April 1 2010 cruise meet

I can't fix the header. We are actually:
7 Weeks from today...

We left off last week after boarding the Wonder and were headed to the scrumptious Welcome Aboard buffet luncheon! Some will head straight down the Deck 3 hallway to Parrot Cay, which is where the crew will guide you, but some of us will say that we’d rather go to up to Deck 9 to the Beach Blanket Buffet. Both restaurants will have identical buffet spreads, however at BBB you will have to carry your drinks on your tray and get your own refills whereas Parrot Cay has wait staff that will bring you your drinks and refills. Parrot Cay has all inside seating, but at BBB you can opt for either inside or outside seating. And, if your little ones are eager to start swimming, you can actually take your trays full of food out of BBB and around to the pool area to eat while the kids enjoy a nearly empty pool! Of course, we also have the option of getting unlimited free food from Pinocchio’s Pizzeria, Pluto’s Dog House, and Goofy’s Galley, all on Deck 9 near the pools, too! Oh yeah, and don’t forget about 24-hour room service! Ahhh yes, there’s certainly not a shortage of food on this cruise!

While going through the buffet line, we'll take time to look at all of the ice sculptures and food sculptures! It’s amazing what they can do to a watermelon and other types of fruits and vegetables! Very creative! The sculptures are easy to miss, though, because of all the food choices laid out before you! My favorite… unlimited shrimp cocktail! Yummmmmmmmmmm

After lunch, we have time to wander around and become familiar with the layout of the ship. Unfortunately, we only have until 6pm to tour the Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab, Aloft Teen Club, and Vista Spa before they are reserved exclusively for age-appropriate clientele. Our cabins will be ready at 1:30pm and we can hardly wait to see them! We also can't wait for Shutters to open around 5pm so we can look for our embarkation photos! The shops won’t open until 6pm but, in the meantime, it’s fun to look at the really cute window displays!

At the 1:30 rope drop, we'll all surge toward our home-away-from-home for the next few days! Oh - there's the silver fish beside the door that Deb T.'s been talking about - it's really cute! Anticipation builds as we try out our Key to the World cards for the very first time and slowly push open our door. Hooray! We'll check out every nook and cranny, and then start to figure out what to do next! So many choices! Our suitcases will start arriving soon and we're eager to unpack, but in the meantime we'll head back out into the ship for more exploring.

A little before 4pm, we’ll all head back to our cabins to put on our bright orange life vests and wait for the Mandatory Life Boat Drill instructions and alarm. We’ll giggle at how absurd we look. As soon as it’s over, we’ll return our life vests back to our cabins and then head up to deck 9 to the Goofy Pool area for the always fun Adventure’s Away deck party! Woohoo! Before we know it, the ship will be moving out to sea! Wow!

More of Thursday to follow at the 6-week mark…
 
Deb T. --- thanks again for your posts. They are making me really look forward to our cruise (so worried about seasickness here that there's not too much anticipation....:rolleyes1). I really appreciate your "updates." :goodvibes:goodvibes
 
Deb T. --- thanks again for your posts. They are making me really look forward to our cruise (so worried about seasickness here that there's not too much anticipation....:rolleyes1). I really appreciate your "updates." :goodvibes:goodvibes

Thanks for your kind words! :flower3: I am soooooo ready to be back on that ship that I've been daydreaming about it practically non-stop! My countdown posts are just me sharing my daydreaming with all of you. ;)

Worried about seasickness, are you? :scared: Hmmmm, let me see if I can help... First, I should tell you that I am also very prone to motion sickness and was very worried before our first cruise, too. My stomach goes all woozie just riding in a stick-shift vehicle, I can't read while riding in a car, and I always need to sit in the front seat. I can't ride any kind of roller coaster, no way could I ever ride the Tea Cups, and even Dumbo gets to me! :guilty: For years, I used prescription Antivert when flying, but hated using it because it made me so sleepy.

