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

[LITTLEKID58]

Hi Everyone

We are back!!!!!!!!!! great 3 1/2 weeks of vacation......Key West, DC and New York were great..

Arlene I responded to your PM..

I am not going to attempt to play ketchup.. if I miss anything Could you PM..

Txs..

 

[Celestine]

Morning everyone.

I haven't been here for a while as I've been ultra-busy in work due to a postal strike with Royal Mail - it's caused a right headache - so I've been working long days and when I get home I'm just too tired.

Fortunately, Royal Mail have resumed talks with the postal workers so I've taken a day off (and it's the local carnival). I've just watched the RAF Red Arrows display team fly past the house.

The procession through town starts at 19:00 tonight so everyone is looking forward to it.

We fly to WDW on Monday and we are nearly packed - well Helen has nearly packed. We leave home on Saturday and spend two days near Gatwick airport relaxing before the 9:00 hour ordeal across the Atlantic. I haven't told Helen I need to go into work on Saturday morning yet

This will be the first time we have gone to America withouth Helen taking full advatage of our luggage allowance - we are actually down to three cases; Virgin Atlantic will want to know if she is feeling well

My nut-free meal has been ordered and Bethan has checked that she will be getting her childs meal as nine hours with her and an adult lasagne is no joke whatsoever.

It's ironic that with all your talk of passports I've just countersigned a passport for a friend (as I'm a Civil Servant, I'm allowed to do this) and have to drop this back to him before we leave.

We've planned into our schedule in WDW the meet that Peter is organising and also the meet in the Earl of Sandwich but for that one, it will only be for about 30 minutes as this will be on our return journey to the airport.

For my birthday on the 1st of September, we plan to go to Le Cellier as we did last year and also intend doing post-cruise, next year, and then outside to watch Illuminations - perfect !!

Anyway, I hope to call-back before we leave so until then .......

David

To a fellow civil servent - have a great trip & "happy birthday" in advance of the day!

 

[mkygrl]

Ditto here with the laundry. No way would I have enough suitcase allowance with a 21 and 18 year old girl to bring enough for almost 3 weeks....just think of the shoes alone, we will need a bag just for those....one good thing though, at least we are all the same size. Plus my husband's scuba equipment is a suitcase alone.

Debi

We should hook up your husband and Brendan. Brendan is a diver and I am not...I keep telling him he needs to dive at least once on this cruise..he is undecided still...

Chrissie

 

[Celestine]

Don't remind me - and all the Premium Economy have gone already, on the day we want to fly

David

When are you planning on flying? I didn't think the seats were out yet unless you've booked a package. We're hoping to fly out on the Wednesday before the cruise, but have another month to wait before we can book.

 

[mkygrl]

I've never done an East coast to West coast flight.

Do most flights have a stop over? Anyone know what a reasonable price one way ought to be?

2 years ago Brendan and I made our 1st pilgrimage to DL. We had a direct flight with Jet Blue and it was great! We paid well under $200 round trip. He is only a few points away from a free flight so....our flight to DL/LGB will be free-we are close to 2 free RT so the entire flight will be covered!

Chrissie

 

[daipp]

There not out until mid September. Eeven if booking by Virgin holidays they cannot confrim until then. They only have a pre allocation of Economy.

If booking on line check again 335 days out.

Hi Andrew

Helen phoned Virgin Holidays a few days after the USA brochure came out and was told the bad news then !

David

 

[jonesing]

I've never done an East coast to West coast flight.

Do most flights have a stop over? Anyone know what a reasonable price one way ought to be?

I assume you're going to fly out of PHL and not ILG (New Castle, DE) or ABE? Scratch that...the only way to get a nonstop from the Phila area to SoCal is by going PHL-LAX. There are several nonstop flights PHL-LAX on USAir, Southwest or United.

Delta connects via Cincinati, Atlanta or Salt Lake City. American connects via Dallas or Chicago. Frontier connects in Denver.

For air fares, try using www.FareCompare.com as they will give predictions (based on previous sales data) of what prices will be like. You can also poke around the site to see what the historical fares have been.

But right now, I see that you can get a one way ticket for mid-September PHL-LAX, nonstop on Southwest for $99.40 per person. Pricing ranges $110-$175 on the other carriers. We are planning on "meeting" DSIL on the plane--if she flies Frontier, they'll connect in Denver so we just have to plan on taking her connecting flight into California. What sucks is that it will cost us about $10 MORE per ticket to fly DEN-LAX than her PHL-LAX ticket!

 

[daipp]

The good news it the steerage section on Virgin Atlantic's new A380 will be pretty nice...of course then you'll have to partake in the stampede as the other 554 fellow passengers all try to be first in the immigration line!

There's a wild stampede when we land at Orlando but as we sit at the front of the 747, we always get off fairly quickly.

David

 

[daipp]

To a fellow civil servent - have a great trip & "happy birthday" in advance of the day!

What Department do you work for ?

David

 

[dahuffy]

uhhhh you know you can watch QVC live via your web browser?
http://www.qvc.com/videostream/vid_..._-WATCHQVC&cm_sp=TOOLBOX-_-TOOLBOX-_-WATCHQVC
Not only do you see what's being broadcast on TV, but the web page displays the information page about the item on-air and continuously updtates the page as new items are shown.

Plus, you can go back and see any item during the "show" (like Disney Jewelry, Wed 8/15/2007, 10 AM - 12 PM MT) by clicking on it's link.

I did good...only bought one thing, the Hidden Mickey Hoop Earrings.

