Best cruise in years!!! The Fantasy.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

11/24/12 to 12/1/12 Fantasy Cruise Trip Report

This was our 22nd cruise on DCL, but the first cruise on The Fantasy. My best description is AWESOME!!!! FANTASTIC!! EXCITING!! FUN!!! Best cruise we have had in years!

I will warn you this will be a long report but hopefully not too boring. I will try to have more photos than writing. It has too much to post it on the regular review site. It may take me 2 days to finish it all.

Saturday we drove to the port which only takes us slightly over an hour.

Seeing how large this ship is was amazing. This cruise it is just me, Kathy and my husband, Greg. Two grandparents enjoying Disney like a couple of kids.

 

 

We drove right up to the terminal with no lines around 11:00 a.m. and dropped off our luggage and parked in the lot next to the terminal for a quick exit upon our return. It cost $20 more than the parking garage but we knew we would be tired when we got back and would be happy to have the car so close.

It’s not fair to compare this ship to The Magic and The Wonder, so I will try not to do that too much as each ship is great in its own way. I love them all.

Most of my report will be photos to show the beauty of the ship but I do have 2 comments I want to share. These are NOT complaints but my opinion on 2 things I didn’t care for on the ship. But they are minor items which probably nobody else would even notice. These are just my opinion.

When you step out of the bathroom or shower room into your cabin there is a high ridge which is very easy to trip on. They have one small sign saying to watch your step inside the door but I think they need a bright safety strip across the step also. I tripped 3 times before I even noticed the sign. We both tripped multiple times on this but luckily we caught a hold of the door to break our fall. I can see how people could easily get hurt.

The 2nd item is the new system where when you enter your room there is a slot on the wall where you must put your Key Card or a plastic card such as a credit card in a slot to activate the lights and heat / cooling system in your room. Most people use their key card. It is so easy to walk out and leave your key card in that slot, and then you’re locked out if you’re leaving at separate times. We often come and go separately.

 

 

Many people come and go at different times, so that is kind of awkward, plus on a hot day if you set your AC and then remove your card it turns off, so when you return to your room later it’s not cool, its hot. In the summer months it could be a problem. So bring a different card like a school ID or your AARP card, something that isn’t a credit card to leave in the slot to keep your cooling system working. Next time we will know to do this so we won’t have to use our Key card. It was a real pain for us.

Those are the only things I didn’t like.

Ok, now for the fun.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

First we walked to the back of the terminal for Concierge check in (Platinum members can do that) and we were the only ones there. It took all of 2 minutes and they escorted us over to the entrance to the ship, opened the rope for us and we walked right in to have our photo taken and then onto the ship we went. Our boarding number said #1 which was a first for us.

As usual they announce your name as you enter the atrium which feels so good because now it feels real. Our vacation has arrived. WOO HOO!!

Here are a few shots of the Atrium all dressed up for Christmas. This is the first thing we saw upon boarding the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Peacock is the theme for the atrium. The carpeting and chandelier and elevators are all themed like Peacock feathers.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

 

 

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Just to the right of the Gingerbread House was the Bon Voyage Lounge. It was very small. There is a small bar with stools and 2 sitting areas across from the bar area. Maybe 8 to 10 people could sit there. A few ladies from my cruise meet thread and I had a Pin trading meet there the 2nd day of the cruise and a few had to stand. If I had known how small it was I wouldn’t have suggested having a meet there. However it was very pretty there.

Unless you sat at the bar stools, this is all the seating there is.

They had a cool looking throne chair for a Queen behind this lounge and on the opposite side (across from guest services) was a Kings throne. The tile was really beautiful behind the thrones

I have photos, but can't seem to find them. i will add them at the end of the report.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Finally we got over the amazement of all the beauty around us and the size of the atrium area and found the long hallway past the Royal Court, towards the AFT and Animators Pallet.

Then we found the AFT elevator and went up to Cabanas on deck 11. This elevator comes out right in the middle of Cabanas Buffet. It’s so nice and easy to use. When you step out of the elevator there is someone to hand you a wipe for your hands and you can go left or right and you’re in the buffet.

This entire area makes you feel you’re in a Cabana. The ceiling and wall décor including a cool Pelican by the elevator all resemble a cabana.

Once you enter the buffet it’s like a whole different world. It takes up the entire AFT end of the ship. It’s a huge semi circle. Both sides are an exact duplicate of the food stations with a bar at the back, and some outdoor seating. No lines, you just walk up to the station you want, get your food and move on to another station or sit down. This is a huge improvement from other ships.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Each side of the buffet has a mosiac.

 

 

There are 3 or 4 of these directional signs.

 

 

Different sections are themed differently.

 

 

Sometimes your eating under palm trees.

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

 

One area had kites for lights.

 

 

Some areas the ceilings changed from orange to blue themes.

 

These are the different castles in Disney's parks around the world.

 

 

These clocks were set to the times in Disney parks around the world.

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

The doors on both sides of the buffet are always open so you can get out to the outside decks from there.

The food was awesome. Here is where I must compare the ships. The food was much better on the Fantasy’s buffet compared to the Magic and Wonder. Their food has gone downhill in the buffet the last few cruises we have taken on the Magic and Wonder.

Not sure if it’s true but I heard people talking that they are going to change Topsiders on the Magic to have separate food stations like the Fantasy next year to help ease the lines there too.

