Trip Report Land & Sea - Baja Style! - Complete

And it's been a while

Well here we are again after a pretty long Disney hiatus, minus a holiday resort-only visit.

In just a few weeks, we're off to the grand state of California! On this journey, we'll visit the Disneyland Resort and sail the Disney Wonder.

Here we are!

As you can see (or sea - get it?) we're on a cruise. We have been cruising during the hiatus.

We've sailed Celebrity:

If you haven't sailed Celebrity and you're looking for a bit more refined and adult (mostly-kid free) experience, this is the line for you. Plus, drinks are included. Lots of drinks. The food tastes better (for the most part) and you have a much better variety. The Edge class of ships are beautiful.

Then we hit this up:

This was a true kids-free experience. The food is amazing! By far the best food I've ever had on a cruise ship. There's some really great outdoor spaces as well. They're working out new cruise line issues so there were some hiccups. Entertainment isn't great and the pool is miniscule. We also had the pleasure of running into a former DCL server we had on the Dream or Fantasy (I can't remember). It was an awesome experience.

We just finished up sailing on this lady:

We liked Celebrity so much we sailed again on the Millennium. This is Celebrity's oldest ship (22 years I think) and there were some spots showing age, but I'll tell you, this in no way detracted from the experience. It's just been Revolutionized (refurbished in fancy terms) and most of the ship is looking great. Again, the food choices....

Embarkation Day Desserts

This is what the dessert presentation looked like every single day.

If you're on the fence about Celebrity, do it.

Next up - our plans!

 

[imahistorygeek]

While Sean was off doing the beer exchange, I decided to seek out my first real drink of the cruise. I headed back to the French Quarter Lounge to try something new. I headed up to the bar and asked the bartender to surprise me. This is what he made:

He called it a New Orleans Old Fashioned made with Bayou XO Mardi Gras rum. He said this can only be found in this bar on the Wonder.

After his event, he came and found me and we headed to the deck with the kids' clubs. The deck has a lower ceiling to make the kids feel tall. At least that's what we've been told.

Oceaneer Club/Lab - for the 3 to 12 youts.

Pretty cool space for the kids.

All Frozen, all the time.

 

[imahistorygeek]

Each evening, before dinner, we'd usually end up the Crown & Fin Pub for trivia. It's here that we discovered a really good (albeit a little over the top in presentation) drink.

Gin Tea Tonic - They bring a tea service to your table. The pot is filled with ice and tonic water. Gin is added and swirled around. You have a tea bag put in your fancy cup and pour the gin and tonic over the bag to steep. Two people can drink this and they'll bring an extra cup. It was the price of a normal drink, so this was a deal. It was very refreshing and we ordered one almost every day.

Some of the most comfortable seating is found in Crown & Fin.

We headed back to the room to get ready for dinner. This time around we decided that we were going to get a wine pkg. We like to drink wine with every meal. Here's our options:

We're not fancy, so the classic package fit our needs. Basically, you just tell the serving team you want to purchase and they get the bottle of wine requested. You can also pre-purchase for your cruise, but there is no cost savings if you do.

 

[imahistorygeek]

Our first night's dinner was Animator's Palette. It's all QR codes all the time for menus. You can request a paper menu. This particular menu was Let the Magic Begin. It was new to us.

We chose our first wine.

You can still find the knives for sale in the shop.

When we sailed on the Celebrity Edge, all the main dining locations butter served with bread was a combination of butter and mayo. Disney is now serving this terrible stuff instead of the normal dip.

Freshly Baked Carrot and Scallions Loaf Cumin and Cilantro Dip

Arugula and baby spinach salad. Looks like a lot of dressing.

