Let me start by saying this was a hard vacations for a planner. The trip included my DH and GD (9) and GS (10) and this was our 5th cruise. I had everything planned at least 6 months before and half of it didn't happen but had a great time anyway. Our vacation started on 8/9 when we left for Captiva Island. Had 3 beautiful days there until the Island was evacuvated for Charley, where the hurricane made landfall, now remember when on vacation you either don't listen to news or make beleive you don't hear the bad stuff. People on the Island were in panic mode on Wednesday, but we just went to the beach and dared old Charley to come near us. But when people were boarding up and running around like crazy we knew it was time to pack. So we went to WDW, we will be safe there, after all Charley is suppose to hit Tampa. Got in to CSR and went swimming and to Down Town Disney. Got one day park tickets to Epcot and awoke on Friday morning to hear that Charley is going to hit and the parks will close early, no problem our tickes will be reactivated and can use again, free time in the park. The parks closed and we went back to our hotel, I tried to go out on town to buy soda, everything was either closed or out of soda, snacks, etc. Gas station lines were 10 cars long, now we live in the Northeast and this panic was more then I ever saw in a blizzard. Back to the resort with nothing. Kids were rammy in the room so we went to the arcade, no change in machines, not would be given at the gift shop, and customer service line was a mile long. Other resorts were evacuated and the remaining resorts were packed full. Ok, so parks closed, out on town closed, only food here? Well we were told to stay in our room after 7pm, the line was from the food court to main lobby. Ok, so I will grab sandwiches from the snack shop, it only took me and hour and a half to get 4 ham and cheese on hamburger buns, also ran out of bread and turkey. Charley hit around 8 and it was the most amazing weather conditions I ever saw. We were safe and Disney never lost power.
We left for the port at 9 the next morning to a lot of traffic and devestation everywhere, hotel signs, mobile homes, roofs and trees. It took us 3 hours to get to the port and arrive at Avis. We unload the luggage to wait for the shuttle. Here comes a storm, and there is our luggage in the pouring rain, had to use the drivers when we got on board. Anyone see a pattern starting to form here?
We got on to a ghost ship, had lunch signed kids into clubs, and put our luggage away by 3:00.
I really felt sorry for the people who were boarding at Key West at 7pm and for all the people who missed the ship.
Now everything is fine, we are on the ship and back on schedule. Wrong, on Monday morning the Captain announced we would not be going to GC, well there goes sting ray city. We would be arriving in Cozumel on Monday late afternoon and leaving at 5 on Tuesday, ok maybe we can get our dune buggy changed to Tuesday. Wait a minute, the ship is staying on regular time and Cozumel is an hour behind? Well ther goes the dune buggy tour ending at 4:30 which is 5:30 ship time, I think, by now I am so confused I had to go to guest services 3 times, DH and I didn't agree, but darn he was right. Ended up doing the snorkel trip with Disney so we don't miss the ship, let them worry about the time.
Ok, I read the navigator and it says Monday is casual, get your clothes on. Go into the hall and see someone in a suit, wait a minute what is the dress code tonight? Formal they say, run into the room, take your clothes off we are dressed wrong, everyone is ready dressed in our formal clothes. Don't know how I read the navigator wrong or which one I read, let me check this out. Everyone take there clothes off, its semi formal, I start laughing but DH doesn't see the humor.
Did a tour on our own in Nassau and when to a Flimingo show at a small garden and had a nice time, also did some shopping.
We had a great time on the ship, but very disappointed that we did not make GC, expecially since we got back and some have said GC would have been ok on Wednesday, but it's the captain's decision where we go, we all sign the aggrement. We do not like Nassau and would have really perfered a western port, since that is what we booked.
The food was great, loved Golden Mickey and the new Pirates dinner and deck party. Didn't do too may activities on board the kids were always at the clubs. But their highlite was winning the Mickey 200 race, this was their 4th try and finally won.
Home and everything is washed and put away. Wish somethings were different, but they always say a bad day on vacations is better then a good day at work, and there really were no bad days only confusing ones. Any questions just ask.
We left for the port at 9 the next morning to a lot of traffic and devestation everywhere, hotel signs, mobile homes, roofs and trees. It took us 3 hours to get to the port and arrive at Avis. We unload the luggage to wait for the shuttle. Here comes a storm, and there is our luggage in the pouring rain, had to use the drivers when we got on board. Anyone see a pattern starting to form here?
We got on to a ghost ship, had lunch signed kids into clubs, and put our luggage away by 3:00.
I really felt sorry for the people who were boarding at Key West at 7pm and for all the people who missed the ship.
Now everything is fine, we are on the ship and back on schedule. Wrong, on Monday morning the Captain announced we would not be going to GC, well there goes sting ray city. We would be arriving in Cozumel on Monday late afternoon and leaving at 5 on Tuesday, ok maybe we can get our dune buggy changed to Tuesday. Wait a minute, the ship is staying on regular time and Cozumel is an hour behind? Well ther goes the dune buggy tour ending at 4:30 which is 5:30 ship time, I think, by now I am so confused I had to go to guest services 3 times, DH and I didn't agree, but darn he was right. Ended up doing the snorkel trip with Disney so we don't miss the ship, let them worry about the time.
Ok, I read the navigator and it says Monday is casual, get your clothes on. Go into the hall and see someone in a suit, wait a minute what is the dress code tonight? Formal they say, run into the room, take your clothes off we are dressed wrong, everyone is ready dressed in our formal clothes. Don't know how I read the navigator wrong or which one I read, let me check this out. Everyone take there clothes off, its semi formal, I start laughing but DH doesn't see the humor.
Did a tour on our own in Nassau and when to a Flimingo show at a small garden and had a nice time, also did some shopping.
We had a great time on the ship, but very disappointed that we did not make GC, expecially since we got back and some have said GC would have been ok on Wednesday, but it's the captain's decision where we go, we all sign the aggrement. We do not like Nassau and would have really perfered a western port, since that is what we booked.
The food was great, loved Golden Mickey and the new Pirates dinner and deck party. Didn't do too may activities on board the kids were always at the clubs. But their highlite was winning the Mickey 200 race, this was their 4th try and finally won.
Home and everything is washed and put away. Wish somethings were different, but they always say a bad day on vacations is better then a good day at work, and there really were no bad days only confusing ones. Any questions just ask.
