2/11/13 Wonder Sweetheart Cruise

[emtmom0104]

One more DISer in this cruise! - We just booked this past weekend. This is our second DCL (first one was a 5night DD on the Dream this past August) but first on the Wonder. As with the last one, it was last minute planning, and jumped on it as kids would only miss 3 days of school, we can drive slowly down from NJ and kids sail free!

So me, DW, DS15 and DS12. Not sure about FEs at this point - although with a cutoff of 1/11, we might be able to do jump on it. In any case, I would love to stop by and meet the fellow DISers in the cruise meet if ok.

We plan on staying the night before near the port - anyone with a recommendation between the Hampton Inn by the airport (blue lagoon) or the Downtown one (closer to the port)? Staying with points, so its the same, except parking fee on Downtown.

Counting down - so far it looks like a small crowd - even after a week of KSF there's plenty of availability. The fact there's no CC, maybe why nobody is going?

Welcome! We are heading down from Delware. We booked the auto train today. We were going to drive but it would take 20+ hours to drive and we are doing a b2b, so my kids are missing 7 days...2 of our 9 days are days off for them. We also are looking for somewhere to stay the night before our first part.

I would love to get the group of us together and do a meet and greet. We booked because of the kids sail free. We hadnot planned on the wonder this year...we were talking maybe the fantasy in may. Maybe that will be next year. This is our first trip on the wonder. We have done the dream and magic.

Sailing with me wi be my DH 36, DD 12, DS 8 and my other DS 6. I need this vacation now! Lol.

 

[Camilo]

I am setting up the FE. Right now it is 3 families. I am putting it together on a spreadsheet. I need your dis name, real names of all participating, ages, gender, and cabin number. Also, if anyone has food allergies.

On the main forum there is a homemade fish extender thread...several of them with lots of ideas and pictures. Hope this helps!

Sign us in, please

Camilo (husband)
Elane (wife)
Gabriel (7)
David (4)
Stateroom: 1077

I will be meeting the two other families on Xmas eve and I'll ask them if they want to join.

Let me know please if we have an updated list so I can start thinking about the gifts

Thanks, Camilo

 

[emtmom0104]

Sign us in, please

Camilo (husband)
Elane (wife)
Gabriel (7)
David (4)
Stateroom: 1077

I will be meeting the two other families on Xmas eve and I'll ask them if they want to join.

Let me know please if we have an updated list so I can start thinking about the gifts

Thanks, Camilo

I will add you to the list! I will see if I can't add the list to the board this week...if not i will have more time over the weekend

 

[Camilo]

I will add you to the list! I will see if I can't add the list to the board this week...if not i will have more time over the weekend

Thanks....

Is anyone here spending an extra few days in Florida after the cruise?

Our flight back to Canada in on the 19th and we are impressed how much the Miami hotels are asking for these 3 nights.

I read somewhere else it is due to the president's week. Hotels that we usually can get for 80.00 at Hotwire in downtown Miami are going for over 160.00.

Even the hotel we are staying pre-cruise for 65.00 in Fort Lauderdale (also via hotwire) costs 120.00 per day for the 3 nights post-cruise.

Just wondering if other people are having the same issue as us.

 

[su_A_ve]

Thanks....

Is anyone here spending an extra few days in Florida after the cruise?

Our flight back to Canada in on the 19th and we are impressed how much the Miami hotels are asking for these 3 nights.

I read somewhere else it is due to the president's week. Hotels that we usually can get for 80.00 at Hotwire in downtown Miami are going for over 160.00.

Even the hotel we are staying pre-cruise for 65.00 in Fort Lauderdale (also via hotwire) costs 120.00 per day for the 3 nights post-cruise.

Just wondering if other people are having the same issue as us.

Well, it depends. Miami is a big city and therefore prices are on the high side most times.

But of course, any long weekend will add to it.

 

[emtmom0104]

We are having a hard time getting a cheap hotel too. A room for 5 is expensive enough without the crazy pricing

 

[su_A_ve]

We are having a hard time getting a cheap hotel too. A room for 5 is expensive enough without the crazy pricing

The further north you go, the cheaper it'll get. Something to consider for the future. Staying in Orlando or PC is much cheaper.

