Are the Bush's holding up

[fireplug]

the sailing of the Wonder??????

5:41 pm and she still hasn't sailed.

Couple that with the "close up" of the safety drill............

Strange to say the least.



Steve

PS 5:54 pm still in port

 

[jel0511]

5:59 and she still is in port..... I'm sure this is why the ship hasn't left. Either they are late arriving, or the Secret Service is completing some sort of security sweep before allowing the ship to leave port.

 

[Cruise]

6:17 and it looks like they're finally pulling out of port...

 

[Hygiene99]

could just be normal folk like us they where waiting for also , if u book your airfare threw disney cruise lines and s
omething goes wrong they hold the ship for u ...... as they did on the dec5th wonder for 1 hour waiting for 14 people to arrive............. peter

 

[perdidobay]

Dec 26, 7:09 PM EST

Bush Family Sets Sail on 3-Night Cruise

By MIKE SCHNEIDER
Associated Press Writer

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- Former President Bush and his son, Gov. Jeb Bush, embarked Thursday on a three-night holiday cruise with family and security agents, undeterred by the recent outbreak of stomach viruses that have sickened some cruise passengers.

The family, including the Bush wives, was joining about 2,500 other passengers aboard the Disney Wonder, its stern adorned with a figure of Donald Duck.

The departure was delayed an hour because two of the Bush granddaughters were late. President George W. Bush's daughters Jenna and Barbara were listed on the ship's manifest, although it was not immediately known if they were the latecomers.

"This is a personal, family vacation, a much deserved and needed one," said Katie Muniz, the governor's spokeswoman.

The ship was bound for the Bahamas under blue skies and an unusually chilly wind.

Jeb Bush has said he was undeterred by the outbreak that sickened hundreds. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is looking into more than 20 outbreaks on cruise lines, more than it has seen in the four previous years combined. The agency considers an outbreak to be 3 percent or more of a ship's passengers or crew members getting an illness.

"I'm not worried at all about the health issue, I'm more worried about just being on a boat, getting along without e-mail and stuff," he said with a laugh last week.

Disney spokesman Mark Jaronski said no parts of the ship would be restricted and that he expected the Bushes to eat in the main dining room with the other passengers. The dozen or so relatives will be joined by agents from the Secret Service and state law enforcement.

The ship, which is about the length of three football fields with 875 staterooms, has stops in Nassau and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. It returns Sunday morning.

Former President Carter took a similar trip with his family during last year's holiday season.

The Bushes are paying their family's expenses, while the federal and state governments are paying for their security detail. Muniz and a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service cited security concerns in declining to comment on government costs for the cruise.

Many guests said they planned to leave the Bushes alone.

"I'm sure they're here to have a good time," said Frank Romero, 39, of Melbourne, Australia. "Just like us."

---

 

[perdidobay]

oops
--- double post!

 

[slindamood]

We were approaching the Orlando airport on 12/26 at about 4:45 PM and noted a Disney Cruise bus heading towards the port with passengers. We commented that the bus would have to travel pretty fast (which it was) to make it by a 5 PM departure. When we got to the airport we found that many flights from the northeast were delayed in arriving due to the storms the previous day. It is likely that the late departure was in part due to a large number of late arrivals who had Disney book their air.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

It's entirely possible that other passengers were also late. There'd been a pretty big snowstorm along the Northeastern Seaboard. And to be fair to Jenna and Barbara, their flight may have been delayed as well due to the weather.

 

[inkkognito]

Once or twice we've had delayed departures too, due to travelers who were delayed. It's not just something for VIPs. When we've been on board, it's just been "regular folks." I imagine their air was booked through Disney. Just another reason to fly in the night before whenever possible!
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[bwtk]

Do you suppose that the girls were late because someone slipped them "a Mickey"?