09/21/08 SSMC08 S.S. Member Cruise 2008

[cobbler]

I don't know if there will be a 2009 cruise.

I also don't know if we will try for it, it will really depend on funding and the time of year it is. As long as it isn't in the summer time we might try, again contingent on funds.

 

[CarolAnnC]

They have a lovely home in a beautiful resort town called Lerici. It's very near the Cinque Terra and Genoa on the west coast. In fact Magic used the bay the town is on (the Bay of the Poets) as its jump off point for the shore trip to Florence during the Mediterranean cruises last year. It's where Italians go on vacation.

We were on one of the DCL Med Cruises last summer and we spent a day excursion visiting the villages of the Cinque Terre. This was actually my husband's favorite excursion on the cruise!

I would not hesitate to go back there! It was not only beautiful, but the people were so warm and friendly, too.

 

[danandnan]

Nice clear crisp morning. Yesterday it hit 80 degrees today 60. As they say in Maine if you don't like the weather wait a min.
Mary I think when we meet in Sept the discussion of a 2009 cruise would be fun to discuss. I agree with You and Mark Disney is draging ther feet.
By this time last year we all knew what was going on.
Well back to work this afternoon. Everybody have a great day.
danandnan

 

[WDWLVR]

Good morning everyone - happy Wednesday!

Hi All, we would be on this cruise the first week they were offering it but the DH does not want to take the kids out of school again and he really likes the 7 day cruises vs the shorter member cruises. I was on the fence about going this year with my DD but I guess I hesitated to long and missed it. It's a bummer but I guess I can suck it up for a 7 day.

I wish DVC would change the date to allow more families could go but I guess they pick the cheapest sailing date and keep it short so they really get their $$'s worth. I did enjoy last year's theme but I was not thrilled with the Legend's Ball where were all stood around for a very long time before the Legends came out. I had a hard time keeping my younger children occupied but it was nice to meet Jim(DVC Prez)'s wife and talk to her for a bit while we were waiting. it was our first DVC cruise and I hope we will go on more but if they make it longer and change the date.

Have a good night.

I agree about the Legend's Ball. I think it was the one major goof they made on last years cruise. Not sure why but it seemed like it wasn't planned out very well. That or something happened that we don't know about. We were up on deck 5 looking down and it seemed that those DVC reps we saw seemed to not know what was going on either. One thing out of an otherwise excellent cruise isn't bad but I hope they don't try it again.

Nice clear crisp morning. Yesterday it hit 80 degrees today 60. As they say in Maine if you don't like the weather wait a min.
Mary I think when we meet in Sept the discussion of a 2009 cruise would be fun to discuss. I agree with You and Mark Disney is draging ther feet.
By this time last year we all knew what was going on.
Well back to work this afternoon. Everybody have a great day.
danandnan

Dan - it is cool here in Chicagoland and well. It was down right cold yesterday. At least we had a nice warm holiday weekend. Have fun at work today.

 

[tikimimi]

Don't you just love how the filter works

QUOTE]
It never entered my mind that anything I wrote would be censored in any way! There is just something wrong with not being able to put a Disney star's name on a Disney board.

As to whether we will go on another member's cruise next year if there is one - this is our first one. Having nothing with which to compare, we see it from a different perspective. We are waiting to see how it goes. However - having to take 4 days off work that close to the beginning of the school year is not an ideal situation. Consistency in the early days sets the tone for the whole school year. We are excited to see how it all plays out though. We've never done anything Disney that we didn't like. We've seen changes of which we not too fond, but never anything we didn't like.

For all you seasoned member cruisers, is your time so scheduled that in order to make special speakers, you really don't have time to just kick back and relax?

 

[JOANNEL]

Don't you just love how the filter works

QUOTE]
It never entered my mind that anything I wrote would be censored in any way! There is just something wrong with not being able to put a Disney star's name on a Disney board.

