Ahoy! Sailing the Wonder 2/8/09

[ljm23]

Yes, we're planning on staying at the Radisson. Our first time staying at the port, usually we stay at the Orlando Hyatt and take the bus first thing in the morning. We figure we'll check out the port area the evening before. Anyone have any suggestions???

 

[jedijill]

Nassau is ok. One thing you can do that I did last time, is take a taxi tour of Nassau. There are taxi/tour guides at the end of the pier. I think my guy charged $17/pp and took us on a 2 1/2 hour tour all around and visited Atlantis which is incredible. At the end, he dropped us back at the ship. It was a nice way to get a view of Nassau and Atlantis without paying Disney prices. I'm sure that you could arrange to be taken to one of the beaches as well.

I think I probably will stay onboard on Nassau day and enjoy the pool and hottubs which should be empty!

I am currently torn on where to stay. I have a ressie at the Radisson at the port and one at POR at WDW. I can't decide.

Oh, and George. I highly recommend the Passport Cruise guide...it is the best resource for Disney cruises.

Jill in CO

 

[cemeb4dk]

Thanks Jill, I have the book, and it has some great info in it. Just need to find some time to sit with my wife and compare notes.

We are DVC members and annual pass holders and I was thinking of staying at POP on Sat night. It is chepaer but then when you add the parking fees at the port its about even with the radisson. So I think we are going to do the Radisson and check out the Cape and Cocco Beach or just hang at the pool. Since we are driving straight threw I will need some sleep.

These boards are getting me more excited for our trip. Now if my daughter will just use the toliet

 

[cemeb4dk]

Just an FYI, I just booked our room at the Radisson, not many choices left. Yesterday there was alot of choices, so if your thinkinging about it I would reserve soon.

 

[jedijill]

My TA was able to get my fuel surcharge removed from my reservation this morning. Now I have an extra $38 to spend!!!!

Jill in CO

 

[jedijill]

Thanks Jill, I have the book, and it has some great info in it. Just need to find some time to sit with my wife and compare notes.

We are DVC members and annual pass holders and I was thinking of staying at POP on Sat night. It is chepaer but then when you add the parking fees at the port its about even with the radisson. So I think we are going to do the Radisson and check out the Cape and Cocco Beach or just hang at the pool. Since we are driving straight threw I will need some sleep.

These boards are getting me more excited for our trip. Now if my daughter will just use the toliet

I'm planning to eat at Artist Point on Saturday night so I am leaning towards staying on property so I can enjoy some nice wine with dinner. I got a good AP discount at POR--I'm checking into OKW when I get back from the cruise.

Good luck on your daughter learning to use the potty. I've heard on the boards though that you might still be able to get into the kids clubs if she is pretty much potty trained....I think there are some threads on here regarding that.

Jill in CO

 

[cemeb4dk]

Well I signed my daughter up for the club for 3-7 year olds. In hopes she will be trained by then. Missed out on Palo Brunch they are booked solid. Maybe something will come up, if not no biggie. We are on vacation and make the best of it.

2 questions:

1. We are traveling with my mother in law. Can she put a CC down for her charges to her Key card, and we use ours for our charges. I would just rather do that then seperate it at the end.

2) For snorkeling at Castaway can I bring our own goggles and snorkel? $25 bucks a person seems a bit I high I may check and see if I can buy for less than that. PLus not keen on the idea of sharing a snorkle, I am sure they clean it but still.

Thanks

 

[nokidz]

2 questions:

1. We are traveling with my mother in law. Can she put a CC down for her charges to her Key card, and we use ours for our charges. I would just rather do that then seperate it at the end.

2) For snorkeling at Castaway can I bring our own goggles and snorkel? $25 bucks a person seems a bit I high I may check and see if I can buy for less than that. PLus not keen on the idea of sharing a snorkle, I am sure they clean it but still.

Thanks

1. For each KTTW card you can have different CC's or have no charging priviledges at all. this is done when you check in at the port.

2) Yes you can bring your own flippers, snorkel and mask. They will require you to wear a float vest. they are available at every life guard station.

 

[cemeb4dk]

nokidz Thanks...

 

[Ladyw/theTramp]

It's been awhile since I've had a chance to check in... Getting excited though!!! I can't WAIT to let the kids in on it on Christmas morning!!! They are gonna freak!!!

