One of my friends looked at me funny when I shared my vacation plans with her.
"You're going on a what?" she asked, seeming to need to hear my answer again.
"A Disney cruise," I replied.
"But you don't even have kids."
"Right."
"You'll be surrounded by tons of small children, and people constantly singing 'It's a Small World After All,"' she tried to reason with me.
I explained that it was my college roommate's milestone birthday, and we were leaving spouses and the rest of our families behind to celebrate. Disney Cruise Line (despite what people think of the Disney image) has an excellent reputation for service, cleanliness and its entertainment, as well as separate areas just for adults.
She shuddered. "You won't catch me on one of those."
"It'll be fine," I said. "It's Disney."
FUN FOR ALL AGES
Like every other little girl, I once dreamed of princesses, castles and fire-breathing dragons. I've always been a big kid, and a part of me has always felt like Peter Pan: never wanting to grow up. And who doesn't want to relive some nostalgic childhood memories? Disney really has a way of taking you far, far away from the reality of it all.
Disney Cruise Line advertises that its cruises provide a grand experience for everyone ... let it be a 4-year-old Elsa fan, a father and son who love the Avengers, or a teenager who always roots for the villains to win. Every passenger will find activities to enjoy, whether it is in the kids' clubs, variety and shows or the spa and fitness center.
A BIT OF MAGIC
Our no-boys-allowed-girls'-cruise vessel was the Disney Magic, the flagship and oldest in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. Launched in 1998, the Magic underwent a stem-to-stern "reimagining" in October 2013 to update it comparatively to the larger and newer ships, the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream. The Disney Wonder is a sister ship to the Magic, and rounds out the DCL fleet. The Wonder launched in 1999, and is scheduled to go into dry dock for its refurbishment in 2016.
The Magic is considered a midsize ship, with a passenger capacity of about 2,700 and a crew of 950. According to a staff member, our seven-day eastern Caribbean cruise had about 600 children and 1,600 adults.
Once aboard, guests find world-class family entertainment, as only Disney can do, all included in the cruise fare. Offerings include Broadway-caliber musicals at the Walt Disney Theatre, festive deck parties and first-run films -- some in digital 3-D -- premiering on board the same day they are released on land.
NO KIDS? NO PROBLEM!
One of the best things to do on the cruise was people watching. Having no time constraints or children to manage, the only thing we had to worry about was showing up on time for dinner or one of the featured shows.
One of my favorite places on the ship was the Quiet Cove pool area, for ages 18 and older. Spanning two decks, we could escape here from the chaos of the rest of the ship. I enjoyed sitting in a covered lounge chair sipping on the cocktail of the day or reading a book. In addition to the pool, this secluded area has a whirlpool, and the Cove Cafe sells specialty coffee drinks and pastries.
Classes and seminars are available at various times of the day. I attended two art classes to learn how to draw Disney characters, tried folding napkins and towels into different shapes, observed different ways to combine liquors in a Mixology class, figured out how to shop all the luxury brands in our ports of call, and received tours of parts of the ship only available at certain times by a guide.
AHHH IN THE SPA
For the ultimate in relaxation and pampering, Senses Spa and Salon offers many indulgences. The size of the spa has been expanded to about 11,500 square feet. With the additional space utilized for new services, this haven of harmony provides an unmatched ocean-view environment. Being a spa girl, I had to sample several services. My favorite was the Fire and Ice pedicure, which featured a cooling mask and a hot stone leg massage. The massaging pedicure chairs faced the bow of the ship, where large paneled glass windows provided breathtaking views of the ocean.
SO MUCH FOOD!
The ship boasts a rotating dining system, which allows passengers to dine in each of its three main dining rooms: Animator's Palate, Carioca's and Lumiere's. Other dining options include a casual buffet restaurant, quick-service cafes, and adult-only specialty dining.
Each night we rotated to a different dining room and enjoyed a different menu from the night before. We got to know our serving team quite well, since they moved with us from restaurant to restaurant. Hungry after dinner? The Magic offers 24-hour complimentary room service. If you desire pizza or cookies and milk at 2 in the morning, they were happy to oblige.
One dining experience not to miss is eating at Palo. This restaurant features modern Italian dishes for dinner, as well as a top-notch champagne brunch available only on days when we were at sea. Experiencing brunch and dinner at Palo was a highlight of my cruise. The restaurant is open only to guests 18 and older and requires reservations. Disney charges an extra $25 fee each time to dine in the restaurant.
AFTER HOURS
At 9 every night, the bars and lounges used for family activities turn into pumpkins for kids under 18 and become havens for the big kids to play. The activities staff hosted music concerts, comedy reviews and even magic shows. Some theme nights included trivia games and dance, costume and karaoke contests.
Night owls like me, however, didn't really enjoy how sparse the nightlife on the ship was after midnight. Most of the bars closed around that time. The only lounge club open late into the night was Fathoms, which had a DJ spinning popular dance music. It was disheartening seeing only a handful of other night owls in the club at 1 a.m. Who wants to sleep away their vacation? I occupied my time roaming the decks, taking pictures of an empty ship, and sitting in one of the large porthole windows reading a book.
OWN PERSONAL BEACH ON CASTAWAY CAY
One of our ports of call was Castaway Cay, Disney's own private island. Once on shore, we headed to a part of the island set aside exclusively for adults. Serenity Bay is located almost a mile from the main family beach with accessibility by a tram service. Here, there are dozens of lounge chairs shaded by umbrellas up and down the beach with a few two-person hammocks.
Four private cabanas dot the shoreline in which we could have gotten a massage, or we could have participated in a yoga class on the beach, just steps away from the water. There was no need to travel back to the family beach for lunch -- passengers at Serenity Bay get their own buffet lunch, which featured some food items not available on other parts of the island.
The weather didn't quite cooperate on our visit -- strong winds made sitting on the beach difficult and cruise staff canceled most water- and beach-related activities. I was able to bike around the entire island and enjoyed breathtaking views of different landscapes and views of different beaches not open to the public.
Our other ports of call included the islands of St. Maarten and St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. We enjoyed unique shore excursions through Disney Cruise Line that included a create-your-own perfume experience at a perfumery on the French side of St. Maarten, shopping, and a catamaran sail and snorkel excursion that took us off the shore of St. John.
HOME AGAIN
A couple of weeks after returning from my cruise, I met with my friend for lunch.
"So how was it?" she asked. "Did you get smothered with songs, crazy kids and Disney characters?"
"Sure," I said. Songs from every Disney soundtrack ever made aired around the ship during the entire week, I saw crowded and long lines of children and adults waiting to have their pictures taken with various characters, and I got spoiled by chocolate on my pillow every night.
However, weeks later, my eyes were still gleaming with remnants of pixie dust. "It was magical."
Travel on 12/28/2014