Palo – Bless Your Heart

Disney Wonder Southern Caribbean 2020 Day 7

January 24, 2020February 6, 2020 Shannon

Curacao!

We woke up and had breakfast at Triton’s. Nice and quiet this morning! My toe was still bleeding a little and all bandaged up. And hurting. Same with my left leg. Wait until you see the bruise! We had plans today to do Resort for a Day in Curacao. But with my foot all bandaged up I can’t go in the pool. Whomp whomp. So we decided to stay on the ship today.

After a nap and getting ready for the day we went back to Triton’s for lunch.

Hidden Mickey in the stained glass at Tritons.

We then went up to deck 10 to take some pictures of Curacao.

We decided when we come back we’ll rent a car like we did in Bonaire to tour Curacao. Such a pretty island!

We hung out around the ship taking pictures

and reading and people watching until it was time to get in line to see Pirate Stitch. Stitch is my favorite character and we’ve never met Pirate Stitch in person.

The line for Stitch stretched all the way around Tritons and down the hall!

He’s a popular alien. He was super cute the way he interacted with us. He made a big deal about how tall CSP is (6 feet 4 inches) and Stitch is MAYBE 5 feet tall. And he gushed over my Stitch lanyard and Stitch pins. SO sweet! Turned us into little kids again!!!

After seeing Stitch we went down to the Crown and Fin pub for Disney trivia.

Man! That was HARD!!! Who knows this stuff?? Some questions were: Where were Walt and Lillian Disney married? Who composed the music for some ride at Disney in Asia? What year did cast members start wearing name tags? WHO KNOWS??? Answers: Idaho, Danny Elfman, and 1970 something. Out of 25 questions I got 7 right! FOR SHAME!!!! I drowned my sorrows in 2 coconut mojitos. Yum!

We then went up to the pool so CSP could swim. I read my book and sipped on a frozen mango margarita. The lady next to me had never had one so she ordered one too. I saw her on the way to the airport to go home and she told me she had like 5 more during the cruise! I’m good for business Disney! Give me some discounts!

Ok so 3 mixed drinks in less than 2 hours made me a wee bit drunk. Just a lil bit. But enough that CSP gave me grief for it! Ha!

Dinner tonight was at Palo,

the adults only Italian restaurant onboard. It’s Pirate Night at all the other restaurants.

We’ve done Pirate Night and the menu isn’t our favorite so we always go to Palo on Pirate Night.

Nisha was our server tonight. So cute! She’s from Thailand. Dinner lasted from 8:30 to 11:00pm!!! Crazy!

CSP chose the cippino (a seafood stew),

antipasta (where they bring the cart around. It’s no longer automatic, you have to order it),

and Dover Sole for his dinner.

I had the calamari (which came with this HUGE shrimp),

the caprese salad,

and scallops on artichoke risotto. We both got the Amaretto souffle for dessert and

Nisha also brought us a limoncello tart.

I had some hot tea with dessert.

Everything was amazing! We were there so late we didn’t get to go up on deck to see the fireworks, but we could see most of them through the window.

After dinner we waddled back to our room and hit the hay!

Saw this cool door with lights on the way back to our room.

fun

Disney Fantasy Western Caribbean Day 6- Palo, Pirate Night, & Fire in the Sky

February 21, 2013 Shannon

We were very excited for our Palo dinner! But before we get to that, CSP wants you to see some of the pictures he took around the ship today. There was a pirate ship parked next to our ship in Cozumel! SO cool! He also ducked back into the men’s locker room in the spa so you could see what they look like. The women’s locker room is identical. Here’s one of the big fabulous showers.

We enjoyed a beautiful sunset on our verandah before getting ready for dinner. On the way to dinner we saw Pirate Stitch! Stitch is my favorite Disney character. Probably because he sort of looks like a blue pug!

