Ep. 296 - Bonus - Christmas Wishes or Dreams: Comparing Very Merrytime Experiences on Disney Cruise Line

00:00.00 dclduo Hello and welcome back to another episode. Oh I'm gonna already start biff that all right I'll start again. Welcome to another bonus edition of the dcl duo podcast brought to you by my path unwinding travel and as you. Can probably tell from this show intro I am not Brian so I am solo here today. This is Sam Hosting Solo not for the first time but I don't do this too often. Hopefully my skills on the technical side won't screw things up too much. So there Brian has to fix it in the editing process. But thankfully I'm not by myself today I am joined by a wonderful guest who reached out to us to talk about some very merry time cruises that he did so welcome to the show. Greg. 00:50.87 Greg Maglinte Hi Sam thanks for inviting me. 00:55.37 dclduo Yeah, we're very happy to have you? Um I am so interested to hear about this I know you went on a dream very maritime cruise several years ago and then recently. 01:04.73 Greg Maglinte Right. 01:07.47 dclduo You went on a wish fairy merryitime Cru Cruise so we're going to do a little compare contrast today. But before we get there. We need to know what your Disney Cruise line background is how many cruises have you been on which ships and where and if if you have limits. 01:23.38 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah. 01:24.88 dclduo And experience. We'd love to know where your love of Disney even came from. 01:28.88 Greg Maglinte Yeah, no, we've we're big Disney fans so born and raised in l a so we we do the parks both west and East Coast um we've done Disneyland Paris tokyo that that sort of thing we started cruising Disney 2013 and um. 01:34.54 dclduo Ah. 01:44.83 Greg Maglinte At the end of last year we completed our Twelfth Cruise so we've been around. We've done all 5 cruise ships. Um, yeah, we've done Bahamas multiple times caribbean western caribbean multiple times Mediterranean um, we did a um. 01:49.78 dclduo Awesome. 02:04.82 Greg Maglinte Multiple baha cruises and um, a relocation cruise from ah Vancouver to San Diego reposition yeah repositioning cruise. 02:12.69 dclduo Oh nice I yeah, we've always wanted to do one of those did that one stop in San Francisco sometimes they do sometimes they don't it seems. 02:22.79 Greg Maglinte No, it didn't stop. Um, we were on the I think we we had 1 stop? Um I believe somewhere in Canada and that was about it and then it was ah you know pretty straightforward to San Diego 02:31.19 dclduo Um, ah. 02:33.46 dclduo Oh cool. Well those those repositioning itineraries are always ones that are attractive. The only negative is dealing with 1 ne-way flights well cool 02:41.74 Greg Maglinte Hiker I write right. 02:47.71 dclduo Um, that you have a lot of experience on Disney Cruise line you're a platinum cruiser or as we all say on our way to pearl right someday. Ah some day so who is normally in your sailing party. 02:56.35 Greg Maglinte Someday. 03:01.64 Greg Maglinte These days my wife and my 8 year old um in the past and actually on this last. Ah, you know back-to-back Christmas Cruise holiday Cruise um, the entire family on my wife's side so that includes her sister and family brother and family. Her parents and this time round. We also brought her aunt. So um, yeah, we usually bring a good eight to to 10 people. 03:27.14 dclduo Oh Nice so often the 3 of you but this time a much larger group That's really fun and you had previously done a very merryi time on ah was it a single cruise you did when you did it on the dream back in I Think what it. What year was that? oh. 03:45.59 Greg Maglinte 2018 or that that one was back to back and so that was actually yeah, that was actually our first back to back and for the longest time and I think we still do sort of hold that up as sort of the best cruise that we've ever done. Um. 04:01.20 dclduo Um, oh yeah. 04:01.31 Greg Maglinte Our son at the time was four years old and yeah it yeah, it just it. It felt like family the whole time and it felt like we just never wanted to leave the ship. 04:09.57 dclduo Um. 04:11.81 dclduo I love that so you've got it like an exact comparison because the dream was doing those three four night itineraries back then and now the wishes doing those same three fournight itinerariesaries 04:21.78 Greg Maglinte Um, right. 04:25.73 Greg Maglinte Right? right? right. 04:27.54 dclduo And they were the exact same theme. Wow That's yeah, that's a perfect comparison I Guess let's dive right? and was this your first time on the wish Oh great. Well let's let's hear what you thought then about. 04:37.95 Greg Maglinte It was our first time. Ah. 04:44.20 dclduo Um, one of the offerings of course before you even before you even step on board. We've got some you know some different offerings available for booking ahead of time. What were you guys? ah anticipating or hoping to do before you got on board. 04:59.74 Greg Maglinte Yeah, we you know we're big planners. Um, you know we we spent you know and we booked this as soon as our window opened so you're looking at a good year and a half or more prior to our sailing date and and so we did all the research that we could. Obviously I'm listening to you guys catching everything on on Twitter from the various you know, bloggers and and and travel experts and so we figured let's book early. We could always decide to cancel certain events or certain offerings if we decide not to do it. Um, we also knew that we wanted to probably skip Nasa we've you know we've been to that port multiple times. So so we knew we were set there. We would spend most of our time on the ship. The only time we would walk off the ship. 05:35.87 dclduo Um. 05:38.91 dclduo So. 05:45.53 dclduo And. 05:49.82 Greg Maglinte Is Castaway key and and indeed we did that um both times during the three night and the fornight so we essentially lined up as you know, many beverage tastings as possible. My my wife and sister-in-law. Um, ah, different um spa. Um. Activities. Um, you know my my brother-in law had plans to to hit the gym every day that that sort of thing and you know we're also big character fans and we wanted to take pictures so we just wanted to make sure that there was room in the schedule to meet with the different characters. We had hoped. 06:14.13 dclduo So. 06:26.66 dclduo Who. 06:26.94 Greg Maglinte To do all of the shows that didn't happen. We wanted to do Pao Steakhouse um multiple times and we wanted to try anchantte once or twice hoping to not only do dinner but but also crossing our fingers. We're hoping to do the dessert. 