"Child's Age At Time of Travel". . . Nostalgic

You know that part of the Disney Cruise Line website where you get to "Find a Cruise" and after you select your destination, time of travel, length of cruise, departure port, ship, and then enter in details about the number of adults and children in your travel party along with "Child's Age At Time of Travel"?  Well, every time that drop down menu appears, it makes me think of all the cruises we have experienced as a family and how time is running out for us to experience more with the boy considered a "child."  The next time we sail, the boy will be 13!  Yikes--only a few more ages on that darn drop down menu left until he is considered an adult!

The first time we sailed the boy was 4.  We already had one trip to Walt Disney World under our belts and had actually booked the cruise first to celebrate the husband's 40th birthday.  Once we knew we were going on a Disney Cruise it only made sense to take a trip to Walt Disney World first.  (Don't you just love Disney logic!)

For our second Disney Cruise, the boy was 5 1/2.  We sailed on the Disney Magic out of L.A. and it was our first seven night voyage.  We bought photos from Shutter's this trip AND booked our next cruise while on board--correcting two things we had regretted from our first cruise.

Disney Cruise number 3 was over New Year's and the boy had just turned 7.  It was another great week on board the Disney Magic.  We rebooked on board for our next sailing!  While there was a Pirate Night, the fireworks were saved for New Year's Eve and there were many new and interesting characters out for New Year's.  We spend the first day of the new year at Castaway Cay!

Our 4th Disney Cruise was onboard the Disney Dream!  It was our first 5 night sailing, our first "double dip" cruise with two stops at Castaway Cay, and the first time we combined a cruise with a visit to Walt Disney World.  The boy was 8 1/2.  We parasailed on Castaway Cay and kissed some sea lions at Blue Lagoon while in Nassau.  Oh, and we rebooked our next cruise while onboard!

Cruise number 5 was also on the Disney Dream--over Christmas!  The boy had just turned 10.  He was picked, okay he lobbied to be picked, to be the Holiday Prince of the Sea and got to usher in the holidays in a ceremony in the Lobby Atrium.  This was the first time we stayed on board while the ship was in port.  We spent three days at Walt Disney World after we disembarked the ship.  And, we booked our next cruise while sailing!

Which brings us to Disney Cruise number 6 and our most recent sailing.  The boy was 11 1/2 and enjoyed the tween club--Edge--immensely.  This was our first time sailing on the Disney Fantasy and our first time going to Jamaica.  We also combined this trip with a week at Walt Disney World and a day at Universal Orlando.  And, yes, we booked our next cruise while on board!

We have had so many great memories as a family on Disney Cruise Line vacations in seven years.  And, the time has flown by!  See what I mean about the time running out?