Christmas cruise 2010

[artman]

Hi Artie,

I'd much rather have 2 feet of snow then skiing in -20c temps like on Saturday... (there's no smilie for cold)

I'm from just outside Toronto... so I feel your pain...

Try to keep warm...

Your right. I would take snow over frigid temps any day.

Here is a joke to help through the winter.

A magician was working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. The audience would be different each week, so the magician allowed himself to do the same tricks over and over again. There was only one problem: The captain's parrot saw the shows each week and began to understand how the magician did every trick. Once he understood he started shouting in the middle of the show: "Look, it's not the same hat" "Look, he is hiding the flowers under the table" "Hey, why are all the cards the Ace of Spades ? " The magician was furious but couldn't do anything; it was, after all, the captain's parrot. One day the ship had an accident and sank. The magician found himself on a piece of wood in the middle of the ocean with the parrot, of course. They stared at each other with hate, but did not utter a word. This went on for a day and another and another. After a week the parrot said: "OK, I give up. Where's the boat? "

 

[MicraPIP]

K I'm going to attempt to add some picks of the big surprise on Christmas day!!

Special delivery

Looking in wonder

Opening the WONDERfull Surprise

woo hoo it worked...

I only had 3 pics on my camera because I was playing Santa... But even one pic can speak a million words!!

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Happy New Year everyone!!

Like the joke Artman!! and Micrapip those photos are wonderful - made me wish I had organised a surprise for my boys now!!

Am currently having a headache booking DVC accomodation for before the cruise!!! - keep you fingers crossed for me!!

 

[ljcrochet]

We just book this cruise. Hopefully we will be able to go on it. Not sure if my MIL will be coming or not. If she comes, my girls (who will be 5 1/2 when we cruise) will share a cabin with her.

 

[SanDeeKath]

Hello everyone,

We are sailing the Wonder's 8 night holiday cruise in 2011 (to Mexico, yipeee -- finally a West Coast sailing with no flying!). I wanted to mark this thread because I really love to see the excitement and planning and hear about your experience once the cruise is over. Happy Sailing and come join us in 2011 if you want! Katherine

 

[jmchone0830]

Just letting you know that we will not be going on this cruise or participating in the FE. We are moving our reservations to the 2011 cruise. My mom has decided to go with us and wasn't able to make this cruise so we will give it another year and then go. We're so excited she decided to come with us though as she has never taken a vacation. How's a Disney Cruise at Christmas with 4 nights at DisneyWorld for a very first vacation!!

Thanks all and hope you have a fabulous time and cannot wait to read your trip reports when you all return!

 

[MicraPIP]

We just book this cruise. Hopefully we will be able to go on it. Not sure if my MIL will be coming or not. If she comes, my girls (who will be 5 1/2 when we cruise) will share a cabin with her.

Welcome!!!

Just wanted to let you know that My DD2 will have just turned 5 as well... maybe they will all hang out...

 

[ljcrochet]

Welcome!!!

Just wanted to let you know that My DD2 will have just turned 5 as well... maybe they will all hang out...

Very cool! My girls will be excited to "know" some one on the ship.

We called DVC today and booked 3 nights for after the cruise at AKV. I'm trying to talk my parents into coming. Not sure if they will since they have not flown in over 40 years. I was trying to tell them they can take Amtrak down to the orlando area.

 

[ShannonR]

TGIF everybody!!!! Well, that goes out to the 9AM-5PM workers of the world, I guess, since hospitals are open 24/7 and Friday is just like ANY OTHER DAY!!! I work tonight, but TGIF anyways hahaha!!

We booked our flights yesterday!!! Doing that makes this trip seem so much closer

I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Shannon

 

[Nurseholiday]

My family and I are booked for this trip! We are excited about a Christmas Cruise... We have been to Disney at Christmas but never on a cruise and we have never stayed Christmas day!!!! Can't Wait!!!!

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Welcome at Ashley and family - its great to hear you will be joining us!!


And have an excellent weekend Shannon (and everyone else) - I am training all day today and then busy occupying the two boys for the day tomorrow - so not such a relaxing one for me this weekend but hopefully some of you will be having more fun than me!!

Oh and it definitely feels closer once everything is booked - we were able to book our first stay at our new DVC 'homes' for before the cruise a couple of weeks ago - so now it really does seem like its nearly here - we will all have to stat getting our heads together soon and help each other with our planning - how exciting!!!

 

[ShannonR]

Good morning everyone~~

I just got done with a VERY LONG stretch of working 9 nights in a row and feel like I NEVER want to see another pregnant woman in my life!!! The good thing is, I have the next 6 nights off!!

I made a list of the all the reservations we have made and have yet to make for this trip, DCL and WDW both. It's a shame that so many things have to wait until 6 months out, because I am definately a typeA personality and want all my lists completed!!

