7-Night Western Caribbean 2008

[Delaware Mike]

We just made our payment-in-full for our October 2008 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise on the Magic! :cheers2:

I can't wait to hear now my wife's boss takes the news we're taking "another" two week vacation, as we're planning on a second week at SSR. :woohoo:

We'd like to hear about how your 7-Night Western cruise was, what you enjoyed, what you'd do differently, and any tips you wish to share. This will be our third DCL vacation, but our first DCL 7-nighter, so we don't have any insight as to what to expect.

Our intial thought is not to do any of the offered Key West "optionals" as it seems everything we want to do is within walking distance. Even going to the Southern-most point in the Continental U.S. isn't that far of a walk...

We're still going through all the AAA maps and tour books for the rest of the ports of call...Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Castaway Cay is a place with which we're familiar, so it will be the Serenity Bay Beach for us. (I have a hankerin' for the bar and the food grill there....)

Anyway, any advice and insight anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated!

TIA!!!

Mike

[bmalonef45]

We are booked for the April 19th 08 trip. The last western before the Magic heads to LA. We are excited and will report back on what we liked best. Our only other cruise with Disney was a 3 day and we were not able to go to Castaway Cay so we are really looking forward to that stop.

[Muushka]

You may be boarding the ship as we leave. We are doing the 'double-dip' from 9/27 to 10/4.

We did a Western cruise (on Celebrity) last Dec. We visited Key West and Grand Cayman. We did not do any excursions at either. But we usually don't (husband is not a fan of them). We had great weather and enjoyed Key West very much. We had been there before, so just enjoyed getting off the ship and walking around. I did the same at Grand Cayman (husband stayed on ship).

This will also be our third DCL cruise (second 7 nighter).

We will also be doing WDW (not sure if before or after). Family reunion, probably staying at OKW.

Can I assume you don't have kiddos? Did you do Palo last times you cruised? That is a must for us. We did enjoy the 7 night, as there were more special things going on. Character breakfast, seemed like there were more characters on board. We had rough seas on the 7 night cruise, for that reason I was glad when it was over, but looking back at it, it was a nice cruise. We are looking forward to another longer cruise.

Hope it is wonderful!

[Delaware Mike]

You may be boarding the ship as we leave. We are doing the 'double-dip' from 9/27 to 10/4.
We did a Western cruise (on Celebrity) last Dec. We visited Key West and Grand Cayman. We did not do any excursions at either. But we usually don't (husband is not a fan of them). We had great weather and enjoyed Key West very much. We had been there before, so just enjoyed getting off the ship and walking around. I did the same at Grand Cayman (husband stayed on ship).
This will also be our third DCL cruise (second 7 nighter).
We will also be doing WDW (not sure if before or after). Family reunion, probably staying at OKW.
Can I assume you don't have kiddos? Did you do Palo last times you cruised? That is a must for us. We did enjoy the 7 night, as there were more special things going on. Character breakfast, seemed like there were more characters on board. We had rough seas on the 7 night cruise, for that reason I was glad when it was over, but looking back at it, it was a nice cruise. We are looking forward to another longer cruise.
Hope it is wonderful!
How 'bout that... we board on October 4th, so leave some rum and other goodies for us! (I'll make a special trip to the brownie bar everyday, so leave some for me, please!)
Looking at the AAA information about Key West, it seems everything is easy enough to walk to, and I'm sure there are lots of cabs around to return us to the Magic.
I think my DW wants to do the Island Tour on Grand Cayman. This trip is to celebrate the anniversary of her 29th birthday, so it's her choice.
We haven't gotten into the Cozumel information yet, but I sense a ruins tour in my future.
On our previous two DCL cruises (3 nights each), we didn't do Palo, but we plan on two evenings there on the upcoming cruise. ...and you're right, no kiddies (unless you count the two with 4 paws each...)
When we get back, we'll do the World, staying at SSR. I was thinking of banking/borrowing points for a 1-bedroom, just so we'd have a washer/dryer in our room for after the cruise. This would allow us to pack a little lighter.
Who did you book through? We used Dreams Unlimited, and so far things have gone smoothly. We'll have a $100 on-board credit from them, and hope to have more on-board credits through Disney Visa (but Chase hasn't posted if they plan on providing this incentive for 2008 yet.)

[mkhurley]

We just did that Cruise in February, enjoyed it alot. KW is nice, we've been there before (by road) so we pretty much knew our way around. Family with us wanted to do a tour so we did, then I jumped a Jet Ski at the dock there and went riding for a while, got rid of our ski bout 3yrs ago so it was a blast. Definately be at Mallory Square for the SunSet Celebration that night, it is worth seeing and a very short walk back to the ship.

