3/14/09 Spring Break Aboard the Magic

[SB's Mom]

JoRy. . .what area of Nashville. . .I lived in the Green Hills area for 18 years. . .boy do I miss it!
On the shuttle. . .sometimes it is cheaper to book a "limo" from the airport area than using the Disney shuttle. . .
Palo usually don't have opening after the 1st day. . .go directly to their reservation area if you think you want another reservation. . .in 2006 some dear friends too me to brunch and we tried to get additional brunch reservations so my dh and I could go together. . .we think the brunch is a lot better than dinner. . .however both are wonderful.

Candizfan. . I have a dd10 who would love to e-mail someone on this cruise. . .send me a private message.

tecdavidt. . .you can push your reservation to another date. . .we booked this cruise for March 2008 and wasn't able to go due to dh's job. . .so we just changed the date with our TA and didn't loose any deposits or "perks" from booking while on board in 2007.

 

[candizfan]

Hi SB's Mom - I sent you a private message and an email. I am sure the kids will enjoy chatting.

 

[hopelea]

Well, I just canceled our DCL excursion in St. Martin. We are now going with Bernard's Tours for $35 each and he is taking us on a tour of the island and we get to go to Maho Beach where the big planes land My dd's are happy.

Time is going to fly by now!! But, I don't feel excited yet. I don't know what it is. I guess I just don't believe it is real.....I don't know when it is going to really hit me, when I leave the house or when I get to the port .....

 

[mkmommy]

It must be the night for cancelling excursions, I was thinking I would cancel one of ours, as I think the girls prefer beach days. The Bernard Tours seems to get high recommendations on cruise critic so I am sure your family will enjoy it. Going to Maho Bay and watching the planes is something we would love to do, and may do that on our own.

Garytam, not sure if you know the Pearson Airport area, but there is a Wendy's restaurant on Airport Road right at the end of the runway. When planes come in on the East West runway, they are about 2 stories above you. The first time we took the girls my youngest lost the french fries she had in her hand as the back draft from the engines was so strong, they were blown out of her hand. I am sure that Maho Bay is like that, but with a much prettier background.


I am at that point where I am excited to go, but I don't want it to come to quickly as I know once we go time will just fly by, if that makes sense.

Lisa

 

[garytam]

We will be doing the Bernard Tours also. There will be 4 of us. Figure this tour has a bit of everything, DW would get some shopping, the kids to get some beach time and I can get some food.

Lisa, I know the area, we pass by when going to international center. There is a small parking area that fits 2-3 cars and people would park and watch the plan fly overhead.

 

[hopelea]

Gary,

How old are you kids? Where did Bernard's tell you to meet them? Our paperwork said "it is a 3 minute walk to an information center". Okay, that helps......


I guess I have to start getting serious about packing..........I am going to plan on doing a load of laundry onboard so I don't have to pack a ton! I always overpack.

Hope everyone has a great day!! It is getting closer!!!

 

[garytam]

Hi Hopelea

DD is 12 and DS is 11. This is what I got from Bernard's email reply

"Thank you for choosing Bernard's Tours, your reservation is confirm and we will be meeting you at 9 AM St Maarten Time in front of the yellow building [INFORMATION CENTER] which is about three minutes walk from the ship. please look out for the placard "BERNARD" and there we will be waiting on you."

We will be doing couple laundry run while on board. With the one bag limit from the airline, we cannot pack too much.

Still trying to decide what to do at St. Thomas. DW preferred shopping than beach

Gary

 

[hopelea]

In St. Thomas we are taking a taxi to Magen's bay first thing in the morning...going to the beach until about 1, then heading back to the ship, change clothes grab a bite to eat and then go to the sky tram, shop a little and then back to the ship.

 

[hopelea]

Does anyone know that times that we will be in port? What I want to know is how long we are going to be in each port? I can't find it anywhere!!

 

[SB's Mom]

Hopelea

There are some Navigators posted from the 1/17/09 cruise. At St Maartin, the ship was in port from 8 am to 7 pm. At St Thomas, from 7:30 to 4:30 and at Castaway Cay from 9:15 to 5 p.m.

