7/13/13 ~~ Eastern Mediterranean Mouseketeers!

[1happymommyof2]

I forgot to add
stateroom #6571 and we are the first seating.
We are currently living in Portugal but we are originally from Northern Virginia and Maryland!

 

[LovesToRun]

I forgot to add
stateroom #6571 and we are the first seating.
We are currently living in Portugal but we are originally from Northern Virginia and Maryland!

Welcome to our group!!! Only 20 more days until we get on the ship.

 

[Stimpy]

Welcome!


Ok, no more injuries everyone!!

 

[FloridaMom3461]

(Shikila) DH(James) DD'S(Jada-11~ turning 12 on cruise~ and Aniya-8)

Welcome to the group! Glad to see another 8 year old girl - our daughter will be happy to meet yours

Randi

 

[FloridaMom3461]

Hi everyone, I've put this information in post 2 on the first page! Also added the Meet and Greet time there too.

Beth

Thanks Beth! Any way we can convince you to join us last minute?

 

[smores]

What a day. DS12 ended up breaking his wrist at all star baseball practice last night and getting splinted at an urgent care. He saw an orthopedic doctor and got a cast on it today. He sees a pediatric specialist Wednesday. He tore a piece of bone/tendon and fractured his wrist. The doctor last night said his wrist could possibly just heal on it's own with only a splint, but the doctor today said if it wasn't casted he could need surgery if he injured it again. Unfortunately they do not do any casts that are waterproof. We bought a special bag to cover it for showers. We are really hoping he has it off in time for the cruise. The doctor said with how fast kids heal, he may be out of it quicker than the 3 weeks he estimates. If not, he'll have to keep it on the entire cruise. Not so sure he'll be allowed at the water park in Turkey. We have a beach day planned after sightseeing in Athens too. I have a 16 year old son and neither has ever had a broken bone or needed stitches and this was the last thing we expected. Just really glad it's not worse! The doctor even said he can go to overnight football camp he has had booked since last year and watch/run drills with no contact. Not so sure we will let him though. Fortunately he's not in pain and was able to freely move his hand/wrist up and down and side to side. Had it not been for swelling, we'd have never known he needed an xray. Here's hoping for no more pre-cruise unwanted surprises!

Be careful of the "waterproof" cast covers....if they leak the cast will need to be removed ASAP! My son broke his arm last march before our trip to Disney world. He used the cast cover. Somehow it leaked. The cast was removed within a few hours and his skin was already starting to break down...I'm not sure if they are equipped to remove a cast on the boat....

 

[buddwaur]

By the way, just a tip... if anyone needs to use ice on the plane for an injury (to ice the injury), you can't get gel ice packs through security, BUT those first aid ice packs that you twist and they suddenly get cold, you can get those through security, because they aren't liquid or gel before you twist them. They just have these beads inside of them that turn cold instantly once you twist them. So, if anyone needs to ice an injury on the plane that is how you do it! With one of my injuries that I got just a week before we left for our Panama Canal cruise (with Disney), I needed to ice for the 6 hour flight to Florida, and my orthopedic doctor told me I could get those instant ice packs through security with no problem! I would not have thought of that on my own! I was so grateful for the suggestion. They only stay cold for 30 minutes, so I took a roller carry-on suitcase, and filled it with those instant first aid ice packs so I had PLENTY of ice packs to ice my injury on the plane. Went through security with no problems at all! And, I had some left over, so when we flew back, didn't have a problem again with security and the instant ice packs, so they went through fine at two different major airports.

Anyway, just a tip for anyone who might need to deal with icing on a plane!!

That is great to know about the first aid ice packs...had no idea they would pass through security. Thankfully, I think Zack will be much better by the time we leave...just in the last few days I've seen tremendous improvement.

Just wondering how much better he would be if he was actually icing his elbow! He has been very lazy about that yet complains every so often of pain! He's a teenager...so he thinks he knows better!

Boy do I have a lot to do! We have company coming in tomorrow and will leave next Sunday! I did a quick run through of my stuff and my hubby just shook his head! I'm really trying hard to downsize on the amount of clothes but still have a ways to go!

-sophia

 

[LovesToRun]

Kind of a dumb question, I feel like, but for our Med cruise, for room service should we tip in Euros or US Dollars? I always give the person who delivers our room service some cash for a tip. I'm thinking for room service, to give Euros as a tip since the crew can get off the ship at ports AND we'll be in Europe! But, just not sure since the ship most of the year is based in the states, what is best. (of course, the Magic will be in Europe longer because of dry dock....)

 

[Hanover]

Buddwaur, I hope your son heals quickly too.

Thanks for all the get well wishes for Brennan. He's taking it in stride, but is also very hopeful to get it off in time for the cruise.

