Ep. 386 - The View Across the Pond: A Brit Shares Her Experience Sailing Disney Cruise Line

00:00.00 dclduo Welcome back everybody to this week's episode of the DCL duo podcast brought to you by my path unwinding travel and Sam Mail Call Mail call time mail call. We've got got a review. 00:12.14 Sam Woohoo, Let's let let's hear what all my fans have to say about me I'm just kidding. Ah. 00:17.40 dclduo It's it's such the truth it's such the truth I read these things to recharge Sam's ego here we go it is this one comes from Sam Parker Sd who writes amazing content. The dcl duo capture the fun of cruising in every show. They highlight all things dcl does well and they are brave enough to discuss areas of opportunity for disney I appreciate that they have diverse guests on the show sharing different experiences I look forward to the show every week well there you go Sam you're called brave from like Lurkkana you're you're the mickey brave little tailor card. So there you go. Ah. 00:49.90 Sam I thought I want to be marda from from brave though. Ah I I Love it. 00:49.38 dclduo Yes, well I I think you have your pick of the litter so you go there, you go all right? Well if I feel a little less energy today for folks out there. It's because it is early here on the west coast for us because we are headed. All the way across the pond to our neighbors across the sea in the u k we have a fabulous guest today Sam You want to intro intro our guest for folks. 01:13.60 Sam Yeah, we are super excited to bring on first time guests to the show Gemma welcome Gemma. Yeah, nice to have you. Thank you for you know, accommodating us and. 01:20.41 Gemma Thank you very much. Thank you Nice to be here. 01:29.40 Sam And helping us figure out a time that we could all get together because obviously with the time difference. It's a little more complicated than us just talking to someone you know on the East Coast ah but we really appreciate it. Ah well you know. 01:38.12 Gemma Yeah, but I but I think three p M is easier for me than 7 a m is for you I think so. 01:42.50 dclduo Yeah, we're where we're parents of a 10 year old he was up at probably five thirty this morning. So so we we should be more awake than we are, but we're not so there. 01:49.24 Gemma Um, okay, um. 01:54.80 Sam Ah, ah, but we're super excited to talk to you. You went on what I will call a somewhat more unique itinerary. But in the United States but we certainly wanted to get your perspective on cruising on Disney Cruise line because we you know. We don't know what we don't know and obviously we're american cruisers and we cruise on american cruise lines you over in Europe have a lot more or over in the U K have a lot more choice in cruise lines than we do in the Us and different kinds of. Service and different kinds of offerings on the cruise lines over there but we're super interested to talk to you about your perspective on Disney Cruise line but before we get into our topic. We've got to ask you Gemma about your cruising credentials and your Disney background if you have any. 02:48.99 Gemma Yeah, so um, this is actually our first cruise. My first cruise ever. And yeah, we went straight in as you say with the with the Disney option and and really for us it was about it being Disney more than it was about being a cruise. 02:51.90 Sam Oh wow. 03:04.32 Gemma So we have ah been to many Disney Parks I think my first Disney park trip was the opening year of what was then euro disney but now Disneyland Paris and so that is um, yeah, quite a while ago now showing my age. 03:11.90 Sam Yeah, yeah. 03:20.61 Gemma Ah, when I was around ten or eleven I think when when that opened and since then we've been to Walt Disney world we've been to Paris an embarrassing number of times I actually I actually went for my hen do which is your bachelorite part party equivalent. So that's that shows. 03:21.29 Sam Ah. 03:33.10 Sam Your bachelorette. Yeah. 03:39.64 Gemma Much I love it there and we've been to Hong Kong a couple of times when I've been there for work or or visiting my parents who lived there for a while. So yeah, very much Disney park ah kind of family but no cruises until now but felt like it was needed to add to the kind of. Ah, Disney experiences we can tick off the list. 03:58.14 Sam Oh my gosh I love that now Gemma next time when we finally plan our trip to Disneyland Paris I'm calling you because I feel like the parks. The international parks are so different than Disney World and Disneyland I have no idea what I'm doing so I hope ah. 04:10.70 Gemma Yes, well I have a spreadsheet that I share amongst my friends of where they need to eat what they need to do so I will happily share that with you too. Yeah. 04:16.20 Sam Ah, yeah, awesome I Need to know even where to stay although I know that the the one the one hotel that's inside the park essentially is is under construction right now If oh. 04:18.74 dclduo None of them. 04:30.46 Gemma I Think yeah, they've just opened up for bookings I think now. Um but it is It is quite pricey. Yeah. 04:33.49 Sam Ok, oh yeah, I bet I bet but you can stay in the park. 04:37.60 dclduo Yeah, saying what this ab d with this ab d we're doing why did we not add on Paris so it could have been just just an even crazier crazier trip brother gonna go to Paris than Munich and buddap pesh in Hawaii I mean just yet. 04:43.87 Sam Ah I know I know no no, no, we we have any time we have no time to do that. Well Gemma. Why did you decide to come all the way across the United States to take a Disney Cruise out of New York rather than taking a cruise in Europe on Disney Cruise line I think that's the biggest question I have. 05:06.63 Gemma Um, so I guess for us we um had looked at things like the Uk staycations after covid and looked at some of the european um itineraries but outside of the kind of norwegian norwegian fords or. Ah, transatlantic ones really were 3 or 4 nights itineraries which just felt like that would be a really rushed experience so we were looking for a longer itinerary. We then looked at ones out of um Florida but then as a proportion of the. Cost of the holiday the flights really just become prohibitive. So it's myself. My husband and 3 children and the flights to add onto a cruise when flight to flight all the way to Florida are really quite a lot so we looked out of New York um the flight is obviously much shorter. For us so like five and a half hours so considerably better for us and the kids had never been to New York so it just felt like a really good itinerary 6 nights going somewhere sunny which always helps when you're from the Uk any opportunity to get some sun I am in all in. 06:07.50 Sam Yeah. 06:14.87 Gemma So bermuda sounded amazing. So yeah, it just kind of worked really well and it kind of fell into the into our half term holiday break for the kids as well. So we could. We took them out one day from school on the friday. Cruised on the Saturday landed back here on the Sunday and they were back in school again the following Monday so it just happened to fit in that half term as well for us. 06:35.51 Sam Oh that's perfect. So how how many days did you get in New York then ahead of the cruise or at the ah or after the cruise. 06:42.63 Gemma So we flew we departed London Friday morning arrived Friday the kind of lunchtime with the time difference then we got on the cruise Saturday lunchtime um had. 06:48.71 Sam Here. 06:57.80 Gemma Finished the Cruise friday and flew out Saturday quite late like ten pm so we had pretty much two full days at the end and ah half a day a day um at the start which was quite good for the kids really, we did a lot of walking. 07:03.22 Sam A. 07:12.67 Sam Oh yeah, yeah, and then they could sleep on the plane. Ah you got to fire them out. Yeah. 07:13.20 Gemma Um, seeing the sights and and but that was probably enough for the kids. Yes, yes, although yeah, exactly yeah I think my poor six year old. He turned 6 on the cruise. Actually. Um, he did 24000 steps or something the second day we were in New York he was. He was tired and to be fair, he didn't complain. He kept going but I was thinking right? At some point we're going to need to carry him. 07:30.72 Sam Oh my god. 07:34.70 dclduo Um, yeah. 07:40.28 Sam Yeah I mean that's that's Walt Disney World plus level steps I mean yeah. 07:45.61 Gemma yes yes I think we said that was the last time we'd done that many steps with the kids was Walt Disney wound 07:50.74 Sam Yeah, yeah I believe it oh my goodness. Well that sounds like an amazing trip tell us so this is half term for you. What what? when did this cruise in this trip happen. 08:03.89 Gemma So we decided to book it maybe nine months before so we went in octa end of October um, and yeah, we'd booked it. Um I know I normally get twitchy around when Christmas is over and think right I need to book a holiday so it was probably the first couple of weeks of January when I thought right. 08:08.20 Sam E. 08:21.50 Gemma Winter is well and truly set in. It's been a while since I've had some sunshine I probably need to book another holiday. 08:23.89 Sam Um. 08:27.99 Sam Yeah, you know it's funny. You said that because ah, we feel the same way and and that's because our weather here in Seattle's you know, not that different from yours over in and the u k yeah. 08:38.28 Gemma It's tough. It's tough. You can see my husband starting to get twitchy around like mid-december he's like right four weeks time she's gonna be on her phone looking at trips again and he's not wrong. 