Now it was time to find our room. We were in 10654 which was AFT deck 10. We were next to the last room in the hallway. It was a perfect location. We were only 3 doors walk from the elevator. We had a nice balcony. There is an overhang above our balcony which didn’t obstruct the view (It was high up) but it did block rain and hot sun from the deck which was really nice.

 

 

 

 

The beds no longer split into twin beds, however now there is plenty of room for several large suitcase to be stored under the bed.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Soon it was time for our cruise meet in the Vista Café. So many great people to meet but I never got around to everyone. Then it was time for the safety drill. This time we were not required to wear our life jackets which made it much easier to navigate down 6 flights of stairs.

It was short drill and soon the Deck Party was in full swing on deck 11. This party was much better than others I have been to. Lots of characters on stage dancing. With no divider between the pools, it made for a huge area for people to attend the party. It didn’t feel crowded at all. That was great planning by Disney.

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Then as we pulled out the channel I put on my Mickey hand to wave at the people on shore watching us pull out.

 

 

 

The sun was setting as we pulled out.

Looking down as we went out the channel we saw 2 Dolphins, then 3 more and by the time we were out to sea we had seen a total of at least 15 Dolphin. They move so fast it’ hard to get a photo of them, but look for black spots and rippled water and hopefully you can make them out.

 

 

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

I am not going to bore you with all the day to day activities we did, let’s just say there is something for everyone to enjoy. Instead I am going to post photos now of different areas of the ship for a bit.

Then I will talk about our excursions and the shows and of course the hidden Mickey’s I found around the ship later in the report.

I did save our Navigators and after the first of the year I will scan them and either post them or I can send them to anyone who requests them. My e-mail is by my signature. Just put Navigators on the subject line.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Next I will share some photos of the 3 main restaurants.

 

 

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

 

sorry this photo didnt come out very good, but if you can zoom in or enlarge you may be able to read it.

 

 

I love the colors in the hallway leading to the restaurant.

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

The Royal Court is next. This place was amazing!!

 

 

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

The Royal Court is next. This place is amazing. Tile mosiac everywhere. The bread baskets resemble Cinderella's coach.

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

 

 

 

The light looks like a coach too.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

The golden tree branche son the lights were awesome. Many of the leaves dont lay flat, they are hanging down from the ceiling.

 

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Last is the Enchanted Garden. The Mid ship elevator and the stairs under the atrium stairs are the only ways to get to it. At least thats all we found.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

The clubs are almost all together in the AFT section, deck 4. That was perfect for us. We just got on the AFT elevator by our room and went straight down to the club area.

Just around the corner of the elevator to the right is The Tube which has a few family events in the daytime but is all adult entertainment at night. It is British themed and the dance floor lights up as well as the ceiling changes color all the time. We attended a few shows in this venue. There is also a door into the Skyline bar in there.

The Tube

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

 

John Charles performing at the Tube.

 

 

To the left of the elevator was another door into The Skylight Lounge. Sorry we never got a photo of it. It’s always so dark in there to show off the views that a photo just wouldn’t work well with my camera.

Now when you leave the Tube Lounge it was so much fun to walk straight ahead into a weird sort of hallway toward La Piazza. I am not sure how to explain this area but it’s full of twists and turns with tall brown walls that resemble walking through a rock tunnel to the next club. It’s really cool.

They have bathrooms in there that are unbelievable. You have to look in them, including the handicap ones. They are all different. I had my husband take photos of the men’s rooms and I got the ladies rooms. The tile in these rooms was so beautiful. My pictures don’t do them justice.

This cave like hallway had curves and twists to it.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

The tiles in the restrooms there was amazing!! Alway spotless too.

 

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Next you walk into a sitting area just outside La Piazza. This also has a door to the area where you do the there and Wine Tasting and events like that which you have to sign up for .I think it was called Ooh La La!! It’s very relaxing. Plus they have late night snacks in there.

 

 

 

Now in the center of LaPiazza it looks like a Carousel. It’s very bright and colorful. The bar is never busy in the evenings, even though they have live music almost every night there. That is the center hub for other clubs like O’Gills Pub which is a Sports bar and The Skyline bar both has doors at La Piazza. Most of these areas have family events in the daytime but is adult only at night. Although anyone can walk through La Piazza at anytime.

About everyone stopped to take a photo with the motorcycle in LaPiazza, including me!

[mom x4,grandma x4]

O'Gills Pub is next. This was actually a small club with family events during the day and adult at night.

 

 

 

 

 

[mom x4,grandma x4]

The Wave is also AFT, but is on deck 11. This was so small and out of the way, it’s actually on the side of the walkway behind some stairs that lead up to the mini golf area. I didn’t find it until the last night on board.

It was closed when I found it.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Inside on deck 4 mid ships is D Lounge which is like Studio Sea on the Magic and Wonder. This had lots of family game shows, Karaoke, cooking demos, and Family Dance parties.

We watched a cooking demonstration on making strudel in there. Plus a sample of the strudel!!

 

 

 

By the time we arrived the only chairs left were short and odd shaped. Very uncomfortable for this old lady! Of course they were kids chairs. LOL! Luckily my hubby pulled me out of it or I may still be stuck there! If you go on the Fantasy you will see what I am talking about.;)