 

[emtmom0104]

Here is the FE list so far. If any changes need to be made please let me know. There is still time to join in

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m305/emtmom0104/image_zpse3e70740.jpg

 

[Camilo]

Here is the FE list so far. If any changes need to be made please let me know. There is still time to join in

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m305/emtmom0104/image_zpse3e70740.jpg

Great Jessica, thanks. By the way, you missed an A on David's name
4 families so far, hopefully more will join.
I will talk to my friends on Monday to see if they are interested.

 

[Camilo]

We are having a hard time getting a cheap hotel too. A room for 5 is expensive enough without the crazy pricing

We are flying to FLL the day before the cruise and staying at BEST WESTERN Hollywood/North Miami - Hallandale Beach for 65.00 taxes in, including continental breakfast the day of the cruise. This was obtained via hotwire and I think it's still available.

On our way back, we are checking a 3* on the same area with full breakfast for around 120.00 a day. As it is hotwire, we don't know the hotel name yet, but we believe to be either Holiday Inn Express or Staybridge Suites, both with good reviews.

I'll likely book the hotel soon and confirm the name.

 

[emtmom0104]

We are flying to FLL the day before the cruise and staying at BEST WESTERN Hollywood/North Miami - Hallandale Beach for 65.00 taxes in, including continental breakfast the day of the cruise. This was obtained via hotwire and I think it's still available.

On our way back, we are checking a 3* on the same area with full breakfast for around 120.00 a day. As it is hotwire, we don't know the hotel name yet, but we believe to be either Holiday Inn Express or Staybridge Suites, both with good reviews.

I'll likely book the hotel soon and confirm the name.

Hotwire will only allow 2 adults and 2 kids max. I have 3 kids.....we will figure out something

 

[emtmom0104]

We are staying 45 mins away at country inn and suites for $155 a night I hate paying this much but I guess that's what I get for a family of 5 .

Trip-paid
Transportation-paid
Hotel-reserved
Next onto photo packages and maybe excursions.....

 

[Ffejlowry]

Hello everyone,

We are the Lowry family. First time cruisers. It will be myself (Jeff) my wife and my two daughters 8 and 9. We would love to participate in the FE but don't know what to do. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[emtmom0104]

Hello everyone,

We are the Lowry family. First time cruisers. It will be myself (Jeff) my wife and my two daughters 8 and 9. We would love to participate in the FE but don't know what to do. Any help would be appreciated.

Welcome! The FE can be so much fun. It's like Christmas very time you go to your room! You create an FE, there are a million and one ideas out there and they can range from expensive and bought online (which you won't get in time for this cruise) to made from shoe organizers, pencil cases, hand made, duct tape...etc, the possibilities are endless. Now the other fun part. You choose to deliver once a trip, once a day, to the cabin or to each person. You buy or make gifts to give out during your trip. I handed out everyday just so everyone had something to look forward to, and I also gave to every person..a little more personalized despite our rather large group. The groups are small right now so I can do a little more. I have received everything from baby powder( you put it on your feel to dry up the sand so it brushes off your feet) to old bay ( from a family in MD) to candies from the UK, ornaments, survival kits, postcards, key chains...you name it I've gotten it! Doesn't have to be anything big, especially if your giving out everyday. Hope this helps. I tou have any questions feel free to ask. I am coordinating this so if you choose to join I just need the following:
Disname, real names, ages, m/f, cabin # and if anyone has any allergies as some food may be involved. I will post my excel document again so you can see why we are looking at so far. If there are any letters for the cabin number it's just that they do not have a room # yet so that will get updated as soon as I get it

 

[gopherlawyer]

Hello everyone,

We are the Lowry family. First time cruisers. It will be myself (Jeff) my wife and my two daughters 8 and 9. We would love to participate in the FE but don't know what to do. Any help would be appreciated.

Welcome Aboard and Welcome to our Group.

 

[Ffejlowry]

Thanks for the info. Will supply all of the needed info, except I don't know what you mean by disname.

 

[Camilo]

Thanks for the info. Will supply all of the needed info, except I don't know what you mean by disname.

Welcome to the group.
Disname is your nickname here on the DIS boards: Ffejlowry.

Camilo

 

[emtmom0104]

Thanks for replying Camilo! It's just the name on here that you use as your user name.

 

[ddavis860]

44 days

 

[emtmom0104]

Several FE projects in the works....been a busy holiday vacation already hoping to get more accomplished over the next few days, oh and at some point finish laundry, clean up the house(again), and work on finding our spring/summer things in my recently flooded basement. I'm tired just thinking about it!