8/17/2008 Double Dip 4-day Wonder

[Lynda Silk]

Hey disnutz, thanks for bumping us up! And you're right, Sea-and-Ski, this is a busy time for everyone.

Do you have to do anything to get your CC cards? I've never received cards and we've done 3 DCL cruises from 2002 to 2004. I obtained my numbers from DCL over the phone but I always wondered if there were cards to be had as well.

Our weather is gorgeous as well! Everyone is wearing sandals and their summer gear! It's so nice after the dreary, cold weather we had for winter.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

We, too, never received any CC cards until this latest mailing. I'm sure you'll be getting yours soon. Our new CC number is the same as the old one.

There seemed to be no rhyme or reason on who got CC cards and who didn't after their first cruise. Same with other things DCL has mailed over the years like the music CD or the magnetic decal. Some people got them and others didn't.

I must say I'm a bit disappointed in the quality of the "cards". They are printed on rather thin paper and the "look" is rather low tech. The frequent shopper card I got from my pet store looks a whole lot nicer.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Hi everyone! I just booked this cruise tonight, our very first one. I'll be celebrating my 40th (eek!) birthday. Joining me will be my DH (51) and DS (14). Chances are extended family will join us as well.

Is it too early to be very excited?

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

Hi everyone! I just booked this cruise tonight, our very first one. I'll be celebrating my 40th (eek!) birthday. Joining me will be my DH (51) and DS (14). Chances are extended family will join us as well.

Is it too early to be very excited?

Never too early to be excited. Welcome. Great way to celebrate a milestone. You can arrange to have your servers bring out a birthday cake. Just let them know on the first night.

 

[Coach Rick]

Ok, new guy here. I just got back from our recent (5/20) Wonder cruise, and booked the Aug 17 08 trip while on board. Great discount! This past cruise was our very first cruise and despite the rough trip down and back, with a touch of nausea on the way down, we loved it. We celebrated our 25th anniversary on 5/22, and the crew couldn't do enough for us.

We booked this one without telling the kids. We want to totally surprise them. So, it will be me (50), DW (49), DD (22), DS (17), DD (13) all those are present ages, as I can't bear the thought of being 51. Oh, forgot to mention, Mom and Dad are coming too. We have a Cat 3 (8582), and mom and dad are in Cat 6, (6624).

A few years ago we were able to take the kids to WDW without them (except for the oldest) knowing where we were until we parked at the Poly, and broke it to them. The plan this time is to tell them we are doing our usual trip, and we will pack up with them thinking we are changing resorts, and since the new room won't be ready until after 4, we will take a ride to Cape Kennedy. Once over the bridge I will say, oh look, lets go see the Disney ship.

Only one I am concerned about is the oldest. She is afraid of "deep water". So, I am not sure we can keep it from her. She graduates from Salve Regina University next year, so we know it may be the last time we actually go away as a family.

Then I see many of you have kids my youngest age (she will be 14 at that time), and it might be good to have her make contact with some of your kids now, but then again, I just remember that look on their face back 5 years ago, and want to see if I can pull it off one more time. They still talk about how cool that was.

Anyhow, glad to be aboard, and the countdown is: 444 till we head to WDW the day before, probably staying at SSR.

 

[Lynda Silk]

Hey Coach Rick,
Glad to have you aboard! And I think surprising the kids is a great idea! I'd love to see their faces when you actually tell them that your excursion to Cape Kennedy is a lot more than that!

I'm sure your 13 year old DD won't have any problems making friends even if she doesn't do the pre-email thing. My DD is 13 now too and I can always tell her to look out for your DD once we're onboard. My DD loves to socialize (although she's kind of shy at first) so she'll be looking for other girls to spend time with.

Best wishes on your 25th anniversary! And I totally get your feelings re 51; I'm 49 and my big 5-0 is in December and I feel exactly the same about that birthday!

 

[Coach Rick]

Hey Coach Rick,
Glad to have you aboard! And I think surprising the kids is a great idea! I'd love to see their faces when you actually tell them that your excursion to Cape Kennedy is a lot more than that!

I'm sure your 13 year old DD won't have any problems making friends even if she doesn't do the pre-email thing. My DD is 13 now too and I can always tell her to look out for your DD once we're onboard. My DD loves to socialize (although she's kind of shy at first) so she'll be looking for other girls to spend time with.

Best wishes on your 25th anniversary! And I totally get your feelings re 51; I'm 49 and my big 5-0 is in December and I feel exactly the same about that birthday!

Thanks...

Only difference between this surprise and the other one in 2002 is, we planned that trip only 2 weeks before we actually went. We have to keep this one a secret a year and a quarter. But 2002 will pale in comparison I think. My DD is very outgoing and easy to make friends, and your DD sounds allot like her. I am certain they will be buddies.

The last cruise was also planned a year and a half in advance, only difference was I didn't know if I would like it, so the wait wasn't as bad. Only been off the ship less than a week and I am going through withdrawals badly.

