Disney Resorts - An Overview

 I've been to Walt Disney World at least 18 times and Disneyland once. I'm fairly sure I'm missing one or two WDW trips, but can't confirm where they fit in over the years. Each time we've stayed on-property, either in a hotel or at Fort Wilderness. When we visited Disneyland in 2000 the only option was the Disneyland Hotel.

Contemporary Resort

My first visit was the summer of 1975, when I was seven years old. We stayed in the North Garden Wing of The Contemporary Resort, which was the only option available based on the abbreviated timing of the trip. As a seven year old I was disappointed that the monorail didn't pass through our building, and we had to walk to an entirely different building to access the monorail. I thought having a resort "charge card" with my name on it (a business-card like item with my name and our room number typed on it - with an actual typewriter!) I could use this to make purchases in shops, restaurants, and snack bars. Best of all, this included soft-serve ice cream. 😜  The Magic Kingdom was the only park and we did everything as a family. We've seen changes in room decoration, lobby design, and restaurant options over the years. In 1994 we returned with extended family and stayed in the tower, again in 2007, and then in 2024. The rooms were updated sometime prior to 1994, remained largely the same from 1994 to 2007, and were updated again before our return in 2024. While the room changes have been improvements across the board, the changes in the lobby and restaurants have been somewhat marginal. Dining options now consist of California Grill, Contempo Café, Chef Mickey's, and Steakhouse 71. 

California Grill was originally called Top of The World and was the epitome of a 1970's restaurant/bar/lounge and, for a while in the 1980's, included a dinner show. In 1995 the conversion to California Grill was executed, and it was updated in 2013. While it remains an upscale venue with excellent food, it has become more family-friendly over the years. Steakhouse 71 opened in 2021, replacing The Wave. Unfortunately the name doesn't effectively communicate the scope of the menu. "Steakhouse" doesn't trigger thoughts of breakfast, nor even inspire one to consider investigating the possibility of breakfast. Chef Mickey is a dedicated character breakfast buffet. In the past part of it was a sit-down restaurant and part was a buffet restaurant before becoming the Contemporary Cafe, which offered a character breakfast as well as dinner. The current Contempo Café was previously the Concourse Steakhouse and is now the primary source of meals in the hotel. While the quality of the food is generally quite good for quick/counter service, the menu is limited and largely mirrors all the other "quick-grab" choices in the parks. If you're a six-year old chicken nugget aficionado you'll be in heaven, but otherwise you may find yourself menu-weary after a few days.

Polynesian Resort

Our second visit was 1978, and we stayed at the Polynesian in the Tokielau Long House, on the ground floor, facing the pool. My grandparents joined us on this trip and I remember my grandmother being fond of "those fruity drinks with the umbrellas." The adults would sit on the patio in the late afternoon/early evening, and my step-dad would shuttle rounds of drinks from the pool bar. My younger sister was a newborn and my older sister and I had free-rein to visit the park on our own. When we returned in 1981 we stayed in Aotearoa, which I wasn't thrilled about (I wanted something less tucked away - either beachfront or pool-adjacent was more attractive to my 13-year old self.) This was the trip that my 17 year-old sister absconded with a drinking glass from the room, perfect for playing Quarters.We didn't stay at the Polynesian again until 1996, as a family of five. (The first trip I was completely responsible for, wakeup call!) When we booked the only rooms available were concierge level, in Hawaii. The level of service was everything we expected from Disney Concierge service. Dining "reservations" were a breeze and the availability of snacks, beverages, and breakfast was amazing. The kids (our eldest son invited a friend) thought the lounge was the greatest thing they've ever experienced.

Our most "recent" stay was in 1998 when we took our oldest son. We stayed in Moorea that trip in a regular room. The Polynesian is my favorite of all Disney resorts - the combination of restaurants, the widely distributed rooms, the atmosphere, and all the vegetation. The ride to the Magic Kingdom is quick, and you can walk to the TCC for the EPCOT monorail in just a few minutes.

Fort Wilderness

In 1986 I experienced my first holiday visit to Disney. My girlfriend (now my wife) invited me to go with her family between Christmas and New Year's. 

