12/24/08 Christmas Cruise on the Wonder

[AndymanGA]

Aww the first 6 weeks are such a blur. Switching off napping...god I remember those days. It does get easier. How's Mama and baby doing?

They are doing fine other than a lack of, what was that word, sleep

 

[S'sMom]

BTW your kids are GORGEOUS!!!! and


I am making up a spreadsheet (for everyone). Please let me know:

Your cabin number ( if you know it)

Your kids m/f and what ages

Dinner Seating first/second?

Are you doing the Fish Extender? ( if you don't know what a FE is just ask)

Are you doing a pre/post WDW stay and where

BTW your kids are GORGEOUS!!!!
Thank you so much, and thank you guys for the welcome. I cant wait :)


I am making up a spreadsheet (for everyone). Please let me know:

Your cabin number ( if you know it): Cant remember exact number but we are on the 2 floor (cat.9) aft.

Your kids m/f and what ages: 6 (F) and 10 weeks (M) (baby will be 6 months by then)

Dinner Seating first/second? : Second

Are you doing the Fish Extender? ( if you don't know what a FE is just ask): NO

Are you doing a pre/post WDW stay and where: Yes, pre. Port Orleans

 

[DisneyMama27]

Welcome, S's mom!

Andy, don't y'all know you're supposed to "sleep when the baby sleeps"? Glad to hear everyone is doing well, though!


We are also short on sleep - the first week of school wipes me out, there is so much to do! Trying to catch up on sleep this weekend...

Annette, I have a ?? Can I still add the REAS pkg or do you have to do that when you book? I'd love to book our activities early, and the pkg would be fun! Do you remember how much it cost? I can't find that on the DCL site.

Brenda, let me know if you still need a trip planner...we have received 4 now, at least! TA sent some, DCL sent some, and then DCL again for some reason. We have 2 rooms, so each time we get two!

Happy Labor Day, everyone!

 

[S'sMom]

Welcome, S's mom!

Thanks, I see that you are in Allen, Texas I have friends in Allen

 

[drag n' fly]

Welcome, S's mom!

Andy, don't y'all know you're supposed to "sleep when the baby sleeps"? Glad to hear everyone is doing well, though!


We are also short on sleep - the first week of school wipes me out, there is so much to do! Trying to catch up on sleep this weekend...

Annette, I have a ?? Can I still add the REAS pkg or do you have to do that when you book? I'd love to book our activities early, and the pkg would be fun! Do you remember how much it cost? I can't find that on the DCL site.

Brenda, let me know if you still need a trip planner...we have received 4 now, at least! TA sent some, DCL sent some, and then DCL again for some reason. We have 2 rooms, so each time we get two!

Happy Labor Day, everyone!

Yes you should still be able to add it. Do it quickly though as the 105 day mark is September 10. It was 359.00. Here is the info


Want to impress your significant other and add a little romance to your cruise? The "Romantic Escape at Sea" (REAS) add-on provides you with some nice extras for $359 per couple. It's available on any 3-, 4- or 7-night Disney Cruise, and on Land & Sea packages.

This would be a great package to combine with a Disney Cruise Line Wedding or Vow Renewal.

The REAS package includes:

Romantic gift amenity delivered to your stateroom (one per package, usually includes two one-size-fits-most robes, a bottle of champagne and chocolates)

Bottle of wine from the Premium Wine List (one night)

Tropical Rain Forest pass for two at the Vista Spa & Salon (length of cruise)

Priority seating at Palo (one dinner or brunch - package covers the usual nominal per-person fee)

Romance turndown service (one night)

Champagne breakfast in bed (one morning - this is a full breakfast, from a more extensive menu than the standard continental breakfast room service)

The retail value of the stateroom gift is $93. The bottle of wine is worth up to about $50. A Tropical Rain Forest pass costs $15 a day or $75 for a 7-day pass (per person), and the Palo fees for dinner normally total $30. There is some additional value in the upgraded room service breakfast and being pampered with the romance turndown service. Plus, you have the luxury of pre-booking everything early.* It's hard to put a dollar value on the REAS add-on.

*An unadvertised aspect of the Romantic Escape at Sea add-on is that you get to pre-book your Palo reservation(s), shore excursions and any spa services 105 days in advance of your cruise (the same time frame as passengers staying in suites!), as long as you've paid for your cruise in full. Only the cost of one dinner at Palo is included in the package. The fees for additional Palo reservations, shore excursions and spa appointments aren't included in the package, but you can still book them 105 days in advance if you've purchased this add-on.

