12/20/07 Christmas Cruise 2007 (Updated DIS cruisers list)

[ReggieB]

Hi Stormys and welcome!

For everyone - DCL has pulled off the "Halloween treats" on-line and has replaced them with "holiday treats" or something like that, so if you access your reservation, you can see the items offered for sale for staterooms. There is a small "tree centerpiece" as well as some floral arrangements, a "decoration" package, and several more gift-oriented holiday items, too.

I have several sheets of the window clings I picked up last year along with that disposable garland that I figure I'll let my kids string up around the room, and augment with a small tree of some description! On some other thread there was a guy who actually carried a 4' tree aboard as a carry-on item! I don't think I'll even try to propose that one to my DH! The reaction I know he would have just makes me !

I'm pretty disappointed with the DCL holiday offerings. I wasn't too impressed with their tree centerpiece (I have an irrational hatred of carnations, so that didn't help!!) It would have been nice if the gifts were a bit more Disney themed, but it's no big deal. Thanks for giving me the heads up that they had added the holiday items though.

I've decided to bring some stuff of my own, just paper things and the like. Might see if I can find a little tree. Not sure if I'll decorate by myself and surprise DS7 or if I will let him help. I haven't told him we are going yet. We did talk about how cool it would be to spend Christmas with Mickey, so I'm hoping he wont be too disappointed to be away from home.

 

[flexsmom]

I did talk to Shirley's shop today on their Christmas offerings.

The fully decorated tree with lights - and a box/package to be able to carry it home - will be around $100 this year. It's about 3' tall. I figure it may be pricey, but with the extra benefit of reuse, and the fact that we're going to be the gathering point for 6 staterooms, it's worth it.

They also recommended some centerpiece-type greens with bows and decorations like candycanes, starting around $40 - the extra benefit being the nice pine smell in the room!

Kids Christmas-themed baskets and whatnot are still being discussed but they should have a better idea of what they'll have in the week after Thanksgiving or first week of December.

OK - on to movies. I really hope National Treasure:Book of Secrets is showing! We saw National Treasure on our Dec cruise 3 years ago, and with the sequel opening on 12/21, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[scm]

I thought it was odd that there was no Christmas cruise thread to be found each time I checked. Today I discovered you with a google search for Disney holiday gifts for cabins.
Glad to know the fully booked ship is not filled with ghosts(of Christmas cruises past/present/future)

 

[BAIC03]

There's quite a few of us ; a few have decided to get our own decrations and bring them onboard... others (like me) don't have the time to prepare-- so I am going to buy the ones off the ship.

It's Disney--and I always get what I pay for!

 

[Hoppy]

Anyone else starting to panic?

I still have fish extenders to make, carry-on Christmas trees to decorate, treats to buy...not to mention actually sitting down and planning what we will do on-board.

Hope I can get my act together. The rest of our traveling party (12 other people) are counting on me

Hey, y'all got any cute ideas for a name for this Christmas Cruising group?

 

[rsschneck]

I called DCL today and found out that we should be getting a movie premier for the new National Treasure movie. Sounds like there will be a lot of good movies while we are onboard!

 

[scm]

Has anyone mailed a box of Christmas presents to the ship before? I want to do it but the thought of it not being in the cabin when we arrive gives me goosebumps. Should I risk it?

 

[flexsmom]

We got our docs today! I wasn't expecting them yet for some reason so it was a great surprise!

On mailing - no, I haven't mailed anything to the port before, but I intend to this time around. I found a 32" pre-lit, pre-decorated tree on sale for $19.99 at our local grocery store, in a sealed box, so I'm going to ship that bad boy down there. I am also mailing a box with some gifts and our rolling collapsable cooler, but will send those to BCV at WDW (since I want to use the cooler when boarding the ship).

 

[Hoppy]

He delivered our cruise docs today. Wahoooo! I'll finish filling out all the paperwork, then it's on to packing.

 

[ReggieB]

I called DCL today and found out that we should be getting a movie premier for the new National Treasure movie. Sounds like there will be a lot of good movies while we are onboard!

DH really wants to see that. We actually saw them filming some of it at Mount Vernon around Easter time this year. I was wondering if it would be shown.

I also found a nice pre-lit tree. I did think about shipping it, but as we are coming by car, it's not like we don't have the space. We still haven't told DS7 that we are going, not completely sure how that will go down. We will reassure him that Mickey will make sure Santa knows he's onboard.