06:45.47 dclduo Yeah, so a lot. Ah a lot of plans did that play into your decision to do a back to back rather than just doing a three night or a for night or doing perhaps ah a seven night on the fantasy or something like that. 07:00.55 Greg Maglinte Yeah, no no I think what drove this was okay, we're we're intent on doing the wish based on experience. We knew that three and fornite cruises were too short. Um, and for context we did. Um, a two night cruise in February from San Diego to baha so that was that was just us testing the waters post covid right? and right and and then and then we did a halloween ah Cruise in October again. San Diego to baha and I think that was 4 nights and um. 07:21.92 dclduo Oh God Ah yep. 07:32.78 Greg Maglinte We just felt like boy I wish we should have you know I wish we could have done a back-to-back. Maybe somehow made this a 3 plus 2 or 3 plus 3 um um, that didn't happen so you know I think our planning was spot on here. 07:39.21 dclduo So. 07:47.22 Greg Maglinte To do a back-to-back 7 nights total on on the wish. 07:51.51 dclduo Yeah I mean that you've got a new ship that you haven't been on before either. There are so many things to do as you said and it sounds like you you had a lot of things you wanted to do um and didn't even get to do all of them and so you know 3 nights or 4 nights is it is pretty hard I think that it's a. 07:59.68 Greg Maglinte Right. 08:08.97 dclduo You know it's a great option ah to take 1 shorter cruise for somebody who hasn't cruised and doesn't know if they're yeah, doesn't know if their family's going to like it. But when you know you love dizzney crusing through yeah, 3 or four days just too short. Ok so. 08:12.38 Greg Maglinte I agree. 08:20.60 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah, exactly exactly. 08:24.67 dclduo Booking process sounds like you got, but you are platinum so sounds like you got the things that you you wanted or not I guess in the in sort of the pre-booking. 08:32.88 Greg Maglinte And ah, no, we yeah we did I mean I was surprised. Um, you know i'll'll take a look at and I have the schedule right in front of me I was surprised because some of the drink tastings. For example were already Booked. Um, world of gin was one of those that that I was eyeing I couldn't get that but I figured hey we we've got a way of sort of you know making friends on the ship. Well we'll figure this out when when we board so I wasn't too worried about that. Um, you know the the the. 09:01.58 dclduo Yeah. 09:07.00 Greg Maglinte Activities I think we were good there and again it was one of those things where we had multiple bookings and then when we figured out our schedule in the grand scheme as we approached the cruise we were able to cancel um the the extra activities and and just. Hone in on the ones that we wanted to to keep. 09:26.93 dclduo Yeah I mean I think for the most part I think you're right? It's not that hard to if you're platinum. It's not that hard to get into most things. There are some drink tastings that are certainly more popular in particular the ones that are that are newer. Um. 09:37.65 Greg Maglinte Right. 09:42.54 dclduo Are like gin and what is it old the old fashioned one I think is a little bit harder to get into as well. Um, and of course ah the cabanas I mean it's we just everyone knows Cabanas are very hard to get unless you're staying concierge and even if you're saying concierge on the wish it's not a guarantee because. 09:46.37 Greg Maglinte Um, right. 09:51.79 Greg Maglinte Yeah, yeah, right right. 10:02.14 dclduo There are so many concier's rooms on on that ship. Okay, so oh. 10:03.76 Greg Maglinte My brother inlaw. Yeah, my Brotherin law looked into kaban and yeah, nothing was available. 10:08.80 dclduo yeah yeah I mean it's always worth it to ask and to get yourself on the waitlist. What I will say to give a tip for the for listeners out. There is if you put yourself like on a waitlist before the cruise that doesn't actually carry on to onboard. So. Once you get on board if you really want to Kavana and you haven't been able to get 1 it. It is worthwhile to put yourself on the waitlist by going to guest services because they start a waitlist anew, but just a little morning if a concierge. Guest wants a cabanna and didn't pre-book it. They Trump that waitlist. So that's you know the only the only negative um there but it is definitely something that's I think more possible on the other fourships as opposed to the wish all right? Well, let's talk about. Um. 11:01.20 Greg Maglinte Right. 11:05.90 dclduo Getting on board because this is your first time on this beautiful new ship and she's decorated I'm going to say somewhat because I based on things we've heard ah for the holidays for Christmas specifically what did what did you guys think. 11:19.83 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah, ah, well so the the boarding process it. It was smooth once we got to our reservation time you know I think probably. Ah, the biggest issue is just having to wait for that reservation time so we got there a little bit early I think maybe 11 and so we waited 30 minutes outside we couldn't wait inside so you know depending on the weather that could be an issue for some folks but you know that was pretty much clear sailing so you're up the escalator. 11:42.99 dclduo Um, yeah. 11:51.17 Greg Maglinte And you know you're you're really just waiting um in in that general waiting area before boarding and I don't think we waited more than a half hour so it wasn't too bad so we waited a half hour outside another half hour inside and um, everything pretty much went smoothly. Ah, we walk in and you know I think as a lot of the um you know other guests have said it's one of those things where they they call your family's name and yeah, it feels like home. Um, this this ship's beautiful I think we were just all odd about. 12:20.86 dclduo Yeah. 12:30.30 Greg Maglinte The the beauty in that grand atrium um, you know it's a little different right? I don't I don't think it's as warm I don't think it's as warm I would say I think that's the word I'd use as the other four ships. Um, our favorite ship I think is still the dream. Um, the wish maybe is number 2 or number 3 12:34.17 dclduo Here here. 12:43.79 dclduo He. 12:49.89 Greg Maglinte Um, but yeah, um, at the same time just we just wanted to explore right away. Um, and and and I don't think we again you mentioned it We we missed some things and hoping ah you know do another cruise soon on the wish. 12:54.99 dclduo Um, yeah. 13:04.61 dclduo Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so you you have this beautiful Grand atrium. It's definitely different I have to agree with you. It is not as warm as the other ships but it is an elegance that is unparalleled I would say it's just that. Yeah yeah. 13:19.91 Greg Maglinte Yeah I agree. 