French Quarter to the Fantasy...7 Nights in the Eastern Caribbean, April 2019! Completed June 7, 2020!

Not a group you want to be in, these days.

Haha! True! I inhaled my gum juice at work the other day and started coughing, but in-between coughing I felt I needed to explain to everyone why I was coughing…cough, cough…sorry, …cough…I inhaled gum juice…cough, cough! Ugh. But I get it because if you cough around me, I'm giving you side-eye :rotfl:


I've been around dancers for so long... Sock bun plus impossible sitting position? Yep...

:laughing:


Enchanted Garden is SO pretty!! I like the location of your table. In every restaurant, our table was in the furthest back corner, so we didn't really get to appreciate the decor as much. It was most evident when we dined at Enchanted Garden.

That's too bad. I don't feel like we had the best restaurant locations either. We were kind of in the middle of walkways, especially at AP. This table location wasn't bad though.


Ooh that sounds good right now but I definitely don't need any cookies lol. Way too many carbs these last few weeks :rolleyes1

Same. And I was eating so healthy before all this 😆


Just checking in to say how much I have enjoyed your updates. I wish I could call for warm cookies and milk from room service right now!!!

Thanks, Melinda! You and me both!
 
Haha! True! I inhaled my gum juice at work the other day and started coughing, but in-between coughing I felt I needed to explain to everyone why I was coughing…cough, cough…sorry, …cough…I inhaled gum juice…cough, cough! Ugh. But I get it because if you cough around me, I'm giving you side-eye :rotfl:
Yup.
I'm alone in my office, but it connects (no door) to a space with several people. I sneezed the other day (just dust) and felt that everyone in the other room was probably judging me. :laughing:
 
APRIL 12, 2019
WELCOME TO CASTAWAY CAY



The last full day of our cruise had finally arrived
and we were spending it at the always amazing, Castaway Cay.


Of course, when I got up, we hadn't quite docked yet,
so I went and enjoyed my coffee up in Cabanas
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And then went back to our stateroom to get ready
and watched as we pulled into Castaway Cay.
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The kids went to the VIBE to meet up with their group to do the teen excursion
and we didn't see them until we were back on the ship later.


My mom and I were off the ship by 9:30...
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There's about a two hour gap in my pictures here because once my mom and I got to the beach,
I went to get a life vest and headed out to snorkel by myself.
My plan was to show you all the footage I almost drowned capturing on Castaway Cay,
but strangely, I can't find any Go-Pro video from this day.

Snorkeling on Castaway Cay is something I had always wanted to do but, 1) I'm not a great swimmer, and 2) I am not a great snorkeler. So yeah, probably not a great idea to go snorkeling by myself!
I mentioned earlier that I had purchased the snorkel masks and had used them in St. John,
but what I really bought them for was to snorkel out to see the hidden Mickey and Minnie
and shipwreck in CC. I think because the mask was so easy to use,
I was overly confident in my snorkeling abilities.

The snorkeling area is pretty far out, as you can see from this video I took from the dock afterwards...





I got about half-way out fairly easily…maybe too easily…and decided to continue on
to see the ship wreck and Mickey and Minnie.
I think at some point it crossed my mind to not go,
but again, it was easy to get out and my confidence was boosted by that.
So on I went, and I did get to see Mickey and Minnie and it was very cool…
I'm mad I lost the video of it.
Everything was great until I decided I was tired and started to head back.
I finally started to realize that the reason it was so easy to get out
was because the current kind of pushes you right along.
Of course, the same current made it extremely difficult to swim back to shore.

I felt like I was swimming and swimming and going nowhere.
And then I started to panic and breathe heavier
and still had the stupid snorkel mask on which made it more difficult to catch my breath.
At one point, I literally started waving my arms over my head to get a lifeguard's attention, to no avail.
I finally managed to swim across and get to the lifeguard's chair
where the lifeguard finally noticed me and asked if I was ok.
I managed to catch my breath and ask if I could just pull myself in on the rope,
which is how I ended up getting back to shore.
Also, Thank God they make you wear a life vest while snorkeling
because I'm pretty sure it was the only thing that saved me.

So while I am happy that after four Disney cruises, I finally got to snorkel on CC,
it was definitely a one and done for me.
And honestly, I wouldn't recommend it unless you know you're a very strong swimmer.
I am actually surprised that there aren't more warnings about this
but if you are reading this, consider yourself warned.