Chicken Bastela - Moroccan Spiced shredded Chicken wrapped in Phyllo-dough and sprinkled with Powdered Sugar and Cinnamon, with a Vegetable Almond Slaw

Pork Tenderloin Wellington Pork Tenderloin wrapped in Mushroom Duxelle, Crêpes and Puff Pastry with Gratin Potatoes, Roasted Baby Vegetables and a rich Bordeaux Wine Sauce

Grilled Strip Loin with Cheddar Cheese and Onion smashed Baked Potato, Roasted Green Asparagus, Tomato, and a Red Wine Jus

Dark Chocolate Bombe layered with Raspberry Jelly and White Chocolate Spiral Décor

Mango Marble Cheesecake served with Berry Compote

Overall, the food was good. It was your typical DCL main dining room food. I believe the only thing I didn't really like was the mango cheesecake, but I'm not really into dessert either.

We had a great serving team. Our assistant server made origami every night and gave them out. She was really sweet.

 

[MinnieM123]

They bring a tea service to your table

That's a pretty tea pot, and tea cup / saucer set. It's those special touches that make for an elegant experience. (Although these cruises are pricey, at least they're following through with extra details (from the various photos you've shared of meals, beverages, etc.), Nice to see.

 

[imahistorygeek]

That's a pretty tea pot, and tea cup / saucer set. It's those special touches that make for an elegant experience. (Although these cruises are pricey, at least they're following through with extra details (from the various photos you've shared of meals, beverages, etc.), Nice to see.

Cadillac Lounge also has a fancy drink set up like this, but with vodka. I don't know if any of the other venues had these types of drinks.

 

[imahistorygeek]

We made our way after dinner to Azure for trivia. That night, it was 50s and 60s trivia. I thought this was going to be a real stretch for us. Turns out, not so much.

Trivia drinks because everyone knows alcohol improves brain function. Sean had a beer and I had a lemon drop martini (one of a few during this trip).

We take our seats for trivia. We would have the same seats each time because of something I'll never live down, the Red Sox losing the world series.

Let's put this out here. We are Gen-Xers. My knowledge of 50s and 60s music is being forced to listen in the car with my parents.

As you can see by our loot, we won!

We should have won by 28, BUT someone (not me) wrote down the song title for 6 while I was looking away.

In case you can't read it, it's "Start Spreading the News," by the late Frank Sinatra.

Any guesses which trivia we bombed? 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s?

 

[imahistorygeek]

Sean's always great about getting morning pictures. We order room service the night before (the cold stuff) and then he picks up hot food from Cabanas.

 

[cgersic]

I love sunrise on the deck of a cruise ship! Generally no one is around so you feel like you have the ship to yourself.

 

[imahistorygeek]

After some pool time, we headed to Crown & Fin for more trivia.

And you know what that means? More drinks and more prizes!

Another day, another Lemon Drop.

A Duvel in a fancy glass for Sean.

We settled in for movie tunes trivia. Don't be jealous of our fancy decks of cards.

We also got another one of these:

The tea bags are super cute.

 

[lostpro9het]

A Duvel in a fancy glass for Sean.
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We settled in for movie tunes trivia. Don't be jealous of our fancy decks of cards.

First, I didn’t pour that beer.
Second, this trivia came down to a tie break where Gus, the CM, whistled the Forrest Gump theme song and we were the only team to get it.

 

[imahistorygeek]

We had some pre-dinner coffee at French Quarter Lounge.

I think Sean had a caramel au lait and I have no I idea what I ordered. All coffees, both here and Cove Cafe were served with a macaron.

I meant to post a picture of this door earlier. It's a crew door, but I love the theming.

 

[imahistorygeek]

Day 2 Dinner - Tiana's Place

I forgot to mention there was a dining disaster on day 1.

Checked the app...we were listed in one spot to go to Animator's Palate. In another location, it said to go to Tiana's. Good thing a phone call to guest services gave us the correct dining rotation, BUT the person at guest services basically it was our issue, not their issue.

It's time for dinner, so at our time, we head to Animator's Palate. They've got it down to a science. The line moves quickly and you're seated very quickly. So, what was different about this time, you ask. Well, let me tell you.

Turns out, pretty much everyone on the ship had a screwed up dining rotation on the app. Half of the line that was in Animator's Palate was supposed to be somewhere else. Servers were having to check every family's dining rotation...manually. There are some naturally angry people. This delayed dinner.

