YEAR TWO - Doing it all again - Mother Daughter Cruise on the WONDER

[dreamcometrue]

Hope you're feeling better!

 

[MB MinnieGirl]

Before I start I want to thank you for your patience! I am SO very sorry for the time it's taken me to get back to my TR. After being sick and then traveling to a family reunion things went insane at work with my partner being laid off (real estate market going further and further down hill right now) and me having to take over her territory as well. It is meaning a lot of extra work and time devotion on my part which combined with taking care of Maddie, dance, PTO, and other obligations has left me with little to no time for much else lately. Everyday I have promised to get to the TR then when I collapse in my bed at night I promise again for the next....

Thank you for understanding!! I am trying to get a hold on everything right now.

Now....on with the WONDER

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DAY TWO - WE ARE ONBOARD!!!!!!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 5th, 2007


Once we walked through the atrium and managed to stop the teary eyes, we began to make our way to lunch. It seems no matter how many people are onboard yet, the job of that one CM is to steer everyone into Parrot Cay. Nope! Not us. We have to have the fresh air, the open view, the noise, and the excitement of deck 10 at Beach Blanket. Funny thing is with all the beautiful places to eat, and the amazing food....THIS is our favorite spot to sit down and eat. Breakfast is something we love on the ship because it is such an amazing start to the day looking out over the sea and port and realizing again hat we truly are in Heaven.

I was very curious about Maddie with this cruise. When we cruised in 2006, she didn't remember much from our first cruise when she was 4. This time is had only been a year and she was older so I knew she would remember it all. I wondered if she would still find it as amazing. YES!! When we got to deck 10 she immediately began to squeeze my hand and jump up and down...."We are back Mommy! We are back. Look! There's the pool! Look at the towels laid out! Can we go swimming after lunch? Is the Mickey slide open yet? " And on and on. No more worries....just complete awe and wonder!

We walked to Beach Blanket and it was obvious the family of the week went to Parrot Cay as we were the ONLY people there for the first few moments. Quite an amazing and surreal feeling. I got that, "oh it's really true here we are here," lump in my throat when the CM in the server line smiled so kindly and said with a beautiful French accent, "Have a wonderful day and enjoy the ship Miss." Whoooo Hoooo!!! I was called MISS! I'm LOVING IT!! Maddie didn't miss a beat and remembered the exit buttons for the door right off the bat. We took our trays FULL of food and headed straight out to "our table" The one right by the railing overlooking the sea at Port Canaveral. I know I had Salmon, some pasta salad, and I think shrimp salad also, but I couldn't tell you what else. I know we both ate plates full of food and then went back for .....of yea....desserts!

This cracked me up! Maddie wanted to surprise me which she ended up doing to herself. She went back inside BB and grabbed two espresso parfait. I knew she thought it was pure chocolate. She ate the first half of it before delving into the brown - not so chocolate tasting sauce. The look on her face was priceless! I didn't tell her what it was ahead of time because I didn't want her to not try it. I guess I should have because I thought she was going to toss it overboard. "YUCK!" Was all that came from her lips. I then told her what it was and told her thank you and that I loved what she choose. She proceeded to give me that grin then walked BACK into BB where she came back out with pure 100% REAL chocolate cake as she put it. After eating we sat for just a few minutes looking over the ship down to the water which was beautiful. Then we decided to head over to the Mickey pool before it became crowded.

At the Mickey pool we realized that there was NO chance of fighting for room as we were the FIRST people there - - - THANK YOU THANK YOU TO OUR MAGICAL CM at the terminal!!! It was so amazing. It really felt as though the ship was all ours. I never thought much of the small crowds that we encountered when usually boarding the ship....but THIS was incredible. Being the only people on the staircase, the hallway, then deck 10 at BB and now at the pool. There were obviously people walking by to BB at this point, and a few eating at tables near the pool area but NOBODY in the pool for at least 10 minutes after we arrived. It was so calming and relaxing. Two ways I don't believe I would have ever described this area of the ship. What a great start!!

