Aug 14th 2004 - Anyone coming with us?

[TartanFan]

Still on my mission! (Been away from the boards for a few days, don't you just hate it when work interferes with real life!)

jjj - Romantic Escape Package is an add-on package. It's $299 and includes a "romantic" gift basket, couples massage, Palo dinner, Champagne Breakfast (booked it as a surprise for DH for our anniversary!). Jetty Park is an area at the end of the channel before the ship heads out to open sea and there are usually a bunch of people watching as the Magic/Wonder heads out.

Invisible Penguinboy (fab name!) - Sorry can't help with friends for you (DD is only 12) but keep reading this Board - I'm sure you'll get all the cruising tips you need and make some friends too! And how great to be with a group of 30! Think of what a DIS meet we could have, we would take over Deck 10!

It's almost April which means that we'll soon be saying "only 4 months till we're there!"

Keep in touch everyone!

 

[Poly Pal]

Count us in! We have 2 boys who will be 11 and 6 when we sail. We'll be on Deck 6, starboard side aft. Hoping for APL rotation with early seating.

 

[skyhawk]

We are on Deck 6 also, but we are not on the starboard side, we are on the right side! (OK- I'm trying to make a joke, bear with me). Things shhould start moving quicker once the warmer weather comes .

 

[TartanFan]

I think Deck 6 is going to be THE place to be on the Aug 14th cruise! We're aft, starboard (as opposed to the right side, Skyhawk!).

Poly Pal - Had LAP last two times (once early, once late) and it was fine but then I'm not really fussed so we'll go with the luck of the draw!

Welcome to our new fellow cruisers - I think a DIS meet is definitely on the agenda!

Keep in touch everyone - not too long to go!!!!!!!!!!

 

[skyhawk]

Has anyone been to the Western in mid-August? I'm already booked, not about to change, but just wondering about the weather? I know Florida is hot and humid - are the islands a little cooler? Also, it's Hur***** season (don't want to say it out loud). Anyone have experience cruising with a Hur***** nearby? Main reason I'm asking these questions is to get out thread back up to the top again!

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Me too, I've had quite a busy week !!!!
WELCOME TO OUR "NEW" FRIENDS !!!!!

Yes, myself and DH were on the Western itinerary two years ago... (It was a RCC cruise - visiting same ports of call).
We had a wonderful time - it was mid- August and there was an .......H .... cane somewhere out there ... but the cruise had been safe and smooth, we just arrived a bit late to Gran Cayman-but anyway we were able to go on scheduled shore excursions!! and we had lot of fun!

We plan to stay at WDW a few days before our cruise ...
after all I'm celebrating my birthday !!! and I dream all day about this vacation ( sometime I MUST work too !!)
Don't know yet at what resort ! Waiting for AP discounts!

Keep in touch !!
LOL, Laura

 

[TartanFan]

This will be our third DCL cruise in August. Did Eastern Aug 2001 and Western Aug 2002! Weather was fabulous both times (only had one 2 minute spell of rain on a sea day on the Eastern!) The islands were hot but not quite so humid as Orlando from what I can remember. No H******s in the area at all.

So we're going "3 for 3" this time with all you good folks.

Laura - didn't realise it's your birthday as well as our anniversary when we cruise. Double party time!!!

Anyone else celebrating anything?

 

[js'smom]

My birthday is August 11 so we will be celebrating on the cruise (figure it's close enough). I am impressed reading all the posts from those who have done multiple cruises. This is our first, of what I hope will be many, many, cruises. I can't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday from being on the ship or on the beach. Of course I prefer to think of my special day as being as anniversary of my 39th (I used to say 29th, but I'm a little too past that age), and not another birthday. We are down on deck 2, so I hope it's not too noisy. I do plan on us being so tired we will hit the room at night and just sleep, regardless of any noise. Had a question about towels - do I need to pack beach towels for each of us or will they have towels for us to use at the pool?

I just can't wait. It makes the long day at work a little more bearable knowing a cruise is in my future!

 

[TartanFan]

js'smom - there are plenty of towels available poolside and I've never brought extras. When we went to the beach, we took towels from the ship with us (of course, we returned them too!) but be warned that they're not very big!

Hope everyone's having a fun weekend!

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

HI, Everybody!

Js'smom: my birthday will be on August 15th! I am "quite" past my 29th! Guess ... we got married when I was 25 and we already celebrated (on the Magic ) our 25th wedding anniversary.

Still both of us feel like grown-up Disney-Kids!!

WE DO HAVE TO CELEBRATE ALL TOGETHER, our birthdays AND TartanFan anniversary!! :jumping4:

Any other anniversary / celebration?



We are on deck 2 as well, Js'smom! We were on the same deck last Summer (on the Wonder) and we had NO PROBLEMS (of noise) AT ALL, though we were directly below Beat Street / Route 66 (that's the adult-only "clubs" district) and is supposed to be very NOISY We never heard anything!!!

This August we are booked in room 2103, mid-ship.

See you on the Magic ... in ... how many days?

laura

 

[skyhawk]

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let everyone know that the Cruise Meets thread for August 7 is 34 pages!!! - We have 2! How do you go about recruiting people to post on here? Or, maybe the ship will be empty except for the 5 or so of us!

