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

[mkygrl]

Happy Tuesday!

Sending good wishes out to all that need it (wheeler/andy)

Hey Andy ....my mom had shingles twice.....YEARS apart! So whatever the dr's tell you to do make sure you do it! And if there is anyway to prevent them do that too! (I don't think I have to tell ya that!)

Take care everyone.....

Chrissie

 

[arlenesp]

Hey all, we are back form WDW. Had a magical birthday! Didn't see the dream team except once. Saw people with fast passes but that was it. It turned out to be an expensive trip, but the next time we go they will "Welcome us home at SSR!"

We flew Southwest for the first time. They are awesome! The employees are actually happy.

Now it looks like I've got alot of ketchup to do!

Congratulations!

Hey Guys,

I just arrived home from seeing the doc and stopping at CVS after having two prescriptions filled. What I thought was pain from a sore muscle, turned out to be a case of Shingles. As soon as the doc saw a rash on my back, he knew exactly what I had. He said the Shingles is what was causing the burning sensation I was feeling. WOW, lucky me!!!

The doc said stress could bring on the Shingles, and I told the doc I have been under a great deal of stress with work, see I knew this job was getting the better of me...........

Oh well, I already had Thursday and Friday scheduled off as vacation days, so I will go back to work for Tuesday and Wednesday, a very short two day work week for me..........

Thanks for the everyone!!!

Oh Andy, I know how painful that is. DD first husband had it .(I think we were the stress) But hope you feel better

Hi everyone,
Sorry it has been SOOO LOOONG since I posted. Seems like life is flying by. We had our vacation and then Elizabeth's surgery and I just didn't seem to have the time to devote to reading along. I am so sure I have missed a ton of stuff. Saw a post about the website. Great to hear about that. I am sure it is great.
Elizabeth is in the recovery stage of her surgery and is still not able to put any weight on her leg so she pretty much stays on the couch or wanders around on her crutches. I spend my time playing nurse and waitress. They found some missing cartilage and a tear inside the hip joint. We are praying that they have fixed the problem. Not much they can do about the missing cartilage but they fixed the tear and hope that will give her some relief. Right now she is in so much pain from the actual surgery she can't tell if there is a difference yet.
I only read the last couple pages and have no plans to try to catch up on what I missed but I wanted to tell Andy that I hope he feels better soon.

And to my DISsister Laura I want to wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Have some cake for me since it my birthday too but I can't have cake since I weigh in tomorrow.

Laura, Rich and I were thinking about Elizabeths surgery the other day. I thought it was last Monday and was hoping you would post. Hope they did fix the problem and she gets on her feet soon. Happy belated Birthday as well.

I had Chicken Pox when I was a wee little lad, from what I understand the CP virus stays inactive in your body, but things such as stress can make the virus active again. I think the stress that I have been under at work most likely triggered the Shingles. I truly don't remember there being a vaccination for Chicken Pox (I could be wrong), but I think we might have gotten a vaccination for Small Pox when I was younger. Maybe someone in the medical profession could help us out with this??? I know we got vaccinated for a whole bunch of stuff.

I also remember getting the measles when I was a Senior in high school........... Boy, did I get teased about that.........

Andy we got those lovely smallpox shots. Left those nice scars as well. WE had to retake them when we went to the Caribbean for our honeymoon in 69.
I still have the yellow vaccination books from then.Rich had another bad reaction to the shot as well. Had to wear the plastic sheild for a while. Yuck

I still have to ketchup with the post. Only got to 4561. See ya later.........

 

[captaincrash]

Not a whole lot. Except my Mom, my Dad, my brothers, my nieces and nephews.......


I like the line the Southwest attendants use: If you are traveling with a child, please secure your own oxygen mask first before helping them with theirs. If you're traveling with two children, pick your favorite!

Image below taken on Barbados off the 11 nite DCL 2006 Southern sailing

That's very entertaining ....


.... however, I must interject that I could not possibly pick a favorite with critters like these two. I would have to gesture to my spouse in this sort of crisis for her to handle one while take care of the other. And if I were traveling alone with two - I would diplomatically help both at once!

(yeah.... right!)...​

 

[dahuffy]

Well I'm off to the vet this morning. Harley has either eaten or gotten into something, his tummy,feet and mouth are red. Shoot hope he's not allergic to his dog food, I just bought a 40lb bag last week!
Better go pull him outta Kevin's chair and get ready, the little turd.

 

[cruisin'Mike]

Oh Heavens, thanks Mike I would really like to prevent anymore outbreaks from this if at all possible!!!

