July 14 2014 Venice

July 14 2014

Today is the day of my 50^th cruise on Disney Cruise Line.  What an awesome itinerary to celebrate this milestone.  We will be visiting for the first time the ports of Santorini and Crete.  I hear Santorini is absolutely beautiful, so can’t wait.

We are in Venice and guests are disembarking this morning.  I am off to do two loads of laundry.  No one is in the laundry room so I have it all to myself.  However, everyone seems to have left laundry behind.  I understand the small stuff getting lost in the dryers because they are up high, however, swim trunks and swim suits and shirts and shorts just don’t make sense to me at all.  Guess they will realize when they are home that they are missing their clothing….oh well……

Our group met in Fathom’s at 9:45 a.m. to get off the ship and then reboard.  There were only about 15 of us this cruise doing back to back.  We actually got off about 10:30, got re-checked in and then waited in the VIP area.  Met up with Scott and Lynn and Michael, George and Kathy in the terminal.  It took quite a while today.  Found out that three people had not gotten off the ship (or DCL didn’t swipe their Key to the World card when they got off), so they had to do a security sweep of the whole ship before anyone could get on.  The back to back cruisers finally got to re-board at 11:50 a.m. and then concierge and then general boarding began.

Went to my stateroom and left my backpack while I delivered fish extender gifts for Michael and crew before going to lunch in Cabanas.  Had Cabanas for lunch with our group (Scott, Lynn, Michael, George, Kathy, Ken and Christie).  After lunch I was walking out of Cabanas and heard my name called and it was Chet and Fern from Atlanta.  Didn’t know they were on this cruise.  Sat and visited with them for about an hour and then headed down to the Facebook meet and greet in Promenade Lounge.

Was really nice to put faces to names from the Facebook group.  Everyone is very nice.  There was quite a large group at the gathering.

Once again it was time for lifeboat drill, so headed to the Walt Disney Theater to learn for the 50^th time what to do in case of an emergency.

Next it is sailaway, we are suppose to leave at 5 p.m. but got word from the harbor master that we won’t be heading out til 6 p.m.  So we enjoy sailaway to its’ fullest.  Olaf and his friend, Duffy, meet for the first time on this cruise.  Duffy has been all over the world with Scott and Lynn.  Both Olaf and Duffy are ready to celebrate Venice.

Michael at sailaway.

Had a group picture with part of our group:  Michael, Noel, Jason, Linda, Scott and George

Then some pictures of Venice on our way out.  In the picture, it is kinda hard to tell, but the tower is leaning.  Almost like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but it is the Leaning Tower of Venice.  It is really noticeable when looking at it but not so much in the picture unless you look close

The day was cloudy and overcast, but of course, Mickey cleared up the skies for sailaway.  It ended up being a warm, beautiful Mediterranean day.  We saw our yacht on the way out of Venice LOL

Then, there was a beautiful sunset from the Disney Magic before dinner

We started our rotational dining in Animator’s Palate.  We were on the Welcome Aboard menu.  Olaf and Duffy joined us for dinner wearing the Venetian hats to celebrate sailing out of Venice.

Mike and Scott decided to get their Greek on.

After dinner we went to Fathom’s and played Magic Quest.  Our team would have won had we been sitting in the front of the club, but we were way in the back so by the time Jason would run up, other teams had checked in with the item being requested.  Jason was quite the trooper wearing a woman’s bra up on stage!  Oops, what happens on the Magic, stays on the Magic……not!

After Magic Quest we decided to call it a night.  We lose an hour tonight and are back to 7 hours time difference between Florida and the Mediterranean.

It is now going on 1 a.m. (2 a.m. with the time difference) and time to call it a night.

Goodnight from the Disney Magic!