Miami and Disney Cruise January 15-22, 2022

Got to do the traditional picture of the ship from the island.

Covid cancelled our Western Caribbean Disney Cruise in January 2021 so we rescheduled a two week Disney Cruise through the Panama Canal from New Orleans to San Diego in February 2022. After Tom got laid off from Follett (due to Covid) we decided that we should switch to a one week cruise so picked a different Western Caribbean Disney cruise from New Orleans for earlier in February 2022.

As we rang in the New Year and Covid numbers began to spike we realized that spending 4 days in New Orleans before the cruise would put us in much greater risk of failing the Covid test we have to take at the port before they let you on the ship. We decided it was best to change the cruise (yet again), and if you are counting this would be the fourth itinerary, to one that was leaving with in a few days.

We made the decision on a Wednesday for a cruise leaving the following Monday. Due to a predicted winter storm coming our way we decided to fly down to Miami and stay two nights in a hotel to avoid missing the sailing. We did very minor exploring as we wanted to stay away from the possibility of catching Covid. Our ventures out were for food, the grocery store, and a park near the hotel for a nice walk.

On Monday we arrived at the Port of Miami, passed our covid tests and began out 5 night journey on the Disney Magic. The cuise included two stops at Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island in the Bahamas), a day at sea and a day in Nassau.

This was the beautiful view from our hotel in Miami of the Port and Biscayne Bay.
Another view of the bay towards the ocean
Alicia enjoying the view during a study break. Although small the balcony made a nice classroom for her online courses.
Saw a floating tiki bar sailing out into the bay
Took a walk in the park and saw this chipmunk running towards us. When I looked closer I realized it was a lizard. They sure do make them big down here.
Monday Morning and we can see our cruise ship docked in the distance.
Monday morning made it to the port and
Got the email that we both past and can board the ship. Told the test would be an hour but we got our results in 25 minutes.
Finally made it on board, went through the modified muster drill and got lunch. Now sitting on the pool deck waiting for our room to be ready. I think I see a bar over there.
Ahhhhhh!!! Now vacation can begin. Tom got his traditional Banana Daiquiri and Alicia tried the drink of the day, a Bahama Mama.
Room is finally ready and we had a nice greeting awaiting us. Being DVC member as well as Castaway Club members we had some nice prizes awaiting us in the room.
First morning view from our balcony of Castaway Cay. What a beautiful sight to wake up to.
Enjoyed a nice breakfast at the buffet before heading out to the island.
Got to do the traditional picture of the ship from the island.
This waterslide aka Pelican Plunge was in the middle of the lagoon and could only be accessed by swimming out to it. The salt water burned my eyes so bad that I could barely keep them open. The nice lifeguard for the slide went above and beyond the call of duty when she gave me her personal towel (out of the waterproof bag they carry thing in) so I could wipe my eyes until I could see.
Some nice shots of the lagoon from shore.
Some more shots of the lagoon from shore.
Nice little bar on the end of the pier so we had to stop and grab a drink.
Time to head back to our ship in the distance.
Tom ran into Mickey and Minnie on the way back to the ship.
No better snack after a day of island exploring then a Mickey Ice Cream pop.
The first day on the Alicia ran the 5K while Tom went for a beachside cabana massage. Our second time back to the island Tom and Alicia both walked the 5k.
Time, map and distance for the 5k walk. The starting point was near the family beach and headed off towards the runway. Part of the way down the runaway the course turned off to the observation tower loop coming back to the runway and to the Adults only beach. Once we arrived at Serenity Bay Beach that marked the halfway point so it was time to turn around and follow our steps back to the finish line.
A shot from the observation tower looking at our ship.
If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush then what does a bird in a bathtub count as?
Interesting place for an outhouse.
Found the builder’s plaque on the Disney Magic.
Nice sunset view from the top deck
I think that means it’s dinner time.
Had dinner one night at Animator’s Palace and loved the paint brush style butter knives. Also intrigued by the fact that when I took the picture the lines appeared even though they were not on the table cloth or my hand. Science can surprise you with some tricks like this some times.
When we got to Nassau the ferry boat to Atlantis wasn’t running. We had an adventure by taking a city bus and asking to be dropped off at the foot of the Sir Sidney Poitier bridge and walk over to get to the island. This shot was a victory shot from the top of the bridge.
We walked around the parts of Atlantis that you didn’t need to pay to visit and took some nice shots.
Mickey Mouse surprised us one night by having us draw a picture and then animated our pictures for us. This was a copy of Tom’s picture.
One night while out at sea we noticed that on the outside deck (Deck 4) there was a sign that three complete circles around the deck would count as one mile. Of course we wanted to see how the GPS on Tom’s watch would react to walking three circles in the middle of the ocean while the ship was moving. This was the surprising results. Love the fact that we walked a mile and got credit for 3.45 miles. With that 5.35 minute mile I think that would be the only way Tom would make it into the Olympics.