Dinner at Palo starts with an antipasti plate. The marinated artichoke hearts were TDF! (to die for). Then the cool bread basket comes. But DON’T fill up on bread. The garlic aroma will entice you but stay strong! The best is yet to come! CSP and I decided to get martinis- CSP’s first martini ever! CSP chose a limoncello martini and mine was a strawberry balsamic martini. Both were just delicious! For our appetizers CSP chose the white bean soup. Now, I’m not a fan of beans in general (except my Mama’s baked beans) but I tried his soup and it was amazing! I couldn’t get enough of it! I had the grilled shrimp appetizer.

Then CSP had the cioppino – a seafood stew with shrimp, scallops, clams, haddock, mussels, and calamari. He LOVES cioppino. Our server for brunch on Sunday as well as tonight was Jelena from Serbia. She was cute as could be and did an amazing job.

Next comes a lemon sorbet to cleanse your palate. No more than just a wee bite.

Our entrees: CSP had Osso Buco. He hadn’t had this dish since the last time we ate at Palo a year ago on the Magic so he was really excited. I had the beef tenderloin with gorgonzola sauce. Our shared sides were lobster ravioli (homemade pasta-melt in your mouth) and a mushroom risotto.

Dessert was next. CSP chose the tiramisu (his favorite dessert) and I chose the Amaretto Indulgence. I’m not sure why they call it the Amaretto anything because I can’t taste Amaretto in it. But it’s still really good. There’s a chocolate mousse in that chocolate wrap and on top is a tiny wee cannoli. I enjoyed some hot Jasmine tea with my dessert. Then at the very end they bring you a Limoncello frozen slushy shot. So yummy! It wakes you up a little too which is a good thing because otherwise we would have passed out right there in that velvet booth!

On the way out of the restaurant I had to take a picture of the wine storage. Each bottle is resting in its own little leather hammock! There’s no clinking as the ship rocks to and fro.

CSP had to use the restroom so I waited for him in Meridian– the bar/lounge between Palo and Remy. The booths look like luggage. It’s really a cool little bar.

We decided to go change clothes before the fireworks started so we headed back to the cabin. Palo is in the very back of the ship and our stateroom was at the very front of the ship so it’s a good long walk between the two. CSP wanted to get a picture of this one hallway so you could see how long it is. He said it reminds him of The Shining! Can you spot me sitting in one of the port holes?

On the way I spied this map on the wall and took a little video of it. Most of the artwork on the ship is interactive. It can sense when you’re standing in front of it and it comes to life!

Our towel animal was already in our room- a monkey! After changing clothes we went up to deck 12 to scope out seats for the fireworks show. Disney is the only cruise line that is allowed to shoot off fireworks so this is always a real treat! We picked a spot near the Currents bar. My toes were glowing in the blue light from the bar! The fireworks were spectacular and I took a million pictures but these are a couple of the best ones.

Once the fireworks show was over we went back to our room and right to bed! We’d had a wonderful long day and there was more fun to be had tomorrow!

Up next…Day at Sea- Bingo, Galley Tour, and a surprise dinner!

food, fun, travel

Disney Magic- Day 6

February 11, 2012February 12, 2012 Shannon

Wednesday, February 1, 2012. St. Thomas.

Before I start telling you about our day I want to tell you why we booked our next cruise while onboard this cruise. A few reasons (and they are all financial):

1. You get a 10% discount off your next cruise if you book while on board.

2. You get up to a $200 stateroom credit, which you can use on things like Palo or souvenirs in the gift shop, etc. You get $200 if you book a 7 night or longer cruise and $100 if it is shorter than 7 nights. We got the $100 credit. That will take care of all our Palo visits next time!

3. You only have to put 10% down instead of the standard 20% as your deposit.

Now, you might be wondering “if you book onboard how can Lisa still be in charge of your cruise?”. I wondered that myself. But I asked Lisa about it before we boarded the ship and she told me what to do. All you have to do is tell the booking agent onboard that you want your booking attached to your personal Disney travel agent Lisa Reese with Pixie & Pirate Destinations. Sure enough, Lisa received an email about our booking before our cruise was even over!

