12/23/12 Wonder Christmas Cruise (Miami)

[TraditionAtSea]

Well... I broke down... A Fish Extender List now exists for while we are Cruising through the Holidays! After reading through discussions on here and on facebook, while interested, it seems many are on the fence about Fish Extenders for this cruise. This struck me odd since our cruise is during the #1 gift giving time of the year LOL!!! I totally agree and can relate to the fear of adding one more thing to prepare during this holiday season, but isnt that the true spirit of the season...

Perhaps our fish extender gifts on this cruise can be simpiler allowing us to minimize prep time but still spread joy on Christmas Morning - even focused on Family Traditions - a chance to share with others how we spread the true meaning of the holiday with our family and friends.

It just seems to me that the most perfect application of the Fish Extender Tradition upon a Disney Ship would be on Christmas Eve late at night to be delivering gifts to "stockings" hung on the fish with care!!! It is not like we will be running out to walmart for batteries or putting together doll houses or decorating a tree that night! In fact we wont be cleaning up from or preparing for a holiday dinner either!!! :-)

I, for one, will enjoy sneaking around and bumping into y'all in the halls of the Wonder while the kids are all nestled in their beds with dreams of sugar plums in their heads...I will be the one wearing the Santa Hat with Egg Nog in hand!! (hopefully that will be like saying I am the one in the yellow mickey mouse poncho at the 3:00 parade on a rainy day at the Magic Kingdom)

So without further ado....

Fish Extender List for the Inaugural Sailing of the Disney Wonder from Miami

click the link and add your info should you wish to participate!!

[neg58]

Thanks for doing the FE - we'll make it fun.

Nancy

[neg58]

Originally Posted by 5by5

Is anyone else flying in the night before the cruise? If so, have you looked into transportation options for getting from the hotel to the port?

We're driving down from North Florida and staying at the Hampton Inn Coconut Grove. They have free parking and a shuttle to the port, and the free parking pays for the room for the night since parking at the port is $20/day.

Several of the hotels had free shuttles.

Nancy

[beachpal]

Originally Posted by TraditionAtSea

Well... I broke down... A Fish Extender List now exists for while we are Cruising through the Holidays! After reading through discussions on here and on facebook, while interested, it seems many are on the fence about Fish Extenders for this cruise. This struck me odd since our cruise is during the #1 gift giving time of the year LOL!!! I totally agree and can relate to the fear of adding one more thing to prepare during this holiday season, but isnt that the true spirit of the season...

Perhaps our fish extender gifts on this cruise can be simpiler allowing us to minimize prep time but still spread joy on Christmas Morning - even focused on Family Traditions - a chance to share with others how we spread the true meaning of the holiday with our family and friends.

It just seems to me that the most perfect application of the Fish Extender Tradition upon a Disney Ship would be on Christmas Eve late at night to be delivering gifts to "stockings" hung on the fish with care!!! It is not like we will be running out to walmart for batteries or putting together doll houses or decorating a tree that night! In fact we wont be cleaning up from or preparing for a holiday dinner either!!! :-)

I, for one, will enjoy sneaking around and bumping into y'all in the halls of the Wonder while the kids are all nestled in their beds with dreams of sugar plums in their heads...I will be the one wearing the Santa Hat with Egg Nog in hand!! (hopefully that will be like saying I am the one in the yellow mickey mouse poncho at the 3:00 parade on a rainy day at the Magic Kingdom)

So without further ado....

Fish Extender List for the Inaugural Sailing of the Disney Wonder from Miami

click the link and add your info should you wish to participate!!

Well, when you put it that way, it sounds like a lot of fun! We're in! But, just so I'm clear, are we doing one stocking per person, or one per stateroom? And, I assume we're including adults, not just the kids? I don't want to be a Grinch!

[TraditionAtSea]

Originally Posted by beachpal

Well, when you put it that way, it sounds like a lot of fun! We're in! But, just so I'm clear, are we doing one stocking per person, or one per stateroom? And, I assume we're including adults, not just the kids? I don't want to be a Grinch!

Depends on what it is u want to share as your gift. If I was doing a deck of cards or some other item that can be enjoyed by the whole family I would do one per stateroom - if I was doing a more personal item like a candy cane I would do one per person. If I had an item that was more adult like a magnet I might do one per adult and then something else for the children. Some poeple like to personalize the gift - especially if they are making them - that is why there is a spot for first names. So its all good - if its in the spirit!!!

[travelgal2]

Hi Y'all-
It's great to see an FE list started! Looking forward to meeting you in Miami-
we should also plan a meet-n-greet for the first day...

3pm in the Promenade Lounge? (Deck 3-Aft)

[neg58]

Does anyone know the schedule for the dinners on this cruise - pirate night, formal night, etc.?

Any other special things I should be looking for, need to sign up for?

