12/5/09 -- DUMMY -- The Cruise Your Heart Desires Most ; )

[Stepht5]

Actually, that was the night we all stayed and talked in the halls with Laura and Desiree til almost 2 in the morning

That was fun!!! I wish we could have done that more and with all the other chickas!

Still have to finish packing for our trip to WDW. It would be easier if the kids didn't leave their Florida clothes here. There are only two of us here but I am still packing for 6. Can't wait to hug the GK's again. It's been almost 2 months. The last time I saw then was the day before we left for LA. DD reported the other day that they were out on the front sidewalk playing airport. One of them stands there with their arms out and the other runs at full speed. It works better when it is me waiting at the end of the entrance to the main terminal in MCO with them running to me. I keep telling them they are getting too big to be picked up but I still continue to do it.

It's been so dry here the lawn is getting brown -- guess when it's a 70% chance of rain -- Friday when we are going to MNSSHP. Just finished convincing my 5 year old granddaughter that she can still go trick or treating at the party even if she doesn't wear her Cinderella costume. The 3 year old doesn't care what he wears -- he just wants candy and a lot of it.

OK better get back to the packing and the F&W brochure. Don't want to miss anything. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Barbara

Have a great visit with your grandkids!!!

Isn't that the truth. We have been discussing holiday possibilities with the kids. Punch in airfare from Vancouver to London or Paris. Base price is basically $1800.00 per person and up and we have to x that by 4 That's roughly $8000 before we even start the rest of holiday.

So, we'll be doing holidays in North America.

5 for us! Using Disney air was actually cheaper then when I priced it on its own.........

Jon and I are going to talk about the trip some more tonight... We have a *hold* on a Cat 3 for the WB TA...... The Cat 3 was only $4,000 more then the Cat 4 -- That's a LOT less then the difference was between the 2 for the EB PC!

The July 18th Baltic in a Cat 4 is almost $10,000 MORE then the Cat 3 for the WB TA!!!!

I just can't see spending close to $30,000 for a cruise and that doesn't include any excursions, etc..... Just the flight & cruise only!

 

[smeecanada]

That was fun!!! I wish we could have done that more and with all the other chickas!

I wish I could have talked more with people. Reading about things after the cruise - I feel like I really didn't get to know anyone.

5 for us! Using Disney air was actually cheaper then when I priced it on its own.........

Our problem is we have too come so far - it's actually about $200 each just to get to the Mainland (about a 20 min hop - you spend more time taxiing/landing than you do flying).

Jon and I are going to talk about the trip some more tonight... We have a *hold* on a Cat 3 for the WB TA...... The Cat 3 was only $4,000 more then the Cat 4 -- That's a LOT less then the difference was between the 2 for the EB PC!

The July 18th Baltic in a Cat 4 is almost $10,000 MORE then the Cat 3 for the WB TA!!!!

I just can't see spending close to $30,000 for a cruise and that doesn't include any excursions, etc..... Just the flight & cruise only!

That's a huge difference. Sure makes you think twice about things - especially with the economy. We would love to do one of the Baltic Cruises. Ken has relatives in Sweden and I have relatives in Scotland. Both of us have been with our families when we were younger and would love to go back again. Price wise - we just can't justify the cost.

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

That was fun!!! I wish we could have done that more and with all the other chickas!

You still can! It's called August 15th in WDW...

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

So....Tori has the bright idea that if she starts her school work for the week on the weekend..I can take to her to DL today. I agree....

I managed to pick the worst 95 degree/Santa Ana winds day there is! I also have no idea where all the people came from..hello people! it's a Wednesday..in October! Don't you have other things to do???

Actually..it wasn't terrible ..maybe it was the heat and the fact that my face dried out in the first 10 minutes we were there.....it's still 74 degrees outside and it's almost 10 PM!

I really have to stop looking for people I might recognize when I am at the Park..today I saw a woman who looked a lot like Cheryl....(same hairstyle and everything!) Don't worry..I realized it wasn't her quickly when I saw she didn't have a phone

 

[captaincrash]

Hey...