You might also be wondering “what if plans change and we have to move our reservation?” No problem. Just book onboard, get the discounts, and then you can move it around when you get home if you need to. We might have to change our date based on CSP’s work schedule, but Lisa can handle that for us when/if it happens.

Ok, back to the trip report! Remember to click on the photos to enlarge them.

Today was much like yesterday. It was a port day (St. Thomas) and we’ve already been here so we chose to stay onboard again. We woke up to breakfast in our room (by the way, that does not cost extra), then went up to the pool/hot tub for a few hours. We really like being able to see the sunrise out over the ocean! St. Thomas was so cute with all the sailboats in the harbor. Some ships bigger than others! Ha! Our ship was the prettiest of all though.

As we were walking through the ship we noticed they were cleaning the HUGE glass sculpture in the main lobby. Amazingly delicate work. Now for some pics of St. Thomas and around the ship. This is the crew pool. We never saw anyone in it. Up on the sports deck. I just love all the blues in the water.

After the pool and walking around the ship we changed clothes and went to Lumiere’s for lunch. I forgot to take pictures of our lunch somehow. CSP had marinated salmon for his appetizer. His entree was tilapia with carmelized onions on cheese grits. I had shrimp cocktail, tangerine soup, steak and fries. We were seated next to this couple and their two adorable daughters. I can’t wait to be able to bring our kids on a Disney cruise! The food is just so much better in the sit down restaurants versus the buffets. But when you’re in the pool and lose track of time, sometimes the buffets are your only option.

After lunch we went back to the room for our afternoon nap then woke up in time to watch the ships pull out of port from our balcony. It was raining lightly and all the sudden a double rainbow appeared! It was SO vivid and gorgeous and I just hope it conveys in the pictures. Next thing you know it was time to get ready for dinner and the show. The show tonight was really neat. It was Buckets N Boards. They tap dance, play drums on buckets, and they are a comedy show. Kind of like Stomp lite. They are really talented.

After the show we went to Diversions for cocktails again. I know I keep saying that but what it really means is CSP gets a beer in his refillable mug and I get either a ginger ale or orange juice to mix with my whipped cream vodka. I very rarely drink so it’s a huge treat to have a grown up drink at night. Although since I rarely drink I have a very low tolerance so my limit is one. While we were in Diversions we saw through the window another cruise ship all lit up. The crew told us last night that other cruise ships hang out to watch the Disney ships’ fireworks. I thought no way, but I guess it’s true! Disney is the only cruise line with a fireworks permit.

Tonight dinner was at Parrot Cay. We saw Cinderella on the way. I love her dress. Dinner was wonderful again. Each night we had a 4 top table to ourselves. Thanks Lisa! CSP had 2 appetizers again tonight. He had Jamaican jerk chicken and Ahi tuna. We counted at the end of the trip that he ate over 14 different types of seafood on this trip! For his entree he chose the pan seared grouper. His dessert was the ice cream sundae. Look at the little Mickey! Parrot Cay is an island themed restaurant so the meals are more tropical. Lumiere’s is French and based on Beauty and the Beast. Side note- we were not the only couple there with no children. We met lots of couples who were on the cruise sans kids (whether they didn’t have them at all or just left them at home). Disney is NOT just for kids! We met this one older couple- they were on their 19th Disney cruise! Can you believe it!?!

Back to my dinner. I had the crab dip with plantains and chips for my appetizer. Then I enjoyed a cold mango soup. I love cold soups and only ever seem to see them on cruises. My entree was a Jamaican pork chop with mango and polenta. My dessert was an amazing French Toast banana bread pudding with coconut ice cream and caramel sauce.

After dinner I asked our waiter Val if he knew any tricks. You always see cruise waiters doing tricks for the kids. Well I love tricks too! He made me a napkin duck and a beautiful rose! We took my rose back to our room and changed then went up to deck 9 to watch Remember the Titans on the big screen. Then we went back to our room and watched Captain America until we went to sleep.

food, fun, travel

Disney Magic – Day 4

February 9, 2012February 10, 2012 Shannon

Monday, January 30, 2012

We started today, our second sea day, by having brunch in Lumiere’s. CSP started out with crab cocktail. I don’t know how he can eat fish first thing in the morning! He also had lox and bagels. Then for his entree chose sole with crawfish, scallops, and brown butter sauce. I had eggs benedict with fruit.

