April 17, 2011 on the Dream

[svcutler]

This tour consist of a few activities. Last time our DS did it, he said some kids skipped one part or another - so, biking could be easily skipped, but the rest of the fun not missed. Also, we bought it while on board. At that time everyone who wanted to participate could get it, no limitations. Hopefully, it is the same this time, and if some teens change their mind, they could still join last minute!

Thanks! Boy, Either I was tired in my last post or I can't type anymore! And no, I was not hitting the bars first!

Thanks for the info everyone. I will see what she says now...

 

[bdink921]

I just saw a post on the main cruise board that the April 3 cruisers are receiving their DOCUMENTS already! That means we should start receiving ours in 14 days!!!!! (sing-song): Our cruise is getting clo-ser, our cruise is getting clo-ser, our cruise is getting clo-ser! WOOHOOOOOO!

I don't really care much about the documents, I just want a ROOM

 

[pershing]

I don't really care much about the documents, I just want a ROOM

I Know what you mean! It's getting a little worrisome knowing the ship is sold out and yet GTY's haven't been assigned yet.

I'm noticing that the gty upgrades lately are not major at all. So I'm not hoping for one anymore. I'm with you bdink! I just want a cabin number now.

 

[svcutler]

What exactly is a GTY?

I just noticed an ESPN baseball fantasy thing on one of the navigators. My DH is a HUGE BB rotisserie/fantasy baseball guy for over 25 years so this will be one of my selling points to sign up for cruise #2!

 

[goofy4tink]

Has any one signed up their teens for the Wild Side it is the teens only excursion on Castaway Cay. I did sign up Nicole, but she is kind of shy and I'm not sure how she will do.

My dd, Kate (17) is signed up for Wild Side. She did it before, when she was about 13. She enjoyed it but not the bike ride so much. Seems she fell behind the others and took a wrong turn. Scarred her for life!!! Told her to keep up this time!!! The kids do seem to have a good time together. I wish she would go over to the teen board and post more often but she's incredibly busy with being in two shows right now and starting the 'college tours' process.
She's hoping there are some older teens going..but is happy to welcome the younger ones as well. She has many 14 y/o friends in the high school show she is in at the moment.

 

[Deb T.]

What exactly is a GTY?

GTY stands for Guarantee Status. These people are guaranteed a cabin in the category booked, or better!

 

[Deb T.]

I don't really care much about the documents, I just want a ROOM

I Know what you mean! It's getting a little worrisome knowing the ship is sold out and yet GTY's haven't been assigned yet.

I'm noticing that the gty upgrades lately are not major at all. So I'm not hoping for one anymore. I'm with you bdink! I just want a cabin number now.

The Still Waiting Oh-So-Patiently for a Cabin Number List:
bdink921
Z'sDisneyMom
Downrivermama
pershing
Ido

I sure hope you all find out soon! Waiting for cabin numbers is soooooo nerve-wracking! Despite booking our Baltic cruise on Day 1, no Cat4 cabin numbers were available so we were forced to book GTY for the very first time. I was on pins and needles because some Magic Cat4s have solid-wall verandahs but we had always sailed in mid-ship cabins with plexiglas verandahs. For the price we'd paid, and knowing we were going to spend 13 days onboard the ship, we were hoping for a cabin we'd be able to fully enjoy. In the end, we were assigned a mid-ship plexiglas Cat4 and couldn't have been more pleased if we'd hand-picked it ourselves! I hope all of you are just as lucky!!!

P.S. Pershing and downrivermama, would you like to be in the Big Group or Small Group FE Exchange?

 

[princessdaisy]

My dd, Kate (17) is signed up for Wild Side. She did it before, when she was about 13. She enjoyed it but not the bike ride so much. Seems she fell behind the others and took a wrong turn. Scarred her for life!!! Told her to keep up this time!!! The kids do seem to have a good time together. I wish she would go over to the teen board and post more often but she's incredibly busy with being in two shows right now and starting the 'college tours' process.
She's hoping there are some older teens going..but is happy to welcome the younger ones as well. She has many 14 y/o friends in the high school show she is in at the moment.

My dd, Nicole (18), is a senior in High School and is thinking about doing this excursion. She plans on going to the teen club as she is still in High School and just turned 18. She is very sweet girl and has freshmen, soph, junior & senior friends in school.

 

[goofy4tink]

My dd, Nicole (18), is a senior in High School and is thinking about doing this excursion. She plans on going to the teen club as she is still in High School and just turned 18. She is very sweet girl and has freshmen, soph, junior & senior friends in school.

