Chicago Midway (MDW)
Michael drove to the airport, dropped the family off, and parked. He was naughty, and parked on site instead of off site.
⚓ Cruise 9/3/2026 – 9/7/2026
3-Night Halloween on the High Seas Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral
3nights
5ports
2countries
shipASL interpreters: Kelly (5th sailing together, first in 2019), Jenna (4th sailing together, first in 2023)
Stateroom: 6146 · 5C - Deluxe Oceanview with Verandah
Day by day
Port Canaveral, FL
We flew from Chicago Midway to Orlando the night before, slept at the Staybridge Suites by the airport, and in the morning rode to Port Canaveral to board the Disney Wish. Kathy received a Birthday Button as the family set sail on her birthday, and the four of us posed for a welcome aboard photo with the ship graphic behind us, certificate in hand.
Our Castaway Club key cards were waiting in the cabin. At dinner Lisa signed "I love you" in ASL across the table, and later she and I stopped for a portrait against a Toy Story backdrop.
The night ended on the atrium stage with Daisy Duck, Minnie Mouse, and Clarabelle Cow, and autographed cards from all three to bring home.
Michael
🎭 Let's Set Sail
🎭 Aboard the Disney Wish
Bob the dog got the red shirt memo.
Rope-dropped Mickey's Smoke Stack BBQ. Ribs, potato salad and mac and cheese. Any meal that I didn't have to cook is the best meal ever. Looking forward to all of the seafood!
Thankfully, we are in Worlds of Marvel for muster drill. Chairs and air conditioning. Those stations on the outside deck are brutal.
Pearl status swag and my very first individual Magical Moment.
Birthday dinner at my favorite restaurant in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. 1923!
1923
Nassau, Bahamas
The most important meal of the day.
Halloween on the High Seas. Even the drinks are festive.
Bandanas on the bed? That can only mean one thing. It's Pirate Night! What happens on Pirate Night? Fireworks at sea. A nap will be in order today. 10:30 is way past my happy time.
Catching up with Thomas over pina coladas at Wheezy's Freezies onboard the ship while Lisa and Michael are enjoying daiquiris at Atlantis. This is the beauty of cruising. Everyone gets to vacation their way. I'm using this as a rest and recharge weekend. Naps, good food and relaxing on the verandah.
Dinner at Worlds of Marvel. The Pym Donut Sundae is everything.
Mickey's Mouse-Querade Party. Bags full of candy for every passenger on the ship. Love Halloween on the High Seas cruises. Nobody does themed cruising better than Disney.
Found my portrait on the ship.
Lisa and I spent the day at the Atlantis resort while Kathy and Thomas stayed aboard the Wish. We rode the lazy river through the ruins-themed water park, past the Royal Towers bridge and down into the caves, and stopped to look into the shark lagoon exhibit along the way.
Back on the ship, it was Pirate Night. Lisa and I had our portraits taken against three backdrops, a misty forest, a pirate ship, and a treasure room, all in matching skull and crossbones shirts and red bandanas.
Out on the pool deck Chip and Dale danced in their Halloween costumes on the stage screen while we were still docked at Nassau.
Michael
Atlantis Paradise Island, Nassau
Two visits to Nassau ago, Thomas went to Atlantis with me to ‘enjoy’ the not-so-lazy river (the mile-long Rapids River, with wave surges, rapids, and conveyor lifts) and was injured. On our last cruise, Kathy went with me and ‘enjoyed’ the same experience. Neither of them is a fan today. However, this time I was able to go with my ‘ride-or-die’, Miss Lisa, who had the most excellent time.
🎭 Aboard the Disney Wish
🎭 Mickey's Mouse-Querade Party
🎭 Pirate Night
Worlds of Marvel
Dinner
Castaway Cay, Bahamas
It's Castaway Cay Day! Churro Mickey waffles and this gorgeous sunrise view to kick things off. My plans include the Castaway Cay 5K and enjoying a beach day.
Walked it. Didn't die. Got the medal. Whew! It was a hot one. The theme for the rest of today is, "Feet in the sand. Drink in my hand." Powerade will do nicely.
Current view from my beach chair.
Mother Nature cut our Castaway Cay beach day short. Plenty of wind and rain. At least it was sunny for the 5K.
Great way to end the cruise. Dinner at Palo Steakhouse. It was all fabulous. Calamari, the biggest shrimp I have ever seen, a nice romaine heart (although it came with blue cheese, not gorgonzola), salmon cooked to perfection and tiramisu.
The Wish docked at Castaway Cay this morning, Disney's private island in the Bahamas. We got a photo at the big buoy sign that reads Castaway Cay Bahamas, then followed the signs down the boardwalk toward the beach.
The late morning went to the shallow water near the pirate ship splash pad, with the Wish anchored out past a row of small sailboats. We waded out together, posed for a few PhotoPass shots, and took a break for a hug on the sand.
I picked up a coffee with a heart drawn into the latte foam in the afternoon.
Dinner was at Arendelle, the Frozen-themed dining room. Two of our servers signed "I love you" in ASL for a photo. Kathy and I went on afterward to Palo Steakhouse for the adults-only dinner.
Later there was a Halloween show in the theater, popcorn in hand and a clear plastic bag held up like a mask for the camera. By the end of the night Thomas was curled up holding Bob, Lisa's stuffed husky.
🎭 Castaway Cay 5K
🎭 Aboard the Disney Wish
Palo Steakhouse
Dinner for two
Arendelle
Back in Port Canaveral. 3-day cruises are so short. See ya real soon, Mickey.
Beating a storm out of Orlando.
The Disney Wish returned to Port Canaveral. We drove from Port Canaveral to Orlando, flew from Orlando to Chicago Midway, and drove home from there.
Other trips to these places
4-Night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 · Bahamas
5-Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale (Inaugural Season)1/26/2026 – 1/31/2026 · Bahamas
4-Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale (Inaugural Season)1/21/2026 – 1/26/2026 · Bahamas
4-Night Halloween on the High Seas Bahamian Cruise to San Juan10/20/2025 – 10/24/2025 · Bahamas
