9/18/04 Eastern Magic- We're in the home Stretch Now

[DisneyNutMary]

We are a hair over 4 months away from our cruise, and it finally becoming real to me. I am thinking about final payment, and scrambling to get a better deal or an upgraded cabin at a reasonable price. I am currently shopping some TA's and I will probably call Costco, because of all I have read on the boards.
I have been occupied with another Disney board lately. It called All Things and WDW stop by and check it out.
But now that things are flowing smoothly in my life, I am back at DISboards and ready to plan this cruise.
To excursion or not to excursion, that is my question now. I am thinking of just winging it in Antigua and St Thomas, sightsee and maybe hit the beach, but mostly take it easy.

So, what is everyone else doing to prepare? And has anyone made their dreaded final payment yet?

I look forward to getting to know everyone better as the cruise approaches

Oh, by the way, if you got the PassPorter DCL guide for 2004, check me out on page 140

 

[glindamood]

Hope all are having a good spring! It's 34 here in Cadillac this morning but heading out to mid-fifties, things are turning green so we have said good-bye to winter for one more year.

Anyone getting excited about our cruise besides me? I have been reading the board and trip reports daily - even all the negative ones. Doesn't scare me - bring it on! Having cruised Princess I can report that my experience has bee better on the Magic!

I followed Jan's path and tried to find out about the Antigua excursions, emailed Disney and they still don't know. I figured if they knew what was being offered in PR that Antigua should follow soon. The response had nothing to offer as to when they would be avialable. DH and I are booked on Eli's Eco Tour but I would still like to know what they are offering.

http://wx.local6.com/orlpn/sh/wx/popup_frame.cfm?ImageID=8541 - take a look at her in port - 18 weeks and we won't have to look at webcams at port - we will be there!

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

[grlzmom]

The cruise is getting closer

Havent had too much time to think about it yet as we are getting all prepped to take the whole gang on the June 5th Western. When we come back from that I will make final payment and the time will just fly by those last two months.

We always like to do a St. John snorkel trip while at St. Thomas. Havent thought about any of the rest yet and will probably just lay around at Serenity Bay while on Castaway Key since we are doing a bunch of busy stuff there with the kids in June. That and stuff my face with food at Cookies Barbeque.

We booked the August 2005 repositioning cruise through the canal, anyone else on that one?

 

[glindamood]

Jeanne - have a great cruise, you only have to wait 3 weeks to see the Magic in person. We didn't book the repositioning cruises, while I would love to do it (that is a week's worth of sea days) we are going to wait and take the entire family on 12/17 Western next year. Taking DS out of school for 2 weeks is too much and missing the first day of high school would not be a good idea either.

We will be right with you on Serenity Bay - soaking up the rays.
Have a great weekend.

 

[ragdoll]

Hi everyone! Jeanne, I've been thinking of you and Eric and your June cruise. Harry and I are kind of in the same boat you guys are. Haven't had much time to think about our Sept. cruise because we are booked on the 5/20 land/sea package. Life has been crazy for us and we really felt like we had to get away. To tell you the truth I'm not at all prepared for next weeks vacation but looking forward to it. Figure I will just throw stuff in a suitcase the night before and make due. We really need to relax. It will be a very casual vacation for us. We will definitely have to meet up on board in Sept. We really enjoyed your company at dinner last year.

Donna

 

[grlzmom]

Donna,

Hope you have a wonderful land/sea vacation.

How nice, you get to do both the Wonder and the Magic this year!!

Maybe we will be dinner mates again, dh and I are scheduled for late seating, are you guys too?

Life here insane too, so much going on I cant even write it down.

Really looking forward to and needing these cruises!!

September is getting closer by the minute!

 

[ragdoll]

Jeanne,

Yes, we have late dinner seating. We would be thrilled to find you at our table! Wonder if Stefanie and Andy had their baby yet. Should be very soon now.

I'm really getting excited.

Talk to you soon.

Donna

 

[ambermomma]

grlzmom/ragdoll -

Andy and I can't wait to see everyone again. Sounds like you are ready for vacation! Do you know if it is possible to request to sit with certain people at dinner? We are scheduled second seating in Sept..