.... just passing through to say a neighborly "hello"!... I bought a new desktop to edit my HD Video footage - just set it up tonight and I just picked up the HD editing software from Best Buy. Maybe tomorrow I'll order new photo editing software (Lightroom v2) along with DVD tutorials. I'm gearing up to bump everything I do with video and still images to a new level. I decided against going with new MAC machines and software on account of the cost and suggestion by many that I could accomplish everything desired at a fraction of the cost on a PC platform. I figure I spent near 1/3rd of what a similar MAC set up with software would have cost. I wonder whether this will prove true or just end up a waste of time and $$? In the end - if nothing less - I now have a powerful desktop which will ALMOST run the most powerful PC games at moderate frame and resolution rates. Or at least so after I upgrade the video card further. Eventually I hope to set up dual monitors ... probably only 22" sized as those are a lot cheaper than twin 24" (or larger). Or who knows... maybe I'll go with twin 24s AFTER I upgrade the V-card. For now I'm using an old 19" LCD screen while I get used to the new applications and so forth.

At any rate, we're about to depart for our Princess Sapphire cruise this weekend - and now I'll get to do the Zip line I skipped on our REPO, and Julianna will get her swim with the Dolphins that we skipped on account of alternate plans made with the families gathered in our group in AP. And maybe we'll do horses or similar somewhere. OR maybe not?

As for everything else... things are good... the kids are scoring goals in Soccer... and ... and ... and... oh yeah... we booked 5 cabins for the July 18th Magic sailing for the Northern port rotation. We do have some potential instability in following through with these plans though. There are a number of shifting issues in our group (not us as we remain flexible in following the consensus)... and as such we might actually switch to another cruise line OR we might even switch to cruising another region then Northern Europe. Given the potential instability of the July Disney plans we temporarily had a backup reservation for the April Repo - which was the 1st choice for Alicia and I... in the end however, we decided it was best to just hold ONE reservation to travel in Europe. It's tough though to plan anything under these shifting circumstances with folks favoring conflicting factors for 2010. I have not taken the time to skim back to see whos doing what sailing... and so forth... but it suffices we decided the September REPO was not going to work for us. And as I recall - that was quite popular with many ERPCREPO folks. Sigh... guess we'll miss most of those who are on that sailing.

Alicia and I are likely to sail Disney in 2009 - it's just we are not certain which one it wil be this time. Most likely we'll do something semi-spontaneously again when Alicia and the kids get restless.

Oh well... time to scoot for now... I gotta burn some DVDs for the girl scout troop - and friends before we shift into high gear to cruise this weekend...

 

[dahuffy]

Good evening!

 

[cruisin'Mike]

Good evening!

Right back at ya Debi!!!

How are you and Kev?

 

[MrsScooby]

No Laura...........You didn't cause him to leave......I did. I think he did not feel well and I think he knew I would make him go up there. If it means anything...........we would have had every answer right!!!

We would have had the answers right too since all the questions were the same as the last 2 shows we saw. But we would have been pretty boring More fun to be in the audience anyway

Just finished convincing my 5 year old granddaughter that she can still go trick or treating at the party even if she doesn't wear her Cinderella costume. The 3 year old doesn't care what he wears -- he just wants candy and a lot of it.
Barbara

Oh yeah, our DD was 2 when she started trick or treating. She was a bit timid at the first house, until they put the candy in her bag When she realized that it was mostly about the candy...she became very enthusiastic

I wish I could have talked more with people. Reading about things after the cruise - I feel like I really didn't get to know anyone.

Wendy we felt the same way We didn't realize how much everyone got together until we read the stories after the cruise. DH was saying "Next time, we'll know to go to Rocking Bar more.."

I knew there were going to be some things we would miss so I was a little prepared. Just inevitable with most trips...Now we know for next time

I really have to stop looking for people I might recognize when I am at the Park..today I saw a woman who looked a lot like Cheryl....(same hairstyle and everything!) Don't worry..I realized it wasn't her quickly when I saw she didn't have a phone

DH and I were doing that a lot in the first few weeks after the cruise every time we walked into a restaurant or a store we would look for people we knew, even though we weren't expecting to see friends there.

 

[MrsScooby]

oh yeah... we booked 5 cabins for the July 18th Magic sailing for the Northern port rotation. We do have some potential instability in following through with these plans though. There are a number of shifting issues in our group (not us as we remain flexible in following the consensus)... and as such we might actually switch to another cruise line OR we might even switch to cruising another region then Northern Europe. Given the potential instability of the July Disney plans we temporarily had a backup reservation for the April Repo - which was the 1st choice for Alicia and I... in the end however, we decided it was best to just hold ONE reservation to travel in Europe. It's tough though to plan anything under these shifting circumstances with folks favoring conflicting factors for 2010. I have not taken the time to skim back to see whos doing what sailing... and so forth... but it suffices we decided the September REPO was not going to work for us. And as I recall - that was quite popular with many ERPCREPO folks. Sigh... guess we'll miss most of those who are on that sailing.