08:40.95 dclduo No. 08:51.39 Sam Yeah I love it. Awesome! Okay, so it's everyone's first cruise you fly all the way across to New York how old are are the kids I know the youngest is 6 What are the other ages. 08:52.48 dclduo If. 08:54.98 Gemma And. 09:04.53 Gemma Yes, so he ten six um on the last day of the cruise. Ah my middle so that's ah monty my youngest boy then I have Otis who had just turned 10 and then I have Matilda who is 12 09:18.69 Sam So nice so they're all ah kids club age except Matilda can go to kids club or the edge the tween club. Yeah, nice. Awesome. 09:23.29 Gemma Yes, yes, that's right? yeah. 09:24.37 dclduo Yeah, so you must have booked a you must have booked a family deluxe ferandas or what kind of stateroom did you get for the 5 view. 09:34.38 Gemma Yeah, family. Yeah I think deluxe veranda so it was pretty good size. Actually I really wanted to have the veranda Although to be fair, we didn't sit on it that much. We were so busy everywhere? Um, but it was nice to have the extra space and for sure and actually I I was a. 09:42.22 dclduo Yeah. 09:44.57 Sam Ah, he. 09:51.53 Gemma Because never having been on a cruise I was not sure how well we would fit 5 of us in um, with all our luggage but ah, but actually it was it was very comfortable. It was absolutely fine. 09:59.53 Sam Yeah. 10:04.82 dclduo And and how did we mediate the disputes over the bunk bed then. 10:05.42 Sam Um, yeah. 10:10.91 Gemma And that was fairly straightforward. My I'm youngest desperately wanted um the top but was not allowed the top so he was on the bottom. My daughter was very clear. She didn't want to be anywhere near the boys and so. 10:15.95 dclduo Yeah. Are nice. Nice. Yes. 10:21.83 Sam Ah, oh nice. So the 2 boys got between the the bunk bed and the the couch underneath and then your daughter got the pull down the but the Murphy bed. Yeah yeah, perfect. Yeah. 10:23.65 Gemma My middle boy got the top. So yeah, it kind of worked itself out. Yes, that's right? Yeah, yeah, yes yeah. 10:34.69 dclduo Yeah, yeah, and oh and Otis de declared victory. It sounds like so there you go. 10:41.10 Gemma Yeah, exactly exactly? yeah. 10:42.21 Sam Um, ah for Monty ah, well let's let's talk about um you know, arriving in New York and and where you stay. Oh. 10:50.69 dclduo Well actually wait I want to I want to ask a question was this a surprise for the kids like when did they learn you were taking this cruise. Yeah. 10:57.90 Gemma No, this was this was not a surprise. We had a I mean my daughter had a countdown in her room. She did all of the door decorations fish extended gifts. This was like the hobby across the summer holidays was preparing for this. So. 11:02.47 dclduo If. 11:09.94 Sam Ah. 11:13.44 Gemma Really like with any of our Disney ships. We really enjoy the buildup and the preparation and the kids like to look on Youtube for what they're going to be doing and seeing all the different experiences. So yeah, not not a surprise because they like to get into the kind of preparation mode beforehand. 11:18.26 Sam The he. 11:25.31 Sam Yeah, so your kids are like full on full on Disney kids then I mean if they're doing all that stuff the fish extenders the Youtubes everything. 11:29.81 dclduo What's the. Ah. 11:36.18 Gemma I mean my daughter is probably the most like me in the passion for Disney I would say she she really loves it. She collects pins she collects the little zimsum like toys. 11:51.30 Sam Um, no yeah. 11:51.97 Gemma And it's very into her ah trivia which I'm sure we'll come on to talk about her trivia. So she she's the most obsessed the other the others really enjoy it but are probably more into football than they are Disney but she's really into Disney. 11:54.19 Sam Um, yeah. 12:07.20 dclduo Was I was going to ask on those lines I was just ah I recorded yesterday with a woman from Australia whose shows show will probably already be out by the time this one came out but you know she was sort of saying actually New Zealand she was saying like yeah I mean Disney people know what Disney is here. But it's not like people kind of looked at me crazy when I said I was taking a Disney Cruise I get the sense in the u k it's much more like here in the Us like Disney is very popular. There's lots of folks who you know like to count themselves as Disney fans is that is that fair. 12:35.72 Gemma Um, I mean I think like certainly obviously from a movie and a character perspective. Yes I think Disney plus has probably helped with that. Um, but and certainly well Disney world and. Disneyland Paris are promoted quite a lot. But I think last year maybe it was the first time I'd seen Disney cruises advertised anywhere I guess with them having the full uk itinerary then but um, yeah. 12:52.10 Sam And he. 12:59.65 Gemma I mean I I would say people as enthusiastic as my daughter and I are relatively few and far between or at least those that admit it maybe um, but um, but yeah I mean Disney as a brand is obviously is obviously huge but more so walk Disney World even Disneyland California is not. 13:00.51 dclduo With all right. 13:05.10 Sam Um, yeah, yeah. 13:17.86 Gemma Really promoted over. It's actually quite difficult to book from the U K um for California but. 13:19.19 Sam A. 13:19.65 dclduo Yeah, so so did so so did your friends look at you funny when you were like I'm going on a Disney Cruise as opposed to like are they like you could you could Cruise p and o but all right there you there you are friends after all yes all right 13:26.79 Gemma I Mean they know me So so no, they were for me. They weren't surprised. Um, yeah, yeah, exactly they fit to my house. They've they've seen they've seen the memorabilia. So yeah, probably probably not surprised. 13:31.13 Sam Um, ah. 13:43.51 Sam Ah, oh I love that? Okay, so you guys pack up, you're on the plane you arrive in New York um where where did you guys stay in New York before the crews embarked. 13:56.81 Gemma So we stayed at the I think it's called the Rue Plaza New York which is right by times square um, so really central for that first kind of evening to get some food went to the Disney store obviously in times square. 14:00.91 Sam Okay. 14:12.25 Gemma Went to um, get some food and then in the morning we had actually planned to walk to the um to the Cruise Terminal. But. The rain was absolutely Horrific. So We got an uber but I'm convinced that that took us twice as long as it would have to walk because the traffic was so bad. Um, but on the way at the end of the Cruise. We actually walked back to that hotel with our bags and it was really really easy. 14:24.22 Sam We. 14:29.99 Sam Oh yeah. 14:39.20 Gemma Um, so maybe like a 10 minute walk maximum with even with the kids in the bags to the terminal and was pretty reasonably priced for New York so ah a pretty good choice and breakfast like breakfast included and the room was a good size. Although we found it quite hard to find rooms in New York that would let you have 3 kids like a family room for five most of them were 4 and then you end up paying for 2 rooms which obviously doubles the price. So but that's a good option for for 5 people. Families. 14:57.54 Sam Oh yeah. 15:04.30 Sam Oh yeah. 15:10.88 dclduo I had completely forgotten seeing that there is a Disney store in times square I thought that it had closed with all the others. So now we've got a place on our list to go? yeah. 15:11.90 Gemma For sure. 15:16.67 Sam Um, yeah there. Yeah. 15:19.87 Gemma Yeah I think the only ones I read some of the other day I think the only ones outside of parks in our London ah New York and Japan maybe Tokyo maybe I think. 15:24.59 dclduo In New York probably yeah yeah. 15:27.30 Sam Yeah tokyo that makes sense. Yeah, there are some disney store outlets or Disney outlet stores. So they're not regular Disney stores but they have you know sort of overstock stuff still at some. 15:39.81 Gemma Um, okay. 15:40.77 Sam Yeah, some at some outlet malls around the country I think there's one Brian in um, in telala actually and about an hour north of us. But it's not the regular store. It's just the outlet store so it doesn't have necessarily new stuff like the ones in you know the ones in New York or in London. 15:49.70 Gemma Okay. 15:56.75 Gemma Yeah, yeah. 15:58.49 Sam We loved the the one in London we I have my ah I have a little beef eater mickey and he's the cutest thing ever I mean you cannot get that in ah in at least not the parks of the United States you can and you can't get that in the Disney drawer in the in New York so yeah that's a unique to. 16:03.40 Gemma Um, okay yeah, ah. 16:13.60 Gemma Um, okay yeah. 16:18.46 Sam Unique to the London store I thought that was that was awesome. But anyway, okay so you you get to New York unfortunately it's quite rainy so you have to take the uber to the the terminal. Um, what was the terminal like we've not sailed out of New York 16:33.45 Gemma So it was I mean I guess I have nothing to compare it to really, but it was fine. We had a um, a port arrival time of I think like quarter to 1 or one o'clock um and I'd from the hotel had gone back on the Facebook. Ah, group for the crews and someone had said they're letting all crew all port arrival times board now and that was maybe at 11 a m um, and so we kind of finished off what we were doing. Um. 16:57.20 Sam Um, oh wow. 17:02.58 Gemma Sightseeing wise headed back to the hotel got our bags and headed straight down there and literally walked I mean couldn't have been any smoother dropped our bags went through the check-in did the photo before you get and board and we were straight on board in ten or fifteen minutes maximum and a good hour and a half before our port arrival time. So. I'm not sure whether the early arrival times went through super quickly or they just decided to scrap the whole system I don't know but we just as I say you're good at at least an hour or so before our arrival time and we were straight on. 17:27.10 Sam A a. 17:31.31 dclduo Did did the ship did the ship feel full I Wonder if it just was not a very full sailing and so they were able to kind of move people through faster. 