Wonderful!! Hopefully they can hang out together. I know that last time Kate cruised, there weren't a lot of girls in her age range...some much older who didn't seem to have any interest in engaging with someone 3 years younger!!

 

[bdink921]

Ok DIS friends, I need some ideas . Every time we've gone on a special vacation -- cruise, WDW, etc -- I've always gotten DS and DH something special like a surprise limo to the port, gift baskets in the room, surprised DH with a spa massage, booked a balcony and told them it was an inside stateroom, stuff like that. This year I told them NO GIFTS because they never have surprised me. Well, of course I can't do that and really want to surprise them again (it's fun to see their faces) but I'm completely out of ideas. Can you think of anything? Something small, our 'budget' trip has turned out to be anything but budget . Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[alenushka]

Ok DIS friends, I need some ideas . Every time we've gone on a special vacation -- cruise, WDW, etc -- I've always gotten DS and DH something special like a surprise limo to the port, gift baskets in the room, surprised DH with a spa massage, booked a balcony and told them it was an inside stateroom, stuff like that. This year I told them NO GIFTS because they never have surprised me. Well, of course I can't do that and really want to surprise them again (it's fun to see their faces) but I'm completely out of ideas. Can you think of anything? Something small, our 'budget' trip has turned out to be anything but budget . Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

chocolate covered strawberries always surprise my DD and make her smile from ear to ear

P.S. you can always tell them that the AquaDuck got closed for unknown reasons - and then "surprise" them when on board It will go easy with the budget

 

[Deb T.]

Ok DIS friends, I need some ideas . Every time we've gone on a special vacation -- cruise, WDW, etc -- I've always gotten DS and DH something special like a surprise limo to the port, gift baskets in the room, surprised DH with a spa massage, booked a balcony and told them it was an inside stateroom, stuff like that. This year I told them NO GIFTS because they never have surprised me. Well, of course I can't do that and really want to surprise them again (it's fun to see their faces) but I'm completely out of ideas. Can you think of anything? Something small, our 'budget' trip has turned out to be anything but budget . Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

What about setting up a geocaching adventure on Castaway Cay?
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=be75fd23-9bed-452c-8aed-6226154cc0f8

Instead of purchasing ready-made gift baskets, you could make your own, hide them in your carry-on, and then make an excuse to sneak away from your DH and DS to set them out in your cabin at 1:30pm before they come in. (I made little gift baskets in small pirate treasure chests and wrapped them in clear cellophane [Easter clearance!] or our Mediterranean cruise and DD thought that DCL put them in all the cabins before I admitted that I had made them!)

You could box up surprises and mail them to the port so that the box is already in your cabin to surprise them when you board.

You could make up coupons for special surprises once onboard, like Arrr-cade video game credits for DS and drinks in one of the nightclubs for you and DH.

 

[svcutler]

What about setting up a geocaching adventure on Castaway Cay?
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cach...TE] how on earth did you find this? :lmao:

 

[Sheree]

Thanks for the welcome!
we booked way long ago, when it first opened
I saw a few 16 yr old boys on the roster. I just know he's going to be a pain after our friends leave so I hope he meets some kids on the 4/14 that are staying on the 17th to make it easier! he always meets a group, it's just htat first day!
Looks like lots of people from MA! We're in NJ but are going with our friends from MA on the 14th. DH is a sox fan, originally from ME

Sheree

 

[Deb T.]

how on earth did you find this?

No pun intended?

 

[bdink921]

chocolate covered strawberries always surprise my DD and make her smile from ear to ear

P.S. you can always tell them that the AquaDuck got closed for unknown reasons - and then "surprise" them when on board It will go easy with the budget

What about setting up a geocaching adventure on Castaway Cay?
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=be75fd23-9bed-452c-8aed-6226154cc0f8

Instead of purchasing ready-made gift baskets, you could make your own, hide them in your carry-on, and then make an excuse to sneak away from your DH and DS to set them out in your cabin at 1:30pm before they come in. (I made little gift baskets in small pirate treasure chests and wrapped them in clear cellophane [Easter clearance!] or our Mediterranean cruise and DD thought that DCL put them in all the cabins before I admitted that I had made them!)

You could box up surprises and mail them to the port so that the box is already in your cabin to surprise them when you board.

You could make up coupons for special surprises once onboard, like Arrr-cade video game credits for DS and drinks in one of the nightclubs for you and DH.

