Mexican Riviera

First, let me say that this cruise was no less Magical than any other sailing with Disney. However, that said, Mexico itself didn't jazz this cruiser. I know, probably just a personal thing; I know a lot of people who love Mexico as a vacation destination, but I, sadly, cannot be counted among them.

The ship was, as She always is, spectacular...and I love seeing Her in different places throughtout the world. In fact, when we arrived at the port of Los Angeles it dawned on me that the last time I saw Her we were in Spain! Gives new meaning to the idea of it really being a Small World after all!

The food on this cruise was the best I have ever had on any Disney sailing! From the dining rooms to Palo the food was simply exceptional! Now I've never been disappointed when dining with DCL, but I must say that on this sailing the chefs were truly on their mark!

There were some changes to the children's programming, namely for the "tweens." Those 11-13 have taken over the Quest area of the ship. This seemed to work well-providing the children a little more freedom-and should it provide for a nice, smooth transition between the Oceaneer's Lab and The Stack. Rachael loved Quest and Stephanie and Edson, her counselors for the week, provided a wonderful atmosphere for the kids. This is our second experience with Stephanie; last year she had been assigned to the Stack and Nicholas, our youngest son, really enjoyed getting to know her! In our experience, Disney's youth counselors are amazing people and we are so thankful that our children have had the privilege of getting to know some of them.

Our dining room server was, again, Orlan Acquino. Orlan is the epitome of a Disney cast member; friendly, attentive, engaging, outgoing, professional, and just plain fun to be with! We first met Orlan on our Transatlantic Crossing in May of 2007 and so enjoyed the experience that we requested to have him as our server in Mexico. Our next cruise embarks on November 29th of this year and I cannot imagine dinner without Orlan!

The shows were first rate Disney...everything, and more, that we have come to expect. Our family is divided, our children love The Golden Mickeys and say it is the best show afloat, I adore Disney Dreams...in fact, on this cruise, I saw it twice--one matinee performance, and our regularly scheduled performance! This is Disney at its absolute best!

A word about the Magic's cast and crew; spectacular! It is difficult for me to imagine that any cruise ship, other than the Disney Wonder, can compare in this area--any area really--but here especially. DCL takes Guest Services to a whole new level. Perfection is in the details, and no detail is too small for Disney to consider unworthy of attention.

Is a Disney cruise expensive? Yes. Is a Disney cruise a good value? Absolutely! In our opinion there simply isn't a finer vacation product to be had anywhere at any price! A Disney cruise is unique, and it can be complicated to plan...so, as always, we advise you to work with a Disney expert--one who has personally, and recently, sailed with DCL. Without exception, everyone I have ever met who was disappointed in their DCL experience booked and planned their cruise without the services of an experienced Disney Travel Consultant. I don't want to sound like a salesman, and whether you book with us, or someone else, make sure you're working with an agent who can answer all of your questions and help you plan right down to the nith detail!

Port reports to come..