17:36.45 Sam That's amazing. 17:43.67 Gemma Um, I'm not sure I guess again I don't really know what to compare to but we never it never felt crowded. It felt very organized. Um I mean on the on warmer days the and on sea days. The pools were very busy but again not to the point where you thought I'm not. 17:45.33 Sam I mean. 18:00.90 Gemma This is too hectic I'm leaving. Um, so yeah, maybe it wasn't a full cruise I'm not sure. 18:00.95 dclduo Okay, yeah, well and. 18:02.59 Sam Yeah, yeah, well it might have also just been they might they might have cleared customs early. Um, you know with the the port of New York may have you know may have cleared them quicker than they expected to be cleared and so it. 18:15.92 Gemma Okay. 18:19.46 Sam People are always happy to get on early. 18:19.93 dclduo Well, that would that would but that would yeah but that would have that would that would impact disembarkation not embarkation so an earliest port arrival time is probably 11 so it may just have been that the ship was not particularly full for the sailing for that time of year. So yeah, um. 18:24.77 Sam Well. 18:36.33 dclduo Jimma I'm also curious. We we skipped a step here which was I love to ask folks outside the US their experience with the Disney technology behind Disney Cruise line so you know book booking the sailing ah booking your activities online ah checking in. 18:44.28 Sam Yeah, ah. 18:44.36 Gemma Um, yeah. 18:52.80 dclduo Was was that stuff smooth or was it plagued with ah with or fraught with errors the way that it can be over here. 18:58.31 Gemma So I have to say you guys had filled me with that dread at the anticipation of it on the yeah kind of reviews that I hear on your podcast. But no I mean it was. It was absolutely fine from my perspective booking. It was very straightforward just I just booked on this on their like U k. 19:07.10 Sam I Love it. 19:11.44 dclduo But. 19:17.67 Gemma Version of their website. Um and then checking in I did I think it opened at 5 am Uk time I was on there about quarter to 6 and that was all straightforward uploaded my documents and I just did that on a laptop rather than trying to do it my phone and then the only other thing we booked beforehand was. The ah princess gathering which I think that opened up at like 3 or 4 am Uk time because of the summertime and I'd kind of decided I wasn't going to set my alarm to try and get that my daughter is not into princesses nor the boys. But I thought well we might as well try. 19:43.77 Sam Oh yeah. 19:54.41 Sam A. 19:56.66 Gemma And um I happened to wake up at that time in the night and went on my phone by some coincidence got it even though I saw on our Facebook group shortly after that a lot of people hadn't managed to get it and so yeah, from our side. It was all pretty um, pretty straightforward actually no issues. 20:07.28 Sam Yeah, yeah. Oh good I will give a tip out there for the royal gathering it opens as you mentioned at the same time as check-in opens. But what people don't know is you don't have to do the check-in first you can do the royal gathering. Yeah yeah. 20:24.63 Gemma Yes I had heard that on on I think on your podcast so I did it that way around and if I had done it the other way. Yeah I definitely wouldn't have got it because just uploading 5 lots of id and then we have to do our visas. We have to upload as well. 20:31.91 Sam If You really want it. Um, yep. 20:40.99 Gemma So there was quite a lot to upload. Although even if it went smoothly. So yes I booked the gathering before the check-in you know to come into the Us we have to get an es and esther it's like a visa waiver but you have to have. 20:45.27 Sam Um, so wait so you had to get visas for because of the bermuda. 20:52.39 dclduo Yes, Sam yeah. 20:59.18 Gemma You still have to do quite a lot of paperwork. It lasts for like 2 years or yeah. 20:59.43 dclduo Yeah, which is which yeah, which is why we will have to get a visa heading into your very soon Sam this is the system that is being set up. Yes, what? yeah. 21:05.91 Sam I did not okay I did not know that Gemma so because it's always been my experience obviously flying over to like London I've never had to do anything just buy the ticket and you show up. 21:16.40 dclduo Yeah, it's a it's going to be an online portal. You have to register with ah I think the U K and the eu and they like Jimma mentioned it will last for 2 years it it was supposed to take effect this year I think they've delayed it out. Maybe one more year but you know don't. Quote me on that because I haven't been following it too closely. So yeah, yeah. 21:34.20 Sam Yeah. 21:35.97 Gemma Yeah I think I think going into the us I think I'm right and say we've always had to do this visa waiver program. So we've always had to have this certificate that you have to put in um, your life's details into because I have quite a funny story. 21:41.59 Sam Um, ah. 21:44.94 Sam Wow. 21:50.63 Gemma About when we went to last winter Walt Disney World or my youngest was not even too I think and I had done so many of these forms so online to get all the details and then the last section is a. 21:58.44 Sam Me. 22:05.19 Gemma Kind of massive list of 50 questions of yes, no yes, no yes, no and I was tabbing down on my laptop saying? Yes yes, yes, yes, yes to everything and accidentally one of the questions was um, have you ever been convicted of terrorism and for my eighteen month old I had tabbed on the wrong one. 22:20.83 dclduo Yeah. 22:22.74 Gemma And so then had an email a week later saying all of your family's visa waivers have been rejected and I was like this is ridiculous like why have we been rejected and yeah and because my 80 mother said to previously be convicted of terrorism and. 22:23.49 Sam Ah, right denied right? like because you're eighteen month old is a terror is. 22:37.70 dclduo I mean I mean our so our son at eighteen months I would I would routinely say like we don't yeah, we don't negotiate with terrorists. But you know there? Yeah, ah. 22:40.64 Sam Was kind of a terrorist. Ah, ah. 22:42.21 Gemma Yeah, yeah, yeah, so I then had to go through a whole process to get them to basically wipe the system and reset. Yeah and you can't get hold of anyone and you can't reapply for 5 years or like so anyway. 22:47.21 Sam Oh My God Yeah because once that's in there. Yeah problem. Oh My God am I. 23:00.70 Gemma We got there but I was like this is the nightmare. So this time when we had those documents I was like okay finally we're we're cleared into the us. 23:07.77 Sam Wow. Okay, so note to listeners be careful when you're yeah, be careful, filling out these visa waiver paperwork because sounds like if you're from the Uk you're always going to have to do this and now if you're from the us in the future you're going to have to do this. So. 23:11.40 Gemma Um, check what you enter? Yeah yeah. 23:23.19 Gemma Yeah. 23:25.82 Sam Wow, that is kind of craziness. Okay, well you arrive at the port you go through obviously the check-in process sounds like it goes pretty smoothly since they were letting people on so quickly and you walk on to the beautiful Disney dream and your family name is announced. How? what is this experience like for you gemma. 23:46.98 Gemma Um, well I got quite choked up to which my husband said oh what's happened like the mother he thought someone had trot on my foot or I didn't know what he thought. 23:50.68 Sam Oh. 23:57.93 Gemma Um, so yeah I was quite emotional We as I say we'd done a lot of kind of preparation and talking and thinking about it beforehand So just to get there and get on the boat was was quite emotional. But yeah, we were super excited and the kids couldn't believe their eyes I don't think walking into the atrium that that was inside a boat or a ship. 24:13.92 Sam Yeah, that's awesome. So you're you're crying is Matilda crying to or is she just excited since she's yeah that she's the other disney crazy person and right but. 24:17.69 Gemma Ah. 24:21.88 Gemma No, she's just excited. Yeah first no, she's just like yeah yeah, exactly. 24:30.82 Sam Awesome! Well what did you guys decide to do for your you know your first moments on the ship. Obviously after you, you're in the in the atrium did you have any you know things to take care of at guest services or are you off exploring or you off to lunch. 24:46.27 Gemma We were straight off to lunch. We were straight off to eat. Um, so we went straight down to animators and had a sit down meal which was really nice to just yeah, have some drinks and some nice food and not have to um. Kind of navigate Kabanners I Guess Um, so yeah, that was really nice and then after that we went to register the kids at the kids club before it got too crazy and my son's um, like ah magic band had actually been snapped when they gave it to him and they weren't able to change it. To recode it I Guess before we got on the boat so we had to go straight to the kid's gub to get them to change it. Um, which was all very slick so that was that was kind of all done before the Mustard drill. 