After brunch we went to Rockin Bar D to play bingo. It was fun but we didn’t win. We went out for a walk around the ship then back to our cabin for a nap. About the naps…We have a schedule on cruises. We stay up late, get up early for breakfast, run around during the day, then take a nap during the hottest part of the day so we can do it all again!

Today we had reservations for Palo for High Tea! I was so excited! I LOVE hot tea and all the traditions surrounding high tea. CSP isn’t a tea boy so he got coffee. But that’s ok. He still enjoyed the rest of it. Again we had a great view of the sea. I went with our server Maria’s recommendation and chose the Chai Tea. I love Chai and this was excellent. First came the finger sandwiches. There were 4 kinds. The dark sandwich is pumpernickel bread with salmon and a dill spread. Then to the left of that one is a cucumber sandwich. That one didn’t taste like anything. Seriously, didn’t taste like anything at all. Then we had a baby shrimp sandwich. And finally on wheat bread is a chicken curry. Yummy. Oh, and the salmon on pump? Fabulous!

The next part of high tea was the best part. The scones. Sure, it looks unassuming, but OMG it was the best scone I’ve ever had. They served it with Devonshire cream and strawberry preserves. The cream was to die for. If the entire tea was just a basket of scones with cream and jam I would have been very, very, happy.

Next up was dessert. Fruit tarts, ginger cakes, and little coffee eclairs. Then there was more! Apparently the tarts and cakes weren’t dessert! So they gave us a strawberry custard trifle. Look on top and next to that chocolate square is a blueberry that is cut in half. Can you imagine how hard it must be to cut a tiny little blueberry in half on a rolling ship? We were very impressed. As we were leaving Maria gave us a plate with tin foil on it. We peeked inside and it was a plate full of fruit tarts! So sweet!

CSP ran back to the room with the tart plate and we went to the future cruise booking desk. While we waited we were able to get some good shots of the empty lobby. I love how Disney decorated the ships in such a timeless Art Deco theme. Never feels dated, just feels classic. When it was our turn we booked our next cruise. Next year we’re cruising on the Disney Dream! So excited!

Then we went to the shops onboard and bought our souvenirs- a magnet and a Christmas ornament. Afterwards we went back to our room to get ready for the show and dinner. The show tonight was called “Villains Tonight!“. It was really funny. The shows onboard are amazing. They do so much with pyrotechnics and elevators, you forget you’re on a ship!

After the show we went to Diversions for cocktails to wait for dinner. CSP got the refillable beer mug at the start of the cruise so he got a beer. I snuck some whipped cream vodka in my water bottle and added it to a ginger ale. Diversions has a bunch of board games for people to play. Pro tip: playing Jenga on a ship that’s rocking and rolling is an exercise in futility.

Dinner tonight was at Lumiere’s. CSP tried escargot for the first time and……loved it! My appetizer was Lisa’s favorite… cold naked shrimp! CSP’s entree was sea bass while I had the beef tenderloin. For dessert I chose the creme brulee and CSP enjoyed the trio- chocolate mousse, creme brulee, & a praline. Dinner itself was wonderful but the atmosphere was horrible. We had the late seating for dinner- 8:15pm. Dinner often ran until past 10pm. The problem tonight was screaming babies. I felt sorry for the family who kept taking the child out of the dining room when he would cry. But the other table near us? The table where the parents clearly had given up and didn’t even acknowledge their screaming child? We did NOT feel sorry for them.

After dinner we went up on deck and watched some of the movie Hercules on the big screen- Funnel Vision. Once that was over we went back to the room, greeted our towel animal and watched Puss in Boots. Then, finally, it was time for bed!