The waterproof sleeve he has goes up to his shoulder once it's on. It's keeping his cast dry, but he's only showering and not submerging in water. It's got a tight seal and ring at the top which is hard to even get into at first. He will see a pediatric hand/wrist specialist on Wednesday night. Not sure if he'll take off the cast and xray again or what. The doctor he saw on Saturday was on call at the Orthopedic and Spine Specialist urgent care center. It's the largest group of ortho doctors around (about an hour from us) and the only one that was open on Saturday to get into so quickly. We took our now 16 year old there for back problems and eventually a steroid shot and were very happy with his care. They do not carry waterproof casting material. My good friend's son broke his thumb and had the same size cast put on here in our town at a local ortho during the week. She was told insurance didn't cover waterproof casts and she'd have to pay out of pocket, so she didn't get her son one. We weren't even offered it or I'd have most likely just paid it out of pocket. If he has to have it on for the cruise I will definitely get a waterproof cast done locally. They said that his wrist was fractured near his growth plate and that he had a very small chip on the radius. I will ask the specialist about how his tendon is doing because I was concerned about that. He said he could actually feel a pop and crack when it happened. They wanted it casted and not just splinted so he didn't injure it further, which the ortho doctor said would require surgery. They told us if he goes on the cruise with the cast, not to have it taken off by anyone else but them after the cruise.

If anyone's kids have had the waterproof casts, exactly how waterproof are they? Would he be able to swim and go in the ocean? Does it get itchy? So far he's kept his non waterproof cast clean and it's not itchy or smelly. They told him if it gets a little wet, it would hold up, but I really don't want it getting wet at all. If anyone's kids have had a cast on the cruise, does DCL allow them on the Mickey slide? I'm hoping Brennan's will be off in time, but I want to be prepared in case it's not.



Thanks for the info on the icepacks and airport security. You are right that they don't last long--we went through 4 before he even had the xrays! They do help a lot with swelling though.

 

[LovesToRun]

Buddwaur, I hope your son heals quickly too.

Thanks for all the get well wishes for Brennan. He's taking it in stride, but is also very hopeful to get it off in time for the cruise.

The waterproof sleeve he has goes up to his shoulder once it's on. It's keeping his cast dry, but he's only showering and not submerging in water. It's got a tight seal and ring at the top which is hard to even get into at first. He will see a pediatric hand/wrist specialist on Wednesday night. Not sure if he'll take off the cast and xray again or what. The doctor he saw on Saturday was on call at the Orthopedic and Spine Specialist urgent care center. It's the largest group of ortho doctors around (about an hour from us) and the only one that was open on Saturday to get into so quickly. We took our now 16 year old there for back problems and eventually a steroid shot and were very happy with his care. They do not carry waterproof casting material. My good friend's son broke his thumb and had the same size cast put on here in our town at a local ortho during the week. She was told insurance didn't cover waterproof casts and she'd have to pay out of pocket, so she didn't get her son one. We weren't even offered it or I'd have most likely just paid it out of pocket. If he has to have it on for the cruise I will definitely get a waterproof cast done locally. They said that his wrist was fractured near his growth plate and that he had a very small chip on the radius. I will ask the specialist about how his tendon is doing because I was concerned about that. He said he could actually feel a pop and crack when it happened. They wanted it casted and not just splinted so he didn't injure it further, which the ortho doctor said would require surgery. They told us if he goes on the cruise with the cast, not to have it taken off by anyone else but them after the cruise.

If anyone's kids have had the waterproof casts, exactly how waterproof are they? Would he be able to swim and go in the ocean? Does it get itchy? So far he's kept his non waterproof cast clean and it's not itchy or smelly. They told him if it gets a little wet, it would hold up, but I really don't want it getting wet at all. If anyone's kids have had a cast on the cruise, does DCL allow them on the Mickey slide? I'm hoping Brennan's will be off in time, but I want to be prepared in case it's not.



Thanks for the info on the icepacks and airport security. You are right that they don't last long--we went through 4 before he even had the xrays! They do help a lot with swelling though.

Thanks for the update. So sorry you have to deal with all of this, but he is in good hands! The pediatric specialist will be able to give more of a detailed diagnosis, so that is great, and hopefully it's all best case scenario!

When I've heard a pop (almost sounded like a champagne cork popping off, but not that loud because only I heard it, but other people around me did not hear it), that was a ligament (and a tendon, I'm guessing, sounds the same... not sure). But, hopefully the pop and crack were both just the bone!! And, you might know this, but an xray won't show the tendon (or soft tissues), so he may need an MRI if you do feel like there is an issue with the tendon. But, there are also manual tests a doctor can do to tell just by examination if the tendon (or ligaments) are torn/injured, but if there is any doubt, an MRI might be needed. HOPEFULLY the pop was not something getting injured, but just a pop... I mean, I hear little pops and cracks all the time (LOL!!), but of course, I'm not 12, so maybe that is why. The good news, like you've said, is he is young, so he will heal fast, and hopefully he will be doing great by the time you guys leave!!

