Staci and I/UPDATED with pics 10/08

[Hsminnie]

Seems the second half of 2008 will be quite the travel time for my family and I. I've posted a full size pre trip report here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1858002 but wanted to put the cruise portion in it's proper place.

It's just us girls for DCL:

Me :yay: 40, entirely too excited
Staci, :tigger: 13, seems pretty psyched herself

This is a family tradition we began as each daughter enters her teen years. I take them on a small trip and we bond and talk about their father's and my rules about dating, etc. DD1 picked WDW for her trip (she was raised right) but Staci just wanted a cruise. I snuck the DCL in on her but she is very excited about it now too.

There's a great big long story about why and how but we finally ended up on the August 7, 2008 3-night cruise on the Wonder to the Bahamas. Our cabin is 7620 which is apparently fabulous because it used to be a cat 5 (6?) but it was downgraded due to a slight obstruction in the view so it's like getting an upgrade.?.? I have no idea but that's what the folks on wdwinfo.com say and I choose to get excited and believe them all :)

I had my TA (Keri from MouseFan Travel) order a bon voyage tray for us with petit fours, chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling wine. Staci gets Coke, but she'll love it anyway. I am seriously considering ordering a basket from the lady with the fabulous reputation whose name I cannot remember right now. I need to call her.

We are flying in the 7th. :scared1: I know, but believe me when I tell you it is entirely UNavoidable. I am freaked but it is what it is so please pray (or whatever) that we get to the boat before 4pm. One failsafe is that we are using DCL transport from the airport. As long as our plane gets us to MCO on time we will make the ship. Of course, we were able to fly home the day AFTER the cruise. :confused: Go figure.

I'm trying to gather information to get Staci excited for the trip. The "Pirate Night" helped a lot. I actually have her considering a costume. I went as Little Red Riding Hood to a Halloween party last year and, without the cape, the dress looks like a pirate wench. (Not as slutty as it sounds. Just 'themey') She said it was hot, it is cheaply made like all such things, but she might go ahead since we will be outside a lot. We'll see. Wish me luck. :) Worst case scenario we have black bandanas with neon pink and green skulls on them. :)

I've bought character shirts and a Disney "Hawaiin" dress for myself but 1 Eeyore shirt is all I could get Staci to go for. She does love WDW and such fun, she just doesn't go as crazy as her sister and I. :cool1:

As of now we don't plan to leave the ship in Nassau. I've had several recommendations for things to do, but I just cannot handle the idea of negotiating the taxi drivers or trying to ride the local bus. I know it's unreasonable but there it is. Since I didn't see an excursion I liked (we did dolphins here in 2001) we'll pass and relax onboard. Of course we will get off at Castaway Cay and have a ball I am certain!!! :cool1:

So there you have it, to be followed by as detailed a trip report as I remember to journal :) IF I figure out how to post pics I will add those too.

[Mozart]

As of now we don't plan to leave the ship in Nassau. I've had several recommendations for things to do, but I just cannot handle the idea of negotiating the taxi drivers or trying to ride the local bus. I know it's unreasonable but there it is. Since I didn't see an excursion I liked (we did dolphins here in 2001) we'll pass and relax onboard.

If nothing else, I would consider taking an hour or two and doing some shopping on the main road in Nassau. It's only a couple of minute walk from the ship and would give dd exposure to something she may not be able to see again. Just a little window-shopping.

[disneyfaninaz]

You will love the cabin. It is the same as other verandah cabins but with a slight overhang from the contour of the ship. Not noticieable at all while sitting on the verandah watching the ocean go by and you paid less than the people next to you with the same view.

[Hsminnie]

Slight change but for the best. We have been trying to figure a way to change our flight from the 7th to the 6th and some extra funds have now made it possible!!! We switched from United to Southwest and now have nonstop flights from CMH to MCO! :)

We will arrive at 8:35am on the 6th. Since I have an annual pass and it will just mean a ticket for Staci, I think we will go ahead and hit MK that day. I think we can leave our luggage at the hotel and go on. Hopefully we will be in the park by 11am.

