August 28, 2004 "LOST AT SEA" Cruise

[SeaSpray]

Hi everyone!

22 weeks to go till our cruise It's a BEAUTIFUL day here in Massachusetts and it's beginning to look and feel like there may actually be an end to this winter!!

Anyone have any new cruise plans? Any new excursions you've researched or checked out? DH and I want to do the Romantic Escape at Sea package so we'll be adding that on soon. My SIL & BIL who are also on our cruise are considering this package too, so it'll be nice to go to Palo with them one night.

I hope you all are doing well!

 

[Reenieny]

Hello,
I am going with my family plus my single sister. I felt funny going to PALOs with her,, but my husband is not a fancy food eater. I hope to at least get in one champagne brunch there. My sister is a disney nut,, and she is fun to be around. My husband and I did a Carnival Western cruise 2 yrs ago,, so we did the snorkel and stingray deal. I am looking forward to relaxing at Rum Beach and Playa Sol Beach. If anyone knows not to do that, please let me know.

 

[Karel]

I'm looking for something to do in Grand Cayman.

I think Key West we'll play by ear. Hoping to meet up my husband's brother, who lives in the Keys. If it's really hot, we won't have the energy to do much but I'd like to get back to Kino's. I still have the sandals I bought last trip which was about 9 years ago.

In Cozumel, I'm looking at Chankaaub and mini golf.

I don't like the Grand Cayman excusion and no one wants to do the stingrays. We'll probably go to the beach and shop.

 

[Mary Anne]

Love seeing those #'s going down each week!

I have some nice non cruise news this week after lasts week's nightmare.

I have pretty much been unemployed the past 4 years doing contract and temp work. The man I had been working for part time passed away the week before last and like a gift from God, I landed a full time postion, in my field (Human Resources) in the same industry (Publishing) that I was downsized from. I start on Wednesday, 4 years to the day, I lost my job of 25 years. Trust me, Hollywood couldn't write the script.

In any case, Reenieny you must do the brunch! I think it's better then the dinner and trust me the dinner is great! We are planning on doing both.

Have a great week-all! Hope the weather stays as nice as it was today.

 

[Mjasp]

Terry...Thanks for the countdown, in another 3 weeks we will be in the teens!!!!!!!!!!!! Feels like 30 weeks ago it was still a year to go LOL

MaryAnne...Good Luck with your new job.

How is Rum Point? Anyone been there before?

 

[Caren90]

All this talk of excursions is making me nervous. I have not even begun to think about it. I better start looking into it because I know everyone (we are cruising with relatives) will expect me to have all the info. Thats what I get for being the "resident Disney Cruise expert" which of course I am not, I get all my info from these boards. Any way I go back and forth on whether to do the Disney excursions or go out on our own.
I'll have to look back over this thread and see what words of wisdom have already been discussed.
It just started raining here and I have to say sometimes that 22 weeks seem so close and sometimes it seems sooo far away.

But I still love that coundown, thankyou Terry.

 

[ThreeCircles]

Hello Caren90--

Not sure if we've "officially" met on the boards or not! At any rate, glad to see that we'll be sailing with you. If you would like, please send in your family's info to the Disney Magic August 28th Cruise Site at < ahref="http://www.threecircles.net">ThreeCircles.net</a>.

I usually procrastinate on booking excursions as well just because I'm so indecisive. I would have to say that both options that you are considering in regards to booking excursions (Disney or going it on your own) have benefits and I have had experience with both.

Booking with Disney makes the whole process much more simple and there is some amount of security built into your purchase. Say, for example, you miss a port of call, Disney will automatically refund the cost of your shore excursion if you booked with them. I have heard that other people have pre-booked excursions with private companies and have to sacrifice part or all of their payment because they missed the port or arrived at port late. With that said, I wouldn't imagine that this type of thing happens too often.

Booking on your own gives you much more freedom of choice as to what activities you want to do, what time you want to do them, and may be less expensive than Disney. We booked a 4 hour trip with a glass bottom boat in Cozumel in November of 2002 and paid about $120 for four adults. That's only $30 bucks a person and the trip included snorkeling and drinks. I don't think you would find a similar excursion through Disney for that price.

Hope this helps a little and if you have more questions, ask away! That's what these boards are for!