It was pure hell.

Between marginal sleeping arrangements in their camper and the worst crowds I've ever experienced the trip was far from enjoyable. 

We returned in 2010 with our younger kids and one of their friends during their high school spring break. We drove our motorhome down and had an absolute blast. Yixing, our son's roommate at boarding school, was highly skeptical that we could cover the six hundred mile trip in a single day. Back home in Chengdu, Szechuan, China it regularly took his family an entire day to drive less than two hundred miles to their vacation home, so six hundred miles in a day was out of the question in his experience. Imagine his shock after leaving NC at 6:00 when we were locking the door of the motorhome in Fort Wilderness and heading to dinner by 17:00 that evening!

In 2011 we snuck back to Ft Wilderness for a couple's anniversary trip. Being at the campground and not an on-property hotel dialed things down a bit. There wasn't a sense of pressure to "do it all" and more a sense that it was OK to slow down and relax a bit more. While staying in your own camper comes with many benefits, there are also more responsibilities. The facilities at Fort Wilderness are definitely "Disney-level" and a far cry from what you experience in even the best campgrounds I've encountered. As long as you have done a respectable job of stocking your kitchen to your comfort level you can find a nice selection of fill-in rations in the onsite stores, and the prices aren't painfully unreasonable. Tram, boat, and bus service, or a golf cart, make getting around Ft Wilderness and to other venues as convenient as any of the other non-monorail/skyway accommodations.

We have not experienced the cabins at Ft. Wilderness, but have read and heard mixed reviews. They seem to be a good choice if you're trying to be more budget-friendly with the right size group, but they do demand more planning than a room in a hotel or your own RV.

All-in-all we find Ft Wilderness a nice change of pace, and even nicer if your trip to Disney is part of a larger RV adventure.

Yacht Club

So far this has been a one-off resort. We stayed in the late 1990's, on one of those last minute "let's go to Disney" trips, so it was chosen for us by the Gods of Resort Room Availability as much as anything. As it was in the pre-digital photo days I'll have to go to a large box for images to trigger specific memories, so my apologies for the brief nature of this section. I recall the rooms being as nice as any premium accommodation at Disney. The property theming fits the name - it's as if you've just walked in to a Yachting Club somewhere along the New England Coast. It adjoins the Beach Club, which I probably don't need to describe.

If your trip is EPCOT-centric, such as for the Food & Wine Festival, then Yacht Club (or Beach Club) is an excellent choice. If Hollywood Studios is your focus, the Skyliner is nearby, leaving the Magic Kingdom the only park requiring a bus ride for access. Not an ideal arrangement if your group includes small children, but otherwise these resorts are an attractive option. 

Coronado Springs

Another one-off resort, primarily chosen based on economics and availability. We found typical Disney rooms and service, and an excellent Mexican restaurant. Of all the resorts we've visited this ranks in the top three as far as dining options, behind Grand Floridian and Polynesian. The grab & go/quick service was more efficient than most and the table service options are varied. There are poolside options that we  didn't even explore because we had so many other options.

Bus transportation is your only option, and the resort is dispersed,  but if you're not managing young children don't sleep on this resort. For an adults-only or a trip with teens/young adults, there aren't any reasons to avoid this often overlooked resort. I understand the towner rooms are preferred for decor as well as location, but sell out quickly and are more expensive. The dining is consistently rated among the best on-property, exceeding most everything other than The Grand Floridian and Polynesian Village.

Grand Floridian

Our first stay in the crown jewel was for our 10th anniversary, without kids, in 2000. It was everything we dreamed of. We ate at all of the restaurants (including Victoria & Albert's) used the pool many times, relaxed at the bar and enjoyed the live music. The rooms were downright decadent. Everyone should stay here at least once, if possible.

Our second stay was in 2011, for the marriage of our oldest son and his wife. Everything met the expectations set by our previous visit, and the event planning staff was everything you'd expect Disney to provide. The fact that a tropical storm decided to show up the day of the wedding didn't even dampen the festivities. We upped the ante with a pre-wedding dinner in the Queen Victoria room for the bride, groom, and maid of honor before the rest of the group arrived.

