11/06/04 Western New and Improved Official Thread!

[CatLady]

Originally posted by chefnm
I would still rather see a nice tropical area than an area that has been used and abused by hurricane.
Just my thoughts!

This I totally agree with. If I want to see hurricane damage, I can stay home!

If GC is ready for visitors... really ready, and I mean with the place cleaned up and the residents having their heads screwed back on straight, I'm willing to go. But I know how bad it has been for some of the people in Florida to put on the happy face for tourists recently. I don't want anyone to have to do that for me. And I don't want to feel like I'm taking up resources that are needed by the residents to get their lives together.

Even more than "my pretty vacation", I want not to feel guilty about the port I'm visiting!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Chefnm, jerry, CatLady......I most certainly respect everyone's opinion here. I don't want to start any debates and sorry if I already did.

And I don't want to feel like I'm taking up resources that are needed by the residents to get their lives together.

and I personally just don't feel we'd be taking up their resources but rather assisting them by contributed the much needed and depended on tourism $. These areas greatly depend on us cruisers to patron their businesses. I'm sure they are hurting the longer the tourist dollar is kept out of the country. But this is just my humble opinion. For the sake of the three of you and whoever else is looking forward to Costa Maya I hope we go. If we do, I'm sure we'll make the best of it and find something to do but I just haven't heard good things from the boards and recent cruisers. Chefnm.....I'm glad your friends enjoyed Costa Maya. Hearing their opinion gives me a little bit of hope. But have you all been reading some of the reviews and if so, don't they bother you just a wee bit ? (I could try and go back and link them for you). I'm hearing Costa Maya doesn't have much to do because they're a fairly young port (maybe 3 years). I guess they need time and the tourist $ to build themselves up more. We do have side plans should we stop at Costa Maya, so I'm not considering it to be a total letdown, but it will be somewhat of a disappointment. I'm just being honest in expressing my viewpoint here & I hope noone will hold it against me. I can understand if you can't see my point. I was hoping for a little more than sitting on the beach sipping beers. I have three kids I have to think about and what would interest them also. I know that the turtle farm and particularily the stingray snorkel were to be highlights of their cruise experience. I did hear there is a small monkey farm in Costa Maya that I can see if I can arrange to get to as a substitute. No matter where we stop we plan on having a good time and that means even if we stay on the ship most of the time we're docked in Costa Maya. We'll make our own fun
My apologies again if I started some sort of debate here

 

[sjcubedofct]

Debate all you'd like... as far as I'm concerned, it will be warmer and more sunny that Connecticut, and to me, that is all that matters! Bring on the sunshine and warm weather!

 

[chefnm]

Maria, you didn't start something. We are all adults just expressing our opinions and you know what they say about that. I would be perfectly happy just having another day at sea. As long as I am on vacation I'll be happy. So, GC or Costa Maya or Day at Sea HERE WE COME!!!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Nope....lol.....I don't wanna debate at all. I realize everyone looks at things from different perspectives. And of course Costa Maya will be warmer & sunnier than Philly is today too, so we'll look forward to that. I honestly think if it wasn't for my kids being so disappointed that they won't be able to do stingray city I would care alot less about all this. I just see doing that excursion as a really neat experience to have. My one daughter wants to be a marine biologist---so this was to be very special for her. If it were just my dh and I, I don't think we'd care as much about it.
Oh well......here's to the "secret suprise cruise" we're about to embark on.....can't wait till we finally find out where we're actually going ! I guess it spices up our cruise a bit not knowing

 

[CatLady]

I didn't mean to start a debate, either. I guess I was seeing both sides... living in Orlando, I really do understand what it's like to have your infrastructure messed up and also to need the tourist dollars for the economy... it really works both ways!

And anwhere that I get to go a whole week without cooking a meal or doing household chores is fine with me!! I count 23 more days!

 

[scottygirl]

Switzerland stepping in here! I can see both sides of this issue. I would love to go to an idyllic island with palm trees swaying on a beautiful beach, but I also feel for the people on CG and know that they need my tourist $ to help them get back on their feet (DH says I'm a bleeding heart liberal!) Either way we will make the best of it and the kids will learn a lesson about the "best laid plans".

Of course, to even get on the ship I will need my documents which STILL have NOT arrived!! It is cold and rainy today, so in between laundry I am going to do some packing!

TTFN,


Jackie

 

[sjcubedofct]

So, I sat down with dear hubby last night and he was reading through tips that Paula has kindly put together for us, and realized that in tips alone for the four of us we're shelling out at least $300+! Yikes! Okay, yeah, I'm in a bit of shock, I guess since I've not been on a cruise I don't fully yet understand the level of pampering I'm in for, and that the $300 will seem like a drop in the bucket for the service we'll be getting. Please do share your thoughts on tips!

thanks, Sherry

 

[MiaSRN62]

Of course, to even get on the ship I will need my documents which STILL have NOT arrived!!

