...and a happy New Year! 12/30/2010

[twokats]

Hi Everyone...It's been awhile for me on here, been a bit busy...But I'm happy to report we have a new addition to our family...Gabriella Morgan made her grand entrance 7.6.10, and she's already had her first visit to see Mickey. She a great baby, so quiet that sometimes I ahve to check on her to make sure she is ok. She has been sleeping through the night since she was 5 days old. We have been incredibly blessed and are so thankful for her.

We are still booked on this cruise, and will still be participating in the FE... Hope that I will get a little more time in to post on here!! I went back to work 2 weeks ago and things have been a bit busy since. I think I have the hang of work, a new baby, and the other kids now. My girls are older and I never worked til they were older, so its been an adjustment. Thankfully shes such a good baby.

Congrats on the baby. I seem to remember those days, new baby, going back to work and older children. . . . it was only 23 years ago!!!!
You are right in that it is an adjustment and yes you will be busy for a while.

Glad you are back with us, time is passing fast.

 

[castaway3]

Hi Everyone...It's been awhile for me on here, been a bit busy...But I'm happy to report we have a new addition to our family...Gabriella Morgan made her grand entrance 7.6.10, and she's already had her first visit to see Mickey. She a great baby, so quiet that sometimes I ahve to check on her to make sure she is ok. She has been sleeping through the night since she was 5 days old. We have been incredibly blessed and are so thankful for her.

We are still booked on this cruise, and will still be participating in the FE... Hope that I will get a little more time in to post on here!! I went back to work 2 weeks ago and things have been a bit busy since. I think I have the hang of work, a new baby, and the other kids now. My girls are older and I never worked til they were older, so its been an adjustment. Thankfully shes such a good baby.

Congratulations !!!!!!

 

[sdchickie]

Tina, Congratulations on the baby!!!!! That's great that she is so easy, mine slept through the night really early in life too, but that ment that they never took naps either.

 

[lucky1]

Tina - Congratulations on your new little girl, such a beautiful name. Can't wait to meet her on the cruise!

Laura

 

[lucky1]

We are now 105 days away from sailing. Did the "gold" crew get what they wanted?

Laura

 

[castaway3]

We are now 105 days away from sailing. Did the "gold" crew get what they wanted?

Laura

I am Gold but the cruise is still not paid off in full yet..

 

[sdchickie]

Just paid this sucka off!!!!This means we are definately going now!

 

[lucky1]

Just paid this sucka off!!!!This means we are definately going now!

We are paying ours off on Tuesday. (Credit card new cycle)! We will be all ready for Oct 1. No Turning back!

I booked our rental car for MCO to the Port, We have CIS booked for 2 nights, we have our tickets to KSC. We arranged for DCL transportation back to POFQ and then have our last night in Florida booked and reserved ME back to MCO.
Now... just need to book excursions and Palos. Then Happy New Year!!!!

 

[lucky1]

We are paid off!!!! Lets go cruising!

 

[sdchickie]

We are paid off!!!! Lets go cruising!

Woo Hoo! Now we just have to wait for our room assignments. (for those of us on GTY)

 

[lucky1]

Woo Hoo! Now we just have to wait for our room assignments. (for those of us on GTY)

That is me!

I noticed that they no longer have Cat 12 available on our cruise.

 

[twokats]

Woo Hoo! Now we just have to wait for our room assignments. (for those of us on GTY)

That is me!

I noticed that they no longer have Cat 12 available on our cruise.

Hope ya'll get what you want. I got ours when we booked, verandah room on deck 6. As I have said before, my DH loves to sit and watch the world go by on that verandah.

 

[sdchickie]

Kathy, I would love a verandah never had one yet. Here's hopeing for some major pixie dust!! I think I might have to upgrade at the port since this cruise seems to be underbooked I might have a chance at a good upgrade at the port.

 

[twokats]

Kathy, I would love a verandah never had one yet. Here's hopeing for some major pixie dust!! I think I might have to upgrade at the port since this cruise seems to be underbooked I might have a chance at a good upgrade at the port.

My DH now has the mindset about the verandah room like he has about flying nonstop. Won't do anything else.

I have been asked what deadline we were going to put on the FE list. It has been suggested two months before the cruise which would be the last part of October. How does everyone feel about that? The list is in post 2 on page 1 of this thread. If you want to be added please let me know and then we will start putting the room numbers on as the GTY's get them.

We are in double digits now!!! 99 days and counting!

 

[KikiMouse]

My DH now has the mindset about the verandah room like he has about flying nonstop. Won't do anything else.

I have been asked what deadline we were going to put on the FE list. It has been suggested two months before the cruise which would be the last part of October. How does everyone feel about that? The list is in post 2 on page 1 of this thread. If you want to be added please let me know and then we will start putting the room numbers on as the GTY's get them.

We are in double digits now!!! 99 days and counting!

