April 20th, 2018 5-Night Bahamian from Miami (Key West, Nassau, Castaway Cay)

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Hello All Who are Sailing on Disney Magic April 20th, 2018!

Five days of FUN, SUN, and SEA! Welcome, Introduce Yourself, Tell Your Tales of Previous Adventures, Ask Your Newbie Questions, and Commiserate About How Far Away Our Cruise Is!

 

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Hey,

My name is Sue and this will be my 11th Disney Cruise. I am sailing with my DS(21)-Disney Son for the Newbies. We are from Massachusetts and this is the week we always have off in order to celebrate Patriot's Day (third Monday in April.)

I have 3 DS's in total who grew up with DCL, the other 2 are in college. We are flying in on Monday the 16th and doing 3 days at WDW before the cruise.

I am looking forward to the cruise. Just not looking forward to the drive from Disney World to Miami!

 

[Treft Family]

Hi, Sue!
Thanks for doing this.

Lisa CT

 

[pershing]

My Pleasure!

If anyone wants to get an idea what our Navigators will possibly look like, just go to the disney cruise line blog website and look at the February 17, 2017 Navigator. I can't post a link from the disboards so you'll have to search for it yourselves. For future planning, dinner dress/events may go like this:

Day One Casual / At Sea
Day Two Casual / Key West
Day Three Dress Up Optional / Nassau
Day Four Pirate Dress Up or Casual / Castaway Cay(Fireworks)
Day Five Casual / At Sea

 

[KristinM1027]

We just booked our first Disney cruise! I'll be sailing with my husband (celebrating our 12-year anniversary on 4/22) and our kids DS9 and DD6.

 

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We just booked our first Disney cruise! I'll be sailing with my husband (celebrating our 12-year anniversary on 4/22) and our kids DS9 and DD6.

Hi!

Disney Cruises are addicting, so I warn you!

Your kids are the same age as mine were when we first cruised in 2003. They loved the kids' clubs and are sad that they have aged out.

Congrats on 12 years! Make sure your travel agent or Disney Cruise directly knows you are celebrating your anniversary.

 

[kid-at-heart]

We will be on the cruise, our fifth. After this cruise we will need just five more (and then five more and then five more). This will be our first cruise with just my husband and I. Our daughter will be mid-semester (college) so will have to stay behind. Surprisingly she says she does not mind, that she prefers hiking vacations more than cruising vacations. I think the key is, she is a doer, I am a be'er. Spouse is both.

Kate

 

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kid-at-heart!

I'm not a vacation do-er either. I don't even do many excursions as I like to relax and recharge on my cruises. Normally, I put the cruise after doing WDW, and as we all know, that's enough doing!

I'm really bonding with the small ships lately. Last April, we did a 3 day Wonder and it was so enjoyable and relaxing it felt like a week on the Fantasy.

What made you choose Magic out of Miami this time around?

 

[Nicole786]

We just booked our first Disney cruise! I'll be sailing with my husband (celebrating our 12-year anniversary on 4/22) and our kids DS9 and DD6.

Celebrating my 1 year on the 23rd! Hoping to get Palo for dinner that night. It's our castaway cay day, and I think I'll book the jet ski excursion because I know a cabana will be so impossible haha

 

[kid-at-heart]

kid-at-heart!

I'm not a vacation do-er either. I don't even do many excursions as I like to relax and recharge on my cruises. Normally, I put the cruise after doing WDW, and as we all know, that's enough doing!

I'm really bonding with the small ships lately. Last April, we did a 3 day Wonder and it was so enjoyable and relaxing it felt like a week on the Fantasy.

What made you choose Magic out of Miami this time around?

We really like the classic lines and size of the Magic and Wonder. Our previous cruises have all been on the Wonder, because the dates and itineraries met our needs/wants. This time, it was the Magic that worked for us. I teach (college) so that limits when we can travel. My mother (age 91) also lives with us so we cannot travel unless we have someone she can visit. Ideally someone would come stay with her but that is generally not the case. To hire someone and pay them for 24 hour care is way out of our budget. Stars were in alignment, the cruise hit at a time I could travel, my sister was available for a Mom visit, the garden will not need attending to until May...

I also would like to take a trip on both the Dream and Fantasy but that probably will have to wait until I retire.

Does anyone have recommendations for dining servers on the Magic?

Kate

 

[Nicole786]

kid-at-heart!

I'm not a vacation do-er either. I don't even do many excursions as I like to relax and recharge on my cruises. Normally, I put the cruise after doing WDW, and as we all know, that's enough doing!

I'm really bonding with the small ships lately. Last April, we did a 3 day Wonder and it was so enjoyable and relaxing it felt like a week on the Fantasy.

What made you choose Magic out of Miami this time around?

I'm actually a little concerned about being "let down" on the Magic after only sailing the Dream and Fantasy, maybe someone here can chime in about the adult only areas and how they compare??

