, Frozen or Lion King, so while I frequently go to the Parks, I'm used to associating Disney travel just with the company dictum of expecting good professional service all around from the minute you walk in the door. Having the characters and movie references are just a perk.

I'm sure I could get just as good a Bahamas cruise for less price from Royal Caribbean, but I'm....afraid to try. :D Which probably explains the high amount of repeat customers.

The Grand Slam logo looks perfect, but the "B2B" ship picture looks a little.....weird. :confused:

People might think the Grand Slam is baseball, and you can brag about "all four ships", but you may find yourself defending the picture against other people's creative ideas to figure it out.

I'm more for simpler door-minimalism anyway; it's not your 12-yo. bedroom, after all.

Maybe old news from the other Magic-drydock thread, but to confirm official new press details from the Sentinel--

Following Tiana's Place on the Wonder, another former Carioca's is under new Disney-host management, to go with its "Tangled" musical:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/the-daily-disney/os-disney-magic-tangled-restaurant-20171117-story.html

What it has said is the restaurant will be adorned with glowing wish lanterns and colorful drawings reflecting Rapunzel’s artistic talents as if in the royal ballroom of the king and queen of Corona. Singing and dancing will be led by the maître d’ alongside a band of musicians and the aforementioned characters including Rapunzel herself. The entertainment also includes a parade.

Attila’s cupcakes are sure to be on the menu, and one might expect mime entertainment from Ulf, as described in the movie’s song “I’ve Got a Dream,” although the cruise line has not offered up that level of detail yet.

Vanellope’s Sweets and Treats replaced the Arr-cade on the Dream and Sweet On You replaced the Arr-cade on the Fantasy during their last dry docks.

What replaced it on the Wonder's dry-dock? I didn't recall seeing an Arr-cade there either.

I'd heard the necessity of bringing night lights to inside staterooms (face facts, you're in a fashionable closet ;) ), but I had an Access room, and the main cabin light-switch was readily available within reach of the door/bed.

I take it that's not the case with standard inside rooms?

Thanks. One more question, is it likely that we will have time to watch all three on a 7 day cruise with 2 days at sea?

I managed to get two of my movies seen over a 4-day cruise, and three if I'd remembered to save the third for the trip--there's only about six or seven different movies being rotated on a 4-day, unless it's a "theme" cruise with special SW/Marvel showings--and it's only a mixup that kept me from seeing one of the 3-D showings. (Forgot which was the BVT, went to the WDT and missed the showing...Fortunately, the live musical was just starting.)

Pretty sure you'll have enough time to see anything from a 7-day rotation, there's no need to rush to get all three out of the way before the good stuff...Unless, of course, you want to free up your schedule for the lounges, parties and live shows.

And all three look good, but don't feel badly if you think the new Thor is a bit "too goofy"--Fan backlash is starting to agree that Thor's director may have abused his privilege somewhat trying to make his movie "Guardians of the Galaxy-style" :rolleyes: , but it's certainly not as bad as the second one was. At least core Disney-travel fans will get ONE joke in the movie.

I do not believe that's correct. It's not even listed on Minute Maid's own site . So, no, you cannot find it in stores outside of Disney.

It was available, but a quick search of Amazon/Wal-mart looks like it was widely discontinued outside of its Disney parks/cruise deal...Darn. :mad:

Seems to be Minute Maid Pomegranate Lemonade (not "juice"), so should be available at fine stores near you--

Doesn't seem to be a "Disney exclusive" brand, like the Dole Whip at the parks, or the rare drinks that Panera Bread offers.