After a bit of swimming in a still quiet pool with only a handful of children, Maddie began to ask about the Mickey slide again. Just as we looked up I noticed the rope - the slide was still closed and not yet opened for the cruise. WOW! We were early!! Just as we were watching we both noticed a CM take a spot at the bottom of the slide. I told Maddie to go ahead and climb the stairs to the slide -the worst that could happen is they ask to her wait or go down. She did with a beaming smile on her face and a HUGE stride in her step that bordered on running. When she began to enter the stair door, I noticed another CM had just appeared at the slide. Just as Maddie got to the top the CM smiled at her then let her pull the rope down and down she went! She had officially opened and then christened the Mickey slide for the cruise! Thrilled does not describe how happy she was. That beam did not leave her face. She went down a few more times, then we both realized.....(sniff sniff for mom) that she was really growing up.

After her last decent down the slide and one more dip in the pool, she says that she would like to go to the Goofy pool because Mickey is getting crowded with little kids and she wants the deeper pool also. I KNEW this would happen! I have told her a million times to slow down on the growing up thing - but NO - nobody listens to me! With smiles and knowing that ever year will hold new adventures and memories of the past also, we pack up and go off to the Goofy pool. Now this has got to be my least favorite place onboard usually. Why? Because I don't do well with the pool itself really. We both LOVE the water and love to swim and living at the beach Maddie is great in water, however this pool is like a time bomb to me. I'm always waiting to have to jump up from my chair and rip Maddie out when bigger kids begin to cannonball into the basically oversized (no flames here - it's just not my taste) deeply sunken bathtub on top of other people while their parents snooze in a nearby chair. I decided to head off the problem from the start and before getting into the pool we grabbed a soda for Maddie (when she happily remembered she could have soda ANYTIME SHE WANTS while here!!!) and then I got a BBC (ahhhh yes......I love you DCL!!) to make the bathtub scene more tolerable. We had chairs right up front as it was not that crowded.....yet.

Just a little info on the week we sailed weather wise....it was the HOTTEST all year in the south. We left 106+ temps back home and it felt at least that on the ship. Thank God we were where we were - at sea on DCL!!! Maddie slid into the pool while bracing herself into such a tight knot that I could tell by her chattering that it was freezing. With the weather we knew it would be appreciated later and not that way for long. She got right in then after swimming to the other end immediately made friends with two girls her age. Yep....you guessed it...that warm happy feeling for mom and a teary eyed mess. THIS is what I love!! Watching it all through her eyes and seeing her so carefree and enjoying everything about life and at the same time seeing how thankful she is that we are both able to be here.

All three girls then proceed to head over to the hot tub. From the Mickey pool to the hot tub in one year....wow! This growing up stuff is hitting me hard and it's happening so fast! Why didn't anyone tell me? Thankfully I was quickly needed when all three girls then came over to me in the chair saying that the teenagers in BOTH hot tubs had told them there were no "baby kids" allowed in there. Oh boy. I sat down the BBC, which was making it's way down very nicely thank you very much, then told them they were allowed to go anywhere they wished as long as THEIR parents said it was ok with the exception of the adult's pool and that they could go back and ignore them. Good advise I thought. Well, not 2 minutes later Maddie was back with friends in tow. This time they were saying that after they did that and got into the hot tub the teens told them they had to leave and go back to the pool or they would tell. Ok, so ignoring isn't working and this is NOT the way I plan on spending the first hours on the ship - not how the girls should spend theirs so I put down the BBC once more and get up to make the walk to the hot tub. Both hot tubs had between 3 and 4 teen girls in them. I went over to the one Maddie and her new friends were trying to get into without a scene and very nicely but I'm sure with that "look" on my face explained to the teen angels that this ship was for everyone and the only place THEY were allowed that the kids were not was the teen club. Then I stood there for a moment while the girls got in without any comments and walked back to my chair. The teens vacated that hot tub within moments and the girls were left to have fun in peace as I was left to my chair with a now hot and watery 1/3 of a BBC.

Just then a CM came by with one of those beautiful serving trays on his hand and ask me if I wanted another one.....ummm....OK! So with one more BBC I sat back and relaxed while watching Maddie and her friends flit between the pool, the hot tub and the shower. They were having a ball together and discovering or rediscovering the ship in the area of the Goofy pool. There eyes filled with joy and the sounds of little girls laughing just making my day that much better!

