Calling All 8/19/06 Special Western Cruisers! AKA "The Cruisin' Castaways" Part 2

[famof8]

Hey fellow Cruisers!

Just popping in to introduce our family and get going with this amazing board. I have been lurking for a couple of days, reading all the posts and learning so much! Many, many thanks to Moira for guiding me here!

My husband Brett, and I are the proud parents of six great kids. We live west of Boston and hubby is an attorney withi his own practice and I work part time for The Container Store, but mostly work at home! We are taking this cruise as our last, big, blow-out family vacation before our oldest daughter leaves the nest for a study abroad in France for a year and then to NYC for college.

The thing I am hoping to learn most about is excursions! We can't book until June 5th, but I am still wondering what is the best thing to spend our money on. With so many different ages of children, it is hard to know what will be best for everyone. I don't really want to do a "split" with hubby going with one group and me with another (we did that at Disney a few years ago) as I would like some kind of family time and the excursions seem to be the best bet to get some So much to do on the boat that I fear we won't see them much! I will keep reading old posts.....but if you all have suggestions, I would welcome the advice. Of course, I have my PassPorter and it does offer some help, but I am hoping that as soon as others have taken the Costa Maya cruise we will start getting more info on the excursions there.

Thanks everyone, for welcoming my big ole' famof8. Look forward to meeting you all!

Joyce

 

[castoff]

famof8: To the Dis boards and to this thread ! The passporter is a great start ! I just got my first one and it has loads of information as does these boards. I think it would be hard to find something that the 17 and 4 year old would want to do together. I would plan dinner and shows together.

Carameltink: To our cruise thread !

Andy: Sorry about the car. On a bright note good thing it happened now and not on the way to the airport.

I just booked a Limousine for us from home to airport. They are also going to pick us up from airport on our return.They are going to throw in a bottle of champagne and told me to bring orange juice so we can have mimosa's on the way. He was sooo nice on the phone !

 

[allshookup]

Joanna: That itinerary looks awesome. I'm thinking we might have to seriously consider that cruise for next summer too! I'm also thinking that it would be wise to wait till after DH has such an awesome time on the Dis cruise!

Terry: Sorry you can't get the Poly but we're staying at the Beach Club after the cruise. The more the merrier!

Andy: How excited are you? I am already getting butterflies just thinking about our cruise & we have a few months to go!

Welcome Joyce & family & Carameltink!

We are going to try & book the Chacchoben ruins & the Sea Lion Show in Chancanab State Park thru DCL but I won't add it to the itinerary page until it is confirmed. Other than registering the kids in the Lab I don't think we are planning on booking anything else.

Hope everyone is doing well!
Diane

 

[Verandah Man]

Andy: Sorry about the car. On a bright note good thing it happened now and not on the way to the airport.

It was my work car that had the flat tire. We have a service called Rapid Rover that will be picking us up and driving us to the airport on Thursday. It's so hard to believe we are actually leaving this week, we are soooooooooo pumped!!!!!!!!!

 

[Aurora's Mommy]

Hey All,

It's been a while since I've lurked, so I thought I'd stop by. Can't believe the cruise is only a little over 3 months away!

I wasn't checking in so much, because the regulars seemed to all have older children, and I've got little ones (DS 7 and DD 4). It appears there are more parents of younger children hanging out here, so nice to "see" you all. I can commiserate on planning excursions that the whole family can enjoy, especially since the age cut-off for many of the activities is 5. We may just lay low, enjoy the ship and the ports. In any case, I don't know about your kids, but my 7 year old informed me that he intends to be dropped off at the club when it opens, and he doesn't plan to leave until they kick him out!

He's still excited (as is his little sister), but I have to admit that we made these reservations so early (March 2005), I was starting to lose the "Magic". I'm starting to get excited again, especially since I have started to do alot of summer shopping. Yesterday we went and bought a suit for my DS (they are on after-Easter sale), I also bought some Disney swimwear and summer accessories, so that helped. (BTW, I don't remember the exact web address, but the Disney shopping site has a special that goes through today. 20% off everything, plus free shipping for orders over $75. When you go to check out, type in CINCO in the discount code section. I got a bathing suits for the kids for less than $10 each).

Anyway, better get back to work .

Oh, one more thing! We are first time cruisers, so I've been really interesting in all the tips and such I've picked up from websites and books. We just got back from three days in a very small hotel room in Virginia Beach where there was no counter space in the bathroom. I came home and rushed out and bought that over-the-door shoe organizer! But, I'm wondering, are there hooks on the back of the bathroom doors?

