06/08/08 Magic And Mickey To Mexico!!!

[sftnslky]

I just can't decide where we'll stay yet. I have ressies that I can cancel without penalty at both doubletree and CP. I'm leaning toward CP even though it's a little more than doubletree

Ok sorry this is probably as plain as the nose on my face, but what is cp?

Also for those of us who are driving down, do you know of a hotel that is near the pier that will allow us to park our cars till we get back? Am gonna post that question on the main board as well. Have a great weekend all. Big

 

[castle4us]

Ok sorry this is probably as plain as the nose on my face, but what is cp?

Also for those of us who are driving down, do you know of a hotel that is near the pier that will allow us to park our cars till we get back? Am gonna post that question on the main board as well. Have a great weekend all. Big

Sorry, CP is Crowne Plaza.

Both CP and Doubletree I believe have park and cruise packages. I didn't look into that being we're flying but seem to remember reading that. If you can't find the answer here, I know cruisecritic.com is another good source of info.

 

[provencio]

Rebecca....we are right there with you, and the panic setting in. We also have a wedding the week before!

A whole bunch of us are going to Disneyland after the cruise. MY theory is that we will be better rested to enjoy both the cruise and Disneyland if we do it that way. We did WDW once and then cruised, and we were all so exhausted from running through the parks that I don't think we fully enjoyed the cruise. Just my .02 cents worth.

I agree, in 2004, we were so exhausted from doing WDW prior to our cruise that the first day we just wanted to sleep. Of couse we didn't but vowed to do crusie first, park last next time and so here we are.

 

[lorielucks]

Hey Rebecca,

It's good to know that we are stressing out together. I am often an "out-loud thinker" and I am begin to drive my husband crazy!

We were not able to get any Palo ressies but, did get all of our 1st choice excursions. We will do a short harbor cruise in Cabo (have to see Los Arcos and the meeting of the seas one more time) and then we will probably return to the ship early to enjoy it's emptiness. In Mazatlan we are doing the city highlights and Mardi Gra (my DD5 will love the Papantla Flyers). And in Puerto Vallarta we will do the Pirate Ship. I just realized that in PV we will have a Pirate theme all day as I believe this is also the day of the Pirate party. Should be fun.

I too, am returning to the classroom tomorrow. I love Spring Break, but hate when it ends.

Have a great week!
69 days to go!

 

[provencio]

Hey guys we have shore trips reserved for each day. In Cabo we are doing the Harbor Cruise, in Mazatlan, we are signed up for the Best of Mazatlan and in Puerta it's paradise beach. I was waiting for my passport book to arrive to evalute my choices; however, it pretty much says the same thing that is on Disney's website.

 

[sftnslky]

We weighed the pros and cons and decided to not tempt fate and went down today and got passports for all 6 of us. It cost us $610 total but they are good for 5/10 years. While the homeland security page says for cruising you don't need a passport till June 2009, I did call DCL and they said that as of today you won't need one for them either, but they mentioned more then one time, they could change their mind at any time, and if they change it before our sail date then we would not be able to go, or if one of us got hurt/ sick and had to fly home then we would need one as well.

You 'all have no idea how bad it hurt to spend all that $$$'s but I just know we would not have had them and as we are boarding, DCL would say "oh we need to see your passport", "sorry we don't have one" and they say "sorry you can't come aboard" So I do feel a tad less stressed...now if I can just do a few hundred more stress relievers then I will be totally Zen. Enjoy your evening... Big

 

[GrumpyMom1]

I'm not stressing yet but I'm I think about the trip and what I need to do all the time (like 20 times at day!). We also bit the bullet and got passports a couple of weeks ago. I checked the status yesterday and they have already been mailed.

I guess my biggest cruise stress lately has been trying to figure out how I'm going to get an almost 2 year old to sit through dinner. I've been picking up little toys, books, and stickers and I will have a goody bag with me each evening. Hopefully that will be enough to keep her occupied.

Rebecca - can you tell me more about the open air taxis in Mazatlan? Can they seat 5 people? Are they safe? Can we just take them a short way? We are doing our own thing in Mazatlan and we are planning on just walking around the Old Town area but I'm worried that we will walk too far and then not want to walk back. But I'm trying to avoid taxis as much as possible because we won't be able to put the baby in a carseat. I'm already freaking out about taking a taxi to the dolphins in PV without a carseat.

So did we ever decide on a meet?

