April 14, 2007 Eastern Cruise!

[Let's Talk Disney]

Persing: Be happy you slept through the rock-n-rolling the ship Friday night. It woke us from a dead sleep. it wasn't so much of the motion that bothered me BUT the erie creeking sound of the ship We also went to Shapphire beach on St. Thomas. We originally were suppose to go to Maegan's Bay but the taxi driver talked us into Sapphire. We were however, disappointed with this beach. I thought the resort was run down and the beach into the ocean became deep very quickly. The background mountains though were very sceanic. We wished we had gone with our original plan and went to Maegan's Bay beach since we've been there before (very pretty beach) What time were you at Sapphire? We were pretty the only family there for a while before a few other families show up about an hour after we got there. I think we were there from 11:00 - 1:00 my husband and brother-in-law were in kayaks with the kids. Perhaps you saw us?

 

[disneyfanatic3166]

LOL....I can still remember grabbing some Burger King at the airport before heading out and feeling like the entire building was rocking from side to side. We were on Deck seven all the way in the back of the ship and we were really moving Friday night.

YenSid, did you say that one of your relatives was a performer on the cruise? If so, what parts did she play in the shows? Did she do the Performer Q&A on Thursday, the Sea Day? If so, my husband and daughter were there!

 

[YenSid1222]

YenSid, did you say that one of your relatives was a performer on the cruise? If so, what parts did she play in the shows? Did she do the Performer Q&A on Thursday, the Sea Day? If so, my husband and daughter were there!

I was at the Performer Q&A as well! My sister didn't do it, though. Normally I could not say who she was....but since her contract is over today and she is sitting on the ship going through immigration as I type this (the entire cast is waiting for their passports so they can get to the airport and head on their ways...) I guess it would be OK!

During The Golden Mickeys she was good friends with Snow White, a Mulan warrior (the only warrior with Snow White bright red lipstick...that always cracked me up), she was in a purple jump suit in the Terk section with the trash cans, she was one of the Jesse cowgirls....and I know there are some other things I forgot. She was onstage in almost every number in that show.

You can figure out who she was in Twice Charmed by reading my quote over to the left there....let's just say....she WAS Twice Charmed.

In Disney Dreams she was again the same character she was in Twice Charmed. She also was a Lion King dancer...one of the mermaid puppeteers...probably something else too.

She also was with Goofy during "Goofy Fitness"...danced in Footloose and the Michael Jackson section of the 80s party...and alot of other random stuff too!

 

[Barrettclan]

My son, 3, ended up playing with AJ Vinateri at the kids clubs from day 2 on and we actually have a couple of pictures with them...also at the kids grad they had a picture of my son and him scroll by...we had a great time even with the rough seas...we did one excursion to Orient at St. Maarten and had a great time...we thought they did a great job with getting us there, having chairs and getting us a decent lunch...the beach was also great and the kids never mentioned the nudity...we actually ended up cancelling our excursion on St. Thomas the night before and they let us as there was a waiting list for Magens Bay....when we woke and saw it raining we felt better...we ended up taking a cab to Magens bay when the weather broke...the only issue is we miscalculated the money we would need for five people to get back and we were a $1.50 short...we spoke to cab driver and he said "NO Problem" that was a relief as there were no ATM's around....on Castaway Cay we just enjoyed the beach all day and it was truly the highlight of the trip...they should definately try to do more stops at this island as it is spectacular...we almost booked another cruise on board but the rockiness on thursday and friday made my DW rethink, especially Friday night....also, the three stiches my daughter got also didn't help as it was during the rockiness on Thursday....we watched our video last night and we were saying what a great time we had and our servers, Deepak and Putu, really made it a great trip...

Who knows maybe next April we will be onboard again...

 

[YenSid1222]

Ohhh...St. Maarten...how I loved it! I went over to sunset beach, which is at the edge of the airport runway. The planes landing are RIGHT over your head! It is AMAZING. Since I work for American, I had to get a few pictures of our planes coming in!! It was beautiful, the water was perfect, and to have a jumbo jet seemingly inches above your head every so often was really unique!

We also did the DCL sponsored island tour, and that was nice as well. On St. Thomas we booked ourself on the Sunny Liston tour...and that is CRAZY! OMG...what a trip with him! Singing along as we SPED around those tight curves up to the top of the mountain. We had the special banana daquiri at the top (to have courage for the trip down with Sunny!) and first I was a bit shocked to watch the bartender start pouring rum....and keep pouring rum....and then some more rum...then he heard my mother's accent and asked where we were from. We said we were from Arlington, TX and he got excited and said he was from Temple, TX and SO we needed MORE RUM! (I think we ended up just drinking some frozen banana flavored rum in the end..)

