03/01/2008 Eastern!!

[ejkjmom]

Brenda! Love the pic!!!!!! You guys look awesome. I'll have to save and print it since I never did get a Christmas card from you.

I miss all you March 1 cruisers!!

However - I am going to the BON JOVI concert on Feb. 28 here in DC; I wouldn't have been able to do that if we were still cruising with y'all.

Ooohhh... we're halfway there
Oh oh! We're livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it I swear
Oh oh we're living on a prayer

Christmas picture...don't feel bad, you are NOT the only one who didn't get a Christmas card from us...the pictures are all still setting on the desk

Bon who??? IN D.C.??? isn't he that one guy running for president???
Yes...it is NO secret, we all know that you'd pick Bon Jovi over us

We all Miss you too!!! :

 

[Micday]

Mike,

From what I've been reading your in a great postion to get a free upgrade, good luck !!

Michelle

 

[feiste]

You made me laugh this morning. Infinity minus one - GREAT LINE!!!!!

Tell your wife not to worry, we'll make then hold the ship for you if there are any snags in your well researched plan.

Jennifer

... and I come back to find that the thread has been increased in size by about 3 full pages. Now admittedly, most of that was a single post from Michelle (an exaggeration, but only slightly?), which was a bit surprising, as I've never known her to very talkative before!

Okay, I'll fess up right now, I currently know almost none of the details that the rest of you are currently asking for. The reason is that I booked through a travel agent, and basically just took everything in Disney package, instead of booking each piece. I have never done this for any of our WDW or DL trips, but since this was our first time cruising, I figured that one stop shopping would be easiest, even if it meant I wasn't getting the best price or in charge of the details. Also, because of budget concerns (Yes, I realize the apparent contradiction with the previous sentence about not shopping around for the best price), we booked GTY Cat 12.

The result of all this is that we do not know what airline we are flying, what the airline schedule is, when we arrive at port, or what cabin we are in. Supposedly we will recieve all that info before the cruise, and I am taking it on faith that that will be the case. All I know right now is that Disney is supposed to get us on some combination of airplanes that will get us from Omaha to Orlando the day before the cruise, that we are staying the night at the hotel in the airport, that Disney will get us to the port sometime before the cruise departs the next day, and that there will be somewhere for us to sleep on the ship. That the intent of one stop shopping was to make things less stressful is quite ironic given the obvious stress I now experience whenever I have to tell my wife "No, I still don't know our airline schedule or cabin assignment".

There you go, hope to see you on the ship at some point, even if we end up with Boarding Pass No. Infinity-Minus-One.

- Mike

P.S. Michelle, a bit long winded myself, I will admit.

 

[feiste]

Wait, wait ...
what have you been reading...
what does this mean...
can we all have upgrades?

Mike,

From what I've been reading your in a great postion to get a free upgrade, good luck !!

Michelle

 

[feiste]

Mike,
I totally didn't pick up all this time that you were from Omaha. My mom used to work and live there -- she loved that Oriental Trading was so close!

Kim,
I don't know if my other message went through that I have not gotten the updated list of DIS cruisers -- so if you could resend it to me if it's gone out.

We got our southwest flights today. They did not go as low as we wanted by far, but they went down $10 and we decided to do it and risk having to get a credit later.

When we went back to the Southwest page two minutes later - it was back up to the original price.....so far, a good decision.

Have a great night,
Rani

Yea!! I'm glad your flights are done!


I just got an OTC catalog in the mail that I need to peek thru for cruise goodies...

 

[ranidayz]

I want to know, too - how do we get upgrades? I think I am really going to start going down my list to get things together so it's easier later.

Question about pirate night -- for the pirate night dinner, is it ok to wear tshirts to the restaurant?

Rani

 

[ejkjmom]

I want to know, too - how do we get upgrades? I think I am really going to start going down my list to get things together so it's easier later.

Question about pirate night -- for the pirate night dinner, is it ok to wear tshirts to the restaurant?

Rani

Rani I found this past post from someone about upgrades, maybe it can help answer some of your questions....

There is absolutely no way to predict how many upgrades will be given on any particular cruise. The ships always sail nearly full. If they are not filling at the initial prices, DCL may drop the price of cat 11 or 12 (and may upgrade some already booked passengers to free up more of these). They may offer FL resident rates, CM specials, military rates, etc. in order to fill the ships.

So...if you are sailing over CHristmas, summers, etc. there will be many fewer upgrades as the ships will fill on their own. If you are sailing in September, you might be lucky.

If you book gty, you seem to have a better chance of an upgrade. The lower category you book, the better chance just based on numbers.

Upgrades can happen months in advance or at the port. Who knows....you could be booked in a cat 4 and have someone in a 3 cancel at the last minute. It has happened, but not often.


A far as t-shirts on Pirate night...I really think, anything goes for that night, and t-shirts would/should be fine....after all, I think that you would probably find more pirates in t-shirts then.. cruise casual clothes

 

[ranidayz]

Thanks -- I got DH a personalized Pirate Night Party tshirt with the date and our names on it that I will put out for him that night....I just wanted to make sure he could use it.

If you all are interested, you can get a free personalized tshirt at vista print (might take alittle searching for the right link) and they have lots of free designs you can use.

Thanks again,
Rani

 

[atinkerbellmom]

I want to know, too - how do we get upgrades? I think I am really going to start going down my list to get things together so it's easier later.
Rani

Oh sorry to tell you Rani, not a great chance you guys will get an upgrade as you are already in the biggest room without them upgrading you to a suite with CS services; cat 1-3. If you are that lucky you need to be all the way to the port. Upgrades are sometimes given a few weeks in advanced up to the time you check in at port. What Michelle is referring to is Mike's TA has booked him a GTY room which is them all getting on the ship for a cat. 12 price, but at least getting an 11 because the 12s do not sleep 4. The problem with a GTY room is that you do not find out your room you have been assigned until DCL does it when they are sure no one else is getting on the ship.