Disney, in general, is all about an elevated experience. It's the attention to detail among the chaos that makes Disney special (with any luck this magic hits you at the right time and in the right place to help soften the harsh reality of how much you're paying for this experience!)

Grand Floridian raises the bar and is the pinnacle of the Disney experience.

All Star/Pop Century

I'm lumping all of these together because the guest experience is identical, the only real difference is decor and the Skyliner access for Pop Century.

We've stayed in these properties at least five times, and I'm pretty sure it's more - but putting the pieces together without photographic support is a challenge! Our first stay was when they were introduced as a "budget-friendly" option. We found the savings worth the trade-off in convenience. Now the price difference is not as dramatic, but they've also improved the convenience factor with the addition of the Skyliner. Food options are severely limited, and the "best" location in the resort requires a bit of calculus to determine (nearer the buses? nearer the pool? nearer the Skyliner? away from noise?) The rooms are what I describe as "Disney-spartan" - much better than any similar level of accommodation in the outside world (think Hampton Inn/Fairfield) but definitely dialed-back from a Disney standpoint. Doors opening up to the outside can invite heat and bugs in the warm months, but if you're attentive it shouldn't be an issue.

All-in-all, we find these properties to be a great way to visit Disney without breaking the bank. They are more of a challenge with younger kids due to distance from the parks and the heavy reliance on the bus system, but they're great for teens and adult-only trips. The Skyliner is a true game-changer for Pop Century, but it comes with a price.

Here's a nice video that gives a quick Pro/Con comparison of all the lodging options at WDW: Pros & Cons of Every Disneyworld Hotel (2025)

Days 13-15 – At Sea and Trip Home

15 November, 2024

Improvement

After the roller-coaster ride of the previous day we woke to improved conditions, albeit still a bit choppy. Being a sea day, Brunch was on, and we made a beeline to the dining room, my opportunities to have Eggs Benedict were waning.

The mood of the dining room was significantly lighter than the previous morning, owing largely to the fact that people could stand and walk without risk of stumbling and falling. We lingered over our brunch; I augmented my Eggs Benedict with a bagel and a bit of lox and sipped a couple of additional cups of cofffee.

Our usual activities were interrupted in the early afternoon with some preliminary packing. No need to monopolize our last sea day with all the packing when we can get purchases and dirty laundry squared away in advance.

Whales on the horizon

Having done some calendar calculus we determined our dates of opportunity in the fall, so we went back to NextCruise and booked a cabin for the first Caribbean cruise on Odyssey in 2025 after it returns from Europe. We had an Alaskan cruise on the books for July of 2025, but unfortunately planned surgeries made those dates impractical. 

As we were sitting in Two70 later in the afternoon someone spotted whales off the port side of the ship. While their spouts were easy to spot with the naked eye, capturing anything with a camera was a daunting challenge. I did manage a few shots of varying quality. If you look closely you can see a white spot just below the horizon in the center of the frame - thar she blows!

I've never seen a pod of whales in the open ocean, but I can't help to think that this was an exceptionally large example. They covered well over 90 degrees of the horizon and from a few hundred yards nearly all the way to the horizon.

16 November, 2024

Beautiful

The day dawned bright and beautiful. The sea was electric blue and nearly flat. The ship was filled with the "last day" angst as people scurried around looking for that last trinket, purchased one more bottle, or tried to win back some of the money previously donated to the casino. 

The NextCruise desks were turning over non-stop as people put the final touches on their future plans.

With our packing well on the way to completion we were able to spend most of the day extracting the last bit of relaxation from a nearly three week long trip filled with new experiences and outrageous food. 

In anticipation of our upcoming Viking River Cruise on the Rhine in March/April 2025 I changed my DuoLingo focus from Italian to German and started researching activities to fill our time in Basel and Amsterdam.

17 November, 2024

Manhattan Sunrise

I pulled back the curtain Sunday morning to a stunning view across the Hudson River of the Statue of Liberty with One World Trade Center in the distance. The weather was crisp and cool, but the ship wasn't moving and the breeze was slight.