Other than counting down to the cruise (we NEED this vacation)we are eagerly awaiting the baby's birth - only another week or so to go. He has a whole wardrobe of Disney clothes for the cruise this fall.

Can't wait to meet/see everyone in September!

Stephanie

 

[grlzmom]

Stephanie, so glad to hear you are doing well.

Let us know when the baby comes!!

Disney store online has lots of stuff on sale for babies. Bet he will have so many things he wont get to wear them all.

There is probably a way to request certain dinnermates. I know when we cruise with all our family we are all linked and get the same table. I am all for that one, we are gonna want to chat with you guys anyhow. I am just not intelligent enough to figure out how to do it.

 

[ambermomma]

I might ask when I call to make my final payment then, if there is a way to sit with y'all, or near you. There's just the 4 of us, mom, Andy, myself, and the baby.

if not, there's still plenty of time for a meet and greet! I'll definitely post/email when the baby comes!

Stephanie

 

[westjones]

We will be on this cruise with 3 other families and what we did was get a list of all of our reservation numbers, then one person in our group contacted their TA and gave them all the numbers to be linked for dinner (we all used different TAs for reservations, but that didn't seem to matter).

So I think what you guys would have to do is "PM" each other or send private emails and exchange reservation numbers, then one of you contact your TA and have your numbers linked for dinner.

This is our first time doing this, so I am 'hoping' it all works out. There will be 17 people in our group, so I think we will have to have 2 tables. We are usually by ourselves, so this will be quite different for us.

DJ

 

[bartjwb]

We also have the late dinner seating

 

[ragdoll]

Jeanne and Stephanie, we would love to be seated with you guys. Didn't want to put anyone on the spot so I thought that I would just tactfully say that I would be thrilled to be seated with you all. Guess you got the rather strong hint.

DS or DS and his girlfriend may be with us. Right now they are in the middle of a breakup so I gave him a week to decide. How about we decide how to go about it and how big of a table we need when Jeanne gets back from her June cruise?

Have either of you corresponded with our other tablemates? I remember the couple from Tennessee saying that they might consider this cruise. It would be great to see them too.

Talk to you all soon.

Donna

 

[ambermomma]

Tina and Doug went earlier this year, so they won't be on the September cruise. I have kept in touch a little via email. I think it would be great if we could arrange to sit together. Maybe after the June cruise we can exchange reservation numbers as suggested and one of us can call about it - I'd be happy to do it. =)
I am SO looking forward to this trip. We can't wait! Andy is already asking about getting a massage. lol.

Stephanie

 

[westjones]

Oh No! We almost missed it!
Our '4' month and counting date!!!! Well, 4 months from TODAY we will be enjoying our second day at sea!

Each month my daughter makes a new sign for us, and now we have the number "4" displayed in our family room!

Only 4 more months! It is getting MUCH closer!!!

DJ

 

[DisneyNutMary]

Once the stress of the school year is over I will be making a paper chain for my kids to count down. Our only problem is that the kids don't know that we are leaving on Wednesday night instead of Friday night; so my countdown will have two extra links.

 

[glindamood]

DOWN TO DOUBLE DIGITS!!!!

Getting closer - school is out here and we have been 'snowless' for 4 weeks (also stopped raining). Hope everyone has a great summer and remember to send me names, ages, emails etc if you have not already and I will finalize the first draft of our list and send it out.

 

[westjones]

Doesn't that Counter look SO much better!

For us, it seems like summers go by way to fast, so we will be on the Magic before we know it!

Hey! My girls and another girl going with us want to be in the Talent Show on the cruise. If you are at the show, watch for them!

DJ

 

[DisneyNutMary]

Shame on me, I didn't even realize it was time for the DOUBLE DIGIT DANCE!

What's even worse is that my real countdown is now down to 96, because we are leaving home on Wednesday night for a few days at the World. I can't believe I missed it

 

[glindamood]

The Antigua excursions are posted on the Disney website.
http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/d...re/excursiongroupingindex?id=AntiguaExcGrping