Keep us all posted. I will send good and fast healing thoughts your son's way. Hang in there!!

 

[LovesToRun]

For those of you who are using the Rick Steve's Med Cruise Ports book, you probably already know this, but for those of you who don't, Rick Steve's has made the pages in the book super thin so you can easily tear out the pages from his book you need or are applicable to your trip, and just bring those pages with you and leave the big bulky book at home.

I just tore out all of the pages from his book that we will need for this cruise, and stapled each set of pages (from each port) together, and that is all I'm bringing with me from Rick Steve's book.

The big bulky book with all the other pages I don't need is staying at home. Saves a lot of space (and weight!).

 

[WDW Princess 71]

For those of you who are using the Rick Steve's Med Cruise Ports book, you probably already know this, but for those of you who don't, Rick Steve's has made the pages in the book super thin so you can easily tear out the pages from his book you need or are applicable to your trip, and just bring those pages with you and leave the big bulky book at home.

I just tore out all of the pages from his book that we will need for this cruise, and stapled each set of pages (from each port) together, and that is all I'm bringing with me from Rick Steve's book.

The big bulky book with all the other pages I don't need is staying at home. Saves a lot of space (and weight!).

Kathy,
I am doing the exact same thing. I'm so glad his book suggested it because I wouldnt have thought of it on my own, although it makes perfect sense. At first I was averse to ruining the book but then I was like, by the time I go to Europe again to these or the other countries I'm not visiting this trip, I'll be buying a newer version of the book anyway, so its no loss to rip it up.

 

[LovesToRun]

Kathy,
At first I was averse to ruining the book but then I was like, by the time I go to Europe again to these or the other countries I'm not visiting this trip, I'll be buying a newer version of the book anyway, so its no loss to rip it up.

My thoughts exactly!!

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

For those of you who are using the Rick Steve's Med Cruise Ports book, you probably already know this, but for those of you who don't, Rick Steve's has made the pages in the book super thin so you can easily tear out the pages from his book you need or are applicable to your trip, and just bring those pages with you and leave the big bulky book at home.

I just tore out all of the pages from his book that we will need for this cruise, and stapled each set of pages (from each port) together, and that is all I'm bringing with me from Rick Steve's book.

The big bulky book with all the other pages I don't need is staying at home. Saves a lot of space (and weight!).

Yep, I have already torn out all of the applicable chapters.

 

[smores]

When my son broke his arm, the ortho group offered waterproof casts (the lining almost looked quilted) but I was told the waterproof ones don't stabilize the fracture as well and since my son had a "complicated" fracture (it was a smith fracture ) the doctor said no to the waterproof cast

 

[Eleblanc]

Kind of a dumb question, I feel like, but for our Med cruise, for room service should we tip in Euros or US Dollars? I always give the person who delivers our room service some cash for a tip. I'm thinking for room service, to give Euros as a tip since the crew can get off the ship at ports AND we'll be in Europe! But, just not sure since the ship most of the year is based in the states, what is best. (of course, the Magic will be in Europe longer because of dry dock....)

I use whatever currency we have, be it US dollars, Euros, or will even use Turkish Lira if we have some leftover after that port. We just do the conversion to what would be an appropriate amount in US dollars and give it to them. If it was the last cruise in the Med I might be more hesitant to us all the different currency, but for this one I am good.

 

[tajz90]

One of the guests on the June 15 sailing, Greece & Turkey, said they have NOT been charged VAT on their cruise.

 

[disneycrazy2004]

I just looked into per-purchasing a photo CD for our pictures. We are doing back to back cruises. on the Greece and Turkey cruise they did not add VAT to the purchase but on the Venice one they do. So that would probably mean we would not be charged VAT on the ship on the Turkey sailing.

 

[MrsG]

One of the guests on the June 15 sailing, Greece & Turkey, said they have NOT been charged VAT on their cruise.

There is also a discussion on FB about it. Maybe because Turkey is not part of the EU. I read somewhere if one country on a cruise is not part of the EU, no VAT is charged. Anyone know if this is true?????

 

[tajz90]

There is also a discussion on FB about it. Maybe because Turkey is not part of the EU. I read somewhere if one country on a cruise is not part of the EU, no VAT is charged. Anyone know if this is true?????

Yes, that's me. I had read several places that we wouldn't be charged, but then different things/ posts made me question it. Even my reply from Disney didn't clear it up. I was happy to hear the first cruise was not charged,