August 29th, 2009--Eastern Magic...Let's Get it Started!

[Thetowlers]

If you are involved in the FE please pm me or post the info about when you are leaving for the trip. We are posting the final list Aug 9th, but if any changes come in before that, I'd like to be able to notify you by pm, or a general post. My family is leaving at 4pm on the 26th, and I won't have a computer with me to check my email after that time. Please notify me as soon as you can onboard, cabin 7022, if you change your cabin either by getting an upgrade at port or something that happens after the early part of the 26th(don't know how much time I will have that day to check the computer). I will get a note out to the group, but please notify me as early as you can(before 5pm), since we will be making the first FE delivery. Sorry for all the emails lately, but I am an overly organized planner.

I try to tack on the fish at the top of any post concerning the FE group so it will catch your attention quicker, I will continue to do that with any late updates

We are leaving Pa on the 22nd. I will be able to access emial and the website on the 24th up until we leave for the cruise ship. Going to visit my sister for the week in New port Richie which in north of Tampa.

Did you get my PM about the rooms and the dates we would like to distribute??

 

[Thetowlers]

I did Sapphire when we were in St. Thomas in 2007 and loved it, although I have heard a few mixed reviews recently on Cruise Critic. I plan to keep an eye out over there for reviews as they come in over the summer and then decide whether to go back to Sapphire or try Megan's this time.

I would love to see St. John, but just don't want the stress of all the effort to get over there -- not that it isn't possible, but I have decided that I want this cruise to be a really easy and lazy one . . .

We did Megans bay last summer on a 10 day Royal Carribean cruise out of New York and it was just as good as when we went on our honeymoon in 1998. Great for the kids. Nice calm water and you can see the fish swimming around you.

Never did Sapphire though, is it nice??

 

[Waltworshiper]

Did you get my PM about the rooms and the dates we would like to distribute??

No I didn't. I don't think the disboard will let you pm until you have 10 posts. You're close, but not quite there. Just post it in this thread and I will update the list.

 

[bellelinus]

We did Megans bay last summer on a 10 day Royal Carribean cruise out of New York and it was just as good as when we went on our honeymoon in 1998. Great for the kids. Nice calm water and you can see the fish swimming around you.

Never did Sapphire though, is it nice??

When we went there in 2007, it was lovely. You have great views of St. John, clear calm water for snorkeling, plenty of trees for natural shade, etc. The only issue is that a few posters on cruise critic have said that they were there in 2009 and thought it was going downhill . . .

 

[MakingScrapbooks]

I'm still trying to decide on St. Thomas too. I want easy, fun, and worry free for getting back to the ship. I'll be keeping my eyes on what you guys post for your plans.


Also, I have to say... I'm really excited about the FE, but I still have no FE to hang by our door. I told my husband he was going to have to help me figure out how to make one. Who has one already? I've already ordered my goodies to give out!!! It is something I created and am having printed. I can hardly wait!!!

 

[MakingScrapbooks]

If anyone is surprising their kids with the cruise, Dolly made up a cute little letter to give them. If anyone is interested here is the link to her thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2189054&page=2

These are soo cute!!!! Thanks for sharing!!

 

[nycemschic]

Hey all

Haven't been around here in a bit... there have been so many new messages!

We booked Palo for Thurs night, an Exotic Rasul for Monday and I got my once in a blue moon only when I cruise facial...

We are looking at heading off to Loterie farms for the ziplining adventure and thinking about SNUBA at St. Thomas or St. John. Has anyone done these before? Any recommendations? We're not big into shopping, although if DH wants to buy me a hunk of jewlery, he is more than welcome...

I was also wondering, I read some posts about GTY ? What does that mean? We are in a Cat. 11, which we are ok with, but we were hoping beyond hope for a sideways Cat 11, with the split bath... is there any hope that one of those ppl will cancel their trip?!?

TTYL
Sophia

 

[TVEPFOX]

We've done St. Thomas three times, it was very nice. No complaints (just bad drivers). Really like Meghan's Bay.

I was wondering if anyone had been to Saphire Beach. We were looking at something new.

However, we always travel with friends off the ship. It's just a good idea in port and you have better buying power with drivers in numbers.

 

[TVEPFOX]

We booked Palo for Thurs night.

I was also wondering, I read some posts about GTY ? What does that mean?
TTYL
Sophia

We're at Palo Thursday night too! 7 pm.

GTY means guarantee. In your case a GTY category 11. You will be assigned a cabin # about two weeks before the cruise. HOWEVER, some GTY folks get lucky and get an upgrade. We have!

 

[TVEPFOX]

There's a thread on the main page... fuel surcharges. Are we paying them? Sounds like you get OBC. Have to call TA for this one. I don't even know if we paid one!

 

[TVEPFOX]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LUV THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From the main page...
Here's a great new offering for families assigned to second dining! The Dine and Play program allows children to get their meals quicker and adults to check-in a child for Youth Activities without leaving the dining room.


Dine and Play
Available on both the Disney Magic® and Disney Wonder® Cruise Ship.
Offered during second dining in any of the main dining rooms - Animator’s Palate, Lumieres, Tritons and Parrot Cay.
Open to children ages 3-12.