We dressed and headed to the dining room. Our car was scheduled to arrive at 9:00 to take us to LaGuardia, so we had plenty of time to enjoy one last breakfast (yes, I had Eggs Benedict – it has become a "thing" at this point) We enjoyed being able to take our time, but remained sensitive to the wait staff, knowing they're exceptionally busy on turnaround days. When we left the restaurant I gave my final poached egg report to my friend. I estimate that between the two of us we consumed no less than thirty poached eggs over the cruise. Of those thirty eggs only one had a gummy yolk, two were soft but not runny, and all the others were beautifully runny on the inside and nicely cooked on the outside – there were zero undercooked egg whites the entire trip. She promised that congratulations would be extended to the "poacher" and bid us a warm farewell.

On our last leg

We zipped through customs and immigration (made simple thanks to our minimal purchases) and were waiting at the curb by 8:50. Our driver called almost immediately to let me know he was in the queue and should be arriving in the pickup area soon. In less than five minutes he was loading our bags and we were on our way towards Manhattan, headed to Queens. With the light Sunday traffic we were checked in, through security, and sitting at our gate by 10:30. A smooth morning in every respect. Much to our surprise we encountered one of my co-workers and his family waiting for the same flight. They were just returning from a Norwegian cruise to Bermuda. Two of their four seats were across the aisle from us, multiplying the degree of coincidence in our meeting. We got a bit of a "grandkid" fix and his children had the opportunity to entertain two relative strangers. Between good conversation and a couple of charming and well-behaved youngsters the wait passed quickly.

18 November, 2024 

Re-entry. 

A day of laundry and unpacking. The return to daily life is always a letdown. No one to cook for us, no one to make the bed or mix the drinks. Meal decisions require more than selecting from a menu. The dogs and cat were pleased  that we were home. We were rewarded with a stunning sunset, which helped ease the pain. Now we turn our attention to the next adventure. Our river cruise will be the first time we've ever traveled with friends for anything more involved than a long weekend. We're excited, but admittedly a bit timid. My concerns are mitigated by the fact that we'll all be experiencing something new together.

November Sunset

Day 12 – At Sea

14 November, 2024

Overcast Morning

Today dawned gloomy, overcast, and in the parlance of those who grew up around the ocean, "A bit nautical." When we emerged from the cabin on our way to brunch our steward, Wayan, was standing with his service cart – an unusual state. Usually he would be in and out of rooms, cleaning and replacing towels.

Not this morning, he was figuratively twiddling his thumbs, waiting for something to do. It seems that the majority of his cabins were filled with people who weren't handling the sea conditions very well. 

Brunch was lightly attended, but far from deserted. My Eggs Benedict were spot-on, which was made even more impressive by the rocking of the boat. We were seated near a window, so we had a nice show. The waves were regularly rising above the level of the windows in the dining room. I tried several times to capture photos and video, but the best I was able to manage was a wet window. Another passenger did obtain a rather impressive video that I included below.

Angriness of the Seas

We were passing through a frontal zone consisting of the remains of a tropical system. It was primarily wind and waves, with a little rain mixed in on occasion. Walking around the ship wasn't a casual endeavor as the seas reached nearly 30 feet. The photo to the right was taken from the back window in Two70, deck 5. The crest of the wave on the right side of the frame is over my head.

The seas persisted into the evening, resulting in a light crowd in the dining room, and, to be honest, light crowds throughout the ship. The emesis bags were spread around generously; stairwells, elevators, counters along the open spaces – you could stand at one stack and see two others, one in each direction. They reminded me of the emergency call boxes on a college campus.

Fortunately we didn't witness anyone using an emesis bag, as that would have likely triggered an entire chain of sympathy pukers, which would not have been pleasant.

Movie Night!

