Category: Cruising

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Welcome to Day 4 of our Disney Wonder Very Merrytime Family Cruise

Today we are on the island of Grand Cayman!  Yesterday at Cozumel was all about play.  The plan today?  We are catching a bus to Cemetery Beach for a day of snorkeling!

We started the day with our usual coffee on the top deck. 

Because of the coral reefs around the island, the Wonder anchored off-shore.   Instead of walking off onto a pier, we would board tenders for a short ride to the cruise terminal.   While the kids were finishing breakfast, Brad and I went down to our room to gather up our beach gear.  Cemetery Beach does not have facilities available, so we would need to take everything we would need for the day.   We grabbed our soft-sided cooler for drinks and snacks, a first aid kit, and of course masks and snorkels.  

After everyone was ready for the day, we headed down to the movie theater to wait our turn to go ashore.  While waiting, we watched classic Disney cartoons on the big screen.  

Before long it was our turn to go ashore!

The short ride to the cruise terminal gave us and the opportunity to take pictures of the ship in the water and check out the fish in the crystal clear water.  

Once at the terminal, we stocked up on supplies.  We filled our cooler with drinks and snacks.  The kids couldn’t resist a picture with one of the locals.

Finding a bus outside the cruise terminal was simple, and soon we were off to the beach!  I was expecting a big coach as you see in the city but the bus ended up being a passenger van.  We were crammed in like sardines but for 2.50 a person we didn’t complain.

After about 20 minutes we arrived at Cemetery Beach. 

Cemetery Beach is located near West Bay on the quieter end of Seven Mile Beach.  And Cemetery Reef, located 30 yards offshore is one of the top 10 snorkeling spots on Grand Cayman.  I had read that this beach is very safe, and there are minimal currents and waves.  It was the perfect beach for kids.  

The beach was stunning!  Beautiful blue water, soft sand, and NO CROWDS.   We set up camp under a big sea grape tree that had spread out branches.  Perfect for hanging towels and clothes as well as providing shade.   Since we didn’t have a waiter or other beach staff to watch our valuables, I also brought along our portable safe for things like phones and wallets.  Just a little extra peace of mind.  Of course, I also had my waterproof phone pouch for taking pics. 

No beach is complete without chickens!  Ha!

We spent the day swimming and taking turns with the snorkels.  I purchased a full-face snorkel which was a big hit.  As much as I love the beach and the ocean, I do not like salt water on my face.   This snorkel lets you breathe normally underwater and still get a great view.  It didn’t work to well for those with beards, but the rest of us loved it!  

There were smaller reefs close to shore for the little kids.  They were especially thrilled to see Dory fish (blue tangs).  The big boys and Erica were a little braver and swam out to Cemetery Reef.  According to them, it was worth the swim.   Made this mamma a little nervous,  I was always counting heads to make sure we didn’t lose anyone.

Bye-bye Grand Cayman.

It was a great beach day – but all too soon it was time to pack up and head back to the ship.  

We needed to get back because we had big plans!  One great perk of sailing on a Disney ship is you get to see still-in-theater films, and tonight we were going to see Coco!   Being total Disney fans, we were JAZZED!  I can’t even tell you how much we all loved it!!

Dinner was back at Animators Palate and waiting at the table was a unique project.  At each of our places, we found a “Draw Your Own Character.”  On it, we were instructed to draw a character of our choice.  Our waiter whisked our masterpieces away for a surprise during dinner. 

Check out our impressive artistic skills!

We have no idea what Brad was trying to draw!

A little while later, the screens around the dining room sprung to life with all of our drawings, and they were animated!  We had now become Disney animators!   We had a blast finding each other’s characters.  Watch the video to see our creations in motion, and you will even see Isaac’s character dancing with Mickey Mouse! 

Another SPECTACULAR day on our Disney Cruise!  How could this vacation get any better?  Oh, but it does!   

