By: Marcia Abramson
After having completed two previous ultra-luxurious cruises on the Radisson Seven Seas Navigator and the Silversea Cruises Whisper with manifests of fewer than 400 passengers, I was filled with trepidation at the thought of sailing on a ship with 2,700 passengers. But I was in for a very pleasant surprise.
We were security screened and directed to our stateroom suite which also had a balcony and sleeping accommodations for possibly two adults and three children that I understand is 25 percent larger than average for ships of its size. It is indeed family friendly. We were able to have the stateroom attendant separate the queen-size bed into two adequately sized beds and Maris was really impressed with what she called "two bathrooms." Actually, it is a bath-and-a-half, featuring separate bath and toilet facilities. The toilet section contained a commode and a sink with detailed hand washing instructions (possibly a result of the recent intestinal virus outbreak on some cruise ships).
I found the precision and training of the staff remarkable. Little if anything was left to chance. The dining experience is another well-executed operation. Maris and I were given the early dinner time (6:30 p.m.), which turned out to be just fine. We were rotated through three-different themed restaurants during our four-night cruise. Our tablemates remained the same as did our servers or wait staff.
Our first delightful dinner was at the Parrot Cay (Cay is pronounced Key), designed with the Bahamas motif of vibrant colors and casual architectural styles of palm-leaf paddle fans suspended from a ginger-bread-trimmed veranda roof, which add to the décor of this room. I got the taste of the tropics via the menu of fresh fish, the tropical fruits and vegetables of the islands and Maris was rewarded with her favorite Southern Italian Island fare, even at Parrot Cay.
It was "Under the Sea" for us at the restaurant Triton on our second night at sea. The elegant setting represented Poseidon's Home and the menu reflected choice seafood treats and the old standbys of salmon, tuna and sea bass. Needless to say, Maris had her chicken soup with noodles and Caesar salad as usual.
And then we had a dining experience like no other. The Animator's Palate is a tribute to Disney's talent for animation. I found this to be a truly exquisite one-of-a-kind creative sensory dining experience. Maris and I initially walked into a beautifully decorated black and white dining room, but then found ourselves in a kaleidoscope of brilliant color representing the Wonderful World of Disney Classic Creations. It is hard to imagine that the Disney Chefs could meet the challenge of the Master Walt Disney and create a cuisine to equal his genius, but they did. Imagine baked chicken stuffed with crabmeat and parmesan-crusted veal chop!
For those moms and dads who want a romantic evening away from the kids, there is Palo, Disney's upscale signature restaurant. It is set high atop each ship and features sweeping ocean views, Venetian glass, warm wood paneling, and an exhibition open kitchen. The name Palo is derived from the colorful poles that line the canals of Venice and of course it follows that the menu is Northern Italian. I ended up dining at Palo's because Maris wanted to have dinner with her new friends from New Mexico and spend time with them at the Oceaneer's Lab. The evening was going to end with a gala performance of the Disney Dreams Show.
This was a wonderful way to end an evening on the good ship Wonder. Disney Dreams is a bedtime story featuring Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Cinderella, Ariel, and many other Disney characters that teach a talented young girl the power of her dreams and Maris and Grandma Marcia did sleep well that night.
My next column will deal with how Disney deals with security for the hundreds of children of diverse backgrounds aboard ship, other programs, etc.
Copyright © by Marcia AbramsonE-mail: mascribe@aol.com