25:29.00 Sam Um, you know awesome were you able to order the magic bands ahead of time or no because you're outside of the US. 25:39.91 Gemma Yes, no, we couldn't We just picked them up when we checked in um, at the at the port. Yes, yeah. 25:46.36 Sam Gotcha Okay, so they had them ready for you So you could order them but they couldn't ship them to you? Yeah well, that's not too bad. That's you still able were able to to order them then that's you know I've heard some you know different chatter online about. 25:56.70 Gemma Um, yeah. 26:01.42 Sam That whether or not you could order them if you even in can't from Canada. Um, yeah, so ok so you registration I take it for the kids club. It sounds like goes smooth smoothly. What did the kids think about the kids club. 26:03.69 Gemma Okay. 26:15.44 Gemma And so we the only ones that we actually went to and the kids were in was the ocean ear lab and the ocean is club and I think my daughter was keen to stay with her brothers rather than go off and do her own thing in edge. Um, so again they had seen quite a lot on Youtube particularly around the kind of star wars um, I'm going to embarrass myself with my poor star wars knowledge. whatever whatever the flying ship thing is that you get to fly. 26:38.68 dclduo Miss. Mr. The the Millennium Falcon or maybe an x-wing fighter. 26:47.45 Sam Yeah. 26:48.24 Gemma That's the one That's the one. Yeah I don't know. Um, so yeah, so they were really excited to do that. They um loved the infinity game that they could play on in their um, my daughter is hugely into crafting so she really liked all of those activities. 26:57.16 Sam And. 27:05.37 Gemma And so yeah, they they were super excited to get in there and and have some fun. 27:09.79 Sam I love that yeah Nathan's super into crafting too so he he's actually um, ready and willing typically to go to the kids club as long as he can like hang out in either. You know a gaming area or the crafting area. Those are those are his those are his things as well. Awesome. 27:22.33 Gemma Yes, yeah. 27:27.60 Sam Well did. Did you guys experience the sail away party um on the dream and the iconic of course sailing out of New York city 27:34.18 Gemma Yes, yeah, we definitely did and by that point the sun had come out. The rain had stopped so we were really lucky because the weather in the morning had been pretty grim and so but as soon as we got up to the deck. It was yes sun out blue skies pretty warm so it was really nice and. 27:43.88 Sam Oh yeah. 27:53.70 Gemma Yeah, cruising past the Manhattan Skyline was pretty epic I think all in all and I kept pointing out to my children. How do you realize? how lucky you are? Do you realize how crazy this is that we're sailing out Manhattan like and so yeah, that was really really fun and then when you get within distance of statue of liberty again. 27:57.61 Sam Oh I Love that. 28:04.89 Sam Ah, ah. Oh I Love it. E. 28:13.22 Gemma We had kind of the sun setting behind statue of Liberty and you're heading out under the bridge. So yeah, really really beautiful. 28:20.38 Sam Oh I Love that did what did the kids think of the sail away um like deck party and you know the ensuing dance party that always occurs at every deck party. 28:31.00 Gemma Um, yeah, they they definitely like the sailorway um party they like to see I guess that was the first time they'd seen most of the characters other than when we first came on board. Um, so yeah, they definitely enjoyed that party. They're not really big dances. My kids they're fairly reserved. 28:46.29 Sam That. 28:48.89 Gemma So they weren't really up for going and throwing some shapes on the town's floor but they enjoyed the yeah they enjoyed the kind of music and and that ah ah, kind of as we left the as we left the um, the port. So yeah, they they they like to see the characters. 28:53.25 Sam But yeah. 29:05.81 Gemma But they're happy to observe rather than be front and center I think my kids. 29:09.20 Sam Yeah, ah, nice now this is a six night Cruise is that right? tell us what the itinerary was from New York on embarkation day. 29:13.78 Gemma Um, yeah. 29:22.47 Sam What is what does each day look like as far as you know at Sea versus ports. 29:25.59 Gemma So we had so that was so we had embarkationitian day then one full day at sea and then by day three we had arrived in Bermuda already so pretty speedy down there. So yeah day three we arrived in Bermuda. Day four was in Bermuda and day five should have been in Bermuda but Hurricane I think Tammy was nearby and so we got a letter in our room at the end of day four to say that the following the effectively like the following day we would not be in Bermuda we would. I think when we went out um to see for the fireworks on day. Four. We effectively then didn't go back into dock that night and have the following day in Bermuda. Yes. 30:13.37 Sam Gotcha So you ended up with an extra C day on the end there. Ah. 30:18.52 Gemma Which really made no difference to us because we were planning to have two days or one one day going to horsesey bay a second day kind of just pottering around near the ship and then the third day on the ship anyway and I make the most of it being hopefully quieter. 30:27.24 Sam E here. 30:34.53 Sam Um, yeah. 30:34.53 Gemma But not to be in Bermuda we didn't have any excursions plan for that final day or trips anywhere. So it really made no difference to us. But I know some people missed out on excursions etc from that. 30:46.12 Sam Sure so you end up with two c days then at the very end is that right instead of ok, awesome yeah because you need a day to get back from bermuda to New York obviously well awesome. Let's talk. Um, let's talk about your your two port days then. 30:48.23 Gemma So yes, that's right? Yes, yes yes. 31:02.77 Sam Um, your first being ah bermuda and horse and doing horseshoe bay tell us, um, you know about the excursion that you booked and did you book it through Disney or did you go on your own. 31:15.91 Gemma Yeah, so we did it on our own actually so we got off the ship. We um, walked across to like the little tourist information building that they have there and just bought the bus tickets like for the public bus across to Horseshoe Bay which was really easy to do. 31:23.46 Sam Okay. 31:32.21 Gemma Um, the bus stop was just across um from where the tourist information was jumped on that I think it took maybe 35 or 40 minutes to get to near Horseshoe Bay and then quite a steep walk down to the beach there and then spent the day um, kind of hired a couple of lounges and umbrella there. 31:41.28 Sam Here. 31:52.50 Gemma And spent the day on the beach and in the water really. 31:55.46 Sam Oh awesome that sounds amazing. It's supposed to be a really nice beach I haven't been there myself? Um, but did they have you know ah places for you to be able to you know, buy drinks use the bathroom that sort of a thing they have good amenities at the beach there. 32:08.92 Gemma Yeah, yeah, it's pretty good facility. So there's kind of a bathrooms and showers there in a separate building and then there is a kind of burger pizza type food outlet there which you can either wander along to get yourself or there are people who. Um, for a fee go and grab whatever food and drinks you want to bring it to your lounges and then you just pay to hire the lounges and the umbrella if you want 1 but but it's pretty exposed the beach There's not any shade or trees near the beach. So and it was pretty 2 of my children are redheads. 32:36.42 Sam The. 32:42.86 Sam Um, no, no, no, no umbrella and lots of sunscreen. But. 32:43.90 Gemma So the sun is not their friend. So I'm like we're going to. We're going to need umbrella ah yes, fact to 50 and hide under the umbrella. Yeah so um. 32:53.51 Sam But well you know, especially for the you know you kids coming from the UK without any sign for all those months too. But. 33:00.73 Gemma Yes, I mean they're just not built for heat. Um, but no, really, really beautiful beach Very fine sand and the water just absolutely turquoise. Really beautiful. Yeah. 33:12.30 Sam Oh I love that love a good beach day. Um, and now how long were you guys at port that day or did you and or did you overnight in Bermuda ok yes, did the but yes. 33:19.93 Gemma Yes, we overnighted in but oh so in the do you mean? the boat stayed in port that night yes sorry yes, yeah, it did so we headed back in time we were on early dining so we headed back in time to eat our meal on the boat that day. 33:29.57 Sam Yeah. 33:37.26 Gemma Ah, but then the boat stayed um in the dock all night that night. 33:41.49 Sam Yeah, wow so you could have stayed you know out till presumably all hours and and eaten off ship. But I don't blame you for going back to the ship because obviously ah one the food's included but 2 You've got three kids with you. Of course you're going to want to you don't want to miss. 33:48.16 Gemma Yes. 33:58.61 Gemma Yes, and I think we were just at the end certainly for my um, younger 2 By that point we would just they were just getting used to the time difference. So I think it was 5 hour time difference. So if we were eating at five forty five. 33:59.79 Sam Dining. 