12/26/2009 - 1/2/2010 Magical New Year's Eve Cruise!

[arabians207]

My mom just told me and my brother she booked a room on this cruise!!

And one of my best friends is on our same cruise, again!! Pretty much just by chance and this will be our second cruise with her! I love having another person to do stuff with around the ship! My sister is a bit of a party pooper and likes to come in early.. and I'd stay out as late as I could except its no fun going around by yourself, I think..

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Hi everyone!
Looks like we'll be on this cruise!
We just got back from the EB repo cruise and rebooked onboard a buncha rooms- just realized on this cruise (our 2nd cruise) that we could book onboard up to 5 rooms since we have 5 in our family! woohoo! LOL
I just contacted TA to let me know which 2 rooms we can get for this booking. We just have to work around school with the older in highschool now. She missed the first week of school this year for our recent cruise- and I don't think we'll want to do that again (middle child will be in middle school next year too) -so we had lmited times to work around and I already told DH I'd really rather not go in the middle of summer anymore. LOL Well our first cruise was the first double dip to CC cruise late May/early June... and this cruise was Aug 17-Sept 1st and I'd really like cooler weather.
Is it really any cooler in the Caribbean during the winter months? I hope so- just a LITTLE cooler would be nice. We're from Texas so we can handle heat- it's the combination of heat and all that HUMIDITY that I find uncomfortable. I might actually enjoy deck 9 and 10 more if it wasn't so hot! LOL

So anyway- we only had a few times to work with and we figured since we like to do the parks before the cruise that we'd go to WDW then this cruise. We have been to the parks during Christmas to NYE before, and also before christmas before... and although it's crowded, we still like the ambiance or whatever you want to call it- during the holidays.

so... thinking it was quiet around here huh? Well never fear, BIP is here.

(won't be that quiet anymore! Sorry....... hehe)

Count us in. We just booked on-board. Me, DH and DDs 13 and 15 when sailing. OMG, the kids are getting so old. I guess thats why we booked two cabins! A NYE cruise should be exciting.

Our kiddos will be DD 15, DS just turning 12 in Nov before this cruise and DD 9.5 at the time of this cruise.
I'm thinking a NYE cruise should be exciting too!

Wow, I didn't realize there would be a thread this far out. We booked about a month ago. DH and I were casually chatting about how fun it would be to get away the week between Christmas and New Year's. Out of curiosity, he looked up the dates for 2009 and then we started talking about what ages the kids will be at that time. (DS will be 11 and DD will have just turned 9 on Dec. 24th) So, we decided that since it would be our son's last chance to go to the clubs we would go for it. We can't wait! We aren't telling the kids. On Christmas they are just going to get lots of vacation related gifts and the last thing they will open will be something I will make up telling them we are going on the cruise the next day! And DD will get to celebrate her birthday onboard. We celebrated our son's b/day last time. (His was the week after we got home.) We've only been on one other. We did the land/sea in August 2006. So we are just dying to go again. The kids talk about it all the time. It is going to be so great! I just wish it wasn't so far away.

This time we aren't telling the kids either!
They are so bummed about having to get off the ship from the EB cruise and they know I rebooked "dummy dates" onboard but have no idea we're already finalizing some dates for the actual cruises! We're totally going to do what you're doing... some hints in the gifts for Christmas and I dunno- I might even wait till we're leaving or I may even say it's just a WDW trip and then surprise them with the cruise after our WDW stay! Let's see how long I can actually keep my mouth shut and keep it a secret. This will be a true test for me. hehe
The time will go by faster than you know it. We thought it would take forever for our first cruise (May/June 2006) and again for the last one (Aug/Sept 2008) but really it just seems to go slow until you get to the last 9mo to a year away- then time flies by! Atleast it seems that way to me. It goes into super sonic speed the last couple of months before the cruise. Or maybe it just seemed that way for us because on both cruises I was on threads that were moving along at super sonic speed with lots of talkers (the first cruise the name of the thread was blabbermouths- so that tells you something huh? LOL) and that makes time go by faster!

Just got off a B2B today (4 day double dip and then 3 day) and we booked this cruise!!! We are very excited. It will be our 6th cruise. When the cruise happens DD will be 15 and DS will be 12!!!!!

