7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral (Maiden Voyage)

Re-packing for today's cruise and implementing a quick wardrobe change. No way will my crew wear shorts with a high of 63 degrees. I will. I'm always boiling hot. Shuffling the schedule and moving pants to embarkation day. Guess who will be back at Fairytale Fresh Laundry for Round 2 tomorrow morning?

All our bags are tagged. We're ready to go. We're leaving on a cruise ship. Don't know when we'll be back again. Well, technically they kick us off the Treasure next Saturday, so I guess we'll be back then.

Hands down, the best youth spaces at sea are found on Disney ships. Vibe is the teen club for ages 14-17. Oceaneer Club is for junior cruisers ages 3-10. Today, during open house, I was able to visit and take videos and pictures. How cool are these areas?

Next item of business, purchasing internet for four devices for the week. Merry Christmas, kids.

The Disney Treasure is setting sail!

Cheers!

Farewell Florida. We'll see you in a week.

Dinner tonight was at Worlds of Marvel. The Pym Donut Sundae is so good.

By Michael

The atrium was decorated for Christmas, with a tree at its center and Mickey and Minnie waiting in captain and admiral uniforms. We stopped at a backdrop of the ship's silhouette and had our portrait taken holding the certificate for the Treasure's maiden voyage, her first sailing with paying guests. Lunch was at Donald's Cantina, and Lisa and Thomas each had a Wheezy's Freezie from the frozen drink stand nearby.

We spent the afternoon working through the ship, from the Oceaneer Club and the Star Wars Cargo Bay to the Marvel Super Hero Academy and the teen hangout called Vibe, before finding our way to stateroom 11019. Late in the day the cast held a sail-away party on deck, dancing to characters on the big screen, and we watched Port Canaveral fall away behind us into a pink sunset.

Dinner was at Worlds of Marvel, with Lisa and Thomas signing "I love you" for a portrait against the Avengers backdrop and an Avengers-themed dessert to finish. Afterward we ran into Chewbacca, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck in the atrium. That night Lisa filled out American Sign Language interpreter request forms for the next day's activities, from the welcome event and crafts to the Jungle Cruise Adventure and the Star Wars Force Trials.

Ready to get this day started.

Edge tween club for ages 11-13.

It's time for Disney Cruise Line Trivia at the Skipper Society. This space, located on Deck 3 Midship, is inspired by The Jungle Cruise and serves as the hub for family activities throughout the day.

Dinner at Plaza de Coco tonight. Everything was spectacular, including the show.

By Michael

That evening was dinner at Plaza de Coco, dressed up, under the Remembering Hector Rivera display, with a chocolate dessert to finish. Lisa signed I love you for the camera. Afterward we had portraits made against the chalk drawn ship backdrop, Kathy and Thomas together and Lisa and I together, then the whole family gathered at the big Christmas tree in the atrium still in our formal clothes. Before turning in we stopped for photos with Minnie Mouse and then Chip and Dale.

Day #3 is another sea day. It's also time to visit Fairytale Fresh Laundry. So...much...dirty...laundry. This is a consistent theme both on land and at sea.

Last night, we set our clocks forward one hour in preparation for tomorrow's arrival in Tortola. Suddenly, my 4:30 wake up and client work time wasn't so unreasonable. I rope dropped Marceline Market for breakfast. Not quite as exciting as rope dropping Magic Kingdom, but someone has to test out the quality of the Mickey waffles. I can assure my fellow cruisers that they are perfect. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Today's schedule is full of all sorts of great activities. There's open house in the youth spaces, National Geographic trivia, character greetings galore, port presentations on Tortola and St. Thomas, BINGO, drawing classes, shopping and so much more. Tonight we will put on arrrgh pirate costumes and celebrate Pirates in the Caribbean Night with a rockin' deck party and fireworks at sea.

Tonight's dinner found us in 1923, where I experienced my first "main dish miss" of the vacation. The rack of lamb had a very odd taste. The warm cinnamon donut holes with chocolate ganache were INCREDIBLE!