 

[yogibigdog]

So did anyone else get to see Adam Viniateri on our cruise? We had to be told who he was by other people because we are not football fans but my sons were making their friends envious on Monday by saying they stood in line behind him.

Yogibigdog I got a survey from Country Inns emailed to me after I got home and was able to say how disappointed I was about our night there! I wonder if I'll hear back from them about that.

I wish we had seen Adam Viniateri. I did not know he was onboard.

I answered my survey on last Monday and got a call from the manager the next day. I talked to him for over a half hour. He seemed truly sorry for the wedding and said it won't happpen again.

 

[munchkinsmom]

My son, 3, ended up playing with AJ Vinateri at the kids clubs from day 2 on and we actually have a couple of pictures with them...also at the kids grad they had a picture of my son and him scroll by...

I think we sat next to the Vinatieri Family during lunch one day up at Topsiders! Being from SoCal, I didn't recognize him (if he was a Charger, I might've recognized him, LOL), but I noticed a teenage girl who appeared starstruck approach the father and ask him a question about who he was. I didn't hear the conversation, but I saw that the father acknowledged that he was who he was and was gracious enough to shake the teenage girl's hand. I told my DH after the family had finished their lunch and left that I thought that the father was probably a famous athlete.

 

[pershing]

I answered my survey on last Monday and got a call from the manager the next day. I talked to him for over a half hour. He seemed truly sorry for the wedding and said it won't happpen again.

A free night would have been a better apology! That's about the only way I'll go back.

Next time I'd like to stay further down the street near the Publix, probably around the Comfort Inn or so. I realized that night was really about winding down for us, eating in our room-watching TV-that kinda thing. We've always done WDW before and after the cruise so that night before is our down time.

Who re-booked and for when? I just picked a week out of the blue and rebooked knowing I'd move it, just to get the discounts. I picked the first week of Dec. 2008, but since I've been home I'm starting to have my eye on the 2008 August Panama Canal cruise back to Port Canaveral. I'm thinking we could Jetblue or Southwest out to Los Angeles, however that cruise seems popular and mostly sold out already ! No matter when the rest of MA starts school, we always start AFTER Labor Day due to the tourism so the dates fit for us. I would love to have the kids see the Panama Canal! My friends took their kids to Panama for an entire summer month and spent days at the Canal.



It's just an idea right now!

Anyone do a trip thread yet? I don't have enough comments to do a whole thread of my own and was wondering if I could post on someoné else's trip report! Or we could all do one together?

 

[Barbossa]

Ohhh...St. Maarten...how I loved it! I went over to sunset beach, which is at the edge of the airport runway. The planes landing are RIGHT over your head! It is AMAZING. Since I work for American, I had to get a few pictures of our planes coming in!! It was beautiful, the water was perfect, and to have a jumbo jet seemingly inches above your head every so often was really unique!

I think we met at sunset (or Maho) beach. I think we both waited until 2:30 hoping that a Corsair 747 would land, but it never arrived. Beautiful beach, looking at the video I took it was truly amazing how low the Air France A340 was when it passed over the beach. It was fun hanging with fellow planespotters (or "airplane geeks" as DW puts it! ).

 

[3boyswdw]

I did not feel the rocking on Friday night...but I was totally out of commission on Wednesday(none of the medications work on me...I just have to lay in bed and hope that the sea calms down!) We really enjoyed the cruise and we did bump into Adam V. while waiting in line for pictures(DH knew who he was) we did not say a word(everyone needs a vacation!) We did not re-book, but we are tossing around the idea of either an Alaskan Cruise or maybe try the Mexican Riveria next summer!
I did not feel any motion once off the ship...we were in the car and in Virginia by Saturday night!

 

[MEdisneyfan]

I have finally stopped moving. It took all week to get that sensation gone, but now I kinda miss it. We knew Adam V. was going to be on board, he does business with my father's company. We saw him and said hi, but like someone else said, we did not mention his name because everyone needs a vacation. But it was cool to hear people whispering about it all week. Munchkinsmom you did sit beside him at lunch that day, that is when we first spotted him.
We haven't rebooked yet, but I know that we will certainly cruise again. I can't wait to go back to Castaway Cay, sunburn and all.

 

[YenSid1222]

I think we met at sunset (or Maho) beach. I think we both waited until 2:30 hoping that a Corsair 747 would land, but it never arrived. Beautiful beach, looking at the video I took it was truly amazing how low the Air France A340 was when it passed over the beach. It was fun hanging with fellow planespotters (or "airplane geeks" as DW puts it! ).

