We’ve hit the midway point of this 5-night sailing as we pull into Cozumel, Mexico. As I often mention, this is not one of our preferred ports. Combined with a later arrival time, with clearance to go ashore at 11:00 AM and all aboard at 6:00 PM, along with overcast skies and a breeze, we decided to just make it a lounge-around-the-ship day.
This hardly was time wasted, though, as I alternated between reading a book, writing my Day 2 review, and conversing with the concierge hosts. The topic of discussion with them began with the upcoming dry dock in April before heading to Alaska. We were disappointed to hear that some of the planned updates to the concierge lounge had been scrapped. Particularly that they were intending to add an upper deck above the open air section of the lounge for a true sun deck. From what we were told they had some of the engineers come and do pre-inspections and found out there were some structural issues that wouldn’t allow them to make the intended changes. While they couldn’t get into specifics it seems there is some infrastructure currently there that houses electrical and air exchange that made it more invasive of a makeover than either they have time to do during a short drydock, or potentially the cost to reroute these became prohibitive. While there is still some hope they can come up with a plan B in time it doesn’t seem likely.
That quickly led into the discussing the Alaskan season that the Magic will begin this May, the first time the Magic has sailed the Northeast itineraries. There is a growing buzz among the crew in anticipation of many of their first opportunities to see this area of the globe. While Alys has experienced it on the Wonder, it will be Diogo’s first time, and he is excitedly looking forward to it.
Over the past few years, we have gone back and forth on doing an Alaskan cruise. I’ll be honest that my idea of a vacation doesn’t generally include wearing long pants and hoodies. I like tropical warmth. Having been born and raised in Wisconsin, I couldn’t wait to get out of the cold winters, hence the move to Florida. Even during the summer months in Alaska, it rivals a typical Floridian winter day, with temps ranging from the 50s in the morning to daytime highs in the 70s.
The more we talked with them, they convinced us that it would be worth a try. Checking into the sail dates and summer schedules, we zeroed in on a few target departures. Of course, we had to check with our preferred crew members to make sure they’d be onboard too and not between contracts! Our love for this ship is so inclusive of the crew family we’ve made, it wouldn’t be the same without them. Luckily, the stars aligned, and another first has occurred: booking a future cruise while still onboard!
I’m sure that doesn’t sound too out of the ordinary for some. In fact, many other cruise lines offer terrific discounts for future bookings while onboard. Disney does it a little differently, though. The DCL method is simply to book a “placeholder” while onboard that can be used for a 10% discount on a future cruise. The placeholder costs $250, which will then be applied to your deposit at the time of booking. The only real stipulation is that it must be booked within 24 months of purchasing the placeholder. For frequent cruisers, having a two-year window is nothing. Double-check that fine print, though, as there are certain itineraries that are blocked from applying the discount, usually around holidays or special sailings.
Royal Birthday Celebration
The activities ramped up as the evening approached, beginning with dinner at Rapunzel’s Royal Table. Attila, Hook Hand, and the Royal Revelers serenade you throughout the meal in preparation for Rapunzel’s birthday party. The lass with the locks, of course, joins in with some songs and skits before making her way around table to table, greeting each guest. Before the meal is complete, Flynn joins the band as well to make her birthday wishes come true with a dazzling display of floating lanterns gracing the dining room.
Rapunzel's Royal Table
Rapunzel’s Royal Table is a full-on dinner party, with songs, dancing, and characters popping in while you eat. Between the Snuggly Duckling Thugs causing trouble and Rapunzel herself making an appearance, it’s one of those meals where the entertainment is just as memorable as the food.
Available on: Disney Magic
Dinner theater at its finest culminates with a conga line–style trip around the room, with all the youngsters, and a few oldsters, in tow.
What game? The Super Bowl at Sea!
While the big game was playing throughout the ship on Funnel Vision, O’Gills Pub, Soul Cat Lounge, and available on your stateroom TV, we opted for alternative entertainment for the evening.
Starting out in Keys for a Billy Joel tribute set. Keys, a classic piano bar setting with dark tones and terrific acoustics, offers a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy an adult beverage while humming along to some timeless classics.
Keys Piano Bar
Keys is a tucked-away piano bar with serious old-Hollywood energy, all low lighting, plush seating, and a relaxed, romantic vibe. It’s the kind of place you go for a crisp martini, a little live piano, and a quieter night that still feels polished and special.
