03/01/2008 Eastern!!

[kshabare]

Okay, I'm in serious withdrawal. I've even stooped so low as to call tktstjohn and pretend I was calling DCL to beg for a better rebooking fee!

When is everyone rebooked for? I just priced out Western 2/21/09. My same cabin is available. I love deck 2 and the price is just about the same - that's without begging for a better rate.

BTW, we didn't have any reaction to sea-sickness. We weathered well enough but feel badly for those who didn't fare too well.

Karen - I can't wait for you to see the pictures of Pat, Norman and Jennifer at he Wii bowling on Friday night. What a hoot!

I'll Post the link as soon as I get enough done to make a difference. Since it's my trip report and pictures in one it will take me some days.

Miss you guys!!!

Kim

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Okay, I logged on an see everyone's green light is on. We must be in WITHDRAWL from each other. I am having issues, noone made our beds today BJ, either..... I am scrapping for meals and am dreading going to the grocery store. I need to get out of ship thought and back to the family and pregnant women. I am dreading my voicemail tomorrow. I refuse to check it from home. 6PM and have not done dinner. Gave my kids grill cheese an hour ago. They keep asking like Karen's, what else can we have. Is there any cut fruit? Did I mention it is 20 degrees here?

 

[ranidayz]

I made taco night ---

The people we rode with to the rental car place had some interesting information. Apparently, there were a bunch of people aboard who caught late connection flights and their luggage didn't make it. The luggage was on the way to the ship and when it was delivered, the ship was GONE! Their server told them that the ship leaft 1.5 hours earlier than they planned to MAKE UP FOR THE SPUTTERING ENGINE! They knew it was going to delay them....

Well, those families (several, apparently) did not have any luggage until Tuesday and were given $50 from Disney Travel Protection to buy clothes onboard. I had heard one of these women screaming at the GS desk during a phone call, but didn't know the situation until later on.

On a very up note -- I got to see the Walt Disney Suite on my way out. It's amazing -- we took pics -- I wouldlove to spend the $14,000 to have it for the week -- but that's not happening!!!

I wish I was back on that cruise -- best time of my life!

Rani

 

[ejkjmom]

When is everyone rebooked for? I just priced out Western 2/21/09. My same cabin is available. I love deck 2 and the price is just about the same - that's without begging for a better rate.

Kim

Did you NOT get the memo from Mark and Johnna????? We were to ALL rebook for the 2/28/09 cruise!!!!! That cruise will be going to St Croix instead of St Marteen....we got the memo and....rebooked for that date!

Tell you what Kim and Norm, ....I know that there is a friendly little rivalry between you guys and Mark and Johnna as far as your baseball teams go, so, if you guys go ahead and book that date, I will join your team, LOL!!!!!
I will go out and buy a t-shirt with your team logo on it, and wear it on the cruise

 

[Merriwind]

I can't stay off of this board today. I made chili this morning and Pat made some delish rolls, so we had a good dinner. No complaints from the peanut gallery. It was good cold weather food. I sure miss the cruise food--and service--though. (Of course, I gained three pounds thanks to all of it!)

My Dsis rebooked for 12/5/09. I didn't rebook, as we will be looking for FL resident discounts. Kim, we loved our cabin location too. Deck 2 was great, centrally located--and the porthole was huge! I don't think I would pay the money for a balcony after having that room. I kept joking that I was going to check if they had any cabins available for yesterday's Western.

DD is back to school tomorrow--and the time change will make that a little more painful. This week is FCAT testing, so there shouldn't be a lot of other work. Thankfully she doesn't seem stressed at all about the tests, as she usually does. Making her lunch was sad--made me miss the food again. We're missing the pineapple a lot, Michelle. No subbing for me probably this week and next due to the testing. More time for the DIS!

 

[ranidayz]

OK - so I'm writing over here now. I've foolishly gotten into a writing altercation on the "frustration" board regarding the CC stop. Only because I felt attacked --- Frankly, not stopping there was kind of like labor -- it totally sucked when it was happening and now I can't even remember anything about it..... I guess what's frustrating is that people who weren't even there keep quoting the contracts and the black and white and not realizing that people are grey and that people were upset and hurt and dissapointed. Everyone is so quick to be upset with the adults who'd gone through hell to get their families there and going crazy defending the captain and the engines when we don't now and won't ever know the full truth of what happened and why.

So Stephanie, if you're reading this -- I don't want to get into it with you personally --- but I just responded to the capitalized YOU that you typed after I'd already posted that I was there and got videotape of it all --

Rani

 

[wanderlust72]

I made taco night ---

The people we rode with to the rental car place had some interesting information. Apparently, there were a bunch of people aboard who caught late connection flights and their luggage didn't make it. The luggage was on the way to the ship and when it was delivered, the ship was GONE! Their server told them that the ship leaft 1.5 hours earlier than they planned to MAKE UP FOR THE SPUTTERING ENGINE! They knew it was going to delay them....

