As I was brushing snow off of my car this afternoon – with the thermometer registering 4 degrees – I couldn’t help but think of where I was just 36 hours earlier …. walking on a beach in the Bahamas, in my bare feet. You might say that it was a dream – specifically, the Disney Dream. That’s the extraordinary ship aboard which Kathy and I and almost 4000 other passengers enjoyed an amazing 3-day cruise, beginning the day after Christmas. How we ended up doing this is too complicated to get into here. All I can say is that Mark & Polly & Lorelai & Kathy & her dad & I got to enjoy this incredible Trip Of A Lifetime together. And one of the reasons I am especially grateful for the experience is that it’s something that I would have never ever sought out on my own. But the fact that this opportunity just fell into our laps so unexpectedly only enhanced the delight of it all.
Kathy had been on one cruise a couple of years before we met, and remembered the experience very fondly. But I had never been on a boat larger or faster than the Washington Island Ferry, and was perfectly content to keep it that way. And the thought of spending a significant amount of time on a ship sounded incredibly boring and confining to me. And I suppose that as I walked aboard the ship, part of me was excited and part of me was daring the good folks at Disney Cruise Lines to show me a good time.
And that’s exactly what they did!
There’s no way to adequately describe what transpired over those three days ….. and even if I could, I very much doubt it would give any pleasure to anybody shivering in the upper Midwest to hear how Kathy and I got to frolic in the sun and the warmth of the Bahamas. But let me just mention just a few things that stick with me as I think back over the last few days . . .
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY – Say what you will about the control freaks in charge of all things Disney, but their attention to detail is truly astounding. They think about so many details that might not seem like a big deal, but which matter an awful lot. There’s an amazing array of activities planned for all ages – morning, noon, and night – and it’s completely up to you how much you do and exactly what …. whether you choose a non-stop frenzy of fun or opt for lots of R&R- reclining and reading – or a mix. A whole lot is left up to you. On the other hand, certain things like the schedule for meals is carefully calculated to get everybody fed efficiently yet unhurriedly, with the variety of three different dining rooms to keep it fresh and fun for everyone. And Disney thinks about everything, including how to get you from the Orlando Airport to the boat and back again- and even the shuttle buses and the terminal waiting room are full of delightful Disney touches. They have been doing this for fifteen years and continue to work at doing it better and better.
THE LAP OF LUXURY … AND THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME – I’m not embarrassed to say that when Kathy and I first set foot on the boat and beheld the opulent main lobby, we both burst into tears. There is a touch of true and impressive splendor to the design of this ship . . . but it’s not so over-the-top luxurious as to make you feel self- conscious, like you’re aboard the wrong ship. And the moment you step aboard, someone is announcing your name and welcoming you as several crew members applaud your entrance …. and the staff is lavish with their welcome as you walk into the dining room each evening. So you feel like you’re someplace incredibly beautiful and special – but also made to feel entirely welcome and at home, in a way that you’re very unlikely to experience at the Waldorf-Astoria.
CABIN PRESSURE – For as enormous as the ship is, the cabin where you actually live is obviously a bit cozy, but Disney’s cabins, I’ve been told, are exceptionally well designed and not nearly so cramped as they could be. Still, you have to think about space and your stuff in a completely different way from what you do back home. Leaving things out is just not an option – and you have to be organized as well as sensitive to the two people with whom you’re sharing the cabin. Bob and Kathy and I managed all that pretty well; we had more trouble with such things as turning off the overhead light the first night (we actually called for assistance before accidentally discovering what we were doing wrong with the switches) ….. or how to get hot water out of the shower (my first shower aboard ship was a cold shower, which nearly gave me a heart attack!) ….. or trying to figure out whether or not we had a normal electrical outlet in our cabin (Polly helped us figure out that the strange-looking outlet below the mirror in fact was a standard outlet). And because both Kathy and I packed full-size suitcases, we felt a little like we were trying to park two air craft carriers in a closet. Next time we’ll pack a little lighter, so as to have some room to breathe. But the host of little challenges that come with living in such close quarters was actually pretty fun, even as it helps you appreciate as simple a blessing as room!