Crash, Hope you go with the July 18th sailing as that is the one we are hoping to go on too
It is a long way off and our plans may change. We won't have the booking officially until tomorrow.
We're jealous that you manage to get so many of your extended family to travel with you. We'd love if our extended family could come with us...

 

[MrsScooby]

Good evening!

Hey Deb
How is Harley doing
I've been away from the boards for a while, but I saw that you had some problems with a difficult co-worker.
Don't let her get to you
A good person takes care of their pets-it's a big responsibility that some people don't appreciate.
I know it hurts when someone accuses you unfairly of something. At least your boss knows the truth and we know what a great person you are

 

[cruisin'Mike]

Crash, Hope you go with the July 18th sailing as that is the one we are hoping to go on too
It is a long way off and our plans may change. We won't have the booking officially until tomorrow.
We're jealous that you manage to get so many of your extended family to travel with you. We'd love if our extended family could come with us...

That's the cruise that we're booked on too! Linda got excited when I told her that you were thinking about booking too!

 

[micmse2003]

Isn't that the truth. We have been discussing holiday possibilities with the kids. Punched in airfare from Vancouver to London or Paris. Base price is basically $1800.00 per person and up and we have to x that by 4 That's roughly $8000 before we even start the rest of holiday.

So, we'll be doing holidays in North America.

It is even scarier whne DCL airfare is the cheapest way to travel. Only $900 for trip to Barcelona and Orlando back to Chicago. If I booked later for our past cruise the tickest to fly would have been the same price just in the States. That is scary!!

That was fun!!! I wish we could have done that more and with all the other chickas!


Remember Aust 15th!!



5 for us! Using Disney air was actually cheaper then when I priced it on its own.........

Ours was way cheaper by thousands of dollars when we booked with DCL airfares to Barcelona.

Jon and I are going to talk about the trip some more tonight... We have a *hold* on a Cat 3 for the WB TA...... The Cat 3 was only $4,000 more then the Cat 4 -- That's a LOT less then the difference was between the 2 for the EB PC!

The July 18th Baltic in a Cat 4 is almost $10,000 MORE then the Cat 3 for the WB TA!!!!

Besides it is cold in the Baltic. I would need a winter coat!!

I just can't see spending close to $30,000 for a cruise and that doesn't include any excursions, etc..... Just the flight & cruise only!

You still can! It's called August 15th in WDW...

You tell her Des!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[captaincrash]

Crash, Hope you go with the July 18th sailing as that is the one we are hoping to go on too
It is a long way off and our plans may change. We won't have the booking officially until tomorrow.
We're jealous that you manage to get so many of your extended family to travel with you. We'd love if our extended family could come with us...

Laurie...

... don't be jealous... as this cruise I have on saturday - comparatively - is likely to be a more relaxing experience thab otherwise. Yes - on one hand it is nice to have 5 cabins worth of dear realtives (4 families) - however behind the scenes are a number of issues and complications which must be resolved and or managed for all of us to arrive together. THis saturdays' Princess cruise USED to have my Auntie, Sister and a brother coming - along with my father and step mother... however the Auntie abrutly decided to move forward with a surgical procedure - which naturally influenced her to cancel the January cruise. Since she was splitting a cabin with my sister - and since the single supplement was 100% extra cost - my sis canceled. Then my brother and sis-in-law canceled due to work issues supposedly - but I suspect it's something else unknown. AND... we had originally adjusted our plans to sail in January to accomidate the folks who had all just cancelled! Leaving my father, step mother and us going.

So ... since my Dad all along had a single request - to schedule the trip to go as soon as possible - I checked and selected this Halloween sailing as the soonest we could go while siezing a low low price ($1000 for 2 inside and $1600 for a quad interior.... last minute availability was limited to inside cabins and the top end suites). SO... this resulted in meaningful savings versus the January NCL sailing - and it made my Dad happy that we're going about 2 months sooner. On the down side - it is a bit soon following our TOAL... but it does make my Dad happy - and it saved us about $1000 on our quad cabin versus NCL. And you all know how Alicia and I love our "bargains".