I chose this sailing because it crosses perfectly over my anniversary, and I live in West Palm Beach, about an hour north of the port. It was between this, or the 4 night out of Port Canaveral, but I figured I would try a new ship!

 

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Celebrating my 1 year on the 23rd! Hoping to get Palo for dinner that night. It's our castaway cay day, and I think I'll book the jet ski excursion because I know a cabana will be so impossible haha

Nicole786!

Palo would be a very romantic venue for a one year anniversary celebration. I don't know what Castaway Club level you are, but if you don't get the 23rd online, you know there's always a second chance once you board.

I've never understood the attraction to having a cabana. I like to walk the beach and wade in the water, so I'm never really still.

 

[pershing]

We really like the classic lines and size of the Magic and Wonder. Our previous cruises have all been on the Wonder, because the dates and itineraries met our needs/wants. This time, it was the Magic that worked for us. I teach (college) so that limits when we can travel. My mother (age 91) also lives with us so we cannot travel unless we have someone she can visit. Ideally someone would come stay with her but that is generally not the case. To hire someone and pay them for 24 hour care is way out of our budget. Stars were in alignment, the cruise hit at a time I could travel, my sister was available for a Mom visit, the garden will not need attending to until May...

I also would like to take a trip on both the Dream and Fantasy but that probably will have to wait until I retire.

Does anyone have recommendations for dining servers on the Magic?

Kate

I've been liking the smaller ships too after being on the Fantasy a couple years in a row.

I can sympathize with you regarding your mother. My mother is 'aging in place' right now with my brother and I spliting the care for her. He has breakfast with her and I show up later to do errands, doctor's appointments etc. He does the handyman stuff around the house. So far it's been working but we know someday one of us will have to move in. She's 89.

 

[pershing]

I'm actually a little concerned about being "let down" on the Magic after only sailing the Dream and Fantasy, maybe someone here can chime in about the adult only areas and how they compare??

I chose this sailing because it crosses perfectly over my anniversary, and I live in West Palm Beach, about an hour north of the port. It was between this, or the 4 night out of Port Canaveral, but I figured I would try a new ship!

The Magic and Wonder IMOP have a better adult pool. The design is much better than their bigger sisters in that people don't spill out from the forward elevators right in front of the pool. The forward elevators are used less on the smaller ships so Quiet Cove is actually quieter. Downside is no Satellite Falls on top deck-which I love! And old style hot tubs. Not the new ones with the glass bottom near the sides of the ship. But the pool is actually a small pool and not a wading pond.

 

[Nicole786]

The Magic and Wonder IMOP have a better adult pool. The design is much better than their bigger sisters in that people don't spill out from the forward elevators right in front of the pool. The forward elevators are used less on the smaller ships so Quiet Cove is actually quieter. Downside is no Satellite Falls on top deck-which I love! And old style hot tubs. Not the new ones with the glass bottom near the sides of the ship. But the pool is actually a small pool and not a wading pond.

I didn't think about the forward elevators! I remember that on the Fantasy. Bummer about the hot tubs...are there still lounge chairs on the top most deck for some even quieter relaxation?

 

[pershing]

I didn't think about the forward elevators! I remember that on the Fantasy. Bummer about the hot tubs...are there still lounge chairs on the top most deck for some even quieter relaxation?

Yes, of course.

The Magic will go through a drydock the month before our cruise. Maybe they will update the hot tubs?

In general though, I found the Wonder last year to be quieter and calmer than the bigger ships. More adult in general. We had late seating for dinner and you could talk to your table mates and be heard. There wasn't the cacophony of voices that there usually is.

 

[Mrs.Nesbitt]

Hi all!
I'm Danielle and this will be my first cruise. I'm travelling with my husband, mom and son. We will be at sea for my sons 6th birthday. We're so excited!

 

[Rachel Lamont]

Hi, my name is Rachel and I just booked our very first Disney Cruise! I'll be sailing with my boyfriend and our 8 year old daughter. We visited Disney World last year for the first time and we've been itching to go back. I've been reading up on lots of tips from where to eat to what to pack.
Our daughter will be celebrating her 9th birthday on the 23rd so we're all really excited for that! We hope to meet new people and look forward to making wonderful memories!

 

[Rachel Lamont]

Hi all!
I'm Danielle and this will be my first cruise. I'm travelling with my husband, mom and son. We will be at sea for my sons 6th birthday. We're so excited!

My daughter will be 9 on the 23rd? When is your son's birthday?

 

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Hi all!
I'm Danielle and this will be my first cruise. I'm travelling with my husband, mom and son. We will be at sea for my sons 6th birthday. We're so excited!

Mrs. Nesbitt.

Congratulations on your first cruise. Sailing DCL is addictive. I warn you!

Lots of birthdays and anniversaries here. DCL will know about the birthdays from your dates on your reservations. They will trott out a cake at dinner with the waiters singing to you. Anniversaries you have to let them know. If you didn't let them know when you made the reservation, you should sent them an email. It's just like the parks with family celebrations-Disney gives a little pixie dust.