Movie night by the pool was on the schedule later in the evening, but the weather precluded the possibility of that happening, so the movies were moved to Two70. I will say that watching a movie with cocktail service was pretty amazing, and the seats were much more comfortable than they would have been poolside. We came in on the tail end of the first movie and settled in to watch what may be my favorite Indiana Jones installment. We watched nearly all of the movie and enjoyed a couple of cocktails. Some freshly popped popcorn would have been the perfect addition, heck, just the aroma of fresh popcorn would have probably been enough since we had just finished dinner.

It wasn't quite as comfortable as being reclined at home on the couch, but the sound system left nothing to be desired and the video resolution was quite good. It was as close to a living room on steroids as I think anyone could imagine.

Just going to leave this here...

 

Photo found on Facebook

Days 10 & 11 - At Sea

12 November, 2024

In stark contrast to what was to come in less than 48 hours, Tuesday dawned clear, calm, and bright. 

You know the score on breakfast by this stage of the game. It had become as much entertainment as obsession, and the headwaiter now waited expectantly for my report on the egg poaching.

We had moved farther into the north Atlantic and the cooler temperatures drove even more people indoors, so Two70 was the most crowded we had seen it yet.

We participated tangentially with trivia, listened to the next installment of the Antarctic adventure, read, had a drink, nibbled on sandwiches, watched a movie, and listened to music.

We strolled around a little, spoke to the representative at NextCruise and checked out the rates and schedule for future "unusual" cruises (we've exhausted the rote Eastern/Western Caribbean itineraries over the years.) The trans-Atlantic experience is proving to be an amazing combination of activity and free time, so options along those lines are particularly appealing. Perhaps we reverse the trip and go back to Europe one spring?

13 November, 2024

Wednesday's weather was overcast, but generally good. Rumors were starting to circulate that the fontal system coming off the east coast of the United States was going to give us a bit of weather over the next couple of days.

After breakfast we were treated to some elevator music of the good variety. It takes up a bit of room, but it's much more entertaining than the piped-in, jazz-like, easy listening, instrumental-ized hits you hear when you're in the dentist chair. You get an actual musician, with a piano, in an elevator. I'm not sure if he plays Aerosmith or not...

The usual routine was punctuated by a cake decorating duel between our Captain, Per Kristopherson, and our Cruise Director, Steve "from Canada" Knisley.

Captain Per could easily work on the entertainment staff of most cruise ships. He's witty and affable, and by all reports from the crew he is also an excellent Captain to work for. He's not just a "handshake captain" who performs the perfunctory social duties required by his office, he makes smalltalk with passengers in the manner of a modern Captain Merrill Stubing.

Steve from Canada is just as exceptional as Captain Per. In all our cruises we've maybe had one CD who could even compare to Steve (from Canada.) Most cruise directors are heavy on being the entertainer, Steve (from Canada) puts the emphasis on taking care of the passengers and making sure they're having a good time. As he walks around in his signature (my term) Chuck Taylors he doesn't hold court or seek attention. He engages with passengers where they are instead of inviting them into his alternate universe. Steve (from Canada) is one of the older CDs we've ever had, and I think his world experience and comfort in his own skin is largely responsible for his down-to-earth persona. Steve (from Canada) gave a presentation covering his career path as well as the origin of his name. I don't know if this was just a "trans-Atlantic" filler presentation, or just one of his "things."

Steve (from Canada) is a Cruise Director that would make me choose one ship over another. I don't know of any stronger endorsement I can offer.

As far as their combined capacity for cake decorating, suffice it to say that neither of them should be considering a career change. However, the house was packed and everyone seemed to have fun (other than the crew left to clean up the mess!)

We booked a return trans-Atlantic for 2026, NY to Barcelona.

Day 9 – To New York! (But first, a detour?)

11 November, 2024

Our first sea day dawned smooth and bright, with nothing on the agenda other than dinner reservations at Wonderland. Continuing my streak for the cruise I had Eggs Benedict yet again, and the kitchen continued to impress. 

We passed the day in our usual fashion, staking out a space in Two70, which was exceptionally popular thanks to the cool temperatures on deck. When Channdy was busy elsewhere a quick trip over to the bar is all it took for Richard to fill our orders. With the café nearby we had plenty of snacks and warm beverages when needed.