34:07.25 Sam Sure. Yeah, oh yeah. 34:13.79 Gemma That's like ten forty five U K Times so really keeping them out off the boat any later than that I think would have been a false economy. So. 34:27.51 dclduo Have Sam. 34:29.65 Sam I sorry sorry I just had myself on mute for a second I didn't realize um so let let's talk about day 2 at port at bermuda you said you guys decided to just kind of venture off and and walk around in the in the port area. What. 34:31.27 Gemma Say. 34:45.00 Sam What kind of stuff was available in that area. But you know were were there. You know shops and things close by such that it was easy to do did you or did you have to you know, take a taxi or something. So. 34:56.21 Gemma Um, no I mean it's ah it's a pretty small port. Um, but lots of souvenir shops. We really just wanted to get some fridge magnets which is what we do wherever we go as our souvenir. So. We had a walk around bought some fridge magnets the kids bought some postcards to write back to their classes at school. Um, and then so maybe for a couple of hours and then the kids wanted to get back on the boat. We had lunch back on the deck and spent the afternoon on the aqueduc and in the swimming pools really the weather was really good that day. So. Yeah, just a couple of hours to stretch our legs off the boat and then and then back on the ship again. 35:31.40 Sam Awesome! And then as you mentioned your third port port day in Bermuda got canceled so you had more at sea time. But I'd love to hear what your kids thought about the pool deck what you all thought about the pool deck as well and of course the aqueduct. 35:47.13 Gemma Yeah, so the the elder two kids just went round and round and round the aqueducck down back up the steps round again back up the steps for as long as we would let them. Um, they So yeah, we really enjoyed it I think it was to say was. 35:53.50 dclduo 9 36:00.19 Sam If. 36:06.43 Gemma We had pretty good weather. We enjoyed the pools for sure I think um, the kids probably like us and I know that not possible on a cruise ship but would have liked a bigger pool but obviously that's not possible and so yeah, they enjoyed that they definitely enjoyed the soft serve of ice cream on the pool Deck. Um, so we enjoyed those every day if not a couple of times a day. Um, and yeah they did they enjoyed they really enjoyed the the aqueducc I think probably more than anything. 36:33.92 Sam Oh awesome. Yeah. 36:34.10 dclduo So so the if they were going around and I mean was there a line this just goes back to my question about how full the ship was because normally on a five night cruise there'll be a line at the aqueduct was this was this while you were in port or I'm trying to figure out if the. 36:48.58 Gemma Yeah, so that that was in port that was when we were in port and we also had a really nice evening. Maybe the second or thir second night third night I think when we went out after dinner to go swimming. 36:50.50 dclduo If the pool deck was empty. Yeah, got it. 37:05.67 Gemma And again was quite warm but the pools then were very empty and the kids just went around and round the aqueduct the day five when we should have been in Bermuda still but were having a port day instead then it was really busy, but even then you'dqueue maybe. 37:07.40 dclduo Who. 37:22.12 dclduo Yeah, yeah. 37:22.33 Gemma 15 to 20 minutes for the aqueduct not crazy, but certainly not round and round in loops like they were earlier in the week 37:27.60 Sam Yeah, yeah, that that is really only I think something you can get you know is being able to go round and round if you're in port or the other tip is if it's during a dining time. So. 37:29.29 dclduo No fun. 37:44.21 Sam You know sometimes the aquaducc will be open a little bit later and particularly into like first seating of dining and so if you have late seating and you know you haven't hit up the aqueduct yet. That's actually a really good time to to go and you you may be able to go like a revolving door there. 37:49.44 Gemma Okay. 37:56.65 Gemma Okay. 38:02.84 Sam Um, also the the yellow mickey slide can be at those times. Also ah a lot less crowded more so than the aque duck of course, but let's talk about some onboard activities. Um, you mentioned trivia you mentioned Matilda loves trivia. 38:08.77 Gemma Okay, yeah. 38:18.60 Gemma Um, yes, yes, so we we did mainly like. 38:21.00 Sam I Got to know which trivia she was all about and did you did you bring home some medals. 38:32.12 Gemma Kind of whatever the entry level I forget what the name of it was just kind of general Disney Trivia we did do one Disney tunes which was fun. Um, but we on the first morning we went to Disney Trivia and it was only Matilda myself and my youngest son. 38:35.62 Sam He. 38:49.59 Sam Um, yeah, oh Wow head to head competition in yeah oh. 38:49.98 Gemma And there was only one other family there and I was like okay we got good. We got good odds here but we missed out by one point. Ah, and so then the next morning we went again and we again missed out by 1 point to that same family by day three. 39:03.73 Sam Ah, ah. 39:06.16 dclduo Ah, but. 39:08.88 Gemma I think we missed by 2 points and then day four we went again and there were maybe 10 families again. We came second and the family there was now our Trivia nemesis. 39:14.66 Sam He yeah. 39:22.70 Gemma Were there again and they won and then their kids so they ah kids were maybe like 12 and 14 and then the parents after the trivia. These sweet children gave up to my kids and said we've seen you here every day and we already have a medal. So would you like our medals and they gave them them. 39:26.51 Sam And here. 39:35.45 Sam Oh. Ah, oh I Love that I was I was really hoping that that was gonna when it was the same family that beat you multiple times I was really hoping that was gonna be the end day I'm so glad to hear. 39:40.77 Gemma Medals and it made their entire week. 39:48.35 Gemma Yes, yeah, so yeah, so that made them so happy and on that day it was pluto medals and all my kids love pluto So I was like this is eat. This couldn't have been any better. So oh. 40:00.60 Sam Oh oh my god we we have yet to get a pluto medal. Let me just put that out there into the universe there there you go you have you have more pluto medals than we have. Um, we have some Mickey ones and some ship. 40:07.75 Gemma Well we have four. So. 40:14.80 dclduo I'm not sure which has to say I'm not sure which ones are missing. Yeah, we've got even we've got the ship. Yeah. 40:17.69 Sam Ah, we only have I think Mickey in the ship I don't think we have yeah so since they changed over to the character and ship metals. They used to be um, just these black mickey shaped head right? like ah that's all they they just said winner on them and then they were in the shape of a mickey head but they weren't like. 40:29.00 Gemma Okay. 40:36.60 Sam Didn't have Mickey a picture of mickey on them and then when they switched over the metals to the current metals. We've got now. It's the fab 5 I think plus there's one that's ship and Dale and then there's one that's a ship so there's like yeah so there's like. 40:37.23 Gemma Um, yeah. 40:48.33 Gemma Those. 40:52.48 Sam 7 different medals now I think the only ones that we've gotten are mickey and the ship. Yeah so I'm putting it out in the universe that we need to get a pluto medal. Um I want to earn a pluto medal. Let me put it out there I'm not asking for somebody to send one to us. No, we need. Ah we need. 40:56.40 Gemma Okay. 41:04.83 dclduo Um I don't want Pluto I don't want pluto Donald Duck he's number 1 Donald Duck 41:11.52 Sam Need a pluto for Nathan he's he loves because he loves pluto also Gemma he that's he's that's his favorite of the fab 5 and that probably his favorite character. Overall no no that yeah yes, yes. 41:11.60 Gemma Ah, yes. 41:19.39 dclduo Please please? Yeah, please no one actually send us one of these medals we need to win them on our own. Ah yeah, but. 41:28.13 Sam Yes, we or or be gifted them from another nice family on board where whose gifts are but right? Yes, yes, yes yes. 41:29.19 Gemma Um, yeah, we we felt like we had attendance and effort. That's what we felt like we earned them for like we Miss marginally but we feel like we deserve. 41:39.57 dclduo Well and we we did this name over the summer if you'll recall Sam we kept showing up to these Disney Cruise line trivia with some friends who had been on board so often I think they knew all the questions. So so we're just yeah. 41:42.61 Gemma For an attendance. 41:47.19 Sam We did. 41:51.67 Sam You see. 41:52.21 Gemma Yeah I mean they were definitely repeating questions by the end we were like okay well we know this. 41:56.94 Sam Yes. 41:58.88 dclduo Yeah, so we we were there and another family kept showing up and just missing it because we were there and so I think at the end we walked over and said here you have this round of metals because we don't need the meat anymore. So yeah. 42:02.49 Sam Because we beat them. Yeah yes, exactly that that this but this is the kind of community I want to point out this is the kind of community on Disney Cruise line that. 42:05.34 Gemma Ah, yeah. 42:19.53 Sam I Love and and it's not it doesn't always happen but like when you see the same people over and over again and you start to you know of course either You are the one who gets beaten constantly or you are the one who beats the other family constantly like you know, pay it forward right? like. 42:34.98 Gemma Yes. 42:36.32 Sam Do something you know, kind because you know those kids especially are disappointed. 42:39.42 dclduo Ah I will just say this though be cautious in how you approach this situation because it can also be a very huge humble bri to be like hey know I've got so many of these medals you can have them this and I'm like like yeah, ah but I've I've I've wiped the floor with your family enough. You can have these rubber metals. 42:39.77 Gemma Yeah. 42:45.92 Gemma Yeah, ah we took it. We took the charity. We were not proud I was like yeah thank you very much we have them. But yeah, yes, fine. We're not proud. It was. 42:46.53 Sam Yes, ah I think yes yeah, ah. 42:58.20 dclduo I don't have room in my suitcase. My Carryon's full of metals I'm sorry. 