 

[Lynda Silk]

I always find that once I get off the ship, I'm back on the computer trying to see when I can book the next cruise! I actually had decided that I would have to wait for my next DCL cruise for a few more years because of budget constraints and other priorities. But then my friend at work asked me about the Disney Cruise because she was interested in going. After giving her all the info, I was so excited, I couldn't help book one for myself! People thought I was crazy for booking so far in advance but I told them it's great because it's something to look forward to. And I especially love the fact that we're going to Castaway Cay twice!

It will be a challenge for you to keep your secret but it will be worth it when you see your kids' faces when they realize what's up!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Hi again folks!

My father and his family are also coming with us, so that will be a total of two 14 year olds in our party (my DS and my stepsister). The teen club will be hopping!

DS is very social but he's also at that age where he thinks he's just too cool for pretty much everything. Hopefully he'll hook up with a few equally delusional kids.

 

[Lynda Silk]

Hi Jen,
Sounds like the kids will have loads of fun!

Yes, my DS is 15 now and although he's such a sweet kid, that teenage attitude still comes out and drives me crazy! He's very shy so I think a part of it is trying to hide that. As you said, though, when they meet up with their own kind, I'm sure they'll have a great time!

And you had asked in your first post if it was too early to be excited and I echo Ski-and-Sea's sentiments by saying no way! This is why we're on this thread when the cruise is still more than a year away! It's never too early to be excited about a Disney Cruise!

 

[disnutz]

Another person with a 13 yr old DD here Coach - looks like your DD will be in good hands. Maybe we can try to do a meet the first day so they can meet before going to the loft.

Welcome aboard to all our new folks!!!

 

[Coach Rick]

Another person with a 13 yr old DD here Coach - looks like your DD will be in good hands. Maybe we can try to do a meet the first day so they can meet before going to the loft.

That's a great idea...I am sure my DD will still be in shock at that time.

DW and I have to go for a walk every night just so we can talk about this cruise, and it's still 443 days away....but then that is ONLY 2 4th of July's to get through.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

Hi Coach,

Wow - a surprise cruise!!!! I will admit I doubt I could keep that secret for over a year. My kids would be wondering why I'm smiling all the time.

But good for you.

My DS will be 13 next summer and just shy of turning 14. He is very outgoing and gets along with everyone (girls included).

We should definitely do a DIS meet onboard the first day. The best place is to hold it at the Promenade Lounge at 3pm and finish up before the lifeboat drill at 4pm then meet up for the sailaway party.

I have also heard that its important for the teens to attend the first night in Aloft where the CMs go over the program.

I've also heard the teen programs at CC are terrific. We ran into them on our last cruise while riding our bikes and they got to go to a restricted part of the island. And we get two chances for our kids to do it.

 

[Coach Rick]

Hi Coach,

Wow - a surprise cruise!!!! I will admit I doubt I could keep that secret for over a year. My kids would be wondering why I'm smiling all the time.

But good for you.

My DS will be 13 next summer and just shy of turning 14. He is very outgoing and gets along with everyone (girls included).

We should definitely do a DIS meet onboard the first day. The best place is to hold it at the Promenade Lounge at 3pm and finish up before the lifeboat drill at 4pm then meet up for the sailaway party.

I have also heard that its important for the teens to attend the first night in Aloft where the CMs go over the program.

I've also heard the teen programs at CC are terrific. We ran into them on our last cruise while riding our bikes and they got to go to a restricted part of the island. And we get two chances for our kids to do it.

This is going to be so great! I am bursting with excitement. I will have to really work at containing myself and not letting on.

I heard about those programs too. Almost makes me want to go with them.

I just feel bad for my DS, who will have just turned 18. Oh well, I guess I will just have to put in overtime on the jet skis with him.

Now I know where the Promenade Lounge is, and 3 sounds perfect. Geesh, you might think we were going tomorrow.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

Coach Rick.....the 2006 dates/itineraries were all released in the middle of September 2004 and we booked on the first day (actually prior to that because inventory control called our TA because we wanted a suite). So that was 23 months of waiting till that double dip cruise.

I never would have never made it without that cruise meet thread. I think I had the 8,000th post. It actually made the time pass more quickly because we had a weekly countdown going. A bunch of them left a few days early and Verandah Man started a "live" thread going and I was still at home. I think we were the second to last family to leave. The last person to post had to say, "turning out the lights". It was very cute.

We will be flying in on the Saturday. I will never, ever fly down the day of the cruise again. We will stay at the port.

And yes, I'm already thinking about what I want to do at CC and Nassau. We'd like to do a non-DCL snorkeling excursion in Nassau. I'll look over at the cruisecritic boards and see what people recommend.

 

[Coach Rick]

Oh, I know you guys is what will keep me going. I can't stay away from the webcams on Sunday and Thursday. I think I have DCL-itis bad, REAL bad.

