April 29, 2012 ~ Aloha! ~ Inagural Wonder to Hawaii-Part 3

[castoff]

Got everything but Brunch. When can we check in?

Suppose to be at 3:00 AM EST. Check when you get up. Glad you got everything else. You should be able to get brunch when you board.

Hi all,

I know we have been absent for months and months, but we are still booked and will be on the cruise with you. Like many others, 2011 was a tough year for us. My aunt, who I was legal custodian of, died May 3rd, then my husband started radiation treatments for cancer in late May. He's done now and his numbers look good, though he's still more tired than he was before. He does occasionally monitor the Facebook page for the cruise, while I try to keep up with the DIS side of things.

We changed our flight from Long Beach to John Wayne (since we're staying in Anaheim for a week after the cruise), and are wondering if anyone knows the best way to get from John Wayne (Orange County) airport to the DoubleTree at the port?

We definitely want to be part of the pre-cruise meet at the DoubleTree.

We were able to book all the excursions we wanted plus a Palo dinner, but all the brunches and high teas were sold out :-(.

We've been to HI before (twice for me, three times for Harry) so we bypassed some of the more popular excursions, as we'd done them before.

Would like to give you the overview of what we booked, but was not able to print everything out as I wanted to. I remember that someone posted how to print all your excursions and eveything within the last month of so, but can't find it now, so if anyone can help, I'd appreciate it. This was all much easier on our last long cruise, before they changed the website.

Will try to get signed up for lanyards etc this weekend, as we leave for WDW next Sunday for two weeks.

BTW, it snowed here today! We're in the Puget Sound convergience zone (south Everett, north of Seattle) and there's about three inches on the ground and freezing temps predicted for the next four days or so. So I should have lots of time to read the DIS!

BethK

Sorry about your 2011 here is to a much better 2012 !!! Sorry I can't help with getting from John Wayne to Doubletree. Lot's of people on here that are local and can help out with that.

 

[castoff]

Just got mom all checked in and with a 11:00 port arrival. So we are almost all good. Now just need to have my silver friends get the 11:00 arrival.

Isn't your Mom linked to your reservation ? Wouldn't she be able to board when you can ? At least that's what I was told when my friend talked to Disney.

What do you mean by port arrival check in?? Have not run into that on past Disney west coast cruises?

You should be able to pick a arrival time to check in at port. Depending on the time you pick will depend on your boarding number. Check out your on line check in information and you should see it there. Hope that helps.

 

[BobandLee]

Got all of the excursions we wanted. There were no Brunch or Tea openings for April 30. But I did get a brunch on May 8 (First sea day on return).

We will try for Brunch or Tea for April 30 when we board.

That milestone is done!

Debbie

Congrats Deb.
We have Brunch on May 1 and Palo dinner the next night.
Really wanted a Brunch this time, think it may be different.

 

[JimHB]

Welcome aboard!!! This cruise was sold out completely until DCL offered the one in the fall. Several jumped ship and left a stateroom open just for you!!! We've done a few longer cruises and they do shows, entertainment, etc for every day. I think you are right about the swimming pool, but I am sure they will have an Hawaiian themed dinner and probably deck party. Several are staying at DL resort prior to cruise and are just now in the planning stages for a meet the night before the cruise, so stay tuned!!

One thing I just can't understand though....having DVC points laying around unused??? We are always in point debt! We are using some Sept 2012 points for our stay at VGC after the cruise. A couple of years after our initial purchase we bought an extra 100 points thinking that would do it...nope!

Well, we'd been doing good about using points until last year. About then we started thinking about saving some up to use to rent one of those big Animal Kingdom villas and have several of the grown kids join us. And this year one of my wife's brothers was getting married in California, so we spent our vacation time traveling over there, then driving up the Oregon coastline and staying at B&Bs along the way - very nice trip.

Now, my wife is a fairly firm believer that what happens happens for a reason. Soooooo . . . . .. our having just the right amount of points saved up to take this trip, and a cabin coming available, and Hawaii being one of the trips we wanted to take, was just meant to be. Besides, she had already given some remaining points from two years ago which were going to expire before April to her daughter so they (daughter and grandson) could take a trip to Disneyland this coming March. So that family trip to AK may just have to wait until the three that are in college right now finish up in a couple years and we do that as a big celebration.

Thanks for all the Welcomes! We're in the group doing excursions on Jan 30, good to hear that those doing them last night were able to get what they wanted for the most part. We're planning at least one excursion per island, a luau, and a brunch at Palo. Aside from that lots of deck time, reading, shows, sightseeing, Cove Cafe, and enjoying quality time with each other.

Jim & Kathy

 

[Lexa]

I'm glad that all of you got excursions you wanted. Seems Palo is different story. Can someone tell me is there is still Luau and rizona Memorial & Battleship Missouri available for us who book in 2 weeks?

 

[BoosGram]

Congrats to everyone who got what they wanted. Fingers crossed for the silvers who are still waiting .

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

Glad to see that everyone was able to book the excursions they wanted....Debbie...sorry you weren't able to get brunch or tea on your bierthday...maybe you could talk to them onboard to see if they can fit you in...since it is a special occassion....I will keep my fingers crossed for everyone who will be booking on Jan 30...

 

[Happy Goofy]

Had some problems with the web site last night. IT kept throwing me off saying there was an error and could not get my reservation. Finally after about a half hour I was able to book. We got what we wanted but by that time all the Palo tea and brunch were sold out. Kind of disappointed but hope to pick somethng up later.
Booked-Hilo Gourmet Volcano Adventure
Maui-Haleakala Crater
Honolulu- Arizona Memorial and City Tour
Kauai- waimea Canyon

If we have Disney Transportation from PP to the port do we have to sign up for a check in time?