Just in case you didn't notice above- our DD will be 15, DS just turned 12 (and youngest will be 9.5) -so our older two will be the exact same ages and gender as yours! woohoo! Maybe this time the kids can actually talk (on disboards... kids thread maybe?) with other kids before the cruise... I never got around to letting them do that on the last cruise. LOL

Hi all, I haven't been around in ages; work and the kids off school has been keeping me too busy! Will try to do better, certainly as we get closer to the cruise. I was also wondering about what Trishde's said about NYEve apparel. Does anyone know if people will dress up more for formal and semi-formal nights since it's the NYEve cruise? I think semi-formal night will actually be on NYE, so......? Will more guys wear tuxes? On our Eastern cruise, my husband and two sons wore black suits and looked terrific. But I found a tux on sale at Kohl's recently and bought it for my husband -- now I'm debating whether or not to return it....

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I really can't say (never cruised on NYE before) -and to be honest I don't know what we'll do. At this point, unless I change my mind in the future, after 2 cruises we've just about decided we're not fond of doing the dining times with, or without, the kids (have tried both ways- neither works well for us). I'd honestly like to just not bother with the dining times and lugging all the evening wear with us and having to spend so much time getting myself and everyone all fixed up for dinner and all that. I'm wondering how freeing it would feel to just go to topsiders each night? We're seriously considering doing that. we were going to do that on this cruise but got talked into doing dining by another DIS'er on our thread. LOL

My mom just told me and my brother she booked a room on this cruise!!

And one of my best friends is on our same cruise, again!! Pretty much just by chance and this will be our second cruise with her! I love having another person to do stuff with around the ship! My sister is a bit of a party pooper and likes to come in early.. and I'd stay out as late as I could except its no fun going around by yourself, I think..

I hear you. My husband is the party pooper that wants to go to bed early (and get up early- bah humbug to that.. not when on vacation please! LOL) every night. Maybe I could join you gals cause you're right- it's no fun going around by yourself.
(wait- you said your mom booked it- so if you're a kid... nevermind cause I know you wouldn't want to hang around with some old lady LOL)

 

[E&BMom]

Welcome BBB (too long to type)!! That is great you will be on the cruise and even better that our kids are the same age!!! DD is still texting a lot of friends from the last cruise we went on!! DD have a dis name already and I could get DS one. They would love to talk. LEt me know when you tell your kids and they can start talking!!

We have booked our before the cruise stay. We are staying at the Poly flying in on the 23rd. We are VERY excited!! Have a great one!! We are still drying out..we got 4 inches of rain yesterday from the leftovers of Gustav.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Welcome BBB (too long to type)!! That is great you will be on the cruise and even better that our kids are the same age!!! DD is still texting a lot of friends from the last cruise we went on!! DD have a dis name already and I could get DS one. They would love to talk. LEt me know when you tell your kids and they can start talking!!

We have booked our before the cruise stay. We are staying at the Poly flying in on the 23rd. We are VERY excited!! Have a great one!! We are still drying out..we got 4 inches of rain yesterday from the leftovers of Gustav.

HI!
Thanks for the warm welcome!
BBB is fine.. or you can call me BIP- nicknamed that on the other thread and then someone tagged me that BIP stood for Bibbidy is a pirate... so the name stuck. LOL Maybe they didn't want to call me BBB since it sounds like the better business bureau? LOL

Well... do you think your kids could talk to mine but not let on that we're doing the same cruise? I'd love the kids to talk before the cruise BUT we're thinking that we want this cruise to be a surprise. Partly just to make sure if something comes up and we can't do the cruise that they won't be disappointed (they are taking it pretty hard after this cruise and I wouldn't want to disappoint them even more to have to say we're not going on a cruise they were planning on- yanno?) and partly just to make it a surprise!

We did get our onboard booking for 2 rooms on the dummy date switched to this date- we have a cat 7 with a cat 11 across the hall (we had a cat 6 and cat 11 on the recent repo cruise and it worked, for us, just as good as connecting rooms did on the first cruise). I also booked a site at FW for the week prior to this cruise- we don't like the idea of going to FL and not doing the parks before the cruise and have always wanted to try out camping at FW. (taking our trailer... I don't like camping enough to go there in tents! LOL) We booked it for Dec 20-26th. We're thinking if we DO end up keeping that and going to FW for the week before- that when we leave on the 26th we'll just let the kids assume we're going home... cause they won't have a clue that we're going to the port until they see the ship and at that point we can say oh maybe we should do a disney cruise instead of going home? And just wait for the looks on their faces. LOL

We've never really been able to do a surprise trip like that... always end up telling them long before the cruise! (or the minute we book the dates LOL)

Hey we could get together at the parks in the days before the cruise, if you wanted to meet before the cruise!