 

[sftnslky]

Rebecca - can you tell me more about the open air taxis in Mazatlan? Can they seat 5 people? Are they safe? Can we just take them a short way? We are doing our own thing in Mazatlan and we are planning on just walking around the Old Town area but I'm worried that we will walk too far and then not want to walk back. But I'm trying to avoid taxis as much as possible because we won't be able to put the baby in a carseat. I'm already freaking out about taking a taxi to the dolphins in PV without a carseat.

Sadly the open air taxi's could not fit 5 comfortably, really not even 3 adults comfortably, and personally I would not take your 2 year old . The taxis are more like jeep's with very low sides/doors...and we have yet to find a driver that didn't act as if he wasn't auditioning for nascar. The driving laws are very different then in the US and we have sat through many a white knuckle taxi ride. But you can rent van/taxis that will let you bring your car seat. And typically the van drivers are more safe....I guess cause the vehicle is bigger so less room to zip in and out of.

The ABSOULUTE one thing you will have to do is AGREE on the taxi fee UPFRONT... and DO NOT PAY till you are finished. For comparison we typically rent the open air taxi for 6 hours for 4 of us and typically pay $40 for the whole day sometimes $50 plus we tip well.... usually $20. You will have to bargain with MANY drivers before you find one that will take your rate but you will find one. Here is a thought, not sure how big your daughter is, but for space reasons you might consider bringing a booster seat for the taxi ride that way she will be somewhat safer?

As for your daughter and dinner, we have never brought our kids until they were at least 5 years old, but on our last cruise the table next to us had a 22month old and they brought her small toys and pre dinner snacks...ie.. gold fish, pretzels etc... and the waiters were really good at keeping her happy, including when they brought mom and dads dinner out they would also bring out a Mickey bar for the baby, put a huge bid on her and let her go to town. The parents always were able to eat most of their meal before she would be done.

And as far as I know there is no get together planed, but I would love to have one. Is anyone else making door signs? I am having a hard time finding Mexican themed clip art....any suggestions?

Hope you all are having a good week... Enjoy your Tuesday. Big

 

[GrumpyMom1]

Sadly the open air taxi's could not fit 5 comfortably, really not even 3 adults comfortably, and personally I would not take your 2 year old . The taxis are more like jeep's with very low sides/doors...and we have yet to find a driver that didn't act as if he wasn't auditioning for nascar. The driving laws are very different then in the US and we have sat through many a white knuckle taxi ride. But you can rent van/taxis that will let you bring your car seat. And typically the van drivers are more safe....I guess cause the vehicle is bigger so less room to zip in and out of.

The ABSOULUTE one thing you will have to do is AGREE on the taxi fee UPFRONT... and DO NOT PAY till you are finished. For comparison we typically rent the open air taxi for 6 hours for 4 of us and typically pay $40 for the whole day sometimes $50 plus we tip well.... usually $20. You will have to bargain with MANY drivers before you find one that will take your rate but you will find one. Here is a thought, not sure how big your daughter is, but for space reasons you might consider bringing a booster seat for the taxi ride that way she will be somewhat safer?

As for your daughter and dinner, we have never brought our kids until they were at least 5 years old, but on our last cruise the table next to us had a 22month old and they brought her small toys and pre dinner snacks...ie.. gold fish, pretzels etc... and the waiters were really good at keeping her happy, including when they brought mom and dads dinner out they would also bring out a Mickey bar for the baby, put a huge bid on her and let her go to town. The parents always were able to eat most of their meal before she would be done.

And as far as I know there is no get together planed, but I would love to have one. Is anyone else making door signs? I am having a hard time finding Mexican themed clip art....any suggestions?

Hope you all are having a good week... Enjoy your Tuesday. Big

Thanks for the taxi info. I think we will just walk around the old part of Mazatlan and maybe hike up to the lighthouse. We have a backpack for the baby so we will just stick to our feet and avoid the wild drivers.

I love the mickey bar idea! We did notice she sat in the highchair for the longest time the other day when we let her feed herself some yogurt. Of course by the time she was done it was all over the tray, her face, and in her hair. So maybe we'll let her entertain herself one night with a mickey bar.

 

[sftnslky]

I have really been wanting the new 2008 Deluxe Passporter edition...But really did not want to spend all that money when I have two other older editions. But this afternoon in my mail box I got my Amazon Credit Card rewards gift certificate...which was $25 dollars.. And since Amazon had the book on discount for $28.35 It ended up only costing me $3.35 plus shipping. I am doing the big o' happy dance right now. Sorry just had to share. Have a great afternoon all.

 

[sftnslky]

HAPPY WEDNESDAY EVERYONE ​

 

[provencio]

same to you!!! People we are one day closer!!!

