Happiest Place on the Sea!

Whew, we’re back!  It was both a looong and whirlwind trip.  Both peaceful and chaotic, relaxing and frenetic.  We did it, survived it and are now back home.  Since internet service on the high seas is more costly than Apple shares, I am writing and posting this blog, post cruise.  There was no point to bring the laptop, and I haven’t warmed up to serious writing on the iPad yet.  Thus, I am finally writing this a couple days after arrival back home.

Getting ready to blast off!

Flying high!

We left Vegas early Sunday morning, arrived in Long Beach California and headed straight to the ship.  It was a fairly painless effort to get to the ship and on board.  It was quite thrilling (for first time cruisers) to experience the royal treatment of Disney Cruise Lines.  They leave nothing to the imagination and every whim seems to be attended to.  After the exciting embarkation process, a wander around the ship, a deluxe lunch buffet we were spent and ready for a nap.  Maxim’s first in months!

Sleeping Beauty

Disney really knows how to treat their guests.  From the superb service – they learn your names instantly and greet you warmly daily, to the fantastic meals, round the clock room service (I am proud to say we didn’t order room service once), impeccably clean rooms, gleaming banisters, festive decorations and excellent entertainment – they have it down to a science.  We simply loved it.  But it wasn’t cheap!

Trip schedule:

November 6 departure

November 7th at sea

November 8th at sea (unscheduled stop in Cabo to drop off an ill passenger that needed medical treatment)

November 9th Puerto Vallarta

November 10th Cabo

November 11th Cabo

November 12th  At sea

November 13th Arrival in LA – day at Downtown Disney, California Adventure Park and flight home – PHEW!

Fancy Schmancy!

Dinner!

Each night we rotated to a different of three restaurants. Maxim is in Triton’s, our favourite, and before dinner we stopped in the lobby for a photo-op.

Food was marvelous – Fred and I enjoyed everything from Tuna Tartare to Lobster to Prime Rib with amazing appetizers of Oysters Rockefeller and Shrimp every evening.  Maxim of course dined on “Roni Cheese” and a sundae each night.

Ah, life at sea.

Characters all around us.

Although there were not enough character photo ops, there were a few and did our best to make sure Maxim met as many as possible.

Couple of rodents we met

Couple of jackasses

Sand, Sun and Surf!

At the pool in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta was as gorgeous as I remembered it.  Beautiful weather, brilliant blue skies and warm tropical air.  But the poverty is still omnipresent everywhere you look.  And we only traveled to a resort so actually saw minimal evidence of it on our way.

At the Oceaneer's Club with Denise

Minnie Max!

A highlight for Maxim was the abundance of “friends” everywhere you looked.  From the dance floor at the Promenade Lounge, where he cut a rug every night, to the Oceaneer’s Club (read babysitting service for moms and dads) to our dinner seating arrangements, kids were always near by.  We were paired with a family from LA and thus had dinner with them each night.  Well each night they made it to dinner.  Their little girl, Denise, was sick and spent most meals she attended coughing like a maniac.  Poor kid.  Poor me – I got it now!

Fred's best meal

Maxim's best meal.

There was something for everyone!  Fred enjoyed a few of these beverages (and brought home the mug).  The desserts were aplenty and Maxim enjoyed this immensely.  Me, well, I was moved to pieces to have lattes on board (for a fee of course)!

The cupcakes are actually from the Pirates IN the Carribean Party held on the top deck on Thursday night.  A dessert buffet, huge party, everyone in Pirate attire (well most people) all culminating in a huge fireworks display was a blast!

Pirate Party!

Getting ready for the party!

Although he was exhausted from a day in Cabo, this party was a must according to our faithful servers.  And they were right.  It really was a blast and our little pirate who had little interest in pirates prior to this party is now officially enamoured with the Pirate life now.

Ice cold pirates

Watch out while on the high seas, Matey Max  might just show up!

Pirate in Training at the Oceaneer's Club.

The Oceaneer’s Club was Maxim’s favourite place.  The Pirate Ship provided him literally hours of climbing and sliding adventure fun.  The staff was amazing, the multitude of “friends” unlimited!  One happy boy!

CABO!

Aboard the Tender Boat - one scared Astronaut

Swimming in Cabo

Poor little Maxim, who so desperately believes he is an Astronaut, about crapped himself aboard the small boats that took us back and forth from ship to port.  How he will survive blastoff and re-entry to earth is beyond me…

Us

Blizzard time in Cabo - Margaritas for the adults!

Walking in Cabo

Life is rough....

Sunset over Cabo

We visited Cabo twice – one day just walking around the harbor and town, where we enjoyed margaritas, chips, guac and salsa, and a Blizzard and his first orange Fanta for Maxim.  I love Mexico and the peaceful laid back pace of Cabo makes it my new favourite place in this country.  The second day we did a little visit to the Finisterra resort.  Simply beautiful, but the surf was too dangerous – red flag on the beach – so we were limited to three gorgeous pools, a delicious Mexican buffet and a quiet peaceful setting.  Our visits to Cabo entailed 4 rides on the Tender boats – something Maxim detested.  He was absolutely terrified of the speed and the noise of the boat.  Fred and I thought it was quite nice however.  I hope he gets over this fear!

Victor!

Same picture, one year later....

Too much for this pirate!

We ended the trip with our friend Victor meeting the ship and taking us to Disneyland for a visit before our flight back to Vegas.  Thank you again Dear Victor – we had a great visit and enjoyed the memories of visiting the same restaurant and shops of exactly one year ago.  Maxim was exhausted and fell asleep as we walked through California Adventure Park.

But there has to be a glitch right?  Well, there was….comfortably seated in the last row on the JetBlue flight back to Vegas, we taxied out to the runway, the pilot prepared for take off building speed and then…Urch!  He hit the brakes, aborted the take off and we were on our way back to the airport in Long Beach.  After problem diagnosed and repaired, new pilot in the cockpit and a 2 hour delay, we were off again.  Not the perfect end to our perfect vacation, but hey, I’d rather the pilot figure out the problem BEFORE take off, right?

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