Available on: Disney Magic
I’ve long been a fan of Billy Joel, and let’s be honest, who isn’t? I’m sure if not for the Super Bowl being played, this would have been standing room only. As it was, it was still well attended, and Wil put on a pretty good show. Considering his English accent, the vocals were solid, while his key-tickling was wonderful. He made his way through the hits, culminating, of course, with “Piano Man.” Well worth taking the time to check out. He played a variety of themes throughout the week, including an Elton John tribute, Rat Pack homage, and Beatles montage, to go along with sets that were inspired by genre.
Do you believe in Magic?
Next up was Jessica Jane, making her way onto the Walt Disney Theater stage for the family show. I wondered how she’d translate to a PG version after how her humor and sass were portrayed during the more daring adult act.
Once again, she commanded the stage. She began by reviewing some of her personal journey in the realm of magic and her early influences, regaling us with stories of growing up and watching her mother get sawn in half on a daily basis and her father’s time as a magicians stage hand, to her own early forays as a magician’s assistant. While she was recovering from an illusion gone wrong, her dad purchased her a Lance Burton magic kit, and she quickly realized that she was ready to take the lead.
Recalling one of her inspirations, Karl Wallenda, a world-famous tightrope walker of the mid-1900s, she quoted one of his famous philosophies: “Life is on the wire; the rest is just waiting.” She encouraged us to find that thing that makes our lives fulfilling and chase it down. Taking this to heart, she shares her passion for magic as one of the historians at the Magic Castle in Las Vegas.
The show combined a few acts of mentalism, audience participation and sleight of hand and wrapped up with a recreation of one of Houdini’s signature acts: a straitjacket escape while suspended upside down above the stage!
As if that wasn’t enough, she concluded the show by singing “Tightrope” from The Greatest Showman as a tribute to her grandparents while performing her last routine. Impressively, her voice was as good as her magical acumen.
If you’re not familiar with the song, shame on you. Go watch the movie! The lyrics truly tie into the message she began the show with and bring it full circle. A sign of any great performer or writer is when they finish with a callback to what may have seemed like a simple interlude. You can hear the song below, try to really listen to the words and their meaning.
As I said the other day, look her up. You won’t be disappointed. I think it’s safe to say she is the best variety act we’ve seen on any sailing to date. Luckily, she is scheduled to be back onboard the next time we cruise!
With the evening still young, there was plenty of time to test our knowledge with what we thought would be a strong topic for us, Disney music trivia. We quickly realized we need to do a deep dive back into Disney+ and refresh. It did not go well, lol.
Next up was a stop in Fathoms for some adult game show entertainment with Majority Minds and Match Your Mate. While I chose not to participate since I was rolling solo, it is still fun to watch the foolishness that can ensue.
Majority Minds consists of the audience splitting into teams, anywhere from two to larger groups of eight or so. The host then asks questions while each team writes down what they think the majority of the teams will answer.
Now, some teams were taking it as intended with straight responses. Some decided to have fun with their answers just to see if the host would read them aloud. A perfect example would be the question, “What items come out of the closet for special occasions?” While most went with the Disney response of “suits/tuxedos and evening gowns,” there were those that went with the Carnival answers, such as “costumes,” “handcuffs,” and one “me, when I was 13!” As you can tell, it can be a hoot just to see what could happen. There were even a few answers that the host stated, “The Mouse won’t let me read this out loud, but y’all!”
As that concluded, it led right into Match Your Mate. For this, three couples were selected from the room. One had been together the shortest amount of time, in this case five months. Next, they selected the couple that had been together the longest, with forty years being the longevity winner, and the third somewhere in between.
After a short get-to-know-you session with the contestant couples, one member of each was taken into O’Gills for a complimentary beverage while the other stayed back to answer a few questions. Some were fairly tame, such as “When was your first date and what did you do?” Then a few were spicier, like “Which Marvel character would best describe your partner when in the mood?” sticking with the Marvel Day at Sea theme. Another was, “Where is the most obscure place you have gotten intimate with your partner?” As you can imagine, there were some rather red faces as they contemplated their responses. The partners were then brought back in and asked the same questions, and if their answers matched, they got a point. Round two reversed the partner leaving the room and then introduced another set of questions.
When the dust settled, a winner was declared as the veteran couple swept the room over the youngsters, as they had a perfect score! To celebrate their accomplishment, they won a bottle of champagne.
With that, it was time to call it a night. We arrive in Progreso in the morning for the day I’ve been waiting for. Check back tomorrow to see if it lives up to expectations. As Gwen, our Fathoms game show host, would say, “G’night, y’all!”