HEY! It was great to meet you. I was very happy to get some great shots of our (AA's) 757s that day. I have a great one of the 75 with the winglets on it...I am ready to fly down to SXM and just hang out at that beach for a couple of days...

 

[Barbossa]

I have finally stopped moving. It took all week to get that sensation gone, but now I kinda miss it. We knew Adam V. was going to be on board, he does business with my father's company. We saw him and said hi, but like someone else said, we did not mention his name because everyone needs a vacation. But it was cool to hear people whispering about it all week. Munchkinsmom you did sit beside him at lunch that day, that is when we first spotted him.
We haven't rebooked yet, but I know that we will certainly cruise again. I can't wait to go back to Castaway Cay, sunburn and all.

Yeah we (I'm munchkinsmom's DH) were sitting right next to him and I didn't even notice. The guy has so many SB rings that the ship was listing to the side he was sitting on! Great kicker.

 

[yogibigdog]

A free night would have been a better apology! That's about the only way I'll go back.

Who re-booked and for when? I just picked a week out of the blue and rebooked knowing I'd move it, just to get the discounts. I picked the first week of Dec. 2008, but since I've been home I'm starting to have my eye on the 2008 August Panama Canal cruise back to Port Canaveral. I'm thinking we could Jetblue or Southwest out to Los Angeles, however that cruise seems popular and mostly sold out already ! No matter when the rest of MA starts school, we always start AFTER Labor Day due to the tourism so the dates fit for us. I would love to have the kids see the Panama Canal! My friends took their kids to Panama for an entire summer month and spent days at the Canal.

I booked for April school vacation next year with friends we have 4 cabins plus we have 3 more coming.
I had already booked the Panama Canal Aug 08. I booked it the day it came out and it also sold out that day. I think as the date draws nearer there will be cancellations. My kids will miss 4 days of school so I have to think long and hard about going. I am sending you a pm.

 

[TJeff]

yogibigdog,
When is April vacation for next year?
It's the same week as Patriots day here in MA rigth?

Had a great time, DW and DMIL got sick on the thursday rocking at sea and then again Fri night coming in. Met a few of you at the dismeet, I had my DD only, DS didn't want to get out of the pool with his cousins at that time.
Shows were great!
Pirate night was awesome. With my costume on, leaving dinner, I had a 13ish kid come up to me with an autograph book and asked for mine.
I also hear a lady say, "he must be in the show tonight" and multiple people telling me, "great costume!"
I was so stunned, I told the kid I was just on the cruise with him.

St Maarten was nice, my DBIL and I picked up some cuban cigars for the 10 PM cigar/cognac at the Cove Cafe and really enjoyed them.

As for Adam V. I heard he was there on day 2 but didn't see him til the last night at dinner. Turns out he was in our 5:30 dinner all week, never talked to him, but did see a handful of guys 'bothering' him while trying to have dinner with his family. I'm sure it went on every night.

Hope to do another one in the next year or two.

 

[yogibigdog]

yogibigdog,
When is April vacation for next year?
It's the same week as Patriots day here in MA rigth?

Hope to do another one in the next year or two.

Next year vacation falls on the week of April 19th so it will be a Western cruise. Come on join us!

 

[pershing]

Since this thread seems to be winding down. I thought I could use it to organize the 'tip' thread I'd like to do on the Trip reports board. I plan on editing it with ideas.

Here are some ideas of new things I did this cruise. And things I wouldn't do again.

+Watching the boat leave Charlotte Amalie was kinda exciting because the view was so spectacular and the people on shore watched.

-if your renting from National because you're going back to WDW and are dropping it off at Dolphin Resort-call and ask for the shuttle to come get you BEFORE you get on the boat. I've heard a couple times that Nat'l doesn't have a shuttle, but it does. You just have to call ahead and convince them to come get you.

2 things so far-I'll be back.

Single mom stuff:
+Tell TA you don't want to be at isolated table. I never even considered I would be put at my own table. While it turned out ok 'cause my neighbors were so talkative, I really would have enjoyed more adult interaction at dinner. My kids always took off for the clubs before the end.


Anyone want me to include 1 or 2 things if you're not planning on doing a trip report yourself?

 

[Barbossa]

+ Make more Palo reservations.
- Leave the Tux at home
+ Explore more of Castaway Cay
- Explore less of St. Thomas
- Pack lighter
+ Improve my pirate costume