Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Vacation Recap #4- day at Sea

Time for the "day at sea" recap. I'm not often a fan of "days at sea" simply because, I don't like thinking about the fact that I am out in the middle of an ocean. If I can swim myself to shore, that's fine... but on sea days, that usually isn't happening. I tend to spend sea days on the inside of the ship, you don't catch me leaning on the railing watching the ocean go by. I try not to think about it.
















Matt, on the other hand, loves sea days. Oh, really I love them too, but just for different reasons. Matt: watching the world go by. Me: Playing bingo. Matt: watching the world go by. Me: being social. That sums up sea days in our household.


But, I'll give you a little more here!



That morning, I ran up to Cabanas to snag some breakfast for us off the buffet line. We needed to go close on our new DVC points, so we just fed the girls in the room. We dropped them off at the kids club then headed off to buy 50 more points at Bay Lake Tower. Yipppppeee!




After that, it was time for some bingo! It was my first round of bingo for this sailing. On the last cruise, I won $250. We went to the Buena Vista theatre. We enjoyed looking at the art-deco lights and all the Disney details.





It was during this time that we chatted about making our basement/in home theatre a Disney-art deco theme. Matt was looking at all the lights, sighed, and said "some days i wish i wasn't such a disney nut, because it can get so overwhelming!"... I totally laughed out loud!

Grandma and Papa showed up to play bingo too. Papa is sporting his awesome tie-dye mickey shirt that I made for everyone.



We did not win at bingo, and by the time it was over, the girls were ready for us to come get them and feed them so lunch!!


We hit Cabanas for lunch and saw several of my message board friends. I snagged a picture of one of my BMBF (best message board friend) Chuck. He was really excited I was taking a picture. Actually I think he was not feeling good, because he had just had a chemo treatment a few days earlier...but he's a trooper! Honestly one of the most kind-hearted men I know. He and his partner Mark are very giving and do a lot of great charity work back in Philly. And can I say too, I love his tshirt?!






After lunch we decided to go chill up on Deck 13 for awhile. This had become one of our favorite spots to hang out. Never a crowd, wide open views. We were surprised to find Lilo hanging out up there! (Notice grandma in the background. She loved the big cushy blue benches up there).


After saying hi to Lilo, we girls found a place on the blue benches to relax for awhile. Well, Brooke, Grandma and I relaxed....






Hannah vascillated between moments like this and


running across the deck. She would come sit with us and then she would...




run over to see Daddy and Papa. If you could just pay for a bed right up here on this spot, I think they would go for it.






I can't remember if we went back to the room to rest or if we took the kids back to the kids club again. Seems we did that, because we started the mid-ship detective agency before the show and the desk for that is right by the kids areas.' Let me take a moment and tell you, since I am often asked, that yes, I think the kids programming is fabulous and very secure. The girls had a good time everytime they went in there. The characters pop in periodically for some fun, the area is huge and wonderfully themed. The first time you take them there, they get this wristband things with an electronic tag on them. (you can see it in the pic above of hannah on the deck). When we went to pick them up, they would pull the girls up in the computer, and they could tell us where we'd find them. The area is massive, and divided into Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab, with a variety of themed areas in each one of those. There are scanners in the walls and doorways amongst the different sections, and so when Hannah would walk back to the Oceaneer Lab, it would sense her tag and note it in the computer. So the cast member would say "looks like the last time she was scanned she was in the back of the Club." It was great. Upon checking out we had to present our room card and give a password that we had previously set up. While they were there, if they needed us, they would call or text us on the ship "cell" phones provided to each stateroom. It is a great program.




ANYWAYS, so we hit the midship detective agency. This is new to this ship, and we didn't quite get the mystery done. You stop at the detective desk and get a special scan-card that you register to start your adventure. You also get a clue page that shows you where different clue locations are, allows you to mark off suspects, etc. We were doing the "Case of the Missing Puppies." Once you got to one of the picture stations on the animated art I mentioned before, you would hold your card up to activate the art. But it did more than that! The card allowed you to manipulate what was going on. For example, one picture came to life and it had a locked door. You moved your card around (which Matt is helping brooke with here) to move the key into the lock to get to the clue. It was very cool!




We only had time for a few clues before we had to go in for our matinee of the Golden Mickeys. It was our third time seeing this show, but I love it every time, and they had added some great new acts to it.



Rapunzel now has a segment in the show, which the girls were excited about!





She was up in one a balcony nearly right above us.



The show is like an "awards" show, with categories like "Best Villain" "Best Love Story" etc. No Villain story is complete without a visit from Cruella!








This was the fam before the show started. I tried to move the picture up in the blog where it belongs on this post, but it won't move, and I don't feel like reloading it :)



That was "dress up" night for dinner, though we don't go quite as dressy as some do.





We ate in the Royal Palace. It was not my favorite menu, but the Creme Brulee was out of this world!!! See the Cinderella slippers on the chandeliers?







We had to stop at guest services to ask about our thing we had booked for the next day. Brooke looked gorgeous!! And who is that hot chic behind her with the great blue dress (that was purchased on clearance at NY &Co two years ago for $10!!) and the great legs? Why, it's me!! :) Really wish we would have gotten a pic all together!






After dinner, I hit one more round of bingo while the rest of the gang went swimming. Brooke and Daddy hit the aquaduck a few more times. I wish I would have gone on it again myself, but just never did!




Tomorrow comes the "best day ever!!" post...our final day on the ship and our 2nd stop at Castaway Cay. Stay tuned!




Final chance to enter to win a custom photo necklace or magnet! If you want to be entered for a chance to win, leave a comment on this post. You can answer this question: What's your favorite picture from the cruise-recap pics so far? Those of you that have entered already, Thank you!! Those of you that haven't.... now's your chance! Must comment by noon on Thursday, winner announced by Friday!

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