 

[lorielucks]

66 days and 4 hours and 38 minutes until boarding. But who's counting?

 

[sftnslky]

66 days and 4 hours and 38 minutes until boarding. But who's counting?

You made me spit out my Dr. Pepper ​

 

[justmestace]

I'm not stressing yet but I'm I think about the trip and what I need to do all the time (like 20 times at day!). We also bit the bullet and got passports a couple of weeks ago. I checked the status yesterday and they have already been mailed.

I guess my biggest cruise stress lately has been trying to figure out how I'm going to get an almost 2 year old to sit through dinner. I've been picking up little toys, books, and stickers and I will have a goody bag with me each evening. Hopefully that will be enough to keep her occupied.

Rebecca - can you tell me more about the open air taxis in Mazatlan? Can they seat 5 people? Are they safe? Can we just take them a short way? We are doing our own thing in Mazatlan and we are planning on just walking around the Old Town area but I'm worried that we will walk too far and then not want to walk back. But I'm trying to avoid taxis as much as possible because we won't be able to put the baby in a carseat. I'm already freaking out about taking a taxi to the dolphins in PV without a carseat.

So did we ever decide on a meet?

Sorry I've been MIA for a while. Megan was here and we were on the go the whole time.

The last time we did the Mexican Riviera (with DCL) we walked through the terminal and got a taxi van to take us touring. He even took us in to the old part of town so that we could walk through the market and the old church....and he waited the whole time.
It was a regular passenger van, there were four adults and two pre-teens. He even had a cooler with bottled water and soda in the back for us (free).
I kept his business card....it's a company....his name was Jesus Osuna I. and there's an e-mail address if you want to contact the company.
tourguides@mazatlan.com.mx

We were very impressed...obviously, or I wouldn't have kept the card all this time!!

To clarify...Jesus was just one of many of the companies drivers. And we hadn't planned it in advance, we just walked out of the terminal and decided to take a tour.

 

[sftnslky]

It was a regular passenger van, there were four adults and two pre-teens. He even had a cooler with bottled water and soda in the back for us (free). I kept his business card....it's a company....his name was Jesus Osuna I. We were very impressed...obviously, or I wouldn't have kept the card all this time!!

Very cool... Do you know if the company has a web site? And do you remember how much you paid him for the whole day for all of you? Do you plan on doing pretty much the same thing this time around? Glad to see you back. Let the count down begin.

 

[lorielucks]

You made me spit out my Dr. Pepper ​

Uh-oh! I think I owe you a Dr. Pepper! Sorry! I'll get ya one on board.

Have a great evening everyone!

 

[justmestace]

Very cool... Do you know if the company has a web site? And do you remember how much you paid him for the whole day for all of you? Do you plan on doing pretty much the same thing this time around? Glad to see you back. Let the count down begin.

There's no website listed on the business card that I have. Just the two e-mail addresses. We chose them because they had new, clean vans, and "uniforms"....I guess that made us feel safe. I want to say that we were charged maybe $20 per person....but I'm not entirely positive. I know that it wasn't much at all, or my parents wouldn't have done it (they're on Social Security) and I remembered that we saw soooo much, and that it was cheaper than any excursion with the ship could ever be. In fact, the ship did have a similar excursion that was at least $40-$50 per person. And we got to stay at each stop as long as we wanted to, rather than being rushed back onto a bus.

This time, we're going to a beach. It's just my son and I....Megan & Dave are going horseback riding....and since it's just the two of us, I'm doing a DCL excursion for the "safety factor".

 

[GrumpyMom1]

Sorry I've been MIA for a while. Megan was here and we were on the go the whole time.

The last time we did the Mexican Riviera (with DCL) we walked through the terminal and got a taxi van to take us touring. He even took us in to the old part of town so that we could walk through the market and the old church....and he waited the whole time.
It was a regular passenger van, there were four adults and two pre-teens. He even had a cooler with bottled water and soda in the back for us (free).
I kept his business card....it's a company....his name was Jesus Osuna I. and there's an e-mail address if you want to contact the company.
tourguides@mazatlan.com.mx

We were very impressed...obviously, or I wouldn't have kept the card all this time!!

To clarify...Jesus was just one of many of the companies drivers. And we hadn't planned it in advance, we just walked out of the terminal and decided to take a tour.

Thanks for the info.

 

[justmestace]

I found a website...this is the company....looks like the cost has gone up in the past three years....but so has everything I guess.



http://www.mazinfo.com/tourguides/