13:23.61 dclduo What did you think about the the holiday decorations. You know there's typically we got to usually you know garlands in the atrium garlands I'm just saying sort of overall Garland's in the atrium garlands in other areas of the ship sometimes even in the kids clubs. 13:29.64 Greg Maglinte Right. 13:38.42 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah. 13:40.18 dclduo Ah, tree gingerbread house I would love to hear what you thought about the decorations on the wish because I and and give me some comparison or some context. Maybe when you talk about these in comparison to what you saw in the dream a few years ago. 13:49.82 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah. 13:54.90 Greg Maglinte Yeah, it's you know for for us for our family Christmas traditionally is green and red and um I think we were struggling to see those colors but but you know I think we also understood thematically. Um, you know the colors are are blue and gold and white and um so that's what we got we we got a gold tree and um, you know my my wife's cringing right away. Um you know? and um I do remember the dream I mean the dream it it sort of felt like. Um, you know you're in Santa's home on on you know on open water that kind of thing um or or um, you know Mickey's um you know a holiday home on the water that kind of thing. Um, the other thing I remember from 18 on the dream was. 14:36.47 dclduo Right? right? yes. 14:49.90 Greg Maglinte The the smell like the real awesome sort of sweet smell of gingerbread and and you didn't get that when you walked on the wish and yeah and and I think we've all seen the pictures and so I already knew what that was going to look like my wife was trying to avoid spoilers. 14:56.47 dclduo Um, oh interesting. Yeah. 15:08.65 Greg Maglinte She picked up she peeked over and saw what they had done and and was really disappointed. Um, and yeah. 15:12.48 dclduo Yeah, what? Why don't you why don't you describe for the audience. What what is the normal I say normal the gingerbread house that you had seen on the dream in 2018 what did that look like first. 15:27.20 Greg Maglinte That looked like a house that your toddler could walk into like it. It was that big. You know you could as an adult you know you'd have to sort of get down a little bit maybe crawl but you could probably get into that gingerbread house. 15:33.39 dclduo Um, yeah. 15:39.59 dclduo Yeah, it's a lifesize gingerbread house. You're right for a child but but definitely life size I think of it like um like those playhouses that sometimes people have in their backyards that they build for their kids that's sort of. 15:45.14 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah. 15:55.87 Greg Maglinte Um, yes, yeah, right? it was hard to find right? because ah you're you're trying to let your smell sort of guide you and and um. 15:58.16 dclduo Reminds me of but obviously made out of gingerbread but tell us tell us what the one on the wish look like. 16:13.67 Greg Maglinte You didn't know exactly where to look. Um, they sort of hit it in the corner and I think that's a little telling right? So um, you know it could be that they just didn't want the gingerbread house to sort of take away from the tree and from sort of the grandeur of that Grand atrium. 16:19.98 dclduo Right here. 16:32.46 Greg Maglinte Um, and and so they sort of hit it in the corner I think it was a gingerbread not a house but I think it was a gingerbread tree if I'm not mistaken I didn't and and you know it tells you how much I spent how much time I spent looking at it I didn't spend a whole lot of time and in fact, my my wife made fun of me because I was going. 16:32.59 dclduo Um. 16:38.83 dclduo Yeah. 16:51.40 Greg Maglinte Ah, around the entire ship just trying to find an actual tree that looked like the trees that we were used to growing up and so I was taking yeah I was taking pictures of the trees in the various kids clubs in the various dining rooms that that sort of thing and at the end of the day I. 17:00.21 dclduo No. 17:08.28 Greg Maglinte Said okay I'm sure there's gonna be a really awesome tree at the grand floridian let's just wait until we get on the ground after the cruise and and that's what we did. We went to the grand floor floridian saw real gingerbread house and saw saw a real Christmas tree. 17:21.51 dclduo Oh I love that? Yeah so I'm looking at picture a picture of the one on the wish um right in front of me as we're as we're speaking because I we did not go on the ah very merry time which cruise this year we went on the wonder for our very maritime cruises and. I would say it looks yeah, it's like a tree shape but it's more like it's like a tower kind of a thing. It's definitely in a tree shape with like a little house on the top but the house on the top that is the only part of it that could qualify as a gingerbread house. 17:43.46 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah. 17:51.79 dclduo Looks like the one that you could get from you know Costco and a package and make it a home. Not to say it isn't decorated professionally. It clearly is professionally decorated but it's not yeah, but it's not the grand gingerbread house. 17:54.75 Greg Maglinte Right? right. 18:02.71 Greg Maglinte Um, agree. 18:06.84 dclduo That you get or the life-size gingerbread house that you get and actually still currently get at least on on the wonder it we had that lifesize gingerbread house that you were describing just as you had on the dream in 2018 yeah and we had a large um. 18:17.40 Greg Maglinte Cool Nice. Oh. 18:23.67 dclduo I Think it was green tree. What was the tree What color was the tree on the wish. Okay and it was a a large atrium Well Grand Hall I guess but you know what I mean by Atrium Tree right. 18:27.52 Greg Maglinte It was gold. 18:38.35 Greg Maglinte Yeah, exactly exactly I mean so in in terms of sort of the again the the grandeur of it all, um it it was beautiful. Um, and I you know woke woke up early several times to make sure that no one was. 18:45.68 dclduo So. 18:53.00 Greg Maglinte You know in the vicinity. So I could take a clean picture of that entire Grand Atrium and Grand Hallway and um, you know the the pictures look great just again, not not those warm colors and not that warm feeling that ah that. 18:56.93 dclduo Um. 19:03.82 dclduo Yeah. 19:11.66 Greg Maglinte We're used to that that I'm sure that you saw on the wonder. 