After about another half an hour I began to feel like I was baking in an oven for somebody's holiday meal. It was suddenly miserably hot! I walked over to the pool where thankfully Maddie was just getting out, and told her I was about to melt into a puddle. She followed by saying the same thing. WHAT? My 7 year old water goddess that LOVES all things summer and outside is hot?? THAT would by why I was dying! We quickly grabbed all of our things and walked back into the ship.

By this time we assumed our wonderment with a deserted ship would surely be over .....but it wasn't! There was NOBODY around anywhere! We would see an occasional CM walking about but other than that it was almost eerie. Loving this quiet and desolate ship that seemed to be here just for us we decided to walk around and just look, remember and explore. We started on deck 5 looking around the lab with Maddie then looked into Studio Sea where Maddie quickly found a billboard of Hannah Montana who it tied with Tinker Bell as being the Goddess of her world. It was so cool to walk around and see nobody else. We felt as though the ship was ours alone and we had all the time in the world. THANK YOU #1 CM AT THE TERMINAL!!!!! We walked around and discovered things we had never noticed before including a Golden Mickey, and a beautiful pic of Tink herself christening the Wonder.

We then headed to deck 4 in search of comfy deck chairs in the shade which - DUH Kelly were not out yet due to the safety drill at 4pm. So instead we took a nice stroll around the jogging trail. We were fascinated with things we never noticed before....like when on the jogging trail you go a bit "behind the scenes" for a portion and see the HUGE ROPES as Maddie put if for the ships, along with many other useful nautical items used for sailing a ship but none of which I could tell anyone what they were - except the ropes and anchor or course. On the other side of the jogging trail we noticed the HUGE cages in front of the terminal that contained tons and tons of luggage. Since we had not yet seen out luggage we spent a few moments trying to find ours and then just watched the crew work at bringing it on as well as other items for the cruise. We waived to our CM angel in the terminal but I doubt she saw us. And we also just sat and watched people walking over the gangway to board the Wonder. It probably isn't something anyone would ever plan on doing while onboard but it was so relaxing and nice being the only ones there yet watching all of this hustle and bustle. I have to say....watching all that luggage explains the condition my luggage arrived in. Although I don't care about condition as long as it ARRIVES! While walking back to enter the ship on deck 4 we passed a group of wide eyed newly inducted CM's who were feverishly taking notes and paying close attention to the senior CM that was giving them a tour and much information. I couldn't help but wonder what they were all thinking and how life onboard would measure up to what they imagined.

Following deck 4 we made our way down to deck 3 and Route 66. A spot that for no apparent reason since we don't frequent it much - we both love! I think it is simply the amazing decor. It is just DCL to us and we always love walking around. There of course Maddie found the HUGE portholes where we both sat for a bit watching the water which seems to not move at all in the hot air outside. We walked into Wavebands, but quickly discovered that is where the new CM's were listening to more instructions so we exited very quickly....although the noisy in me just wanted to listen in. Past that we walked around Cadillac and then back out for photo's with the RV and portholes. Watching Maddie smile from ear to ear and skip almost floating from place to place made my heart smile and I was so happy. Nobody else around. Not Mickey, not Tink, no CM....just US and it was STILL so magical that it is hard to explain.

By this point, and after seeing the luggage cages, I REALLY wanted to see our room and some luggage of our own so that is where we headed. We walked in and were surprised off the bat. On the chest sat a BEAUTIFUL arrangement of the most gorgeous violet roses I have ever seen with a simple note that said it all, "Enjoy the Wonder!!" Ok, before I have gotten teary and lots of times that lump in my throat, but when I saw that I began to all out cry like a 2 year old. Maddie just stood there with her jaw dropped wondering who they were from.....of course HER mind went directly to Tink....I however knew exactly who they were from without a doubt. Our marvelous and amazing CM friend at the terminal who knows how to spread magic and sprinkle pixie dust more than any flying fairy ever could! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! They were beautiful and graced our cabin the entire cruise...making us smile every time we entered the room and making our heart melt for how kind and thoughtful you are!!

