4/5/2003 - anyone going?

[kendall]

Welcome to our group! Glad you will be joining our cruise! Minnie ears and pins - that should be easy to spot! Sounds like a wonderful family trip.

 

[Hersh]

Hi cruisers,
We just got our cruise documents ! Anyone else?

 

[goofydadeo]

Hi Hersh - they were at the front door when I walked in this evening. Our friends got theirs late last week too!

 

[goofydadeo]

Here's the list of who is going so far:

Goofydadeo - Atlanta(Marietta), GA
Hersh - Williamsburg, VA
wenpop - Marietta, GA
kendall - Williamston, MI
CastawayChar - Delmarva, MD
nuthut - Hastings, MI
JLSM97 - Portland, OR
skeegan - GA
Sue88UK - Wirral United Kingdom
RachelTori - Marietta, GA
dvrcraig - Northern VA
ladypam - Atlanta, GA

If I made a mistake or left something out please forgive me. Let me know and I will correct it! It's almost time to start packing!

 

[Hersh]

Goffydaddeo
Tell us how your last cruise went? We will have to have your DD meet our DS. He's still not to sure about the clubs and needs someone to show him the ropes. I know if he would just relax, he would have fun. He tends to overthink things and stress' himself out. This is our first cruise and he just doesn't know what to expect. Do the counselors make the shy ones feel comfortable?
Hersh

 

[kendall]

Very handy! Another suggestion - if you all have electronic photos of you and your loved ones, I would be glad to put together a photo directory of our group so we may recognize one another - I'll put in in Word and send out to everyone.

If you would like to participate, you can email me your photo and information to me at ckendall@msu.edu - include:

Names
Ages (of kids, adults optional )
Mailing Address
email
room on Magic

This is entirely optional - if you prefer to maintain your privacy, that is fine too!!!

 

[skeegan]

ladypam,

My daughter is also 7. Hopefully we will see each other. I will be looking for the shirt with pins and Mickey ears. I have no idea what I'll be wearing.

 

[goofydadeo]

Hersh - We did the Eastern at the last minute back in Nov. 2002 and it was great! That was when we went to St. John and snorkeled at Trunk Bay for the first time (on our own - not an excursion). It was great (in a National Park, with a lifeguard, calm waters, underwater trail, kids loved it, etc.)! We plan on going back again this time via the ferry from Charlotte Amalie(sp?) instead of via Red Hook. This time we might try Cinnamon Bay too! As for St. Maarten we'll go back to Kakao Beach Club on Orient Bay for the 3rd time - great food, nice beach, etc.

As for the kids clubs, both of our kids simply love them! I'm sure our DD would love to meet your DS and help him feel at home. The kids activities are super and so are the counselors. They go out of their way to make the kids feel at home, especially those who might be a little unsure at first. Sometime after you board on Saturday take your DS down to visit the club and meet the counselors (and some of the kids too). That will give you a chance to walk around and look at things together. I think they open for the first evening around 7pm. Take a look at the 5-7 YO Navigators on dcltribute.com to get an idea of the activities you can get him to look forward too.

Kendall - I'll have to dig up a picture and scan it and send it to you. Thanks for your offer!

One other thing we have done with our fellow dis'ers is to try and meet each other in the terminal while we are waiting to board on Saturday am. We usually get there early and are near the front of the line. On our first trip all of us who posted wore lime green ribbons pinned on our our shirts. It worked! We met 4-5 of our fellow dis'er families. Perhaps we should consider something like this. Anyone else have an idea?

 

[skeegan]

goofydadeo,

Now that you mention it I remember 2 years ago when we cruised, we wore lime green ribbons and kept running into each other in the terminal. Bought the ribbon at Walmart.

That sound like a good idea to me, it worked before. How about everyone else?

 

[RachelTori]

Hi, all! Wearing ribbons sounds like a good idea to me!

Goofydadeo, What time would you suggest arriving at the Terminal Sat a.m. to get there "early"?

Also, still haven't received our docs. Should I call our TA?

 

[goofydadeo]

Ribbons it is!!! Lime green is hard to find.

RachelTori - We usually try to arrive/unload/park around 10am. BTW my DW's name is Torey too! I think they start letting folks through the initial security screening around 10:30am, however I may be wrong. Most times the boarding line starts forming as soon as people are checked in (after security screening). Actual boarding usually happens between 12:15-12:45pm. Most times it's around 12:30pm. Of course as soon as you board you'll want to make those Palo and Spa ressies! I'm not sure what to do about your docs since I have always booked directly with DCL. Anyone else know?

Also, for those of you in cat. 11 it appears that DCL has dropped the price to $799/pp to fill the ship (for more info check out mousesavers.com). Same for the 4/12 Western. Wouldn't it be great to do a Eastern/Western back to back? Imagine a 14 day vacation!

 

[dvrcraig]

Just sent our family information to Kendall, and in case any one is wondering......It is snowing again in Northern Virginia. If the weather is good in April, we won't need ribbons, we will be the family with the goofy grins!!!

 

[RachelTori]

Thank you for the info, Goofydadeo!

Are we going to use lime green ribbon or should we try another color that's easier to find, but still distinctive?

We are staying at Radisson and had planned to leave our car there, take the shuttle to port. Do you feel it would be wiser for us to park at the port? BTW - I think your DW has a GREAT name! Tori's Mom, Laura.

 

[goofydadeo]

RachelTori - We have stayed at the Radisson once and we chose to park at the port ($10/day currently) instead for security and peace of mind -- and to make it easier to get to/from the terminal (you have to make a shuttle reservation at the Radisson when you check-in - first come/first served). Parking at the Raddison is in a general unsecured hotel parking lot in front on the hotel (near the check-in area). It is on a main street in Port Canaveral which is well lit. Parking at the port is in a fenced-in attended lot. It's up to you as to what you feel comfortable with. The good news is that you can make this decision when you check-in based on how you feel about what you see, and what shuttle times are available for your party. Good luck!

 

[skeegan]

RachelTori, We haven't received our documents yet either.

 

[dvrcraig]

Hi All!!
Just a quick poll of the group, if you don't mind. How many of the group with children, will be on the early sitting for dinner? Of that group, will all the DH'S be wearing Tux's or Suits for the formal nights? I haven't made up my mind yet, and would welcome any suggestions. Thanks in advance
Craig

 

[RachelTori]

Our family of 3 (DD is 9) will be at the early dinner. DH will wear a suit on formal nights. Laura

 

[kendall]

our family has early seating (DS 12, DD 10).

DH will be bringing a suit.

 

[goofydadeo]

We'll be dining at the late seating (dd5, ds9) and hoping for the APL rotation. I have always worn a suit instead of a tux!

 

[Hersh]

Hi everyone,
We are a party of four DH, DW, DD(8), and DS(5).
We have early seating and my husband will be wearing a suit on formal night.