Well, those families (several, apparently) did not have any luggage until Tuesday and were given $50 from Disney Travel Protection to buy clothes onboard. I had heard one of these women screaming at the GS desk during a phone call, but didn't know the situation until later on.

On a very up note -- I got to see the Walt Disney Suite on my way out. It's amazing -- we took pics -- I wouldlove to spend the $14,000 to have it for the week -- but that's not happening!!!

I wish I was back on that cruise -- best time of my life!

Rani

I think I rode in the elevator with some of these people after they just got done talking with guest services...I felt so bad for them!!

Do you think you will post your pics of the WD suite? We passed it several times on the way to our cabin...never got a chance to peek inside though...

 

[MAD on Disney]

We all see things differently. I'm not certain that Disney isn't at least partially at fault, but I was personally disappointed at some of the laguage and yelling from the upset guests in the lobby. The worst part is, even if Disney is at fault, people will want to take sides if they feel that someone behaved poorly, whether they are justified in their frustrations or not.

By the way, I was very glad to be back from the cruise tonight, as I had my first GOOD beef in over a week, right off the grill in my back yard.

 

[MAD on Disney]

P.S. The icing on the cake for us after the Castaway Cay debacle, both of our flights were delayed, and we nontheless beat all of our luggage back to Omaha by a good half a day.

 

[ranidayz]

Rachel - I will try to post those photos if I figure out how to do it on this site.

MAD - It was a trip meeting you and your family and your honesty and bluntness was a treat!

Everyone: It seriously was an amazing trip...i slept the best I ever did (as you can see, the insomnia is promptly back), ate more than I've ever eaten (ok, so not the best thing for after a cruise), and really believed by the end of those shows that I could fly!

In fact, we spent the last day at Downtown Disney. My boys got seriously into pin trading and traded with REAL collectors -- bargaining and all! They figured out the economy of pins which meant, buy cheap, trade with cast for hidden and THEN come trade with the big guns. So now we have a "cheap pin" jar to invest in the next set for the next cruise. While we were there, DD4 passed the horribly overpriced Bibbity Bobbity Bootique where I promptly told her they were out of appt's for the day. However, they sprinkled (poured) pixie dust all over her...which is now all over all of us.

She has refused to let me touch her hair or wash it out as: "don't touch it! Tinkerbell gave it to me and it's magic and now I can fly!" So yes -- the cruise does come equipped with magic. I'd never heard her revere Tinkerbell before that.....

Good Morning!

 

[tktstjohn]

Rani, I've been reading thru that other thread. Yikes, definitely a "holier than thou" attitude. If I read one more tired lemonade cliche, I'll barf. I guess it's difficult to explain the frustrations of our particular week to those who were not involved. Hang tough, girl, or just stay over here where we know you!


kim

 

[feiste]

My husband set up a space for me where we can all post our favorite photos of the week, and then we can also easily download each others photos. It was so easy when he explained it to me yesterday that I have promptly forgotten how to do it today. (Oh how I have missed smiles!!)

I will post instructions later, but it should be a really simple way for us all to share photos, or grab ones that we may have missed! How did I end up with no pictures of Rani and family when I saw you all week!!!!

Time to look at the damage done in the bills department...

Jennifer

 

[atinkerbellmom]

However, they sprinkled (poured) pixie dust all over her...which is now all over all of us.

She has refused to let me touch her hair or wash it out as: "don't touch it! Tinkerbell gave it to me and it's magic and now I can fly!" So yes -- the cruise does come equipped with magic. I'd never heard her revere Tinkerbell before that.....

Good Morning!

I will have to talk to my daughter about that. I told her no PIXIE DUST if it means extra laundry.

Hey Guys, did I tell you DD lost a tooth on the cruise and got a visit from Tinkerbell?

 

[kshabare]

Brenda,

No, I am not booking anywhere near March. Ever. Ever again. I think we may do 2/21/2009. I miss Grand Cayman. But, you're welcome to join our team just the same.

Are we meeting at Topsiders? Is it pasta day, or asian day? It's just not fair.

Rani & Karen - I gained 4.6 lbs. I am promptly back on my Core eating plan so I can drop it FAST. My pants still fit so I'm already ahead of the game. Of course, I wasn't happy having to dress and do my hair for people who have never seen a towel animal before!

Miss you guys.

Kim

 

[Johnna_Story]

Brenda,

No, I am not booking anywhere near March. Ever. Ever again. I think we may do 2/21/2009. I miss Grand Cayman. But, you're welcome to join our team just the same.