As to whether we will go on another member's cruise next year if there is one - this is our first one. Having nothing with which to compare, we see it from a different perspective. We are waiting to see how it goes. However - having to take 4 days off work that close to the beginning of the school year is not an ideal situation. Consistency in the early days sets the tone for the whole school year. We are excited to see how it all plays out though. We've never done anything Disney that we didn't like. We've seen changes of which we not too fond, but never anything we didn't like.

For all you seasoned member cruisers, is your time so scheduled that in order to make special speakers, you really don't have time to just kick back and relax?

Last year was our first member cruise. It was very rushed. So much going on. Don't get me wrong it was very nice, but not much pool/book/ frozen drink time. It has been our only 4 day so I can't tell you about a regular 4 day, but the 7 day has more sea days and down time.

 

[WDWLVR]

The Member Cruises can be a little more rushed. I know on the 2005 one the DIS group planned additional things like a stateroom tour and Linda's scrapbook class. The stateroom tour got cancelled due to the organizer being sick but also because it conflicted with Ducky Williams presentation. I did the scrapbooking and it was fun but it seemed to squeeze the day even tighter. If you go to our web page (just click the logo in my signature) and look at the 2007 link there is a link for the navigators from last years cruise. That will give you an idea on how things are spaced out.

Since we are into the guests etc. we don't mind giving up some Castaway Cay time to see them. If it is a first cruise you might have to make some tougher decisions.

 

[tikimimi]

On the Disney cruises, what beverages are free all the time? If soda is not, is there a soda card liek on other lines?

 

[WDWLVR]

On the Disney cruises, what beverages are free all the time? If soda is not, is there a soda card liek on other lines?

Soda is free in the resturants, buffets, and at the drink station on deck 9. Soda is also free on Castaway Cay if you get it from the drink station at Cookies but you will pay for it if you get it at a bar or from one of the serving staff walking around taking drink orders. If you order cans of soda from room service or order it at the bar then you will have to pay for it.

Smoothies (like milkshakes) at dinner will be charged.

Hope this helps.

 

[tikimimi]

Thanks Mary! That helps a great deal. One less thing...

 

[WDWLVR]

Good morning everyone - happy Thursday!

Hard to believe May is coming to an end. You would never know it by the weather here in Chicagoland. It is only 43 degrees right now. Feels more like early Spring than what is considered by most the start of Summer. It was nice enough out yesterday to go for a 2 mile walk at lunch. I've been slacking on my walking lately (well I did do a lot of walking on the cruise and in Vegas but it isn't the same). The weather is supposed to get warmer by the weekend.

Hope everyone has a great day!

 

[danandnan]

Good morning everybody. Mary don't feel bad about the walking for the past few days I haven't been walking as much. Both Nancy and I try to walk at three miles a day if we can. It's starting to show I have gained a couple of pounds so I guess we better catch before it gets worse.
I see we got our Disney files yesterday. There are some good storys and lots of good info. Will finish reading it today at work.
Joan you were asking about our grandson and football. For his four years of high school he was a starting def and offence tackle. He's my little grandson 6'5 and 305 lbs HA Ha. He got a full football scholership to Husson College in Bangor for football. He is going to Major in Sports Medicine. In high school he was a honor roll student for all four years.
Everybody have a great Thursday
danandnan

 

[JOANNEL]

Good morning everybody. Mary don't feel bad about the walking for the past few days I haven't been walking as much. Both Nancy and I try to walk at three miles a day if we can. It's starting to show I have gained a couple of pounds so I guess we better catch before it gets worse.
I see we got our Disney files yesterday. There are some good storys and lots of good info. Will finish reading it today at work.
Joan you were asking about our grandson and football. For his four years of high school he was a starting def and offence tackle. He's my little grandson 6'5 and 305 lbs HA Ha. He got a full football scholership to Husson College in Bangor for football. He is going to Major in Sports Medicine. In high school he was a honor roll student for all four years.
Everybody have a great Thursday
danandnan

Good for him, make sure school is important and not just football. I can't tell you how many of Scott's football buddies went off to colleget to play and the grades were not the first choice. Then they have an injury and it's all over. So we know where you will be every Saturday in the fall.

