Airmiles Armchair Chatter

[Debbie]

My mom currently thinks that she might have a year or two left and is cleaning out her house. Every time I'm over there she ask me about a certain item, if I want it or not. She says, I'll put your name on it. WTH! So she def doesn't want 'stuff'. I'm just wondering if she thinks I'm being lazy in getting her basically the same stuff every year. We tried doing no gifts one year and she got mad.

My mom started in her late sixties getting rid of the stuff. She had a plan to toss/gift 10 items a day. We'd go over and come home with a boatload of things that was "ours" or that we could honestly use. To be fair with the highlighted sentence---I have had my kids' names on my Doultons for years. They don't want them, but their names are on there anyway. And when the time comes, I won't care if they take them or not. rofl

My birthday is the 9 days before Christmas, so I have to think of lots of things that I "want"/"need" so they can gift. I love giftcards. On the list I sent out, I included a washer door prop, clothes horse, banana tree (the kind to hold bananas ), popcorn, Rheo Thompson mint smoothies., and a cruise journal. I thought last night I should have added Malibu rum on the list.

 

[dancin Disney style]

My mom started in her late sixties getting rid of the stuff. She had a plan to toss/gift 10 items a day. We'd go over and come home with a boatload of things that was "ours" or that we could honestly use. To be fair with the highlighted sentence---I have had my kids' names on my Doultons for years. They don't want them, but their names are on there anyway. And when the time comes, I won't care if they take them or not. rofl

My birthday is the 9 days before Christmas, so I have to think of lots of things that I "want"/"need" so they can gift. I love giftcards. On the list I sent out, I included a washer door prop, clothes horse, banana tree (the kind to hold bananas ), popcorn, Rheo Thompson mint smoothies., and a cruise journal. I thought last night I should have added Malibu rum on the list.

Funny...everytime this stuff comes up about who gets what all I can think of is I'll be calling a truck to come and haul it all away. I don't want or need someone else's stuff. There are ZERO sentimental attachments. The relationships have never been easy.

9 days before Christmas......I'm 10 days. My oldest brother and I had the same birthday but since his passing I pretty much skip it. The kids usually take me for dinner which is good enough for me.

 

[hdrolfe]

My parents do not like stuff. And if they want something, they buy it themselves. Since kiddo is still in school picture age, I always get them a print of the latest photo. My niece made us all personalized calendars last year with pictures of family, pets, etc. I tend to give consumables, or gift cards. I know my parents like Tim Hortons (or my dad any way) and things like that. I'd never give them anything else because they are particular about things.

The only one in the house who gets proper gifts now is my son, and since he wants mostly clothes this year even he will be getting gift cards to pick out what he wants. Not that he doesn't like stuff, he just likes certain stuff

 

[ottawamom]

Oh ya....I'm good with gift cards. I think I might tell DH that I want a shopping weekend in the US..... see how that goes. What I really want is a WDW Christmas weekend but that's not happening.....I'm busy with work and DD has abandoned me. I mentioned it to DH and his answer was.....go by yourself.

I think I'm hearing a Dis Gals group trip in the making! Too late for this year but next year?

 

[bababear_50]

I think I'm hearing a Dis Gals group trip in the making! Too late for this year but next year?

Well yah know that WestJet voucher is coming my way soon I hope.............just saying.
Hugs Mel

 

[dancin Disney style]

Ok so..........my cruise got booked today!!!!
DD was speaking with one of the other girls who had just booked her grandparents. Turns out that the rules for discounted rates are pretty simple. Not at all what we thought. DD can book anyone on a friends/family rate as long as the cruise takes place at least 30 days after her hire date. She made the call and got us booked for Jan 28th. We got a verandah stateroom at a discount of approx 40% and the upgrade to verandah was only$180. We are not required to pay gratuities.

Now I'm hunting for the flight. I think I might go through AM....I can get the flights that I prefer for 6018 miles and fees of $355. If I were to pay OOP for that same itinerary it would be $987. The other option is paying OOP with a sale code on Westjet for $717....that same through AM is 4570 miles and $355. I'm not sure what want to do but will need to decide today I think. I never would have considered using miles for a flight. I'm more about getting the reward for $0 rather than some miles and some cash. We will also need a rental car and a couple nights at a hotel. We will fly in Thursday night after work, have Friday to do something, get on the ship Saturday for 7 nights and then fly home Sunday midday. There is a flight Sunday night that is also tempting.