Looks like we will stay at the CBR the 6th and a value resort on the 10th.

This gives me so much more peace of mind. If our flight is delayed now all we have to worry about is missing the day at MK!

Any idea when the DCL bus can be expected to drop us at our resort on the 10th? Are there several buses? For that matter, when do they get us to the port? :)

Thanks!!

[disneyfaninaz]

The times vary for each resort, but you should be picked up between 11:30 and 12:30 from your resort and get to port between 1:00 and 2:00.

The busses start leaving port by at least 8:00 AM so depending on how quickly you get off of the ship and through customs, you should be back at WDW by late morning.

[Hsminnie]

Thanks for the help and advice guys!! :)

I did decide to go ahead and book a tour in Nassau. It's called Blackbeard's Cay Stingray & Beach Adventure. Sounds like a nice relaxing day and Staci will love the stingrays. The only thing I'm not sure about is being stuck out there the whole time. What if we get bored? What if we get overheated? What if I end up a lobster by 11am? Well, it's booked and I suppose I can always talk myself out of it. But I really think Staci will go nuts about the stingrays. (What IS the plural for stingray? Stingrays? Stingri? Stingray?)

Since we are going to MK on the 6th I am now trying to procure ADR's. Or, that is to say, I am having Keri, the WORLD'S best TA from MouseFan Travel, procure them for me. She rocks!!

We have to go to the Crystal Palace..........it's a family tradition plus Staci is part Tigger. I promise. :yay:

As for dinner, I haven't decided yet. Maybe a late one at the Plaza and try to see Wishes from the terrace? I'll get back to you! :)

[Disney Brat]

I followed your link in you TR!! I definalty want to hear all about your cruise!!

[tink1957]

I also followed you from your TR & can't wait to read about your plans. We are considering a Disney cruise for 2009 in honor of my DD's college graduation & it will be nice to hear a first hand account. Thanks for sharing.

[lazydoxy66]

I want to know everything about this cruise. Who knows, maybe I and DH will do one some day. I've only seen it on the Travel Channel. Take lots of pictures! The excursion at Blackbeard's Cay sounds fun! Wow, you'll be leaving in 2 weeks - do you have everything ready?

[Hsminnie]

I want to know everything about this cruise. Who knows, maybe I and DH will do one some day. I've only seen it on the Travel Channel. Take lots of pictures! The excursion at Blackbeard's Cay sounds fun! Wow, you'll be leaving in 2 weeks - do you have everything ready?

:rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:

Oh, were you serious? :) I pack the night before. I'm a nightmare!! I did have a good list to pack from when we went to WDW last week and that helped a lot. I'll find one for the cruise too. I always tell myself I'm going on vacation, not to the end of the world.....I can always find anything I've forgotten in a shop. Since they won't let Staci into Palo (grumble grumble) I don't need super fancy clothes and everything else is replaceable.

The big fun is that we leave for church camp Saturday. We get back the 2nd!!!!! :scared1: Can I get a 'EEK'?? :) Laundry, laundry and more laundry. Oh well, it will certainly make the time go!! :)

Can someone teach me how to quote more than one person in the same reply?

[lazydoxy66]

See the icons at the bottom right, to the right of the Quote button, hover over that next icon with your pointer you will see it is for multi-quote. You just click that on every post you want to quote. Then just click post reply and they will all display with [brackets] in your reply box. Be careful about deleting some of the quote, the brackets and the word [QUOTE] at the beginning and the end have to be left for it to display correctly. You need to make sure you type your response after the [QUOTE] at the end. I always use preview post to see if it looks right.
Hope this helps.

[Hsminnie]

Can someone teach me how to quote more than one person in the same reply?