Hope the rain/weather isn't causing you any damage!

 

[E&BMom]

OK BIP it is!!! That would be great if we could meet at the parks before the cruise. What kind of reason (or story) will we tell the kids they are talking?? I would be so nervous my kids might goof up...but let me know.

Have a great day...I have to get ready for work....yuck!!!

 

[oklamomof4boys]

Hey everybody! I haven't been on this thread in a while. I have been so busy planning/dreaming about Nathan's wish trip! I keep telling myself, once we are back from the wish trip, it will be just a little over a year until the cruise. That will go by fast, right?

Oklamomof4boys.......I read about your sons Wish trip....we are flying in just a few days after you guys...too bad we miss you. You will have a great time. How was your trip to DL the other week??

We are really looking forward to the wish trip. When we are at Disney is just about the only time I'm not constantly thinking about Nathan's illness. It is a wonderful diversion. We had a great time at Disneyland! We are considering buying into the DVC but we are going to wait until the ones in California go on sale. ( we went to their presentation in DL. Nathan loved the "club"-which was actually just their babysitting place while we were listening to the speech. He said it reminded him of the club on the cruise. He will be very disappointed if/when we buy into it when he realizes that the "club" isn't part of it!)

I hope my boys meet some friends on this cruise- they will be 17, 14, 13 and 11. They didn't meet anybody on our other cruise- but they didn't spend much time at all in the clubs.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

OK BIP it is!!! That would be great if we could meet at the parks before the cruise. What kind of reason (or story) will we tell the kids they are talking?? I would be so nervous my kids might goof up...but let me know.

Have a great day...I have to get ready for work....yuck!!!

Um... let's see.... they could just be talking in case they DO cruise together in the future or that they MIGHT cruise together in the future. really all your kids have to do is not speak specifically about specific dates and such. think they can manage that? If not I understand... cause if the tables were reversed I'd be afraid my kids couldn't keep the secret either! LOL

Meeting at the parks before the cruise sounds great! We'll probably get even more people on this cruise by the time it happens and maybe we can organize group meets so we can all meet before the cruise! But if not, we'd like to meet you guys.

Oklamomof4boys- My only son (my you have a lot of boys LOL) will be barely 12 by the time of this cruise... turns 12 that November... so it's likely he'll "match up" and become friends with either your 13yr old or your 11yr old or both!
(most likely both... he is very intelligent and gets along with older kids- but then he's a bit immature at times and gets along equally well with younger kids! LOL I foresee a "3-amigos" type thing possibly happening LOL)

I'm reading your pre-trip report about Nathan's wish trip now! He's so adorable!!!!
I hope he, and you all, have a fantastic time on his wish trip!

 

[E&BMom]

BIP let me think about it . I am worried that my kids could totally blow it for you...oh the pressure!!!

Did you have a great time on the EB!! That is so exciting. I see there is a little controversy though. I liked the way you stood up for yourself about the table thing (not that I understand but I thought you did a great job )

It is very exciting that so many kids will be close in age!! That will make it fun.

Oklamom...you are going to have such a great time. Let us know how it goes!! We are very excited about our Thanksgiving trip too. We have AR for Artist's Point for Thanksgiving..but now are wondering if they just do a Thanksgiving menu. Does anyone know that info. DH says the past 2 yrs they have just had Thanksgiving stuff.

The pics of the magic in dry dock were really cool. It makes me very excited!!!!

Talk to you guys soon!! Hopefully more people will join and we wil start talking more!! Have a great night!!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

LOL I totally understand... I'd be afraid my kids would blow it too!

I did have a great time on the EB! Things weren't perfect, but nothing ever is! LOL But overall it was definitely a TOAL (trip of a lifetime) and most everyone was really nice and great to meet in person!

I'm sorry I don't know anything about Artist's Point. But do tell more about your Thanksgiving trip... what all do you have planned?