Great suggestions . I love the idea of the geocaching adventure as well as the treats. DS loves the arcade so that's def a go and we all love chocolate covered strawberries!!. I think instead of one big thing, I'll do daily surprises for them. DH loves espresso -- is there a coupon for that?? I was also thinking maybe some sparkling apple cider/grape juice to kick off our cruise too (DH doesn't drink alcohol).

 

[Deb T.]

Great suggestions . I love the idea of the geocaching adventure as well as the treats. DS loves the arcade so that's def a go and we all love chocolate covered strawberries!!. I think instead of one big thing, I'll do daily surprises for them. DH loves espresso -- is there a coupon for that?? I was also thinking maybe some sparkling apple cider/grape juice to kick off our cruise too (DH doesn't drink alcohol).

If DCL doesn't have coupons specifically for the Arrr-cade and for espresso, you could always make some up before you leave.

 

[pershing]

Thanks for the welcome!
we booked way long ago, when it first opened
I saw a few 16 yr old boys on the roster. I just know he's going to be a pain after our friends leave so I hope he meets some kids on the 4/14 that are staying on the 17th to make it easier! he always meets a group, it's just htat first day!
Looks like lots of people from MA! We're in NJ but are going with our friends from MA on the 14th. DH is a sox fan, originally from ME

Sheree

Hi!

I grew up in NJ. Ridgewood, NJ to be precise. I haven't been back in decades though.

My oldest DS is 16. However, he is going through that obnoxiously anti-social age where no-one can tell him a thing.

If I had a dollar for everytime he's rolled his eyes at me this year....we'd be in the Walt Disney Suite this cruise!

He plays guitar, likes COD gaming and is permanently attached to his facebook app! (He may not survive this cruise without it!)

He also won't post on the teen board....mostly because I asked him too.

He did the teen excursions last time (I never saw him except as a lump in the bed last cruise!) He's not sure about doing it again, but I can tell you he still facebook's with some of the kids from the last cruise.

Speaking of being Red Sox fans or Not...mostly not in this case. My boss emptied out the lost in found from last year. (You wouldn't believe the things tourists leave behind when they are delirious from the beach!) In it, is a seemingly brand new Yankee ball cap. If anyone wants it, pm me. I'll mail it to you for free. My boss was gonna just throw it away, cause ya know.....ummm...it would just rot here until it turns to dust. (Too much honesty??)

It's a size 6 7/8 54.9cm and it says 'Authentic official on-field cap' inside. Oh, not too new. It says 'Inaugural Season 2009' on the back.

A good hat for protection against the Florida sun.

 

[Deb T.]

Hi!

I grew up in NJ. Ridgewood, NJ to be precise. I haven't been back in decades though.

My oldest DS is 16. However, he is going through that obnoxiously anti-social age where no-one can tell him a thing.

If I had a dollar for everytime he's rolled his eyes at me this year....we'd be in the Walt Disney Suite this cruise!

He plays guitar, likes COD gaming and is permanently attached to his facebook app! (He may not survive this cruise without it!)

He also won't post on the teen board....mostly because I asked him too.

He did the teen excursions last time (I never saw him except as a lump in the bed last cruise!) He's not sure about doing it again, but I can tell you he still facebook's with some of the kids from the last cruise.

Speaking of being Red Sox fans or Not...mostly not in this case. My boss emptied out the lost in found from last year. (You wouldn't believe the things tourists leave behind when they are delirious from the beach!) In it, is a seemingly brand new Yankee ball cap. If anyone wants it, pm me. I'll mail it to you for free. My boss was gonna just throw it away, cause ya know.....ummm...it would just rot here until it turns to dust. (Too much honesty??)

It's a size 6 7/8 54.9cm and it says 'Authentic official on-field cap' inside. Oh, not too new. It says 'Inaugural Season 2009' on the back.

A good hat for protection against the Florida sun.

Hi Pershing! Could you please tell me whether you'd prefer to be in the Big Group or Small Group FE? Thanks!

 

[pershing]

Ok, I've been going back and forth about buying a cheap underwater camera or an underwater housing for our old Olympus C-720 UZ.

I finally settled on the underwater housing as what else are we gonna do with the Olympus? Last trip we just used our iphones and the pictures were just as good without lugging a camera. Also, we could email the pictures to our friends instantly.

I just hate throwing anything into a landfill. I waited until AT&T had a recycle program before I would upgrade our iphones. They just started a co-operation with 'Flip/Flop' on Feb 13th. I traded in the 3G I paid $49 for an AT&T gift card worth $148! Sometimes it pays to be green.