43:00.95 Sam Ah, listen I think this is where this is where kids if you give it to the kids. That's not the kids are not. You know they're going to be happy to just get the medal. So do it that way. 43:05.70 dclduo Ah, yes, that's true. That's true. 43:07.81 Gemma Yeah, and and I think what you say in terms of that the kind of environment and the culture that you get on the Disney Cruise my daughter had put in so much effort on the fish extenders and the making of gifts and she made. 43:19.39 Sam No no. 43:24.90 Gemma 3 kids were in 3 different fishtender groups. So she made them for all that her brother's groups as well as her own and my husband who had not done a lot of research or um, kind of finding out how it kind of worked on the Disney Cru before I think was slightly cynical in terms of so what you sign up. 43:29.13 Sam Um, oh wow. 43:42.26 Gemma Everyone says they're going to give each other gifts. You give them gifts but they don't have to give you one back. You trust he was like really is that how it works we were blown away by the things and the amount of gifts. How much care people had taken How personalized people had made their gifts. 43:42.85 Sam Right. 43:49.42 Sam Um, yeah, yeah, oh. 44:00.51 Gemma And every time we went back to the room. The kids were running down the corridor. Oh we got something we got something and it didn't matter whether it was a lollipop or a magnet or anything else. They were so excited every time so and that was and he he also just couldn't believe that. 44:04.68 Sam Oh yes. 44:13.86 Sam Oh I Love that. 44:20.11 Gemma People had just given this stuff with no guarantee of getting anything back just because that's what you do on a Disney Cruise like it really like for I think for Matilda particularly she just loved that. 44:30.94 Sam Ah I love that you know and that's typically what happens I mean there are times where people are disappointed because someone either knows shows you know they they end up not on the cruise and I mean of course emergencies happen and you know. 44:40.16 Gemma Yeah, yeah. 44:46.86 Sam Things happen sometimes somebody ends up in the last minute sort of having to cancel um and then there are there are times where there's disappointments because somebody signs up and then doesn't gift anything but I think the vast majority of experiences are are like what you experience which is that people are. Ah, generous and people take care in what they make I will say doing fish extenders as a first time cruiser a kudos to you guys Gemma because that's ah, it's so much work and of course coming internationally It's a lot of extra packing. On the way there and then on the way home right? because you got to take your lu your gifts home with you? yeah. 45:24.80 Gemma Yes, yes, which I did not think about I thought we're going to make beautiful but compact gifts to give people and then because of it was um my young Monty's birthday there as well. And. 45:32.46 Sam Um, yeah. 45:36.25 Sam Oh yeah. 45:39.70 Gemma Something on the Facebook group people had said oh is anyone celebrating anything and I'd said oh it's my youngest birthday so people who weren't even in our group had pixie dusted him full kind of plush toys like a blank like a fleece blanket with his favorite character on that's like how are we can to stop? um. 45:44.58 Sam Oh yeah. 45:52.79 Sam Oh yeah, yeah, did you end up buying an extra piece of luggage or had you brought an extra empty bag with you? yeah. 45:58.93 Gemma Like this is crazy. 46:04.22 Gemma No, we just had to cram it in. We just had to stay on the case and cram it in. Yeah, so yeah, it was people were super kind and. 46:12.30 Sam Ah, got. 46:17.42 Gemma Matilda loved that and we did some extra kind of pixie dusting as well and again lots of people were very generous back to us and ah then the door decorating as well. She just loved and she actually won the door decorating competition for our Facebook group. 46:20.20 Sam Okay. 46:32.74 Gemma Ah, whole thing. She was first place that she was so happy. 46:34.47 Sam Um, oh my goodness. Well you'll have to share pictures of your door with us so that we can post them ah with this episode but I love that what kinds of door decorations like obviously magnets but like what what? what did the door look like describe this to us and. 46:52.18 Gemma So she had done I mean how many 40 or 50 different origami Disney characters. Um, yeah, with magnets all on the back and then they kind of doubled up as ah. 46:58.22 Sam And oh my goodness. Well. 46:58.27 dclduo 12 Wow. 47:06.22 Gemma Bookmarks They kind of sit over the corner of a book and so at the end of the cruise she pixie duststed all of the um bookmarks to different people and each one like a different Disney character that she'd made out of card and paper. 47:11.87 Sam Ah. 47:16.51 Sam Oh my goodness. Okay, now you have to send me recommendation for whatever book or instructions she used to make these because Nathan loves origami. 47:26.49 Gemma Okay, yeah, perfect I will. 47:29.97 Sam Yeah, oh I love this and he just got actually for the holidays he just got um a new set of origami paper from Brian's aunt so um ah yeah, yeah, I'm going to shout out to Aunt Cindy I don't know if she actually listens to our show. But um, you know so now he's got a ton of origami paper. 47:36.88 Gemma Oh perfect. 47:48.16 Sam And ah yeah, and he loves he loves that. So yes, he sounds like he and Matilda are ah to ah peas in a pod um with with their with their crafting skills. Well let's talk about other um onboard. 47:53.51 Gemma Yes. 48:02.30 Sam Activities what kinds of stuff did you all get up to let's but let's talk first daytime and then we'll talk about shows after that. 48:09.36 Gemma Yeah, so we did as I say Disney Trivia We did a couple of the family craft sessions which we really Enjoyed. Um, we did one of the animation classes which again the kids really like doing we spent quite a lot of time on the pool deck. Ah, we loved midship detective agency so we did all 3 of those and the kids really enjoyed doing that. Um, we did towel Folding. Ah. 48:30.45 Sam I Love it. 48:36.17 Sam Oh it'll be awesome. 48:40.90 Gemma Which was also good and then the boys in particular but all of us really liked the sports deck so we did crazy gold a couple of times basketball. Um, the kids did a couple of kind of specific activities in the kids club. So um, there was a table tennis competition. 48:43.71 Sam Near here. 48:57.65 Sam Nice. 48:59.52 Gemma And that my middle one who is sporty and competitive I blame my husband. He's australian and second place is the first loser you got to win if you're in it. You're in it to win it so he came out. He was like yeah exactly yeah, it's not the taking part. It's the winning. 49:05.86 Sam Oh there, you go. Ah, you're in it to win it if you're not first if you're not first you last right. 49:13.83 dclduo Well now and that's just that's just that's just dumb Sam because you can be third fourth fifth six so there you go. Ah. 49:20.93 Sam I now now we're quoting Ricky Bobby ah 49:23.30 Gemma Ah. 49:26.97 Gemma Ah, so yeah, so he won that and he was very happy with that and they did some things like slime making I think with stitch and things like that. Um, so yeah, no, no. 49:28.14 Sam No, that's awesome. No yeah, yeah, did you did the slime make it home or did you as I do secret secretly throw those out. Yeah yes. 49:33.80 dclduo Nice. 49:41.42 dclduo Ah, yeah, yeah. 49:42.24 Gemma I was like I'm not explaining that through customs like is it a liquid is it a solid I don't know what's in it I'm not very I'm not having that debate with customs. Yeah, exactly exactly they've got me on record. So I'm not I'm not. 49:48.71 Sam I don't know. Ah. 49:48.95 dclduo I mean I mean I mean you're eighteen month old was previously flagged as a terrorist so it's gonna be a tough conversation right. 49:53.92 Sam Ah, ah, that's right poor Monty ah. 50:01.98 Gemma Inflaming the situations. Yeah, and and then we did one of the um, the character dance party which was so fun. So fun and whilst my older 2 are slightly more reserved and like but they enjoyed watching it from afar. 50:06.58 Sam Oh fine. 50:16.44 Sam E. 50:19.11 Gemma Monty I think a typical third child assumes. The entire world is his best friend and it's not is not backwards in coming forwards at all and he was living his best life he was dancing I've got some really cute videos of him dancing with chip and Dale and. 50:30.36 Sam Ah, ah. 50:36.34 Gemma Like alongside Mickey and Donald like he absolutely loved that so that was really fun. 50:41.38 Sam Oh that's amazing I love it. I love it all right? Well, we've got to talk you know shows. Um, you know, being a hardcore Disney fan that you are I imagine that you wanted to spend some time in the Walt Disney theater seeing. Some shows on that stage. Um, what shows did you get to see did you go see all 3 main stage shows and did you see any of the variety any variety acts 51:08.40 Gemma So the only things we managed to see were believe and beauty and the beast. Um I think the reason we didn't see the others were the first couple of nights the kids were so tired by the time we'd finished dinner and then this. 51:10.61 Sam A. 51:20.40 Sam Oh yeah, the time difference. Yeah yeah. 51:25.21 Gemma Third night maybe or second nigh second was relatively rough and my and o is my middle son was not feeling that great. so um so no we did believe and we did beauty in the beast. We thought beauty in the beast was fantastic. We really really enjoyed that. 51:29.30 dclduo O. 51:32.25 Sam E. 51:43.33 Gemma And believe we like the songs and the music in it but we found it a little bit cheesy I would say a little bit too. Um, yeah, cliched yeah. 51:48.26 Sam Yes, yes, that's the same way I feel about believe yes, a little too cheesy. Um, although the musical numbers are are excellent as as Disney always does right? I mean excellent musical numbers. 