See you all around (I'm going to try to lurk more regularly).

Later, Denise

 

[SeaSpray]

I just got back from a hair appointment and from the post office. My cruise package is ON ITS WAY!!!!

Joyce: I'm so glad to see that you've posted. WELCOME again!

Denise: Here's a picture of the half bath. As you can see there's a glass shelf right over the sink. And if you look along the right edge of the picture and see that brown wood work, that's actually a corner shelving unit that has 3 shelves. I wish I had a better picture! LOL

 

[PoohJen]

Man, y'all are chatty today!

Moira: saw your post about your preparations. re: the over-the-door shoe holder, it is hands down the best, #1 cruise tip!!! We used ours to hold sunglasses, passporter, sunblock, cameras, etc. Very easy, very organized! Saved all the "Where is the...." questions.

Terry: of course you are having lovely sunny weather. As I just spent 3 primarily cold and rainy weeks in Boston, I felt it was time to leave and take that cold and rainy weather with me!

Welcome Joyce and Lynn!!!! Joyce, I've got a 13 yo anxious to link up with fellow cruisers; p.m. me if you'd like these boys to meet via email (btw, I too am an attorney and used to live in Boston and southeastern MA). Lynn, I also have boys close to your sons age; my twins are 9. Their favorite thing to do on the cruise is to hang out in the hot tubs by the Goofy Pool.

Well, I'm working my way back to obsession by reading the recent trip reports - I love a good, long trip report to keep me in the Magic mood!

Hey, I noticed on some recent navigators that Twice Charmed was shown on Tuesday AND Wednesday??? I assume this was just a misprint?

Happy Monday all! Getting closer every day!

 

[Ct_TiggerFan]

Welcome aboard

Famof8 - Joyce and her family: Katharine (17), Nathan (15), TJ (13), Megan (9), Christian (7), and Nick (4).

Carameltink - Lynn and her DS (8)


Joyce our dd(caitlin) will be 9 also on this trip, I think there are now 3 or 4 girls on the list who will be 8 or 9 this trip. I suppect they will hook up fast.

Ed

 

[RobinMarie]

Welcome to Famof8 & Carameltink Families!

My daughter Victoria Rose will be 9 when we set sail. She is looking forward to sailing with her cruise buddies Sandy and Mary who she has sailed with before. Victoria is especially excited to meet her new cruise friends like Caitlin.. It looks like quite a pack of 9 year old princesses will be on board!

RobinMarie - your pictures are beautiful! I love family pictures! (Real nosy streak)

Thank you Moira! You best watch that nosey streak of yours, otherwise I'll link you to all my photo albums! I love taking pictures of children!

 

[castoff]

Joanna, I've looked at that exact cruise myself. I think eventually we will be doing that cruise, maybe next year, not sure. My niece has been on the Explorer and she said it was great. I know what you mean about cruising out of NJ; no flying, no pre-cruise hotel, etc. Plus it's a 9-night cruise!

I just mentioned it to Chuck on the phone. I was to excited to wait after the Aug. cruise. Chuck reminded that we already have a cruise booked for Nov. 2007 and yes it's our Anniversary month on Disney and where we got married we were taking the kids on that cruise and he reminded me we are trying to bulid a house and going to sell this one. Said now.........do I want to change the cruise? I started to think about it and started to feel guilty. I have never been on Royal but because we got married on Disney feel like we are cheating on them. We have time to think about it and I will talk to the kids............afraid of what they will say if I ask them.

 

[castoff]

Cruise Exchange Packages

So far these people have packages on there way

WalshClan
RobinMarie
Castoff
SeaSpray
Don't forget to post on here when you get your package or when you ship your's out.
__________________

 

[Mjasp]

I'm sure you all know about this already BUT just in case I wanted to remind you, if you book by June 4th and stay at a Disney resort after August 13th, you eat free and get free Disney tickets and also get free transportation to the airport (all included). I put in the All Star for my family of 4 for Labor Day weekend (4 nights) and it was $867, but I put in tickets for only 2 days, since we are at Disney often, I thought we would enjoy the resorts. It includes all meals AMAZING

I just love the itinerary on that RCCL cruise. Going out of Jersey is an added bonus. Do you think the DIS board owners would let us place a "who's going" thread for the RCCL sailing if we decided to do it? I mean the Magic isn't sailing Caribbean next summer anyway. Maybe they would, when I book I'll ask them.