Do we have a running count on the FE participants? I would like to start thinking about what I'm going to get and I was wondering how many people we are talking...

 

[jedijill]

Welcome Back!

Right now we have 6 families participating: 11 adults and 8 kids.

You guys just let me know when you would like me to send out the spreadsheet.

Jill in CO

 

[Sneeuwwitje]

Well I signed my daughter up for the club for 3-7 year olds.

We have our almost 5 year old daughter registered as well...
Can anyone tell me how this works? Do we book her for a certain day or time when checking in or can we just check her in and out when she wants to?

I am hoping she won't be too scared playing with children that don't speak her language. We are teaching her some English words, but it doesn't go further than hello, applejuice and Snow White and

Audrey

 

[2gr8brits]

My kids look over The Navigator each evening and then highlight the kids activities that they are interested in and then we just check them in and out of the Oceaneers clubs. As far as your daughter's ESL status, most, if not all, of the Oceaneers Clubs are certified teachers and I'm sure that some have other languages. Children are fairly non observant of the language barrier - "play" is international. You daughter should be quite comfortable.

 

[nokidz]

nokidz Thanks...

no problem. this will be our fourth cruise so ask away.

 

[Sneeuwwitje]

Thanks "2gr8brits"! I guess you're right about how play is international.
And I read somewhere that parents get a pager so the counsellors can page us anytime they need to.

Audrey

 

[ljm23]

Yeah, we've cruised twice and our son LOVED the kids clubs, so much so he didn't want us to pick him up. We had the pager but needless to say never got paged. It's a really nice program.

 

[2gr8brits]

Yes, you will get a pager when you register at port and ours only went off for the test - my boys had a blast and talk about how they are going to do more IF we ever take another cruise!
We booked Palo once we got onboard on our 1st cruise - My TA said to ask a staff member AS SOON AS I got onboard where they were making Palo reservations and go right then - I went and it was no problem.
I am getting SOOOO excited that I can't wait!!!!!!

 

[pjpoohbear]

There were still Palo openings for dinner a week ago, I changed our Dinner on the first night to a slightly later time, we want to head to the rotation dinning room and meet our tablemates.

Pj

 

[2gr8brits]

Does anyone know anything about mailing things to the ship? I was thinking about shipping the FE's items and maybe a few other things ahead. Are there any restrictions to what can be shipped?

 

[nokidz]

Does anyone know anything about mailing things to the ship? I was thinking about shipping the FE's items and maybe a few other things ahead. Are there any restrictions to what can be shipped?

here is some info on shipping items to DCL.

Sending packages ahead of time to the ship:

PLEASE follow these instructions carefully!!!!!!


-ONE box per stateroom, no exceptions.

-The package must have the guest full name, ship, sailing date, stateroom number or GTY if you have not been assigned a stateroom number.

-The package also must have a packing slip attached to the outside of the box that details the contents of the package. For prescriptions, a copy of the prescription is sufficient. Your list may or may not be read but it must have one. Write packing slip on the outside of the envelope.

-NO FOODS/DRINKS OF ANY KIND, LIQUOR OF ANY KIND, FIREARMS, ETC.. This may cause the dogs to hit on your box and that would be a bad thing.

- The required size of the cartons you are shipping down have to be about the size of a record storage box 12 inches on a side and should not weigh more than 20 lbs. (This has been asked personally by Dave Adams who is the owner)

Address your package(s) to:

IDS c/o (Ship Name) / Ground Services
Guest Name / Stateroom # (GTY, if you don't know what it is when you send the package)
9001 Marlin Street
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920

In the bottom left corner of the top of the package put the following information:ATTN: HOUSEKEEPING

Packages must arrive by 5:00 PM on Friday for Saturday and Sunday sailings.

Packages must arrive by 5:00 PM on Wednesday for Thursday sailings.

If your box is hit on by the screening dog or chosen for additional screening they will open the list and the box and look through it. They will close it back up and provided nothing bad is in it then it will be in your room as usual later after boarding.

These boxes will be coming on the ship with the crew mail among other things so they may be in the staterooms later then they were before as they are low priority in the scheme of things for Disney.