August 7, 2004 Magic...who's going?

[jeanneg]

Are any of the men offended if we make High Tea ladies only? As my mom would always say, "Speak now or forever hold your peace!"
OK, if we plan to do the open lunch on Thursday, the last sea day, which day should be Palo Brunch and which High Tea? Both Sunday and Monday will be sea days. Denise, why don't you make the selection for Brunch and I'll take whtever is left. The private room at Palo only holds 14 so if you'd like to attend the tea please let me know. I'm going to see if my daughters are interested and please remember everybody must be over 18.....I learned my lesson the hard way last year!

 

[wendym]

We would love to come to the High Tea - our birth certificates say we're over 18 but whether we act that way........
Wendy

 

[sbennett]

Jay said if I want to go to a ladies only high tea that would be okay.....so....count me in. He can do lunch with the kids that day

 

[sbennett]

Why don't the guys get together and do lunch that day?

 

[jeanneg]

I think my husband would like that......and they wouldn't have to argue about who picks up the check! Does anyone remember what time High Tea usually is on the ship? It won't be the same time as lunch, but that probably doesn't matter.

 

[wendym]

I think it is 3.30pm. As for paying for bills there was a wonderful comedy programme here called Father Ted about priests. Their housekeepers argued over a bill and eventually came to blows over it - it resembles my friends and I though we usually don't come to blows! We go to amazing lengths to pay bills to prevent the others doing it!
Wendy

 

[gometros]

I updated the cruise list. Please let me know if I've left anything out.

 

[wendym]

Thanks for doing this Sandy.
Had a bad day - my new boss came in to visit - lets say we didn't see eye to eye! He is even turning down some new IT equipment because he doesn't want me to have it in my lab. As he starts the day after I arrive back after the cruise you'll understand why I will not want to leave!!!
Wendy

 

[sbennett]

Wendy....hope you had a better day today!!

 

[sbennett]

Hi everyone,
Did you get your excursion booklet? We got ours today. Still can't figure out what to do....can't really do more than one because they all leave around the same time and take quite a few hours to do each.

Anyone figured out what they are doing?

 

[FLGalInTN]

I booked through All Seasons and they sent me the shore excursion book awhile back, but it doesn't include any of the special itineraries. Are the San Juan excursions in the book you just received?

I have no idea what to do either. I know DS and DH would love to go snorkeling and I figure we'll do that at Castaway Cay, but that is all I have decided at this point. Do you usually book excursions through DCL or elsewhere?

 

[sbennett]

San Juan excursions are in the booklet. Last year on Grand Caymen we booked our own Stingray City excursion but that's because alot of other people had done it before with no problems and we had no problems and it saved quite a bit of money.
The safety with booking thru DCL is if the excursion is late getting back, the ship won't leave without you, but if you're out on your own and run late.....bye, bye

 

[jeanneg]

We were interested in the Buck Island excursion, but someone has told me that the Buck Island you go to from St Thomas is not the same as the one you go to from St Croix which is where we originally did the national park underwater trail. If that's the case, we plan to sign up for one of the half day snorkel trips that goes to St. John. We definitely want one that leaves in the morning so we can return to the ship, shower, have lunch (for free!) and still have enough time to walk around St Thomas for a little bit. I haven't had time to investigate all the options, but if someone else is interested, it's always more fun to do it with a group of people you know. Maybe we can coordinate it so that we book the same excursion. BTW, what is the date we can book? I thought it was June 7th, but our payment is due June 8th. Unfortunately, I'm going to be flying out to the west coast on 6/8 and will be in transit from early am until about 6pm (EST). I may have to fax my request in.
Not doing any excursions in PR....
Would like to do parasailing at CC......how many go out on a boat at one time? Maybe we could coordinate that together also.

 

[wendym]

Hi all
I think the only excursion I will book will be the parasailing for mum - let me know the time you are booking and I will try and go for the same one. I'll try and get my TA to send us the excursion booklet - we never tend to get it!
Wendy
PS Sorry for moaning the other day - seems I wasn't the only one upset by him, I had all the management team assuring me he would not be allowed to turn down my requests.

 

[eye R.N.]

