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

[SleepyatDVC]

Hiya all - can't believe the cruise is finally so close!!

Summer officially started this week for our family. The girls' last day of school was last Friday. NYC public schools traditionally start the Tuesday after Labor Day. They made a last minute change and school won't start until Wednesday 9/9/09. Pretty late, huh? Well better late then switching it to earlier.

Can't wait and yet not ready to say farewell to summer yet. LOL.

Debating on whether to try to make our own FE or ebay it. Will wait and see - if I run out of time - ebay here I come!!

Am trying to cut down on my expenses - I did a calculation of how much I spent on travel this year between a trip to Miami in February, NCL cruise in April, and my 18 day extravaganza in August (for my 40th b'day) and I am . Let's just say, I don't have ANY trips planned for 2010...

 

[jel0511]

Hiya all - can't believe the cruise is finally so close!!

Summer officially started this week for our family. The girls' last day of school was last Friday. NYC public schools traditionally start the Tuesday after Labor Day. They made a last minute change and school won't start until Wednesday 9/9/09. Pretty late, huh? Well better late then switching it to earlier.

Can't wait and yet not ready to say farewell to summer yet. LOL.

Debating on whether to try to make our own FE or ebay it. Will wait and see - if I run out of time - ebay here I come!!

Am trying to cut down on my expenses - I did a calculation of how much I spent on travel this year between a trip to Miami in February, NCL cruise in April, and my 18 day extravaganza in August (for my 40th b'day) and I am . Let's just say, I don't have ANY trips planned for 2010...

Hey Grace, how did you like NCL? We're thinking of taking the Pearl to Alaska next summer. It will be for our 15 year aniversary and a belated 40th for both of us. We both turn that dreaded number later this year. This is our first trip this year, then we're off to St. John in Nov for a week. We usually go to WDW for Spring Break, but with the cruise and St. John later on in the year, had to scale back somewhere!!! We'll be going back to WDW for Spring Break in 2010, hopefully staying at BLT!

We start back at school on Sept 8th, so the kids basically get thrown back in as soon as we get home. They only have Sun and Mon before school starts again. I'll have to do all the school shopping before we leave!!!! YIKES!!!!

 

[SleepyatDVC]

It looks like there are 28 cabins participating 49 adults and 55 kids. We have a nice diverse group, moms, dads, grandparents, kids of all ages and even a 3mos old little guy! We also have several birthdays that I know of including a couple of special ones, 2 sweet 16 girls and a 40th bday!

We have had one addition to our list, nycemschic. She was on the fence about joining, borrowed a FE from someone, and has now decided to join us. She will be listed in green on the list since she is past our cutoff. Since she is so close to the cutoff date, if you have enough or haven't started your fe's yet, please try to make a delivery to their cabin.

Just doing the FE now so no problem including.

Just wondering if the total of 28 cabins (49 adults/55 kids) includes nycemschic or not. If not, how many in her cabin and the breakdown so I can add it to the total.

Thanks!

 

[SleepyatDVC]

Hey Grace, how did you like NCL? We're thinking of taking the Pearl to Alaska next summer. It will be for our 15 year aniversary and a belated 40th for both of us. We both turn that dreaded number later this year. This is our first trip this year, then we're off to St. John in Nov for a week. We usually go to WDW for Spring Break, but with the cruise and St. John later on in the year, had to scale back somewhere!!! We'll be going back to WDW for Spring Break in 2010, hopefully staying at BLT!

We start back at school on Sept 8th, so the kids basically get thrown back in as soon as we get home. They only have Sun and Mon before school starts again. I'll have to do all the school shopping before we leave!!!! YIKES!!!!

I absolutely LOVED the Pearl. It was the best NCL ship we have been on so far. We were on the Dawn and Crown (sold) before. We are fans of freestyle in general. The buffet setup is excellent and the buffet food is great. The dining room food is ok - no complaints - the extra cost sushi is to die for. Freestyle is not for everyone but it works for us. Note that we have never been on DCL so can't make the comparison for you.

 

[jel0511]

I absolutely LOVED the Pearl. It was the best NCL ship we have been on so far. We were on the Dawn and Crown (sold) before. We are fans of freestyle in general. The buffet setup is excellent and the buffet food is great. The dining room food is ok - no complaints - the extra cost sushi is to die for. Freestyle is not for everyone but it works for us. Note that we have never been on DCL so can't make the comparison for you.

Thanks!!! I'm looking foward to it. We've sailed DCL 3 times prior to this cruise, once on RCCL and once on NCL. Our NCL cruise I don't count, since it was back in 1997 on the Dreamward, which was stretched later that year and renamed the Dream. They didn't have Freestyle cruising back then, it was still traditional. We're looking forward to trying it out. We're either booking an AB or an A3, you didn't by chance stay in either of these categories.....