19:13.77 dclduo Yeah, that's a good way to put it. It's not bad. It's just different right? And so if you're looking for that red and green christmasy color feel it. It has a very different feel to it. Yeah, well let's talk. 19:17.98 Greg Maglinte Exactly. 19:32.22 dclduo The different um holiday activities and whether they were different or the same than what you experienced on on the dream. What kinds of things were offered during the very merry time cruises that are that are specific to very merry time meaning not. Not just sort of the general Cruise activities. 19:49.60 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah, yeah, so on the dream I remembered us spending a lot of time taking various photos and I think I think in one of your um, maybe maybe it was the recent um you know, ah ah trip that you guys took. 19:58.90 dclduo Um. 20:06.80 Greg Maglinte You mentioned some of the characters wearing their ugly Christmas sweaters. Um, you know we were expecting to see making the gang in formal Christmas wear which we saw on the dream we didn't see that on the wish. Um, and yeah, let me let me stick to the dream because. 20:08.56 dclduo Yes. 20:19.67 dclduo Um, so interesting. 20:25.25 Greg Maglinte The the dream we got a lot of variety right? So on pirate night you got the pirate you had the pirate outfits um that that was typical. No surprise there again. You had a lot of the Christmas sweaters on on Castaway you still had sort of the the. 20:28.70 dclduo Um, yep. 20:44.12 Greg Maglinte You know what? what would you call it the the beach outfits and right and exactly exactly um, but but they also had um and and we like our photos and and and so we'll we'll dress up. We'll dress up too in our formal where. 20:45.71 dclduo Oh yeah, the beach. Yeah, like the the hawaiian shirts like that I feel Donald and Mickey have the hawaiian shirts and yeah, yeah. 20:58.74 dclduo He. 21:03.60 Greg Maglinte And so it was kind of neat to see goofy with um, a vest and his plaid colored pants and so we we were sort of we were sort of matching I'm looking at these old pictures now from 18 and my son had his like red velvet. Um, you know, ah little kid tuxedo on um I had. 21:10.66 dclduo Yep. 21:21.42 dclduo No, ah. 21:22.44 Greg Maglinte Yeah I had my my red velvet Tuxedo jacket that that sort of thing. Um, but but that was that was yeah that was missing on the wish. Um and I actually I spoke with a cast member and just trying to figure out because it's not really in the navigator like you can't really tell. Um. 21:25.81 dclduo So fun. Oh interesting. 21:38.53 dclduo Right. 21:42.00 Greg Maglinte What they're going to be dressed as so you know again, we're making friends here and a cast member essentially was telling me and I and I told her about 2018 and she's like yeah um, we do things differently on the wish and you know she kind of smiled at me and you know just you know, basically. 21:55.50 dclduo Yep. 22:01.13 Greg Maglinte Reset expectations and and you know that that was a smile just letting me know that things are different not in a good way or a bad way. It's it's just different. Um and and so she gave me her advice and at the end of the day we we sort of just decided. Um, let's play it by ear. It's it's a bit of a guessing game. Um, we we did bring our you know formal wear. My wife had a gown I had a toxedo and so did my son and um, you know we I think we tried it ah one night with with a little bit of luck and then um. 22:19.59 dclduo Yep. 22:34.50 Greg Maglinte Decided hey let's let's do it again the next night to see if we can get some better pictures that that sort of thing. 22:39.80 dclduo Yeah, so interesting we had on the wonder um a bunch of different outfits right? We had the the sweater outfits so like the Christmas sweater outfits um and sort of the I'll call them Christmas casual wear. And then we did have the Christmas formal wear as well. In addition to the regular formal wear. So when I'm talking about Mickey. For example, Mickey has his his ah his I'll call it his tuxedo but it's Mickey's like regular outfit but formal wear so he's got the jacket with tails for Christmas he had. It's a sense. 22:56.53 Greg Maglinte Um. 23:02.89 Greg Maglinte Um, okay. 23:11.00 Greg Maglinte Who. 23:16.20 dclduo The same outfit but with a plaid ah red and green plaid vest so it's a christmasy take on the formal wear outfit and Minnie has something you know has ah a long like plaid dress type thing and she actually looks a little bit like a. And a little house on the prairieish I'll be honest, that's not my favorite It's not my favorite mini outfit her formal Christmas where but yeah, we had 2 different Christmas outfits I don't know that every character had one because I don't think chip and Dale had alternate outfits I think they just had one and I'm not sure that. 23:39.50 Greg Maglinte Um, but. 23:50.51 dclduo Pluto had an alternate outfit either. But um, but some of the other characters definitely did so it's interesting and it sounds like that's what your cruise on the dream was what were the outfits? Yeah so what were the what were the Christmas outfits that. 23:58.89 Greg Maglinte Exactly. 24:05.80 dclduo The characters at least like the fab 5 What did they have for Christmas on the wish. 24:10.27 Greg Maglinte It was you know it was just the sweaters. Um, so well I'll walk I'll walk that I'll walk that back a little bit so for for photo opportunities. It was just the sweaters. Um, and that's fine that those looked great. 24:12.75 dclduo Interesting. Yeah. 24:21.45 dclduo Um. 24:24.32 Greg Maglinte Um, they did a stage show. Maybe it was the evening of night one where they actually had some formal wear but they never wore those for photo opportunities and so I even asked a cast member on the second leg like are they going to actually rewear those formal outfits? Um, so we could take pictures with them and. 24:30.54 dclduo Oh I will. 24:39.96 dclduo Oh. 24:44.90 Greg Maglinte And she said no they only wired on stage during that sort of the lighting the tree lighting ceremony. Yeah yeah. 24:49.64 dclduo Gotcha Interesting. Yeah, we had that same tree lighting I'll be honest I don't remember what outfits they were wearing for that I just gets just not something a detail I remember I have pictures of it so I could go back and look um. 24:56.74 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah. 25:02.58 dclduo But that's really interesting that they didn't wear those because obviously they have them on board. So why not? guys why not ah okay so a little difference in some of the character stuff. What about um. The santa and Mrs clause stuff what kind of offerings did they have on board and were they the same or different than you had had on the dream. 