Andy, I talked to my boss. You can definitely have another Shingles outbreak, so you will probably want to receive the vaccine. She said that it will depend on your Dr. whether or not he'll give you the vaccine before age 60. Most of the trials were done in people ages 60+, which is why the CDC recommendation is for that age group. Considering you have already had shingles, he/she may give it to you before age 60, but you'll need to ask him/her. Hope this helps. FEEL BETTER!!

 

[AndyR]

The epilog (sp?) was weak, but the overall ending was unexpected and good

The Epilog gave me the sniffles, but I agree, the book was good.
Now they need to get busy and shoot the final two movies.

Andy

 

[captaincrash]

well, new update...
no little dis baby born in march...at least not from us!
not sure what is going on...but i went in for a blood test today just to confirm, and it came back that i am not pg...i took 2 at home ones that said i was, and that is what i based it on the other day. guess i jumped the gun...
only good thing is that i miscalculated, and we have one more month to try!! thing is it would make for a very very young infant on the cruise. we'll see how things work out.

Please consider that I mean well...

... I am a big believer in that attitude plays a big role here. My spouse and I tried for many years without luck - We both worked and arguably we each had a certain amount of stress arising from our jobs. Add the tension of trying for a baby with focused intensity and it became an "issue" to us. I'll just leave it at that for now.

Alas, my story though is that at one point we GAVE UP on the idea of having a child - that God had guided us down another path and we turned our attention to adopting. We were totally serious on the notion and sort of relaxed on the idea of having a baby the usual way. And that's when it happened! All the old tales of techniques and methods, and so on meant nothing to ME - as did the idea of relaxing mentally on the idea of trying. I am a firm believer that this was our trigger. All the medical lab tests we took otherwise said we were normal. So it was the STRESS of "trying".

Now as for the age of a thoerectical infant in August of 2008. Don't you worry about that at all. This voyage is not the most important thing compared to bringing another child of yours' into the world. I know you agree and have known that all along. You know... who is to sayhow this will unfold? Maybe this will happen - maybe that. But - in the grand scheme of things - whether you end up expecting sooner or later - the most important thing IMHO is to R-E-L-A-X and be at peace. Enjoy the days and nights as they roll on by. And before you know it - what you want most will appear - sooner or later - it will be so!

And if not I have a nice listing on ebay for an old "how to" book we're unloading cheap! <just kidding>

 

[castoff]

Good Morning Everyone
Well I got the dreaded email from dreams. Guess I didn't make the cutoff. I am not going to worry about it for now..............no I am not paying for it yet.

 

[castoff]

Not to long because the dog wants to eat the pieces so we do it pretty quick. I think that might have been during the big power outage when we didn't have anything else to do.

We used puzzle glue and then put it in a black frame. If you look close you can see it in the back of this picture.

Looks nice and I do think you can see Dante's work on one. Look left of hand where it's all brown and you see a white kind piece............that's his.

Just checked my box....

----- Original Message -----
From: dcl.reservations
To: DCL.Reservations@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 4:20 PM
Subject: Important: Increase in Government Taxes and Fees for your PanamaCanal Crossing Disney Cruise Line Vacation


Dear Valued Dreams Unlimited Travel Client

We have just been informed by Disney Cruise Line that the Panama Canal has recently adjusted the per person amount charged for Government Taxes and Fees to transit the canal. As a result, Disney Cruise Line needs to collect an additional $100 per person booked on these cruises.

Dreams Unlimited Travel will be updating all of our client’s reservations in our system over the next week or so with the new reservation totals. Once we have completed updating your reservation we will send you an email with instructions on how to access your Client Services area of our site to review your new pricing. We appreciate your patience as this process may take an extended period of time while we make sure all our client’s reservations are updated accurately.

We apologize for this inconvenience and hope you understand that this increase is for the Government Taxes and Fees being assessed by the Panama Canal. This increase is not coming from Dreams Unlimited Travel.

Sincerely,

The Cruise Concierge Team
Dreams Unlimited Travel

same email here. I feel bad for those traveling with a big family. I will have to re-do my budget here.

I love the puzzle. Wonderful job.

Thanks, ordered another on line last night. It's Mickey mouse in front of castle and yes it's a puzzle within a puzzle. What was I thinking? Shhh Brooke doesn't know yet.

Took us longer because we're older.
I'm using Cheryl's computer.

John

Not by much ! Hey I didn't even mention how many mistakes I made then had to correct. I ordered a big magnify glass for next one.

On a lighter note....we just received our passports this morning just in time for our Bahamas cruise next week!

