August 20, 2005 - L.A. to Port Canaveral - Eastbound Repo Cruise - The SHIP OF FOOLS Part 2

[rsschneck]

I am amazed @ the great airfare deals you all are getting! We live closer and the airfare is more expensive. Plus, there is not a non-stop flight into Long Beach from Portland.

I checked Delta today and the $107 Melinda was getting from the East Coast was $200 from Oregon! We are waiting for Southwest I think! We were going to use FF miles, but we have decided to save those for either Hawaii or Hilton Head. Both of those destinations cost some serious $$$. I figure if we wait for Southwest we are looking at around the $200 range RT.

I did just purchase an evening gown from Marshall's. They are getting in some black evening gowns because of the holidays coming up. The dress was $60.00. I like it! We will see what DH thinks!

Keep checking airfare and let us West Coasters hope for some good deals too!

 

[paulcrsb]

Roxann - I've been checking too and I have yet to find anything reasonable. I'm with you in that we will probably wait until Southwest comes out with their fares.

Paul

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Sorry now timed out.

 

[Scratch42]

Well that DEFINATELY one restaurant that I will miss!

The menu sounds as good as those toes look!LOL

Scratch

 

[ehtpnt]

We are using ff miles for both trips and going on Delta. DH had miles and we decided that was a good use for them.

Melinda one suggestion if your parents friend decides not to take you all to JFK. With the cheap fairs you might look into a limo or town car. They usually aren't too bad, cost wise.

And by the way I remember those toes too. And no my feet never looked like that.

I love the logo for the JGE presents program. Really nice, neat and says it all with one picture.

I really must stay on these boards and give up the rest of my life. Go to dinner at our DDs' and you all add 5 pages. Thanks


Estelle

 

[piglet33]

Originally posted by gassmandy
Just had to interject here real quick-----Renee--that is the cutest picture of Haley!!

Okay, fools--continue about your business!

I also thought she looked so cute so I took many pics. That vest is really made very well and all the little ones looked so adorable wearing them.

Haley didn't want to take that vest off after the drill was over. Me and Lenny were dying to get out of ours and there was Haley crying because I was trying to unzip her jacket. She wound up keeping it on for about half an hour after the drill.

 

[piglet33]

Originally posted by Bmwdsny
Are any of you guys have travel insurance for this trip???

We don't have it yet but i was doing the calculations and it would cost us $520!!!!!
that could be use as shopping and excursion money!!! My Dh doesn't want to get it either!!!
do you think we are taking a gamble on not getting a travel insurance??

We have never, ever in our lives canceled a trip.... knock on wood!!

I never buy the insurance and didn't for this trip either. I figured I'd rather use that money for drinking or shopping. I know there are people that do buy it, but I don't.

 

[DonnaDavid]

I definitely have my trip insured. I don't know if my health insurance would cover us if we needed medical care in a foreign country, but this trip is too expensive not to insure. That price seemed pretty expensive, Melinda. I'm insuring my family of 5 for a $11,500 trip for $220. Have you shopped at www.insuremytrip.com ? I'm fairly certain that Medicare doesn't cover you in foreign countries and some other private health insurances don't also. Becoming injured or ill in a foreign country could be a real disaster; I've heard awful stories about Americans injured in Mexico. I've never investigated the circumstances, but I read about an American who desperately needed advanced health care and his family could not get him out of Mexico until all bills were paid (including legal bills).

Roxanne and Paul, for a one-way trip, I doubt we're going to beat SWA. Also, I always take SWA to Orlando - they have the closest to a non-stop. I forget how many days out SWA starts booking their flights. Anyone know? We'll need to figure out what day we need to book.

It always annoys me how it's often less expensive to fly to Orlando than it is to fly to LA. I have in-laws in LA, and we fly there a lot. People don't believe me when I tell them one of the reasons we visit WDW as much as DL is that it costs the same!

 

[sandygirl]

Originally posted by DonnaDavid

Roxanne and Paul, for a one-way trip, I doubt we're going to beat SWA. Also, I always take SWA to Orlando - they have the closest to a non-stop. I forget how many days out SWA starts booking their flights. Anyone know? We'll need to figure out what day we need to book.

It always annoys me how it's often less expensive to fly to Orlando than it is to fly to LA. I have in-laws in LA, and we fly there a lot. People don't believe me when I tell them one of the reasons we visit WDW as much as DL is that it costs the same!

I'm discovering this myself as I try to plan our trip. We want to fly from Phila to Portland and then down to LA or Orange County. Our idea is to visit DH's daughters (one of whom lives in Hillsboro!) before the cruise. The flights from Portland to LA are more expensive. I couldn't believe it. Should we wait for SWA to open up their dates? Right now they are only booking through March.
Darlene

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I am going to get that 'serious' tag again, but a word of warning about travel insurance. We all believe it will never happen to us, and hopefully nothing ever will, but sometimes it does, we insure our houses, cars etc., but do we insure ourselves.

Holidays can be dangerous times, going to new places and eating new foods, I know someone who was on a cruise and became very ill, think of the costs of changing the itinerary of the ship to go to a port as someone is ill, foreign doctors fees and hospital fees flying out relatives, and then the cost doesn't seem so much.

