There was an air of excitement from the moment we boarded. The party was in full swing when we arrived on deck. Little boys danced with their grandmothers and little princesses shook their booty with Grandpa. This ship was rockin' with families of all ages boppin' to the music; it was hot. It had to be the pixie dust, because everyone was energized. If that was the first hour on board the Disney Cruise Ship Wonder, we wondered what else was in store.

Wonder's Captain Henry, a sea captain from Finland with twenty-four years on the high seas, summed it up: "We make people happy, that's our business. This is a happy place regardless of age."

Disney went into the cruising business, according to Captain Henry as "a spin-off of Walt Disney's love of the sea," and he pointed out that one of Disney's first animations was "Tugboat Willy".

Coming from a long line of sea captains, Captain Henry knew from the age of five that he wanted to be a sea captain. He is very proud of his ship, citing that the 965 crew members come from 55 nations. The design of the ship is also a source of pride. The Normandy, the Queen Mary, the Ille de France and the Queen Elizabeth have all inspired the classic design of the Disney Wonder. The exterior of the ship even has giant red funnels, over-sized port holes and the horn blows "When you wish upon a star." Inside, special attention is paid to authentic art deco design elements, color and fabrics reminiscent of that period.

We knew anything Disney would be a great vacation for kids, but surprisingly, it's also a great vacation for adults.

Separate Spaces
One reason is separate activities, and the other is peace of mind. Not only are there age-appropriate activity stations for the kids, but parents are given a pager when they drop their children off -- security so 
parents are never out of range of their children.

The Stack gives the teenagers their own space where they have music, DVDs, an Internet Café, dance parties, sports and learning programs such as video photography. In the Oceaneer's Lab, kids find lab stations that are hands-on. They can fiddle with scientific gizmos, learn Disney animation, produce a radio show with sound effects and voice-overs and push buttons to their heart's content. Dancing with Cinderella is a true Disney moment that wee little ones will never forget when they join in the fun at the Oceaneer's Club. They make tough decisions; should I dress up as Peter Pan or Snow White today. Maybe Belle will read her biography of Beauty and the Beast to them. The Oceaneer's Club is a place where Disney characters come alive.

We came to regard the elevator as the pleasure barometer: everyone was smiling, all the time. There was a light, care-free feeling in the air. A passenger remarked "everyone's so happy," and another noted that "they should rename the ship the Goodship Lollipop." It was uncanny; no crying kids, no exasperated parents. Just ear-to-ear grins everywhere. This is a chance for grown-ups to be kids again.

Adults Only
Adults can enjoy the "adults only" pool or the "family pool", but not the "teen pool" (no adults allowed). You can rock, karaoke, or croon the night away in the many different clubs and lounges or join a 70's disco party where the John Travolta competition got fierce. If you're feeling a bit mellow, relax at the Promenade Lounge listening to Jimmy Buffet songs or join one of the Enrichment Series: Behind- the- Scenes, Navigation, or the Art of Entertaining. While one parent is at the Wild World of Sports, the other can relax and select from sixteen unique spa treatments in the Vista Spa & Salon after a good work out or yoga classes. Take the whole family to a first run movie, see the show Hercules and don't miss "the most technologically advanced stage show at sea, The Golden Mickeys.

Dining
Rotation dining is the approach for guests to experience the three fine restaurants on board, each serving its own distinctive cuisine in an unique atmosphere. Each evening we tried a different restaurant, but our dining partners and the wait staff remained the same. Animator's Palate had a unique graphic décor. Its classic black and white interior with Roman pillars and white torches change color as each course is served while images of Disney animations appear on the wall. We dined at Parrot Cay (pronounced key), which has the festive appearance and flavor of the Caribbean islands. As an unexpected surprise, Captain Hook was seen cruising the room at breakfast snitching bagels with his hook. Triton's is fine French restaurant specializing in seafood with an atmosphere created by Disney's The Little Mermaid. For the more sophisticated palate, Palo's offers Italian fare in a romantic ambiance exclusively for adults.

Exploring Nassau
We had one full day and we planned to fill it up with fun. Neil, from Virginia, said, "there's so much to do, I don't even want to get off the ship. But my daughter wants to get her hair braided". Hair braiding, an essential for girls of all ages, is the first tourist attraction off the ship. We decided to go shopping in the glam stores that lined the main street and found them totally pricey. Instead, we went to the Straw Market. Rows of women were gossiping while quickly embroidering straw bags, a skill taught to them by their mothers.

