06/24/2006 - Special Western Cruise - Who Else!?

[musicgirl]

Glad to see you back rebcam!!! I think there is quite a group doing a tour with David and Ivan. Great, more teachers!!!

BethA-I didn't see any miracle treatments either!!! But then again, that is why I love bathing suits with skirts!!!

Carole-hopefully you'll look like this for the cruise- I have tried some of the brush on whiteners and they do help a bit, but you have to keep it up.

Well, I've got to get to bed so I can be up at 3 tomorrow-I've got to save up!!

 

[Doingitagain]

DH, DD17 and DS14 will be in the June 24, 2006 special cruise. I think they would like to email or IM with other teens before the cruise. This is our fifth cruise on DCL and we know a bit about the cruise if anyone has questions (although this is my first experience with DIS boards). We are staying at DVC Saratoga Springs the week before. We are in a suite for the cruise, so we booked our shore excursions already. It starts at 3:00 a.m. Eastern, because that is midnight on the west coast. You can go sign in and then just keep refreshing it until it changes where you can book. I saw someone mention the teen outing at CC...I think it was only offered the first CC day, but that may have changed now. Musicgirl...what a wonderful job you have done with this board! Thank you!

 

[Jillpie]

Doingitagain, welcome!

You are in a suite?!! How awesome is that. So when did you say the Dis party will be? We are a fun crew here, you'll have lots of fun.

We have a son who is turning 18 next month, so maybe he can meet your daughter, he IM's all his friends, so I'll let him know.

Another boy who is 14, woohoo!!! Lots and lots of 13, 14 and 15 yr. old boys on this thread, so he won't be alone. Thats great.

Oh, and welcome from another fellow DVC'r, our home resort is BCV, but this trip we'll be at the BWV from Monday till the cruise that week. Hey, maybe we'll see you there!

 

[Jillpie]

Lorie, just finished emailing you, but it looks like we'll be doing Palo for dinner on Monday and brunch on Thursday with Pat.

Hey, are we supposed to be doing these ressies TONIGHT, as in 4 more hours from now at 3:00 am Saturday morning??? Or is it tomorrow night at 3:00 am?, as in Sunday morning. I'm so confused! I spoke with DCL today about ressies, and they said our date to do them is the 26th, so that would be Sunday, right?

 

[musicgirl]

Doingitagain We hope you can join us at some of our meets. I'm going to try to get my ds to e-mail a bit closer to the cruise. Thanks for the heads up on the teen wild side. Maybe I'll give DCL a call today so I won't waste time trying to schedule it on the 2nd stop.

Jill it is at 3am Sunday morning or basically after you go to bed tonight!
I'll check out your e-mail too.

 

[BethA]

When I see all the repeat cruisers I wonder if any of us have been on the same cruise before. We cuised the first time in Aug, but the other 3 times this same week iin June. Last year we missed DCL and did RC and it appears we will cruise with them again next year.

Because I am too lazy to go back through all the posts, when and where are the dis meets?

Just to update the list on the early page, my nephews will be 17 and 15 when we cruise--I had not given their ages before.

Has anyone read who the entertainers are now? I'm hoping if they are the same we've seen before they will have changed their material. My younger son loved Michael Harrison, but I'd like to see a difference in his show.

Any chance we'll get a preview of Pirates II?

 

[Doingitagain]

On Sunday at CC our DD17 and DS13 are signed up for the Teen Wild Side. They may not go if they don't know any one, so get your teens out there! Perhaps we can introduce them Saturday at the Sail Away party. Parasailing at 3:30 that afternoon (I am nervous, the kids are excited!). Tuesday at Costa Maya we are going on the Dune Buggy excursion. On a previous cruise we did some rough and fun jeep riding through the desert in Cozumel and loved it, and are hoping this Dune Buggy excursion is the same. On Wednesday we are going to the Tulum Ruins, we know other DCL guests who loved it on previous cruises. DD17 and DS13 will be on the Teen Cruise that night (hopefully, if they have met some friends by then). We had to call Shore excursion for help with that one, because technically Tulum trip ends at 5:00 and the teen cruise starts at 6 and they "require" 1.5 hours in between (ask for a manager at shore excursion and tell them what you need...if they don't do it for you, then let them know someone else was able to do it). We are doing Palo for dinner while the kids are on the teen cruise. Friday at CC we are trying the watercraft Eco tour at 9:30 (that was a confusing one to book...just book it under Mom and Dad using the "doubles" excursion, then bring the two children along). We have never driven watercraft, you may want to come just for the entertainment value.