After talking with my doctor, I used the Transderm Scop patch on our first two cruises. I always put it one on the day before and changed it every three days, as prescribed. It worked well and I didn't feel sick while on the cruises at all. A minor annoyance, though, was that my mouth would get really dry, and so would my eyes. However, payback always came AFTER the cruises... I would feel really sick to my stomach for several days after each cruise. :headache:

Concerned about our third cruise, I did some research online to see what other options might be available. I came across a Mythbusters episode that originally aired November 16, 2005. Here's a link to a recap: http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2005/11/episode_43_seasickness_cures_f.html I'd also read a lot on the DIS Boards about Bonine (generic is Meclizine) being effective as long as you got the non-drowsy version. So, I decided to try a combination of Bonine and ginger pills and was very pleased with the results. :thumbsup2 The night before that cruise, and every night during the cruise, I took one Bonine and 2 Ginger pills at bedtime. I also took 2 ginger pills at breakfast every morning and continued the ginger pills for a couple of days after the cruise. I never felt drowsy, but most importantly, I never felt seasick!! :woohoo: My Bonine and ginger routine were really put to the test on our '07 Disney Mediterranean cruise when on the last night the ship was rockin' and rollin' so strongly that it was a little difficult to even walk, but I felt completely fine! :) I still use Bonine and ginger every time we cruise, but I actually get along fine on airplanes using just ginger!

I've heard that some people feel too drowsy using Bonine, so if you're considering using it, you might want to try it at home to see how your body reacts to it.
 
DebT. -- thanks for the advice! What kind of ginger pills do you take? I'm planning on bringing the sea-bands with us. Plus, my doctor has given me a prescription for the patch-thing (which I'll put on the morning before the cruise) and an anti-nausea medication (that I'll bring just in case). My doctor warned me about some unpleasant side effects, so it worries me... We'll be in WDW for a couple of days after the cruise, and I'm hoping I wont be sick then...

Bonine does nothing for me -- I used it on a snorkeling cruise in Maui and it didn't make one bit of difference.

Like you, I don't go on roller coaster, tea cups, etc. The WDW buses make me sick, even the monorail does sometimes. The "green" version of Mission Space made me sick for 2 days... even Soarin' sometimes, but I love it so I do my best to ride it. I love DL and WDW since there are so many wonderful rides that don't bother me...:goodvibes (unlike all other amusement parks).

And I always drive... or at least sit in the front... Why are we cruising then? Long story...:rolleyes1

Thanks for all the advice! DH can't take meds, so hopefully I can find the ginger pills for both of us!;)
 

DebT. -- thanks for the advice! What kind of ginger pills do you take? I'm planning on bringing the sea-bands with us. Plus, my doctor has given me a prescription for the patch-thing (which I'll put on the morning before the cruise) and an anti-nausea medication (that I'll bring just in case).

Bonine does nothing for me -- I used it on a snorkeling cruise in Maui and it didn't make one bit of difference.

Like you, I don't go on roller coaster, tea cups, etc. The WDW buses make me sick, even the monorail does sometimes. The "green" version of Mission Space made me sick for 2 days... even Soarin' sometimes, but I love it so I do my best to ride it. I love DL and WDW since there are so many wonderful rides that don't bother me...:goodvibes (unlike all other amusement parks).

And I always drive... or at least sit in the front... Why are we cruising then? Long story...:rolleyes1

Thanks for all the advice! DH can't take meds, so hopefully I can find the ginger pills for both of us!;)

I think it comes as pure ginger in capsules, and I buy any brand I can find. :) A few pharmacies carry it in the vitamin and supplement sections, but not all drug stores carry it and I've never found it at Target. I can usually find it at GNC Health Stores. :thumbsup2 I'm sending you pixie dust pixiedust: that you and your DH don't have any motion sickness while on our cruise. :goodvibes
 
I can't fix the header. We are actually:
7 Weeks from today...

It’s mid-morning on Friday onboard The Wonder, and some people have debarked to enjoy all that Nassau has to offer while some of us have remained onboard to take advantage of a nearly empty ship. :goodvibes

As Nassau-bound tourists step off the gangway, we realize it’s the first time we’ve been able to actually stand next to the ship, and again we marvel at how large she is! We pause to take photos with our beautiful Disney ship in the background then continue walking toward a row of bright tropically painted one-story buildings. We stop again at the “Welcome to Nassau” backdrop for another photo op and become faintly aware of live Jamaican music in the distance. We’ll walk through the “customs” building and past several small souvenir stands, and then step out into the hustle and bustle of the little island. We’ll be asked, cajoled, pleaded, flattered, and begged to take a taxi, be guided on a tour, buy some local trinkets, and get our hair braided. :flower3: Women will be called “Pretty Lady” dozens of times by dozens of locals. It’s an experience like no other! :cool2:

