Christmas 2003 - Who's sailing (20-27 Dec 03)?

Let me see what they say when I try to call in the ex's on tues.

I have the feeling that once on board they may be more flexible, but the problem may be the tickets.

I second the beach chair and drink scenario.

Going to Mr Sancho's?

jim
 
Jim,

Is Don Sanchos' the wild place? lunch and beach? Sounds good! I have to go back through the trip reports this afternoon, after I get some dictation done so that DH's office manager doesn't fire me (which is what I am supposed to be doing now). I want to try to put together a spread sheet with all the things available so that the rest of the family has some idea of what they can chose from. There is so much info to chose from -

Are you booking all with Disney?
 
Jim
We've hired a town car to get us from the Polynesian to the port
it is collecting us at 9:30am so I assume we'll also be ther around 10:30am.
We're also planning on parasailing, what time are you going to try for?
Lynn
 
To all -

Just a thought about Castaway Cay ressies for activities: Sometimes, due to the weather, you are not always able to dock at Castaway Cay as early as you would like and sometimes the winds and currents prevent it entirely. It can be a beautiful, clear day but those crosswinds just cause problems. Having watched the CAPT valiantly try for 90 minutes to get the Magic into the pier and then have to give up was frustrating. If we had made it all, the schedules would have been backed up.

It has been mentioned in the past on the boards that those who book the first spa treatments have been known to lose their opportunities to avoid throwing everyone's schedule off. I can't remember if excursions have been addressed as well.

I would just make sure that you confirm with CM when you call that you are guaranteed to parasail or ride the banana boat or fish even if we are delayed getting off the ship. I would suggest not taking the first opportunities of the day if the CM cannot guarantee that for you.
Again, just a thought!
 

Ginny - thanks for the caveat - I actually had forgotten about the Castaway Cay excursions when I printed off all the other port excursions for the girls to review!!
 
For all you repeat cruisers, has anyone tried the Rainforest at the Vista Spa? Trying to decide if I want a 1day pass, 3 day or week!
 
Hi all -

I called this afternoon to double check what time the Excursion office opened with high hopes for 0700 but no luck. The office opens at 0900 Eastern time. I have a meeting at 1000 in Arlington so am hoping for lots of Pixie Dust and getting through by 0905!!

Rainforest

Julie - This is one of Chuck's favorite things and he will most definitely get the weeklong pass again. I have not tried it yet but he raves about how relaxing it is. On our last cruise, we had a rather "uncoventional" group of 700 sailing with us who used the Rainforest area excessively so I never tried it. But, that is another story!
 
Hope everyone got their excursions booked!

Ginny, I was told the office opened at 8 am, and that's exactly what time I called and got through the first try!

(Those old days of getting tickets to rock concerts paid off)


One disappointment, When I called I was told that you could only book the bottom fishing once on shore! I booked all the parasailing, teen cruise for DD-15 caitlin, etc.

Then on the was to work I thought something didn't sound right.

Got on the phone, called the excursion desk back (on hold) and got thorugh to someone who had to look up my data. She put me right on the 9:15 bottom fishing.

(And if BD is monitoring this board, "Bottom" fishing is not what it sounds like).

So right now, we are under 60 days!!!!!

Jim
 
Hi
Jim I'm glad you got your bottom fishing booked!!
i faxed a request at 8am UK time middle of the night for most of you guys, when i got home tonight at 8pm I phoned to check it had been received it had and so hubby and I are booked for 11:30am parasailing at castaway cay. Hope everyone else got sorted.
It seems so real now I can't beleive how close it is
:Pinkbounc :bounce:
 
Lynn,

Good Job!


As usual, I was very impressed with the efficiency of the process (other than the BF boo-boo).

Phones were answered promptly, and I have fax confirmations of everything.

I think holding on to the confirmations is a really good idea, since reading the post of the person who showed up an the ship and they had no excursions!

We have the 2:30 parasailing.

It should be a ball!

jim
 
Jim and Lynn,

Congrats on getting your excursions booked! And, here I was so proud of myself for getting right through at 0905. You guys had already called, booked and were having coffee and danish by the time I got around to it! Gee, I am so glad that I called to verify the time. Oh well, humility checks are good for us all.

We got the Catamaran Racing in Key West which we all really wanted to do, parasailing at 3:30 and the Banana Boat rides @1150 on Castaway Cay (we will do lunch afterwards which I'm sure everyone will appreciate). I am really happy! Tammy at DCL was very nice and I called back to double check something and Dana was just as pleasant this evening.

So, I can take a deep breath and sleep soundly tonite. Take care all -
 
Ginny,

Congrats on the excursions!
Sound like you will be in the parasailing group after ours.

Should be an absolute blast.


The girls have been after us for years to let them parasail in Ocean City. DIS is actually cheaper than the OC places, so what a deal?


Jim
 
I got my excursion without problems too and that was after work! My DS can't go parasailing because he doesn't weigh enough but we got the other stuff. Now I'm going to the site to get my trolley tickets.
 
Hi everybody == it is SOOO EXCITING!!

I called this morning at 8:59, and got through after holding about 2 minutes - waiting to hear the "our offices hours are ... please call back..."

