8/17/08 Captain Jack's Repossession Repo Cruise to PC thru TPC Part 15

[buckifan]

So you attended Florida and Air Force prior to OU? I do remember watching AFA beating OSU in the Liberty Bowl years ago and, of course, Florida wasn't too nice to OSU either in the BCS game or NCAA b-ball game last year, so you may have some karma going that might not sit well with Buckifan or your DW.

Joel....I am doing my best to forget those games!

The NCAA Championship was especially brutal, as we were in Florida at the time. Surprisingly, there were plenty of Buckeye fans who, like us, were still wearing their colors at the parks in the days that followed, so we could commiserate together.

 

[micmse2003]

Good Morning, everyone!

One more week 'til the kids are back in school. In the meantime I don't have much time to DIS.

Roger--I LOVE the cruise updates.

Enna, Glad to see you back!!! It had been a hectic summer just with DGC !!!!

SOOOO worth it, Laura!

Love the Black Raspberry Chip....I haven't had it since 4th of July fireworks. We walked down to Graeters while we waited for the show to begin. I really need to go there again!

Okay not fair talking about my favorite ice cream. I never had Graeters but sounds like it might be worth the trip with chips too!!

Yeah Cheryl

I know ours came awhile back, but I couldn't tell you where they are.

I will be keeping the Castaway Cards in such a special place.......so special I will not be able to find them in a week.

 

[buckifan]

Speaking of dogs, I have to share with you one of the reasons my cockerpoo Rosie is such a pain in the add. While we were on vacation, I had a friend come in & let her out a few times a day, play with her & make sure she had enough food. I left the TV on & pretty much gave her the run of the house. We put her in a kennel once & she was so traumatized that she didn't eat while she was there. When we picked her up she was all skin & bones so I swore I wouldn't put her back in one. Well I thought her being in familiar surroundings would make her happy & she wouldn't miss us too much.

While we were at BWVs I got a call that she had torn a hole in the wall by the front door all the way to the studs, she tore 2 shades apart, tore one of my curtains to shreads & even tore the 6ft wooden rod right out of the wall, and she ripped the whole bottom of one of my screens & escaped. Luckily a neighbor spotted her & kept her till my friend showed back up. Anyway, this is a dog that we've left alone & the house all day long many many times & she's never chewed anything.

I guess that was a bad idea & now we have to figure out something else when we go away. She is not friendly to other dogs so it's almost impossible to find a place to take her. I need the dog whisperer! Anyone watch that show? I love Cesar! It's amazing what he can do with dogs or really what he teaches the owners. I need him to teach me a few things.

Diane....I will take Ceasar when he finishes with you!

We love our Pom, Sloopy, but he is very high maintenance. So much so, that we have no choice but to board him when we travel. I know he hates it....and he probably barks the entire day away. He comes home with a hoarse voice! But he would do the same things as Rosie if I left him for days at a time.

He has this weird attatchment to me. He doesn't go anywhere in the house without me...has to follow me everywhere. When I go away, my husband tells me he runs back and forth from the den window to the living room window (both of which face the street) waiting anxiously for me to return. Anyone else can be gone....just not me. I think Ceasar would say that Sloopy thinks he is my pack leader, and a member of the pack shouldn't leave the leader......which is why he gets so freaked out.

 

[allshookup]

I'm just getting caught up on this thread, emails & the main board & I know this is old news, but I just got to say how excited I am to see that DCL reversed their decision on the $100 per person. I know in the scheme of things it's not much but it brought our total price up over 10K & that was really bothering DH. He's been complaining a lot lately about how much this cruise is costing us, especially when we are dealing with some major renovations on the house so we can sell it & now with house prices dropping so much, we don't think we're going to recoup our money. He also doesn't read the DIS boards, so his emotional attachment to this cruise is not as great as mine.

