11/27/04 the sequel.....

[NJ Cruisers]

Excursions - HI Popovich - we're going to do the Doubloon Snorkel with a 5 year old also. In fact, I think it was one of your posts that got me thinking that he would be able to do it. In the past we just went to beaches because he was too young. DH and I love to snorkel so it will be fun doing it again. Unfortunately we can't find our equipment - DH's brother borrowed it and we think it's somewhere at MIL's house. We're still looking.

DIS Meet - let's start thinking about where and when. Here are some suggestions.
1. Deck 10, terminal side - after the life boat drill (during sail away party)
2. Deck 10 near Outlook bar at 3:00.

What other ideas do you have? .... have you tried anything else that worked well?

Diane

 

[april riddle]

We are going to do the Doubloon sail as well - DS are 9 and 11. I want to do the French Riviera Beach Rendezvous - but the rest of the family want to sight see so I think we are going to do the butterfly farm tour. We love the beach but usually we are in and out when we do travel to any beaches so the thought of a five hour trip to the beach was not very appealing to DH and DS's. I want to do the Tramway in St. Thomas as well. DS 9 and I were going to Parasail on Castaway Cay but he has decided that he doesn't want to try it. I think I will still try talking to him about it.

 

[IvyandLace]

Oooohhh...excursions!! Definitely could use some advice there! All I know for sure is that I'm snorkelling in St. John...just not sure which snorkel excursion is the best for the money. Any suggestions from those who have "gone before"??

I have decided to start sending some informational emails to the cruisin' "crew" (my family ) to get them informed on the ship and what is has to offer (for those who refuse to read the Passporter Cruise book!)-guess I'll have to get started today! I'm just hoping I don't overwhelm them on the first email...there is so much to tell!!

IVY

 

[NJ Cruisers]

Ivy - I did those informational emails for my family when we cruised last spring. I did a lot of research about the ship and the ports because I love doing that - sometimes I think I have more fun before my vacations - dreaming and planning.

Some of the family members loved the emails and some just ignored them - everyone had a GREAT time on the cruise even if they didn't know anything. I found it best to have each email focus on one topic (food, one island, club, sports stuff - for my nephew, etc). I warned them ahead of time that there would be LOTS of information and they could tell by the subject line if they wanted to read that email.

Have fun doing it and don't get "down" if some aren't interested. Some want to dream ahead of time and others want to take it as it comes.

Diane

 

[april riddle]

Ivy I took the passporter with us to lunch out today so that I could discuss this with the boys and they just kept saying you pick we don't care. Well I left the passporter on the passenger seat today in DH's car and told him to read it this afternoon at work. I told him that there will be a quiz this evening so he better study! lol

 

[Popovich]

I can't believe we have less that 90 days to go
I have to renew my passport, book the towncar, decide on excusions, make my pedicure apt. for Nov and haircut apts for DH and the kids.

I'm going to ask DH if he will handle the towncar, and the excursions. I usually plan and execute everything while he sits back and teases me about all the hours I spend planning and chatting on these boards. Oh well, I'm obsessive compulsive, what can I say.

I need to figure out what the kids will wear for formal night and which dining room to miss while we go to Palo. Any thoughts on dining???

We are going out for dinner and margaritas so my husband will be a captive and will have to participate in Disney plans!! This is the only way to get him involved, ply him with alcohol.....hmmm not a bad deal for me either LOL.

More later.

Gailyn

 

[izzinmac]

Amanda- what do you think an Izzinmac will look like? Actually, we got that from our two dog's names we had when we got our first AOL account. Izzi is long gone and Mac is still hanging on. If we did it today, it would be hattienannabellensadienmac - now that would be a fun one to figure out! Never did post our last cruise pictures for two reasons (1) 90% of the pictures are of our group eating! Which is what we did 90% of the time! (2) Since it was a full family reunion with small kids, no one took excursions so we don't have any island pictures, and (3) I was too lazy/technically incompetent to get it done.

Regarding dismeets, i like the 3 pm at the Outlook Bar area. Last year we tried the sailaway deck 10 idea, and the crowds made it difficult to identify who was in our group. Felt stupid going up to everone and asking if they were part of the disboards. The 3pm meeting would make it much more likely that everyone who showed up was one of us! And since our sailaway weather last year was COLD, we may want to desiginate an alternative location inside.

Popovich - I can speak to the male attire for formal night. Last year I wore a suit, my male sons/SILs wore sport coats or a dress shirt with tie, and all were fine. Regarding kids, my three grandsons all had cute little dress shirts with ties and were well dressed for kids. I would not buy them suits which will probably get little use after the cruise!

On this cruise, I like the PLAPLAP rotation the best. It puts you in Lumieres on formal night and Parrots Cay on Tropical night. I think that has changed to a Pirates night, but PC still would fit the theme best. BTW, we did request a rotation through DU, and were told "there is no guarantee, but it doesn't hurt to ask". DU passed it to DCL, and we did get it. Asked for it again this time, and feel we should get it since I requested it in conjunction with the REAS package requests.

We are still leaning towards the Champagne Sail and Snorkel excursion to St John. Our group this time is all adults, so we want something nice and easy and "adult" I recall someone had a thread several months ago raving about the Captain Nautica Snorkel excursion. As I recall it was small groups in fast boats that went to several different snorkel locations and had lots of snorkel time.