Nassau did not excite me, but I want my kids to see it, so we will get off and do a taxi tour again, probably bring them to the Pirate Museum, then come back to the ship. They tour guide we had was outstanding. In fact I got his email and have been keeping in touch with him through email so we can make an appointment with him. He was very reasonable, and brought us all over the island, and explained the economy of the area, along with bringing us to Atlantis, and giving us a tour of that as well. All for $25 each, and we were out for 2 and a half hours.

I am really looking forward to the whole suite/concierge experience. A bit extravagant for sure, but heck life is so short....

 

[Dizzyworld]

Hello Everyone........

Coach Rick, gotta ask, what do you coach?

Also my DD will be 13 when we sail. This is the one main reason she doesn't want to sail with RCCL is beacuse she will finally be able to go to the teen club. She can be very social.

I am looking ofrward to when all the young teens meet since there seems to be so many of them. They are going to have a blast. A DIS meet onboard before we sail would be a great idea.

Good luck on keeping it a surprise. I made reservation for the cruise coming up in Aug. '07 in Sept. and didn't tell the family until Christmas. That was hard enough.

 

[Coach Rick]

Hello Everyone........

Coach Rick, gotta ask, what do you coach?

Also my DD will be 13 when we sail. This is the one main reason she doesn't want to sail with RCCL is beacuse she will finally be able to go to the teen club. She can be very social.

I am looking ofrward to when all the young teens meet since there seems to be so many of them. They are going to have a blast. A DIS meet onboard before we sail would be a great idea.

Good luck on keeping it a surprise. I made reservation for the cruise coming up in Aug. '07 in Sept. and didn't tell the family until Christmas. That was hard enough.

I coach High School Girls Ice Hockey at the school I teach at.

My DD will be so excited to have so many new friends. She is very outgoing, and loves making friends. Sounds like our kids will certainly be busy. It will be hard to keep this, but just the thought of the end result will keep me going. We were at my parents house yeterday, and my mom almost blew our cover. Mostly because she is so excited too. Since I sent my parents on their cruise this past Jaunary, they can't stop talking about it, which is why I booked another stateroom for them when we were on ours last week. I told my mom if they really didn't want to go I could cancel the second stateroom... I thought she was going to come through the phone and swat me.

I have even gotten my DW into the DIS now, although she hasn't posted anything yet. I guess I am infectious.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

Hello Everyone........

Coach Rick, gotta ask, what do you coach?

Also my DD will be 13 when we sail. This is the one main reason she doesn't want to sail with RCCL is beacuse she will finally be able to go to the teen club. She can be very social.

I am looking ofrward to when all the young teens meet since there seems to be so many of them. They are going to have a blast. A DIS meet onboard before we sail would be a great idea.

Good luck on keeping it a surprise. I made reservation for the cruise coming up in Aug. '07 in Sept. and didn't tell the family until Christmas. That was hard enough.

Dizzyworld.....are you booked on this cruise? I know you were thinking about it. I tried to get Verandahman to book this cruise since he had to back out of the EB Panama Canal cruise. But he's booked on the 9/1 5-day cruise and may stay with that.

 

[Dizzyworld]

Dizzyworld.....are you booked on this cruise? I know you were thinking about it. I tried to get Verandahman to book this cruise since he had to back out of the EB Panama Canal cruise. But he's booked on the 9/1 5-day cruise and may stay with that.

I guess I forgot to announce that my DD (13) and I are joining this crew too. I've been reading this board for a while, and thought I had. Also, I am getting the cruise for this AUG confused with the '08 cruise. We went back and forth (well, I did) between DCL/WDW or just a RCCL Freedom class cruise. Alli really wants to do DCL since she will move up to the teen group. Plus when I asked her where she wanted to go for our "Girl's Only Vacation" she responded with "You have to ask?" That's my Disney girl.

My DH and I talked about it and felt that I could give her a little move freedom on DCL than on RCCL. Plus we both know what to expect, and she knows the ship layout, etc. It is very comfortable for both of us. And my DS doesn't want us to go on a new ship without him. So Alli and I will do a little WDW before the cruise, then we will be on the Wonder with all of you.

It will be a little weird not being with the rest of the family but with scout plans, other camps, and work it just wasn't going to work out that easily. And Alli and I have traveled together without the boys at WDW during DEC a few times (until she hit middle school). I think if the group from the AUG '06 cruise would have had a 7 day DCL cruise to go, the boys would have bailed on the scout trip.

~~~~~~~~~~
Coach Rick...........how fun to coach girls ice hockey. Alli thought about giving it a try but for now is sticking with soccer. She likes being a goalie and making mom here nervous. I have 2 nephews in Richmond that have been playing ice/roller hockey since they were about 4. They travel all over the place. We try and see their games as much as we can when they are near. The one nephew when he was 9/10 played on the national junior hockey team, and they won. It was great fun for the kids. There is a fun book to read called "The Hockey Dad Chronicles." It was informative and funny. It can be apllied to most travel team sports. Good book to read on the cruise.