I had a GREAT CM - Donnie - who has grown children at Camp Lejeune!!

We are doing the Trolley in Key West (have to get those tickets).

We have currently have three reservations for Stingray City --
the 11:00 with Captain Marvin, the 1:00 DCL, and an afternoon with Native Way -- it was 1:00 yesterday morning when I was so tired and still couldn't figure out the difference between the two Disney excursions, too tired to search the board for info whether Coral Reef or Barrier Reef was better, who had a catamaran, who didn't, how many people on this boat as compared to that one, etc. and so on -- so decided to cover my bases and sent emails everywhere. Will figure it out in the next 48 hours, as I don't want to hold a reservation someone else would like to have.

In Cozumel, the girls are going to do the Dolphin Swim with Discovery, I am going to go watch and video - we will probably enjoy the park, and then hang at Mr. Sanchos (Dis meet, maybe?). The girls are both booked for the teen cruise -- hoping that Shannon will be able to join them. Still working on fly fishing excursion for DH. Mini Golf, anyone?? I did wonder about this being Christmas Eve, and what might be going on onboard while the teens cruise --

On Castaway Key renting snorkle equipment and floats, all doing the banana boats at 2:30 - hopefully we will be able to see the parasailers from the boat!

I asked Donnie if he had any information on whether there would be special holiday happenings on the Magic. Here is what he told me:
--Tree lighting ceremony in the atrium on Sat. night
--Holiday family story time every night
--In room holiday movies
--Traditional Christmas dinner
--Christmas carols by international CM's
--Sat. Night a Festival of Lights service for Hannukah
--Christmas day services - Catholic or interdenominational (sp?)
--Yes, people decorate - doors, inside, verandahs, etc.
--If we have special things that we would like to have on our table at dinner (a traditional candle you have at dinner every year, confetti, etc.) that would be fine to bring.
-- I asked if we can have candles in our rooms - he said it falls under same rules as smoking = verandah only.
--Julie - yes, we can bring wrapped gifts - security would be the same as for any other item - if it looks suspicious in the scanner, they will open it (he ACTUALLY used the ticking clock example - lol). He suggested we bring a roll of tape just in case.
--Also suggested for those with ocean view rooms - the porthole is 4' diameter - put lights around the inside of the window.
--Trees - no aluminum - will set off the scanners.
--Can't have live trees (I asked about the Perfect Gift) he said there are agricultural laws, which I understand, that you can't bring anything live off the boat on return - So, I don't know if that means we have to leave a live tree behind (I am not taking a live tree on the airplane with me:rotfl: )

There was a response to my post on the main board about Christmas, and someone posted a list from a yahoo board -- pretty consistent with what Donnie told me. So, who is ready to leave tomorrow????? If I could get the packing done .........

Well, I have spent most of today trying to catch up on what I didn't get done yesterday while researching excursions, learning new spreadsheet software and putting together a data base for our trip. I am behind still behind workwise, but pretty caught up on the cruise. (I have decided that it is very difficult to have a job and plan a cruise at the same time!)

West. Caribb ---- here we come!!
 
Wow, Bonnie, thanks for all the info! I especially like that I can pre-wrap presents before the trip! And I never thought about putting lights up in the window-I will do that (I just hope there's an outlet nearby!) We are doing Stingray through DCL but it also included rum point beach. I need my beach time!
 
Mr Sanchos Meet sounds Great!

We are doing 1115 capt marvins in Grand cayman.

Great tip on lights bonnie.

I am bringing at least one extension cords per room, and may make it two per room, with the extra for the lights!

Finally booked the trolley.

I do hope Kenzie and Shannon can do the cruise together. Hope to persuade the powers that be once on the boat. Shannon's an old 12.

Jim
 
Happy Friday -

Sharon called from Nativeway watersports and we are locked on for 1145 in Grand Cayman. I hope you guys on earlier trips leave some stringrays for us to "play with!" She was so very nice and very appreciative of Dave's kind words in his review.

Bonnie - thank you so much for the great "intel" on the lights and other stuff. It is amazing how much CM's will share if they know someone kind is listening and really interested. But, I am beginning to rethink my packing strategy: All these clothes are getting in the way of my decorations!! LOL
 
I feel the need to explain -- as I am rather embarrassed --

I received my tag as a result of a response to a humorous complaint by a poster about having received the same tag as another very frequent poster.

My reference to "going commando" was purely with regard to posting without a tag -- nothing else. I didn't think posters got tags until they had been on these boards for a good long while, and I didn't give my response a second thought.

Once I noticed it, I did go back and ask the TF to edit the tag so that it reflected the above, but then decided that I should leave things well enough alone - who knows what might have happened. Any advice besides I MUST learn to think before I type?

Hope everyone is having a good Sunday and watching these numbers trickle down.

DD-just-turned-13 Mackenzie had a "come-apart" at the mall last night, seeing all the Christmas decorations, etc, while we were shopping for DH's birthday. We will be watching the two Disney Cruise video and the previously recorded Travel Channel show today and browsing through the excursion websites. Hopefully, this will help.

Bonnie
 

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