If anyone is setting up a meet on Friday in the Cocoa area, we will certainly try to make it. We live about 1/2 hour away. As long as we can get home and do the final packing for the next morning!!! Can't wait!!

Bob

 

[traceycooper]

dzneprincess & popovich - wow thanks that is such a kind thing to offer to do. dzneprincess as you offered first i will accept thankyou sooo much, popovich thankyou too.
I am gonna have one last attemt today & if unsuccesful i will PM you, what do you need to know? we dont have a reservation number but when i called they asked for a res number or 10 digit telephone number - which was confusing as calling from England there are a heck of a lot more digits than 10!! I put in the last three numbers of our area code foolowed by our home number then we were put on hold, thanks again guys.
3pm would be fine with us for cruise meet as long as we get there in time as were gonna have to take disney bus as hiring a town car works out expensive for 2 adults & 1 child.
Excursions - definately want to do dolphin encounter, would like to do 5 star snorkel at St John & submarine but not sure if time will allow us to do both, if not just St John.
Speak to you all soon & look forward to meeting you all soon too.

 

[CurtS]

Hi everyone! I logged on this morning and was so glad to see us on page 1 again! Is anyone going to do the Coral World excursion on their own? We went through the Passporter, but with the age spans (3-12) there wasn't anything anyone could agree upon in St. Martin's, so we'll just enjoy the sun and the beach near the ship. We decided to do Coral World on our own because the Passporter indicated that there was only a 90 minute stop and trying to get our six through the gate probably would take 45 minutes of that! But, because of the odd number, we may have to use two cabs, so if anyone wants to share, we could use the company. izzimac--I don't know much about the ship (first cruse), but whereever you decide will be fine--maybe we'll put "I'm a DISer" on one of the kids (no one else on the cruise will understand what that means except all of you).

 

[izzinmac]

Heck, CurtS....you won't need any signs!!! Your gaggle will be easy to spot...assuming your kids stay close together!! I remember those days well - walking through the mall with the whole group in tow...and everyone gawking at us!!

 

[CurtS]

I'm glad we're going along with you--it appears you outnumber us! Maybe you can provide us with some new ideas on handling our gaggle!

 

[Utah5]

I have not checked this message board for quite a while. Wow! So many of us. I booked this cruise over a year ago and I can't believe how fast the time has flown by.

Our crew consists of myself (turning 40 on cruise), DW 39, DD 14, DS 7, DD 3. We will be in cabins 6072 and 6074. We had planned on staying a few extra days in Olrando but decided that it was too much school to miss, especially for our oldest. So, we will fly in on Friday evening and stay at the Hyatt MCO. I am splurging on a limo to and from port. We head for home on Saturday evening and I will probably see about getting a day room at the Hyatt.

Not sure about excursions yet. We love the beach, so that is where we will probably spend our days in port.

Also, would love for my kids to meet others. Someone mentioned a pen pal. My 14 year old would love to correspond with any other teens.

 

[darcimborcherding]

We are sure a chatty bunch these days!!! Back to the DIS meet. My preference would be to meet about 3:00. I think the sailaway celebration will be too crazy!!

FYI--did everyone make there reservations at Disney World? We've now hit the 90 day mark if anyone is doing any character dinners/breakfasts before the cruise! I really wanted to do one before we leave, but we don't get in until Friday night and I think Saturday morning will be too busy!!!

I have got to start planning my excursions!!! To those of you who have snorkeled before, I have a few questions. . . Can a nearly 5 year old snorkel? I saw some snorkeling equipment at Target on clearance? Should I buy it or do I want to buy better stuff?

Thanks so much!

Darci

 

[CurtS]

Darci: we have a 4 year old and have tried to have him snorkel in a pool and it's hit and miss--more miss than hit. I think a lot of the problem is that he's a bit wary of having his face in the water. He seems to be able to breathe through the snorkel just fine until the mask hits the water's surface. With that in mind we purchased some clearance snorkeling gear for him at Targe figuring he won't be going out very far from shore and if he gets too spooked with the salt water we're not out much.

 

[dzneprincess]

Tracey just PM me whatever information they ask you for when you call. Name telephone # etc etc what times and places you are trying to get! You know all the important info so if they ask me a question I dont go " I don know" LOL

CurtS we will have a gaggle as well. 2 adults and 4 kids ages 9, 8, 5 and 1, so dont get us confused izzi! LOL

 

[CurtS]

2 families, 10 kids. Looks like DCL was the ideal choice. izzi--do you have any coming along?

 

[CurtS]

...or for that matter--any more out there with a gaggle of children going along! I suspect we adults will be far outnumbered at the farewell party!

 

[izzinmac]

My gaggle is grown. Two are going - the youngest girls-age 23 & 28. They just act like they are preteen.

 

[IvyandLace]

Utah 5,

It was my niece, Moriah, who was interested in a penpal. She will also be 14 at the time of the cruise! Just send me an email or a PM. Thanks!!

IVY (Tracy)
tvctlc@yahoo.com

 

[CurtS]

I act that way too, izzi!