Jason

 

[Caren90]

Hello Jason,
I have posted on this thread a couple of times, but mainly I lurk. We have done the Eastern twice and always booked through Disney. On the last cruise we did one of the St. John excursions, the family we were traveling with had a child under 5 that was not allowed on the excursion. So she and the child went on thier own and we were going to try to maybe meet at Trunk Bay, anyway to make a long story short, we had a great excursion but it only lasted two hours and was fairly expensive. My S.I.L. and daughter spend the entire day at Trunk Bay for a fraction of the price. Soo, it made us think twice about the Disney compared to "on your own". Of course there was a lot of imfomation on how to do excursions on your own for the Eastern I am not sure if that is true of the Western. If anyone has done this research maybe they can let me know where to look. I am not one to sweat possibly losing the $ if has to be cancelled.

I am looking forward to checking out your site Jason.
Thanks, Caren

 

[O'BWV]

Hello Cruise Mates!

I booked the friday night before the cruise today at the Radisson. I booked the cruise package with breakfast for two, parking & shuttle for $119. I thought that was a decent price since parking is $70 (we're driving from NJ) and breakfast would be about $20 bringing the room cost in at about $30. This saves many, many of our DVC points that we were originally planning on using. Anyway....... I called the Radisson directly to make shuttle reservations, told them I booked the cruise pkg. and they told me to call back in July and I can book the shuttle then. Does this sound right to all of you?

P.S. I know we still have five months, but I'm really starting to get psyched now!

Thanks,
Mary Rose

 

[Karel]

We're hoping to drive down early, provide I can get Wed night off from work, and stay in the World for a few day.

I need to decide whether we should go to PC on Friday and stay there vs. paying for a Disney resort for the night.

Also, I want to look at Ron Jon. If we can park there for free for the week, it might be worth staying there.

 

[Mjasp]

Just want to remind everyone of the date 3/28/04, that leaves us 5 months!!

Still like the sound of the weeks countdown better

 

[winnyis]

OBWV - I would call the Radisson if I were you... I also booked the cruise package and I am already reserved for the 10:30 shuttle which Im told is the first one. I think several others on our cruise were also able to book their reservations already.

Joanna - have a great spring break trip... I wish It was me going to sunny florida in a few more days...


Ginny

 

[sandygirl]

Joanna - Thanks for offering to get those DVC pins. Maybe someone else will be going who is a DVC member.

Mary Anne - That is so great about your new job! Congratulations ! You must just be so excited about your first day. I'll pray it all goes well and you settle in quickly.

I'm not settled on excursions yet. But I really think I am doing Tulum Ruins in Cozumel. I know it will be a long day but I really want to share the culture experience with DD.

Key West I think will be on our own. I want to see Hemingway's house and Truman's house and check out the Kino sandals.

Grand Cayman is really a toss up.

Have a great week all

 

[Reenieny]

Hello everyone. I can't seem to follow the directions to get the timer to work for me... What can I be doing wrong?
If anyone can help me,,, please let me know. I have followed all the directions very well (ok about 3 times I have tried).
Thanks if you can help me.

 

[Mjasp]

Reenie...Print out the instructions before you start, maybe that will be easier for you. Then just follow them and test it on the test board and wah lah. Where are you having the problem?

Thanks Ginny for the well wishes, I hope work is busy this week, so it goes quickly. I know every night is something so it should go real quick.

 

[O'BWV]

Thanks Ginny! I took your advice and emailed the Radisson yesterday. I received an answer today stating we they reserved four seats for us on the 10:30 shuttle!

Can't wait!

-Mary Rose

 

[Reenieny]

Has anyone ever done the Richard Petty Driving Experience ? My DH will be driving it on the Friday before the cruise. I told him he better not get hurt because the kids and I will still go on the cruise and I will send him pixs.(he just laughed at me).

We did this same trip 2 yrs ago but we went to Jamaica as well. Loved Dunns River Falls . This time we are looking at Rum Beach in GC; Fury Catamaran Beach party in Coz, and Parasailing in Castaway Cay. I have family in Key West so we will let them show us the way...
What is everyone else doing???

 

[tonia]

hello hello
I'M BACK

to all the cruisers coming down the night before. i hope to meet you. i will also be staying at the raddison the friday before the trip. I haven't been on for a while. so welcome to everyone that has joined us and our little group. i am also leaving from Jersey. I will have my DH, DD 11 and my DS 6. until next week.

 

[winnyis]

I looks like DH's company will not agree to transfer us to FL - even though my company will... it took them 9 weeks to decide no - unbelievable.

Now if we want to move it means DH switching jobs after 17 years.... thats a big decision to make.

To cheer myself up - Ive gone ahead and extended my vacation 2 extra days in florida before the cruise.. We now arrive on 8/23 and go home on 9/6......

I can only imagine what my kennel bill for the dog is gonna look like - yikes!!!

 

[sandygirl]

Sorry to hear your DH's company didn't cooperate about the transfer. Maybe something better will come up. You know what they say about a closed door...keep looking for the open window.