Kim

Kim - don't be bashing March altogether! It was perfect last year, remember??? A GREAT day in St. Thomas and an even better one at CC. When we went in March in '06, that was mostly good - a little rainy in St. Maarten, but a GREAT CC day. And actually, we changed to March because we went in early February (Western) year before that ('05), and only had 1/2 beach day at Grand Cayman - that was our best weather day. CC was cold and rainy and we had to wear jackets and pants. Not even CLOSE to beach weather. I'm just sayin'...

Sorry for all of you that you missed CC - I know how disappointed you must have been (and still are) but I hope the rest of the trip was great all the same.

Rani - screw them. They weren't there, they don't know. I wasn't there, I don't know, but I think it's much easier to "make lemonade out of lemons" (sorry Tim!) when you're reading about it, but I'm sure it's not so easy when you're living it.

Finally.... if any of you rebooked and are NOT afraid of the first week of March again, come join the Storys on the 2/28/09 cruise and meet thread. We're NOT going to St. Maarten, but St. Croix instead... http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1659234

Welcome home!!! Johnna

 

[BCC]

I am going no where near the other site about this cruise so I will post here where people were on the cruise and seem pretty civilized.

The reason we booked Disney was for the kids. We could have had 2 balcony rooms for about half the cost of an inside Disney. The first 4 days of the cruise were horrible and the last 3 were great (with exception to missing CC.)

The reason they were horrible is that 2 of our 3 kids had 103 fevers (nothing else except high temps). One of us had to stay in the room at all times from Sunday til Wed morning. We took hour shifts. The other reason was the weather wasn't the best. I spoke to an engine contractor in the hot tub one night who did confirm that 2 of the 5 engines weren't working and one of them had been down for about 3 months. Disney flew in a guy to get one of them running on this cruise @ $400 per hour 24/7.

Now, I was in the lobby probably after all the Chaos so I didn't experience that but there were alot of officers with cards & paper for people to fill out.

My kids had no idea that we even missed CC. Granted they are younger (all under 6). They love the beach, they love swimming and like I said the reason we went with Disney was for them.

The ship was beautiful, the staff was incredible and the captain runs a great ship. What usually makes a cruise for me is great weather, ports, service and having a relaxing time. What made the cruise for me this time was watching my daughter skip away like she was on a cloud everytime she spend a few seconds with a princess or minie mouse or any of the characters. They were so gracious and took the time for pictures, talked to her and signed autographs.

Like you all are saying, it is ashame for parents to act uncivilized especially around kids. I agree that my wife and I were disappointed about the weather and the engines and not going to CC but this cruise was for our kids and they had no idea about any of the above. My daughter (who is a tough little girl) cried for a hour after the cruise because she enjoyed it soo much and wanted to go back on the same ships that so many parents will try to sue and boycott and talk bad about. Give me a break. It is a ship on the open ocean and things happen. Should Disney have taken it out of service for a month to fix the engines(?) would that have made people happier ( I doubt it, especially if it happend during their cruise week.) We will see what happens. We will see what the fall out is from this....... who knows maybe Disney will offer a discount on a future cruise.

 

[ranidayz]

It's so much cooler to post here now that we've met each other!

Magic that I take with me everywhere -- ELASTIC!!!

We did rebook for Feb. 21, 2009 -- but unless some miracle shines on us -- we'll delay into 2010 -- after the Bar Mitzvah....

And yes - the other site is quite holier than thou ----- so I say, "Oh Lord!"

Rani

 

[kshabare]

Tim,Kim and Travis, and who ever else was at bingo when they gave the jackpot away,I remember Tim pointing him out one day, They are the couple who started the thread about being bummed about not docking at CC, I just find it funny that's all. And to think there cruise was just about paid back to them when they won.

Norm

 

[Merriwind]

Rani, I agree, posting here is so fun now that I've met everyone. I just read through the last several pages on that other thread--wow. Usually me posting is the death knell for a thread, so I figured it was dead by now. No worries, we all know the difference between sad and mad! You've hung in there!

Kim, I continue to eat like I'm on the cruise, so I've got to reel it in like you are. Another week of eating non-stop and my pants won't fit.

Norm, I think that big screen just messed you up! Pat and Mike were both fearing you heading into that night, although Mike thought Jen was a real threat.

We are all fighting colds. DD went off to school stuffed up with long-acting Sudafed in her. Pat's throat hurts and he took vitamin C before heading off to Vegas for the week. I've been freezing yesterday and today. I just took my WDW fleece off for the first time, but it's going back on soon.

I miss the cruise and howdying all of you, but it sure is great to have this board! Here's the only photo I've got onto my computer so far...

 

[ranidayz]

merriwind -- very cute!