 

[cherylp3]

I don't think Milkshakes ordered by those with food intolerance/allergy issues
are charged. (I asked the chef to use soymilk and soy ice cream )

-Cheryl

Soda is free in the resturants, buffets, and at the drink station on deck 9. Soda is also free on Castaway Cay if you get it from the drink station at Cookies but you will pay for it if you get it at a bar or from one of the serving staff walking around taking drink orders. If you order cans of soda from room service or order it at the bar then you will have to pay for it.

Smoothies (like milkshakes) at dinner will be charged.

Hope this helps.

 

[JOANNEL]

Cheryl,

What's your weather like? I am heading that way this afternoon.

 

[WDWLVR]

Have fun at WDW Joanne!





PDFG and all our friend who need it.

 

[JOANNEL]

Thanks Mary- how can you not?

I am so ready for a Dole Whip!!! I just called the hotel and asked for a room on the first floor close to the busses. They were very nice this time. It's going to be hard to wok all day. I am just ready to go..... Had DS # 2 drop me at work so Sis can pick me up and save an hour of me going home to get them.

have a great day.

 

[WDWLVR]

Pirate Update!!! Aaaarggghhh!!!

acourtwdw got the 3100th post and therefore earns another Pirate!!!

Every 100th post = 1 Pirate
Every 500th post = 2 Pirates
Every 1000th post = 3 Pirates
5000th post = 4 Pirates
10000th post = 5 Pirates
15000th post = 4 Pirates
20000th post = 5 Pirates

The current score is:

krdisneybound - 10 Pirates (100th,700th,1000th,1200th,1300th,1500th, 1600th)
JOANNEL - 6 Pirates (2000th,2200th,2500th)
Tinkerbelle77 - 4 Pirates (200th,500th,2600th)(one pirate given to MarkRG)
Beastly - 4 Pirates (300th, 3000th)
acourtwdw - 3 Pirates (2400th,2900th,3100th) Way to go, Annette!
TnRobin - 2 Pirates (400th,1100th)(one pirate given to MarkRG)
acourtwdw2 - 2 Pirates (1800th,2800th)
WDWLVR - 1 Pirate (600th)
Time4disneynow =1 Pirate (800th)
OKWMEMBER - 1 Pirate (900th)
disrailfan - 1 Pirate (1400th)
Cobbler - 1 Pirate (1700th)
JsMom2 - 1 Pirate (1900th)
manascarfan - 1 Pirate (2100th)
tikimimi - 1 Pirate (2300th)
figmentnnemo - 1 Pirate (2700th)


The next milestone is worth 1 (one, uno) Pirate !!!

Gary - with the new board rules you might have to revise your pirates. We need to close the thread once it reaches 3750 posts. So will we start over with each thread at 1 (which would seem easiest) or will you be carrying over from this thread. Something to think about. I think making the 3750 a high number pirate would be good and then starting over with the count (but keeping everyone's pirates in tact). Does that make sense?

 

[WDWLVR]

Just wanted to let everyone know that chat is back up and running on a limited schedule. See the sticky on the main cruise forum for days/topics of the chats.

Friday night is cruise chat! Hope to see some of your there tomorrow night!

 

[JOANNEL]

They updated the cruise site. Now it says less.....Not even a poll.

Welcome S.S. Member Cruisers! This year's voyage is getting closer, and we have some exciting news on the horizon. In just a few weeks, we'll be announcing our theme for S.S. Member Cruise 2008! This year's theme is shaping all the events, speakers and special surprises we have planned, so be sure to come back soon to learn all about it. As our sail date approaches, we'll be revealing more and more details right here — and you won't believe all the thrills coming your way!