14-Night Halloween on the High Seas EBPC Cruise from San Diego

By Michael

We loaded the last of the Donald Duck suitcases into the van and drove to Chicago Midway. Thomas and Lisa rode in back, already wearing the matching "I'm going on a Disney Cruise" shirts made for the trip. At the gate Thomas held up a cardboard cutout of me from the shirt design, and later I held it up myself while we waited to board.

We flew Southwest out of Midway in the evening. Kathy slept the flight under a blanket while Lisa watched out the window. We landed in San Diego late and checked into our hotel for the night. Tomorrow we board the Wonder.

By Michael

This was our eleventh Disney cruise, and our fourth this year on the Wonder. We spent the morning at the hotel, playing giant chess in the courtyard, before the last of the Donald Duck suitcases went to the pier. At the cruise terminal, tagging our bags as Castaway Club members, Thomas was handed a platinum lanyard to match the rest of us. Lisa, who has aged out of the Kids Club, asked for a wristband anyway. A Disney Cruise Line representative gave her one without hesitation, and it changed her whole day.

By Michael

Our first day at sea aboard the Disney Wonder started early, with a sunrise over open water before breakfast. The morning started with the Princess Gathering in the Lobby Atrium at 9:00, where we met Ariel, Cinderella and Belle, and Lisa got a long hug from Ariel.

Spider-Man, Captain America and Black Widow were out for photos too. In between we swam and sat in the hot tub on deck. We also met Stitch, Pluto, and Chip and Dale, with pumpkins and Halloween decorations strung through the atrium for Halloween on the High Seas.

Kathy and I had a 6:00 reservation at Palo for dinner. That evening we watched David Gatti's magic show, The Magic Hotel, with an ASL interpreter signing along from the side of the stage. We ended the night at the entrance to The Golden Mickeys, a towel animal waiting for us back in the room.

By Michael

The Disney Wonder called at Cabo San Lucas. Our port adventure was the Santa Maria Snorkel and Sail: sailing past El Arco and snorkeling in Santa Maria Bay. Kathy's ticket had us meeting at 9:45 in the Azure lounge on Deck 3, with all ashore at 8:30 and all aboard by 3:30. We could see El Arco from the ship that morning, then put on matching red polos for the tour and took a tender ashore to meet our boat, the Pez Gato III. It ran in close past the arch, and Thomas and Lisa pulled on masks and life vests to snorkel near Santa Maria Bay, with Kathy alongside them in a vest too.

After we dried off we walked through the shops near the pier. Thomas and Lisa each got a balloon hat from a street vendor, and we passed a pinata shop and a walking map of Cabo on the way back to the ship.

By Michael

We had the whole day at sea, and it turned into one of the busiest character days of the cruise. The morning was quiet, gray sky and calm water off the bow. Kathy and I got a photo with Daisy Duck, and we worked through Chip and Dale, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Donald, and the kids met Doc McStuffins.

A Panama Canal talk ran on a theater screen, getting us ready for tomorrow's transit. Lisa spent the afternoon in the pool with a friend, and Thomas ate fries poolside. By early evening we could see Panama City across the water, with other ships anchored around us waiting their turn for the canal.

That night the photographers set a sunset backdrop of the ship, and we all posed together dressed for Halloween on the High Seas and later the moon came up over the water.

By Michael

We got up before sunrise to watch the approach. Panama City's lights were still burning across the water in the dark, and the sky was turning pink by the time we passed under the Bridge of the Americas and into the Cocoli Locks, the first of the canal's new locks. Captain Ken Puckett narrated the crossing on the stateroom TV from about 7:00, with the schedule calling for the Cocoli Locks at 7:00 and the Agua Clara Locks at 2:30.

Crowds lined the rail as tugs nosed the ship into the lock chamber. We watched the gates close behind us and the water rise, with line handlers working the walls above us in yellow hard hats. A second lock lifted us again before we came out onto Gatun Lake.

The lake crossing took most of the morning. We passed under the Centennial Bridge, and further on the hillside had been cut back into wide green terraces, with the reddish soil showing through where the slope was still being reinforced. A car carrier, container ships and a fast pilot boat passed us going the other way.

On deck, the crew set out fresh pineapples, and Kathy and Thomas had their photo taken to mark the crossing. Lisa and I ran into Goofy at the rail, with the lock walls still visible behind us. The Swim Through the Panama Canal in Goofy's Pool ran around midday, and Kathy, Lisa and I got our photo swimming across the Panama Canal pool, with a certificate to go with it.