Apparently someone can :)

See the icons at the bottom right, to the right of the Quote button, hover over that next icon with your pointer you will see it is for multi-quote. You just click that on every post you want to quote. Then just click post reply and they will all display with [brackets] in your reply box. Be careful about deleting some of the quote, the brackets and the word at the beginning and the end have to be left for it to display correctly. You need to make sure you type your response after the at the end. I always use preview post to see if it looks right.
Hope this helps.

Thanks lazydoxy66......You're the best!!! :)

[Hsminnie]

So much for relaxing in WDW before and after the cruise! :sad1:

DH has a last minute business trip to Denver the week of the 3rd. He was going to go down that week, fly home for a week then go back for 2 more. Problem is, the Democratic National Convention is being held there the last week he would be there and literally no room is available anywhere around Denver. Since he will have to go for 2 weeks now that leaves my 16 year old at home with her 7 year old sister and 2 small labrador puppies. (1 is 5 months and 1 is 9 weeks.) I can't do it for 6 days. So, we got a very early flight into MCO on the 7th and an afternoon flight out on the 10th. I do not like traveling on cruise days but it can't be helped.

Bleck. But, I almost had to scrap the cruise altogether so this is better! :)

[lazydoxy66]

That's a bummer. I'm sure it will be a great adventure anyway.
I want to see some pics of those pups!!!!:dog2: :dog:

[Hsminnie]

That's a bummer. I'm sure it will be a great adventure anyway.
I want to see some pics of those pups!!!!:dog2: :dog:

I'll try to remember tomorrow. My girl, Ellie, is beautiful. She's a yellow and has gorgeous red tones on her back. Buckeye, DH's pup, is coming in from KS in the a.m. :) They're going to get him at 11:45 and the kids can't wait. He's a red. Technically, according to AKC, he's still yellow but they will hopefully recognize the red as a valid color of it's own soon. These aren't show dogs so it doesn't bother us, but they are an established color.

We are considering breeding them later on. It seems like a LOT of work though. Of course, my baby will be 9 or 10 by then so we'll see.

[lazydoxy66]

:surfweb: :bored:

[Hsminnie]

:surfweb: :bored:

Look you with the yoyo smiley guy!! :rotfl2:

We went to church camp and literally got home a few hours ago. Bob has been working with the pups all wekks and they are hysterical!!!!

We're going to Cedar Point Monday but I'll try to get pics posted before. I'm up to my ears in laundry just now!! :laundy:

[lazydoxy66]

OOOOOO, Cedar Point - I loved that place. :banana: I've only been once but it was a blast. As the matter of fact, that is where my DH proposed to me. Should we have gone there for our anniversary instead of WDW? Nah. We'll get there again. I guess I'll have to let you know when!!!!:upsidedow

Have a great time!!!

[LITTLEKID58]

TFS have a great time

[Hsminnie]

OOOOOO, Cedar Point - I loved that place. :banana: I've only been once but it was a blast. As the matter of fact, that is where my DH proposed to me. Should we have gone there for our anniversary instead of WDW? Nah. We'll get there again. I guess I'll have to let you know when!!!!:upsidedow

Have a great time!!!

VERY COOL!!!! But no, Cedar Point is NOT WDW!!! :)

Here you are:

This is Buckeye Red. He's 9 weeks old

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/100_0482.jpg

Here is him with Ellie (Gram Adele) and she is 5 1/2 months

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/100_0483.jpg

One more shot

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/100_0484.jpg

[lazydoxy66]

What a cute face!!!! I bet they are running around crazy right now. Dogs are so much fun!

[Hsminnie]

What a cute face!!!! I bet they are running around crazy right now. Dogs are so much fun!


Tell the 16 year old!! She babysat while we were gone!! :scared1:



Well, we're home and it was wonderful. The Disney difference was present at every turn and we really enjoyed ourselves. We relaxed, played BINGO and took in some shows. We went to the beach on Castaway Cay and spent the day exploring the ship in Nassau. We definitely used our verandah and are now thoroughly spoiled.

The following is a purely subjective evaluation of services on board. You do not need to agree, but here they are.