 

[daipp]

When are you planning on flying? I didn't think the seats were out yet unless you've booked a package. We're hoping to fly out on the Wednesday before the cruise, but have another month to wait before we can book.

We wanted to fly out on Monday 11th of August and return on Friday the 5th of September. We are booking with Virgin Holidays as we have nearly £3000.00 worth of Tesco Clubcard Vouchers

David

 

[Sarangel]

I've never done an East coast to West coast flight.

Do most flights have a stop over? Anyone know what a reasonable price one way ought to be?

Flights should be about $100 each way. Give or take. Southwest often does Dings for 80-85 from here to there, but they won't show up until a month or two before. I'm planning on booking as soon as the window opens up for our return flight & picking up the SFO/LAX flight when we can.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

The good news it the steerage section on Virgin Atlantic's new A380 will be pretty nice...of course then you'll have to partake in the stampede as the other 554 fellow passengers all try to be first in the immigration line!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

When are you planning on flying? I didn't think the seats were out yet unless you've booked a package. We're hoping to fly out on the Wednesday before the cruise, but have another month to wait before we can book.

Yes both Virgin and BA will only accept bookings at 335 days so thats mid/late September.

Now last time I did book through Virgin Holidays, as I booked a couple of hotels with them, they will not book flights only, I have booked a pre stay with Dreams for Disneyland, and so I only want flights.

If booking the VH way their brochure is out, but you have to add a hotel stay, open jaw flight fee of £30pp, a weekly fee of £30pp for not using their services, so for two weeks familiy of four thats £360 for nothing.

I have been a member of the FVC but they have changed that, whilst VA gives VH an allocation of seats, upgrades are held until the VA flights come out and so they will not show online until 335 days or less.

I must say a few months back I was doing 'test' bookings on line for August 2007 to see pricing and BA was better, their upgrades were far cheaper than Virgin but you cant book your seats until 24 hours on online check in.

But their Club world is the same as Virgin upper class and about £2k cheaper.

 

[daipp]

Yes both Virgin and BA will only accept bookings at 335 days so thats mid/late September.

Now last time I did book through Virgin Holidays, as I booked a couple of hotels with them, they will not book flights only, I have booked a pre stay with Dreams for Disneyland, and so I only want flights.

If booking the VH way their brochure is out, but you have to add a hotel stay, open jaw flight fee of £30pp, a weekly fee of £30pp for not using their services, so for two weeks familiy of four thats £360 for nothing.

I have been a member of the FVC but they have changed that, whilst VA gives VH an allocation of seats, upgrades are held until the VA flights come out and so they will not show online until 335 days or less.

I must say a few months back I was doing 'test' bookings on line for August 2007 to see pricing and BA was better, their upgrades were far cheaper than Virgin but you cant book your seats until 24 hours on online check in.

But their Club world is the same as Virgin upper class and about £2k cheaper.

We intend to use Virgin Holidays to book 4 days at one of the Disneyland / Disneyland area hotels and then the last two days we'll sort out ourselves.

David

 

[crzy4dals]

Oh I want that! (is it bad that I'm serious??)

Okay raise your hand if you're NOT going to be in pirate costumes? If we're the only ones not dressing in pirate costumes we may have to hide out from dinner that night- or something. *pout*

Shelley - We are not planning on costumes either - DS maybe - but not us....

 

[radioclash2]

Ditto here with the laundry. No way would I have enough suitcase allowance with a 21 and 18 year old girl to bring enough for almost 3 weeks....just think of the shoes alone, we will need a bag just for those....one good thing though, at least we are all the same size. Plus my husband's scuba equipment is a suitcase alone.

Debi

We should hook up your husband and Brendan. Brendan is a diver and I am not...I keep telling him he needs to dive at least once on this cruise..he is undecided still...

Chrissie

My brother dives too. He will likely be looking for others on the trip to dive with.

 

[radioclash2]

2 years ago Brendan and I made our 1st pilgrimage to DL. We had a direct flight with Jet Blue and it was great! We paid well under $200 round trip. He is only a few points away from a free flight so....our flight to DL/LGB will be free-we are close to 2 free RT so the entire flight will be covered!

Chrissie

Any idea what '08 costs might be?
I've used SW, but recently started using AirTran. I like AirTran alot.

 

[dahuffy]

Didn't I just see this on QVC this afternoon for 3x as much?!
http://www.abcdistributing.com/home/catalog/cat_item_pg3.asp?G=465&P=183&Rec=2&N=35+175&Nao=0&R=9488

 

[radioclash2]

I assume you're going to fly out of PHL and not ILG (New Castle, DE) or ABE? Scratch that...the only way to get a nonstop from the Phila area to SoCal is by going PHL-LAX. There are several nonstop flights PHL-LAX on USAir, Southwest or United.

Delta connects via Cincinati, Atlanta or Salt Lake City. American connects via Dallas or Chicago. Frontier connects in Denver.

For air fares, try using www.FareCompare.com as they will give predictions (based on previous sales data) of what prices will be like. You can also poke around the site to see what the historical fares have been.

But right now, I see that you can get a one way ticket for mid-September PHL-LAX, nonstop on Southwest for $99.40 per person. Pricing ranges $110-$175 on the other carriers. We are planning on "meeting" DSIL on the plane--if she flies Frontier, they'll connect in Denver so we just have to plan on taking her connecting flight into California. What sucks is that it will cost us about $10 MORE per ticket to fly DEN-LAX than her PHL-LAX ticket!

Thanks for the info. I just booked marked this.