Happy to be on shore again, I found my mom relaxing on the beach...

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After my harrowing experience, I sat and rested for a little while
and then we headed over for lunch.



Up next…Lunch at Cookie's BBQ!



 
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APRIL 12, 2019
LUNCH AT COOKIE'S BBQ


After about 30 minutes of relaxing,
my mom and I headed over to get some lunch.

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Apparently, almost drowning made me hungry…this was my plate…don't judge 😆

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My absolute favorite thing was the potato salad,
which is weird because I'm kind of fussy about potato salad and what kind of mayonnaise I eat.

The corn was okay. Nothing beats the native corn we get around here in the summer,
but since this was April and I hadn't had corn on the cob for almost a year, it tasted good.
That chicken sandwich was pretty good,
but I should have split it with my mom because it was super filling
and I was too busy filling up on the other things.

That little white square was…garlic bread?? Maybe??
It wasn't very good. I took one bite and it did nothing for me.


I also got a chocolate chip cookie for dessert…yum 😋

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And my mom and I split a plate of fruit…I told you I was hungry! 😁

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Nothing beats the fruit they serve on DCL.
I don't know what it is, but it's always just so perfect and fresh.
I love fruit but I hate having to cut it up and I'm too cheap…and too fussy…to buy pre-cut fruit.
I think that's why I love this so much…it's all done for me ::yes::

After lunch, my mom was hot and tired so she headed back to the ship for a rest.
This left me on my own to wander around and do as I please.
I ended up just taking a lot of pictures in the area and then heading off to sit for a bit at Serenity Bay.

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For a hot second, I thought about going out to Pelican Plunge,
but I had had enough excitement for the day and opted to be content with just a picture.

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I'm out of picture space, so up next…Serenity Bay picture dump!
 
APRIL 12, 2019
SERENITY BAY



This was my fourth Disney cruise, but was actually my first time at Serenity Bay.
If you don't know, Serenity Bay is the adult's only area on Castaway Cay

and it is absolutely gorgeous and…well, serene.

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I walked down the beach a little ways
and then found a chair and parked my butt right next to the water...
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I sat there for about an hour, or so, and then headed back to the ship by way of tram...
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We all met up back in the stateroom where we watched as we pulled away from Castaway Cay, definitely not as fun as watching as we pulled in!
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Another gorgeous day on Castaway Cay :love:

After a short rest, we showered and got ready for our last night on the cruise.
That's next!

 
we were spending it at the always amazing, Castaway Cay.
yussss… so want to go there.
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What book is that?
The kids went to the VIBE to meet up with their group to do the teen excursion
and we didn't see them until we were back on the ship later.
Such a shame. Now you'll have to relax. Terrible.
My plan was to show you all the footage I almost drowned capturing on Castaway Cay,
but strangely, I can't find any Go-Pro video from this day.
Well, shoot! Was looking forward to that.