On the ship, there are plenty of options to keep us busy throughout the afternoon. Movies are playing in the Buena Vista Theatre and the on the huge Ariel View screen by the Goofy family pool. :3dglasses You can play shuffleboard on Deck 4, swim or play ping-pong on Deck 9, and shoot hoops on Deck 10. Diversions offers Wii Games and board games all day. There’s also an art auction, Chip-It golf competition, Mr. Toad’s Wild Races, bingo, scrapbooking, and trivia competitions. Adults can partake in beer/wine tastings, relax in the spa :cloud9: , workout in the gym, and sample delicious treats in Cove Café. Characters will be out and about in various locations for photos and autographs (check your Navigator or dial 7-PALS for updated character schedules). And, of course, there is a wide variety of activities available to children of all ages in the kids’ clubs! :thumbsup2

Lunch options are Beach Blanket Buffet or Triton’s (sit down). Fast food is always available at Pinocchio’s Pizzeria, Pluto’s Dog House, and Goofy’s Galley during the day. And, there’s 24-hour room service, too!

The afternoon can be as relaxing or as busy as you want! You’re on vacation! :woohoo:

More of Friday to follow at the 6-week mark….
 
Deb T.: Thanks so much for your posts. They really make me feel better while I'm looking out the window watching the SNOW for the 3rd weekend in a row! We were supposed to go camping this weekend, but thanks to the SNOW, we're stuck at home again. April can't get here soon enough for me!
 
Deb T.: Thanks so much for your posts. They really make me feel better while I'm looking out the window watching the SNOW for the 3rd weekend in a row! We were supposed to go camping this weekend, but thanks to the SNOW, we're stuck at home again. April can't get here soon enough for me!

Thanks! I'm enjoying writing them! :) It's helping me to pass the time until we can finally be on the cruise! :goodvibes

We're expecting snow again here, too, but it hasn't arrived yet. I heard on the radio this morning that Florida was the only state that didn't have any snow, but they were forecast to get some today, so by tonight all 50 U.S. states would have snow somewhere! Even Hawaii has some snow-capped mountains! Amazing!
 
subscribe.. our family is going on a MAW cruise..I don't have the dates yet. Can kids take the ginger pills too?
 
subscribe.. our family is going on a MAW cruise..I don't have the dates yet. Can kids take the ginger pills too?

Hi! I just happen to be a MAW Wish Granter! :) I've been granting wishes for four years. Your family will have a fabulous time on your wish cruise!

As far as ginger pills and children, I would most definitely talk that over with their pediatrician for his/her advice on ginger's safety and dosage. :thumbsup2
 
I think it comes as pure ginger in capsules, and I buy any brand I can find. :) A few pharmacies carry it in the vitamin and supplement sections, but not all drug stores carry it and I've never found it at Target. I can usually find it at GNC Health Stores. :thumbsup2 I'm sending you pixie dust pixiedust: that you and your DH don't have any motion sickness while on our cruise. :goodvibes

Thank you! :goodvibes
 
I can't fix the header. We are actually:
7 Weeks from today...

It’s Saturday and 7 weeks from today we will have staked out our little piece of paradise :beach: for the next several hours. With any luck, the sun is shining brightly, there’s a gentle breeze, and the crystal clear Caribbean ocean is warm. :goodvibes We sit back in our beach chair (or hammock if we were lucky enough to snag one) and enjoy the gorgeous view! The ocean stretches out in front of us for as far as we can see! Those on the family beach have a fabulous view of The Wonder docked to the left. Laughter and squeals fill the air as children frolic in the water. We can’t help but smile as our picture perfect vacation plays out before our very eyes. :cloud9:

Getting hungry? Cookies' BBQ is preparing a barbecue feast for us, buffet style! Beach volleyball, a basketball free-throw challenge, and Crab Races are all starting soon. A DJ is playing popular beach music. The family beach area is alive with energy!