51:58.70 Gemma Yes, yeah, yeah. 52:05.19 Sam Well so let's talk about main dining because we haven't talked about food actually before we hit main dining. Let's talk about Kabanas and we know you didn't go for the first day of lunch ah to cabbanas you went to animators for sit down lunch. Um. Did you eat most of your meals in main dining or did you hit up cabanas for you know breakfast and lunch. 52:25.34 Gemma So we only went to gu banners I think maybe 2 breakfast and one lunch and the rest of the time we made the most of having sit down meals. Um, and we actually really enjoyed that I think it wasn't maybe till day five. We went for lunch um at cabaners and kind of wish actually would'dve gone a bit earlier but. 52:26.93 Sam It. 52:32.40 Sam E. 52:42.85 Gemma A bit earlier in the trip because we did really enjoy that. Um, but for breakfast like we really enjoyed having a sit down kind of planning out what we were going to do for the day and then going from there. So yeah and we we enjoyed that and we had deck food a couple of times. Ah, but mainly having sit down meals for most of our. 52:49.23 Sam So yeah. 53:01.13 Sam Yeah, what did you think about the food variety and quality in Caba as I always like to ask us of first time cruisers because you you know have no frame of reference of whether it's going to be good or bad other than listening to what we say right? but. 53:02.37 Gemma Ah trip. 53:16.98 Gemma Yeah, yeah I mean I think it was excellent I think the variety was fantastic. All particularly for breakfast and everything you could possibly want ah the crab claws for lunch were fantastic and we got through a fair. 53:22.44 Sam You hear. 53:27.85 Sam Um, oh yeah, yeah, that ah. 53:32.62 Gemma Fair pile of those I would say that lunchtime. Um, so yeah, no, it was. It was all excellent and same with the with the deck food Really you know everything you would you would want a burger to be. 53:32.94 dclduo This just. 53:40.98 Sam Um, yeah, yeah I mean it's It's a hard to really screw that up right? So our. 53:47.20 Gemma Yeah. 53:49.89 Sam Well let's talk about main dining. Um, what did you think of you know, food quality and of course we have to know what you thought of the show in animators. 53:58.33 Gemma Yeah, so again, food quality I think um I guess I've seen quite a lot on social media of pictures of the food and people posting. Um, so but it certainly met those expectations. My husband I think was definitely very pleasantly surprised I Don't think I think he thought it would. Look and taste more like mass- reduced food than it did um he is again being Australian not to stereotype a big meat eater big beef for eater. So um, he was very happy that there was always something with a substantial steak on offer as well. So he tended to go for that type of option. 54:25.99 dclduo Is this this. 54:37.60 Gemma Um, my daughter' is quite an um adventurous eater so she ate from that adult's menu every night and tried everything from escargo to the lobster ravioli to the black tro will precete so she she really enjoyed that and then yeah, my so ah middle son. 54:47.85 dclduo Um, oh wow. 54:55.76 Gemma Um, kind of decides sometimes 8 from the children's menu and sometimes from the adult menu. Um, but the animator's palette was certainly our favorite in terms of the show and entertainment like that that really blew their mind and again my daughter being. Creative and liking crafting and art just loved seeing her pictures on the on the screens that was really exciting. Yes, yeah. 55:17.77 dclduo Oh so you had you had animation magic all right? So that's that is yeah I think that is the I think that is the best show in Animators Palette for sure. Ah, did your you know you you mentioned your kids ordering off the adult men. You assume they enjoyed the food or were there any misses for the kids. 55:28.43 Gemma No I mean they they they were I think there was maybe one dish we had there where I was like this is not so great, but everything else we really Enjoyed. Um I think that was like a vegetarian maybe like ah. Baked obergine type dish that I had that wasn't served that hot and wasn't that tasty, but everything but it was I mean it was fine but um, but everything else we had was was really Fantastic. Yes. 55:43.90 Sam Listen. 55:44.74 dclduo Me. 55:51.94 dclduo Yeah, you had early dining if I understand because based on the comment earlier in the show. Yeah, okay about it. You mentioned going swimming after and that would be difficult with ah late dining. So yeah, yeah. 55:54.23 Sam I have one? what. 56:00.55 Gemma Yes, d yeah and and with the because the first couple of days we were still particularly the kids were still adjusting to it was five forty five was like 1045 Uk time like there was no way they were going to stay up for late dining. 56:04.31 Sam Ah. 56:09.20 dclduo Yeah, yeah, yeah, did you do any? ah. 56:13.34 Sam Um, yeah, did you try the truffle per sets in Animus palette. 56:18.24 Gemma I did I did and I thought they were nice I didn't think they were amazing but I'm sorry to disappoint unpopular opinion. Yeah no I thought they were good. My daughter had them. Also we thought they were tasty. 56:25.30 Sam Ok, that's okay, that's okay Gemma I always want to ask people. But. 56:37.64 Gemma I Don't know with all the you you you talk them up a lot I was expecting some firework to come out of them of them. Um, so no I enjoyed them for sure. 56:39.90 Sam Yes. 56:47.44 dclduo Did you do need the adult dining on board gema I can't remember if you said you booked anything with light in in Palo or remy or anything like that. 56:56.90 Gemma No, we didn't we we literally across the six day or seven days um maybe had 3 kid free hours I think that's all we managed. So no, we we didn't look any of that set for dining this time I think we were. 57:08.16 Sam Ah. 57:12.59 Gemma I was particularly super keen to spend the time with the family eat with the children like it's print. Life is pretty hectic and isn't it for everyone in a family so I was like right now. Let's let's spend the time together. We'll eat together. 57:16.15 Sam He. Yes. 57:22.45 dclduo Yeah, did did you get to do I mean I I assume based on your answer just now probably not but did you get to do any of the adult night time activities or or was that also tough. 57:25.78 Sam Um, of course of course. 57:34.77 Gemma No, we had hoped to go to I really wanted to go to the pink champagne bar but the night that we had hoped or we had to kind of teed the kids up and prepped them that they would be going to the kids club after dinner was the night that my son. 57:39.73 Sam Me. 57:39.91 dclduo In. 57:50.36 Sam Oh the rough seas. Yeah. 57:52.14 Gemma Was feeling quite seasick and so we just went to the Recar losses and went back to the room. 57:54.31 dclduo Um, yeah, yeah, no, that makes sense that makes sense did you? um ah did you happen to do anything with the spot. Did you try out the spot. All. 57:56.11 Sam Yeah. 58:03.19 Gemma No, we didn't we did and in our in our three ah hours of kidfree time in the in the week we did a mini ah bar crawl. 58:17.90 dclduo Ah. 58:18.28 Gemma From the Kofa to I think it's currents above that and around a couple of the other ones that we could find that were open in the day. So a speedy bark roll around when their kids were in the kids' club and then before we knew it? Um, my daughter was messaging saying yep I'm done now with a wover back. 58:19.51 Sam Yeah. 58:33.20 Sam Come pick me up come pick me up. Ah. 58:36.66 Gemma Yeah, so we did yeah for at least we got to got to try some of those and and sit in the sun for a bit with ah with a cocktail which was nice. 58:39.25 Sam E. 58:44.46 dclduo Nice, nice. Well Gema let me ask as we sort of wind our way into sam's favorite part of the show and usually our guests dreaded part of the show. Ah otherwise it was rapid fire. Ah what? So this was your first cruise your first Disney Cruise 58:53.97 Gemma Absolutely. 59:01.26 dclduo Ah, you know, maybe 1 way I can ask this question is did you get a placeholder on board. Are you looking to go back. Would you sail again? ah you know all those sorts of questions. This was this a was this an experience your family really enjoyed and is looking to do again or was this a one and done. 59:16.26 Gemma And so yeah, we did book a placeholder. Um we I guess again looking at the dates and the itineraries the one that I had my eye on was the westbound transatlantic next year. 59:26.81 dclduo Through. 59:30.41 Sam Oh you right. 59:30.94 Gemma But the piece that makes me nervous is the seasickness for for Otis and so I think we have to think about it before we book it again. But. 59:36.84 dclduo I I will just I will say that we've had several guests on talking about east and westbound transatlantic this year and all of them said that the seas were were quite smooth up until I think this New York to Bermuda part I was going to say that the New York to bermuda can be notoriously kind of rough. 