Love the update! I've been following a few of your TRs, but I'm not sure if I have commented at all. There's a tight group here and that can be intimidating! I found you when I was looking to book a cruise on the Fantasy. In fact, we sailed on the Fantasy just a few weeks before you and Fran and company - August 11th, and spent the same days post cruise in WDW that you and Fran spent pre cruise.
I admit I do not love cruising - this was my 4th cruise, but first on
DCL. I found it super chaotic and the constant entertainment was a lot. But I was traveling with 8 other family members, so that could have contributed to the chaos! I think traveling with young children really changes things. It was myself, my husband, our teenage daughter, my mother in law and father in law, and my brother in law and his family - my nieces are 3 and 6. There was a lot of running from one activity to another. Trying to make a picture time or trivia time or show or reception and then dinner - it was constant go go go.
I think if we had traveled with the 3 of us - myself, my husband, and our teenage daughter - it would have been more relaxing. We could have the later dinner seating, less rushing from one thing to another, and more floating from one activity as we wished, to another, or to nothing at all. It was a lot of doing, and not a lot of chilling.
I also got fairly seasick one night (I forgot to get a patch, as I have for other cruises), and almost flew home from St Thomas. It was that bad. So that definitely colored my trip.
But your cruise seems chill, and it's enticing me to look at future cruises! Suddenly, I'm like, well maybe that wasn't so bad! So let's say you are the adult travel advertisement!
I did do some adult chill things. I spent a good chunk of time at the Rainforest, because it was quiet. No one was playing a movie at loud volume or trying to get me to have fun. My daughter and I watched Disney movies in the room - we loved that. My husband and I did Remy and Palo and I loved them. In fact, we went to V & A post cruise, and I thought Remy for dinner was actually better.
Would you suggest Remy for brunch? We loved it for dinner - and we had the same server as you! I liked Palo for dinner, but brunch seems to be where it's at. And, can I say - skipping pirate night and eating as an adult is a BRILLIANT idea. Oh my god, the crowd for the fireworks!
In short, I found WDW more relaxing than the cruise. Maybe it's because we have DVC and APs and we know we are always coming back - we just stroll there. No running for rides. Real relaxed meals, wine with dinner, hanging out at the pool or hot tub.
I'll take any suggestions you (and your readers) have on how to chill on a DCL trip. Clearly, I need lessons.