 

[SleepyatDVC]

Thanks!!! I'm looking foward to it. We've sailed DCL 3 times prior to this cruise, once on RCCL and once on NCL. Our NCL cruise I don't count, since it was back in 1997 on the Dreamward, which was stretched later that year and renamed the Dream. They didn't have Freestyle cruising back then, it was still traditional. We're looking forward to trying it out. We're either booking an AB or an A3, you didn't by chance stay in either of these categories.....

Haha - what do you know? We honeymooned on the Dreamward in 1996! It's a totally different experience now.


I would love to stay in an AB or A3!! I visited the AB on the Dawn and the bathroom was to die for.

Looks like the layouts are the same but I think the AB on the Pearl is cheaper than the A3 because you don't get courtyard access?

 

[Waltworshiper]

Just doing the FE now so no problem including.

Just wondering if the total of 28 cabins (49 adults/55 kids) includes nycemschic or not. If not, how many in her cabin and the breakdown so I can add it to the total.

Thanks!

Sophia (nycemschic) is included in that total of 28 cabins at the top of the page, though when I just counted again, I get 50 adults so I changed the number, kids are still 55, but I think I was one off on the adults. Most have said they have made extra, so if there were any late comers, they could cover.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

Sophia (nycemschic) is included in that total of 28 cabins at the top of the page, though when I just counted again, I get 50 adults so I changed the number, kids are still 55, but I think I was one off on the adults. Most have said they have made extra, so if there were any late comers, they could cover.

Thank you!! Appreciate your work keeping track of the FE.

 

[Mojodisney]

Hey Grace, how did you like NCL? We're thinking of taking the Pearl to Alaska next summer. It will be for our 15 year aniversary and a belated 40th for both of us. We both turn that dreaded number later this year. This is our first trip this year, then we're off to St. John in Nov for a week. We usually go to WDW for Spring Break, but with the cruise and St. John later on in the year, had to scale back somewhere!!! We'll be going back to WDW for Spring Break in 2010, hopefully staying at BLT!

We start back at school on Sept 8th, so the kids basically get thrown back in as soon as we get home. They only have Sun and Mon before school starts again. I'll have to do all the school shopping before we leave!!!! YIKES!!!!

Excuse me for jumping in, but we did NCL Seattle to Alaska 3 years ago and really enjoyed freestyle dining. DD was 3 and did not like the kid's club they had on board. It think she would be better now since the older kid's club looked way better than the toddler's. She would cry as soon as we walked up to the doorway. But it wasn't a big deal we just hung out as a family. The crew was very nice and the boat was nice too. We had done 2 Carnival cruises before this, before kid, and MIL thought NCL was good. My mom & dad did a Carnival cruise after the NCL cruise, yes we did cruise with both set of parents, and they did not like Carnival as much as NCL. We can't wait to do DCL. I'm sure they will blow everyone away. Hope this is helpful.

 

[TVEPFOX]

Hey All!

Bring the men, women and children to the meet. The guys will think we're nutts, the kids will go nutts!

Last meet I did was in a lounge on deck 3. It was nice, but who wants to be inside when we're heading for paradise.

Let's make this official: we need a time and location.

My suggestion, we go for a spot outside. That way the DH's can bring us drinks and DKids can run around or go in the pool with their new friends.

How about deck 9, port, at the Goofy pool, the tables and chairs behind the pool railing. That will give us plenty of room. (that's the left side of the ship looking forward for you land lubbers).

 

[TVEPFOX]

I found this in my Disney email... click on the sign on the right. (that would be starboard for you land lubbers)

Enjoy the view!

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/myVacation/newsletter/sweepstakes/index?id=BackstagePassSweepsPage&CMP=NLC-July2009CMR1028

 

[TVEPFOX]

Thanks Sharon! we will definitely be doing laundry since I want to pack as light as possible and we will be at the park for 4 days before.

Mojo... NO LAUNDRY ALLOWED ON VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do what I do, bring a dress for dinner each night. Nothing fancy! Get Maxis, t's, anything cute. They take up less space in the suitcase and they make it look like your husband is taking more than you. That way you can pack more SHOES!!!!

 

[jel0511]

Hey All!

Bring the men, women and children to the meet. The guys will think we're nutts, the kids will go nutts!

Last meet I did was in a lounge on deck 3. It was nice, but who wants to be inside when we're heading for paradise.

Let's make this official: we need a time and location.

My suggestion, we go for a spot outside. That way the DH's can bring us drinks and DKids can run around or go in the pool with their new friends.

How about deck 9, port, at the Goofy pool, the tables and chairs behind the pool railing. That will give us plenty of room. (that's the left side of the ship looking forward for you land lubbers).