After I finally stopped sobbing we then noticed our CC gift. We were a little surprised as just the week before I had checked the boards for different gift info but nothing had changed. We were the first last year to receive the new gift then which was the mesh bags, canvas bag, and many goodies to go with them all. We were not looking at the same thing! We got new CC gifts! It was a backpack CC bag. I have to admit, I searched inside for goodies such as last year but there were none. The bag was bigger and well made. A very nice gift and one we used every day while onboard and have used just as much at home with the pool and beach.

Ok - now - WHERE IS OUR LUGGAGE???? I'm starting to freak out a bit after last year and 5 pieces missing for 5 days. DO NOT PANIC is all I kept thinking....remember all the bags in the cages - there are many bags left to come onboard and it is still early. Uh huh. Not helping! I realize I need travel/luggage therapy at this point. To take my mind off of it we walk out onto the verandah. I was SO proud because this year I remembered how to open it without assistance. The room felt like home because this was our room last year as well. We loved it so much and the location was perfect so we wanted the same all over again - 6092. We did notice (I'll post pics at the end of report) some things throughout the cruise that were definitely not up to DCL standards and that had changed drastically in our room since last year (rust, mildew, scrapes and stains) but didn't let us bother us to any extent. This was our home on the Wonder and we still loved it like an old friend.

While on the verandah we heard a loud THUD at the door. Could it be?? We both leapt to the door. Me hoping for luggage and Maddie praying loudly that it was Kirk, our room attendant from lat year who she dearly loved!! We both threw the door open with great anticipation. My face lit up until I saw Maddie's fall to the ground. Poor thing. She could not wait to see him again although I had explained we may not she was very hopeful - after all this is DCL. I brought the one lonely bag into the room and began to unpack it while explaining to Maddie we may see him even if he is not working our floor. We would look for him as he planned to still be here. I also told her ALL (tip - NEVER MAKE THIS PROMISE!) CM's were incredible and that maybe she would have somebody new to fall in love with this year. Problem solved and happy little girl back jumping around now investigating and eating her way through the bag of goodies from the BEST CM ever at the terminal.

About 15 minutes later when we were getting ready to leave and head back out to deck 10 we heard another THUD! WHOO HOOO!!! Another bag and this time a person is there with it. Our room attendant for the cruise. No - not Kirk. Maddie tried to hide her sadness when she met Roberto. He was very friendly and seemed as kind as could be and was trying to seem excited to meet him - I doubt he could tell that she was sad for any reason. We did ask...ok....Maddie jumped up and ask where Kirk was. Roberto told us he does indeed still work with DCL (Maddie quickly jumped up and down) then proceeded to tell us that he was on vacation that week and the following visiting his sister. This made Maddie feel better because she remembered that he told her all about his sister last year and how much he loved her and that she reminded him of her. He talked about how much he missed her and how long it had been since he had been to St. Vincent to see her. So THAT made things much better. Roberto seemed very sweet also and I just knew we would love him as well.

I told Maddie I needed to speak to him about our luggage and that I would be right back. I stepped into the hall and did tell him what luggage we were still missing and about my greatest fears then explained what Kirk had done with the surprises for Maddie last year. I had a bag of goodies that she believes (thanks to Kirk) are from Tink. I place the bag on the hook on the outside of the closet (to high for her to reach) and Kirk would get a couple out each night and leave them on her bed with a towel animal. He said he would love to do this for her also and that it would be no problem. Whooo hooo!! Magic magic magic!!! I LOVE THIS!! So I opened the door back up so he could see the bag I had already hung up and then after telling Maddie goodbye he left in search of luggage.

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I've got to stop for now. My voice mail is almost full and the emails are popping up left and right. I've got to get back to work. I am going to try and write more tonight and if not then tomorrow. Thank you for your kind words and for your patience!!! I never meant to break it up for this long.....life can really get in the way sometimes can't it. I'll post pics in the next post before getting to me dreaded work.

Kelly

 

[MB MinnieGirl]

Maddie at BB overlooking PC

Maddie - first down the Mickey Slide!!