By Michael

The evening was Pirate Night. The four of us put on pirate costumes before dinner, stopping along the way for photos in front of a ship's-wheel and palm backdrop, then again with a prop treasure chest. Dinner included a rack of lamb. Before we went back to the table, Lisa filled out an ASL interpreter request form for the next day's Santa meet, trivia and Go Fetch, and I photographed it so we would not lose it.

More portraits followed after dinner: a solo shot of me in full pirate coat, a stop to meet Mickey Mouse dressed as a pirate, and a photo backdrop labeled Pirates in the Caribbean where we grabbed a selfie with one of the costumed cast.

Up on deck, the crew threw a pirate party with music and dancing, capped by fireworks over the ship. Lisa caught them from the rail with fireworks going off behind her, and I noticed one of the ship's ASL interpreters signing along at the party. I had a drink before heading in for the night.

Merry Christmas Eve from Tortola, British Virgin Islands. The pilot just came onboard the ship and is taking us into port. Today is a laid-back day for us. While we usually schedule a Port Adventure in every destination, today we did not. Lisa wants to get off the ship and walk around. Thomas would rather ride the Aquamouse and hang out in the teen club with his new friends.

On a much more positive note, our experience onboard the ship so far has been EXCELLENT Great food, service, entertainment and weather. You can't really ask for more than that.

Something tells me it's going to be a beautiful day. I'll take sunny and 82 degrees

Left the ship for about an hour to explore the immediate port area. A few shops and some Christmas spirit. Then back to the ship to enjoy the uncrowded pools.

Dipping fries in mayo. I have raised these kids right.

By Michael

Lisa had filled out an ASL request form the night before, asking for interpreters at three events today: the Santa meet-and-greet at 2:00, 1820 Society Trivia at 4:30, and the game show Go Fetch at 10:00. She got her photos with Santa that afternoon. That evening, at the deck party by the pool, an interpreter in black worked right along the stage rail as Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Chip and Dale danced under the lights.

Lunch was ribs and mac and cheese out on deck, and later a rainbow arched over the hills above Tortola. Thomas and I stopped for backdrop portraits at the Haunted Mansion wall, and Goofy got a hug in the atrium. Dinner was at Worlds of Marvel. Afterward we changed into Christmas pajamas for more portraits, Thomas and I mugging for the camera next to the Haunted Mansion ghost while Lisa posed in her floral pajamas. Lisa and I each took a turn with a lightsaber at the Star Wars backdrop before the night wound down.

Last night's dinner found us back at Worlds of Marvel where we experienced an all-new show, "Marvel Celebration of Heroes: Groot Remix." We followed Groot through a series of quests to throw an epic party for his friend, Rocket. Out of the two shows, this was by far my favorite. Having never watched an Avengers movie and failing miserably at the trivia portion, I still had a great time. It was an "eat to the beat" event featuring songs from the Avengers movies, all of which were familiar favorites.

With a seven-night itinerary, you are guaranteed at least two nights in each rotational restaurant. The beauty of Disney dining is that your servers rotate with you, so you always have the same familiar faces. Out of all of the cruise lines I have sailed, Disney, without a doubt, does dining best.

Merry Christmas from beautiful St. Thomas! Today we are off on a non-Disney excursion to Emerald Beach, where we have rented a floating Aqua Cabana. After 21 Disney cruises and multiple visits to St. Thomas, I am comfortable stepping outside of Mickey's bubble. This excursion is similar to one offered by Disney, minus an island drive that didn't interest us. Our cost for a five-hour rental was half the cost of the Disney excursion ($300 vs. $600). Emerald Beach is a five-minute taxi ride from the port. I'm 100% confident in our ability to make it back to the ship for all-aboard time.

Floating cabana for the win!

Living their best life. Merry Christmas, kiddos.

We are docked and the weather looks superb. I'm off to snap photos and grab some video for future projects. When I say, "Living my best vacation life," this is exactly what I mean

Someone is going fishing!

This will always be my happy place.

Dinner at 1923.