Here's how it works: You arrive in the dining room and inform the server that your child would like to participate in Dine and Play. The dining room team brings the child's meal first while serving the adults at a more leisurely pace.

About 45 minutes after seating begins, Youth Activities Counselors arrive in the dining room and sign in the child to their respective groups in Disney's Oceaneer Club or Disney's Oceaneer Lab, eliminating the need for you to escort your child to Deck 5.

Adults are then able to enjoy the full dining experience with the knowledge that their child is having a great time in a safe, fun and comfortable environment!!!

 

[bellelinus]

I'm still trying to decide on St. Thomas too. I want easy, fun, and worry free for getting back to the ship. I'll be keeping my eyes on what you guys post for your plans.


Also, I have to say... I'm really excited about the FE, but I still have no FE to hang by our door. I told my husband he was going to have to help me figure out how to make one. Who has one already? I've already ordered my goodies to give out!!! It is something I created and am having printed. I can hardly wait!!!

I have one that I bought on ebay and the person that made it personalized it for me . . . before I had that I just used a hanging wall organizer with a few pockets. I have even seen people just hang a tote bag on the hook, so don't worry about it!

 

[skiingwife]

TVEPFOX - We're planning to make the trip to St. John on our own too, so let's go together. Check out the link Bellelinus posted - it had some good info about getting there. Sounds like we can do it pretty easily on our own and it will be beautiful! We'll need to decide on whether to take the taxi for $10 a person or the local bus for $2 a person. Someone said it's not hard to find the bus - a leisurely 15 minute walk to the KMart/Wendy's where there's a bus stop. Otherwise, sounds like the taxis will be waiting for us right where we get off the ship. I've printed directions and ferry schedules and we can talk more about it when we meet.

 

[Waltworshiper]

Also, I have to say... I'm really excited about the FE, but I still have no FE to hang by our door. I told my husband he was going to have to help me figure out how to make one. Who has one already? I've already ordered my goodies to give out!!! It is something I created and am having printed. I can hardly wait!!!

I got a homemade one off Ebay last year too. I just ordered my stepson one of the generic 5 pocket Mickey ones off Ebay, coming from England. If you search ebay for Fish Extenders, the personalized ones come up, I think I searched Mickey hanging storage for the one I just got stepson. His will be yellow with different Mickey faces on each pocket.

 

[Waltworshiper]

Hey all

I was also wondering, I read some posts about GTY ? What does that mean? We are in a Cat. 11, which we are ok with, but we were hoping beyond hope for a sideways Cat 11, with the split bath... is there any hope that one of those ppl will cancel their trip?!?

TTYL
Sophia

If your stateroom shows a gty instead of a room number it means you are guaranteed at least that cat of stateroom or a chance you could get upgraded to something higher, but never lower than you booked. The downside is that you must take what they give you, a lot of the time these are the rooms other people avoid because of location or noise issues. Our cruise is so booked that I think every cat is in the gty mode now. DCL usually lets you know your cabin assignment anywhere from 25-45 days prior. I would keep checking with DCL or your TA from now until the 75 day mark in case one does cancel.

 

[jel0511]

I have my fish extender. I ordered it off ebay a few weeks ago. I only got a two pocket one, didn't think we'd need a larger one. I figured we'd be emptying it out daily, and with at that time two deliveries a day, two pockets sounded good!!! Hopefully the days deliveries will fit in my little two pocket!!!

 

[MN_Cruz'n]

... fuel surcharges. Are we paying them? Sounds like you get OBC. Have to call TA for this one. I don't even know if we paid one!

It depends when you booked. We booked with Dreams Unlimited back in July 2008, and the costs included the Fuel Surcharge (FS). We got a letter from them last fall, stating that the FS had been removed and that they would be crediting the FS to our account as an OBC. They were strongly encouraging people to NOT cancel and rebook to get the lower price, since that can really mess with your room assignements, dinning seating, etc., and there was no guarantee that if you cancelled and rebooked that the price wouldn't be higher (because of DCL's tiered pricing).

 

[MakingScrapbooks]

Thanks guys! I'll search ebay for the FE!!

 

[Waltworshiper]

I have my fish extender. I ordered it off ebay a few weeks ago. I only got a two pocket one, didn't think we'd need a larger one. I figured we'd be emptying it out daily, and with at that time two deliveries a day, two pockets sounded good!!! Hopefully the days deliveries will fit in my little two pocket!!!

Have you checked the list lately? Some days are up to 4 deliveries a day!!!And if more join, there is a possibility of 5 on Sea Days. I'll just keep one of the kids running to the cabin at different times during the day to check and empty it, let's see three 7-11 yo guys and a 27 yo, yes, that should keep them busy!

 

[Thetowlers]

No I didn't. I don't think the disboard will let you pm until you have 10 posts. You're close, but not quite there. Just post it in this thread and I will update the list.

In room 6067 there will be me, Brian(41), Margie(40), Rachel(6), and Shane(4).
In room 6069 there will be my parents Alfred(77), Barbara(73), Cheyenne(13), and Montanna(10).

Room 6067 would like to deliver on Thursday anytime.
Room 6069 would like to deliver on Tuesday at anytime.
Are those times still open?