September 12, 2009 ~ Last Call for Tortola! Thread 2

[KathyInCitrus]

Photos of cruisers as found looking through the thread.
Please post yours so we can add it:

 

[keisha1]

Are the floats that you can rent at Castaway Cay one size or do they have small ones for kids?

I can't figure out if sodas are free at dinner. I have read different answers. Has anyone been on a recent cruise that would know this???? What other places are sodas free around the ship??

 

[iankh]

Are the floats that you can rent at Castaway Cay one size or do they have small ones for kids?

I can't figure out if sodas are free at dinner. I have read different answers. Has anyone been on a recent cruise that would know this???? What other places are sodas free around the ship??

I am not sure about the floats and inner tube.

However, regarding soft drinks, there is no additional charge for soft drinks at dinner or with any meal. The only time there is a charge for a soft drink is if you order it at one of the bars.

There is a soft drink station on deck 9, near the Mickey pool. They have various sodas, ice tea, I think they have milk and juice, hot chocolate and a beverage that apparently on their planet they like to call coffee.

 

[ibouncetoo]

There are full size floats and BIG, clear tubes at Castaway Cay. I'm not aware of anything child size.

Sodas are free at dinner and available for free 24 hours at the drink station on deck 9 aft (along with lemonaid, coffe, tea). The only time you pay for soda is at a bar or through room service (I think because it's in cans). It's not inconvenient to trot the lenght of the ship to pick up a free soda while your friends/spouse is ordering something from a bar.

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[ibouncetoo]

Ian, aren't you supposed to be WORKING!???

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[iankh]

Whew! Just under the wire!
I'm on the cruise, too.
(I'll PM someone with the details)
Traveling alone so don't ask me any questions about children.
I'm celebrating a birthday on 9/27 but this was the closest cruise I could get to the date. Do you think Mickey will let me celebrate it?

There's a whole load of celebrating going on in our little cadre.

We plan on celebrating Cheri's birthday, at least when we're in Disney World.

We're also celebrating our 22nd anniversary/1 year wedding anniversary.

Have you had your celebration added to your reservation? If you do, Mickey may have a surprise for you!

 

[KayR]

Are the floats that you can rent at Castaway Cay one size or do they have small ones for kids?

I can't figure out if sodas are free at dinner. I have read different answers. Has anyone been on a recent cruise that would know this???? What other places are sodas free around the ship??

I just pick up some tubes at the dollar store before we leave. Then I don't have to bring them home. Much cheaper than the tube rentals.

 

[kristinnelson]

My son will be just short of his tenth birthday on this cruise, so he will be in the 8-9 year old group in the Oceaneer's Lab. I have read that it is up to the parents whether or not kids in this age group can check themselves in and out of the Lab. I'm looking for advice on this topic. I don't want him roaming the ship on his own, but I do think he would be fine going to the deck 9 drink station by himself and he's terrific at knowing who and how to ask for help. However, we have main seating for dinner and it would be incredibly convenient for us if he could check himself into the Lab when he is finished eating. He is not much of an eater and will get quickly bored with long dinners.

I know it will vary by child, but any advice you can share on this topic would be appreciated. This is our first cruise, so I don't have a good sense of what life is like onboard.

Thanks,
Kristin

 

[iankh]

Ian, aren't you supposed to be WORKING!???

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Hey I am, just multi-tasking today. A rare occurrence for me.

 

[ibouncetoo]

There's a whole load of celebrating going on in our little cadre.

We plan on celebrating Cheri's birthday, at least when we're in Disney World.

We're also celebrating our 22nd anniversary/1 year wedding anniversary.

Have you had your celebration added to your reservation? If you do, Mickey may have a surprise for you!

Yeah, Cheri and I should pick a night for our milestone birthday celebrations! I will NOT be getting a tatoo to commemorate mine, however.

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[ibouncetoo]

Kristin, I'm sure you'll be getting feedback from the experienced parental-unit-cruisers here. But as someone who's read a gazillion threads on this subject:

You can always wait a day or two for him (and you) to get a feel for the ship and then allow check-in/out privileges at that point.

It will always come down to you knowing what he'd be comfortatble with and how well he follows the rules you lay down for him.

For those of you that have late seating, they have re-instated the feature where councelors come to the restaurants and 'collect' kids for the clubs. I think this happens about an hour after meal start time. Check with your head server.

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[iankh]

Yeah, Cheri and I should pick a night for our milestone birthday celebrations! I will NOT be getting a tatoo to commemorate mine, however.

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Did I tell you I added both of your birthdays and Sukie's to the resort booking as what we're celebrating, along with the anniversary? Maybe I should throw mine in there too, since it's 20 days before the trip.

I call dibs on the 4th.

 

[mishoe01]

Did I tell you I added both of your birthdays and Sukie's to the resort booking as what we're celebrating, along with the anniversary? Maybe I should throw mine in there too, since it's 20 days before the trip.

I call dibs on the 4th.

What about me??? My 40th is this year

 

[mishoe01]

What about me??? My 40th is this year

I told my ta to pick a day on the cruise so that I'd be surprised

 

[iankh]

What about me??? My 40th is this year

We can celebrate yours too. Possibly not "officially." We'll have a surprise party on cook and cater night. How about that?

 

[keisha1]

You guys are soooo helpful! It's great to get so much information before we go since I don't know what to expect.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Did I tell you I added both of your birthdays and Sukie's to the resort booking as what we're celebrating, along with the anniversary? Maybe I should throw mine in there too, since it's 20 days before the trip.

I call dibs on the 4th.

What about me??? My 40th is this year

Hey buster, the 4th is the Wedding Anniversary Dinner (since it's the one event that actually falls on the correct day).


Let's just do ALL the birthdays on Kona night or 50's Prime Time night, wadda ya say? Will menus need to be reviewed...we don't want to miss out on a good menu dessert just because of a Disney cupcake!

 

[ibouncetoo]

You guys are soooo helpful! It's great to get so much information before we go since I don't know what to expect.

Hey ask more questions....we've got some pretty experienced cruisers in this group!. BRING IT ON!!!!




Have you read any trip reports? They are a great way to learn about what goes on. I'm always finding a new piece of information in them.

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[keisha1]

Ok, here's another. My b'day is 09-13. Will they do anything special for me w/out me purchasing the "b'day celebration package"?

 

[ibouncetoo]

We can celebrate yours too. Possibly not "officially." We'll have a surprise party on cook and cater night. How about that?

Well, we will be serving two items that are traditional, childhood 'birthday dinners' in MY family. Spaghetti (Paul, Dianne, Peg) and FRIED CHICKEN (me)

Oh no.....now I think we all have to go to the dollar store and buy birthday gag gifts for everyone else! Oh, oh....I already know what I'm getting for everyone! LET'S DO IT.....cook and cater birthday party night!


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