Hi Guys, Its KikiMouse here...
Sorry I have been gone for awhile, I've been very busy! Here are my thoughts...

FE cutoff dates:
We did the Christmas cruise last year and our group had a cutoff date a month before the cruise, which was (Dec 19-26). The FE cutoff date was around Nov 19th. That seemed OK with everyone in our group.
Last year we had 17 cabins participating in the FE exchange. If I counted correctly we have 7 cabins in this cruise?
I can certainly understand if you want an earlier cutoff with the holidays and all. We kept it open because we had some people that booked late, and also some people decided later that they wanted to join the FE.
Cabin Upgrades-
Last year we booked a cat 12 and got an upgrade offer for $150 to a cat 9, the last week in October. Then we upgraded to a navigators veranda at the port. Although we enjoyed the veranda, since there are only 2 of us, I think we will not upgrade at the port this year. It was really nice having the extra room and breeze, etc. and also I used the bench to sort my FE gifts, that was fun! I really enjoyed the FE exchange and so did my husband.
Door and Cabin Decorations-
Another question: Are you going to decorate your cabins with lights etc? I love the holidays, and will miss doing the cruise at Christmas. We are thinking of DisneyWorld a few days before the cruise, we have annual passes. I know its very very crowed (we used to live in South Fl.) but I love the Christmas decorations at DW, and the decorations on the ship. So, I'm going to decorate my door, cabin etc. but it will incorporate New Years decorations.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
KikiMouse

 

[lucky1]

FE cutoff
I am okay with 1 month or 2 month cutoff date. We haven't been having much action on this list, so wondering if they will offer a Florida or Military rate after the PIF date to get more business and we will see more folks joining and wanting to do FE. I kind of like a small group because keeps my luggage light.

Cabin Updates wishing and hoping. Our last cruise we had a Cat 12 and upgraded for free to cat 9 and at the port we upgraded to Cat 6 for $800 for a 7 night cruise. While we like having the verandah or natural light, not sure we would pay any more for an upgrade for this trip, but I will never say never.

Door decorations yes definitely planning on decorating the door with Magnets. We have some from last year's cruise and I plan to create some NYE magnets and some birthday magnets. I doubt we will do lights, but you have given me an idea for some magnets.


Good to see you back KikiMouse!

 

[KikiMouse]

Thanks!
Wow, we paid $600 for a cat 7 (7 night), so you did OK!!!
No, there hasn't been much action, but I'm hoping that once we reach the PIF date, people will start showing up more (I did not join the boards last year until late Oct. 2009, before our Dec. cruise), but I booked the cruise in July 2009.
I'm not sure about the number of people on the ship. They stopped offering the cat 12's this week, but maybe after the PIF date, they will open it up again. That's what happened last year for our Christmas cruise. So, we had more people book late.
In terms of decorations, I may do a New Years type wreath or a big decoration on the door!, Not sure how much time I will have. Plus some leftover magnets from last year as well as new ones. I can't quite let go of Christmas yet, and we keep our decorations at our house up until the 2nd week of Jan!
I'll see what I come up with, its about time to start thinking about all of that and start coming up with some FE ideas. Fun!!!

 

[lucky1]

Thanks!

In terms of decorations, I may do a New Years type wreath or a big decoration on the door!, Not sure how much time I will have. Plus some leftover magnets from last year as well as new ones. I can't quite let go of Christmas yet, and we keep our decorations at our house up until the 2nd week of Jan!
I'll see what I come up with, its about time to start thinking about all of that and start coming up with some FE ideas. Fun!!!

Growing up we always left decorations up past my birthday 1/6, but in recent years we have been putting them up Thanksgiving weekend and then taking them down New Years Day. (At least the tree). Not sure what we will do this year. Yes... We have the exit the cruise on my birthday

 

[lucky1]

Hey.. at least I know I am PIF (I booked through a TA), in the past the website never really gave any indication if you were PIF if you had booked through a travel again. But up until Monday everytime I checked my account online, it said I could start booking activities on Oct 1st, if I was PIF. Now it says I can start booked on Oct 1st and does not indicated I must be PIF. Good to know... Now I just have to figure out what I want to book.. We haven't done any planning.

I know we want to do Dinner and brunch and still trying to figure out what to do at ports.

 

[KikiMouse]

I kind of like a small group because keeps my luggage light.

(I keep messing up on the quotes) Sorry!
___________________

That's right! My FE gifts were small, and I shipped a box to the port and it was waiting in my cabin for me. I shipped some cabin decorations too. Nice!

We always try to carry on our luggage if possible. Last year my husband got caught in a huge snowstorm, flights were cancelled or delayed, so it was good that he had his luggage with him. He almost did not make the ship. I was already in Orlando and it was a nightmare to think he might not get there! And there were some people on our cruise did not get on the ship because of that snowstorm!