Hey on your good note..............Congrats

 

[castoff]

Don't get me wrong - I love DCL - and I've always felt their rates were tolerable to us. However, piecemeal gouging like this is annoying. I had assumed the $100 per person was just the Panama tax - not a new repricing. When we booked and placed a deposit that fateful morning I thought we were LOCKING in the price FROM Disney. Tax changes are acceptable - not additional skimming!!!! I'm going to weigh my words and have a chat with DCL tomorrow or some time very soon. Not that I'm anyone special - but in combination with everyone else griping maybe something will come of it. This cash cowis not going to be impolitely MILKED by DCL quietly....

Tom although I agree with you I think DCL knows they can do this simply of supply & demand. This is the first cruise I think DCL has really over booked this cruise, I am sure they are also trying to figure a way out of this. If I had 9 people traveling with me well 900.00 is alot of money to add onto the price I thought it was going to be. Just my 2 cents. I do think if enough people say something, it can't hurt to try right?

well, new update...
no little dis baby born in march...at least not from us!
not sure what is going on...but i went in for a blood test today just to confirm, and it came back that i am not pg...i took 2 at home ones that said i was, and that is what i based it on the other day. guess i jumped the gun...
only good thing is that i miscalculated, and we have one more month to try!! thing is it would make for a very very young infant on the cruise. we'll see how things work out.

Sorry............sending for next month and some PD can't hurt either.

I am totally in awe of your work!
My DD's (11 and 7) worked on this puzzle for 30 mins and got 8 pieces and we were not even sure those were correct. We gave up.

Oh it was not easy, but well worth it. Give them a incentive to try again. Outline first and we seperated all the color pieces.

 

[castoff]

Can you imagine the look on a clerk's face if you threw 2 legs on the counter

Somebody's trying to "Drum up" business. Isn't this against the board rules?

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1525578

Tried the link and it was gone. Guess you were right.

 

[tom31b]

I asked my TA to inquire:

1) Where in the terms and conditions does it say that Disney is not bound by the price they offered the cruise for?

Can't ever be good when you are quoting yourself. After some talk with DCL CC reps today.....

"Taxes are always outside the price and subject to change."

2) How they arrived at the $100 figure, everything I see from the Panama Canal website puts the figure at $35 per person or less?

No one at DCL can answer this question, they just were told it is $100 and they have no one with more information.

3) How many more of these "tax increases" we can expect?

They don't know, ports increase and decrease fees all the time.

4) Is it true that anyone paid in full is not subject to this increase?

This is a DCL policy. If you are paid in full prior to imposition of surcharge, DCL will eat it. If there is a decrease in port fee or tax, you will get the credit still.

 

[castoff]

Does anyone know what date this came into affect? We paid last week so I have my fingers crossed we got in just in time.

Paula
NZ

Not sure but I sent them a check last week and got the email last night.

I asked my TA to inquire:

1) Where in the terms and conditions does it say that Disney is not bound by the price they offered the cruise for?
2) How they arrived at the $100 figure, everything I see from the Panama Canal website puts the figure at $35 per person or less?
3) How many more of these "tax increases" we can expect?
4) Is it true that anyone paid in full is not subject to this increase?

Looking forward to hearing there response.

 

[pdarrah]

You need to read the footnote, there is a second calculation if the tonnage divided by passengers is a certain ratio.

Also, prior to this there was a fee to cross the canal. DCL didn't go for free, so even if its $100, they aren't deducting out the prior toll.

I have been reading a bunch of this stuff on the web, and I THINK (and this stuff is as clear as mud, so I may be wrong) that this particular $100/berth charge is a NEW toll for passenger ships. The tarrifs based on tonnage that have always been charged are STILL being charged. If I am correct, then the cost to use the canal has about doubled for cruise ships! They added this type of charge for freighters a couple years ago - it looks like they pay one fee based on how big they are ("displacement" space ) and another fee per container on board. All ships pay less if they pass thru without cargo/passengers and just are carrying "ballast". Of course, there are also tons of other "fees" they pay for tugs, pilots, etc.

If this is correct, I wonder if there will eventually be fewer ships repositioning through the canal.

Pamela (pdarrah)

 

[tom31b]

I have been reading a bunch of this stuff on the web, and I THINK (and this stuff is as clear as mud, so I may be wrong) that this particular $100/berth charge is a NEW toll for passenger ships. The tarrifs based on tonnage that have always been charged are STILL being charged. If I am correct, then the cost to use the canal has about doubled for cruise ships! They added this type of charge for freighters a couple years ago - it looks like they pay one fee based on how big they are ("displacement" space ) and another fee per container on board. All ships pay less if they pass thru without cargo/passengers and just are carrying "ballast". Of course, there are also tons of other "fees" they pay for tugs, pilots, etc.

