McPhee Family

Saturday 6th April 2019

We left our hotel around 10:30am and started our drive towards Port Canaveral which is located quite close to a Cape with the same name, where NASA launched many a Space Shuttle mission from. The drive took around 75 minutes and as we got closer, we could spot the beautiful Disney Fantasy in the distance on the horizon, waiting for us.

The Disney Fantasy is one of four ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet and has gross tonnage of 130,000 tonnes.

We parked in the Disney terminal car park and made our way through security and then check in. We had to wait around 30 minutes before our boarding time, which they strictly control.

Once aboard, we headed straight to the Cabana’s restaurant for lunch as it was now around 1pm. It was busy but we found a table and enjoyed a wide variety of food.

After lunch we headed to our stateroom, #6614, which was the same room we stayed in on our previous cruise in May 2016. We specifically asked for it, when we booked this cruise.

We spent this afternoon walking around the different decks of the ship, familiarising ourselves with the layout again. We rode the Aquaduck and registered all of the children for the different kid clubs. We watched the sail away party at 4:45pm and then we set sail for the Virgin Islands.

We had dinner in the Royal Court restaurant. The Disney Fantasy has rotational dining which means we go through the 3 main dinner restaurants throughout the cruise and our servers change restaurant too, which means they get to know us throughout the week. The other two restaurants are Animator’s Palate and Enchanted Garden.

As we were having dinner, we could feel the ship slowing down and then changing direction to the point where we were heading back to port. Sure enough we were, and soon docked back at another port in the Port Canaveral area. We discovered later there had been an emergency medical situation and given that we were still so close to Port Canaveral, the ship returned to offload the ill passenger.

After dinner, we went to the Walt Disney Theatre and watched the first live show for the week. Beforehand, we learnt from the cruise social director that there are 3859 passengers aboard this cruise with an additional approximately 1500 crew.

After the show Sarah headed to the Vibe club for 15-17 year olds, while the rest had another final walk around the pool deck and checked out some of the shops and Disney Cruise line merchandise. Stuart was able to watch parts of the two US college basketball finals (the Final Four) on a TV in the room and we all headed to bed around 11pm. Sarah remained at her club and got to bed around 1am.

Sunday 7th April

Sunday was a day at sea. We all woke after 7am having slept quite well, and headed up to Cabanas again for breakfast, located on deck 11, which is where most of the pools are located, as well as the Aquaduck ride, which we all love.

This morning we all did our own thing with some swimming, browsing the shops, including Mum checking out some products in the Tiffany shop. Jessica met with some Princesses while Sarah spent a lot of the day with people she had met at the Vibe club the night before.

We all did our own thing for lunch and then in the afternoon, Lindy attended a cooking class while Jessica and Jenna roamed around doing different things. Sarah continued to hang out with her new friends.

Tonight we had dinner at Animator’s Palate which is a very colourful restaurant depicting the artistry behind Disney.

As tonight was formal night, many of the senior staff were available in the atrium for guests to meet after dinner. Stuart spoke to many staff including the deputy captain, the hotel manager and various officers and navigators.

The Disney Fantasy has 3 doctors and 4 nurses aboard. As the Deputy Captain said, they are effectively a small town.

There are approximately 30 countries represented by guests onboard however over 60 countries represented by the crew, many from non-english speaking countries. However their English is all very good.

All members of the family are using their phone to access the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app which allows to view details about everything on the ship from movies, shows, menus, and character appearances. It also provides a chat feature which allows us to keep in touch with each other.

After dinner we went to the Walt Disney Theatre to watch 1 hour live show of a couple performing juggling and other impressive acts. It was very entertaining and the performers were very engaging. We spoke to them after the show and they detected our ‘accent’ straight away saying how much they had enjoyed their times performing in Melbourne over the years.

After the stage show, Sarah headed off to the Vibe club again for a silent DJ party where all guests have headphones to listen to the music. The remainder went to the room and watched a Disney movie on the TV in the room. Sarah returned to the room at 2am.

Monday 8th April

Monday was a day at sea. Again we all had breakfast at Cabanas and then headed in separate directions. Jenna and Jessica went to the pool deck to watch Ratatouille on Funnel Vision, which is a massive screen facing the pools area on deck 11.

Dad went for his first run on the cruise by running several laps around the running / walking track which runs right around on deck 4. Mum and Sarah enjoyed some swimming and a ride on the Aquaduck.

Most had lunch again in the Cabanas restaurant while Lindy attended a sales pitch for the Disney Vacation Club.

This afternoon Jenna, Lindy and Stuart watched the Captain Marvel movie in the beautiful Buena Vista Theatre, before we all had dinner in the Enchanted Garden restaurant, with a view of the ocean.

Sarah headed off again with friends while Stuart watched the final of the college basketball season on the large funnel vision screen on the pool deck, with many others. It was an amazing feeling being in the middle of the Caribbean and feeling the tropical breeze while watching the game on a big screen.

