Day 17
So, todays the day we are due to venture out to sea, and really noone is sure what’s going to happen. Many other cruise lines have cancelled or rescheduled due to Irene, but we’ve had no news from Disney.
We pack up and head along to the pier for about 10:20. When we get there the port officials won’t let us in, they tell us we must leave the dock area and return after 11. We drive off towards Grills (where we had eaten a previous evening) to wait. At Grills we had spotted a sign ‘Decorate with Fish’, which we found amusing, so the Spencer’s want to search for it. We find the sign, and sit and wonder for a while if we are going to get on our cruise, and then we decide to head back to the port. We get there about 10:45 and this time we are let in, and there are loads of people already there. What’s that all about? We are confused but we don’t let it worry us too much. We check in, and sign Molly up for the kids club, and then fairly quickly we are on board.
The atrium is really impressive, and it’s a great way to board, from fairly boring terminal, straight into this amazing space.
We are directed down to the Enchanted Garden for lunch, and we have a couple of fun waiters who entertain us during our first meal. There is a lively atmosphere, everyone is relieved to be on board, as I think all the cruisers have been quite nervous about the weather. The buffet is good, and the desserts are particularly good. Dave wants to try a few so he has a waiter help him carry them back!
After lunch we have a little wander around the decks, and go and look at the kids clubs. They are really cool looking. I think the bigger kids are disappointed that they won’t be hanging out here too!
It’s not long until it’s time to find our room, which is on Deck 2, very close to the Enchanted Garden. Whilst we are waiting to get in, a little girl on her second cruise is really excited telling the kids all about what they can do and how great it’s going to be. It’s really cute. Cabin Photos
We go to the DVC presentation to try and score some free gifts. We do get a bag and a nice hat on the way in, but we don’t manage to win anything interesting at all which is pretty disappointing. Katie and James are bored, so they head off to find the Edge and then meet us at the lifeboat check. When they meet up with us, it turns out the Edge was closed so they played some mini golf instead.
We start to unpack, and the kids go off to watch the Sailaway party. Due to the weather, it’s being held in the main atrium. They come back waving streamers and banners, they have really enjoyed themselves. I’m quite impressed with the cabin, it’s not huge but there is loads of storage more than at the Boardwalk which is quite impressive for a room half the size.
We get changed for dinner, and head around the corner to the Enchanted Garden. This is very pretty, it’s based on Versailles and it changes from day to evening throughout the meal, although it has to be said this effect is so subtle we didn’t notice until we left and then returned.
Dinner – Photos here, I don’t know who ate what, but it was all good.
Molly has some soup to start, and then she decides she’s full and doesn’t want anything else, so I take her up to the kids club whilst we finish our dinner.
it’s starting to get quite rough, and we are all over the corridors walking up there. Talking to some of the crew, some are quite blase, saying it’s not at all bad, and others think it’s quite rough.
After our meal, we take a look at the shops before heading into the theatre, and the general consensus is that it is indeed pretty rough. Sick Bags start appearing in strategic locations, and everyone is holding onto railings as they walk. We sit in the theatre waiting for the show to start, and the theatre curtain is swaying madly. I don’t feel too bad, but Katie is feeling very green and eventually decides she wants to go lie down. We leave Phil in the theatre, and Katie and I go back down to our cabin. Our cabin is quite low down and she sits in the porthole and watches the waves and feels much better. The waves are quite impressive from the porthole. I don’t think this is a particularly bad storm, but it’s definitely not a millpond. Whilst we are in the cabin, we watch the show on the TV.
When the show ends, James comes down to the cabin looking for Katie, and Phil returns and suggests we meet up with Dave and Bev in a comedy bar. Katie is feeling better, so they go off to check out the Edge, and Phil and I head up to the bar area. On the way, we get a text to say Molly would like to be picked up, so I collect Molly and Phil goes to find the bar.
Molly and I decide to deliver our Fish Extender Gifts, so we set off around the ship looking for cabins. Molly is really into it, and dashes off ahead looking for each cabin and checking out all the fish extenders and magnets on the doors. We pass lots of other people doing the same which is quite funny. At one point we bump into Phil who reports the comedy show hadn’t started yet, and so he joins us in his travels.
When we’ve completed our circuit, we return to our cabin and find we’ve got loads of little pressies too. It’s great fun opening everything and we’ve got some lovely things. We also get some Castaway club presents, so we are amassing presents at a great rate.
I’d read a little tip about ordering milk and cookies to your room, so we decide to order some late night coffee and cookies, and just as it arrives Katie and James return. They’ve been to the Edge which was a bit quiet, so they went for Pizza and Ice Cream and some more mini golf. They have had a really good night and are full of excitement. We all sit and chat a while, and have some coffee and cookies, and eventually its time for bed.
Another one of those days where we’ve done nothing much but somehow never really stopped.
Skating on Thin Ice 
The cabin looks lovely. It does sound a very full day too 🙂
Bringing back lots of memories. Thanks Bev 🙂