Time to hit the sack to get rested for our last port of call tomorrow!

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We woke up on Day 2 just in time to see the ship pull into Cozumel.

Brad and I love to watch the ship arriving at the port. So we grabbed a quick cup of coffee and headed to the top deck. Seeing Cozumel come into view was super exciting.  Every moment on this cruise was a first for our family, and we were determined to soak it all in.

After docking, we headed to Cabana’s, Disney Wonder’s buffet-style dining room, for some breakfast.  We loved having breakfast here every morning.  There was every kind of breakfast food imaginable!  Even our picky eaters found food to their liking.  And I totally went for the Mickey waffles!  

And the view wasn’t bad at all!  

After breakfast, it was time to go ashore.

With everyone fed and caffeinated up, we were ready for our first day ashore in Cozumel.  The ship was pulled up right to the dock, so we were able to walk right off and into town.  Once on the pier, we could see the Wonder up close.  It’s incredible to me how these big ships even stay afloat!

The ship docked at Punta Langosta, one of two cruise ship ports in Cozumel. As we were walking down the pier toward the cruise terminal, I could hear the Latin/Caribbean music and feel the island vibe.  The weather was perfect for a day ashore.  It was going to be a great day!

Once on land, we had to make our way through the mall to get to the taxi stands.  One quick note, do not let the vendors get you over to their stands unless you really want to buy something.  They can be very persuasive!  

Paradise Beach here we come!

We did a little research before the cruise and Paradise Beach looked like the perfect place for a fun beach day for everyone.  So we piled into a taxi big enough for all of us and chilled out for the 20-minute ride.  

The beach was almost empty when we arrived, so we had our pick of chairs and umbrellas.  Paradise Beach is an excellent beach for those on a tight excursion budget.  For just $3 per person, you have use of the facilities and a chair at the beach or by the pool.  But we wanted to play!  So we all got a Fun Pass for $18 each.  This allowed us unlimited use of all the inflatables, paddle boards, and kayaks!  They also have a great food and drink menu.  And the service was excellent!

Can you believe this was Crystal’s first beach experience?

Everyone had a blast on the inflatables!  I had fun just floating around capturing memories with my phone in my waterproof pouch.  Those things really work, and it was big enough for my iPhone 7 plus, even with the case on.  

Sadly our time at Paradise Beach had to end.  We wanted to get in a little shopping before getting back on the ship.  Punta Langosta has a great selection of shops and restaurants.  There is even a Starbucks!  Mexican vanilla is my “must purchase” when coming to Cozumel.  Others wanted to get some souvenirs and t-shirts to take home.  Walking back to the ship we got one last taste of Mexican culture. 

Nightlife Disney Style

We said good-bye to Cozumel as the ship sailed away toward our next destination.  After a little rest and shower, we were ready for the night’s activities.  Alyssa had an appointment at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, a magical beauty salon for princess makeovers.  So Brad and I joined Matt, Crystal, and Layna at Donald Duck’s Latin Dance Party!  

Shaking that much works up an appetite.  Tonight we would be dining at Tritons, named after Ariel’s father.  This restaurant offers cuisine with a French flair with an “under the sea” theme. 

And keeping with tonight’s theme, Alyssa got an Ariel makeover.  She looked like a little princess.

The highlight of the evening was Santa’s Winter Wonderland Ball

Santa joined Mickey and Friends for a special Winter Wonderland Show in the Grand Atrium. The girls got there early for front row seats.  

A Winter Wonderland wouldn’t be complete without snow.  Yes, real snow!  

It was a magical ending to an awesome day.

And we still have four more to go! 

Have you taken your family to Cozumel?  What was your favorite thing to do?

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Dreams do come true!

This Disney Wonder Very Merrytime Family cruise had been a dream of ours for six years!   In December 2012, Brad and I were invited to sail on the Disney Magic when our friends won a cruise for four on the radio!  Crazy right?  We loved every minute of this cruise – even as adults it was magical.  Ever since then it has been on our bucket list to do it again with our kids and grandkids.  We wanted them to experience the magic of this cruise!   