Is anybody else staying at WDW before or after the cruise? We are going before this time for 4 days. In the previous cruises we went after and regretted it both times. The parks are SO PACKED, that it ruins the relaxing feeling we had just acheived on the cruise. SSSOOOO...... we are going before the cruise this time so we can enjoy the parks, then wind down on the cruise. Coming from so far away, we really try to make the most out of these trips!

We are hoping to get tickets for MVMCP this year. We wanted to go the last Christmas cruise, but I think it ends on the 19th and we missed it, so I hope we make it in time this time around!! Has anyone ever been?? It looks fun for my little one DD5. My older two take off and do their own thing (DD16 and DS13). Thank God for cell phones and walkie talkies, right??

We have already booked our flights and I am glad we did because the prices are going up, up, up! We are flying out of our hometown airport this time. The last two times we have had to fly out of Houston because of the price which meant a 6 hour drive for us BEFORE the flight.....YUCK!! It will be so nice to just drive down the street to the airport!

How is the weather everywhere? It is cold and rainy here in the south of Texas. By cold, I mean 55 degrees (sorry, northeners, I know that is NOTHING to what you are experiencing, but to us heat people, it's FREEZING)

We have to start "talking" more and get to the planning stages of this here DIS group!!! Only 10 months to go!

Shannon

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Good morning everyone~~

I just got done with a VERY LONG stretch of working 9 nights in a row and feel like I NEVER want to see another pregnant woman in my life!!! The good thing is, I have the next 6 nights off!!

I made a list of the all the reservations we have made and have yet to make for this trip, DCL and WDW both. It's a shame that so many things have to wait until 6 months out, because I am definately a typeA personality and want all my lists completed!!

Is anybody else staying at WDW before or after the cruise? We are going before this time for 4 days. In the previous cruises we went after and regretted it both times. The parks are SO PACKED, that it ruins the relaxing feeling we had just acheived on the cruise. SSSOOOO...... we are going before the cruise this time so we can enjoy the parks, then wind down on the cruise. Coming from so far away, we really try to make the most out of these trips!

We are hoping to get tickets for MVMCP this year. We wanted to go the last Christmas cruise, but I think it ends on the 19th and we missed it, so I hope we make it in time this time around!! Has anyone ever been?? It looks fun for my little one DD5. My older two take off and do their own thing (DD16 and DS13). Thank God for cell phones and walkie talkies, right??

We have already booked our flights and I am glad we did because the prices are going up, up, up! We are flying out of our hometown airport this time. The last two times we have had to fly out of Houston because of the price which meant a 6 hour drive for us BEFORE the flight.....YUCK!! It will be so nice to just drive down the street to the airport!

How is the weather everywhere? It is cold and rainy here in the south of Texas. By cold, I mean 55 degrees (sorry, northeners, I know that is NOTHING to what you are experiencing, but to us heat people, it's FREEZING)

We have to start "talking" more and get to the planning stages of this here DIS group!!! Only 10 months to go!

Shannon

Hi Shannon (and everyone else!)

I will say good afternoon - as it is 12.30pm here in the UK right now - and I think it might have crept up to 40 degrees by now, and its not raining so that is great!!

I am also desperate to make my ADRs - I have had the restaurants planned (even down to dates and times) since June 2008!!

We will be in WDW from Dec 11th and plan to go to the MVMCP on Tues Dec 14th - This is probably the one and only time that we will ever get to go to WDW for Christmas as DH (Steve) had to get special 'one off' permission to have Christmas time off of work - so we are making this our 'once in a lifetime' trip and will be in WDW for 12 nights before the cruise and at Universal Orlando for a week after the cruise (although I am tempted to book Vero Beach for New Years Eve!!)

It will be good to talk about everyones plans and to share ideas - so lets get talking!!

 

[ljcrochet]

Since I don't want to take my girls out of school for more days than neccessary we are going to spend 3 nights in WDW after the cruise. I'm so not ready to plan this trip yet since we are going to WDW in june, I like planning one trip at a time (doesn't matter that I have this cruise and another cruise booked).

I have started to think about when I want to go to Palo. Last cruise we didn't go at all but this cruise I think I want to. My anniversary is 12/26 so it will be while we are on the cruise. Thinking maybe we should try and do Palo that night but not sure.

 

[ShannonR]

Good morning!

I was glad to see at least A COUPLE of posts since I wrote! I was beginning to think everyone had disappeared!! I hope to see more people getting involved with this thread soon!

