Beaching the StingRays

June 14

We had a reasonably leisurely breakfast

Gluten free pancakes and bacon

The we got off - I took the scooter because I knew the sand wheelchairs that they have there would be impossible for my grandchild to push. My husband and I had one at Cumberland Island, and HE needed help to push me.

beaches from the dock - Gorda Cay

We went to the PO and I knew that they would only accept cash (because that was a problem I had at Half Moon). My granddaughter bought a postcard and a couple of stamps. There was a lady behind us who didn't have any cash because she had been told that her key card would work everywhere. But when I listened to the TV it said "everywhere BUT the post office. So I asked my granddaughter to lend her $2 and she did. (The lady paid her back by putting the money and a note under the door)

We stopped and rented a little FunCat which was a float boat with motors. I decided against the paddle boats or the Sunfish sailboats. I left the scooter at the edge of the sand and struggled down to the water. We had the FunCat for 30-40 minutes and then there was lightening. So we came in. But there wasn't much to see anyway (we had to stay in a restricted area).

Beach from a paddle boat - Gorda Cay

Ship from enclosed area for stingrays and boats

I struggled up to where the scooter was and we went a little farther and stopped at the Stingray hut and waited for our turn.

My granddaughters photo of me in stingray hut

The lady gave a little talk first - they have the stingrays trained to come to the platform (which they pull out in the water) and swim up on it and go to the black silhouette of Mickey where you put your hand and the stingray takes it from you and goes back into the water. I didn't do it - my granddaughter went alone.

Sting ray on the ramp

stingray coming in

Feeding the stingray

After the feeding you could stay in the water and touch the rays as they would swim past. She used the snorkel camera.

Stingrays

Stingray swimming by

Sting ray in the water

Other people petting the sting ray

someone's feet

Stingray in the clear water

About 1300, I told her that it was probably about time to go to lunch. I thought that her food was at the #2 BBQ so we went down there. But no that wasn't it. Back to the first BBQ.

Buffet line

Scooter parked at edge of table area

She got chicken and fries (none of the other people got fries).

Granddaughter's gluten free lunch

I got one rib, a piece of chicken (spicy) and some potato salad.

My lunch

After we ate, I took the scooter back toward the ship and then we rode the free tram down to the second stop and back. To go farther, you have to switch to the other tram

Free tram

From the tram

view from the tram - Gorda Cay

Our photos of each other on the tram

Tomorrow is disembarkation. I asked that we be allowed the late breakfast on the 15th so we don't have to get up at 6 oclock. I've let my granddaughter have the ship laptop so she can type in her emails to her hearts content at least until this evening when it has to be returned.

Families Treking back to the ship

I went down to the desk and got a $20 changed so that I would have money for tips. They gave us the little folder to write out the things we liked or didn't like about the cruise.

Towel heart and critique folder

After I filled it out, my granddaughter took it down when she returned the laptop.

June 15th -Off and On Again

We had a 7 am wake-up call and we went to the late breakfast at 8.

Corridor in the morning - room stewards stripping rooms

Breakfast for those leaving the ship

Agus bringing my scooter

We walked off (I scootered) and went through customs, and went back to the embarkation hall.

Empty Check-In Hall

looking at ship model in the check in area

Welcome for Platinum Guests

We waited there until 9:30. My granddaughter started to read one of her books,

Granddaughter reading a book

and then she realized that she could use her phone so she spent some time phoning her friends.

Granddaughter phoning her friends

We went out and looked at the dock.

Workers on a crane

Granddaughter's Del Sol shirt in the sun

Dock area and Flowers waiting to be loaded

Gangway

Each one of the cruise lines has their own terminal at Port Canaveral. The Disney terminal is Cruise Terminal Eight. This was the first terminal in the U.S. built to a specific cruise line's specifications and for its exclusive use, Cruise Terminal 8 was custom-designed for Disney. It boasts a 90-foot high glass tower, a connecting covered walkway from the parking garage and lots of special Disney touches. The terminal was renovated and enlarged in 2010 to welcome the newest generation of Disney ships.