Hi Linda, bet you've had an interesting week. Do the blue angles fly low over your house? Today was the annual U-haul parade up Ritchie highway of graduating midshipmen. So funny to see a U-haul behind a sports car, but I guess they acquire a lot of "stuff" in four years. Just one of the joys of living near a service accademy. Are you driving or flying to the cruise? My 15 y/o DS is Taylor and Hope is the 12 y/o, they should be in the same clubs as your children.

Wendy, you know you can always come over here and work for Andy. We are crying for great teachers in our county and you'd be so much closer to Disney My kids will gladly volunteer as surogate grandkids for Mum.

Sandy, your whole family has been in our thoughts. It is good to see you back here, even if we do lose you to the Vernada Man cruise.

Right now I think the only excursion we will book is the parasail and the banana boat ride on CC. No clue how many can get on the boat at once. Like you, I want an early time before the afternoon winds kick up. The web site says it's a 40 minute ride with 5-7 minutes of airtime. Hope and I did the banana boat last year and had a blast so we are going to be repeating that one. We might even take Taylor along with us.

I would like to take the ferry to St. Johns and snorkle, I wonder where the best beach for snorkling is located? We weren't all that impressed with the shopping in St. Thomas so we can spend some real beach time.

Jeanne, I think Monday is the better day for brunch. Everyone should be settled in by then. Looking at the old navigators, 11:30 looks like a good time. We should be done before the afternoon activities get into full swing.

So far I have
John and Shelly
Wendy and Mum
Denise and Andy
possibly Chelsea (if she can't wrangle her way into the teen club)

Anybody else interested? The only catch is you have to be over 18.

Add me to the high tea list Jeanne. As for lunch, that sounds good too but I can only speak for myself and Andy, It all depends on the atmosphere at the kids clubs, if it is great, I'll rarely see my offspring, if not, they'll be hanging with us. Either way I am a happy person.

One last note, the Disney store that was my part time work place for four years closed it's door's this week. It will be odd to walk into the mall tomorrow and see it boarded up.

 

[wendym]

Hi all
Denise - it must be really odd not to have the Disney Store in the mall. Ours is still really popular - of course we are known by our first names! As for the job - I would be really tempted and mum would gladly adopt your children! At the moment I am biting my tongue and being really good - it can't last for long....
We both loved Trunk Bay - mum still speaks about it - that's where we did SNUBA and the sights were wonderful. We left to get back on the 2pm ferry and still managed to do a little shopping - mum actually bought herself a necklace - most unlike her!
Wendy

 

[sbennett]

Anyone thinking of the Doubloon sail in St. Thomas? We thought we could walk around then take the sail at 12:15 and it's only 3.5 hours long or maybe the St. Thomas Island Tour (the 8am one) then do the Doubloon sail.
In San Juan we were thinking of the 8am Old/New San Juan City Tour and the 12:15 Bicardi Distillery tour....or would it be better to do the Bicardi Distillery & Old san Juan City tour combo (they must leave something out of this one since it's 4.5 hours and the Bicardi distillery tour itself is 3 hours and the old/new San Juan City tour is 3 hours too)

 

[jeanneg]

I haven't thought much about excursions lately as we've had a very busy weekend....Jason graduated from H.S. and we had a house guest as well. I'm definitely leaning towards a morning trip in St Thomas as that midday sun really scares me. Plus, I'll probably do better with a sail and snorkel on a relatively empty stomach.
Re Puerto Rico.....they must be adding some sort of a mini-tour to the Bacardi excursion because there's no way it could be 3 hours (the trip from San Juan should only be about 20-30 minutes)
I'd go for the combo if it goes to the fort (El Morro)

 

[gometros]

Originally posted by eye R.N.
Sandy, your whole family has been in our thoughts. It is good to see you back here, even if we do lose you to the Vernada Man cruise.

Thanks, Denise. All your cards and well-wishes have been very comforting.

Unfortunately, we had to cancel the cruise all-together. There are rules of mourning that mean we couldn't cruise in the next year anyway.

Just be sure to let me know if you guys book another cruise for next summer!

 

[sbennett]

We're sorry you won't be cruising with us, you will be in our thoughts and prayers. When might you be cruising again?