Down the beach a little bit, teens are enjoying their own private beach with new friends. And, younger children can be checked into Scuttle's Cove for lots of fun activities, giving parents a little bit of free time to explore the island.

At the far end of the island, at the other end of a long tram-ride down an abandoned air strip and far from the family beach, Serenity Bay is peaceful and serene. The adult-only beach is paradise for those wanting true rest and relaxation. Some are reading, some are dozing, some are floating in the pale blue water, and some are sitting in beach chairs at the edge of the ocean with their feet in the water. :cool2: The Air Bar is nearby, and a server passes by frequently to make sure we all stay “hydrated”. ;) Next to the Air Bar is Serenity Bay’s very own adult-only barbecue lunch spot. Just like at Cookies BBQ, they even have ice cream and cookies! We're on vacation, so calories don't count, right???

A fun spot to walk off lunch (and get a little exercise) is the walking/bike path that also has a little tower where you can look out over most of the island. It’s a pretty long walk, so grab some water before heading in. The entrance (and exit) is half-way down the abandoned air strip.

All too soon, we realize it’s getting closer and closer to the 5pm all-aboard time. Reluctantly, we start gathering our belongings and with a heavy heart begin heading back toward the ship. Do we REALLY have to leave the island? Is this really the last day of our magical cruise? Say it isn’t so. :sad: If we hadn’t thought about rebooking onboard yet, we are certainly thinking about it now! Oh, and did you know that a sprinkle of baby powder makes brushing off the fine white sand a very easy task? And, although there are a few Castaway Cay items in the shops onboard, a bigger variety of exclusive CC merchandise is for sale in the gift shop on the island. Don’t worry about bringing cash, though, because only our Key to the World cards are accepted and ultimately charged to our onboard accounts. :thumbsup2

Indisputably, Castaway Cay is paradise at it's best!

More of Saturday to follow at the 6-week mark…
 
Hello Everyone and Happy Valentines Day! :lovestruc

Deb, Please add us and my parents to the FE exchange. We've never done this before even though we've sailed DCL a few times and it sounds like a lot of fun!

Cabin 2582 Liz & Dewey,Tabby(15)and Brianna(11) turning 12 on cruise:bday:
Cabin 2580 Betty Sue & Austin Anniversary 4/1/10-38 years! :bride::earsboy:

Thanks so much and thank you for organizing and all of the wonderful information you've been providing for us!

We are getting so excited!! :woohoo:
 
April 1? That is my Bday!! I am sure we have all heard the jokes abt April Fools day!! Congrats to your parents! We will have #50 this summer! Can't believe it!. I am sure your folks will enjoy it. We have often gone on this cruise sans kids and still had a great time!!
 
Hello Everyone and Happy Valentines Day! :lovestruc

Deb, Please add us and my parents to the FE exchange. We've never done this before even though we've sailed DCL a few times and it sounds like a lot of fun!

Cabin 2582 Liz & Dewey,Tabby(15)and Brianna(11) turning 12 on cruise:bday:
Cabin 2580 Betty Sue & Austin Anniversary 4/1/10-38 years! :bride::earsboy:

Thanks so much and thank you for organizing and all of the wonderful information you've been providing for us!

We are getting so excited!! :woohoo:

Thanks for "taking the plunge" on our FE exchange (pun intended)! pirate: I'm really glad you're going to try it! I'm confident you all will really enjoy it! :) I will update the FE info for everyone in the next post! :thumbsup2
 
Wow - I can honestly say that this is the biggest group ever to participate in a FE exchange on a 3-night cruise!!! Two years ago, we only had 4 cabins participating, and last year we had 7. So far this year, we have 13 cabins!

