12/01/07 Western December 1, 2007 - Let's get the party started!

[crystaldri]

Hi myself DH,DD(age11) DS(age 10) will be going too! We are going in May 06 on the Western also but decided to book our 3rd cruise before prices went up. Wow it reaaly is a long wait for this one. Does anyone know if the ship will be decorated for the holidays and how the weather is?

 

[lbgraves]

The ships are decorated mid November & CC is done up over Thanksgiving week. We have only cruised when it has been decorated for the holidays.

 

[loriace]

We are in 8034. It's a big splurge, but only because my parents are going with us. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) My dad is 76 and figures he will spend more time in the cabin than most people and he doesn't want to have to climb over all of us girls. If he wasn't going there is no way I could have justified that category...... but, since I'm gonna be stuck there, I plan on enjoying it to the fullest, who knows if we'll ever get to do it again.

 

[loriace]

hey jlowejd5, I spent the day in Columbus in meetings today. I'm from Lima.

 

[jlowejd5]

It was definitely hard to be in Columbus today. Saturday, Castaway Cay was 92, beautiful, sunny. Got a sunburn, but loved every ouchie minute of it.

Woke up this morning, put up the garage door...

Snow.

argh.

 

[kimszath]

Hey, Welcome to everyone who signed up in the past week!!! Hurray! Our group is growing!!! Ahh... Castaway Cay... you're making me daydream... cannot WAIT to go back!
Sorry about the snow.... yuck. Here... I'll try to melt some for ya...

 

[Popovich]

I haven't checked in for a week on Disboards and I feel like I'm having withdrawal !! I've been planning our Oct WDW trip and researching MNSSHP and Food and Wine Festival info so I've neglected the cruise boards. I just booked the WDW trip and now just need to book a couple of nights at Universal then I'll be done .

Welcome Kim and Loriace! Our thread is off to a nice start. This will be our third Magic Holiday cruise. We've really enjoyed the families we've met from the Disboards. They made our trips so much more fun for us and the kids !

Right now we are in 6622 which is the same cabin we had the last two times. I might request a change because it's a connecting cabin and this time Grandma and Grandpa aren't coming with us .

We haven't worried too much about the kids missing school. Their school has been great about giving us assignments ahead of time. We were gone nearly two weeks last Dec. Four nights at WDW before the cruise and one night after. It helps that they're in K and 2nd grade - I'm sure this time there will be a lot more work. But Lisa's right, they really learn so much on these trips and the family time is priceless.

All for now,
Gailyn

 

[mom+3girls]

Joining in, we will be cruising with you all, it will be myself and DDs that will be 14 and 12 at the time of the cruise. I know my screen name is mom+3girls but we have to leave the college kid behind. She will be graduating HS this June and going off to college this fall.

 

[kimszath]

By the time I get to this cruise, it'll be my third holiday cruise, too! I suppose any cruise between Turkey Day and Christmas is a holiday cruise, right? On our first cruise a couple of years ago, the ship was already decorated for Christmas--was in early November. I'm almost considering moving our Dec. 26 cruise this year up to an earlier 7-day, but I think the prices have already put me out of reach (unless some OUSTANDING Florida Resident rates pop up!!!) Oh well... I did get WAY ahead of myself and bought a great rolling collapsible cooler this weekend! Wonder if it'll still be in good shape by December this year... Saw it on the Tip board!

 

[lbgraves]

Well, I found out last night that we can't get insurance for this trip yet. It can only be sold like 550 days out. That means that they can't waive the preexisting condition part. The guy at AA last night did explain to me that they look at 4 months before the you purchase the insurance when you buy it after the initial 14 day time frame after you put your deposit down. That means that we can't buy insurance until 5/4/06 for this cruise. I asked if I could get it thru DCL at a much higher cost & he said that they just put the names on a rooster & when the date comes around they will be covered...but not with the preexisting condition coverage waived.