If you do have travel insurance, you are unlikely to use it and will consider it a waste of money, but if worst is worst, you will be pleased that someone else picks up the tab for the flights home etc.

PS I do not work in insurance.

 

[mark & sandra]

Southwest has usually opened up dates at about 3 months out. We were finally able to get tickets to Orlando from Islip at the end of Sept. for our Jan. cruise. Their "Deals" weren't as good as last year. Although they were better prepared for the rising oil prices then most other airlines, there ability to hedge costs won't last forever. With U.S. Air and United already in bankruptcy, and Delta threatening to do so, there seems no reason for the discount airlines to offer great deals anymore. Add to that our cruise ends on Labor Day Weekend, when many are rushing back home for school...Mark

 

[disney3144]

I agree with Andrew. I ALWAYS purchase the insurance. My DH disagrees. However, my DH suffered a stroke 3 years ago (while on a family vacation at WDW), and he has good days and he has bad days. I never know what is going to happen. I paid $400 for insurance through Disney. Hopefully, I will never have to use it, but I have it just in case.
Actually, on our last cruise (8/21/04) the ship had to make an emergency stop at Guatamala on the second day because a woman was ill. I think she was having a tubal pregnancy. Think of all of the doctor bills for her and getting the rest of her family home. I can't imagine.
I would rather be safe than sorry. That's just my opinion.

Jennifer

 

[mark & sandra]

***ANNOUNCING JGE's VACATION INSURANCE***

At JGE we know that the thought of missing your cruise can be a very troubling concern, and at JGE we care too!! Now for the first time ever we are offering a plan that will help recoup what you've lost!

JGE will personally fly Bob(Izzinmac) directly to your home. Once there, he'll show you detailed photos of everything you missed. He'll tell you about the Dis meets and excursions you would have seen. As a special introductory offer Bob will make up some towel animals for your bed and even throw some chocolates on your pillow.

Although JGE won't reimburse you financially, we know that it's the memories that are priceless. Although it's impossible to put a price tag on memories, JGE has decided to insure your memories at a cost of only $999.00(US) per person. Don't miss out on this once in a lifetime offer.

 

[disney3144]

That is to funny.

Jennifer

 

[invaderzim]

After experiencing first-hand the possibility of having trip interruption, delays and out-of-pocket expenses on the 8/28/04 "Frances" cruise, I would never go without travel insurance again. This year I tried to save money and only got the medical portion, and now cannot recoup my expenses. Our trip next year was booked through DCL and it comes with travel insurance.

As for Southwest -- right now they are taking reservations for flights through March 3rd. So it looks like they book six months out. So flights for August 15th, for instance, would probably open up on March 15th.

 

[winotracy]

I have always booked with travel insurance on the cruises...nothing else. I figure if I lose money for a night in a hotel, big deal, but if I miss the ship on an Eastern cruise, we don't get into a port until Tuesday and I've missed so much.

I also get it because of my family. On our first cruise, I was called home because my father was near death. I didn't make it home in time, but the insurance covered my airfare from St. Thomas, overnight stay in San Juan and missed time on the ship.

Tracy

 

[winotracy]

Ok, I'm now up to date with the index.

Index

Feel free to chat up a storm now

 

[mark & sandra]

In an effort to help streamline further advertising, JGE would like to know how old you really are?

From the following list of 25 items, count all the ones that you remember -- not the ones you were told about! How to score yourself is at the end.


1. Blackjack chewing gum
2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar-water
3. Candy cigarettes
4. Soda-pop machines that dispensed bottles
5. Coffee shops with tableside jukeboxes
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
7. Party lines
8. Newsreels before the movie
9. P. F. Flyers
10. Butch wax
11. Telephone numbers with a word prefix (e.g., Olive - 6933)
12. Peashooters
13. Howdy Doody
14. 45-RPM records ... and 78-RPM records
15. S&H Green Stamps
16. Hi-fi systems
17. Metal ice trays with lever
18. Mimeograph paper
19. Blue flashbulb
20. Packards
21. Rollerskate keys
22. Cork popguns
23. Drive-in theaters
24. Studebakers
25. Washtub wringers

If you remembered!

0 - 5 = You're still young

6 - 10 = You are getting older

11 - 15 = Don't tell your age

16 - 25 = You're older than you think!

 

[mark & sandra]

And yet another fun filled excursion brought to you by JGE.

 

[izzinmac]

Originally posted by mark & sandra
***ANNOUNCING JGE's VACATION INSURANCE***

Although JGE won't reimburse you financially, we know that it's the memories that are priceless. Although it's impossible to put a price tag on memories, JGE has decided to insure your memories at a cost of only $999.00(US) per person. Don't miss out on this once in a lifetime offer.

This is a great offer!! Sign me up!!

Wait, I'm the one who has to provide the memories??? I don't think that will work.

O well, to any of you who sign up, I guarantee I will share as much as I can remember about the cruise, plus I got lots of stories about my childhood (actually, only two, but you get to listen to them over and over)