I'm also trying to figure out this whole cruise thing. I got the navigator app and have been trying to read everything. Looks like there is hardly anything left that we can book. There actually isn't much that really interests us anyway. Virtual golf would have been fun but it's only available of the days that the ship is in port.....I'm assuming we will be on land doing something. We didn't have a choice for dining....we got late which probably won't work for us but we will figure it out. Dining in general will be interesting....I am very against shared seating.

 

[tinkerone]

Ok so..........my cruise got booked today!!!!
DD was speaking with one of the other girls who had just booked her grandparents. Turns out that the rules for discounted rates are pretty simple. Not at all what we thought. DD can book anyone on a friends/family rate as long as the cruise takes place at least 30 days after her hire date. She made the call and got us booked for Jan 28th. We got a verandah stateroom at a discount of approx 40% and the upgrade to verandah was only$180. We are not required to pay gratuities.

Now I'm hunting for the flight. I think I might go through AM....I can get the flights that I prefer for 6018 miles and fees of $355. If I were to pay OOP for that same itinerary it would be $987. The other option is paying OOP with a sale code on Westjet for $717....that same through AM is 4570 miles and $355. I'm not sure what want to do but will need to decide today I think. I never would have considered using miles for a flight. I'm more about getting the reward for $0 rather than some miles and some cash. We will also need a rental car and a couple nights at a hotel. We will fly in Thursday night after work, have Friday to do something, get on the ship Saturday for 7 nights and then fly home Sunday midday. There is a flight Sunday night that is also tempting.

I'm also trying to figure out this whole cruise thing. I got the navigator app and have been trying to read everything. Looks like there is hardly anything left that we can book. There actually isn't much that really interests us anyway. Virtual golf would have been fun but it's only available of the days that the ship is in port.....I'm assuming we will be on land doing something. We didn't have a choice for dining....we got late which probably won't work for us but we will figure it out. Dining in general will be interesting....I am very against shared seating.

You will find a time listed in the Navigator, once you board, for changes in dining. Check the time out, where it takes place and be there five or ten minutes early. You will most likely get to change to early dining and also have your own table. I don't like shared either and I usually stop by to make sure it has been arranged or to change it if it hasn't. The one time I didn't do this we were put at a table with six others. Not something I could do so they changed us to a lovely table by a porthole. You should have no problem getting this all fixed once onboard.

 

[Donald - my hero]

So far I've spent a total of $815.40 and snagged 1485 miles during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping. Not half bad, pretty close to 2:1 way above normal online shopping. I might have been able to do better but visiting with Arthur and his parents this weekend after 6 full weeks of daily commuting just zapped my energy. I wanted to get the most bang for my Max Pass and I'm happy with that return plus what I will soon see on my door step (live in the middle of 4 distribution centres so some things arrive within 12 hours!)

 

[dancin Disney style]

So far I've spent a total of $815.40 and snagged 1485 miles during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping. Not half bad, pretty close to 2:1 way above normal online shopping. I might have been able to do better but visiting with Arthur and his parents this weekend after 6 full weeks of daily commuting just zapped my energy. I wanted to get the most bang for my Max Pass and I'm happy with that return plus what I will soon see on my door step (live in the middle of 4 distribution centres so some things arrive within 12 hours!)

to you for keeping track of that. I barely have a handle on what I bought never mind how much I spent and the miles. I know that I made 8 purchases....6 at 20X miles and 1 at 15X. All but one had a smaller multiplier. 5 purchases were over $100 so that went on MC for the extra 50 each. I bought a few things from Amazon but I have no idea if any of them qualify for miles and I certainly got nothing from the Max Pass. My Amazon already arrived...we have Prime so it often comes in 12ish hours. I've received the tablet I bought (that came in under 24hrs) and part of my Walmart order was sitting on step yesterday, no wrapping of any kind. Of course...that is a gift for my oldest and she walked in unannounced yesterday while the box was sitting on the floor inside the door. Hopefully I got away with that....she asked for a crock pot but I bought an Instant Pot.