By mid-afternoon we passed a new bridge near Colon that was still under construction, a crane still standing on its tower. We had our passports stamped with Panama's cruise souvenir stamp.

By Michael

The Disney Wonder called at Cartagena this morning. We watched the skyline come up out of the haze from the bow as we came into the harbor and docked. Once we were ashore we boarded a tour bus for Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. Kara, one of the Wonder's ASL interpreters, came ashore with us and signed the guide's commentary on the ride over so Lisa could follow along.

By Michael

Our last full day at sea before Texas. The day started before the ship woke, with empty hallways strung with Halloween decorations and jack-o-lantern portholes, and sunrise over open water.

By midday the kids were in the pool, and a ship's chef carved a block of ice into a sculpture right on the pool deck while a crowd watched. We met up with Pluto, Donald Duck, and Chip and Dale for character photos, and picked up a couple of Alaska pins for the collection.

In the evening the kids club put on a stage show, and we sat down to a formal dinner with dessert. I ended the night with a photo in front of the Disney Cruise Line backdrop before heading to bed.

By Michael

Dear DCL;

During our recent trip aboard the Disney Wonder (14 Night Panama Canal), there were more cast members that made our trip extra special than can fit in the small space on the shipboard survey. For a little context, it was our 11th Disney cruise. Our 4th this year on the Wonder (28 days). This has led us to really get to know some of the cast members.

First off, I don’t know how the cast members are able to make my family feel so special. I know its their job, and they are trained to do so… but they do it SO well. It feels genuine. I believe it is genuine. I could not do it day after day, voyage after voyage, family after family. But they manage to make my every voyage with them feel special. It is THAT feeling which brings us back probably more often than we should.

The Cruise Director Natalie Bailey was fantastic. I debated whether to mention Natalie, because she is an officer, and it is ‘expected’ that she be incredible. However, I believe she went beyond even my highest expectations. There are too many examples to list from a 14-night cruise. One small example was an activity in the adult pool area. The cruise staff that organized the event told the passengers that Natalie and Anthony were competing against each other, and that she was going to trick them, and get them wet, even though she promised them they wouldn’t get wet. They competed against each other, and in the end, they were good sports and jumped in the pool in their uniforms. – At first, I suspected that it was prearranged, but Natalie lightly protested that it was formal night, and that she was hesitant to go into the water. However, as I mentioned, she was a good sport, and did get into the pool. With her uniform on. She was quickly covered in a towel while exiting for modesty, because it was obviously that this indeed was spontaneous on her part.

Rosetta from Jamaica. Rosetta is part of the house keeping staff that handles the midship lobby atrium. Meeting her again on this cruise sparked memories of interactions from our back-to-back-to-back on the Wonder this spring. I recalled that she was always so happy, singing and dancing to the music playing in the background, even when no one was watching. She always had a smile for me. This cruise I paid a little more attention to Rosetta and noticed that this was not an isolated incident. She is always singing and moving to the music. During the lobby atrium dance parties, she is dancing with the kids. You can’t always put into words the happiness someone shares to you from their heart. Rosetta shares her happiness with my family. It makes my heart happy to witness her happiness.

Michael the Lifeguard from Jamaica. Michael is another incredible person. My family has had many interactions with Michael. They were all exceptional. I would get random shout outs from Michael in passing. “Is there anything I can do for you, Michael?” he would ask me in passing. I asked if he could stand in those photo lines for me. We both laughed and went on with our day. Another day, in port, Michael saw me walking to a shore excursion. I hadn’t seen him until he called to me. We had another pleasant ‘Hello’ and went about our day. He is just very nice, and friendly, and makes me feel welcome whenever he sees me.