Um... sorry?
1) I'm not a great swimmer, and 2) I am not a great snorkeler. So yeah, probably not a great idea to go snorkeling by myself!
:rolleyes1
to snorkel out to see the hidden Mickey and Minnie
and shipwreck
That sounds cool, though. Didn't know about the shipwreck.
I think at some point it crossed my mind to not go,
but again, it was easy to get out and my confidence was boosted by that.
I can see that.
So on I went, and I did get to see Mickey and Minnie and it was very cool…
I'm mad I lost the video of it.
Poop. :(
I finally started to realize that the reason it was so easy to get out
was because the current kind of pushes you right along.
Of course, the same current made it extremely difficult to swim back to shore.
Ohhhhh...
At one point, I literally started waving my arms over my head to get a lifeguard's attention, to no avail.
Well, that's not an overly comforting thought.
I managed to catch my breath and ask if I could just pull myself in on the rope,
which is how I ended up getting back to shore.
You'd think he'd paddle you in. I mean... it's not like he's doing anything constructive, apparently.
Also, Thank God they make you wear a life vest while snorkeling
because I'm pretty sure it was the only thing that saved me.
That both saddens and gladdens me.
I mean... glad you had one and I'm sure you're not the first person to have needed one,
but also, I like to dive when I snorkel and wearing a life vest prevents that.
And honestly, I wouldn't recommend it unless you know you're a very strong swimmer.
I am actually surprised that there aren't more warnings about this
but if you are reading this, consider yourself warned.
Did you have flippers on? I'm thinking you didn't?
After about 30 minutes of relaxing,
I bet!!
Apparently, almost drowning made me hungry…this was my plate…don't judge 😆
Not at all. You burned a lot of calories out there.
My absolute favorite thing was the potato salad,
Funny. Even before I read this, I thought "That potato salad looks good."
The corn was okay. Nothing beats the native corn we get around here in the summer,
Yep. Fresh corn... nothing like it.
That little white square was…garlic bread?? Maybe??
It wasn't very good. I took one bite and it did nothing for me.
Didn't look appetizing.
I also got a chocolate chip cookie for dessert…yum 😋
Yum!
I don't know what it is, but it's always just so perfect and fresh.
I love fruit but I hate having to cut it up and I'm too cheap…and too fussy…to buy pre-cut fruit.
I think that's why I love this so much…it's all done for me ::yes::
:laughing: I think you are not alone, there.
I ended up just taking a lot of pictures in the area
Thanks for those!
Wow! What a great shot!
If you don't know, Serenity Bay is the adult's only area on Castaway Cay
I think I knew that? I knew there was an adult only area, at least.
and it is absolutely gorgeous and…well, serene.
Looks like it. :)
parked my butt right next to the water...
Because your butt had been in the water quite enough!
 


Wow, what a beautiful place - your pictures are gorgeous! Just what I needed on a chilly, gloomy Friday morning. Thanks so much for sharing this trip report - I've never been all that interested in a cruise, but this looks amazing :love:
 
First of all, let me just say how BEAUTIFUL all your Castaway Cay pics are...I mean, it is really one of the prettiest places I've ever seen, so I get it, but just WOW. So blue, and so gorgeous. I want to go back. Like, now.

Your snorkel adventure was scary!!! I snorkeled there twice, but I'm also pretty done with it. The first time was in 2000 when Castaway Cay was still fairly new, having only been open a couple years, I think. There wasn't a huge amount to see while snorkeling, and I don't remember the "path" going out as far as it does now. Underwater Mickey was there, but no Minnie, and very little wildlife either.

In 2006, on our Honeymoon, the snorkeling path went much further out than I remember, I think the way that it is set up now. I remember having a harder time swimming out that time, so Rob was my partner to keep me moving. When we got as far out as we could, I remember looking around beneath me and seeing a giant hole in the net/barrier thing, then noticing what I always say was a huge fish that wanted to eat us. In my cloudy memory, it looked like one of those eels from the Little Mermaid, LOL. Probably not that dramatic in real life, but I have never swam so fast EVER, as I did to get back to shore.

So, I'm with you. No more snorkeling :)
 
I missed a few updates. The Enchanted dinner looks like a very nice time and place!
It is nice, when the kids are older, they can entertain themselves and make new friends!
The snorkeling adventure sounds like it was very scary. Thank goodness you got back okay!
Cast Away Cay is absolutely beautiful! I hope to see it one day. The adults only beach would be perfect!
 
What book is that?

"The Wisdom of Walt, Leadership Lessons From the Happiest Place on Earth," by Jeffrey Barnes.

I heard him on the Connecting With Walt and he's super interesting to listen to. He is a College Professor and even teaches a class about Disney…or he used to anyway. Fascinating guy, and perfect book for a cruise because you don't have to read it all at once.

I like to dive when I snorkel and wearing a life vest prevents that.

I think there was an incident a few years back where a middle aged man drowned while snorkeling. I think that might be when they started requiring guests to wear them.


Did you have flippers on? I'm thinking you didn't?

Um, flippers? Would that have helped? I told you I'm not a good snorkeler. I really had no business being out there :rotfl:
 
Wow, what a beautiful place - your pictures are gorgeous! Just what I needed on a chilly, gloomy Friday morning. Thanks so much for sharing this trip report - I've never been all that interested in a cruise, but this looks amazing :love:


:welcome: and thanks for commenting!

Castaway Cay is truly like heaven on earth. You can book a short, three or four night cruise just to go see it yourself…and it's worth every penny:love:
 
First of all, let me just say how BEAUTIFUL all your Castaway Cay pics are...I mean, it is really one of the prettiest places I've ever seen, so I get it, but just WOW. So blue, and so gorgeous. I want to go back. Like, now.