1. The decor is beautiful. I'm not a fan of the standard garish cruise upholstery in general but the carpet, wall paper and other fabrics worked. It too was garish compared to what you would put in your own living room, but it blended well and was fairly easy on the eyes.

2. I did not eat in Palo. Having said that, the food was ok excepting the veal I had in Animator's Palate the last night. It was 5 star. Our dishes were not poor or even average, but they were not outstanding. I would say 3 star. The one actual disappointment was the breakfast hash brown. Literally a large McDonald's type potato cake. Grease and all. Ick. Everything else but the veal was good, but just good.

3. Service was outstanding. For the first time I tipped a Head Server. He clearly knew who we were and made a point of speaking to us at each meal. He had information regarding different things giong on around the ship and also debarkation. He was wonderful. Our other servers and stateroom host were great as well.

4. While I understand there are reasons for each of these rules, let me just say it would have been nice if my daughter and I could have enjoyed certain spa services and the coffee bar together.

5. BINGO has been reduced to an electronic handset and we love it!! We were junkies and went to almost every session. :) Very sad.

6. I would have loved more shopping and a bigger variety of merchandise. It may not be practical, but I would like to see more shops.

We had a blast and, IF I can find a deal, we would cruie with Disney again. But, it wasn't worth paying twice what other lines charge which is generally the case.

[Disney Brat]

Sounds like such a wonderful time! Any chance of some pics?? Your dogs are so sweet!!

[lazydoxy66]

Yeah, need some pics. So overall it was a good trip, just not the same as WDW. I think we get spoiled, don't we?! So what did your DD think?

[Hsminnie]

Ok, I found the camera which means I found the pics but now I can't find the stinkin cord that will get the pics from the camera to the STINKIN COMPUTER!!!! I promise to get one so I can complete this TR before I start the next trip which is in 25 days.

I am so lame. It drives me nuts when people leave me hangin' on a trippie! :sad2:

[Hsminnie]

I realized too late that my sort of fake 'trip' report was pretty lame. But honestly, we just sort of wandered around, rested, shopped, ate, drank and played bingo in no particular order. So here are the pics.....the ones that came out. We had a blast!! Stacy more than me cause she isn't as into WDW as the rest of us and the 'tastes' of Disney were enough for her.

Here she is at the 'bus stop' in the parking lot at the airport. She MADE me take this ridiculous picture because she said it began her vacation!! :sad2:

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0486.jpg


Below are some pictures of the decor. They don't do the fixtures justice but here they are just the same.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0488.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0492.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0516.jpg

Here's TP2 ready for the lifeboat drill. Having been through a few of these I can say Disney did it well!! Very efficient!

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0493.jpg

[Hsminnie]

Here is Staci with our new best friend..........the electronic BINGO card. Sad how much time we spent with him. :sad2: :) Thank goodness we won enough money to break even for the cruise.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0495.jpg

Here are some other winnings: BINGO ball key chain and lip balm. I think she won this 3 times!! :)

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0497.jpg

FOOD PORN!!!!

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0491.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0548.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0554.jpg

LOL!! :)

[Hsminnie]

And now................our favorite passtime!!! Drinking!!!! :rotfl2:

(Yes, she is 13 and everything she has is virgin :) )

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0507.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0509.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0510.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0544.jpg


Staci with Minnie, obviously

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0526.jpg

A dip in the ocean at Castaway Cay

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0543.jpg

Sorry the pics suck.


We really did have a blast and I promise to be in better form for the next trip report. Our subject is shown below.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll98/hsminnie/Cruise/cruise2/100_0572.jpg

See my signature for the PreTrip link

[Hsminnie]

Guess who we saw on Castaway Cay???

SAMANTHA BROWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She was on the back of a golf cart being whisked to the adult beach. No camera crew. VERY cool!!!!

[teruterubouzu]

Guess who we saw on Castaway Cay???

SAMANTHA BROWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She was on the back of a golf cart being whisked to the adult beach. No camera crew. VERY cool!!!!

That's so cool! I just love her.