Disney terminal

Then they checked us in. I had remembered the customs form and the passport, but forgot the signed papers for the second cruise. They said no problem we will just print them out again.

Disney bus

Enter the Mickey tunnel

They also did the luggage check in which means that when we disembark next week, we do not have to bother with luggage at all - just put it out in the hall the night before and it will appear with us at Houston airport. They gave us a green card to get on first in the first group, and we waited until about 10 or 10:30 and we went back on.

Empty atrium

Sole possession of the throne

By the Mickey statue

photo shop from elevator

Back of the concierge desk

Staff getting ready to receive passengers

Peeking through the door of an inside cabin with a fake porthole

My granddaughter and I played this interactive game for a time

Ship game

I picked up the laptop from the desk and after a bit they said we could go to the room. I took the bag of laundry and my granddaughter added some things to it. Our room attendant said she would help me if I need it.

The procedure appeared clear - but wasn't. You picked wash or dry.

Push button to select Washer/Dryer

You picked a washer that was not in use.

Self Service Launderette Procedure

Washers

You put your card in and the machine 'processed' the request and told you that you were OK to load the machine and put in the soap. But then neither she nor I could get the machine to start.

Eventually I figured out that I had to accept on the touch screen where I picked the washer without waiting to load or put the soap in (i.e. the washer had to be already loaded when you did the procedure). I put the first load in the dryer and went to lunch (at the Enchanted Garden). I went back before dessert and put the second load in the dryer.

lunch

Ceiling light

Fountain and looking into the kitchen

Granddaughter's lunch

my roast beef

my lunch

For dessert, they had a delicious sherbet which was part coconut (looked like orange but
wasn't).

We went up to lounge D on the fourth deck to meet with the other internet people.

D lounge and Cruise Critics group

There was a lady there who swam for the USMA and graduated a couple of years after Barb.

She has a daughter Kimberly who is a year older than my granddaughter. They went up to Edge (the Kids Club) and registered. But first we took a group photo. Two of the teen age girls who did not want to be in the photo took the pictures.

Cruise Critics photo on embarkation day

substitute photographers

Guides for lifeboat drill

We did the lifeboat drill and they put all the handicapped people on one side and let us go before the rest of the crew which meant that we could actually get an elevator.

Water stirred up as we leave

pictures on parking garage

Tugboats

Advertising airplane rides $75

Waving goodbye from a Jetty park

Jetty Park is a very popular recreational park in Brevard County. In addition to a fishing pier and campground, it has a recently renovated and expanded building on the boardwalk houses an air-conditioned refreshment center and a bait and tackle shop. There is also a big playground.

tour boat

For the sailaway I went out on deck because I really wanted to get photos of one of the marinas and also of the Cape Canaveral lighthouse. I did manage to get photos of the lighthouse.

Canaveral light

The original lighthouse on Canaveral was a 65-foot brick tower, constructed in 1848. A new tower (built after the Civil War) was composed of metal plates with a brick lining. The Cape Canaveral Lighthouse didn’t receive its distinctive black bands until 1873 - before that it was all white

Now the launch towers at the Cape are quite visible for a long distance - they are taller than the lighthouse. The lighthouse was automated in 1967. The strong vibrations, which accompanied the frequent launches, were starting to shake the lens to pieces - several prisms had actually fallen out of the supporting brass framework. The lighthouse was restored by the Coast Guard starting in 1995 and since December 2000, it is owned by the Air Force
I missed seeing the sting rays that some people saw in the water

Dredge

We ate dinner at first seating with the same waiter, but we were at a table for four and just the two of us. (So much for meeting people)

waiter with scooter

shrimp

salad

Granddaughter's stuffed chicken and asparagus

Mickey sundae

This time the waiter made her pick all three meals in advance.

Towel animal