I was really starting to think that I should just give in & cancel, especially after just spending around $1500 for 2 OV staterooms (loved having 2 baths & 2 TVs). DH could not believe how nice the cruise was. He had himself convinced he was only doing this for the family reunion, but he was going with the mind set that the Sovereign would be a dump, the food horrible & the private island a joke. None of those things came to fruition & he was pleasantly surprised. I've been on the Sovereign before so I knew that it is a great cruise. Coco Cay is no Castaway Cay, but it is very nice. Now mind you it was only 3 nights & we didn't have a verandah, but we could do that cruise 5 times over & not pay the amount we were paying for the PC cruise. DH was saying he would gladly go on another 3 day cruise in a heartbeat, but he's not sure about how he's going to feel after 15nts. I know I mentioned this before but he gets post-cruise sickness. He is really balking & it's not looking good.

Anyway, with this reversal & our OBC credits (I love DU!), this cruise is not looking as expensive & I'm just hoping that DH will have such a time of his life, that he will feel that in the long run it was all worth it so I'm not cancelling unless I feel we absolutely have to. I'm just going to wait & see how our financial situation is in the spring & pray that everything looks a little better & DH gets excited about this cruise. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[allshookup]

Diane....I will take Ceasar when he finishes with you!

We love our Pom, Sloopy, but he is very high maintenance. So much so, that we have no choice but to board him when we travel. I know he hates it....and he probably barks the entire day away. He comes home with a hoarse voice! But he would do the same things as Rosie if I left him for days at a time.

He has this weird attatchment to me. He doesn't go anywhere in the house without me...has to follow me everywhere. When I go away, my husband tells me he runs back and forth from the den window to the living room window (both of which face the street) waiting anxiously for me to return. Anyone else can be gone....just not me. I think Ceasar would say that Sloopy thinks he is my pack leader, and a member of the pack shouldn't leave the leader......which is why he gets so freaked out.

Deanna that is exactly how Rosie is with me. You described her to a tee. She follows me every where, sits at the window & whines while I'm gone & she even growls at DH when he comes to bed at night. I am IT for her & heaven forbid if I am absent or someone else garners my attention. Sometimes it's funny like if I'm holding her & DH leans in for a kiss...she will try to join in on the kiss. But sometimes it's not so funny like when she growls at others if she's in my arms or on my lap. I wish I could just go "Tsss!" like Ceasar does & she behaves.

 

[captaincrash]

Crash I think DH & I feel the same way sometimes. I am more likely to send something back, but he will suffer through even if it's not to his liking. It takes a lot for us to make a fuss, and I'm not sure that's always a good thing. One time we were at Wolfgang Puck's Cafe in DTD & we sat for a good 10 mins without being acknowledged. So I flagged a waiter & told him we appeared to be overlooked. Well the manager came over & they were so apologetic, which really wasn't necessary because like I told him sometimes mistakes happen & this was one of them. No big deal. Anyway, the funny thing is he offered to buy us an appetizer & I said it wasn't necessary because we were on the free dining plan & were getting them anyway. So he just said, "Oh well enjoy your meal!" Mind you I wasn't expecting anything in the first place, but then when he offered & we got nothing but an enjoy your meal....it just made DH & I crack up! Did he think because we were on the free dining plan that we were getting enough already? Very weird!
!

Ya kno...

... depending on how hungry I was while waiting I might have responded as our folks did or maybe just started reading or something. I am a slow dining sort. Meals have always been very social affairs for me - and they've often been a preferred business setting for me. So - I would think nothing of sitting down at a restuarant and pulling out business or my notebook to review a little before my appointment arrives. OR... it's not beneath me to pull out a notebook to kill some time on a GAME well before a meeting is scheduled to start.

My point - I suspect sometimes they try to shoulder more tables with less staff. That drives up the gratuity revenue for the staff - and in thoery it would attract better qualified staff. In thoery... alas, I don't run a food service business... so my POV is pure conjecture.