You and me both!


I remember looking around beneath me and seeing a giant hole in the net/barrier thing, then noticing what I always say was a huge fish that wanted to eat us. In my cloudy memory, it looked like one of those eels from the Little Mermaid, LOL.

:scared1::scared1::scared1:

Thank God I didn't see something like that! That would have been the end of me!


So, I'm with you. No more snorkeling :)

Yup…from now on you'll find me floating on a tube or sitting on the shore with my toes in the sand ::yes::
 
It is nice, when the kids are older, they can entertain themselves and make new friends!

I'm so happy we took these cruises when we did. My kids still keep in touch with the friends they made on them. Allie, in particular, made friends with a girl from Australia and still talks to her regularly. How's that for a Pen Pal!


Cast Away Cay is absolutely beautiful! I hope to see it one day. The adults only beach would be perfect!

I hope you do see it someday :love:
 
Snorkeling on Castaway Cay is something I had always wanted to do but, 1) I'm not a great swimmer,
Um, don't you have a pool in your backyard :confused3

So on I went, and I did get to see Mickey and Minnie and it was very cool…
Wow I didn't know this even existed. Pretty cool. Now only if I could see footage of it :P

Also, Thank God they make you wear a life vest while snorkeling
because I'm pretty sure it was the only thing that saved me.
That sounds completely terrifying. I cannot believe the life guard didn't see you. Makes you question what in the heck they are there for

So while I am happy that after four Disney cruises, I finally got to snorkel on CC,
it was definitely a one and done for me.
I used to love to snorkel but haven't done it in forever. Last time was in Hawaii and I had a mild panic attack when a. I'd gotten out way further than I'd realized and b. had a sudden realization that something in the water may want to eat me. Haven't been back in since.

Apparently, almost drowning made me hungry…this was my plate…don't judge 😆

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That may be the least Kelly plate of food I've ever seen

I love fruit but I hate having to cut it up and I'm too cheap…and too fussy…to buy pre-cut fruit.
I think that's why I love this so much…it's all done for me ::yes::
Oh I am oh the same way. I am notorious for buying a pineapple or a cantaloupe and then it just goes bad because I'm too lazy to ever cut it up.

Oh that looks like absolute serenity. What I wouldn't give for my feet to touch the sand right about now.
 
The Wisdom of Walt, Leadership Lessons From the Happiest Place on Earth," by Jeffrey Barnes.

I heard him on the Connecting With Walt and he's super interesting to listen to. He is a College Professor and even teaches a class about Disney…or he used to anyway. Fascinating guy, and perfect book for a cruise because you don't have to read it all at once.
Would you recommend it?
I think there was an incident a few years back where a middle aged man drowned while snorkeling. I think that might be when they started requiring guests to wear them.
Yikes! But not complaining. Safety first. I’d probably still do it, even with a vest.
Um, flippers? Would that have helped? I told you I'm not a good snorkeler. I really had no business being out there :rotfl:
:lmao: Yes it would’ve helped!
 
Same. And I was eating so healthy before all this 😆
OMG I had just lost about 14 lbs before this!!! Yesterday did not help either lol
I finally started to realize that the reason it was so easy to get out
was because the current kind of pushes you right along.
Of course, the same current made it extremely difficult to swim back to shore.
Um, yeah.
I will not be snorkeling. In the near future or EVER
I love fruit but I hate having to cut it up and I'm too cheap…and too fussy…to buy pre-cut fruit.
So funny because I don't LOVE fruit but I do enjoy fruit salad but detest cutting it all up; that's Steve's job :P
Your CC pictures are gorgeous!
Not sure about the book she mentioned, but I got my husband The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger for Christmas and he loved it (he's in leadership so it went along those lines).
Ooh good idea for Father's Day, thanks!
 
Um, don't you have a pool in your backyard :confused3

I do a LOT of floating and sitting in the hot tub drinking Truly's :P



Wow I didn't know this even existed. Pretty cool. Now only if I could see footage of it :P

I hear Youtube has plenty, shot by much better swimmers than me!


That may be the least Kelly plate of food I've ever seen

In my defense...I do have three different types of salad on that plate :rotfl:


Oh that looks like absolute serenity. What I wouldn't give for my feet to touch the sand right about now.

Same :cloud9:
 
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