If this is correct, I wonder if there will eventually be fewer ships repositioning through the canal.

Pamela (pdarrah)

I can't see it decreasing repositioning in the short term, the alternative to go around South America is too expensive/long. But it may make some cruise lines consider permanent stationing of ships on the West Coast instead of periodic repositioning.

 

[castoff]

Well I'm off to the vet this morning. Harley has either eaten or gotten into something, his tummy,feet and mouth are red. Shoot hope he's not allergic to his dog food, I just bought a 40lb bag last week!
Better go pull him outta Kevin's chair and get ready, the little turd.

Oh good luck, hope it's just something simple.

Can't ever be good when you are quoting yourself. After some talk with DCL CC reps today.....

"Taxes are always outside the price and subject to change."




No one at DCL can answer this question, they just were told it is $100 and they have no one with more information.



They don't know, ports increase and decrease fees all the time.




This is a DCL policy. If you are paid in full prior to imposition of surcharge, DCL will eat it. If there is a decrease in port fee or tax, you will get the credit still.

o.k interesting.............Could I fight the the fact that I payed in full BEFORE getting email? Wonder when the actually date was for the surcharge.

 

[tom31b]

Oh good luck, hope it's just something simple.





o.k interesting.............Could I fight the the fact that I payed in full BEFORE getting email? Wonder when the actually date was for the surcharge.

What can it hurt for you (and your TA) to call and ask? It may come down to the date they imposed charge (as opposed to when we found out about it).

I may be taking advantage of the Disney Visa free 6 months without interest for cruise charges just to avoid any future increases. It will make me paid with DCL, but nothing due till January when I was looking to pay it off anyway....

 

[pdarrah]

o.k interesting.............Could I fight the the fact that I payed in full BEFORE getting email? Wonder when the actually date was for the surcharge.

Tina,

The email I received was obviously a mass mailing to all Dreams customers. Could your email have been like that and was just sent to all customers (assuming that no one has paid off yet!).

When you have some spare time, it would probably be worth calling DCL or emailing your TA and arguing that you had paid in full before this announcment.

Pamela (pdarrah)

 

[micmse2003]

Hi All,
We had a wonderful vacation--lots of rest and relaxation. What a beautiful place!

I am glad you are back Paula and a nice relaxing time!! Tell us more later!!!

well, new update...
no little dis baby born in march...at least not from us!
not sure what is going on...but i went in for a blood test today just to confirm, and it came back that i am not pg...i took 2 at home ones that said i was, and that is what i based it on the other day. guess i jumped the gun...
only good thing is that i miscalculated, and we have one more month to try!! thing is it would make for a very very young infant on the cruise. we'll see how things work out.

Shannon I am so sorry for your disappointing news!! Just remember all the fun you can have trying again.

Well sure enough, there waiting in the mail box was a little letter from DCL with the 'please add $100/pp' message.

Andy

I guess we were all hoping to slip under the radar!! I got mine too from Dreams.

Oh Heavens, thanks Mike I would really like to prevent anymore outbreaks from this if at all possible!!!

Andy, I hope you are feeling a little better today.

 

[micmse2003]

Hi everyone,
Sorry it has been SOOO LOOONG since I posted. Seems like life is flying by. We had our vacation and then Elizabeth's surgery and I just didn't seem to have the time to devote to reading along. I am so sure I have missed a ton of stuff. Saw a post about the website. Great to hear about that. I am sure it is great.
Elizabeth is in the recovery stage of her surgery and is still not able to put any weight on her leg so she pretty much stays on the couch or wanders around on her crutches. I spend my time playing nurse and waitress. They found some missing cartilage and a tear inside the hip joint. We are praying that they have fixed the problem. Not much they can do about the missing cartilage but they fixed the tear and hope that will give her some relief. Right now she is in so much pain from the actual surgery she can't tell if there is a difference yet.
I only read the last couple pages and have no plans to try to catch up on what I missed but I wanted to tell Andy that I hope he feels better soon.

And to my DISsister Laura I want to wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Have some cake for me since it my birthday too but I can't have cake since I weigh in tomorrow.

Can't ever be good when you are quoting yourself. After some talk with DCL CC reps today.....

"Taxes are always outside the price and subject to change."

No one at DCL can answer this question, they just were told it is $100 and they have no one with more information.

They don't know, ports increase and decrease fees all the time.
This is a DCL policy. If you are paid in full prior to imposition of surcharge, DCL will eat it. If there is a decrease in port fee or tax, you will get the credit still.

I am so sorry I missed your post. I looked on the calendar and did not see your birthday.

Happy Belated birthday Laura!!!​