SO... yeah - it had not occurred to me but maybe its' a "guy" thing... like how (supposedly) men rarely if ever stop to ask for directions. Ooopps..... this was the case yesterday when we were driving huge loops in Bakersfield while we searched for this particular restuarant with the surprisingly fried fish. You see... someone in one of my spouses' accounts recommended this place as having live seafood (crab) and she became "possessed" as a woman on a "mission" in search of this place. And I was determined to extrapolate a location without a map on the premise it should be "over that-a-way".... <chuckles>

I eventually stopped at a gas station only to learn I had JUST passed the street I was looking for - the street name sign was missed on account of my focusing on a "for sale" sign at the intersection. You see - we were marveling at the affordable cost of housing at the time - and had taken a few guesses at the cost of certain houses as we drove by. anyone ever done that before???

OK... so I got breakfast here at the hotel. I loaded up a veritable momument to buffett driven guilt. Fortunately, the staff knows us well and gave me no "heat" over the load I was totin' back to the room.

 

[buckifan]

Okay not fair talking about my favorite ice cream. I never had Graeters but sounds like it might be worth the trip with chips too!!

Sorry, Cheryl!

But I have to tell you....they shouldn't even call it Raspberry Chip, because it's actually chocolate chunks! Sometimes HUGE chunks! It's like finding a little treasure when you come upon one of the big ones!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Quick hello and check in.

 

[buckifan]

I wish I could just go "Tsss!" like Ceasar does & she behaves.

Yeah....that "Tsss" didn't work on Sloopy. He looked at me like "Are you kidding me?"

I have taught him to follow ME up the stairs instead of trying to beat me up them, though. Ceasar says to point your thumb and two fingers (pointer and middle) toward him and it looks like a "bite" to them. That is how I am showing dominance. And I tell him "No" in a calm, assertive voice. As I start to walk up the stairs, if he starts to try to run in front....I "bite" him by touching him firmly with my thumb and fingers. It is working. Now I just have to master the "I get to walk through the doorway first" thing. These are all signs that he thinks he is dominant, so I am trying to teach him that I'm the boss! No one has told him he only weighs 11 pounds!

 

[sk8ingmom]

Enjoy your day at sea.

So when is the martini tasting? And the wine tasting? And the tequilla tasting? And the beer tasting?

Good Morning, everyone!

One more week 'til the kids are back in school. In the meantime I don't have much time to DIS.

Roger--I LOVE the cruise updates.

YAY! Enna's here! Welcome back. We were just speculating in chat last week that maybe something had happened to drive you further underground...

 

[allshookup]

Here is my Rosie protecting me from DS who has apparently lost his mind...again! Excuse my messy kitchen. I have no counter space & I always make a mess when I cook. Plus you can see what I mean about renovations if you look at my back door which has no trim or door knob & has not been painted....yet.

 

[The FairyGodmother]

Sorry, Cheryl!

But I have to tell you....they shouldn't even call it Raspberry Chip, because it's actually chocolate chunks! Sometimes HUGE chunks! It's like finding a little treasure when you come upon one of the big ones!

OMG it is so creamy it almost doesn't taste like raspberry either. It is quickly becoming my new favorite but maybe that is only because I already finished the Buckeye blitz. Yummy. And those huge chunks of chocolate are wonderful.

 

[Diznyfan68]

Enjoy your day at sea.

Can you beleive how fast this is going already. Anyway we left Puerto Vallarta around 9:30 last night and are now heading for Acapulco.

Side note: We have now changed time twice since we left LA. 1st on the second night (before arriving in Cabo) and then the next night before arriving in Puerto Vallarta. So we are in Central time for the next 3 days.

Think today might be a day to visit the spa.

Thanks for putting these together Roger, it makes the trip feel that much closer!