This letter is already a page long, and I have only mentioned three people. And only described a few short moments on a 14-day cruise. This cruise was non-stop happiness. My family always felt welcome. My daughter is 13 and misses the kids club. This was her 11th cruise as well. We were clever and told her when the open houses were (there were many, thank you very much) so that she could still visit. While there, the Kids Club Cast Members were so nice to my daughter. They let her help set up some events they were getting ready for the next time slot. They did crafts with her. They did many, many things. They made my daughter happy. Which makes me happy. Speaking of making my daughter happy. This trip starts in the cruise terminal. While getting our ‘key to the world cards’ and platinum lanyards, the lady helping us did two wonderful things that made our vacation start off on the right foot. I am sorry that I do not remember her name, because she deserves recognition. – While getting the key to the world cards, my son knew he was not a platinum member, and was expecting to get a gold lanyard. Without asking, he was given a platinum lanyard so that he would match the rest of the family. That made my son very happy. My daughter saw my son getting his kids club bracelet. She knew she had aged out. She asked for her bracelet. Her mother and I signed to her (she is deaf) that she wasn’t getting one. Her soul was crushed. She loves Disney Cruise Line, and she loves the Kids Club. While her mother and I watched her face showing the soul being crushed in our daughter, watching her childhood memories being destroyed, and not knowing what we were going to do to make this cruise not be a disappointment for her. Without missing a beat, the Disney representative handed Lisa a wrist band, before the first tear could fully mature. Crisis averted, vacation saved. – If Lisa isn’t happy, no one is going to be happy. I really wish I had remembered the Cast members name, as she quite likely is the single most important reason that the vacation went well. She set the stage for an incredible vacation, and the folks on the ship delivered.

While onboard, my daughter (again, who is deaf) was in such a happy place, that she hugged every cast member she came across. At first, her mother and I were reprimanding her, telling her not to violate other people’s space. We don’t mind when she hugs the kids club cast members, as it’s ‘kind of’ their job. But my daughter was hugging housekeeping staff outside the Buena Vista Theater (and everywhere else). As I said, we were reprimanding her, until one lady in house keeping said that it was the first hug she had received on the boat, and that she really liked it. After that, we allowed our daughter to share her joy with the cast members just as they shared theirs with us. The house keepers in the common areas even helped my daughter (again, who is deaf and only communicates via sign language) perform the daily photo challenge. The cast members make it hard to consider a vacation anywhere other than the Disney Wonder.

Eddisson (formerly in Mickeys Main Sail). My kids met Eddisson on the Disney Magic in the Baltic Sea and instantly adored him. He taught them how to operate the register and gave them a starter pin to get their pin collection started. My kids talk Eddisson all year between cruises. He has a huge impact in their lives. This spring, they ran into him again on the Wonder in the Southern Caribbean. My son has a photo of Eddisson on his night stand. He made a shirt with their picture on the back, and on the front, its says; “I can’t keep calm, I’m looking for Eddisson”. That shirt would prove to be very fitting. A day or two into our cruise, Eddisson was transferred to the crew supply store to learn more of the operations, to help him advance. The Shop manager crafted a deal with my son. She said that if my son would ask the captain if he has seen his friend Eddisson (while wearing the shirt), then she would cover Eddisson’s shift for a short time, so that the two of them could spend some time together.

From the moment we walked onto the ship, while they were welcoming the Rennhack Family to the Disney Wonder, Thomas saw Eddisson, and gave him a big hug. Days later Eddisson caught up to us while we were leaving the ship for a port adventure, and walked with us, which made my son’s day. We found out later, that Eddisson spent his time ashore buying my son a soccer ball (and my daughter a bracelet). Seriously. Who does that? My mind can not fathom the kindness and generosity. We both know that cast members don’t get a lot of ‘me’ time, or time ashore. For Eddisson to spend his time and money on my son leaves me speechless. I know he is destined for greatness.

By Michael

We spent the morning at the Houston Museum of Natural Science before we had to be at the airport. The day started with a sunrise over the city from our hotel window. Once inside, we worked through the dinosaur halls, standing under the T. rex and Lane the Triceratops, and Thomas and Lisa each got to hold a trilobite fossil at one of the touch tables. We ducked into the Cabinet of Curiosities, a small paneled room built around a fireplace hung with tusks and a mounted fish, and sat there for a while. From the dinosaurs we walked through the Hall of Ancient Egypt, past the wrapped mummies and a gold sarcophagus, and through the Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife.

By early afternoon we needed some air, so we walked over to Hermann Park and stood by the Sam Houston Monument and the reflecting pool. We went back inside the museum's kids gallery for a bit before finally heading out.

We went to the Downtown Aquarium in Houston next. We watched the jellyfish and the coral reef tanks, found the stingrays, and saw the white tigers. Lisa and I walked through the shark tunnel and stopped for a photo with the sharks overhead.

From there it was on to Houston Hobby. Thomas fell asleep against the window on the flight, wrapped in his blanket with his headphones on, and we watched the lights of the city come up under the wing as we flew home to Chicago Midway.