For anyone else who would like to join, the last day to sign up will be Saturday, March 20. :cool2:

Since everyone, so far, has posted their FE sign-up information publicly on this thread, I will go ahead and list everyone again here. For those of you who haven't signed up yet and would rather keep your information private, just send me a private message and then I'll notify all the other participants through their private messages. For example, Mozart - if you'd like to give us everyone's names, just send me a private message and then I'll distribute that information only to the other participants and only in private messages. However, that is purely voluntary - there are always families who participate but still prefer not to reveal personal information, and we respect that. ::yes::

Cabin 2104 – Mozart: DH & DW, DS (6), DD (5)
Cabin 2105 – Mouseskis: Kristi & Brian, Matthew (7), Andrew (4)
Cabin 2512 – TDWZ: Trisha & Kurt, Adam (11), Hailey (9)
Cabin 2580 – Deweysgirl’s parents: Betty Sue & Austin (celebrating 38th anniversary on 4/1)
Cabin 2582 – Deweysgirl: Liz & Dewey, Tabby (15), Brianna (turning 12 on the cruise!)
Cabin 2592 – CarolinaBlue: Karen & Steve, Kelley (19), Caroline (almost 16)
Cabin 5024 – Kdlong: Kari & Russell, Bryson (7), Austin (5)
Cabin 6051 – Isi: Isabel, Jose, Bryan (8), Brianna (8)
Cabin 6566 – Deb T.: Deb & Jeff
Cabin 7123 – eastonsmom: Melissa and Easton (6)
Cabin 7127 – Bobo_UK: Deano & Katie, Jessica (5)
Cabin GTY – Aye-Landers: Ron & Beth, Emily (13)
Cabin GTY – ppiew: Gert & Jack, Lori & Rob, Sophia (13), Olivia (8), (Gert is celebrating her birthday on 4/1)

Aye-Landers and ppiew - have you checked your cruise reservation online lately? I would be willing to bet that you have cabin assignments now. Exciting! :thumbsup2
 
It’s Easter Sunday, and we last left off after eating breakfast and making our way toward debarkation on Deck 3. It will take a lot of effort to walk out the doors toward the port building because we won’t want our cruise to end. :sad2: But, we know we have to, so onward we go.

As we near the doors, we pass by a tall wooden container with a slot for the all-important Guest Comment Cards. The cast and crew onboard The Wonder live and die by these surveys. I’ve heard that every department has a meeting soon after each cruise and the comments are read aloud. Those who receive top marks can be rewarded with things such as leave time, computer time, etc. Those who don’t could be terminated. DCL is very serious about exceeding guest expectation. Whenever you encountered excellent service over the last few days, be sure to note the castmember’s name and write about it on the comment card. :)

So, now we finally walk through the doors that separate paradise from reality. The life preserver signs that just three days ago said “Welcome Aboard” now say “See You Real Soon!” We head toward the right and down a different escalator to the cavernous luggage storage area. Suitcases are laid out in rows under signs that match the luggage tags we were given the night before. Savvy cruisers will have marked their luggage to make it easier to find – like with a large and unusual luggage tag or bright yarn on the handles. :thumbsup2 We gather our belongings and head toward the Customs agents. We pull out our passports and Customs Declaration paper and proceed through and out the doors to the many modes of transportation waiting to take us to our next destination. And so ends our WONDERful cruise.

Over the next couple of days, some of us will be caught off guard occasionally with the sensation of the ship rocking! :scared1: It’s a phenomenon that occurs while you get your land legs back. I like it when it happens because it reminds me of the fun time I just had onboard! We’ll check the DIS Boards, but with much less frequency now (unless we’re fortunate enough to have another cruise booked soon). And, we’ll really miss having all our meals prepared for us. Yes, we’re back to reality, but we now have many new wonderful memories to cherish forever! :goodvibes
 
For example, Mozart - if you'd like to give us everyone's names, just send me a private message and then I'll distribute that information only to the other participants and only in private messages. However, that is purely voluntary - there are always families who participate but still prefer not to reveal personal information, and we respect that. ::yes::

I honestly just didn't think about it. It's Kevin and Holli with 6 year old Jake and 5 year old Chloe travelling. And just for clarification, they're our niece and nephew.
 
Sure have checked. Are you ready for this? (drumrolls) ta ta cabin # 8530 the ROY DISNEY SUITE!!!! I didn't really like the guy - but hey - luv this! Anyone wants to come and take a peek - feel free! Love to have you stop by.

Now my big dilemma is how to spend time in stateroom and indulge in all of the other ship offerings. Oh dear, oh dear - such decisions. I case you can't tell, I am a HAPPY CAMPER!!

I am shocked at the # of FE's who have signed up. Guess I had better get cracking! Never expected this in a million years! I think it must be DEB T. - she is soooo organized!
 

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