Ours times could be a little different but this should give you a good idea.
Char

 

[hopelea]

Wow....4:30 in St. Thomas is early. I was hoping to stay longer so we wouldn't have to rush so much.

7 PM is good at St. Martin. I am sure I will be all shopped out by then.

Still doesn't seem real that we are leaving in 16 days!!

 

[tecdavidt]

Those times in port sound about right when I remember our trip last March.

We have stayed at the Hyatt in years past, if you already have purchased transfers from DCL you do not need to register. Just go down to the lobby in the morning and wait. You will see others waiting also. When you check in they will give you a packet explaining DCL procedures including the placing of your luggage out in the hall for DCL to transport to the port in the am. I always like staying there the night before the cruise. I feel like the cruise begins then! Have a great time.

I just realized I need to take a dress to the dry cleaners for my daughter. It is her formal/semi-formal dress. Yikes. Good thing I have over a week left.

Kathy

 

[candizfan]

I am officially at the two week mark before I leave. I will be at the airport about this time to Thursday's from now.

 

[mkmommy]

I wish I was leaving on the Thursday. Last year we left on Thursday as the Friday was a PD day but my husband does like the girls to miss 2 days, and it was not a PD day this year. It was nice to have a day to travel and then a day to go to the parks before the cruise. And now with our flight being changed to arriving at 7:30 on Friday, we will not have time to do anything. Oh well we get to go.

Pretty soon we will be able to check the 10 day weather forecast and then it seems close.

Lisa

 

[candizfan]

mkmommy - I really like it when the 10 days starts to show for us to.

 

[hopelea]

We are thinking that we might leave Thursday after the girls get out of the track & golf practices about 6 PM.....that way we will get past Atlanta before rush hour Friday AM traffic!

So much to do before we can leave!

Yes, I am looking forward to the 10 day forcast as well.

 

[SB's Mom]

Hopelea

Remind me. . . where are you staying Friday? Will you drive all the way Thursday night or stop past Atlanta?

We'll leave about noon on Friday. . .9 hour drive to the port. . .late arrival. . . the first 4 hours of the trip is a 4 lane highway. . .

Char

 

[hopelea]

I really don't know if we will leave Thurs. or Friday. I have so much to do before I can leave....I have a part time job that I won't be able to do until after 4 on Thursday....so if I can get it finished in a reasonable amount of time, (by 6) we will leave. Both my dd's play sports and will have practices until 5 or 5:30 Thursday. So, if we leave on Thursday we will only drive past Atlanta.

We are staying at the Orlando Vista Hotel near Downtown disney. I found a great rate. If I booked a kids suite for $99 we would get another room for free for the grandparents!! My parents and I will split the cost. We were going to stay at the raddison, but staying in Orlando and parking at the port will cost almost as much as staying at the raddison.

I am off work today so I will be looking for hotels.

 

[mkmommy]

I really don't know if we will leave Thurs. or Friday. I have so much to do before I can leave....I have a part time job that I won't be able to do until after 4 on Thursday....so if I can get it finished in a reasonable amount of time, (by 6) we will leave. Both my dd's play sports and will have practices until 5 or 5:30 Thursday. So, if we leave on Thursday we will only drive past Atlanta.

We are staying at the Orlando Vista Hotel near Downtown disney. I found a great rate. If I booked a kids suite for $99 we would get another room for free for the grandparents!! My parents and I will split the cost. We were going to stay at the raddison, but staying in Orlando and parking at the port will cost almost as much as staying at the raddison.

I am off work today so I will be looking for hotels.

If you stay at the Radisson at the Port, you can leave your car at the hotel and the room rate includes parking and the shuttle to and from the port.

 

[hopelea]

But the rates that I saw were like $150 for a night. Well, I am paying $55 for a hotel in Orlando then the parking will be $105....almost the same thing and I wouldn't have to wait on a shuttle. My dh HATES waiting on shuttles. He knows he has a 11 hour drive ahead of him and wants to get going