Midafternoon the Captain made an announcement that a passenger and a crew member were in need to medical attention and we would be making a slight diversion to the Azores to meet their needs. He assured us that the change in plans would not have an impact on our projected arrival time in Bayonne at the end of the week.

As others have expressed before us, we were a bit reserved about what we would experience at Wonderland. As the name implies, the restaurant is themed on the story of Alice in Wonderland. The hostess wears a dress and styles her hair like Alice and the decor is playful with several nods to the Queen of Hearts. 

The menu is a blank picture frame that reveals its contents with the stroke of a water-dipped paintbrush. The silverware, drink ware, and serving pieces lean towards asymmetry and irregular shapes. While the meal format is nominally a prix-fixe consisting of a selection from each course, the wait staff will discuss your preferences and aversions and bring you a wide selection of  appetizers, with a second round of your favorite selections. After you finish your selected entree they'll deliver the benchmark dessert as well as any other dessert(s) that you may have a taste for.

The concept behind the food presentation is that things are not as they seem. Guacamole served in a cone that appears to be pistachio ice cream. Deviled eggs in a "nest" of noodles, and a red fruit with a green skin that's actually a hollowed-out lime stuffed with seafood salad.

The entrees are equally obfuscated and even more playful, each assembled to tell a story of it's own. As far as the execution of the dishes, we were floored. Before we were even served dessert we were in agreement that Wonderland was definitely an experience we would repeat. Several families were in the restaurant with us with children from about age 8 to 16, and they all appeared to be enjoying themselves. The service was exceptional, as is generally the case in the Royal Caribbean specialty dining venues.

Just before 22:00 the ship came to a stop and we looked out on Ponta Delgada, Azores. After a brief period a tender appeared and came alongside the ship. The patients were transferred after what I would assume to be a standard transfer of care handoff, assessment by the receiving providers, and appropriate immigration processing. Obviously no patient details were communicated, but the following afternoon the Captain did inform us that he had been told both patients were doing well and expected to make full recoveries.

Day 8 - Madeira

10 November, 2024

We were looking forward to visiting Maderia again. We visited during Carnivale in 2012 and our experience was limited due to the holiday. What we did experience we found intriguing, and it left us wanting for more. This visit was spectacular, and now we're contemplating a return in the future, when we can stay for several days and experience all the island has to offer.

Blandy's

Our first stop was Blandy's, repeating our first stop on the last trip. In the dozen years since we were here they've done a tremendous amount of work to the last section of the tour, organizing the historical components in a clear, more formal presentation. The overall narrative of the tour was more streamlined and cogent as well. If you have any interest in Maderia (the fortified wine) or the progression of business development on the island, I think it's well worth the price of entry. The aromas that drift through the warehouse as you walk among the barrels are heavenly. The pace is leisurely and there are options that make the route manageable for those who can only handle a limited number of steps. A tasting is also included, which is a nice way to conclude your visit. The museum does close for lunch, so check opening times before you show up.

Library of Parliament

After our tour we went in search of the stop for the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus. I purchased tickets online the day before, and learned on the morning of our arrival that a section of the route (where the stop was that we were trying to locate) had been temporarily modified due to road construction. Just as we were about to abandon hope and request a refund we stumbled across the stop and a bus arrived. After boarding, having our barcode scanned, and the driver printing out a CVS-worthy set of receipts, we were on our way.

When we disembarked the ship the skies were overcast and gloomy. By the time we boarded the bus they were mostly sunny, ideal conditions for sightseeing. Funchal offers a Red Route and a Blue Route, the Red Route is a bit shorter and provides more access options near the port in case you find yourself running short of time. 

Some of the audio ports on the bus may not work very well, so anticipate the possibility that you may need to move to another seat. The upper deck is superior for viewing, but can get a bit warm when the sun is intense. You'll travel throughout downtown Funchal, then up to one of the higher points in the city before looping along the coast where you'll see some impressive cliffs. There are ample opportunities to "Hop Off" and browse different areas, just check the timetable to plan your next "Hop On." We chose to stay on the bus the entire loop and enjoy the scenery.