 

[Doingitagain]

Do you know if they will still be "testing" the staggered dining on June 24 cruise? Has anyone done late seating before and if so, how did you like it? We have been on four other DCL cruises and have always done early seating. But now that the kids are older (17 and 14), later seating may make more sense. Less rushing back from shore excursions or ship activities. Plus we have seen most of the shows and probably won't repeat some of them. If we are hungry earlier, there are many places to grab a snack or we can order room service. I heard late seating is more relaxing because they don't have to rush you out so they can set up for the next group?

For those who haven't heard of staggered dining...the early seating is 5:30, 5:45 and 6:00 rather than all at 6:00. The late seating is 8:00, 8:15 and 8:30 rather than all at 8:30. Whatever time you get, you have it for the whole cruise. I think they are trying to flow people through the ship better. But on other posts I have read about people hating the 5:30 seating because it was so early and they had a hard time making it.

 

[wendilyn]

Dining: We've done the late seating our last 4 trips and liked it much better than the early seating. When we went last summer to CA they had the staggered seating, but only 2 time choices. I didn't notice much difference in when people we're finished. Thanks for the info on CC teen cruise< I'm going to sign up my 2 teen girls.

Lorie: We will also try and do brunch on Monday @ 11. I need to research about Coz. If anyone hears about how the reefs are let me know!

So funny that there's so many teachers! This is also our 20th anniv! (delayed from April)

 

[wendilyn]

Dining rotation? Does anyone know this? I think pirate night is Wed. Is that correct? When are the formal nights?
Thanks!

 

[musicgirl]

Doingitagain-we'll be sure to bring along a camcord for our own entertain then and later!!! Maybe we can put it on the Jumbo screen!!!

I did call DCL and ask about the teen wild side only being offered the 1st day. She checked and said you can only get a ressie for the 2nd CC is by booking once you board. I'm going to sign Andrew up for the 1st one. She said if we wanted to we could switch to the 2nd.

But Now with all the possible dis meets, maybe the 1st wouldn't be so bad.

BethA-I'll add the ages for your nephew.

Dining times-Here's out take on this one. For all 3 of ours, we had late seating. For our 2-3 nights, I think the late seating is great because you are trying soooooo hard to get everything done and with 2 of 3 days being at at port it doesn't leave much time.

We didn't mind the late seating on the 7 night, but we are doing the early seating this time.
-We sometimes didn't get out until after 10 and some of the shows/parties had already started.
-Although there is food available and we did order cheese plates from room service. We were STARVING by dinner time. We didn't want to keep snacking before dinner because we wanted to pig out at dinner.
-You are too full to go to dessert buffets-Now that's a crime!!!
-One of the few times they open the gym to teens is 9pm, boy that did create a MAJOR problem with our son. Back then it was pretty funny because he had never even ventured into a gym!! but to him, it was the end of the world!

So, we're going to try the early. Pray that we don't get the earliest rotation if they are even still doing this. I'm only really worried about getting back from our Coz. excursion on time for dinner especially with the tendering system.

I wonder if we can change 5:30 to one of the later-early seatings? Did that make sense!!

 

[musicgirl]

Sorry that post was getting long. Do you think I like to talk as well?!!

Wendy-I did do a bit of research about the snorkeling situation in Coz. From what I've read, it is in pretty good shape in most places. It does sound like the areas accessed by the beach in the shallow waters are still not in great shape. It sounds like you are better off going with an excursion that will take you out into deeper waters. They will also know where the better reefs are. Jill and I are doing an excursion with Eagle Ray. that is a non DCL excursion.

Cool, I hope we can get an 11:00 brunch!! That would be fun. Can we ask to sit near our dis friends?!!!

BethA and all others of course!!
-I know those of us going to WDW are going to try to meet sometime Friday pm.
-Deck 10 port side for the sail-away party. This will be the best for the kids to meet. Tell them they don't have to stay the whole time, just so they can all meet. How to recognize disers? Mickey icon paint chips from Home depot. Or a big sign saying: I'M A DISER. Others might stare, but hey, we know we are the coolest on board!
-I think lunch at CC is on the list.
-Many of us are going to meet up before we take off to Maj. Beach at Costa Maya.