Maddie in an almost empty Mickey Pool

BEAUTIFUL ROSES FROM OUR FRIEND THE CM AT TERMINAL!!

CC Gift

More photos to come....

 

[maiziezoe]

Love, love, love your trip report!!

 

[MB MinnieGirl]

Maddie with goodies from our friend the CM at terminal - THANK YOU!!

Maddie on RV bumper in Route 66

Looking out porthole

Route 6 billboards

Quiet and beautiful ship! Hallway on deck 5 near shops and WD Theater

Maddie overlooking atrium.

More photos to come....

 

[MB MinnieGirl]

Maddie on joggin trail

Behind the scenes on the jogging trail

Luggage cages - where is ours?

Window where our FAVORITE CM would be....we were frantically waving.

Picture of Tink with the Wonder.

Maddie with Hannah Montana in Studio Sea

Maddie with Golden Mickey

Maddie in porthole at Animators Palate while walking around.

Maddie looking around an EMPTY lab.

 

[ChrisLei]

Wow what a wonderful update! We are hoping to have a semi-empty Mickey pool when we arrive since my two are just beside themselves anticipating thier first trip down the Mickey Slide. We are going to arrive at the port early hoping to be in the first batch of individuals to board. Hoping we have some pixiedust, since this is our first cruise!

 

[bawsmom]

You just make me want to cry!! it is all so sweet. I hope that if and when we get to take a disney cruise that it is half as magical as yours!!

i am so enjoying "hearing" about your trip... and will wait as long as it takes!!

 

[bellebud]

what a great trip report! maddie is SO adorable, with her big toothless grin! I haven't booked our first cruise yet, and i kept going back and forth 'should I?', but reading your report makes me feel like i just have to! then i was going back and forth about it being dcl or others cruise lines that i've read about here, but again, your report is making me feel like it just has to be disney while the kids are still young.

i love the idea of the gifts from tink... i'm going to steal it, ok??? can you give me some ideas what you gave her? did you wrap them?

thanks so much for taking the time to post the pics too, and glad you're feeling better!

 

[Caitsmama]

Kelly - thanks for another GREAT read!!! Can't wait for more!!

 

[CRUIZEN MAMMA]

Yeh!!! you're back. I love your TR so much. I bet by the end of the cruise Maddie will be saying Kirk Who? and her new love will be Roberto
The flowers were really pretty - you have a great CM freind. Our cruise is just 7 weeks away, Love your pictures-can't wait for more.

 

[lunsusie]

WONDERful cruise report, Kelly! Thanks so much for writing it. Looking forward to your next instalment.

 

[aiken4mickey]

Yeah! You're back!! Great pictures too! Keep it all comiing!

 

[2angelsinheaven]

Kelly, I'm so excited that you two got to have the Wonder to yourself's for awhile, beautiful feeling isn't it? =o) Can't wait for more.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

LOVE the photos--especially the one where she is kneeling in the porthole looking out the window.


I am envisioning a trip with just my oldest in the future.....I love all my kids, but would just love to do that with just her.

 

[Jillpie]

Kelli and Maddy are back!! I checked every day. I'm so glad to read your first day, ok, loving all the details. Don't leave one single thing out, k? It is just awesome. And it looks like the CC backpack you got, is the old one they used to give out! We had two staterooms, so I ended up with 2 of those. LOVED it for our excursions, it was just perfect. I'm bringing it with us on our DW trip this coming year for the pool. Anyway! Can't wait for more!!!

 

[RLccweems]

Maddie sure has grown....she's so cute. I'm loving your trip report!


lettie

 

[debnkay]

Great to hear more about your trip! Thanks so much for sharing everything with us. I love reading all about it! Keep it coming!

 

[CRSNDSNY]

FUn TR and great pictures! I'm really enjoying every last word!

 

[bellebud]

kelly, just wanted to say i just finally finished reading your 1st tr (thanks for linking it in your sig!)

you write great reports, and i really appreciate all your details about everything in both reports. it helps me think 'this is where my kids might become impatient, i better plan for that', etc. or ''this is something they'd love!"

looking forward to more!