So with my Dad and step mother this is shaping up into a nice and relatively intimate cruise. Then my Dad decided to invite my uncle - otherwise known as my step mothers' brother-in-law. An exceedingly nice fellow. And my Dad is treating him with covering all his expenses. Plus his spouse was going to come along too - but that idea faded because she could not secure time off... drat! The single supplement on Princess is also 100%... but my Dad does not care as this sailing is pretty inexpensive to begin with. Too bad we could not find another suitable person to sail with my Uncle as the net cost would have only been taxes and the fuel surcharge (about $128 + gratuities).

At any rate... I am happy to sail wih family and friends - and a managable number like 2 or 4 others is just fine in my book. When the numbers get up to 26 like on the last cruise (EBPCREPO) then that is my preferred limit ... and before that my last "group" had 41 people in it - half were business folks - a quarter their dependents - and a quarter my friends or extended family (I bought my Dad on that voyage as my guest). And I tell you ... with 41 folks in YOUR party ... it rapidly fades from being a vacation for me to being just a lot of work and business. About 2 weeks after THAT 41 person sailing I booked at the last minute to sail Disney for the 1st time as I really needed a vacation from that 41 person vacation! And since then we're been truly happy with our voyages with the Mouse!

OK... enuf of my ramblings.

 

[Downrivermama]

Hey all! I really miss you guys! I am so looking forward to Aug 15th. I'm also looking forward to Feb 15th too! (I already have a spreadsheep set up!)

Dull, gray day here, gonna rain later, but least it's FRIDAY!

Hope everyone is doing well and to everyone who needs it.

Gas is down to $2.59 here, $40 actually filled my tank full!

Been in kinda funky mood this week. Maybe it's the season change.

 

[MrsScooby]

That's the cruise that we're booked on too! Linda got excited when I told her that you were thinking about booking too!

When Laura (eyoreluver) told me that both she and you two were on this cruise, I had to consider it...and then Julie (bellelinus)insisted
So, yes I'm booked for the July 18, 2010 Baltic cruise

Now if you guys change your mind and decide not to go, I may hop over to another cruiseline since our reason for staying with DCL was the great people we met on the PC Repo

I gotta get over to that thread to say hello later today

Laurie...

... don't be jealous... as this cruise I have on saturday - comparatively - is likely to be a more relaxing experience thab otherwise. Yes - on one hand it is nice to have 5 cabins worth of dear realtives (4 families) - however behind the scenes are a number of issues and complications which must be resolved and or managed for all of us to arrive together. THis saturdays' Princess cruise USED to have my Auntie, Sister and a brother coming - along with my father and step mother... however the Auntie abrutly decided to move forward with a surgical procedure - which naturally influenced her to cancel the January cruise. Since she was splitting a cabin with my sister - and since the single supplement was 100% extra cost - my sis canceled. Then my brother and sis-in-law canceled due to work issues supposedly - but I suspect it's something else unknown. AND... we had originally adjusted our plans to sail in January to accomidate the folks who had all just cancelled! Leaving my father, step mother and us going.

So ... since my Dad all along had a single request - to schedule the trip to go as soon as possible - I checked and selected this Halloween sailing as the soonest we could go while siezing a low low price ($1000 for 2 inside and $1600 for a quad interior.... last minute availability was limited to inside cabins and the top end suites). SO... this resulted in meaningful savings versus the January NCL sailing - and it made my Dad happy that we're going about 2 months sooner. On the down side - it is a bit soon following our TOAL... but it does make my Dad happy - and it saved us about $1000 on our quad cabin versus NCL. And you all know how Alicia and I love our "bargains".

So with my Dad and step mother this is shaping up into a nice and relatively intimate cruise. Then my Dad decided to invite my uncle - otherwise known as my step mothers' brother-in-law. An exceedingly nice fellow. And my Dad is treating him with covering all his expenses. Plus his spouse was going to come along too - but that idea faded because she could not secure time off... drat! The single supplement on Princess is also 100%... but my Dad does not care as this sailing is pretty inexpensive to begin with. Too bad we could not find another suitable person to sail with my Uncle as the net cost would have only been taxes and the fuel surcharge (about $128 + gratuities).