Nancy

[travelgal2]

Nancy,
Just spoke to DCL- pirate night is Wed (26th) -day we are in St Maarten
Formal night -Monday
Semi-Formal night-Friday


As for extras, are you looking for excursions, spa trips, special dining, or a class? Lots to choose from! :-)
Don't forget about online check-in and choosing a time to arrive at port.

[neg58]

Originally Posted by travelgal2

Nancy,
Just spoke to DCL- pirate night is Wed (26th) -day we are in St Maarten
Formal night -Monday
Semi-Formal night-Friday


As for extras, are you looking for excursions, spa trips, special dining, or a class? Lots to choose from! :-)
Don't forget about online check-in and choosing a time to arrive at port.

Thanks. I was just trying to figure out Christmas dinner, the schedule for religious services, etc. My kids aren't old enough for adult dinners or spa, so I don't do them either.

I've signed up for 2 excursions (and changed my mind twice), but was more interested in what 'special' will be on the ship. I've heard there is gingerbread house making and maybe a tea party that we need tickets for. Just wondering if there are other changes to the regular schedule (not that we know the regular schedule since we are the first sailing out of Miami this season). We enjoy the drawing classes and towel folding, things like that.

Has anyone been to St. Maarten before? My 'plan' (which is no plan at all) is to take a taxi/bus to Orient Beach, then head to the French capital, and then to the Dutch capital/port. Will this work? I don't really want to pay for a tour if we can do it on our own. My kids are 16, so we can be a little more daring than I would be if I had little kids. (But yes, one wants to do the tea party and will stand in line to meet characters and princesses)

I've only done one other cruise. I like to go with the flow, but one thing I was really disappointed in was on the first day; all they said was "Welcome aboard" and there were really no other instructions. We had to ask someone where to go for the muster drill, and they told us the wrong place so we felt very rushed and disoriented, and like we wasted the first afternoon. I know we can't do everything, but I want to be aware of the basics. I get a lot of tips here and if I hadn't read up about dinner rotations and show tickets and how things basically work, we would have really been lost.

Nancy

[beachpal]

Originally Posted by TraditionAtSea

Depends on what it is u want to share as your gift. If I was doing a deck of cards or some other item that can be enjoyed by the whole family I would do one per stateroom - if I was doing a more personal item like a candy cane I would do one per person. If I had an item that was more adult like a magnet I might do one per adult and then something else for the children. Some poeple like to personalize the gift - especially if they are making them - that is why there is a spot for first names. So its all good - if its in the spirit!!!

Sounds good. Ho, ho, ho... Thanks!

[disdadIL]

Originally Posted by travelgal2

Nancy,
Just spoke to DCL- pirate night is Wed (26th) -day we are in St Maarten
Formal night -Monday
Semi-Formal night-Friday

As for extras, are you looking for excursions, spa trips, special dining, or a class? Lots to choose from! :-)
Don't forget about online check-in and choosing a time to arrive at port.

How formal do people get on formal night??? I'm not a dressy guy. And what's the difference between that and semi formal night? Help....

[Rememberingthe70s]

Originally Posted by disdadIL

How formal do people get on formal night??? I'm not a dressy guy. And what's the difference between that and semi formal night? Help....

Technically, Formal is tuxedos and long gowns, and semi-formal is dark suits, ties, and dresses; but I found that many/most dressed a step down from that - dark jackets/suits/ties for men's formal and lighter more casual jackets/ties and pants (no jeans) for semi.

[disdadIL]

Originally Posted by Rememberingthe70s

Technically, Formal is tuxedos and long gowns, and semi-formal is dark suits, ties, and dresses; but I found that many/most dressed a step down from that - dark jackets/suits/ties for men's formal and lighter more casual jackets/ties and pants (no jeans) for semi.

Does anyone actually wear tuxes? I own one and would bring it but I don't want to look out of place

[TraditionAtSea]

Originally Posted by disdadIL

Does anyone actually wear tuxes? I own one and would bring it but I don't want to look out of place

I am wearing a tux especially since Formal Night is Christmas Eve. In my experience there has always been a good number of people in a Tux on Formal Night.

[5by5]

Originally Posted by disdadIL

Does anyone actually wear tuxes? I own one and would bring it but I don't want to look out of place

Originally Posted by Rememberingthe70s

Technically, Formal is tuxedos and long gowns, and semi-formal is dark suits, ties, and dresses; but I found that many/most dressed a step down from that - dark jackets/suits/ties for men's formal and lighter more casual jackets/ties and pants (no jeans) for semi.

Originally Posted by TraditionAtSea

I am wearing a tux especially since Formal Night is Christmas Eve. In my experience there has always been a good number of people in a Tux on Formal Night.

You'll definitely see a wide mix of attire on formal and semi-formal nights. This will include people in shorts and t-shirts as well.

I have a tux but probably won't bring it. I've really been trying to streamline my packing so I'll go with a jacket/dress shirt/tie for formal night and then the same jacket with a polo shirt for semi-formal. However, these choices are open to being changed by my wife.