 

[E&BMom]

Hey BIP...we are going Tues. night and stying at the Poly. We are going to all the parks but doing something we have never done..taking a day off in the middle. We are always go, go, go so we are going to relax and enjoy the hotel and othe stuff one day. We are eating breakfast at Cinderella's castle!!! We did it probably 5 yrs ago and decided we wanted to go again!! We are very excited. We are eating at Jiko's. We ate there last Oct. when we went and loved it!! On our day off we are going to go Downtown Disney. We are planning on eating at Capt. Jack's that day. DH bday is Thanksgiving day and mine is Sun. the 30th (we go home that evening) so we will celebrate those!! And most of all we we have a blast...(no matter what) because we always do and we are at Disney!!

So glad you had a TOAL!! Tell us more about it!!! We would have loved to go but school had already started and I was worried about DD missing the 2nd week of High School.

Well I have to get DS out for the Band bus. On Tues and Fri. he goes early so he can play Clarinet. DD did it but she palyed (and still does) the Cello. She ahd to pick one of the biggest instruments!!

Have a great day!!! Come on others..post away!!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Hey BIP...we are going Tues. night and stying at the Poly. We are going to all the parks but doing something we have never done..taking a day off in the middle. We are always go, go, go so we are going to relax and enjoy the hotel and othe stuff one day. We are eating breakfast at Cinderella's castle!!! We did it probably 5 yrs ago and decided we wanted to go again!! We are very excited. We are eating at Jiko's. We ate there last Oct. when we went and loved it!! On our day off we are going to go Downtown Disney. We are planning on eating at Capt. Jack's that day. DH bday is Thanksgiving day and mine is Sun. the 30th (we go home that evening) so we will celebrate those!! And most of all we we have a blast...(no matter what) because we always do and we are at Disney!!

So glad you had a TOAL!! Tell us more about it!!! We would have loved to go but school had already started and I was worried about DD missing the 2nd week of High School.

Well I have to get DS out for the Band bus. On Tues and Fri. he goes early so he can play Clarinet. DD did it but she palyed (and still does) the Cello. She ahd to pick one of the biggest instruments!!

Have a great day!!! Come on others..post away!!

I'm sure you'll have a great time. I know our most favorite vacation to WDW was the one that was longer because we had some days mixed in that we didn't go to the parks. Now that's not to say it has to be a long vacation to really enjoy it- just saying that not on the go go go go every single day and taking a day off from that made the vacation even better. I'm sure you'll have a great time!

Well, about the TOAL... be glad to share more with you- but what are you interested in hearing about? LOL My youngest two missed the first week of school but weren't even counted absent- they considered them "enrolling" the first day they went after the TOAL. They were supposed to do the same thing for my eldest (this year freshman in highschool) but while we were on the trip they apparently changed their minds- said they had to leave her enrolled, count her excused absent, in order to keep her schedule she already had. Which means she not only had to catch up in all AP classes (another surprise for both of us....) after missing a week but ALSO make up all the homework (which is considerable) for the first week she missed. It's been rough and I definitely won't be taking her out of school for a week anymore. Gone are the days of being able to do that without any major hassles once we return.... and by the time she's out of school my son will be starting highschool and so on. Counting this year we have 10 yrs nonstop of "atleast one of our kids in highschool" (that's how we refer to it.. the 10yrs of dreaded highschool kids LOL j/k) So I guess no more vacations during the school year for us!
(until the kids are grown)

Band bus? I wish we had that... I get to drag us up out of bed super early EVERY DAY (they have marching band practice before school every day during football season) to get her up there. I wish we had a band bus! LOL My daughter plays clarinet too.

Hope you have a great day too!

 

[E&BMom]

Whatever you to tell about the trip is good. I just love to hear about the cruise. That sucks about your daughter and school. We have always taken the kids out of school (OOHH ) one or two days for trips..but i jsut figured it would be harder in HS ...and i was right!! Is your DD all caught up?

The band bus is for 4th and 5th graders...they have a program where they can play an instrument before school on 2 days a week. It is really great. DD has continued to play the cello thru middle school and is still palying her Freshman year. She is going to Atlanta in April for a concert. She's not totally into it but still likes it.


