Virtual Maiden Voyage – Day Four
DISNEY FANTASY VIRTUAL MAIDEN VOYAGE – DAY FOUR
Location: Cozumel, Mexico
Sunrise: 6:39am Sunset: 7:03pm
All Ashore: Approximately 9:30am
All Aboard: 6:15pm
Evening Attire: Pirate/Cruise Casual
Dinner menus:
Animator’s Palate: Pirate
Enchanted Garden: Pirate
Royal Court: French Pirate
Our dining rotation: AERAERA Table: 20 Dinner: Second seating (8:15pm)
(On Disney Cruise Line, you “rotate” to one of three different “main dining” restaurants each evening. You have the same table number and waiters at each and a different theme nightly)
Drink of the day: Pirate’s Treasure (Alcoholic) and Princess Delight (Non-Alcoholic)
Walt Disney Theatre entertainment: MOVIE: John Carter (5:15pm & 8:15pm)
Character Meet & Greets today: Captain Hook & Smee, Captain Jack Sparrow, Chip & Dale, Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy, Jake the Neverland Pirate, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse
ABOUT THIS PORT – COZUMEL, MEXICO
Enchantment abounds in an island city off the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Local Culture and Flavor
Cozumel is approximately 30 miles long and 9 miles wide, with a population of about 175,000. Life on the island itself is rich in Mayan and Mexican culture. The majority of Cozumel residents live in San Miguel, leaving the rest of the island largely untouched and covered in lush vegetation. Heavily dependent on its thriving tourist trade, Cozumel holds irresistible attractions for vacationers interested in bargain shopping, island life, leisure, water sports and archaeological curiosities. The famous Pre-Columbian Xelha Mayan ruins are a perennial draw, and a unique place to visit for a taste of the island’s ancient history.
Past and Present
The site of an old civilization indeed, Cozumel was settled by Mayans by the first century AD. They considered the site sacred to the Moon Goddess, Ixchel. The Spanish arrived at the island in 1518 and it became an outpost for pirates until 1848, when warfare in the Yucatan drove refugees to settle there. A boom in visitors occurred after 1959, when the famed Jacques Cousteau publicized Cozumel’s coral reefs as among the best in the world for scuba diving. Today, Guests of Disney Cruise Line can let their imaginations take flight in the island the Mayans named Cozumel, also known as the “Island of the Swallows,” so long ago.
Things to See and Do
Cozumel is known for some of the world’s healthiest coral reefs and rarest natural recreation. Though a vast array of recreation options can be found all over the island, scuba diving and snorkeling remain the main attractions for visitors who flock to take advantage of this island in the Caribbean Sea’s natural geography.
Cozumel encloses and protects 20 miles of coral reef and all of its sea life. The Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park was established by the government in 1996 to further protect the health of the precious reefs, and is a wonderful place for families to spend an afternoon. Tourists who choose to partake in activities further from the beach and the lagoons have a world of dining adventures and sightseeing excursions to select from. The small island boasts over 100 restaurants and numerous sites of archaeological importance, including the ruins of a Mayan civilization dating back to before 1000 AD. Explore those ruins, discover the broad extent of the island’s natural beauty, shop for amazing bargains at one of the world’s best duty-free ports and enjoy water sports in a breathtaking setting like no other.
Shopping
Cozumel is the leading port in Mexico for jewelry—especially silver. Bring a magnet if you’re planning to purchase silver from street vendors. If the jewelry is attracted to the magnet, it is not real silver. Shop up a storm at the duty-free Port Shopping District! Consider bargains on diamonds, colored gemstones, jewelry, watches, gold, sterling silver and even Oriental rugs, as well as Mexican house wares and handicrafts.
Museo de Cozumel
The history of Cozumel is on fascinating display at this museum. Discover exhibits on the island’s origins and learn about endangered species and coral reef ecology. Young visitors will delight at Mayan artifacts, conquistador’s swords, cannons and remarkable maritime instruments.
Playa San Francisco Beach
One of the island’s best beaches is located just 10 miles south of the town center. Enjoy fantastic diving, snorkeling and other water sports—and don’t miss the fine array of nearby restaurants and bars!
Here are the highlights from today’s Personal Navigator:
Tonight is Pirate night, and although we will be in Animator’s Palate, each restaurant will enjoy the following menu:
Pirate night is another Disney Cruise Line exclusive and something that you will experience on almost every single voyage, no matter which of the four ships you’re on. Pirate night begins with a pirate-themed dinner (as you can see from the menu) and the character meet-and-greets are all pirate-themed.
The evening is capped off by the “Pirates IN the Caribbean Deck Party” where the entire ship gathers to dance and celebrate all things pirate.
And if a fun deck party isn’t enough, the finale is another Disney Cruise Line exclusive: a fireworks show! They’re the only cruise line with fireworks on almost every voyage. (They do not offer the fireworks in Alaska and certain European ports, but this night is replaced by a specially themed show on those itineraries.)
Tomorrow, we’ll visit our third port – Costa Maya, Mexico. We’ll also take a look at one of the ship’s coolest features – the AquaDuck. Until we meet again, a virtual “good night” from onboard Disney Fantasy.