 

[mom+3girls]

Forgot to post what stateroom we have, 6071 inside stateroom.
Last time we booked a Cat 9 upgraded to Cat 6 (6562), it was nice but I just couldn't see spending the extra on the higher Cat. There will only be the 3 of us this time. We really didn't like the split bath, it made both rooms too small, so we are going to go with a Cat 11. We are just happy to be going on the ship.

 

[jlowejd5]

...he said that they just put the names on a rooster & when the date comes around they will be covered...

Sorry, I know it was a typo, but I have this incredibly funny image in my head of two guys in yellow coveralls, a couple of officers, and Pirate Goofy chasing a chicken down the hallway, with the Benny Hill music going on in the background.

I have issues...

If I remember right (don't have my paperwork here) I think we're in 6076 and 6078. I'm vaguely excited, because this will be the first time we've been on the port side. All three other cruises we've been starboard. In fact, the one earlier this month, we were in 6576, directly across the ship. Spooooooky.

 

[lbgraves]

ROFL! It was a very crazy morning here. Or at least I thought it was. I spent 6 hours in the school gym with 25 kids. OY!

 

[lbgraves]

SPH 5020 is still available for this cruise!!!

 

[kimszath]

You know, Lisa, when I was running fare checks the other day, I noticed that 5020 popped up... it wasn't available when I booked... I might check into a change, since I believe the view isn't so obstructed on the 5X20 rooms, right??? I'd love to be next door to you, but think I might spring for the less obstructed view!!! The pictures I've seen show the little "step" and some kind of bars in front of the window for 5522 and 5022... what do you think???

 

[lbgraves]

Yes, 5020 & 5520 are the least obstructed rooms. Go for it! You will just be around the corner.

 

[kimszath]

I just called the lovely Luna at DCL reservations--we're now in 5020! She verified that it was less obstructed, as I could see in the SPR pix. Hooray!!! I'm happy that it's not an adjoiner, too. I may have been lucky enough not to have had noisy neighbors in 5524, but why risk it??? She was pretty funny--she said, "Well, lucky YOU!!! It sure IS available! How did THAT happen???" I guess 5020 and 5520 (yours) tend to get snapped up first by people "in the know." I would prefer the starboard side, but I intend to be up on deck for all the dockings and sailaway, so it doesn't matter what the room view is!!!!

Hey Lisa--I 've been reading all the postings about people letting their kids sign themselves in and out from the 8-12 club... I'm planning to let Luke try the "big boy" club this December when he's not quite 8 years old... what's your feeling on the kids signing themselves in and out? I think by the time we do this cruise in 2007, when he'll be fully 8 years old, I'd probably have less of a problem with letting him sign out to go straight to the room (which will be right down the hall from the clubs). I don't think I'm even going to tell him it's an option this year.

 

[lbgraves]

DS will be 9 yo when we go on this cruise & I plan on letting him sign out with strict instructions to page us & only when it has been agreed on by us before he goes to the club. Maybe your DS & mine can hang out & sign out together...safety in numbers? They will just be down the hall from the room afterall. We will have to talk about it more when the cruise gets closer to see how they are doing then.

 

[kimszath]

Sounds great, Lisa! Luke is pretty responsible, but still--he's a kid. Doesn't have a penchant for trouble, but I'd hate for him to develop one on a cruise ship! I like the idea of them hanging out together--safety in numbers. I try to "extend his leash" a little every now and then.

 

[Popovich]

Welcome everyone who just joined us!!

Lisa, we purchased insurance from "insuremytrip.com" on our last two trips and some of the options did cover pre-existing conditions. My MIL has diabetes and it was a must for her. Maybe that will be an option for you.

Hi Loriace- DH was just in Toledo for meetings. Is that near Lima??

jlowejd5-I can't believe you had snow in Columbus! We didn't even have snow in Cleveland! Better you than me, sorry This winter we've had half the amount of snow that we had last year. I hope the trend continues for the rest of the winter!

Well, we're off to Dave and Buster's. The kids are off school tomorrow and were celebrating good report cards

Gailyn