So, Erica and I started planning in April 2017 to get us all on board.  We knew this Christmas would be our last opportunity for a while to pull off a Very Merrytime Disney Cruise, especially with kids getting older.  We didn’t get everyone, but we did manage to get eleven on board.

Our journey to Galveston

The Disney Wonder leaves from Galveston, TX during the holiday season.  We decided to drive down the day before so we could rest up for cruise day!  So nine people piled into two cars for the 12-hour drive from Amarillo (yes, Texas is that big)!  Two of our crew from Austin would meet us down there the next day.  

We stayed at the Hampton Inn just a few minutes from the pier.  

These two were up early and PUMPED!!  To say we were excited for this day was an understatement!!

The next day it was time to board the Disney Wonder

Brad and I woke up early the day of embarkation.  It was awesome to see the ocean from our hotel balcony and the ship out our window.  We are not very good at sitting around and waiting, so we took a walk down to the beach.  It felt great just being near the ocean again.  

Although the pier was just minutes away, the drive seemed to take forever.   Seeing the ship come into view was emotional for me.  This was happening!

The check-in process went very smooth, and before long we were ready to board. 

Disney makes boarding special by “announcing” families, kind of red-carpet style.  It’s so much fun!  For most of the family, this was their first cruise.  They were blown away!   

The ship was decked out for the holidays complete with a  huge Christmas tree in the lobby atrium.  We could also smell the life-sized gingerbread house made of real gingerbread!   

After getting settled in our staterooms, it was time for an excellent evening.

Brad and I took a few minutes to look around the ship while the kids were getting signed up for kids camp.  Later we all met on the top deck for the Bon Voyage party!  The ship’s horn blasted “When You Wish Upon a Star,” and we were off!  Later Galveston!  Our first real family adventure since becoming a blended family. 

That evening we joined Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Goofy for Mickey’s Tree Lighting Magic and the Be Our Guest welcome show in the Walt Disney Theater.  

We had a great dinner at Animator’s Palate, my favorite dining room.   Giant paint brush columns are dipping into colorful painters palettes on the ceiling.  Black and white Disney sketches and movies screens covered the walls.  

The kids were eager to get to Kid’s Club.  So off they went while the big kids headed to the After Hours section of the ship.  This area is off limits to the under 18 crowd in the evening.  We enjoyed an awesome comedy act and equally awesome martinis.  

Next day was for relaxing at sea.

Coffee on deck in the morning is one of my favorite times on a cruise, especially when the ship is at sea.  I am always memorized by the endless blue and imagining what is happening beneath the waves. 

After breakfast, we roamed around the ship for a while.  There is so much to see on a Disney ship.  Disney puts so much thought into every detail.  Every decoration, carpet, and piece of artwork has a purpose.  It’s also fun finding all the hidden Mickeys.

The rest of the afternoon was spent lounging at the pool.  I loved watching our kids having fun together just hanging out.  We ate loads of food and unlimited ice cream.  Crystal showed off her skills in the hula hoop contest.  The day was topped off with watching “The Princess and the Frog” on the giant movie screen at Goofy’s pool.  

Dinner tonight included a special surprise!

Our first formal night aboard was spent at Tiana’s, Disney’s New Orleans inspired dining room.  The kids looked great all dressed up.  Matt and Crystal had just celebrated their ten year wedding anniversary, and I arranged for a surprise celebration.  The dining room staff went out of their way to make this occasion special, complete with a special anniversary song and a chocolate treat.

While we finished our dessert, the little kids got up and dance with Tiana and Louis from “The Princess and The Frog.”  Just two days into our cruise and we had already experienced so much! 

We hit the sack early because tomorrow is our first port-of-call – Cozumel!

Have you taken your family on a Disney Cruise?