I bought my flights late last night. Again, FOMO. The prices were actually very good for YYZ and I have seen them a little lower but not very often. I decided to pay OOP. I wanted to buy a fare class that AM did not offer. Went with AC even though it was slightly more money. The return flight time is much better.....WJ is 7am, AC 11am. Booked the Flex category which gave me 1 checked bag, seat selection, no change fees and more Aeroplan points. I know I would have been paying for bags and seat selection anyway so in the end I paid an extra $35 each but have the no change fee option which at that moment I felt was a good thing. I will use AM for the hotels (2 nights pre cruise and 1 night after) and probably for the rental car. I want to go to MK the day before the cruise so maybe AM for that too.

 

[dancin Disney style]

You will find a time listed in the Navigator, once you board, for changes in dining. Check the time out, where it takes place and be there five or ten minutes early. You will most likely get to change to early dining and also have your own table. I don't like shared either and I usually stop by to make sure it has been arranged or to change it if it hasn't. The one time I didn't do this we were put at a table with six others. Not something I could do so they changed us to a lovely table by a porthole. You should have no problem getting this all fixed once onboard.

I see that I can add myself to the waitlist for early dining....should I do that? To be honest dinner at 5:30 is not really any better than 8pm.

I have a lot of research to do!

 

[tinkerone]

I see that I can add myself to the waitlist for early dining....should I do that? To be honest dinner at 5:30 is not really any better than 8pm.

I have a lot of research to do!

If you want early dining, yes, add your name to the wait list however still check in when you board. Verify that you did get early seating and that you have a table just for yourselves.
Even if you decide to keep late dinning but want a table without other guests, take the time to go to dining requests and verify. It's easier to take a few minutes and be sure you get what you want than to go to dinner that first night and be surprised with what they gave you.
We prefer early dining as we get to relax after dinner with the show. For us, it's much nicer than seeing the show and then going to dinner. But that's all just a personal preference.

 

[dancin Disney style]

@tinkerone thanks....I'm going to work on the research this weekend. I like to know where things are and how things work before I go anywhere. Do you know anything about the Hey, Howdy breakfast ? I have to book that but don't see anything about it on the website or in the app.

 

[tinkerone]

@tinkerone thanks....I'm going to work on the research this weekend. I like to know where things are and how things work before I go anywhere. Do you know anything about the Hey, Howdy breakfast ? I have to book that but don't see anything about it on the website or in the app.

Never heard of the Hey, Howdy Breakfast. Is it on the new Toy Story themed cruise? If so, when you find out, I need to know. Actually, if you are going on the Toy Story themed cruise, I would love to know everything you find out. It's the cruise we will be on, and my FB group is trying hard to get any and all information. This cruise is new this year so nothing is known.

What I have seen so far about breakfast...

CHARACTER BREAKFAST​

Join Sheriff Woody, Jesse and Bullseye for a rootin’ tootin’ good time during a musical interactive Character breakfast.

ETA-Should be Pixar Day at Sea, not Toy Story. My bad.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Never heard of the Hey, Howdy Breakfast. Is it on the new Toy Story themed cruise? If so, when you find out, I need to know. Actually, if you are going on the Toy Story themed cruise, I would love to know everything you find out. It's the cruise we will be on, and my FB group is trying hard to get any and all information. This cruise is new this year so nothing is known.

What I have seen so far about breakfast...

CHARACTER BREAKFAST​

Join Sheriff Woody, Jesse and Bullseye for a rootin’ tootin’ good time during a musical interactive Character breakfast.

ETA-Should be Pixar Day at Sea, not Toy Story. My bad.

Yes...It's part of Pixar Day at Sea. I think after DD joins the ship this week there will be more info. She told me I have to go to this breakfast. LOL....I told her I was planning to sit on my verandah with room service every morning. We go on Jan 28th...when do you go?