GREAT IDEA!! But I'd like to propose a location change. How about starboard side of the Mickey Pool, by Goofy's? This way the non-swimmers will be able to swim. My kids both who can swim prefer the Mickey pool, because the slide. Thoughts?

Thanks for sharing the link, it was cool!!!

 

[Michele325]

I think by the Mickey Pool is a great idea if we want the kids to meet (which will be helpful to me with my oldest dd 10). But it will probably be crowded. How will we know each other?? I have been going to playgroups with my son's preschool (just a show up if you want) at different parks, and I never know whoelse is with our group!

I couldn't get the link to work. Got it, cool! I forgot about the playground thing in the water. We didn't get out there last time, I don't think the water was up to it.

 

[TVEPFOX]

GREAT IDEA!! But I'd like to propose a location change. How about starboard side of the Mickey Pool, by Goofy's? This way the non-swimmers will be able to swim. My kids both who can swim prefer the Mickey pool, because the slide. Thoughts?

Thanks for sharing the link, it was cool!!!

Dang! You've got 56 days to teach those kids how to swim! LOL!!

I considered the Mickey pool, but suggested Goofy for a couple of reasons... every cruise newbie in the world hangs out at Mickey. Add in the crowd that lines up for ice cream, sandwiches, fruit, the foot traffic from the buffet and Plutos, that area/side of the ship gets crazy crowded. I went up to Goofy's because the crowd thins out there.

 

[Mojodisney]

Mojo... NO LAUNDRY ALLOWED ON VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do what I do, bring a dress for dinner each night. Nothing fancy! Get Maxis, t's, anything cute. They take up less space in the suitcase and they make it look like your husband is taking more than you. That way you can pack more SHOES!!!!

I'm already bringing more shoes than I normally pack so I can have cute shoes for the dinners Laundry is for the during the day essentials. Hate to pay for the extra luggage so that means I promise it will one days worth only, on the first day and then dirty laundry for the flight home. Then if they want to go thru my luggage, have a good time

 

[racheltatt]

I just booked this cruise yesterday. It will be my boyfriend Matt,29 and me Rachel 35. This will be his first cruise and my third Disney cruise. I met some great people on the forum last time, so thought would check in and see what's going on. We had to book kind of late because Matt is in the Army and were waiting on his leave dates to be finalised.
He grew up in the Orlando area and I dragged him back to Disney World a few months ago kicking and screaming and now he has the fever (good thing too, that would have been a deal breaker) and the cruise didn't take too much groveling on my part. It will just be the two of us, no kids aside from 2 dogs and a cat that rules the house--and they have to stay home.
Look forward to meeting everyone and making new cruise friends,
Rachel

 

[TVEPFOX]

I just booked this cruise yesterday. It will be my boyfriend Matt,29 and me Rachel 35. This will be his first cruise and my third Disney cruise. I met some great people on the forum last time, so thought would check in and see what's going on. We had to book kind of late because Matt is in the Army and were waiting on his leave dates to be finalised.
He grew up in the Orlando area and I dragged him back to Disney World a few months ago kicking and screaming and now he has the fever (good thing too, that would have been a deal breaker) and the cruise didn't take too much groveling on my part. It will just be the two of us, no kids aside from 2 dogs and a cat that rules the house--and they have to stay home.
Look forward to meeting everyone and making new cruise friends,
Rachel

Hi Rachel!

Welcome Aboard. We're happy to have you in our group. Glad Matt was able to get leave.

Booking this late in the game, did you find a lot of cabins/categories still open?

 

[racheltatt]

I has talked myself into a cat 7 but they were sold out, however was able to get GTY on a cat 6 and they gave us a great rate with the military discount. Matt thinks we are in a 12 and he is gone for 30 days training right now, so probably will just let him be surprised when we get there. He has to go back to Iraq for a year shortly after the cruise, so figured would be nice going away present. And on a more selfish level, the more he enjoys the cruise the easier it will be for me to convince him to go again.

 

[Waltworshiper]

I'm already bringing more shoes than I normally pack so I can have cute shoes for the dinners Laundry is for the during the day essentials. Hate to pay for the extra luggage so that means I promise it will one days worth only, on the first day and then dirty laundry for the flight home. Then if they want to go thru my luggage, have a good time

We do the laundry on board, mostly because I hate to take all that dirty laundry home with me, and we are staying a few days before, so practicality wise, we don't want to bring too many suitcases. I'm usually up before the kids, so in the middle of the week, I usually wash it, get the kids up, throw the clothes in the dryer, then go eat breakfast. By the time we're done, so are the clothes. Just remember, people using the laundry facilities are ruthless with the dryers, especially on sea days, if your not there when it finishes, it could end up getting dumped out!