59:46.00 Sam Is you. 59:51.22 Gemma Um, ah okay. 59:55.54 dclduo Ah, rough going but when they're out in the atlantic most of the time and and there were lots of hurricane activity around the eastbound westbound transatlantics this year especially the westbound I think it was. They're able to steer the ship into kind of you know calmer waters. So um. 01:00:08.20 Gemma Okay. 01:00:10.62 dclduo You might you might end up being okay, take a listen to those episodes because I think universe liver. Everyone said that was great was great sailing except for westbound when they hit bermuda to get into New York for the first time the crossing from bermud to New York was rough. So yeah. 01:00:16.30 Sam Yeah. 01:00:19.15 Gemma Um, okay, okay. 01:00:22.62 Sam Yeah I think I think the the issue is they can get you know? ah they can they can move the ship sort of around it right? They can't really do that when you're just doing ah northsouth on the East Coast it's really not much you know room to get around it because they've got a. 01:00:34.60 Gemma Yes. 01:00:38.34 Sam Be at a port on a particular day right? whereas in the transatlantic. You've got multiple days at sea and so they have a lot more flexibility of where they can move within the ocean right? So yeah. 01:00:38.64 Gemma Yeah. 01:00:49.84 Gemma And kind of. 01:00:49.97 dclduo Yeah, yeah, have you thought about doing any of the cruises out of the UK this you know set Southampton is probably far closer to you than than many of the ports in the u s yeah. 01:01:01.64 Gemma Um. 01:01:02.10 Sam The New York ah yeah 01:01:03.75 dclduo So just curious if any of those picture interests and and if not you know, sort of what what about them didn't I mean they are shorter sailings but I I was just curious if you had thought about doing any of the sailings out of the U K itself. 01:01:13.38 Gemma Um, so we have looked at it again I guess they tend to be shorter itineraries unless you do the fjord one um or which which are a lot more expensive. Um, as to say I'm always up for. 01:01:20.52 dclduo Yep. 01:01:26.90 Gemma Reliable weather which even in kind of Northern Europe or um into France I guess you probably wouldn't get on that route and yeah I guess for me, it's 6 nights felt okay and I can't imagine doing. 01:01:32.28 Sam A. 01:01:34.68 dclduo Yep. 01:01:40.30 Sam Um, me yeah. 01:01:41.97 Gemma 3 nights or even 4 nights really in terms of just the logistics of getting on and unpacking and orientating yourself and working out where you where you want to go and what you want to do so I think the longer itinerary is definitely appeal and then yeah per night that um. 01:01:52.41 Sam Yeah. 01:01:59.97 Gemma The one that we did and that Transatlantics just feel like much better value particularly if you have to kind of spread the ah the cost of the flight across across um more nights is obviously makes it more palatable than than that for other itineraries. 01:02:07.57 Sam Right. 01:02:14.93 Sam Yeah, that totally makes sense and if you do a transatlantic then you only are having to pay for 1 way flights instead of twoway flights. Yeah. 01:02:21.83 Gemma Yes, yeah, and I guess the appeal of the european ports for us is not so strong because if we wanted to go to bill bau or Larochelle there would be a lot cheaper way to see those ports and the surrounding area than together cruise we could get we could drive to dover and. 01:02:33.90 Sam Yeah, there right right. 01:02:40.58 Gemma Take our car across and drive there. So yeah, so that doesn't feel like ah the best use of being on the cruise ship in terms of seeing the world either. 01:02:48.30 Sam Yeah, that totally makes sense. 01:02:48.79 dclduo Yeah, yeah, Well I think we have reached that point in our show where Sam gets to ask you some arbitrary questions apply some arbitrary rules and throw it a dash of judgment Or. Ah, round we call Rapid Fire So Sam take it away. 01:03:10.29 Sam Thank you Brian all right Gemma now I'm going to ask you your Disney favorites and Disney Cruise line favorites. Obviously your favorite ship on Disney Cruise line is the Disney dream and your favorite water slide is the aqueducc so we'll skip over the um. 01:03:21.70 Gemma Yes, yeah. 01:03:25.50 Sam But we've got to you know, find out your personal favorite. So don't tell me Matilda Otis or Monty's favorites I just want Gemma's favorites okay all right who is your favorite Disney character and Disney can be anything that Disney owns. Ah love it. Yes. 01:03:31.00 Gemma Okay, okay, yeah. 01:03:38.81 Gemma For me, it has to be Mickey Mouse original original invest yeah yeah I would say probably crewella controversial. Yeah. 01:03:42.84 dclduo The kolastic. Yep. 01:03:45.36 Sam Yes, all right favorite Disney movie. 01:03:52.65 dclduo Oh I Love that answer I Love that answer. 01:03:54.48 Sam Oh that is. Ah yeah, we're big fans of that movie as well. We we watch it quite often. All right favorite Disney song. Oh yeah, yes, favorite Disney song. 01:03:57.49 Gemma Yeah, okay, get okay yeah her ah I'm going to go speechless from the live action. Aladdin. 01:04:00.97 dclduo I Need this sequel I need the sequel like they're supposed to develop a sequel I need the sequel. 01:04:14.31 Sam O that's a yeah, that's a good song all right favorite Disney Cruise line stage show you saw too. So I think you only have one answer yes, very very well done gem. A good answer. But. 01:04:16.85 Gemma Ah, Jasmine song. Yeah. 01:04:24.19 Gemma Yes, it's beauty and the beast. You'll be glad to hear? Thank you, Thank you. 01:04:34.30 Sam All right favorite bar space on the Disney dream. 01:04:40.10 Gemma Um, I would say currents like in the seats in the corner at the top of currents on the on that top deck just because in our 3 hour bark rule. It was super sunny. There were many cocktails that was so you need. 01:04:44.80 Sam Um, yeah, yeah, ah love it all right? Favorite onboard activity. 01:04:59.50 Gemma I would say probably midship detective agency like we really enjoyed doing that as a family um I would say probably the hundred and one dalmatians one. Yeah. 01:05:03.24 Sam Yes, which one was your favorite of the 3 01:05:10.62 Sam Oh fun. Yeah I I Personally love the muppets one because it takes a little bit longer and I also just love the muppets but they're all really fun. Yeah, all right favorite rotational dining restaurant. Yeah, of course you got it? yeah. 01:05:25.88 Gemma Animation magic for sure. Yeah. 01:05:30.20 Sam All right? Give me another favorite space on the ship. 01:05:35.30 Gemma Um, I would say the deck I would say the deck area like just sitting out on the lounges with an ice cream and dunking in and out the pool. Yeah. 01:05:40.39 Sam Awesome! Yeah, okay, we got to talk food I need a favorite sweete item and then a favorite savory item. We'll start with the sweets and savory's my favorite. 01:05:54.14 Gemma Um, for sweet I would say I had a date pudding I think it was an enchanted garden. It's like a sticky toffy pudding with dates the it which was delicious. 01:05:58.22 Sam Yes, yes, that is one of my personal favorite desserts as well. Favorite savory item. 01:06:07.40 Gemma Okay, um, for me again I Ah can't remember if it was enchanted Garden or Royal Palace but like a tuna avocado stack that I had as the slatter. Yes, yeah, again, delicious. 01:06:16.20 dclduo Oh the tower. Yeah yeah. 01:06:17.82 Sam Um, oh yeah, yeah, that yeah the tuna tar tar. Yeah yeah, that's that I'm not a big tuna raw tuna person but yeah people love that dish then Brian is one of those people. 01:06:23.79 Gemma Yes. 01:06:28.41 Gemma Yes, last. 01:06:32.84 Sam All right? Well the last question since we already know as I said your favorite ship and your favorite waterslide. Um is your bucket list. Cruise Gemma if you could go anywhere in the world and it was going to be on a Disney Cruise line ship. Where would you go. 01:06:49.60 Gemma So we as I say my husband is australian this is ah a long long flight with the kids and they love being there but it is a grim flight to get there. So if time was no object then a cruise from Southampton to Sydney. 01:06:52.82 Sam Here here. 01:07:04.63 Gemma Would really help us out because that would be an enjoyable way to get to Australia instead of 26 hours on a plane. 01:07:08.10 Sam Ah, ah. 01:07:12.93 Sam I love it. You're going to have to go through the Panama canal on the way to the west coast the United States and all the way around I love it. Ah, that's yeah, that's a basically yeah true. Yeah. 01:07:17.41 Gemma Yeah, there we go. 01:07:19.94 dclduo Or you got to go the opposite direction or you got to go the opposite direction through the med and then the suez canal and then you know around that part of the world. Yeah, could do? Yeah yeah yeah. 01:07:28.98 Sam True. Yeah, you could go either the yeah either either east or west I like it. Awesome Gemma. Well thank you for playing. Ah you you won so I'll give you all I'm sending you I'm sending you a virtual pluto medal in you know? Ah, but um, yeah, ah. 01:07:36.58 Gemma Thank you, Thank you? Thank you. 01:07:36.70 dclduo Yeah. 01:07:43.67 dclduo Yeah, your your photo will go on our wall of winners here at dcl duo headquarters. The only person's photo who sits on the wall of losers apparently is Josh so sorry Josh the lonely existence over there on the wall of losers. So anyway, ah well. 01:07:46.25 Gemma Wow I'm proud a proud day. 01:07:48.78 Sam Ah, and. 01:07:56.36 Gemma Ah. 01:07:58.73 dclduo Gemma. We just really appreciate you taking the time ah to come to us all the way for the united kingdom to share your perspectives on Disney Cruise line and your fabulous sailing and just want to say? Thank you for taking that time and sharing your experience with our listeners. 01:08:10.62 Gemma No thank you very much. It's been fun. 01:08:15.43 Sam Awesome. 01:08:17.49 dclduo Ah, there.