25:17.53 Greg Maglinte Yep. 25:25.11 Greg Maglinte Um I think they were fairly similar. Um, it was different for us this time because now you know my son's eight years old and you know he I think he still believes in ah Santa and all that but ah, he just. You know the experience of having this you know, sit on his lap and all that stuff I think I think he's past that and so so we actually skipped all those activities. But as we walk around we we saw we saw people lining up and and and we did see you know Mrs Claus there 25:44.50 dclduo Um, yeah. 25:56.97 Greg Maglinte As Well and I think there was a storytelling activity um one evening as well. So that that was all I think very in line with what we saw um in 18 on the Dream. So So in that sense those holiday activities were the same I think I think the other similarities that I could recall. There was an activity where you could build a gingerbread house I believe I think that was still there. Um, oh no, okay. 26:16.88 dclduo Oh we didn't have that on the wonder. So that's interesting. No we didn't have any we had no Gen node cookie decorating at all on the wonder. So I was curious. That's that's interesting that there was some cookie decorating on on the wish. 26:35.10 Greg Maglinte Yeah, so we had that I believe I thought I saw something where they were making ornaments. Um and they they had that at various locations. Strangely they use baou for a lot of that which it made bau really busy like you couldn't hang out. 26:39.27 dclduo See here. 26:51.89 Greg Maglinte Um, and just enjoyed drink there because there were a lot of activities going on there but they also used. Yeah they they also used a lot of the um the they used luna for a lot of the other stuff. 26:54.20 dclduo Oh interesting. 27:03.27 dclduo Yeah I think it's it's it's kind of hard because they don't have you know there's no D lounge and um, like on the and on the wonder and on the magic. There's also in addition to D Lounge you get? Um. What is it called the Promenade lounge on the magic or the French Quarter lounge on the wonder those are often used during the day for those kinds of family crafts. But yeah, there's not like a perfect place on the wish really to do those is there. 27:21.78 Greg Maglinte Um. 27:33.12 Greg Maglinte No, um, I'm looking at the deck plan right now so you have Luna and I know obviously there there were a lot of activities there. Um, there were a couple of other locations where they had activities. Um, but I'll come back to buy you in that buy is a great place. It's it's a really beautiful lounge. But I think it's poorly situated because it's in the middle of everything so it's always going to be loud Um, it's always going to be crowded um you're getting sort of. 27:51.56 dclduo In here. 28:01.19 dclduo So. 28:07.89 Greg Maglinte <unk>over from folks coming out of the the ground hallway and and and even folks just coming out of hyperspace lounge. They end up just somehow landing at at bayou. So like bai is almost like this holding pattern for a lot of people. 28:17.97 dclduo Um, yeah. 28:27.37 Greg Maglinte Um, and so it makes it an odd place to to have different activities I think I think they no they didn't have Bingo Bingo is really popular. They wouldn't have that there but they maybe had like ergami or something like that at bayou and I just thought like you know. 28:38.00 dclduo Um, yeah. 28:42.43 Greg Maglinte They they could have maybe moved this um someplace else to to really free up the space for others to to to actually enjoy you know, beverages and snacks and that sort of thing. So. 28:51.36 dclduo Yeah I mean I want to sit and have like a cafe ole and some beas in there I don't I don't want to be in sort of this loud bustling craft space in the middle of the day. But I I hear what you mean? yeah. 28:55.26 Greg Maglinte Right. 29:06.44 dclduo I I think the best time for those looking to go to buy you and check it out and either have a coffee or have a drink I think that there's sort of 2 best times to go to buy you when it's not going to be crowded like that. Ah, the first is early in the morning. So go get your coffee and your benye when people are just kind of waking up. It's not crowded. Then even if they have some crafts going on. It's it's likely to be a less crowded space at that point. Um, the other time is during the first dinner seating. So yeah, if you have late dinner seating. Ah you are. 29:36.50 Greg Maglinte Yes, right. 29:43.70 dclduo Are going to be in luck and be able to go to buy you before it gets or after and before it gets more crazy for the sort of nighttime crowd. So yeah, that would definitely be my tip any other events that we haven't. 29:50.16 Greg Maglinte Right. 29:59.40 dclduo Talked about I guess the tree lighting right? We have um the the tree lighting I was that significantly different than the tree lighting they did back on the dream back in 2018 30:02.43 Greg Maglinte Um. 30:11.39 Greg Maglinte Ah, yeah, not not significantly. Um, it was definitely no I'm just thinking about the crowds I think it was they they were crowded both times. Um, plenty of kids. Um, again, we we use the word um grandeur to describe. 30:22.74 dclduo Um. 30:29.70 Greg Maglinte Um, just how everything looked um here on the wish um spectacular is another word. It's just everything's so bright, you know and you know so in that sense it was a little bit different again I'm. 30:38.53 dclduo Um. 30:44.40 Greg Maglinte And and I'm thinking about the the recent National Geographic special on the making of the wish Um, you know it seemed like they just wanted to go big right? and everything right? and and and so I got the sense from that. Ah from that show and and and. 30:50.16 dclduo Um, oh yeah, but. 31:00.56 Greg Maglinte Being on the ship itself you you could tell everything had to be big and just spectacular and it was um so I think they achieved that. 31:05.89 dclduo Yeah, yeah, what about the winter wonderland ball did you get a chance to go to that I only know of that existence because we did it on the wonder this was an event later in the evening where essentially santa showed up and Mrs Claus did you all have that in in the grand hall on the wish. 31:28.82 Greg Maglinte Um I think they did I'd have to look at the navigator one more time but I'm pretty sure that we had that. But interestingly we skipped it and it's funny because I you know I mentioned to you how it didn't seem like we had time for everything and so some of the some. 31:40.90 dclduo 6 31:44.29 Greg Maglinte Like we would have liked to do that. But I think we just had other things going on and so we we actually miss that that event. 