Haven't seen the UPS guy yet today, I have something else that is due today..so maybe....

 

[nato]

The documents are here, so now I can start my packing panic!! We are so excited! This is going to be a great cruise. Don't know if you've seen them, but Target has some cute, small 2ft. Disney Christmas trees for 19.99. I got a Tinker Bell one to take with us.

 

[mwstar]

Wrapped presents are ok right? Now I am starting to panic it is so close!

 

[scm]

Wrapped presents are ok right? Now I am starting to panic it is so close!

I sent mine unwrapped with the wrapping stuff in the box(which arrived there Friday, whew!). It was mentioned that stuff could be opened if scan showed anything 'suspicious' but that's probably unlikely.

 

[Dreamsoftravel]

Wrapped presents are ok right? Now I am starting to panic it is so close!

My plan is going to be to cut the paper to the correct size and bring the pieces with me and some tape. Then one day when the kids are in the club/lab, I will wrap them.

 

[Kailey's Mom]

Our docs got here last week. Hooray!! Now to gather everything in secret (girls still don't know we are going) and ship a box of Christmas goodies to the ship. Ordered stockings from Shirley this morning.

Does everyone have their stateroom numbers so the list can be updated on the first page? We are in 7076.

 

[stormys]

Last week we recibed an evelope from DCL with all documents ans stick for our luggage. This weekend we made some Mickeys silhouettes for our stateroom door. We are so excited

 

[CrusinLattas]

We will be on the Magic Christmas Cruise. We went on the New Year's Western trip last year and are really looking forward to it! We have two little ones - dd-3 and ds - 21 months. If anyone would be interested in meeting we would appreciate it. My Mom and her husband were going with us but she passed away suddenly last week. My daughter and son have both been looking so forward to this trip so we decided to go ahead and go.

I know it will be a fun time - this will be our third disney cruise. We are planning on booking the double dip Christmas Cruise for 2008 as soon as we can on board. We are also planning on spending a few days at WDW when we land.

Look forward to the Bon-Voyage!

Renee

 

[CrusinLattas]

I forgot to include my room number with my last post. We will be in 2137 & 2135. We cruised New Year's last year and the weather was beautiful and warm and we did receive a litho in each room - New Year's theme - I would think they also had a special one for Christmas. It included the year so I am sure they are different each holiday. The crew said the weather was very different from week to week and that Castaway Cay was cold two weeks prior - it was beautiful the day we went and we swam in the ocean comfortably. I read in the newsletter that Goofy will be playing Santa and giving gifts to the children on this trip. The boat was full on New Year's- but isn't it always? It was not overly crowded - there can only be so many people on a boat. I think St. Martin may be limited since we are there on Christmas, but it also looks like most of the excursions are still happening so I am hopeful that someone may be in the shops near the boat for some extra shopping! I read that there is a nice beach in walking distance from the boat with shops along the way so I might take a short walk to see. We are also thinking about going to Coral Reef on our own on St. Thomas. I hear that it is better that way and less expensive.

We have been packed since Thanksgiving and will be driving down in our RV starting Tuesday night to make sure we get to the Raddison by Friday. You can park there for free and they will shuttle you to the boat if you stay one night there. (FYI for anyone driving.)

I got a gingerbread do-it-yourself Christmas tree we will decorate when we settle into our rooms - I don't know how long it will last before we eat it but at least we are attempting to be festive....smile.

We also got a magnetic Christmas tree and manger scene from Oriental Trading for door decorations. I have made door decorations in the past but this year I didn't take as much time to be creative!

The last thing my Mom sewed was Mickey Mouse stockings for the kids we will hang and put candy in on Christmas Eve.

Has anyone signed up to host a party for Disney Cruise in January? I thought the timing of that would be perfect to share pictures and trip stories!

OK - this has turned into a really long post!

Renee

 

[gottagoo]

CrusinLattas sorry to hear about your mom and just remember that she will be there with you and your family.

we are doing both St. Martin and St. Thomas on our own since we just love being at the beach and nothing really caught our eye for the excursions.

can't wait for the warm weather especially since the recent ice strom not only gave us a shot of winter but also a snow day.

 

[CrusinLattas]

Thanks gottagoo. I know she would want us to have a good time.