Too bad they don't sell other lines like they use to.

I can't wait for people to start getting their packages!

 

[mickeymom923]

Welcome to the FAMOF8 & CARAMELTINK families.

Joanna & everyone - We did the Voyager of the Seas which is the sister ship. The Explorer of the Seas is a really nice ship. They have the rock-climbing wall, miniture golf, roller blading, ice skating, gambling & great shows. Another option is the Promenade Cabin, which is an inside cabin with a window overlooking the Promenade Deck. It's really neat. That's what I had and loved it. It costs a little more than an inside cabin and less than an outside cabin. It would be awesome to get a group together and do the Explorer next year. A DIS reunion on RCCL. Who's interested? Thanks Joanna. I'm thinking of doing this too.


Bev

 

[flexsmom]

Marbo, Aurora's Mommy, Liferbabe, Andrew (Derek) UK & Marbo - calling all 7-year olds!

My DD has been in OC twice and she was "OK" with going back even though she had a taste of the Lab last time. This time around, her younger DS will be there, too, as a 3 1/2 year-old and she's actually looking forward to taking care of him when he may need "someone older"! BUT, I see that all of your have 7-year olds who will be the oldest of the old in the OC! I know my DD would love to correspond a little bit to know who's who there!?

PS - Scared my DH to death, but I woke up without an alarm clock at 2:51am on Saturday morning and was logged in in the den by 2:57am, ready to go for my on-line bookings! It took a while, but we're all set! I did have some weird problems with ages with the bookings - kept thinking I was under 18!

 

[CARAMELTINK]

Thanks to everyone for the great Welcomes! My soon to be 8 y/o & I are actually part of a larger group of family & friends, (I think there's almost 20 of us now) coming from Philly. We are all pretty excited. I'm not much of a poster, but am getting lots of great info by lurking.

My son (his 1st time) and I did the world by ourselves last year, and needless to say, he had a great time. I however, needed a vacation after the vacation. Hopefully, the cruise will suit both of our needs, this single mom needs lots of R & R!

 

[SeaSpray]

Thanks to everyone for the great Welcomes! My soon to be 8 y/o & I are actually part of a larger group of family & friends, (I think there's almost 20 of us now) coming from Philly. We are all pretty excited. I'm not much of a poster, but am getting lots of great info by lurking.

My son (his 1st time) and I did the world by ourselves last year, and needless to say, he had a great time. I however, needed a vacation after the vacation. Hopefully, the cruise will suit both of our needs, this single mom needs lots of R & R!

Welcome! It's great to see you post! I'm looking forward to meeting you and your son on the cruise

 

[castoff]

Thanks to everyone for the great Welcomes! My soon to be 8 y/o & I are actually part of a larger group of family & friends, (I think there's almost 20 of us now) coming from Philly. We are all pretty excited. I'm not much of a poster, but am getting lots of great info by lurking.

My son (his 1st time) and I did the world by ourselves last year, and needless to say, he had a great time. I however, needed a vacation after the vacation. Hopefully, the cruise will suit both of our needs, this single mom needs lots of R & R!

CARAMELTINK: Wow what a large group ! I think this ship should be almost sold out now. You can't get to know us by " Lurking " Don't be Shy. We are a friendly group and don't bite much. Just jump right in the coversation.

 

[castoff]

Andy: Just saw the news about those fires. Please be careful getting your vacation started. HAVE a Magical time and I am looking forward to reading your reports.


Diane: Thanks for noticing my Grandmother. Sometimes it's hard to keep up on all these posts. They were married 63 years, Although she has a lot of spunk she is very sad right now. We are all going back down on Memorial Day weekend to spend time with her. This time I am bringing Dante to keep her company. Have you been making any cruise plans lately?


Darlene: It was nice to hear your voice...........even if it was only for a second. You must be getting excited with your upcoming cruise. I can't wait to hear about Bermuda !

 

[Verandah Man]

Andy: Just saw the news about those fires. Please be careful getting your vacation started. HAVE a Magical time and I am looking forward to reading your reports.

Thanks Tina, I'm keeping a close eye on this website: http://www.fl511.com/ Plus my mom is keeping a close eye on the local news stations in Florida.

 

[castoff]

Thanks Tina, I'm keeping a close eye on this website: http://www.fl511.com/ Plus my mom is keeping a close eye on the local news stations in Florida.

Andy: Thanks for providing the link ! You know I will keep your family in my thoughts.