31:49.90 dclduo Yeah, yeah, no I totally understand I feel like anytime I'm on a cruise. In fact, when we were on for Christmas even though we did back to back 5 and five so we had ten days ten full days or 10 nights actually on the ship. Um. We still didn't get to go see a single movie. We talked about seeing potentially ah Wakanda forever or the the second avatar movie um was that the way of the water. But then once we were on board I'm like I I don't know that I can justify sitting in a movie theater for 3 hours and my precious cruise time. Yeah, so even though I wanted to because I and I will say as of this recording it is um we are recording on February tenth 32:24.14 Greg Maglinte Right? same? Yeah, same. 32:36.85 dclduo And I still have not seen either of those 2 movies. But but we kind to forever just came out on Disney plus about a week ago so I am definitely I've got to convince Brian but I really want to watch it this weekend. So yeah. 32:48.34 Greg Maglinte Yeah, there you go. 32:52.63 dclduo Were there any other ah events that we haven't talked about that were specific for the maritime cruise on the wish that you can think of that you guys attended or heard about. 33:01.53 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah, it it wasn't I wouldn't call call it an event but just a little something special. Um I remembered on the dream they had hot chocolate and cookies for the kids and right? um well this was actually. 33:13.24 dclduo Oh yeah Christmas morning. Yeah. 33:19.55 Greg Maglinte Um, towards the tail end of the day so I can't I can't remember if it was before our dinner seating or after um, and and maybe it was when um Miss Claus was doing the the storytelling. Um. 33:25.24 dclduo He. 33:35.10 dclduo Huh. 33:36.28 Greg Maglinte but but I do remember that and I remember that there was a you know cider that they that they offered Apple cider. Um, and I wasn't expecting that on the wish and then surprisingly they actually had that. So um I thought yeah that that was really a nice way to um, but let me caveat this carefully. 33:41.80 dclduo Oh nice. 33:56.30 Greg Maglinte I think this only happened on ah Christmas Eve or or Christmas day the evening of Christmas um day yeah on the twenty fifth 34:02.72 dclduo Ah, yeah, oh interesting. Yeah, we had a slightly different um experience on the wonder we had on Christmas Eve as we were leaving the dining room we were offered chocolate chip cookies and milk. Because obviously santa needs a little snack in order to deliver presents. So we got those on Christmas Eve and then Christmas morning they had an entire display of entire display meaning a large table but ah with a bunch of different cookies and hot chocolate. But there I don't believe there was any hot cider I think it was just hot chocolate and it was only for the morning it was gone by I don't know Mid midday I would I would guess. Yeah so interesting. Yeah, so slightly it is interesting to see how even on the different ships now. 34:37.99 Greg Maglinte Ah, nice. 34:55.88 dclduo There is slightly different offerings or slightly different experiences on the cruise. So I'd I'd love to know your you know your impressions of the wish and what your favorite things you got to do on board because obviously there were some. There's some new experiences available and. 35:10.38 Greg Maglinte Yeah, so. 35:14.63 dclduo Would love to get those thoughts. 35:17.65 Greg Maglinte You know I I think it's one of those ships where and I think other guests have said it you know on every deck There's like a surprise or there's something new that you discover. Um, it felt like we spent a lot of our time. Um, in the aft side of the ship. So we we had our stateroom in the back. Um I felt like I didn't spend a whole lot of time. Um at the front of the ship. Um, you know I think I went to. We went to seize the adventure so we went to 1 show maybe um, but we we hardly spent any time. Um. 35:48.23 dclduo And. 35:53.10 Greg Maglinte At the um front of the ship like like you said, um, we didn't even we weren't able to even catch a movie on the ship. We we saw the National Geographic special the day it came out in in um, in one of the theaters. But besides that we didn't spend a whole lot of time in the theaters at all. 35:59.26 dclduo Yeah. 36:10.67 dclduo Um. 36:13.99 Greg Maglinte Um, what stands out I Think on the wish is no matter where you're grabbing a drink whether it's um, an adult beverage or some type of dessert or a snack and certainly um, main dining. Um. And on the the pull deck. The the food is just excellent. Um I you know I I thought the dream for us was sort of you know that that sort of set the bar for us in terms of food and and just everything is dialed in just right. It's not too salty. 36:34.50 dclduo Yeah. 36:48.90 Greg Maglinte Steaks are are just perfect. They're not too rare. They're not too. Um overdone um here it's just like everything was spot on. Temperature was perfect on the proteins. You had a variety of different vegetables. Um, the the desserts were tasty and and I would almost argue that. Um, and it's the 1 reason why although we had booked Paulo Steakhouse twice once for the once on the three day and once on the fort the second leg on the fortnnight. Um, we actually skipped it both times. Um, it was just one of those things where it felt like no, we had our fill in main dining. I. 37:19.33 dclduo Yeah. 37:27.15 Greg Maglinte I Didn't get a chance to try that other entree. So I want to go back and and and try it one more time. 37:30.40 dclduo Um, absolutely I have to agree with you 100% I think that the food on the wish not just the pool deck food which we've talked a lot about the pool because the pool deck food is just fantastic and maybe some of the best things across the whole fleet. Um. 37:42.51 Greg Maglinte It is. 37:48.20 dclduo But the main dining food I feel like totally stepped it up both in quality and offerings. Yeah, just some really interesting things. Some really delicious things and I have to agree with you. It's It's a little bit more formal. The food making. Making Pollo and enantte maybe a little less attractive not from the standpoint of those aren't amazing. They are. But if you're getting such great food and mean dining. You really don't need to pay that upchar for the specialty dining unless you are and I'm going to admit this. 38:09.58 Greg Maglinte Right? right? You know. 38:22.27 dclduo A self-admitted snob and really like fine dining. Ah. 38:25.99 Greg Maglinte I Mean the the food's still great. Um, ah, speaking about anchantte and and the dinner there. Um, you know we we ordered all a cart just knowing how long it takes to get through a course meal. Um, yeah, it was one of those things where maybe