So, ok Disney, it was our problem, not yours. Ok, sure.

On to day 2, Tiana's Place.

The lights were not working or not on. Boo.

Tonight is the Mardi Gras menu.

Herbed brioche with roasted onion dip

Prince Naveen’s Cajun Charcuterie Board - cured Pork Shoulder, Duck Rillette, Duck Pastrami, Saucisson, Cajun Egg, Spiced Mustard and Pickles. I'm pretty sure that cajun egg is a regular egg sprinkled with Tony Chachere's creole seasoning.

Eudora’s Artichoke Ravioli with Sautéed Spinach, Lemon Butter, Sage and Pecorino Cheese

Boudin Sausage Fritters - minced Pork and Boudin Sausage, Breaded and Fried, served with a Bourbon Aioli

Iceberg Wedge with Pepper Jack Cheese, bacon, Tomato, Basil and a creamy Thousand Island Dressing

Roasted Creole Half Chicken with Toasted Corn, Pecan Bread Pudding, Buttered Chard and Chicken Jus

James’ Roasted Pork Tenderloin - sliced Pork Tenderloin with White Rice and Greens on an Andouille Sausage Stew

After all that food, we also had dessert and was treated to live music.

 

[amjt660]

You must have been sitting way off to one side to get that much distortion in your coffee cup
Almost as bad as the Eiffel Tower!!!!


Max

 

[erstwo]

I'm pretty sure that cajun egg is a regular egg sprinkled with Tony Chachere's creole seasoning.

This cracks me up for some reason. Tony’s is a very distinctive taste! At least you didn’t have to add salt.

 

[ChuckElias]

An observation we made on this trip was a lot of crew were "earning their ears." I don't feel like this impacted the level of service received.

This was also true on the Dream last week. LOTS of "Earning my Ears" ribbons.

A new space (refurbed lounge) was French Quarter Lounge. It's right outside Tiana's Place

Was that the old Promenade Lounge? Just trying to get my bearings.

After Hours, where you'll find Azure, Cadillac Lounge, and Crown & Fin pub.

I'm SO happy they kept the Cadillac Lounge. I always loved it on the Wonder.

We didn't feel any vibration, which couldn't be said for the aft.

Boy, is THAT true. We tried an Aft Balcony for the first time last week, and we had very mixed feelings about the experience.

Crown & Fin Pub -- Another cool location to hang out.

Love the Anfield poster! But I miss Diversions

 

[imahistorygeek]

Was that the old Promenade Lounge? Just trying to get my bearings.

Boy, is THAT true. We tried an Aft Balcony for the first time last week, and we had very mixed feelings about the experience.

Yes, on the Promenade Lounge.

We normally love the aft, but vibrations were crazy this trip.

 

[imahistorygeek]

Day 3 - Cabo San Lucas

This was such a fun day. We had originally booked snorkeling, but we were worried it was just going to be too cold. Instead of snorkeling, we chose whale watching. It was the end of the season, so we had no idea what we were going to see, if anything.

Arrival was nice. Weather was beautiful. We ate some breakfast and waited to debark.

 

[imahistorygeek]

Tenders were running well and we were pretty much off the ship in just a couple of minutes.

Once you exit the tender, you're corralled to an area to wait for you tour.

Once you're ready, you're led to your inflatable boat.

You head past the arch and out to sea. We would eventually head 4 miles out. We had no idea what we would see. We did catch some rays splashing down, some seals, pelicans, seagulls, and a sea lion. Would we see a whale??

 

[erstwo]

The suspense. Whale watching in an inflatable boat no less. At least we know you lived to tell the tale!

 

[BrerWayne]

A new space (refurbed lounge) was French Quarter Lounge. It's right outside Tiana's Place. It's a cool place to hang out and it specializes in New Orleans-style cocktails. We relaxed here a couple of times before dinner. This is a unique bar and can only be found on the Wonder.

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That's a cable car in the back.
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There's a spot for live music to the right of the bar.

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In New Orleans, we refer to them as streetcars-like A Streetcar Named Desire. That is really cool! Thanks for posting the picture!