 

[captaincrash]

I'm just getting caught up on this thread, emails & the main board & I know this is old news, but I just got to say how excited I am to see that DCL reversed their decision on the $100 per person. I know in the scheme of things it's not much but it brought our total price up over 10K & that was really bothering DH. He's been complaining a lot lately about how much this cruise is costing us, especially when we are dealing with some major renovations on the house so we can sell it & now with house prices dropping so much, we don't think we're going to recoup our money. He also doesn't read the DIS boards, so his emotional attachment to this cruise is not as great as mine.

I was really starting to think that I should just give in & cancel, especially after just spending around $1500 for 2 OV staterooms (loved having 2 baths & 2 TVs). DH could not believe how nice the cruise was. He had himself convinced he was only doing this for the family reunion, but he was going with the mind set that the Sovereign would be a dump, the food horrible & the private island a joke. None of those things came to fruition & he was pleasantly surprised. I've been on the Sovereign before so I knew that it is a great cruise. Coco Cay is no Castaway Cay, but it is very nice. Now mind you it was only 3 nights & we didn't have a verandah, but we could do that cruise 5 times over & not pay the amount we were paying for the PC cruise. DH was saying he would gladly go on another 3 day cruise in a heartbeat, but he's not sure about how he's going to feel after 15nts. I know I mentioned this before but he gets post-cruise sickness. He is really balking & it's not looking good.

Anyway, with this reversal & our OBC credits (I love DU!), this cruise is not looking as expensive & I'm just hoping that DH will have such a time of his life, that he will feel that in the long run it was all worth it so I'm not cancelling unless I feel we absolutely have to. I'm just going to wait & see how our financial situation is in the spring & pray that everything looks a little better & DH gets excited about this cruise. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I can totally identify with this!

... although my perspectives do differ in some ways. We're sailing the Costa line this December on account of the irresistible price - and compared to DCL the price difference is roughly TRIPLE with DCL against the same date for a week in a window cabin with Costa. However, I have heard/read mildly discouraging remarks about the Costa line. Most of which I tend to discount with a carribean port rotation.

Consider... the same was true of our first sailing with NCL some years ago - and after sailing I found the trip was 95% just fine and at least 125% more than we expected. On the other hand our first sailing on Disney was 200% fine and 1000% of what we expected.

... what I'm trying to say is I suspect the discouraging remarks are generated by dedicated critics who have a vested interest in being detractors. IE, NCL supposedly went to a reservation system that sort of discouraged TAs being involved (and paid) and channeled patrons to book directly with them. TAs obviously don't like that. As for Costa - I am uncertain whether this is the case. I think they cater more to Europeans - and appear to have little support spread around to US based TAs. As it's been a fruitless quest of mine to find a Costa cruise brochure to share with my father (who is interested in joining us - and wants a brochure to see the ship).

At any rate - I can totally embrace the pleasure of recent developements with the PC tax change/DCL passing and reversal of such/ and the surprising generosity of our TAs (mine is not DU - but totally 1st rate/1st class in matching thier increase in CCredit).

You see - If we had 2,350 PAX per sailing (2,400 max) the savings would amount to $470,000 collectively between both PC transit voyages. Plus you can factor in the cabin credit increase from $200 to $400 for the inside or window cabins and the bump for veranda or better reservations from $300 to $600. If we assume 15-25% of us have a TA offerring the increased cabin credit - then 705-1150 folks or an conservatively estimated 217-361 cabins (assume 3.25PAX/cabin average) have just received another $200-300! I got $300 because my TA jumped her cabin credit from $100 to $400. So the 217-361 cabins between the two PC sailings could have averaged $250 in increased cabin credit! That amounts to a fair estimation of an additonal $54,250-90,250 in which some of us will benefit.

In my party we have 30 people in 9 cabins. So our savings comes to $3,000 (reversed port transit fees) and the cabin credit has been increased from $1100 to $4000. We're pleased to have improved our financial balance from a negative $1,900 to $4000 positive .... a $5,900 difference in my little group.

So we've saved a certain $470,000+ and an estimated $54,000-90,000 in increased cabin credits for the 2 PC sailings! That's a sweet $524,000-560,000!!! I would like to think our DIS community had something to do with bringing most of this about - or rather - we primarily influenced/expedited the $470,000 DCL reversal.