Daily Planner
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Good Morning Disney Magic | Disney Magic |
| 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Morning Stretch | Senses Spa Fitness Center |
| 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM | Friends of Bill W. | Palo |
| 8:30 AM – 9:15 AM | Disney Sidekick Trivia | Soul Cat Lounge |
| 8:30 AM – 9:15 AM | Body Sculpt Boot Camp (Non-fee) | Senses Spa Fitness Center |
| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Art of the Theme Show Tour (18+) | Palo |
| 9:15 AM – 9:25 AM | Rapunzel | Deck 5 Mid (S) |
| 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM | Bingo Pre-Sales | Fathoms |
| 9:30 AM – 10:15 AM | Crafts: Buttons (18+) | O’Gills Pub |
| 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM | $5000 Mega Jackpot Bingo | Fathoms |
| 10:15 AM – 11:00 AM | Crafts: Mickey Magnets | Soul Cat Lounge |
| 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Sports Trivia | O’Gills Pub |
| 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM | Learn to Draw: Ursula | Soul Cat Lounge |
| 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM | Family Crafts | Soul Cat Lounge |
| 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Open House | Disney’s Oceaneer Club |
| 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Open House | Disney’s Oceaneer Lab |
| 1:15 PM – 2:45 PM | Open House | Edge |
| 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM | Learn to Draw: Nick Wilde | Soul Cat Lounge |
| 3:45 PM – 3:55 PM | Chip & Dale | Deck 4 Mid (S) |
| 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM | Super Bowl Trivia | Fathoms |
| 4:00 PM – 4:10 PM | Minnie Mouse | Deck 5 Mid (S) |
| 4:15 PM – 4:55 PM | Goofy | Deck 5 Mid (S) |
| 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM | Crafts: Friendship Bracelets (18+) | O’Gills Pub |
| 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM | Super Bowl Crafts | Soul Cat Lounge |
| 4:45 PM – 5:15 PM | The Dogsworth Countdown | Fathoms |
| 5:00 PM – 5:10 PM | Donald Duck | Deck 5 Mid (S) |
| 5:15 PM – 5:30 PM | Spa Raffle (18+) | Senses Spa & Salon |
| 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM | Songs to Get You Moving with Soul Duo | Soul Cat Lounge |
| 5:15 PM – 5:45 PM | Travel Trivia (18+) | O’Gills Pub |
| 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM | Jessica Jane: Magician | Walt Disney Theatre |
| 6:30 PM – 11:30 PM | The Big Game: Seattle Seahawks vs New England Patriots | O’Gills Pub (18+) / Soul Cat Lounge & Funnel Vision (Families) |
| 7:00 PM – 7:30 PM | Collect Your Complimentary Charm | Diamonds and Wishes |
| 7:00 PM – 7:30 PM | Guess the Carat Weight: Rare Gemstones | Diamonds and Wishes |
| 7:30 PM – 8:15 PM | Family Time Game Show | D Lounge |
| 7:30 PM – 8:00 PM | 80s Music Trivia (18+) | Fathoms |
| 7:30 PM – 8:15 PM | Billy Joel Tribute Show with Will (18+) | Keys |
| 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM | Collection Sale: Safi Kilima Tanzanite Sale | Diamonds and Wishes |
| 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Jewelry Cleaning – White Caps | White Caps |
| 8:30 PM – 9:15 PM | Jessica Jane: Magician | Walt Disney Theatre |
| 8:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Diamond Stud Event | White Caps |
| 9:00 PM – 10:15 PM | Timeless Piano Bar Hits with Will (18+) | Keys |
| 9:15 PM – 9:25 PM | Chip & Dale | Deck 4 Mid (S) |
| 9:30 PM – 10:00 PM | Disney Tunes Trivia | D Lounge |
| 9:30 PM – 10:30 PM | Majority Minds (18+) | Fathoms |
| 9:30 PM – 10:15 PM | Luxury of Time: Discover Bremont | Diamonds and Wishes |
| 10:00 PM – 10:45 PM | Family Time Game Show | D Lounge |
| 10:15 PM – 11:00 PM | Latin Fiesta with Soul Duo | Soul Cat Lounge |
| 10:30 PM – 11:15 PM | Match Your Mate (18+) | Fathoms |
| 10:30 PM – 11:15 PM | Piano & Cocktails with Will Pearson (18+) | Keys |
| 10:45 PM – 11:59 PM | Family Superstar Karaoke | D Lounge |
| 11:15 PM – 12:00 AM | One Hit Wonders (18+) | Fathoms |
| 11:30 PM – 12:00 AM | Smooth Jazz with Will Pearson (18+) | Keys |