In order to see the native Nassau, away from the troops of tourists, we hopped local bus #10 for a dollar and went for a ride. We disembarked at Ardastra Gardens, Zoo & Conservation Centre, the only zoo in the Bahamas. A flock of flamingoes trotted across our path and we followed them to their theatre. Their trainer, Joseph Louissant, arrived escorting them into their circular stage and the show began. Shouting commands, the trainer sounded like a sergeant at boot camp, "Hup, right! Hup, left! About face! March 2-3-4". Most of the herd of pink- feathered birds followed the orders, but a few appeared confused and comically turned the wrong way.

Many of the animals here are indigenous to the Bahamas and are critically endangered, including the Bahama Parrot. Right on time for the parrot feeding, we stepped into the fenced- in area, where we were given apple pieces to hold in our outstretched hands. Brightly colored kamikaze parrots zoomed in, landing on heads, arms, shoulders, wherever, to grab a bite of the apple and three birds on an arm --is heavy. After we fed the birds, it was time to feed ourselves.

Bahamian Cuisine
Near the zoo is the Fish Fry, which is a complex of restaurants serving Bahamian food to the locals. We followed the crowd to the Big #10 Cafe to try the local specialties. We feasted on the killer conch salad and the guava duff desert. What a great day! But it's not over yet. There was enough time to explore Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island or return to the ship.

Castaway Cay
It comes as no surprise that Disney has its own island, but it's a lot bigger than one might expect. We headed straight for Cookie's Barbeque, and then stretched out on a beach hammock under swaying palm trees by the lovely lagoon. It was a Jimmy Buffet kind of experience. Families were bike riding, kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, exploring a sunken ship, hiking or doing absolutely nothing but sipping pina coladas. It was a positively perfect day: flawless blue skies over a sparkling turquoise water, soft sand and more fun things to do than there was time to do them.

Tailored for Every Family Member
This was a winter holiday cruise and we met many friendly, happy families celebrating Christmas or Chanukah -- the cruise in lieu of presents. For the Shertzinger family, the cruise was a Christmas gift from the father-in-law. He was so excited that he e-mailed them the Disney newsletter, a count-down of the days till the cruise and a daily weather report. Plus they all got Disney t-shirts with the family name on them.

Two sisters, Emily, a 22 year old Marine and Laura, 19 were celebrating Emily's return from the war in Iraq and "chose a Disney Cruise because they knew it would be fun". They were so right.

Mrs. Levitan celebrated her 80th birthday and Chanukah with twenty-seven members of her family. They even brought their own rabbi, her nephew, to light the menorah.

In honor of their 50th anniversary, Joyce and Howard Rice brought seventeen of their family, from ages 4-19, with them. When asked why they chose a Disney Cruise, she answered, "Because there's something for everyone".

We did hear a few complaints at the end of the cruise. "Going down" the elevator was silent and there was a cloud of gloom that was palpable: no smiles. "It's over", said one passenger. "Back to reality," said another. "I already signed up for next year with a 10% discount," piped a third.

The three-night cruise was a short overview that whetted the appetite. Mickey Mouse has been Disney's signature since its inception, but Fun is Disney's character. When it comes to cruises, this was the fairest ship of all.

Award winning journalist, Karen Hamlin is a native New Englander who has just moved to the Sarasota area. She is the travel editor for City & Suburban Magazine and also published in the Springfield Union, The Sun, Travel World International, Experience Travel and Senior Travel. Among Karen’s professional interests are mature travel, cruises, beaches and cultural/historical destinations. Karen is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and the International Food and Travel Writers Association.

Author and TV personality Michelle Newman appears on HGTV, PBS and the Discovery Channel as a regular guest teaching her innovative and skillful design techniques. Michelle, who was raised in Miami Beach and resides in San Antonio, is nationally recognized in the arts and crafts industry. She is the co-author of Handpainting Fabric: Easy, Elegant Techniques. Her work is frequently featured in national art and design publications including Belle Armoire, Women’s Day, and Better Homes and Gardens.

Combining their talents of artistic imagination and writing experience, Karen and Michelle write a fun and upbeat Crusin’ & Schmoozin’ column tailored to the Over Fifty Society of Explorers (OFSE).

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