If you're a football/soccer fan, keep your eye peeled as you approach the traffic circle where the road forks to go to the cruise pier and you'll see the home of international superstar and Funchal native Cristiano Ronaldo. Just down the street (towards downtown) you'll pass the CR7 monument and the CR7 museum. Our cab driver informed us that his mother lives in the house full-time and Ronaldo spends a significant portion of the off-season on the island.

By the end of our bus tour we were making notes of hotels, restaurants, and locations. I'm not sure when, or even if, we might come back for a longer stay, but the inspiration is certainly there to try and make it happen. We thoroughly enjoyed our last port of call and boarded the ship in eager anticipation of nearly a week at sea.

Day 7 – At Sea

 9 November, 2024

When planning the trip we looked for things to do to break up our sea days a bit. I picked a sushi making class and my wife chose cupcake decorating. I didn't fully contemplate what it would be like taking a sushi class at 10:00. My lack of foresight was further complicated by the fact that you're not allowed to take any of your sushi away from the class.

Sushi Prep

The class was well-attended, at least a dozen of us participated, and there were classes every sea day. A couple of days I walked past and there were about 20 people at the tables. Quite the popular activity, it seems.

The first order after you arrive and check in with the host is mandatory handwashing before you take a seat at a table. Each seat is prepped with all the supplies to make four different sushi items along with a pair of food service gloves and your very own Izumi Sushi Chef hat. Most of us didn't notice the hat until we were well into the class.

The chef leading the class was thorough  and entertaining. He didn't just give commands, he explained why it was important to do things a certain way and provided insight as to how the process evolved. He explained the components we were working with and how they were prepped for the class. All of this information was delivered with good humor and a few anecdotes. Questions were well received and there were other chefs roaming around providing assistance and direction for those who were stumbling.

(Most of the) Finished Product

The people in my immediate area were there to learn and enjoy. We exchanged pleasant banter and plenty of jokes, most of them heavy on puns and sarcasm. It was a regular buffet of Dad jokes.

We weren't allowed to use sharp knives, mostly due to the high risk of self-injury, so our rolls were placed on a marked plate and delivered to the sushi bar for cutting. The rolls were arranged, garnishes added, and our shrimp tempura rolls dressed with sauce before our plates were returned to us for consumption. My California Hand-Roll is missing from the finished product photo because it had already been eaten.

I've been eating sushi on a regular basis for almost 40 years, much of that at the bar watching the chef create deliciousness from his store of ingredients. This was my first time making sushi, but I had a pretty good idea of how to assemble the components and knew exactly what the finished product should look like.

Things I learned;

• Making nigiri requires a deft touch. Getting the proper level of force while being delicate is obviously something learned over months and years of repetition.
• Making hand rolls is deceptively difficult. The smooth, yet awkward, motion of the chef's hands and arms is a deliberate and practiced ballet.
• Regular rolls take less rice than you think, and getting the proper shape takes effort.

In other words, my appreciation for the skills demonstrated by a sushi chef increased significantly.

As we sat and consumed the fruits of our labors our "diplomas" were distributed and the chef warned us that we should be on standby in case any of the chefs weren't able to work their shift for the rest of the cruise. 😂

My wife reported less satisfying results from her cupcake decorating class. She said it was more of a fondant assembly exercise than actual decorating. She said next time she'd like to do the sushi class and would not bother with the decorating class in the future.

The rest of the day consisted of our usual sea-day agenda. A Dan Burton was presenting one of the enrichment lectures. He is the first person to ever ride a bicycle to the South Pole. His presentation spanned several days and included a rather complete history of the early expeditions to Antarctica, many of which were complete disasters. He wrote a book, if you're interested. (not a monetized link) Team trivia was beginning to heat up, and we developed a strategy for the next time we take a trans-ocean cruise. 

It was a wonderful day.

Day 6 – Malaga & Strait of Gibraltar

8 November, 2024

Not a day we specifically chose to stay on the ship, but a lack of compelling tours of an appropriate activity level led us to enjoy the ship. We started with a leisurely breakfast (I maintained my streak, and the poached egg master in the kitchen also maintained theirs.) Then it was back to the cabin to collect our things and find a spot to hang out for a while.