Cozumel, if your wife likes Pearls, look for the shops selling them, they were $2/inch + buy 2 get 1 free, my wife cleaned up, Christmas presents for all the women in the family, also picked me up some contraband to smuggle home (cuban cigars). We'd been there years before so we knew this is where she'd be shopping so we didn't do any tours here.

Grand Caymans my son and I did the StingRay City snorkel tour, truly a treat to be in the water with them. Rest of the family took a trip to Hell, pictures from it looked......interesting.

Never been on a shorter cruise so can't say what different to expect, except more time having a great time. :doublejum

[Stimpy]

We love the Western!!! Actually the family was disappointed that we have to do the Eastern this year. (I know...poor us :innocent: ) Are you going with just adults? Kids?

Definately do Key West on your own. The trolley tour was a nice overview of the island and can be as long or short as you want since you can come and go as you please when you do it on your own. There's a neat little Pirate museum there that our kids love, Pirate Soul I think it's called? Expensive and not too time consuming but it has interactive exhibits and did have some interesting stuff.

Also...best piece of advice for Key West..if you plan on drinking bottled water, beer, soda on board the Magic....buy it cheap at the CVS down the street and bring it on board! Since it's the 1st stop, you can stock up for the week. We buy a case of bottle water, juice boxes for kids and DH buys some bottled beer for the stateroom and it costs so much less than DCL charges. :innocent: (OK juice is free but it's nice to have available for kids in the room)

Grand Cayman, we did Stingray City on our own with Captain Marvins and I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it!!! It was not much more than Disney charged, there were only about 12 people on the boat with us, we went to less crowded areas, we were able to bring our DD (we couldn't with DCL b/c she was too young) and the crew was fantastic! It was just amazing. This was definately a highlight for us and probably what our son is going to miss the most about not doing the Western this time in November.

[Delaware Mike]

Thank you for the information thus far!

The information about the pearls definitely got my wife's attention, and the information about KW CVS got mine. (I think I'll just have to stop in and pick up a case of cold, adult, beverages for the cabin!)

Does anyone have any information relating to shopping for Rolex watches? I remember shop after shop in Nassau, but need some direction for the Western.

Thanks again!

[Muushka]

How 'bout that... we board on October 4th, so leave some rum and other goodies for us!

Small world! I bought some rum on last year's cruise (the Bacardi 151?) that is so strong it will knock your socks off! I wish I could get it to you, as it is too strong for me.

(I'll make a special trip to the brownie bar everyday, so leave some for me, please!)

Brownie bar? I know nothing of this brownie bar! Do tell!!

Looking at the AAA information about Key West, it seems everything is easy enough to walk to, and I'm sure there are lots of cabs around to return us to the Magic.
I think my DW wants to do the Island Tour on Grand Cayman. This trip is to celebrate the anniversary of her 29th birthday, so it's her choice.
We haven't gotten into the Cozumel information yet, but I sense a ruins tour in my future.
On our previous two DCL cruises (3 nights each), we didn't do Palo, but we plan on two evenings there on the upcoming cruise. ...and you're right, no kiddies (unless you count the two with 4 paws each...)
When we get back, we'll do the World, staying at SSR. I was thinking of banking/borrowing points for a 1-bedroom, just so we'd have a washer/dryer in our room for after the cruise. This would allow us to pack a little lighter.

We did laundry on the ship and it was pretty easy. If you wanted to conserve points, and there are always the free washer/dryers in the laundry areas at DVC.

Who did you book through? We used Dreams Unlimited, and so far things have gone smoothly. We'll have a $100 on-board credit from them, and hope to have more on-board credits through Disney Visa (but Chase hasn't posted if they plan on providing this incentive for 2008 yet.)

We booked through Sam's club and got a great rate. First they gave us a group rate booking, then we get an additional $300 when we complete the cruise. They are pratically paying us to do the cruise! But even though we used our Disney Visa, they would not give us the shipboard credit because of the group rate they gave us.

[Delaware Mike]

Brownie bar? I know nothing of this brownie bar! Do tell!!


I hope things are the same on the Magic as they were on our two trips on the Wonder. There was a brownie bar on Deck 9 Aft-Port Side, just beside the Mickey Kid's Pool...by the refreshment bar.

Everyday, at around 3 or maybe 4 PM (ship's time) there would be freshly made brownies and cookies spread out for everyone's enjoyment. As I've never met a cookie I didn't like (or a brownie, for that matter), I'd get there every afternoon to get a plate of 'em. But don't tell anyone about this...I don't want any more competition for those brownies. :)

Thank goodness we had the second seating for dinner!

[Muushka]

Brownie Bar. Who knew????

Wow, thanks for sharing the tip with me! I feel privileged. I hope you don't mind, but I told my husband about it!;)
I promise it will go no further than this thread.:jumpingbe