If you agree then there's something to smile about, eh?

 

[captaincrash]

Enjoy your day at sea.

Can you beleive how fast this is going already. Anyway we left Puerto Vallarta around 9:30 last night and are now heading for Acapulco.

Side note: We have now changed time twice since we left LA. 1st on the second night (before arriving in Cabo) and then the next night before arriving in Puerto Vallarta. So we are in Central time for the next 3 days.

Rodger -

- at the risk of triggerring a

moment...

... I had to chime in with thanks for generating this virtual PC transit. I almost found myself thinking I had to get up and out to walk the ship! <chuckles> It's quite entertaining to follow and imagine!!! Cheers to ya at the 1st dining rotation for supper. We'll see ya at the 2nd show tonight!

 

[allshookup]

I can totally identify with this!

... although my perspectives do differ in some ways. We're sailing the Costa line this December on account of the irresistible price - and compared to DCL the price difference is roughly TRIPLE with DCL against the same date for a week in a window cabin with Costa. However, I have heard/read mildly discouraging remarks about the Costa line. Most of which I tend to discount with a carribean port rotation.

Consider... the same was true of our first sailing with NCL some years ago - and after sailing I found the trip was 95% just fine and at least 125% more than we expected. On the other hand our first sailing on Disney was 200% fine and 1000% of what we expected.

... what I'm trying to say is I suspect the discouraging remarks are generated by dedicated critics who have a vested interest in being detractors. IE, NCL supposedly went to a reservation system that sort of discouraged TAs being involved (and paid) and channeled patrons to book directly with them. TAs obviously don't like that. As for Costa - I am uncertain whether this is the case. I think they cater more to Europeans - and appear to have little support spread around to US based TAs. As it's been a fruitless quest of mine to find a Costa cruise brochure to share with my father (who is interested in joining us - and wants a brochure to see the ship).

At any rate - I can totally embrace the pleasure of recent developements with the PC tax change/DCL passing and reversal of such/ and the surprising generosity of our TAs (mine is not DU - but totally 1st rate/1st class in matching thier increase in CCredit).

You see - If we had 2,350 PAX per sailing (2,400 max) the savings would amount to $470,000 collectively between both PC transit voyages. Plus you can factor in the cabin credit increase from $200 to $400 for the inside or window cabins and the bump for veranda or better reservations from $300 to $600. If we assume 15-25% of us have a TA offerring the increased cabin credit - then 705-1150 folks or an conservatively estimated 217-361 cabins (assume 3.25PAX/cabin average) have just received another $200-300! I got $300 because my TA jumped her cabin credit from $100 to $400. So the 217-361 cabins between the two PC sailings could have averaged $250 in increased cabin credit! That amounts to a fair estimation of an additonal $54,250-90,250 in which some of us will benefit.

In my party we have 30 people in 9 cabins. So our savings comes to $3,000 (reversed port transit fees) and the cabin credit has been increased from $1100 to $4000. We're pleased to have improved our financial balance from a negative $1,900 to $4000 positive .... a $5,900 difference in my little group.

So we've saved a certain $470,000+ and an estimated $54,000-90,000 in increased cabin credits for the 2 PC sailings! That's a sweet $524,000-560,000!!! I would like to think our DIS community had something to do with bringing most of this about - or rather - we primarily influenced/expedited the $470,000 DCL reversal.

If you agree then there's something to smile about, eh?

Oh definitely! Like I said I am extremely happy with the decision & I truly thank all those involved that made this all happen. I am also thrilled that this gives me more ammunition to keep DH on board...literally! I have no problem paying extra for a cruise that I know will definitely be a TOAL, but DH is not so convinced. I'm trying though...and I'll keep trying!

 

[goofyforlife]

Excuse my messy kitchen. I have no counter space & I always make a mess when I cook.