I would have preferred to do a co meal. 38:36.80 dclduo Oh that's actually very smart. Yeah. 38:45.33 Greg Maglinte Um, you know my my my wife was eager to not ah to do other things and so to get from 3 hours down to 2 hours okay we'll take that. Um you know so it's it's but but I think you're you're you're right? Um, if you had time and let's say that there was a seven night cruise 38:45.72 dclduo Um. 38:50.79 dclduo Yep. 38:55.89 dclduo Um, yeah. 39:04.34 Greg Maglinte Um, on the calendar here for the wish that then I think you've got time to do everything I think you've got time to do each of the main dining rotations at least once hit Paulo State house one night on chante another night. Um, and then that leaves you 2 other nights to to maybe do main dining 1 more time. Um, so. 39:23.14 dclduo Um, yeah. 39:24.19 Greg Maglinte So I think and I think they're you know another reason why I advocate for sort of that back to back on the wish as they continue to do the 3 and fortnnight itineraries. Um, that just gives you a chance to to try different things. 39:36.38 dclduo Absolutely yeah I mean that's we've got it planned for our upcoming cruises in April we've got it planned where we'll do anchantte dinner once and then I believe we're going to do pollo brunch once andpollo dinner. 1 but that's total for the whole thing right? where' so we're doing 3 you know only 2 and in the course of seventy s we're doing 2 adult dinners and then we'll do one adult brunch. Um, not to say that the anchantte brunch isn't great. But I I have a preference on the apollo brunch for sure I just. 39:58.58 Greg Maglinte Um, right. 40:12.29 Greg Maglinte Yeah, we we. 40:15.51 dclduo Yeah, it's just ah, a fine dining meal at brunch to me is just a less attractive meal than like Apollo which I would not call fine dining but amazing brunch. Yeah, and yeah. 40:25.51 Greg Maglinte Ah, yeah, no I think we we we agree on that and think about it the same way. The 1 thing I have to say and I'm not sure about the brunch situation for anchantte is we didn't we didn't try to book that at all we we had initially booked the the dessert. Um. Tasting or or event whatever you want to call that um and then about a week out. We got an email from dcl um, and they said that they had canceled the event. Um I'm not sure if that's actually true or if we just got bumped out I tried calling once we got on the ship guest services to see if. 40:44.27 dclduo And. 40:52.10 dclduo So. 41:02.58 Greg Maglinte They were still offering that and they sort of reiterated that it wasn't available. So if we take them for their word then then unfortunately they ended up counseling that event I don't know if it's still available or if or if there are other um you know cruises. Um where they might still offer that. 41:06.22 dclduo Yeah. 41:18.32 dclduo Yeah, I'm not sure because I've seen quite a bit of chatter online about that very thing where it was where people were had booked it and then it got canceled or their booking got canceled and they were told it was not available. 41:30.67 Greg Maglinte A. 41:34.17 dclduo We did hear some chatter that it was maybe staffing challenges that they just didn't have enough staff to really to be able to staff that in addition to dinner and so that it that it wasn't happening at all I but I don't know that for sure that's those were just rumors. 41:48.67 Greg Maglinte Right. 41:50.66 dclduo Um, but I I will tell you I have we have yet to talk to someone who has done a dessert tasting at on Chante on the wish which leads me to believe that it is likely that it isn't just not happening I can't say for sure. But that's that would be my sort of logical conclusion. So I know you. 42:05.85 Greg Maglinte Makes sense. 42:08.92 dclduo I Know you did ah some of the drink tastings. Um, which we've talked about on other shows. Not necessarily the specific ones you went on but I know that you had kind of a favorite location to have a drink on board and I believe that that was hook's barbary am I Right about that. 42:25.76 Greg Maglinte It was that for myself I'm speaking for myself here. Not my yeah, not my family members. But um I was at hook's barbary and I was sold after the first night um I had signed up for the world of old fashion drink tasting. 42:27.66 dclduo Yes. 42:41.82 Greg Maglinte Um, it's a small place I think they only have room for 6 maybe 8 people but we had 6 in our tasting and um, decided to come back just on a whim the the next day to see if um, you know I could just order something off menu there. There isn't a menu right? It's a speak easy. 42:58.55 dclduo And. 43:01.46 Greg Maglinte Um, and and the bar is actually closed during the day. It only opens during certain hours and so um I met with Colin there and um boy make Colin makes the most ah amazing drinks. Um, and it. 43:14.51 dclduo Yeah, yeah. 43:19.34 Greg Maglinte Yeah, it really spoils you because you know you're you're you're back on land and you're ordering an old fashioned somewhere else or in in my case I ordered a Manhattan multiple times other drinks as well. And yeah, not quite the same as at hook's barbury. 43:23.25 dclduo Ah. 43:31.13 dclduo Um. 43:37.53 dclduo Oh yeah, if you are a bourbon or scotch drinker. Um, and you do not visit hooks barbery after I think it's four p m I think is when they open um but that. But probably not on embarkation day. It's probably later on embarkation day. But if you do not head there. You are missing out. It is not just like the drinking but the presentation I'm not ah I'll be honest I'm yeah I'm not a bourn drinker and so I don't drink Manhattan's I don't drink old fashions. Um, but Brian of course does and and loves them. 43:58.90 Greg Maglinte Exactly. 44:10.10 dclduo But I did go with him I think it was his second visit to hooks and got to watch the whole process and it is just so cool. What that bartender is doing I think we had Colin as well. Although I can't be certain um because ah you know it's hard to remember. 44:14.65 Greg Maglinte Yeah, yeah. 44:27.22 dclduo Every staff member that you met on on the wish. Um, but I remember the bartender being just phenomenal and he clearly knew what he was doing and was you know being very creative in what he was making. 44:40.60 Greg Maglinte Yeah, exactly Um, just stuff you Yeah again, you're not going to see that on a menu on the ship and you're probably likely not seeing that anywhere else again like you said there's just a creativity that that that happens there. Yeah, it was. It was amazing. 