Tuesday 9th April

As we woke early this morning, the ship had already docked at Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. We all got up and headed to Cabanas early for breakfast sitting on the outside deck overlooking the surrounding hills and taking in the beautiful scenery.

Around 9am, we left the ship for the first time in 3 days and walked around the port shops. We left the port area and walked around some of the local streets which unfortunately appeared a little derelict.

We returned to the port area, did some shopping and then boarded the ship again.

We got changed and headed to the pool area waiting for the Aquaduck to open at 12pm. Jenna and Jessica sat in the pool watching a movie on the big screen. We all rode the Aquaduck before heading into Cabanas for lunch sitting outside on the back deck again.

The afternoon was a lazy affair with some character meetings / photos and lazing by the pool.

Tonight was Pirate Night aboard the ship, where there is a pirate party and music from Pirates of the Caribbean playing loudly around the pool deck. Fireworks are sent off the shop late at night with plenty of people below watching them light up the sky.

Wednesday 10th April

As we woke early this morning, the ship had already docked at St Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. We all got up and headed to Cabanas early for breakfast sitting on the outside deck overlooking the surrounding hills and taking in the beautiful scenery.

We departed the ship soon after breakfast and headed to the port shops before heading out to the streets of St Thomas. We walked around to a group of shops immediately behind a marina and enjoyed the views across the water. We headed to the cable cars that head up to Paradise Point and after the 5 minutes ride up the hill.

Paradise point is a hill with spectacular views back down to the water and of course, the Disney Fantasy. We enjoyed walking through the few crafty and touristy shops on top of the hill and enjoyed how peaceful it was up there.

We headed back down the hill before walking through the port shops. We were back onboard for lunch and then enjoyed the pools and Aquaduck for the afternoon.

Tonight’s dinner was in Animator’s Palate where our own drawn characters appears in a video presentation during the evening. Animator’s Palate is definitely the most colourful and loudest restaurant of the three that we enjoy for dinner.

After dinner we headed back to our room before going to the Walt Disney Theatre and taking our seats to the watch the latest Disney movie, Dumbo which started at 8:15pm. As the movie finished, we headed back to our room except for Sarah who headed back to the Vibe club and again was back in the room after 1am.

Thursday 11th April

Thursday was another day at sea on our way back up to the Castaway Cay in The Bahamas, having departed St Thomas the afternoon before. We all enjoyed a little sleep in this morning and headed to breakfast after 8am.

Straight after breakfast we headed to play Goofy Golf for the first time, which is a 9 hole mini golf course located on the top deck with only the sun and ocean as the view.

Afterwards most of us headed to the pool area to ride the Aquaduck several times over before the crowds started to build. Jessica headed off to one of the three kids clubs onboard that she has access to. Mum and Sarah sat in a pool watching Hercules on the big screen on the pool deck.

We gathered again for lunch at Cabanas and started to compare this Disney cruise with our first Disney cruise back in May 2016. The girls have enjoyed much more freedom this time around and have really done what they wanted to, wherever they may be onboard the ship.

This afternoon Sarah attended a class on how to make various animals using towels, which the housekeepers do every day for us when they turn down and prepare our beds every evening.

Dad went on his second run on the cruise by running several laps around the running / walking track on deck 4. Afterwards Lindy and Stuart did some shopping before we all relaxed in our room for an hour or so before dinner while Stuart watched day 1 of the US Masters golf tournament.

Dinner tonight was back in Enchanted Garden and all of us attended the live show tonight in the Walt Disney Theatre called ‘Wishes’.

Friday 12th April

As we woke early this morning, the ship had already docked at its own private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay. It is an opportunity for guests to spend the day at the beach and have a swim.

At 10am, we all ran in the 5km walk / run before heading straight into the ocean to cool off with a swim.

Lunch today is quite the spread with lots of BBQ items cooked on the island.

We checked out the shops on Castaway Cay before heading back to the ship. Straight away we headed to ride the Aquaduck several times. taking advantage of the fact that most people were enjoying Castaway Cay.

We had a relaxing afternoon, did some more shopping in the shops aboard the ship, enjoyed our final dinner in the Royal Court restaurant before watching our final live show in the Walt Disney theatre which was a very good illusionist.

Saturday 13th April

We all awoke early to find the Disney Fantasy back in port at Port Canaveral. We attended an early breakfast and we did a final walk across the pool deck taking some final photos.

We left the ship, collected our luggage and cleared US Customs, before returning to our rental car.

After a magical 7 days and cruising 2330 nautical miles / 4315 kms, we are now back on solid ground after visiting Tortola in British Virgin Islands, St Thomas in US Virgin Islands and finally Castaway Cay in the Bahamas.

Everything on the cruise was perfect and it felt as through we were in a dream that lasted 7 days. I can see why people keep going back.

We are now staying in an apartment in Orlando, FL for the next 8 nights, only 10 minutes drive from Walt Disney World.