What I can say is that Pixar Day at Sea has been in the planning stages for over 2 years. DD and her castmates are the first cast. Half are currently on the ship starting blocking. The other half (DD's half) joins the ship this week to complete blocking and rehearsals. The corporate excitement is huge apparently. I know a lot of other things but forbidden from telling.

Slightly interesting...she will be living in a guest cabin and rehearsals happen in the overnight hours.

 

[tinkerone]

Yes...It's part of Pixar Day at Sea. I think after DD joins the ship this week there will be more info. She told me I have to go to this breakfast. LOL....I told her I was planning to sit on my verandah with room service every morning. We go on Jan 28th...when do you go?

What I can say is that Pixar Day at Sea has been in the planning stages for over 2 years. DD and her castmates are the first cast. Half are currently on the ship starting blocking. The other half (DD's half) joins the ship this week to complete blocking and rehearsals. The corporate excitement is huge apparently. I know a lot of other things but forbidden from telling.

Slightly interesting...she will be living in a guest cabin and rehearsals happen in the overnight hours.

We are on Feb 25th. I was excited myself once I found out it was going to be Pixar and not Marvel. Can't wait to find out more.
Do you know if the breakfast is going to be a ticketed event? I'm wondering if they will give everyone a time or if you will have to prearrange with a ticket.
When you can give out more information feel free to let me know. Even in a PM if you prefer. We are taking a six-year-old so I'm very excited for this sailing.

 

[dancin Disney style]

We are on Feb 25th. I was excited myself once I found out it was going to be Pixar and not Marvel. Can't wait to find out more.
Do you know if the breakfast is going to be a ticketed event? I'm wondering if they will give everyone a time or if you will have to prearrange with a ticket.
When you can give out more information feel free to let me know. Even in a PM if you prefer. We are taking a six-year-old so I'm very excited for this sailing.

She told me last night that it's a ticketed event. I told her that she needs to find out everything she can about this thing if I'm expected to attend. She told me to stop complaining


On the AM front.....I've got 395 miles posted from my BF shopping. Some of it has posted in a weird way and I feel like it will be taken back. The Body Shop posted base miles 3 times. Clinque posted base miles 4 times and the 5X multiplier twice. LuLulemon posted base miles 2 times. I've still got more purchases coming.

I also had another one of those Metro 10X post and this time it was 135 miles.....I'm so confused

 

[hdrolfe]

She told me last night that it's a ticketed event. I told her that she needs to find out everything she can about this thing if I'm expected to attend. She told me to stop complaining


On the AM front.....I've got 395 miles posted from my BF shopping. Some of it has posted in a weird way and I feel like it will be taken back. The Body Shop posted base miles 3 times. Clinque posted base miles 4 times and the 5X multiplier twice. LuLulemon posted base miles 2 times. I've still got more purchases coming.

I also had another one of those Metro 10X post and this time it was 135 miles.....I'm so confused

My shops posted weird as well.
I think the Metro 10X is all the 10x from Metro, shopping online, rolled into one post. My total there matched what I expected for the 10x on everything at least. But it was weird for sure!

 

[dancin Disney style]

My shops posted weird as well.
I think the Metro 10X is all the 10x from Metro, shopping online, rolled into one post. My total there matched what I expected for the 10x on everything at least. But it was weird for sure!

My base miles just from online shopping are 32 and I got 135 posted as the Metro 10X....so that doesn't work for mine. Also, I've had 63 post twice which doesn't make any sense either.

 

[Donald - my hero]

I triggered the maximum "Metro" 10x (my hunch as to why it's posting that way is that's what is showing on all the social media AND the parts of Ontario that are included are the only ones that have Metro as a partner now, just lumped the bonus under one thing) I've had 2 postings show up, on Nov 14th i got 315 and then on the 21st i got 435 for a total of 750 which is the maximum. I'm fairly confident it's due to my multiple surveys because I collected 51 base miles just from those. Add in the 17 miles that posted for last weekend's hotel stay for our birthdays and we're up to 68. Looking closer I only "earned" 14 base miles at Shell and Metro so yippee for the surveys!

 

[tinkerone]

I have one posted dated Nov. 28 that says Bonus Offer Incentive for 150 AM's. No idea what that is for.