44:44.64 dclduo So. 44:58.12 Greg Maglinte And again we did that almost every night the the the other you know if yeah if you had to ask my wife or my brother or sister-in law you know, maybe the 2 other places where we spent quite a bit of time was Nightingale's and the rose and the the experiences were a little bit different night. You know I remembered listening. 45:12.41 dclduo Um. 45:16.54 Greg Maglinte Um, to your guys' experience at the rose and so I had plans for that place to be my my spot every evening. But um, you know, just based on the menu and the offerings there decided hey couple times. Um, you know works for me and we still enjoyed the experience there. Um, nice and quiet. 45:21.92 dclduo Yes. 45:32.80 dclduo He. 45:36.37 Greg Maglinte Um I hadn't planned on spending a whole lot of time in Nightingales but I think we were there every day. Um, yeah, well really. 45:38.89 dclduo Oh wow, it was so crowded when we were on so it was actually harder to get it. Yeah, it was harder to get into Nightingale's just because of the crowds. But I don't know if that was just you know it was a maiden voyage and everybody was trying to steal those those bird glasses which were by the way gone like. 45:56.55 Greg Maglinte Ah, yeah. 45:58.25 dclduo By I think the by I don't even know they might have been gone before the Maiden voyage or as shortly thereafter or you know by day two of the Maiden voyage. 46:01.84 Greg Maglinte I'm sure. Yeah I'm sure it it You know there, there's room there I mean it's It's quite busy. It's you know, situated across from the bayou. So you're're, you're going to get a bit of a crowd. Um. 46:10.83 dclduo Me. 46:16.57 dclduo Here. 46:19.61 Greg Maglinte But I think there's still room like I don't it didn't feel like we had to wait or didn't feel like we were ever turned away. Um, that experience was different because um, the the bartending staff The servers there too are folks that we've run into elsewhere. Um, yeah, and so. 46:22.11 dclduo No, that's good. Yeah. 46:34.30 dclduo Oh I Love that. 46:39.17 Greg Maglinte You know Freddie runs that place and we saw him on the wonder out in California earlier in the year he remembered us. We remembered him and um, you know we had talked a little bit about some of the beverage tastings and I had mentioned how mixology. 46:48.70 dclduo Um. 46:58.58 Greg Maglinte You know is still our favorite, especially if you can get behind the bar and and so he sort of talked us through the decision and I don't think they do this anymore on any of the ships. Um, ah Mixology is them preparing the drinks ahead of time. Unfortunately, we're not able to get behind the bar anymore. 47:00.36 dclduo Right. 47:13.30 dclduo Yep. 47:16.53 Greg Maglinte So I mentioned that experience and he's like oh you must have been on the the dream or the fantasy or what have you during this year and I said oh exactly we had sailed. You know that exact itinerary. so so yeah the familiarity and again that sort of feeling ah of you know home was certainly there. Um. 47:25.00 dclduo Um, yep. 47:34.87 dclduo Yeah I think the the cast really can make that difference right? If you know someone or you have a great interaction with them. It makes you want to go back to that location over and over again I think part of what what we loved about the rose so much to be perfectly. Honest. 47:35.18 Greg Maglinte When we went to nightingales. 47:53.59 dclduo Is that one of our favorite bartenders Nuna was there every night and so and so for us it was like oh we get to see nuna every night so it was it was definitely as part part of the experience and part of the allure. So I'd love to to kind of wrap things up with a couple of questions here which is. 47:55.26 Greg Maglinte Oh yeah, yep. 48:04.38 Greg Maglinte Yeah, yeah, yeah. 48:12.44 dclduo My first question is would you go back on the wish. Okay, my second question is would you go back on the wish for a very merry time cruise or if you were choosing a very merry time would you choose a different ship. 48:17.80 Greg Maglinte Yes, Ah, yeah. 48:30.17 Greg Maglinte Yeah, that's a good question. So I think you know as we sort of played this back after the cruise I think we all agreed you have to go back when it's not a holiday right? Go go back on a you know middle of the summer something like that or maybe early spring. Um. 48:39.46 dclduo Okay. 48:47.97 Greg Maglinte Do it when it's warm. Um, so you could enjoy time in the water because it was a little too chilly for us who couldn't spend too much time in the pools. Um and and and so when it's not a holiday then you could just sort of follow that regular um navigator schedule and and you don't feel the pressure to have to do all the. 49:02.61 dclduo He. 49:07.32 Greg Maglinte Different you know Christmas photos or the different holiday events. Um, yeah. 49:11.21 dclduo Oh that's a great point. Yeah, there's a more schedule pressure you're on the wish that you're already on 3 4 day schedule to begin with and then you've got holiday events which adds a lot of pressure to the schedule. That's a great point Greg yeah yeah, okay so if you're. 49:19.21 Greg Maglinte Great. 49:26.23 Greg Maglinte Um, yeah. 49:29.97 dclduo If you're going to go on a very merryitime cruise then my my last question would be which ship if you were going to go in another very maritime. Would you be going on again. Ah. 49:39.25 Greg Maglinte Yeah I think it'd have to be the dream. Um I think it's still our favorite ship. Um I know I know the itineraries are different now for the dream. Um, you know, not not sailing out of ah part canaveral anymore. Um, but I think it would still have to be the the dream. 49:52.79 dclduo Um. 49:56.26 Greg Maglinte Now if you're asking me. Let's say I'm taking guess here if I could do it in 2025 or 2026 I don't know maybe maybe it's the treasure if if the treasure is out then but. 50:10.20 dclduo Um, okay, right. 50:11.57 Greg Maglinte But but but but but again I could sort of turn that around and just say the same thing I said about the wish which is um, you know it's probably worth a shot just you know you know getting on these ships. Um, when you've got a clean schedule. It's not a special you know, sailing or anything like that. Just. 50:24.16 dclduo Right. 50:29.77 Greg Maglinte Just so you could soak everything in and and sort of just experience it for for what it is. 50:32.71 dclduo Yeah that's a really great point. Well thank you so much Greg for sharing your thoughts with us about the wish versus the dream and very maritime experience as well as your general thoughts on the wish itself it it sounds like it was an amazing. 2 cruises and that you will eventually be back on the wish but maybe also on the dream all as well. But all right. 50:55.16 Greg Maglinte Absolutely now. Thanks for the invite Sam appreciate it.