Diane,

I keep wishing my kitchen was "only as messy" as yours.....

(Think darker cabinets, 2 black dogs worth of hairballs rolling around the kitchen floor even when i sweep daily)

 

[captaincrash]

Speaking of dogs, I have to share with you one of the reasons my cockerpoo Rosie is such a pain in the add. While we were on vacation, I had a friend come in & let her out a few times a day, play with her & make sure she had enough food. I left the TV on & pretty much gave her the run of the house. We put her in a kennel once & she was so traumatized that she didn't eat while she was there. When we picked her up she was all skin & bones so I swore I wouldn't put her back in one. Well I thought her being in familiar surroundings would make her happy & she wouldn't miss us too much.

While we were at BWVs I got a call that she had torn a hole in the wall by the front door all the way to the studs, she tore 2 shades apart, tore one of my curtains to shreads & even tore the 6ft wooden rod right out of the wall, and she ripped the whole bottom of one of my screens & escaped. Luckily a neighbor spotted her & kept her till my friend showed back up. Anyway, this is a dog that we've left alone & the house all day long many many times & she's never chewed anything.

I guess that was a bad idea & now we have to figure out something else when we go away. She is not friendly to other dogs so it's almost impossible to find a place to take her. I need the dog whisperer! Anyone watch that show? I love Cesar! It's amazing what he can do with dogs or really what he teaches the owners. I need him to teach me a few things.

Wow!

I know I'm lucky to have my sister to take in our loving Samoyed when we travel (at length). She cooks steaks and peels the skin off chicken before cooking it for him! Plus she takes him all over the city for walks on the beach or Sierra Club canine hikes - and such! She positively spoils him so much he pretty much is depressed to come home to us. Which eventually he gets over as our kids begin to filter left overs to him!

Alas, I have to confess to shudderring over the digging through to the wall studs thing. Our dog is 110+ pounds and would definately be a terror if he tried any or all that your sweet critter did. He already destroied the back seat door interior of one car when I 1st picked him up. I "rescued" him through Samoyed rescue and on the way home I stopped at the cell store to drop off a check. I was inside for no more than 2 minutes - but on returning he had dug his way through to the metal frame of the door! I was stunned - but kept him anyway on account of his extreme "sweetness". Which is probably the same thing my spouse went through when she decided to stick it out with me in spite of my personal defects.

< steady silent grinnin' >​

 

[allshookup]

Wow!

I know I'm lucky tohave my sister to take in our loving Samoyed when we travel (at length). She cooks steaks and peels the skin off chicken before cooking it for him! Plus she takes him all over the city for walks on the beach or Sierra Club canine hikes - and such! She positively spoils him so much he pretty much is depressed to home to us. Which eventually he gets over as our kids begin to filter left overs to him!

Alas, I have to confess to shudderring over the digging through to the wall studs thing. Our dog is 110+ pounds and would definately be a terror if he tried any or all that your sweet critter did. He already destroied the back seat door interior of one car when I 1st picked him up. I "rescued" him through Samoyed rescue and on the way home I stopped at the cell store to drop off a check. I was inside for no more than 2 minutes - but on returning he had dig his way through to the metal frame of the door! I was stunned - but kept him anyway on account of his extreme "sweetness". Which is probably the same thing my spouse went through when she decided to stick it out with me in spite of my personal defects.

< steady silent grinnin' >​

Now that's funny!

You ARE very lucky you have your sister. If I lived near my sister in Florida, I know my dog would be just as spoiled. One of the many many reasons I would move to Florida in a heartbeat if I had the chance!

 

[captaincrash]

Diane,

I keep wishing my kitchen was "only as messy" as yours.....

(Think darker cabinets, 2 black dogs worth of hairballs rolling around the kitchen floor even when i sweep daily)

I don't think ANYONE could possibly have a scarier kitchen then ours. I'll just leave it at that. Seein' as my spouse is not here reading over my shoulder i should make it to sundown with my skin intact.