April 17, 2011 on the Dream

[pershing]

Ok then yes, I'd like to join FE. It sounds like a fun way to get to know the new ship. I have alot of door decorations from the Podcast Cruise, but not an FE extender thing though. My mom's a quilter however.

Monday Morning Shipyard Picture

Kinda looks top heavy from this view. I wonder when the shipyard's due date is and when it will sail to Florida.

I have an Atlantis question, or a few actually. Has anyone done the snorkelling there and what was it like? Is there time to do both the water park and snorkelling? And if I request sandwiches onboard the night before, is there any problem with bringing food into the water park area?

 

[Deb T.]

Ok then yes, I'd like to join FE. It sounds like a fun way to get to know the new ship. I have alot of door decorations from the Podcast Cruise, but not an FE extender thing though. My mom's a quilter however.

Awesome!! I'm confident you and your kids will enjoy the FE Exchange! I will send you a pm for additional information.

Here is the latest FE Participant list. Anyone else care to join in on the fun?
Ness2289 & DD12
Deb T. & DH
Tigger1313 & DGD17
Golfnsuch & DH, DS11, DS7
WPoohgirl & DH, DD14, DS12
Z’sDisneyMom & DH, DD12
ydrj & DH, DS16, DD14
princessdaisy & DH, DD18, DS8
goofy4tink & DH, DD17
jeni37 & DH, DS14, DS10, DD6
kim5678 & DH, DD13
lindafish & DH
disneycruisegal & DH
caronjn & DW, DS10, DD7
alenushka & DH, DD10, (and maybe DS in college)
pershing & DS16, DS14, DS13

 

[Deb T.]

I have an Atlantis question, or a few actually. Has anyone done the snorkelling there and what was it like? Is there time to do both the water park and snorkelling? And if I request sandwiches onboard the night before, is there any problem with bringing food into the water park area?

We've never been to the Atlantis resort, so I can't help with these questions. But, I'm pretty sure some of the others have been and will be able to help. If not, try posting your questions on the main cruise thread.

 

[alenushka]

Kinda looks top heavy from this view. I wonder when the shipyard's due date is and when it will sail to Florida.

I have an Atlantis question, or a few actually. Has anyone done the snorkelling there and what was it like? Is there time to do both the water park and snorkelling? And if I request sandwiches onboard the night before, is there any problem with bringing food into the water park area?

Thank you for posting a new picture! I love seeing new updates!
Sandwiches: from my previous cruise experiences, food is never allowed off board. Some tried to sneak it out (oops, guilty...). It is a great idea, though. I don't think it would be a problem bringing food to Atlantis, nobody ever checked our bags.
ATLANTIS:
we have been there 4 times. LOVE this place. We have never done either snorkeling or a water park there, but just enjoyed their beautiful beach and Atlantis tours; however, we want to do waterpark this year (and may be twice) bs we believe our DD is finally ready to appreciate it. As far as I know from people who went there, you can easily spend entire day there. It is pricey. The best way to get there: book a room in Comfort Suites near Atlantis; they will give you a pass to all Atlantis attractions. You will pay around $300 (may be less) but it is much cheaper compare to cruise sponsored excursions. Since you pay quite a lot, would you want to spend time snorkeling there? I am not sure i would, but it's just my opinion.
If you have other questions about Atlantis, i would gladly share what i know.

 

[scootch]

When I went in November, there was a family that had a small sized cooler(I believe they had it in their beach bag) and took drink boxes for their son and also sandwhiches that they ordered from room service. We ate breakfast on the ship and then got a sandwhich, a nachos(HUGE AND YUMMY) and a kids meal. The kids meal had like 8 chicken nuggets in it and fries and refillable drink. All for around 20 bucks and we had food leftover. We did the Comfort Suites route and in November got a room for only $176!! To be perfectly honest, going to Atlantis is how my kids convinced me to cruise again.
It is absolutely beautiful and even with my kids not taking full advantage of the slides(a bit chicken when it comes to rides) It was really worth it. I can't see myself ever flying to Atlantis or Nassau for just a regular vacation, but we too will enjoy at least one day there this trip and possibly 2 with the B2B cruises.

 

[alenushka]

When I went in November, there was a family that had a small sized cooler(I believe they had it in their beach bag) and took drink boxes for their son and also sandwhiches that they ordered from room service.


We ate breakfast on the ship and then got a sandwhich, a nachos(HUGE AND YUMMY) and a kids meal.

.

Does it mean they allow to carry food off the ship?
Did you buy your lunch at Atlantis or carried it off the ship?
I love the idea of ordering sandwiches and taking them for lunch!.

 

[pershing]

Does it mean they allow to carry food off the ship?

I always heard that during the cruise you can ask for sandwiches the night before to take off the ship BUT when you dock back at Port Canaveral not one bit of food should go off the ship because of strict US laws. Like you could be find 100,000 for a banana!

I'll research it on the Disney Cruise FAQ thread and see if the answers there.