Now Mike, that with your TA would drive me nuts and I bet if you did the foot work and back tracked, she did not save you any money. Next time let me plan your trip for you, and by now you would know everything down to the color underwear you will be wearing everyday. I have found that going through DCL for flight is soooooooo $$$$$$$$$$ and the Hyatt at the airport is convient and beautiful, but very very $$$$$$$ too. How are you planning your days not knowing anything? Now that would make me nervous. Did you know DCL was one of the few cruiselines that does not offer a discount to TAs? The reason people book through TAs is to get maybe a few perks they offer such as OBSC. We always go with DCL when booking, because if something is messed up, TRUST me, they must fix it. I do not want any middle man messing up my arrangements. I plan our trip and all of the people traveling with us, trips with each cruise. I really should give up the babies and become a TA as I get a high in helping people with trips.

PS: I did see your commment about my post to Rani I'll pay you back for that one.....

 

[ejkjmom]

Good Morning to all.....

Rani...glad to hear that you got your airline tickets all ready to go...we too are flying southwest, and the tickets were much higher than last year, but still less than any other line I looked out...

Mike...You are funny!!!! I'm sure it is a little stressful not knowing alot of the details.. I'm sure you will be fine...and like feiste said, we'll hold the ship for you and your family if any snags occur all we have to do, is hope that we don't get a spring storm here in Nebraska!!!! That always worries me a bit.

Jen...here is some for upgrades to ALL!!!!

Michelle my girls loved Alvin and the Chipmunks as well..Ron and I haven't seen it...but have heard ALL about it!!!!!
And you are right about Mike's upgrade, just maybe
here's some more for you and your family, Mike.....

Michelle (tinker)...it was fun chatting (Pm'ing) with you..

And to everyone else..hope you have a great weekend!!!!!

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Hey Rani- One thing is, now that you would have stayed in a cat. 4 after this cruise, you will be spoiled and always need a verandah. I was wondering, did you ever look into two connecting rooms instead of a cat. 4? Too late this cruise and the problem is next cruise you are now not going to want to down grade, but some people do that in order to get 2 toliets, 2 "shub"/showers and 4 sinks. You also can get 1 queen bed, two twin beds, two sofas and two bunk beds this way. It's enough for you to host the DIS kid sleepover in your room next time It most of the time comes out cheaper than the cat. 4. Just curious that's all.

 

[ejkjmom]

Okay Michelle (Tink), you just gave Ron and I a GREAT laugh!!!!! I just read him your post (more specificaly, the underwear part) on planning Mike's next trip....too FUNNY

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Good Morning Brenda-
It was great with the PMs. It is always great to get to know people on a more personal level. Makes you feel as if you already know them. I got the e-mail, thanks.

Everyone-
OMGoodness, Brenda has truly awaken.......... She is here everyday now. We can not talk about her as a slacker now. Lets find someone else to pick on....... No seriously, what's up with with the Hatchers. We have not heard from them in some time. Is everything okay and are they still going? What about the other Kim- (the nonkeeper of the list)? Have not heard from them in a while either. Sure hope you guys have a good weekend. We are 28 degrees here.

 

[MAD on Disney]

We just found out this morning, we have a Cat 4 cabin at a Cat 12 price!!!

- Mike

 

[MAD on Disney]

... and we just won the lottery, my waistline is back to what it was in 1991, and my wife just booked us a group reservation for Rasul with some uninhibited twenty-something exotic Swedish blondes.

 

[ejkjmom]

We just found out this morning, we have a Cat 4 cabin at a Cat 12 price!!!

- Mike

OMGOSH!!!! are you serious??? That is great...You will now have a verandah....How exciting for you and your family!!!!!
Congratulations!!!!

 

[ranidayz]

We just found out this morning, we have a Cat 4 cabin at a Cat 12 price!!!

- Mike

Oh my, my husband is going to be upset with me when he hears this! He is going to ask why we didn't get a lower catagory so we could get upgraded...oy!

Congrats - that's great! We'll be on the same floor.

 

[ejkjmom]

... and we just won the lottery, my waistline is back to what it was in 1991, and my wife just booked us a group reservation for Rasul with some uninhibited twenty-something exotic Swedish blondes.

Okay..you got me!!!!!! Just when I was thinking that my extra I gave you this morning really worked!!!

Too Funnny!!!!!

 

[MAD on Disney]

Yes, I know, the way I booked was definitely a mistake. It is not so much the TA, as I knew I wasn't getting a price break, but it was also no more expensive than booking direct with Disney (I did check that). The real mistake is having booked the air through Disney Travel. I am much less concerned about not knowing our cabin information (I travel a lot for work, and have found that large rooms and small rooms all look alike when you're asleep), than not knowing the flight information. I'm starting to have nightmares about multiple extended layovers, probably in Chicago, putting us at increased risk of weather delays.

- Mike

P.S. Michelle, with clothes for 8 days, formal clothes, semi-formal clothes, multiple swimsuits, pirate costumes, door signs, pillowcases, bottled water, fish extenders, shoe organizers, and a partridge in a pear tree, I'm not certain we will have space for bringing any underwear on this trip.

 

[ranidayz]

OK - being my retentive self - I just filled out and printed all those forms on the DCL site. It said I have to bring a Bahamas Immigration form but it's not listed on the site -- where do I get these forms?

HMMM, I guess there's no amount of fancy footwork that can get me upgraded to a suite - eh?

Rani