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

[Wojo]

Hopefully this isn't perceived as me prying into all of your business. Just curious...don't answer if you don't want to.

So...did anybody get an amazing deal on their cruise that they'd like to share?

I don't know if this is an amazing deal, but here's what we got.

We originally booked with Disney while onboard, securing a 10% discount and a $200 room credit. Shelly then obtained a quote from Dreams Unlimited. They allowed us to maintain our 10% discount and room credit, and we picked up an additional $50 bringing our room credit to $250.

We'll be purchasing Disney gift cards through a school fundraiser (Shelly mentioned this in a previous post), which puts 7% of the amount of the gift cards into our DS's student account to help in paying for his school band fees. We're able to use the gift cards to pay for the cruise, and to stock pile room credit.

So...anybody else got any stories of cruising fruaglity that they'd like to share?

 

[CJLKIM]

Hopefully this isn't perceived as me prying into all of your business. Just curious...don't answer if you don't want to.

So...did anybody get an amazing deal on their cruise that they'd like to share?

I don't know if this is an amazing deal, but here's what we got.

We originally booked with Disney while onboard, securing a 10% discount and a $200 room credit. Shelly then obtained a quote from Dreams Unlimited. They allowed us to maintain our 10% discount and room credit, and we picked up an additional $50 bringing our room credit to $250.

We'll be purchasing Disney gift cards through a school fundraiser (Shelly mentioned this in a previous post), which puts 7% of the amount of the gift cards into our DS's student account to help in paying for his school band fees. We're able to use the gift cards to pay for the cruise, and to stock pile room credit.

So...anybody else got any stories of cruising fruaglity that they'd like to share?

We got the 10% onboard and $200 room credit and then received an additional $150 room credit by transferring to our AAA agent...considering all the screwups with the onboard ressie....I should be sending Kim money for all she did to fix it instead of them giving me the extra....but I'll sure take it!!!

I told Shelly that I wished we had the gift cards here too. It would be nice to be able to pay for band stuff and then use the cards for the trip. Sounds like a great deal to me!

Gotta look for those deals! Some may call it frugal....I just call it smart...the more you save on the front end...the more money you can spend on the back end without feeling guilty!!!

 

[missmulan]

welcome everyone who will be joining us! so glad you could join us. next year........

i should check into AAA's rates. i wonder if i could do better!

 

[kaseyC]

Hi Everyone! We are booked for this Western cruise as well. Please add us to the list. It will be me, DH and our 3 DDs - ages 11, 6 and 4 (at time of sailing). We are looking forward to escaping the wintery weather next December for a relaxing cruise in the Caribbean.

This will be our first 7 night DCL cruise, we have cruised the Wonder twice and have sailed 4, 7 and 10 nights on other cruiselines - NCL, Princess, Celebrity, Carnival and Majesty.

I will post again later, I am going to go back and read the whole thread. Looking forward to getting to know you all over the next year.

 

[Wojo]

Hi Everyone! We are booked for this Western cruise as well. Please add us to the list. It will be me, DH and our 3 DDs - ages 11, 6 and 4 (at time of sailing). We are looking forward to escaping the wintery weather next December for a relaxing cruise in the Caribbean.

This will be our first 7 night DCL cruise, we have cruised the Wonder twice and have sailed 4, 7 and 10 nights on other cruiselines - NCL, Princess, Celebrity, Carnival and Majesty.

I will post again later, I am going to go back and read the whole thread. Looking forward to getting to know you all over the next year.

Welcome to the group!

 

[jlowejd5]

Hmmmm . . .

Looks like we have a bit of a Buckeye contingent growing here . . .

John

Yup. We just got back from a long weekend at WDW. I got "O-H"ed twice, and managed to "O-H" a couple of people myself. Whoo! We'll have one contingent leaving from Columbus and another group coming from Cleveland, so chances are we'll see you on a flight someplace.

Two quick plugs. The California Grill was astounding, and the halibut at the Flying Fish Cafe may have been the best piece of fish I've ever had in my life.