We started in the Solarium, which was comfortable for a while but became a bit stuffy as the clouds opened up. In general we're not overly fond of the forward Solarium placement on the Quantum class ships due to the humidity and chlorine intensity. On the Radiance class ships, with an aft placement, the open roof generates a healthy airflow and temperatures tend to be moderate even when the roof is open on cool days. The only time we've seen the solarium closed on Radiance class ships is during rainy weather.

After some time in the Solarium we packed up and retreated to Two70, which was much more comfortable. I did my best to deplete the coffee supply and tried desperately to avoid the cookies, but succumbed to temptation a couple of times (only one cookie at a time, even though I wanted many more.)

Gibraltar

We wandered up to the Windjammer for lunch which was lightly utilized on a port day. We hung out for a while, enjoying the different view and easy access to soda, as well as the easy access to additional snacks. Eventually we made our way back to Two70, continuing our reading/knitting/movie/music enjoyment. Never underestimate the value of a good set of earbuds or earphones when you're on vacation. They're nice to have for more than the journey to and from your destination.

We had dinner reservations at Giovanni's Kitchen, a more relaxed incarnation of the original RCCL Italian specialty dining venue, Giovanni's Table. The menu is simplified, with the addition of several pizza options and an expanded appetizer offering. Our server, Sanjay, helped us navigate the unfamiliar menu and supplied just enough energy to make the experience fun without ever giving the impression that he was trying too hard. Our dinner was excellent and the portions were ample to the point that we couldn't finish everything they served. The next time we're on Odyssey we'll probably visit more than once and, hopefully, we'll see Sanjay again.

Later in the evening we claimed a spot on Deck 14 to watch our passage through the Strait of Gibraltar. The weather was a bit foggy, so photos were challenging, but being able to clearly see Europe on one side of the ship and Africa on the other side was one of those unexpected "Wow" moments that hit you out of nowhere.

Africa

Day 5 – Cartagena

7 November, 2024

After the heat and walking in Mallorca we opted to stay on the ship for a day of relaxation. I slept solidly thanks to the exertion, so I was up early. I made my way to the dining room for (SURPRISE!) Eggs Benedict, which were perfectly poached – yet again. After finishing breakfast and fueling up on coffee I decided to check the conditions in the Solarium. The temperature was comfortable and the chlorine was manageable, so I claimed a seat at the bar and started the day with a Bloody Mary and opened up my iPad for some reading. 

A few (who's counting?) Bloody Mary's later I moved to the Windjammer and had a bit of lunch. My days of ravaging a buffet are long gone, I'm more of a judicious sampler these days, but despite the variety of food available, the hamburgers were calling my name for reasons unexplained. After lunch I popped back to the room to check on Lourie, who was still in recovery mode. Damn psoriatic arthritis to hell. I dropped off my iPad, swapped my Birkenstocks for sneakers, and decided to go explore the pier. There was a monument on Google Maps and I was intrigued.

Cartagena

Juan Sebastián Elcano Monument

The monument is a metal sculpture honoring Juan Sebastián Elcano, perhaps one of the least known explorers of all time. He was a member of the Magellan expedition that set out to circumnavigate the globe. After the death of Magellan and the deaths of several others who were elevated to leader of the expedition along the way, Elcano was the Captain at the completion of the journey. He was one of only18 members of the original 230+ participants who returned to Seville over three years after their departure.

Elcano's life wasn't well documented, so much of his involvement (or alleged involvement) is clouded in controversy. It is known that he died of scurvy in the Pacific while on an expedition to the Spice Islands at the behest of King Charles I of Spain.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent lounging in Two70, fruity drink at the ready. Movies, reading, music, and relaxation. No concerns about being back on board in time for departure – the only worry I had was what to order for my next drink. Mai Tai? Painkiller? Planter's Punch? But I didn't have to worry much, "our" cocktail waiter, Channdy, was always ready with a tasty suggestion.