We are going to have a VERY wet weekend. We are getting rain now and then are supposed to get up to 8 inches Sat and Sun from Ike. W ehave had so much flooding this year. DS baseball field was under 20 ft. of water earlier this year and then 2 weeks later under 5 ft.

Hope all are having a great weekend....I have work tomorrow..yuck.

 

[E&BMom]

BIP..are ok from Ike. Are you close?? i just noticed you live in Texas. Hope you are ok!

 

[imsomaha]

Hello to all fellow cruisers. I was on this morning looking at our other thread - 61 days until the Traveling Turkeys Double Dip - and found that we have a thread for this cruise also! I am fairly new at this and sometimes it takes me a while!!

Anyway - it will be four of us; DH(celebrating his 50th birthday) myself, DD14 (she will be 2 months away from her 15th birthday - 9th grade) and DS12 (he will be in 7th grade). Looks like there are several of us who will have kids the same age


Steph

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Hello everybody...We are doing a b2b with the Christmas cruise. Since the May repo, I guess seven days is not enough. I will have my son, who will be 18 and my daughter, who will be 12 with me. We are not doing Christmas at home for a few years so we booked a b2b.

My favorite culinary experience on the ship with the high tea, I would like to host a high tea for our cruise. Both ladies and their husbands. On my last cruise, the ladies insisted that the husbands come and they loved it just as much as we did. They were very worldly and sophisticated men.

As the time grows near, we should plan a high tea and a brunch in the private room in Palo. And we should get lanyards with our cruise name. Wait! We don't have one.

This is bad, we need a cruise name and graphic. Maybe you creative types can help.

 

[E&BMom]

Welcome to imsomaha and TammyAlpahbet!!! Very exciting there are new people!!!

Tammy count us in for the High Tea. After 5 cruises we have done the dinner and brunch (even in the private room) but not the High Tea. That would be a lot of fun!!

Hope all are well. Talk to you later!

 

[MN Dis Fans]

TammyAlphabet: My DW loves her afternoon tea, so count us in. Yes, believe it or not, I even joined her on our last cruise (along with my parents), though I much prefer my watered down coffee. Does that make me worldly and sophisticated?

We've done brunch several times, although not in the "private room". That would be cool.

I was thinking we probably should also start a who's cruising list. What does everyone think of that? Just a summarization of who's cruising in each party.
For example, my family: MN Dis Fans = DH , DW , DS (14) , DS (12) .
On our last cruise, some also listed their staterooms, although some may not wish to do this.

Creative Cruise Names and Graphics? I think I'll need to defer this to you folks. We can certainly change the thread name should we come up with a good one.

I've not posted to this thread for a while, been busy with that thing called "work", so welcome to all you new posters!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

We should have both a high tea and a private brunch. I don't think it will be too hard to book. I will ask my TA as the time grows near how to go about arranging this. Of course, the high tea can be booked when the other Palo are available. I will be asking my DS who will be 18 on this cruise, to join me at Palo. I think that will be really fun.

 

[E&BMom]

TammyAlphabet.....that sounds great!! We love the brunch too. We had a lot of fun in the private room last year. THat is nice that you will be able to take your son to Palo. I know DD would love to go when she is old enough. She loves to try different foods!

mn dis fans....that sounds great about putting a list together. I, however, will not volunteer since it would take me 4 days to do it!!!! I am not the best at computer stuff!! This is our info....DH, me, DD151/2, DS12. Wow posting their ages for the cruise makes me feels so old!!
We have late seating (we love it) and are on Deck 7. This will be our 6th DCL. I guess that is about it.

Hope all are well. I know we are looking forward to out Thanksgiving trip at WDW this year. We will be there for DH 's bday(Thanksgiving Day) and mine on Sun. I won't tell how old though!! DH and I are heading to San Francisco and Sonoma on the 15th of this month so we are looking forward to that too. (without kids) It is nice to get away just a few days..but I always miss them tons!! Luckily we have unlimited texting and mobile to mobile.

I am sure you are all now bored with my info so I will sign off ....talk to everyone soon!!!!

 

[JOHNHORAZ]

Hey People I Waz Wondering If Anyone Haz Ever Been On New Years Eve And Day Cruise And What Are Some Of The Things They Do On The Ship I Cant Find Any Info On It???? Thanx