But I am SO looking forward to the cruise next year. We've never done the 7-day, and it seems like every time we get to the ship, we're so tired from four days in the park (or the wedding) that it takes a day or so to recover. It'll be nice to start fresh.

 

[CJLKIM]

Hi Everyone! We are booked for this Western cruise as well. Please add us to the list. It will be me, DH and our 3 DDs - ages 11, 6 and 4 (at time of sailing). We are looking forward to escaping the wintery weather next December for a relaxing cruise in the Caribbean.

This will be our first 7 night DCL cruise, we have cruised the Wonder twice and have sailed 4, 7 and 10 nights on other cruiselines - NCL, Princess, Celebrity, Carnival and Majesty.

I will post again later, I am going to go back and read the whole thread. Looking forward to getting to know you all over the next year.

Welcome! My DDs will be 12 and 8 at sailing (if DH can be convinced to let them come this year). My oldest loves penpals and really enjoyed getting to know some "friends" before sailing last time. Maybe we can hook our girls up.

 

[CJLKIM]

Okay parents....need your help....

I really would like to take DDs 12 & 8 again but DH is still determined that they will be staying home....our first "family vacation" was quite rough last month but I've tried to explain that it was because it was a "first vacation" but all the wedding plans didn't really help....it wasn't just a vacation. The only other vacation he's had was when just he and I were on the Magic in 2005 so that's all he has to compare it to. I felt like I had three kids....

One of the biggest issues was that the girls wouldn't go to the kids' clubs which meant....no free time for mom to enjoy the adult pool...and her new husband. Before the last trip I tried hooking the girls up with other kids' their age from the DIS but when we got onboard the kids never met up and the 12-year old was so upset about getting ditched that she was glued to my hip all week.

I need to see who all has kids going that we might be able to see about setting penpals up with. If I can show my DH that I'll have some free time for adult activities then I know I'll be able to convince him to let them go...plus, I'd like some adult time too but still have them there in order to share the experience with them....

 

[lbgraves]

Sorry guys we switched to the 12/8/07 cruise while onboard last week. This was simply because there are several other families we cruised with who can go that week but not the 12/1. The kids made fast friends thru email and had a blast onboard. The adults also enjoyed themselves tremendously. The DD was amazing...as was the entire cruise thanks to the group. I hope that all of you have the same experience on the cruise 12/1/07!

We have not cancelled 5520 yet and there will probably be 5522 available as well. If anyone is interested in getting these SPHs pm me and we can work it out where we are on the phone with DCL at the same time so that you can snag it.

 

[mom+3girls]

Okay parents....need your help....

I really would like to take DDs 12 & 8 again but DH is still determined that they will be staying home....our first "family vacation" was quite rough last month but I've tried to explain that it was because it was a "first vacation" but all the wedding plans didn't really help....it wasn't just a vacation. The only other vacation he's had was when just he and I were on the Magic in 2005 so that's all he has to compare it to. I felt like I had three kids....

One of the biggest issues was that the girls wouldn't go to the kids' clubs which meant....no free time for mom to enjoy the adult pool...and her new husband. Before the last trip I tried hooking the girls up with other kids' their age from the DIS but when we got onboard the kids never met up and the 12-year old was so upset about getting ditched that she was glued to my hip all week.

I need to see who all has kids going that we might be able to see about setting penpals up with. If I can show my DH that I'll have some free time for adult activities then I know I'll be able to convince him to let them go...plus, I'd like some adult time too but still have them there in order to share the experience with them....

I have 2 DDs that will be 12 and 14 at the time of the cruise, I have another DD that is 19 that won't be on the cruise. We cruised in 2005 and my one that will be 14 loved the clubs and the little one liked them okay. But she found some friends to hand out with and went to the movies and played in the pool and became a big fan of ping pong.
I would love for them to find someone to hang out with. I am a single mom and would love to have some time alone as well. I love the adult pool.
Let me know if your kids would like to get in touch with my kids and we can get them talking or writing or typing or every how they want to do it.

 

[shelwoj]

Lisa so sorry to see you leave us but at least you are still going. Have fun with your friends.