 

[Janis]

Got all of the excursions we wanted. There were no Brunch or Tea openings for April 30. But I did get a brunch on May 8 (First sea day on return).

We will try for Brunch or Tea for April 30 when we board.

That milestone is done!

Debbie

Hi Debbie,

What time is your brunch? I got May 8th too.

 

[castoff]

I'm glad that all of you got excursions you wanted. Seems Palo is different story. Can someone tell me is there is still Luau and rizona Memorial & Battleship Missouri available for us who book in 2 weeks?

Both are available. Arizona is 7:30 AM and Luau is 4:15 PM. Good Luck.

 

[castoff]

Had some problems with the web site last night. IT kept throwing me off saying there was an error and could not get my reservation. Finally after about a half hour I was able to book. We got what we wanted but by that time all the Palo tea and brunch were sold out. Kind of disappointed but hope to pick somethng up later.
Booked-Hilo Gourmet Volcano Adventure
Maui-Haleakala Crater
Honolulu- Arizona Memorial and City Tour
Kauai- waimea Canyon

If we have Disney Transportation from PP to the port do we have to sign up for a check in time?

That's exactly what happened to me. It was a little frustrating. With all those sea days you shouldn't have a problem getting a brunch. Hmm that's a good question. I don't know but think you would still need to get a port time for check in. Sorry I wasn't much help.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Refresher on getting an e-mail with all your excursions/bookings:

After getting to your reservation, go to Cruise Activities, click on any day that you have an excursion/Palo and in bold letters it will say Add An Activity......E-Mail......Print. Click on e-mail and there will be a drop down to select just that day's itinerary or the entire itinerary...chose entire and send yourself the e-mail.



.

 

[Lexa]

Both are available. Arizona is 7:30 AM and Luau is 4:15 PM. Good Luck.

Thank you...still have hope to book them on 30th!

 

[amyreneemt]

I'm glad that all of you got excursions you wanted. Seems Palo is different story. Can someone tell me is there is still Luau and rizona Memorial & Battleship Missouri available for us who book in 2 weeks?

Definitely space on the Luau, we were trying to get the Hana cave quest but it would show availability but then I couldn't save it so we booked the Luau instead. I tried for the caves one more time and was told be I had a conflict with the Luau so I canceled it thinking great we will do the caves instead and it still would not let me save and brought some strange "todo conflict" up on the screen so I was stressing that not we wouldn't even get to do the Luau since I cancelled it but had no problem rebooking for the 7 of us. Eventually the cave quest came up as no longer available. DCL website is definitely no the best

 

[amyreneemt]

Hi all,


We changed our flight from Long Beach to John Wayne (since we're staying in Anaheim for a week after the cruise), and are wondering if anyone knows the best way to get from John Wayne (Orange County) airport to the DoubleTree at the port?




BethK

We are flying into John Wayne as well (we are staying at the Fairmont in Newport beach for 4 nighst before). I needed to get to the port from the airport to pick a rental car from Enterprise so that we could return it directly to the the port on Sunday so I scheduled a ride with Prime Time Shuttle I believe it was around $45 for just me to get from John Wayne to the port, the rest of the family will be taking the free hotel shuttle from the airport to the hotel while I pick up our rental car. Hope that helps.

 

[disneycruisegal]

Had some problems with the web site last night. IT kept throwing me off saying there was an error and could not get my reservation. Finally after about a half hour I was able to book. We got what we wanted but by that time all the Palo tea and brunch were sold out. Kind of disappointed but hope to pick somethng up later.
Booked-Hilo Gourmet Volcano Adventure
Maui-Haleakala Crater
Honolulu- Arizona Memorial and City Tour
Kauai- waimea Canyon

If we have Disney Transportation from PP to the port do we have to sign up for a check in time?

Just completed check in for the cruise, we booked a prestay at the Mariott, thru Disney, and are using Disney transportation. During check in it stated that because we were staying with Disney prestay we did not need to enter a check in time and are invited to arrive at our leisure. (Of course this is at Disney's leisure because we will get to the port whenever they bring us there).

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

Hi Debbie,

What time is your brunch? I got May 8th too.

I believe it is 11 am! What time for you?

Debbie

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

I have not done the online check in yet. Do that in a bit

We are staying at Doubletree the night before so there will be alot of DIS'rs there! There were quite a few for the LA-Vancouver Repo but not as many as there is now. *Just an FYI - that hotel has the CRAZIEST room numbering system so keep that in mind as you look for your room. (even the housekeeping staff laughed when I was looking for my room)

As for the return, we have the red eye back to Cleveland. So we have alot of time to kill. Debating on getting a room near the airport for the 12 hours or so that we need to kill. Or going to DL for the day. The luggage thing is the challenge. If I take a shuttle to DL, where to put our things.

Something to think about.

Debbie

 

[SanDiegoSteph]

OK, We have booked in to stay in San Diego for the 4 nights prior to the cruise. We've been to LA and Anaheim many times, never spent much time in San Diego, so thought it might be nice. Anyone else staying there???

We live here in San Diego, so let me know if you need any help in terms of knowing things to do, where to go, places to eat, etc...

 

[aan1701]

What do you mean by port arrival check in?? Have not run into that on past Disney west coast cruises?

It's something that started when the Dream came out. They where getting overrun at port opening time so they instituted a arrival time as a form of crowd control. The decision was made to make it the same for all ships.