Baltic Ballyhoo Trip report 7/18/10, pre trip

[TDC Nala]

We saw Ponz today on Deck 9 and he told us there won't be a Crew Talent show on this cruise, so we may not be able to do that for you.

This skit is performed at the "Pub Night" (which is now held in Rockin' Bar D because it was so popular) - this was done right after the adult cabaret time on the last night of the cruise. It's been performed on every cruise I've been on (including the 2nd Baltic and yes Trevor and Joe are a blast.)

This isn't the same event as the Crew Talent Show. When you see Ponz again ask him if they'll be doing the skit on the last night (he'd have made a great sergeant major by the way). Someone please take my place as Katrina's Wii bowling partner.

 

[Cmdbuddy]

What she said above

It's not the same as the crew talent show.

Please please please video tape this for me... nobody did on the last cruise that I know of!

Hope you guys have an amazing cruise... I want back on the ship!

 

[cindy18]

Me too, me too! I want back on the ship. And I'd love to see the skit AGAIN. It made the last night bearable. You are in for an amazing 12 days!

 

[justmestace]

Thanks for doing this, Caro and Andrew!!! Just home last night from our cruise and my following trip to San Francisco, and the only thing I looked forward to was seeing how your trip was going! I certainly haven't been looking forward to coming home and doing all my laundry!!
I hope you all are having a great time!

 

[alanapapa]

We are having major connection problems, which is causing problems posting the blog as I get dropped half way through an update.

Copenhagen was great, Warnemunde was interesting. Food has been great as ususal.

 

[justmestace]

We are having major connection problems, which is causing problems posting the blog as I get dropped half way through an update.

Copenhagen was great, Warnemunde was interesting. Food has been great as ususal.

I heard from previous cruisers that they had trouble with the internet too.
I did my reports under my documents first, and then transferred them onto here.

 

[TheThomsLuvDisney]

Hope the internet starts working soon! Waiting patiently .....and subbing in!

 

[alanapapa]

We are just leaving St Petersburg as I try and post. It was a wonderful, amazing, and tiring two days. I hope we will be able to come back as we saw just a miniscule part of this great city. I am hoping that my blog catches up with what I thought I posted, our ports of Oslo, Copenhagen, Warnemunde, and St Petersburg. If not, I will try to repost them when we get back home and I can leave the laptop online all night.

St Petersburg was better than I had imagined. The tour we took was pretty good, but our tour guide was more interested in keeping us moving and sticking to the schedule than letting us absorb what we were seeing and hearing.

 

[TheThomsLuvDisney]

Can't wait to hear about Oslo!

 

[alanapapa]

We are at Heathrow waiting to board. I have updated blog to Stockholm and will update tomorrow once rested.

Debarkation at Dover was easy, the Ballyhoo bus had some traffic due to a overturned truck. The hard part was saying good-bye to the friends we made.

 

[Caropooh]

Carolyn - Can you find out if Ponz will still be on the ship for the Oct 23 sailing? Is David on your sailing? Too bad Pikey has left.

Ponz will be on vacation in October. We did tell him that you were asking about him. It was so nice to see him again! It still amazes me how they can remember everyones names!

We're just off the 7/6 Baltic. Bon Voyage to all those taking our places. We had a fabulous time and are still upset that they kicked us off! It went by terribly quickly, so enjoy every minute!

I'm also wondering if someone can record the Pub Night skit from the final night this time around (it's not the same as the talent show). It was far too funny and this cruise staff was the BEST we've had in a while and they did a great job with it. Trevor and Joe made the show. Speaking of Trevor, he was our Bingo King. And if you get the chance to do Bingo... DO IT. Ponz was also on our trip and marvelous. David (Canada) was not on board. I think the whole cruise staff was Trevor, Joe, Ponz, Neville, Katrina, Melanie, Hilda, Di, Tisa as club hostess, and DJ Rev. Forgive me if I forgot anyone.

Interesting that Peter is still the CD. Brent boarded the ship in Stockholm on our cruise and was sailing as a guest for the last few days. He told us he would resume work on the 7/18 voyage. Wonder if he's doing backstage stuff for now...

According to Yolande who is Brent's wife and was our Head Server, Brent was still on vacation on this cruise. Didn't ask when he is due back on board though.

We are at Heathrow waiting to board. I have updated blog to Stockholm and will update tomorrow once rested.

Debarkation at Dover was easy, the Ballyhoo bus had some traffic due to a overturned truck. The hard part was saying good-bye to the friends we made.

Hard is putting it MILDLY! Unbearable is more like it!

 

[justmestace]

Hard is putting it MILDLY! Unbearable is more like it!

That's the only bad thing about a longer cruise.

 

[Caropooh]

That's the only bad thing about a longer cruise.

especially when you are 16 and your new boyfriend lives in England!

 

[justmestace]

especially when you are 16 and your new boyfriend lives in England!

Jordan met a guy on a longer cruise once. Thought he was going to be her boyfriend forever. They did stay in touch, for a year at least, but eventually they realized it wasn't going to work. Yes, traumatic!

 

[JetsMets]

My family and I had a great time. The girls made some good friends and met up with some of the people that were posting on the kids board.

Very quick at this point, but positives and negatives - not that anything was too negative, but in comparison to the great stuff.

Pos:

* Food was great
* Everything well organized - getting on/off the ship was very easy
* Port stops were fun, most excursions were great
* Kids had a super time in the lab and the pools
* Disney staff was again excellent
* Entertainment was fun, the shows I saw were good
* Overall weather was great

Cons:

* The time changes aren't a big deal to me, but having 6 time changes during a cruise is, well, strange I suppose - even the station with the cruise progress didn't always have the correct time.
* Kids didn't appreciate all the countries as much as I hoped (they would have just as soon stay on the ship)
* Weather on the last full day was nasty and cold


All I can think of right now, but I may add to this list.

Oh, and my favorite stop was Germany, least favorite was Norway

 

[DMMarla07860]

Ponz will be on vacation in October. We did tell him that you were asking about him. It was so nice to see him again! It still amazes me how they can remember everyones names!

it amazes me too that he can remember everyones name as well, last cruise my friends and I were trying to remember some guys name(so called guy was annoying us, so we kept running away) and ponz remembered

 

[MrsScooby]

Hey Andrew and Carolyn
Loved meeting you and your family this trip and getting to spend time with you

Everything went by so quickly that I can't believe it's over

We have some great photos of you all and just need to get settled at home so we can organize and post some.

 

[smeecanada]

Ponz will be on vacation in October. We did tell him that you were asking about him. It was so nice to see him again! It still amazes me how they can remember everyones names!

Thanks for finding out for me. Sadly, we'll miss Ponz. We met him while on the EBRepo cruise and he remembered us when we went last July. Made of a point of saying hi and asking how we were doing each day. Great CM.

 

[Kouris_Family]

I think about our cruise everyday. I am putting together my photo album so I can re-live through my pics. I don't have a favorite port, I truly loved them all for different reasons. I have to say I loved shopping in St. Petersburg the best. I just loved all there stuff.

I already ran out of the Russian ornament eggs I purchased on the ship for $15 with the painting of a little girl. I just love them and should have bought more. If any one out there purchased too many and would like to sell 1 or more, I would be more than happy to buy it from you.

We are booked on the Wonder weekend cruise to no where. This should make for a fun weekend, I just hope it's not a rough one out there in the Pacific. We are so close to Long Beach, couldn't pass it up.

Hope everyone is finding themselves well and already looking forward to a future cruise.

Kay

 

[Marla Hellwig]