Wow.....DCL is really making you sweat it out Jackie !
Did u book with a TA or directly thru DCL ?
I noticed with our docs this time, that there are immigration arrival/departure cards for the Bahamas (CC) ? I don't recall having to fill these out on our 4 night Wonder cruise in '02 ? Or maybe it just slipped my mind.
Hope your docs arrive soon Jackie !

 

[scottygirl]

Sherry,

The tips are a big "extra" expense that not everyone expects! I was discussing them with DH also and we have just set aside the cash and realized there is less spending money. I will not hesitate to adjust the tips up or down depending on the level of service.

Maria,

I booked through www.allseastravel.com.


TTFN,

Jackie

 

[jel0511]

Originally posted by MiaSRN62
Wow.....DCL is really making you sweat it out Jackie !
Did u book with a TA or directly thru DCL ?
I noticed with our docs this time, that there are immigration arrival/departure cards for the Bahamas (CC) ? I don't recall having to fill these out on our 4 night Wonder cruise in '02 ? Or maybe it just slipped my mind.
Hope your docs arrive soon Jackie !

I haven't gotten my docs either yet. Jackie and I booked through the same TA, All Seasons, so we're both sweating it out!!! We have to fill out the Bahamas arrival/departure cards because Castaway Cay is in the Bahamas. This was in our packet for the Nov 2002 Wonder cruise!!

 

[poohssmum]

I got my docs the other day, but I noticed that there's no info on excursions included. I think I remember a LOT of information about the excursions available on our last cruise. I know that we're still up in the air regarding GC vs. Costa Maya, but why didn't I get info about Key West excursions and Cozumel excursions?

Did everyone else get that excursion info?

 

[MiaSRN62]

Did everyone else get that excursion info?

Now that you mention it.....no, didn't get excursion info either. I booked mine online, but still, they should include it because not everyone uses a computer.

We have to fill out the Bahamas arrival/departure cards because Castaway Cay is in the Bahamas. This was in our packet for the Nov 2002 Wonder cruise!!

Ok....guess I just don't recall filling it out.
jel0511, have you or Jackie contacted All Seasons ? I'd check with them if you don't get them by Monday. Fingers crossed for you both that they arrive soon.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I sat down with dear hubby last night and he was reading through tips that Paula has kindly put together for us, and realized that in tips alone for the four of us we're shelling out at least $300+! Yikes!

Sherry,
My dh and I did the exact same thing last night ! Yep....we're a family of 5, so we're well over the $300 tip mark for the cruise. During our last cruise, we tipped our server and assistant server as well as our stateroom host more than the recommended. They were just supurb. We didn't give any more to the head server because he only came to our table twice for less than 30 seconds each time. Also, we used room service twice and tipped them cash when they delivered the food.
In addition to calculating the tips into the budget, we figured out our excursion fees/pictures from Shutters/parking at the port to name a few. Yep.....seeing the amount actually written down on paper can make one want to My dh told me we could have installed an inground pool in our yard for the price of this trip ! LOL But the memories are priceless (to sound like a commercial !)

 

[jel0511]

jel0511, have you or Jackie contacted All Seasons ? I'd check with them if you don't get them by Monday. Fingers crossed for you both that they arrive soon.

I actually called them yesterday to have a request added to my reservation. I did ask them about my docs, and they said that I shouldn't get them until about 2 weeks before. So, they probably won't start caring until next Friday!!! Oh well.... More waiting.....

 

[jel0511]

Doing the DOC DANCE!!!!! They came today!! YIPPEE!!!!

 

[lUVTOGO]

Still didn't get my docs! But since we are part of a group (HowardK Did you get your doc's yet?) I am thinking the TA has to mail out over 90 docs so I am waiting with patience!!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Yeah Lori Glad they finally arrived.

 

[scottygirl]

Doin the DOC dance!!!
They arrived Priority Mail through the USPS. Have a great weekend!!

TTFN,

Jackie

 

[Mickeyswife]

The very helpful and informative woman I spoke with said the following:
For the 6th sailing it looks very, very doubtful to go. She said it has to do with the problem of tendering in.(where smaller ships have to transport people from the ship that sits out in the harbor into the port) She said many tender boats were lost or damanged and until they can be repaired or replaced they have to limit the number of ships that can be there at any one time. They are allowing some ships in, but not the full numbers they usually have. She said that it would be still a couple more weeks before the damaged and lost tenders were replaced. So, I am just passing on info. Take if for what it's worth. Remember it was free!!!! Can't wait to see that beautiful ship and those swaying(lightly) palms.!?#@

Nancy