 

[birkner]

Wish you were going on the 12/29/07 cruise as I have a 12 year old GD who is going with us (she will be 13 then) and this will be her 3rd WDW cruise. Seven of us in the party including DH, DD, SIL and her two sibs. She has email and may be willing to correspond anyway.

 

[loriace]

Haven't posted in a long time, and just thought I'd get this back up to the first page. My dd's will be 10 at the time and really want to meet some girls before the cruise too. And jlowejd5................. O-H (only 8 more day's til the BIG game!)

 

[missmulan]

Sorry guys we switched to the 12/8/07 cruise while onboard last week. This was simply because there are several other families we cruised with who can go that week but not the 12/1. The kids made fast friends thru email and had a blast onboard. The adults also enjoyed themselves tremendously. The DD was amazing...as was the entire cruise thanks to the group. I hope that all of you have the same experience on the cruise 12/1/07!

We have not cancelled 5520 yet and there will probably be 5522 available as well. If anyone is interested in getting these SPHs pm me and we can work it out where we are on the phone with DCL at the same time so that you can snag it.

sorry to hear that you will not be on the 12/1/07. will miss you & your family

 

[Jhalkias]

Sorry guys we switched to the 12/8/07 cruise while onboard last week. This was simply because there are several other families we cruised with who can go that week but not the 12/1. The kids made fast friends thru email and had a blast onboard. The adults also enjoyed themselves tremendously. The DD was amazing...as was the entire cruise thanks to the group. I hope that all of you have the same experience on the cruise 12/1/07!

We have not cancelled 5520 yet and there will probably be 5522 available as well. If anyone is interested in getting these SPHs pm me and we can work it out where we are on the phone with DCL at the same time so that you can snag it.

Yes, 5522 will be available too . . . we are doing the same thing as Lisa and family. If anyone here would like to have SPH 5522 let me know by pm, and I can coordinate my cancellation so that you can get it. If I don't hear from anyone here, I will maybe try posting on the main cruise board so that someone on the DIS can get it if they want it. Too many of the DD group was sailing on 12/8 to pass up being with those friends again! I hope you guys have a GREAT cruise, and take good care of that ship for us for the following week!

John

 

[Jhalkias]

Sorry guys we switched to the 12/8/07 cruise while onboard last week. This was simply because there are several other families we cruised with who can go that week but not the 12/1. The kids made fast friends thru email and had a blast onboard. The adults also enjoyed themselves tremendously. The DD was amazing...as was the entire cruise thanks to the group. I hope that all of you have the same experience on the cruise 12/1/07!

We have not cancelled 5520 yet and there will probably be 5522 available as well. If anyone is interested in getting these SPHs pm me and we can work it out where we are on the phone with DCL at the same time so that you can snag it.

Yes, 5522 will be available too . . . we are doing the same thing as Lisa and family. If anyone here would like to have SPH 5522 let me know by pm, and I can coordinate my cancellation so that you can get it. If I don't hear from anyone here, I will maybe try posting on the main cruise board so that someone on the DIS can get it if they want it. Too many of the DD group was sailing on 12/8 to pass up being with those friends again! I hope you guys have a GREAT cruise, and take good care of that ship for us for the following week!

John

 

[shelwoj]

You guys have fun.

 

[CJLKIM]

Happy New Year All!!!

I can't believe that's it's 2007 already...only 331 days until we head off to Florida!! (Can you tell my OCPD is starting to kick in now that the holidays are done???)

 

[WindyCityPoohBear]

My DS Andrew (12) and myself will be on this cruise. We cruised on the 11/11/06 double dip with cjsmom97 and re-booked on board; couldn't resist! We also had the honor of sharing in cjlkim (Kris) and DH Jeff's wedding at sea! What a wonderful day it was! Kris, I hope the girls will be joining you! Andrew & I had such a great time with you all!

 

[Wojo]

We were on the 11/11 as well. Though we didn't meet the majority of the DIS'ers on board, those we did meet made a lasting impression. We're looking forward to getting to know more of you this time around.