See you all in August!

 

[TartanFan]

Skyhawk - just remember that it's quality not quantity that counts! I like to think of us as a small but select band! And I've got a couple of days off work this week so I reckon I could get us up to at least 10 pages by the time I have to go back Thursday!

Anyone have exciting plans for Easter? My DH actually has Easter Monday off this year (he's an airline employee) so we might get to do a family outing - haven't decided what yet tho!

Remember everyone - keep reading and keep posting. We've only got 4 months to go!

 

[TartanFan]

Yep - here I am on the boards instead of doing laundry on my time off!

I gave DD(12) printouts of the excursions available last night and asked her what she'd like to do. Big mistake

We have so far:

Key West - nothing (that means she wants to stay on board at the Club. Which further means Margheritaville and Hogs Breath for us! Happy day!)

Grand Cayman - Nautilus Undersea Tour, Rum Point Beach Adventure, Island Tour. These all leave within an hour and a half of each other so decisions, decisions! PS - we didn't do any excursions in Grand Cayman last time so it's all new.

Cozumel - HELP!!!!! She's marked off 10!!!!!!!!! Think I'll have to put them all in a hat and draw out a winner!

Think I might just let DH and DD fight it out, send them on their way and hit Deck 10 with a good book and a $2.99 Bloody Mary!

Weather here in UK is awful right now - cold and rainy. Can we make the next 150 days go any quicker? I need that Caribbean sunshine!

 

[skyhawk]

We are looking at different excursions also. I think Key West will just be walking around. Thinking about the dolphins in Cozzumel, laying in the sun at Grand Cayman, and snorkeling and parasailing at CC. and we're down to 129 days - once the weather warms up and it actually starts to feel like spring, the time should go quickly.

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Hallo, everyone!!!!

I'm off from work until April 19th !!!!

Ya, I'm a teacher !!!!! Just kidding, I love my job and my boys are fond of my lessons, we use to have a lot of fun together
Best part of my job is ... I get three months (or more) vacations every year !!!!!!!!!

To celebrate Easter time myself and DH will go for a SHORT visit to Gardaland : it's a sort of miniaturized WDW...no Disney characters though ... just rides, roller coasters, a few shows and a mini - parade with stilt walkers. VERY different from MAGIC (to us) WDW in US or Disneyland Paris ... but that's all we can do by now.
We just need to laugh and smile, like "true" kids.

And , of course, we are having a BIG Easter Italian style dinner,
with all the family : appetizers, lasagne, lamb,chocolate dove, STRONG Italian coffee ... Want to try a sample ?:happy1: :happy1:

Have you ever been to Gardaland, TartanFan?
For us it's the first visit !


And, YES, we'll try to think about shore excursions as well !!!

 

[TartanFan]

Laura - you're making me so jealous! All that wonderful REAL Italian food and PROPER Espresso - can we come visit? !?!?!? Unfortunately, I've only visited Italy once - a girls' weekend in Rome which turned into a bit of a disaster as the friend I went with tore some ligaments in her ankle on some cobbles on the first evening (nothing to do with the Grappa, honestly!) so we had to come home the next day! To my shame, the only thing I remember of Rome is passing the Colliseum on the way from the airport and then again going back! I have been to Disneyland Paris tho - it was fun but doesn't really compare to WDW!

Skyhawk - we did the Dolphin Encounter on our last Western cruise and really enjoyed it. Let me know if you want any info. I also parasailed for the very first time at CC and it was awesome! Was really scared while I waited for my turn but once I woz up there - WOW!!!!!!!!! (Tried snorkeling but didn't do too well - I think I have a low centre of gravity! Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!) DD wants to go tandem with me this time.

Really glad we've got a conversation going here - can't wait to meet everyone in August! Let's keep this thread going people!!!

 

[skyhawk]

Hey TartanFan,

Happy Tartan Day! To be perfectly honest, I wasn't familiar with the day, but seeing your name, and seeing a bit about your background, and then doing some research - I am learning. I'm sure it's important to you. Living here in New York I sometimes forget my European roots. Gonna have to remedy that!

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Sorry for asking... What is Tartan Day? We live in Italy, never heard of that !

TartanFan, yes, NOTHING can compare with WDW US ...I would like to LIVE there ...
Maybe. when we retire ...

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Just another question :

TartanFan, how was "the encounter" ?
Myself and DH wear glasses, both would feel VERY unconfortable without ! He is a good swimmer , I'm not at all !!!(I am scared ...when I can't touch ground with my feet ....)

BUT I would like so much to be with those dolphins !!!!!!
What do you think? how much friendly are they ? Do you need to swim in some place of the excursion? Could we keep our glasses on ? is there any chance the glasses will fall into water ...I sure don't want to loose or break them !

What do you suggest ?????

Thanks.

All of you HAVE A DISNEY DAY !!!!!

 

[skyhawk]

Mickey's Dreamers,
You may want to do the dolphin encounter - which is different from a "swim". I did this in Nassau last year on a RCCL cruise. You go into waist deep water on a platform, and the dolphin comes up to you and lets you pet him, feed him, and he will probably give you a kiss. They are so powerful yet so gentle. You can wear your glasses (although they may get splashed). From what I gather from your note, this may be the way to go for you.