4-Night Cruise from Singapore

By Michael

Already in our red Disney Cruise Line shirts, we reached the Marina Bay Cruise Centre by mid-morning and worked through the check-in line. Lisa and I boarded the Disney Adventure in Singapore just before noon, greeted by a welcome aboard photo backdrop. We found our stateroom, had a first lunch on board, then spent the afternoon working through the ship: the Imagination Garden courtyard with its big Mickey statue, the arcade, a rec room with foosball and ping pong, and a bowl of noodles at the San Fransokyo-style cafe. In the ship's atrium Lisa signed I love you for a photo.

By Michael

Our first full day at sea aboard the Disney Adventure. We started the morning with coffee stamped with a Disney Adventure design in the foam, then worked through the ship's photo backdrops, including Mjolnir, where we each took a turn lifting the prop hammer.

Lisa watched Moana on the pool deck, and we found Nemo and Dory at the Discovery Reef photo spot. In the afternoon we browsed the character shops, past shelves of Duffy and friends plush, and Lisa changed into a floral dress for the rest of the day.

At dinner in Pixar Market, the waiters gathered at our table with a birthday cake and folded paper napkin hats. Afterward we watched costumed characters move through a deck party, then found a spot on the pool deck for The Lion King: Celebration in the Sky before heading back to the room.

By Michael

We were up early on the Disney Adventure, out on deck for sunrise before most of the ship was awake. Lisa found the Ironcycle coaster loop, then signed I love you for a photo at the rail before we sat down to breakfast by the window.

The rest of the morning went to walking the ship: the long art gallery down the main hall, the Marvel and Toy Story decks, and San Fransokyo Street with its trolley car and comic-book storefronts. Lisa met Snow White, Rapunzel and Jasmine for photos, and in the early afternoon we rode the Ironcycle together.

Back in the stateroom, our Stateroom Host had left a tiered cake of folded washcloths with stuffed animals propped beside it. Baymax found us again later for one more photo. Dinner was at Navigators Club, with Mickey, Minnie, Daisy and Donald stopping at the tables.

Our last full day at sea before Singapore. Lisa was up early walking the ship past the restaurants and murals before breakfast. By mid-morning the day turned into character meets: Goofy in his sailor stripes, then Mickey and Minnie in their captain uniforms, plus Dory, Nemo and Hank on the Discovery Reef backdrop. There was a Duffy and Friends show going on nearby, and a pin trading board to dig through.

That night we watched the Marvel stage show at the Stark Expo, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black Widow and Loki squaring off under blue and red lights, and Lisa got her own superhero portrait against the Spider-Man wall, arm out like she was shooting a web.

Dinner was our second seating at Animator's Palate, the last one of the cruise. Our servers wrote Lisa notes to say goodbye before we packed our bags for the morning.

By Michael

The last flight left San Francisco a little after midnight, headed for Chicago Midway. The sun came up somewhere over the Midwest, turning the sky over the wing pink and orange. Lisa rested her head on my shoulder for part of the flight.

We came in low over the suburbs before landing, then drove the rest of the way home, back in Coloma by mid-morning.