So we’ve been back from our Disney cruise about 72 hours now and we’re still recovering from our vacation, LOL! We had a phenomenal time and our trip couldn’t have been any more perfect. I know many of my friends have questions about the Disney cruise experience so I decided to do my best to chronicle, daily, our experience and include some tips along the way…. I hope you enjoy these posts!
Cozumel was one of the stops on our delightful Disney Magic western Caribbean cruise in April of this year. The day we stopped in Cozumel was slightly overcast and windy. There were miserable clouds overhead that couldn’t make up their minds whether or not they wanted to rain or just be content with blocking the sun. From the Disney dock we had a LONG walk to the terminal; there were rickshaw type rides available for a small fee to take cruisers from the ship to the actual terminal. We had to pass through a busy open air mini mall area (a nice place to buy souvenirs) to reach the taxi stands. We made reservations at Nachi Cocom Beach Club in advance and easily found a cab to head there; the ride was about 15 minutes. Upon our arrival they had us pose at the entrance to the club for a cute family photo, providing gigantic Mexican hats for us to pose in. We did not purchase the photo before we departed though it would make a very cute souvenir.
COURTESY OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE LINES
Rock Climbing: Most Royal Caribbean cruise ships have fully outfitted rock climbing walls on board. Outfitted for children and adults alike, these areas are perfect for a whole family to adventure together, without even leaving the ship! Imagine the incredible views of the sea or mountainous islands that you can achieve from the lofty heights of the rock wall….
In July of this year we spent 5 days at the Iberostar Rose Hall Suites in Rose Hall, Jamaica. It was sort of a last minute trip; we were itching for a quick getaway and realized that my in laws (hubby’s parents and sister’s family) were going to be in Jamaica during the last week of July and spending a few days at the resort. We had some miles with JetBlue and decided to join them in Jamaica. Since we moved to Florida, time with our family is relegated to once, maybe twice a year when either my in-laws or we decide to make the trek from MD to FL (or vice cersa). The prospect of spending time with family on vacation was too good to miss out on.
A couple Sundays ago we spent a few hours at a local charity called Feeding Children Everywhere. Our friends, who have worked with the charity before, had planned their daughter’s 5th birthday party there. We didn’t quite know what to expect but it seemed like a unique idea for our children to begin fostering a spirit of volunteerism so we were glad to participate.
I’ll be honest: I usually avoid the Downtown Disney area like the plague. Since we moved to Florida two years ago we have been deeply immersed in everything Disney. As annual passholders we frequented Walt Disney World often during our first year here, taking quick family dates to the parks on random weekday afternoons and and relaxing afternoons at the Downtown Disney shops. In the last year though we’ve avoided the area in general due to the headache inducing traffic surrounding the area.
Now I finally understand why: Downtown Disney is being reborn as Disney Springs with new areas to shop and dine and a transformed look. My husband and I are real foodies and the first thing I researched when I heard about the construction and renovations was the new dining options that were planned. Morimoto Asia has been on my radar for months now.
Courtesy of Celebrity Cruise Lines
Have a picnic on the lawn: Imagine sitting on a freshly manicured lawn of deep, plush, green grass, staring up at the clear blue sky with a strong ocean breeze blowing over you. One of the unique features of Celebrity Cruise lines is the Lawn Club, half an acre of real green grass featured on the top decks of the Solstice Class Ships. Here you can find Alcoves which are cabana that offer some privacy for spending the afternoon reading a book, playing chess or taking a light lunch. Cruisers can play croquet or practice their golf swing. Some evenings they may find a live musical concert at the Lawn Club, enjoying music under the setting sun.
Our Sunday was spent visiting the famous Showcase of Citrus with our church’s kids club. Our Adventurer club outings are always quite exciting and my daughters and their friends were looking forward to this for weeks. I had heard about this massive citrus farm and wildlife reserve but this was my first visit!
Key West was the first stop on our Disney Magic cruise, the next day after embarkation, and we planned to take it easy. We wanted to visit the small aquarium located downtown and considered hopping aboard one of the sight seeing trolley/buses. Upon leaving the ship there are complementary open-air trolley buses to take you from port to the city center, which is a short 7 minute ride. This particular day was beautiful and sunny but was very hot.
We visited Grand Cayman as one of the port destinations on our Disney Magic cruise in April of this year. In preparation for our stop on the island we researched the different beaches and resorts to decide where to spend the day, using a site called Resort For A Day. We settled on the Royal Palms Beach Club and were not disappointed. It is located on the famous Seven Mile Beach with it’s powdery sands and azure waters; it was easily one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever visited.