Questions please?
Does anyone have any CHEAP ideas for how a small girl could dress up as a "Dr. Seuss character" for 1st grade in school? They do this every year (atleast I've gone thru it a few times because she's the last child) and I never know what to dress them as... short of buying a costume which I'm not going to do. So my kids always do not participate in this. Ofcourse my DIVA youngest daughter wants to dress up as something... but what? Any ideas? I'm at a loss on this one and even doing a google search to try to get ideas has only led me to cat in the hat costumes where a costume would have to be purchased or quite extensive to try to make one. I can't think of what kind of "character" she could be that wouldn't require a bunch of money to be spent! I have to figure out something by next Friday..
And figured I'd ask here because it seems a lot of you cruise not only
DCL...
If you had to choose between a 4-5 night inside stateroom on a Carnival cruise or a slightly CHEAPER 7 night cruise with oceanview room on Norwegian Dream- for 2 adults only- which would you choose? Itinerary are similar, although ofcourse extra ports on the 7 night. We're considering this because Dh got a bonus check we weren't expecting and yeah, it could be saved for the "trip of a lifetime" but I think we're okay with everything else we have earmarked to save for that... and we could go next week when the kid are out of school on break and stay at sister's home... the cruise would mostly be relaxation for me, scuba diving at atleast one port for DH. It could be a birthday celebration, DH turns the big 4-0 on March 4th. We're not big drinkers nor are we young enough to go partying into the night either. I didn't think I'd ever consider cruising other than on DCL but this is just much cheaper and we'd never go DCL without the kids anyway..
So which would you choose if you had the choice? (based on what I have told you what we're looking for in a cruise and based on your experience OR things you have heard of either cruiseline.
I think you could MAKE these things prety easily enough... 1st choice of materials might be red and white felt from a fabric store... with a construction paper stiffener inside a hat - or just use good construction paper taping it from the inside for a cat in the hat hat. Using paper to fabricate the hat might be OK if you achieved the right "look"... and it will depend on the finish standards your little Diva demands.
It seems to me your key ingredients for the definitive "must have" costume components are (by priority)
1) the cat in the hat HAT (usable alone if need be)
2) black leotard (seems like standard wardrobe or inexpensive to substitute with anything black) adding a cut piece of white felt.
3) Huge red bow tie - seems OK to sub a large flocked red Christmas Bow.
4) Red and white long socks?
I would consider calling a couple of
thrift shops to ask if they had anything along these lines - maybe they'd know of the hat at least being on hand. Might save a drive.
Otherwise you might look to ebay. My Google search turned up results where they had no inventory. Seems to me you could ferret out a clearance on these sort of things somewhere... but that would involve buying it. And for a one time use thing I would agree... best to achieve the effect at the lowest or zero cost if possible.
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Now as to 5 nites on carnival versus 7 on NCL Dreams. I've sailed both lines and like each but for different reasons. I might ask... could you not squeeze in a 4 niter on DCL instead?
We sailed a Carnival 8 niter last Valentines week and it was sort of a soft let down compared to DCL. Yeah it was cheaper for 8 nites in a veranda versus 7 on DCL in a window cabin... and there was a lot in common between between the two... but it was the differences that matterred most to us. We are spoiled with the expectations we get from DCL.
And if I had to narrow my remarks otherwise to either or for CCL or NCL... I would put it this way...
Which ship is newer... that makes a difference to us. 2nd... what is the port line up and you intensity of interest for the ports? Seeing as this is less of a ship is the destination/ship intensive trip and more of a port intensive voyage... the ports should matter more. Unless the ships - or one of the ships is much newer. These considerations would influence my choice of trip rather then BRAND of cruise lines.
HOWEVER... if I were to assume the ships and ports were effectively identical... then I would choose NCL over CCL any day. We sailed NCL once and we had a decent time of it. SOme aspects of Carnival we simply dislike. And with NCL we actually enjoy the Freestyle basis of dining. We would probably invite an opportunity to share a table with folks at RANDOM... initially, as we would volunteer our interest in sharing a table to the head dining room manager as we checked in for seating. Maybe later in the cruise we might opt for private dining.
In addition, I would recommend you try some of the pay for dining alternatives the NCL ship is sure to offer. Just be sure the main dining options have little of interest to you on their menus.
I don't know how helpful any of this has been... but I tried.
Cheers, from
Tom
You go girl! Tackled DDs closet last weekend. Now I just need to do mine!
i know what ya mean about the hat i have a flyers tattoo i get picked on all the time but i dont care
She uses the kids' names after she has been picked.
Good morning!
Awesome job on the booth sales. Where did you set up at?
Now DH is another story... 