They no longer allow connecting cabins to book 105 days out with the REAS. Only the cabin and the people registered in it can book 105 days out. You can book Palo and add your spouse to the ressie if the spouse is registered in another cabin though.

 

[drag n' fly]

Guess how cold it was here last night????? 40F

 

[TXdeVille]

I figured as much!! I just made a pot of chai tea...would you like a cup?

Absolutely!! I very much enjoy chai tea. Your set is so pretty. I do assume it is yours. Love you too, DB (aka drinking buddy)

 

[TXdeVille]

Now I am thinking about the REAS package.....Better run it past DH

 

[DisneyMama27]

Thanks for the REAS info, Annette! Much more than I found on DCL website - I am going blind lately, doing all this online research for the cruise!

I will send info to DH (he's out of town) and see what he thinks. You have two rooms also, though, and it's working ok for you...I was thinking that might be an obstacle. Our kids are 11 and under, so each of us has to be "in" one of the rooms (I'm praying for adjoining...they were pretty optimistic, but we booked late, so no room #s yet!)

Wow, I am jealous of your cold weather! We don't get much "fall" here, and doing recess duty in 95+ temps stinks! (Like I do afterwards! )

I am loving all these bits of info I am learning...and keeping lots of it to myself! My kids have been blessed to get to visit WDW many times since they were very little...wonderful memories, but DH and I miss those looks of wonder on their faces. I think the cruise will be full of those kids of experiences, so I want them to be as surprised as possible. They know about the cruise, but I am keeping lots of little details to myself. (We surprised them last year with Christmas at WDW for the 1st time..DH and I kept the secret for 11 months...nearly KILLED us!! but worth it!)

Thanks, I see that you are in Allen, Texas I have friends in Allen

Cool! Allen is growing fast! Voted #20 by Money Magazine in list of Best American Cities to Live in...or something like that. Not bad for a town that used to be described as "south of McKinney, north of Plano...blink and you'll miss it!"

Gotta go do laundry now...

Shari

 

[drag n' fly]

Absolutely!! I very much enjoy chai tea. Your set is so pretty. I do assume it is yours. Love you too, DB (aka drinking buddy)

Heehee ...no just a google pic. I make mine in a pot on the stove!

 

[drag n' fly]

Thanks for the REAS info, Annette! Much more than I found on DCL website - I am going blind lately, doing all this online research for the cruise!

I will send info to DH (he's out of town) and see what he thinks. You have two rooms also, though, and it's working ok for you...I was thinking that might be an obstacle. Our kids are 11 and under, so each of us has to be "in" one of the rooms (I'm praying for adjoining...they were pretty optimistic, but we booked late, so no room #s yet!)

Wow, I am jealous of your cold weather! We don't get much "fall" here, and doing recess duty in 95+ temps stinks! (Like I do afterwards! )

I am loving all these bits of info I am learning...and keeping lots of it to myself! My kids have been blessed to get to visit WDW many times since they were very little...wonderful memories, but DH and I miss those looks of wonder on their faces. I think the cruise will be full of those kids of experiences, so I want them to be as surprised as possible. They know about the cruise, but I am keeping lots of little details to myself. (We surprised them last year with Christmas at WDW for the 1st time..DH and I kept the secret for 11 months...nearly KILLED us!! but worth it!)



Cool! Allen is growing fast! Voted #20 by Money Magazine in list of Best American Cities to Live in...or something like that. Not bad for a town that used to be described as "south of McKinney, north of Plano...blink and you'll miss it!"

Gotta go do laundry now...

Shari

We got connecting rooms. For reservation sake one adult must be on the reservation in each cabin. Sooooo the kids will be in one room and dh and I will be in the other. We will leave the door open most of the time I booked the REAS package. The only other person in my room is dd12. I can make Palo for dh and I but can only make excursion/kids club and spa bookings for dd12 and I as we are the people registered in the cabin
So on September 10 I will book our one excursion in Nassau and Palo and on October 10 I will add the rest of the group to the existing reservations.

Well everyone starts school tomorrow and I go back to work tomorrow after being home for 8 years. I got a good paying unionized job with the Calgary Board of Education as a EA (educational assistant)

 

[TXdeVille]

Heehee ...no just a google pic. I make mine in a pot on the stove!

Well, you sure fooled me! Sometimes it's way too easy to do that. At least you make yours on the stove! I usually do one of two things.....use the boxed Tazo version and add milk or buy it from Starbucks! The only other thing that I really do is make PG Tips tea from England. It is soooooo much like chai. You should try it! It's awesome....