I plan on doing the Comfort Suites route but I've just paid DVC owners for prior and post stays at WDW (Beach Club and Animal Kingdom Lodge, yeah!) So, I'm beyond broke right now. I know I should do it soon, but it's not an option right now. I just need to keep doing those surveys faithfully, that's all.

 

[scootch]

Does it mean they allow to carry food off the ship?
Did you buy your lunch at Atlantis or carried it off the ship?
I love the idea of ordering sandwiches and taking them for lunch!.

Yes, they took food off for Atlantis. I know they brought their son the peanut butter/jelly smuckers sandwhiches that are packaged off the ship. I just found the amount of food I got for $20 was delicious and there was so much of it, to me it would not be worth taking it off the ship. The place we got the food was right beside the pool, very convenient also. I just took a few granola bars from home in case one of the girls got "starving" before we got back to the ship, but they were fine.

Yes, taking food off the ship once back in the US is strictly prohibited. We really wanted to take some sand home for daddy to feel since it was so soft, but the customs form and their fines scared us. Weird though last time we got off, I asked a porter to help and when we got to the customs guy, he didn't even make us stop. I was holding our passports and custom paper and he just said to the porter, "just the three of them?" and he waved us on. Yikes.

 

[outahere]

Just so there's no confusion...... you are allowed to take "factory sealed" food items (the Uncrustable sandwiches, sealed cereal boxes, etc.) off the ship when you return to Port Canaveral. Any open packages are not allowed. They are trying to keep pests away from the U.S. by banning all fruits, vegetables, etc. from leaving the ship.

 

[alenushka]

I just took a few granola bars from home in case one of the girls got "starving" before we got back to the ship, but they were fine.

I thought only my daughter gets "starving" attacks I can't leave our house without a snack in my bag, even if we just finished our dinner...

Thank you all for the great tips!

I just got this sneak peak:
http://www.facebook-disneycruiseline.com/photos/PortholeSneak.jpg

 

[pershing]

Scootch, with 3 teenage boys I'm trying to avoid buying the massive amounts of food that they seem to just inhale like breathing. We will probably buy there and if I can bring food also, I should be ok.

They are just non-stop eating machines lately, especially if they are running around like at a water park.

Although after researching, I found you are not supposed to bring food off the ship into the Bahamas, but alot of people do. They order the sandwiches either the night before or morning of and baggie them.

The room service menu is impressive, I've never actually ordered room service. Must try it this trip!

 

[scootch]

Scootch, with 3 teenage boys I'm trying to avoid buying the massive amounts of food that they seem to just inhale like breathing. We will probably buy there and if I can bring food also, I should be ok.

They are just non-stop eating machines lately, especially if they are running around like at a water park.

I can imagine, I know what my skinny nephew can inhale. My girls aren't big eaters, especially my little peanut, she just grazes all day(thus need the granola bar for her "starving" moments) If you are forced to buy something, the nachos were HUGE and were about $8 and the like I said, the kids meal we got was also very large, just leave them at the pool area and go over an order one, you can take the food to your chairs.

Just beware one thing with room service... most of what we got was great, especially the all hands on deck fruit/cheese platter and mickey bars(they are not on the menu, but you can order them)... but after we decided one night to skip dinnner and do room service and eat on the verandah, thinking it would be cool. Well, it took 45 minutes and was not very good. We would have been better off getting the fast food choices up on the top deck and bringing them back to the room.

 

[JasonDVC]

Corrections made, caronjn!

Hi, please correct mine to read DS6mo.

We found out we are having a boy in October!

 

[JasonDVC]

Just wanted to give all the single Mom's on this cruise a head's up...my brother, 38, is having trouble meeting nice women on land so has decided to join us on our cruise to see if he can meet someone at sea.

 

[Deb T.]

Hi, please correct mine to read DS6mo.

We found out we are having a boy in October!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Just wanted to give all the single Mom's on this cruise a head's up...my brother, 38, is having trouble meeting nice women on land so has decided to join us on our cruise to see if he can meet someone at sea.

Good luck to your brother. Hope he finds his "Love Boat" "Dream" girl. (puns intended )

There is usually a solo cruiser meet and greet on the first night and then a couple of mixers for solos during the cruise. Anything's possible! At least the two would have Disney cruising in common!

 

[scootch]

Hi, please correct mine to read DS6mo.

We found out we are having a boy in October!

Congrats!!

 

[alenushka]

Hi, please correct mine to read DS6mo.

We found out we are having a boy in October!

Congratulations!!!

 

[alenushka]

I know it's still a long time before our cruise, but i started shopping for FE exchange already! It is so much fun!

 

[Deb T.]

I know it's still a long time before our cruise, but i started shopping for FE exchange already! It is so much fun!

I'm so glad you're excited about it! I've known for months what FE gifts I'm doing for this cruise! Planning is half the fun of the trip!

 

[castlegazer]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! JasonDVC