At any rate... I am happy to sail wih family and friends - and a managable number like 2 or 4 others is just fine in my book. When the numbers get up to 26 like on the last cruise (EBPCREPO) then that is my preferred limit ... and before that my last "group" had 41 people in it - half were business folks - a quarter their dependents - and a quarter my friends or extended family (I bought my Dad on that voyage as my guest). And I tell you ... with 41 folks in YOUR party ... it rapidly fades from being a vacation for me to being just a lot of work and business. About 2 weeks after THAT 41 person sailing I booked at the last minute to sail Disney for the 1st time as I really needed a vacation from that 41 person vacation! And since then we're been truly happy with our voyages with the Mouse!

OK... enuf of my ramblings.

Wow, you're right, too big a group and the problems can be overwhelming

We managed two vacations with my side of the family. One to WDW in 2000 (about 11 people total) and one in 2005 to Myrtle Beach NC (about 14 people total). The WDW vacation was our family vacation (me,DH, DS, DD) and my family decided to tag along after we booked it. The Myrtle Beach vacation was organized by my sister and took a lot of planning.
It was hard to get everyone on the same page. I can't imagine the logistics of getting 20+ people together

If my Mom wasn't so afraid of the water I would love to cruise with my parents.

 

[allshookup]

Hey all! I really miss you guys! I am so looking forward to Aug 15th. I'm also looking forward to Feb 15th too! (I already have a spreadsheep set up!)

Dull, gray day here, gonna rain later, but least it's FRIDAY!

Hope everyone is doing well and to everyone who needs it.

Gas is down to $2.59 here, $40 actually filled my tank full!

Been in kinda funky mood this week. Maybe it's the season change.

Ya'll keep talking about the 15th, but I actually won't be there till the 17th so I hope everyone is still going to be there for a meet during the week? I was kinda hoping for a night at Jellyrolls maybe?

Tina I know what you mean about the funky mood...the start of cold weather really depresses me every year. I definitely have that seasonal disorder thing, which is why I NEED to live in Florida! Plus we have no real vacations planned till August & it's killing me! Not to mention I'm starting to look for work & my timing couldn't be worse with the economy & all! Sorry for the bellyaching, I felt the need to commiserate with you!

 

[allshookup]

Happy Birthday Mary Ann!!!

 

[captaincrash]

OK...

Dog just got a bath...

Last nite at the soccer practice Julianna was walking our 100+ pound Samoyed around the park - with the dog occasionally pulling her as he chased the ducks ... when she sort of lost control ( duh... ) of him and our Sammy decided those darn ducks were EASY to catch if only he'd jump into the lake after them! Julianna kept mumbling "I'm soooo sorry Daddy..." and I sort of was silent as I walked our filthy dripping wet dog back to my Lexus thinking "... it's gonna SMELL of a wet dirty dog for days now... and from filthy POND water populated by a bunch of ducks!"... Well... I didn't have any serious words for Julianna as I told her if she HAD to let go of the leash to do so... and maybe I should have known better than to let her run off with our Samoyed where I was not near enough to help in a pinch.

So - being the evening - we kept the dog outside and now he just had his bath. He actually didn't look so bad BEFORE the bath - but the water went murky grey and was kind of yucky looking. At any rate - he had a double shampooing and a nice soak - followed by a little bit of conditioner and rinse. Now he's positively huggable - if not for the excessive shedding he goes through after every bath... or more so when he's dried AFTER a good bath. Maybe it would be a good thing to send him to a kennel now thatwe're about to be away for a week? Well... my sister is coming over to house sit and look after the dog - so with any luck this will be OK for just this short little week.

 

[captaincrash]

Mary Ann...

say ... look at that... my 10,000th posting!​

 

[Downrivermama]

Ya'll keep talking about the 15th, but I actually won't be there till the 17th so I hope everyone is still going to be there for a meet during the week? I was kinda hoping for a night at Jellyrolls maybe?

Tina I know what you mean about the funky mood...the start of cold weather really depresses me every year. I definitely have that seasonal disorder thing, which is why I NEED to live in Florida! Plus we have no real vacations planned till August & it's killing me! Not to mention I'm starting to look for work & my timing couldn't be worse with the economy & all! Sorry for the bellyaching, I felt the need to commiserate with you!

No prob, commiserate away! Actually we would probably fly in on the 16th, or since dd always wants to drive to WDW, maybe that. We will be there all that week. I love doing the Sun-Thur thing!

I think I've got SAD too! It seems that every year it gets worst.

Well as for the economy--- YUCK! Least your guys aren't in Michigan!