I'll post all of this again right before the cruise so that any new comers will see it as well.

 

[wendilyn]

Lorie, Are you doing the two reef or three reef snorkel tour with Eagle ray? What itme, maybe we can join you, my DD16 and 13 might come too.

Pirate night: I was sorry to see that this is on Wed, which means the teens on the Coz sunset cruise will probably miss dinner. Is that correct?

Doningitagain: Dod you know what the watercrafts are like on the CC ecotour?
Thanks!

 

[wendilyn]

another question: someone mentioned a ruin excursion through a non DCL trip in Costa Maya. can I have that info?
Thanks

 

[wendilyn]

HI
I found the website with David and Ivan tour, looks great. What time did people book for? Can we join you? Cruise critic gave these guys wonderful reviews

 

[Doingitagain]

Well, with all these teachers, I hope everyone is taking notes!!!! There will be a quiz!!!

Jeff, let the one group go to the ruins and join the dis group at Maj. Beach!

Susan-I believe that it is eastern.
I'm going to do a search just to make sure it is Eastern time for ressies.

I'm going to make a Palo Brunch ressie for Mon. at 11. There are only 2 of us, but I thought if anyone got closed out, they could join us. I know I can always cancel once I board.

I forgot to mention...my husband is and has been a middle school teacher for 25 years! We have a Palo Brunch reservation for Monday at 11.

 

[Doingitagain]

Lorie, Are you doing the two reef or three reef snorkel tour with Eagle ray? What itme, maybe we can join you, my DD16 and 13 might come too.

Pirate night: I was sorry to see that this is on Wed, which means the teens on the Coz sunset cruise will probably miss dinner. Is that correct?

Doningitagain: Dod you know what the watercrafts are like on the CC ecotour?
Thanks!

I saw an itinerary from a February Western cruise and the pirate night was Wednesday. But on that trip, Wednesday was Costa Maya. The June 24 trip has Costa Maya on Tuesday. I have a strong hunch that they will do Pirate Night on the Costa Maya day (Tuesday) for us because the ship will be sailing rather than in Port like it would be in Wednesday in Cozumel. They shoot off some fireworks, they probably can't do that while in port.

As to the watercrafts, it just says "Personal Watercraft". I assumed a jetski type of thing seating two people.

 

[musicgirl]

doingitagain-(dia) Cool Brunch at 11 on Mon.!!! It's a party!! Now I just hope I can get my ressies through!

Teachers rule!! Hey don't tell the kids they might think they are actually going to summer school instead of a cruise!

Wendy, we are doing the 2 reef snorkel at 1 I think. I'll have to check.

 

[BuzzLightYear3]

I'm getting jealous of everybody who is able to book their plans! ....it's our first cruise so I guess we need to wait a couple more weeks. We don't really have our hearts set on anything in particular though, so I'm not too worried. I think the thing we're actually looking forward to the most is the CM DIS meet at the beach and renting those waverunners!

A question for those of you with DSs in the 13ish range: what are you planning to have them wear for formal night? When I first booked this cruise, I was thinking it'd be fun to go all out on formal night, e.g., get DH and both boys in tuxes and my DD and I in nice dresses. DH really doesn't want to do the tux thing though.....he'd prefer to just wear a sportcoat and tie, so if we're not going to go all out, I'm not sure I want to invest in suits for the boys and am thinking I'll just have them wear dress shirts with ties. What's everybody else planning? (I'm sure I'll be in hot water if I ask my DS to do something dramatically different than most of the other DS13s!)

Linda

 

[musicgirl]

Linda-Andrew just wore dress pants and a jacket/tie. The jacket lasted until we made it into dinner and then off it came to rest on the back of the chair!
I think shirt/tie is just fine.

This time he has a suit from 8th grade graduation. I'll also just bring 1 pair of khaki pants with a few polo for the rest of the nights.

Dh-Bill wore a suit and then khaki pants/polos.

Some people dress up alot and some dress-up casual.

Don't worry too much about the ressies. Remember that they only do so many on-line and they save the rest until boarding. You could always join us for brunch, I'm getting a 4-top just in case someone needs a spot.