Congratulations and good luck on your first day! Do I need to make lunch for you?

 

[DisneyMama27]

We got connecting rooms. For reservation sake one adult must be on the reservation in each cabin. Sooooo the kids will be in one room and dh and I will be in the other. We will leave the door open most of the time I booked the REAS package. The only other person in my room is dd12. I can make Palo for dh and I but can only make excursion/kids club and spa bookings for dd12 and I as we are the people registered in the cabin
So on September 10 I will book our one excursion in Nassau and Palo and on October 10 I will add the rest of the group to the existing reservations.

Well everyone starts school tomorrow and I go back to work tomorrow after being home for 8 years. I got a good paying unionized job with the Calgary Board of Education as a EA (educational assistant)

Thanks for the advice, Annette! I guess we're in the same boat with rooms... DH booked me and DS together, and himself with DDs, so might be better to do REAS on his room, if we do it. Hmmm...

Good luck with your new job! I was home for 9 years...we now have a maid, and DH has learned to cook. Hopefully being an EA is not as time-consuming as teaching 2nd grade... I'm sure you'll be FABULOUS!

 

[brendalee59]

My goodness ya'll have been a chatty bunch this weekend

S's Mom, welcome aboard! I'm Brenda, your and Courtney's neighbor from north of the border

Shari, I would love a planner. Thank you so much for the offer. I'll PM you my addy.

Annette,good luck on your first day of work

Andy, hang in there, I promise it will get better.

I should be getting a letter from Conceriege one day this week,with a phone number to call on the 10th .When I call to make our early bookings, I am going to ask what, if anything, they can find out about our itinerary,and any possible changes for Christmas. I have ready these guys can find out just about anything you want to know about your sailing.

If you're sneaking a quick peek at the boards Adriana, we miss you

Ok, I'm off to start my day. Catch ya'll later

 

[drag n' fly]

It is so quiet in here you can hear a pin drop!! I am listening to the clock tick...tock....tick...tock!!! Gawd I love the first day of school!!!!

 

[drag n' fly]

Well, you sure fooled me! Sometimes it's way too easy to do that. At least you make yours on the stove! I usually do one of two things.....use the boxed Tazo version and add milk or buy it from Starbucks! The only other thing that I really do is make PG Tips tea from England. It is soooooo much like chai. You should try it! It's awesome....

Congratulations and good luck on your first day! Do I need to make lunch for you?

OOOh lunch would be nice

 

[chhall28]

I don't think I've posted in months! Things are going great but boy have they been busy. I've been trying to get my almost four year old potty trained and he believes that going in the potty is icky! He will hold it for four to six hours at a time in big boy underware and not go until I put him in a pull-up for nap or bedtime. It's been oodles of fun!

I'm really gearing up planning for the cruise! Does anyone know if they will be doing celebration packages that are Christmas related? Or if you can buy little trees down there? Thanks!

Caroline

 

[S'sMom]

I don't think I've posted in months! Things are going great but boy have they been busy. I've been trying to get my almost four year old potty trained and he believes that going in the potty is icky! He will hold it for four to six hours at a time in big boy underware and not go until I put him in a pull-up for nap or bedtime. It's been oodles of fun!

I'm really gearing up planning for the cruise! Does anyone know if they will be doing celebration packages that are Christmas related? Or if you can buy little trees down there? Thanks!

Caroline

Yes Ditto

I was wondering if its possible to get one of those trees that are available at DW.

 

[brendalee59]

Hi Caroline! Yes, it has been awhile since we heard from you. Glad to see ya back. Potty training don't miss those days at all.

I'm also wanting to get a little tree. Though our kids are teenagers, I think it would be a nice little touch to the cabin. I was thinking about shipping a box to the port with one of those little pre decorated trees,and a few small gifts to place under it. That way it feels a little more like Christmas. Would be much easier if we could find one in WDW.

 

[chhall28]

I'm also wanting to get a little tree. Though our kids are teenagers, I think it would be a nice little touch to the cabin. I was thinking about shipping a box to the port with one of those little pre decorated trees,and a few small gifts to place under it. That way it feels a little more like Christmas. Would be much easier if we could find one in WDW.

I read somewhere that Disney will offer them sometimes right before the holiday cruises. Just don't remember where. I sent Disney and e-mail but got one of their stock responses that didn't actually answer the question. I figure I can always stop at a drug store or WalMart on the way to the ship and get a cheap one. That way I don't have to ship it down there.