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD – I had heard that the food on Disney cruises was transcendentally wonderful, but even knowing that going into the three days did not adequately prepare me for how wonderful everything would be …. from the scrambled eggs to the duck confit. There are certain dining experiences that are all-you-can-eat extravaganzas, while others are more prim-and-proper order-from-the-menu meals. But it’s all spectacularly delicious. And an innovation of Disney Cruises which is especially neat is that for the three evening meals, which take place in three different fancy restaurants, the same two-person team of servers follows you. So for three consecutive evenings (plus our final morning) we were served our meals by the team of Stephanie (from Portugal) and Ale (from Argentina.) It’s amazing what a sense of home is created by having those same servers, who very quickly learn that I don’t drink coffee or that Lorelai wants ranch dressing with her french fries. Of course, it’s disappointing when you wake up the next morning after returning home and don’t have Stephanie there to advise you on what appetizer to order.
WIRE CUTTERS – If there was anything challenging about a 3-day cruise for me, it was not the matter of being on water. Rather, it was the whole business of living without access to the internet or one’s cell phones. It was weird but actually not awful – and in some ways it felt sort of good to leave the cares and obligations of normal life so decidedly behind us. The worst part is not being able to share what we’re experiencing with friends and family back home … or being able to look up when the first Daffy Duck cartoon was seen (or the answer to other similarly pressing questions.) But beyond that lack of technological connection, I found myself most tied up in emotional and mental knots over the fact that I had no blank paper with me, nor even a pen – which meant that I wasn’t writing. But again, it wasn’t awful …. it was just a different state of being with which to try an get accustomed. And as I walked off that ship and back to civilization, so to speak, I had a sense that such retreats are good for me – and one way or another it makes a lot of sense to be unwired …. even briefly.
SHOW TIME! – One of the hallmarks of Disney Cruises is the splendid on-ship entertainment, much of which is Broadway-calibre! The opening night we saw a stage show called The Golden Mickeys that was a salute to various Disney films from over the years- and it was absolutely spectacular in every way. The second night’s show, a salute to Disney villains, was a little too modern and sarcastic for our taste, although it was impressively done. But they hit an absolute home run the last night with “Believe!” which was a theatrical and musical tour de force that both reminded me of great films I haven’t seen in awhile (like Lion King and Finding Nemo) – and some Disney flicks that I haven’t managed to see yet (like Mulan and The Princess and the Frog) that I need to see for myself, if the little excerpts we saw are any indication of what they’re like. The Disney Dream has not only the Walt Disney Theater, where these life entertainments take place, but also the Buena Vista Theater where movies are shown morning, noon and night. Kathy and I saw “Frozen” one morning and absolutely loved it … not only because it’s a great movie, but because it also helped us appreciate the beautiful warm weather all the more! There are also live game shows in which one can participate (like Family Fusion, in which the Amborns were extremely impressive) – character sessions where children can meet and be photographed with various Disney characters in full costume- an on board fireworks display – and quite a lot of other live entertainment. There are also several different swimming pools, plus the famous Aqua Duck …. in which you ride on a fast-moving stream of water inside a long, twisting clear tube. Since Lorelai was brave enough to attempt something called the Pelican Plunge, a water slide on one of the islands we visited, her Aunt Kathy agreed to try out the Aqua Duck! (How could she refuse?) If there’s one thing that’s really neat about a cruise like this, it’s all of the things you can try! And by the same token, if you prefer your fun to be experienced within the bounds of the familiar, that’s okay too. No one writes the script except you.
As lovely as the cruise itself was, I know that Kathy and I would not have had the wonderful time we did had we not shared it with Polly, Mark, Lorelai and Bob- who are so easy to travel with and who have a way of doubling any fun. We were especially glad that Polly and Mark, veterans of a previous Disney cruise, could answer nearly all of our questions and offered ideas without ever getting the least bit bossy about it. They wanted this trip to be what we wanted it to be. And by the way, their previous Disney cruise was seriously hampered by Hurricane Sandy, which prevented any ports of call and shut down certain on ship activities as well …. so this “normal” cruise was exciting for them as well! And of course, it was truly thrilling for Lorelai, who is such a delight to be around and an exceptionally appreciative young lady. Just witnessing her excitement and delight was fun in and of itself. And Kathy’s dad, at age 81, is such a good-natured trooper- never one to complain- quick to defer to the wishes of others- and just so glad to be included in the fun. The truth is that we can hardly imagine having taken the trip without him. He was an absolute joy.
So Kathy and I are finishing up 2013 feeling grateful for this extraordinary trip, for the fun we had, and for the extra energy with which we can enter the new year. Add to that the joy of having several days with my family to celebrate not only Christmas but also my brother Nathan’s remarkable recovery from his traumatic brain injury and it’s little wonder why we are feeling so incredibly thankful.
pictured above: The stern of the Disney Dream, complete with the figure of Mickey Mouse and the enchanted brooms from Fantasia. I love that!