How are things over in the UK, Amy? My husband was stationed in Germany many many many years ago, and I went to visit him once. We toured many countries while I was there (Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, etc...) but we never made it to England

It has warmed up here, up the the low 70's and sunny...Thank God I just DO NOT like the cold in any way. That is why our vacations always have been to warm places over the last 25 years. DH loves to ski, so he takes those trips with his two brothers who also love the cold!

We have never been to PALO on our last two cruises and won't go on the next two either. That is just one place that doesn't interest either DH or myself. We are not the dress kind of people, so formal night is PLENTY of fancy for us. It looks so nice, but it's just not for us. And I would feel bad leaving our DD5 in a club so we could go. We LOVE to have her with us at all times on our vacations since our older two (DD16 and DS13) have reached the age where they don't want to do things with us anymore hahaha

In fact, we don't plan to get off the ship except for Castaway Cay. This will be our 3rd western cruise and we didn't like Grand Cayman and we practically LIVE in Mexico (we are 10 minutes from the border and it's 99% hispanics where we live) so Cozumel doesn't interest us. We were really hoping for the eastern itinerary, but because of school, this is what worked best for us. On our next cruise, which will be New Year's on the Dream, it goes to Nassau, so that will be new for us. We might get off in Key West for some key lime pie, who knows? The Christmas Cruise we took in 2008 didn't go to Key West but made two stops to Castaway Cay instead, which was GREAT!!!

Well, I guess I have rambled on enough, so everyone have a good weekend!
Shannon

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Hi again!!

We are all fine here in the UK - wish the weather would warm up a bit though - although we only seem to get a few days of 'summer' temperatures here these days, it is normally quite mild but at the moment there is that really 'biting' chill in the air!

We have done a similar western itinerary before (we were also hoping for the eastern one!!) - but we haven't been to Key West so will definitely get off there (I was thinking of the GPS walking tour so that we could wander off on our own but would also know what we are looking at!! - is that a good idea??).

We will also get off in Grand Cayman as last time we just did the city tour and turtle farm and didn't get to the beach - my dad and grandpa both worked/lived in Cayman for a bit so I feel as though I want to spend a bit more time there - I think we will go on a DCL organised trip to Seven Mile Beach (I know it is a LOT cheaper to get a taxi ourselves but I am such a worrier, I just know I will spend the whole day worried whether we will get back to the boat ok and that will ruin it for me!!)

In fact we will only stay on the boat in Cozumel as whilst we LOVED Tulum and the Mayan ruins when Steve and I went, the boys will only be 3 and 6 and it would be too much for them - plus I am hoping lots of people will get off in Mexico and then we will have a quiet ship to enjoy the pools etc!!

Finally, I am really hoping to book one of those new cabanas at Castaway Cay - I am not really a beachy person, but I know the boys will want to make a day of it so I like the idea of my own personal space where they can go off and leave me in my little piece of heaven"


I'd love to hear more about everyone else's plans - so come on guys lets hea it!!

 

[ShannonR]

Good morning and Happy Valentines Day to everyone!!!

Amy, I am beginning to think that this is a personal thread for just you and me HAHAHA!! Or maybe it's just that you and I are good at gabbing???

We took the trolley tour in Key West and while it was a very good tour, it's very long and boring for little ones. Our DD was only 2 almost 3 at the time we went and it was painful for her! We had to get off several times and walk her around to keep her busy and entertained. We will just walk to get some key lime pie, if anything.

We stayed on the ship for Grand Cayman last cruise, also. We have gotten off and done excursions both times in Cozumel and we weren't happy with either so we will stay on board for all except Castaway Cay.

We LOVE everything about Castaway Cay, especially the parasailing!! We go everytime and on the last cruise, being a double dip, my son went 4 times

What kind of activities should we plan for this cruise? On our last Christmas cruise, we had entirely TOO MUCH!! Our DIS group went way overboard and it became overwhelming and exhausting, so I suggest just a few things. We did an ornament exchange, a treasure hunt, a dolphin excursion, FE gifts, a secret santa gift exchange, etc...you get the "overwhelming" feeling already, right? I am all for a few Christmas type activities, but just a few

Have a great weekend!!
Shannon

 

[leevil]

I'm popping up to say hello quickly. I'm Lee, Steve's wife. We're on this cruise with our daughters--Alice and Mia. I hope to post more, once I figure out what all these acronyms stand for (I think I've got WDW so far ... )

I'm starting to investigate some of the excursions. Alice's birthday is while we're on the boat, so I'm trying to find one that might work for a birthday gift.

Other than that, I am just excited about going on a cruise--this is our first one!!

Anyway, talk soon.

Lee

 

[ShannonR]

Welcome Lee!!!

My name is Shannon and this will be our 3rd Disney cruise and our 2nd Christmas cruise. We loved the Christmas cruise and can't wait to do it again!! The only difference will be that on the Christmas cruise of 2008, it was a "double dip" to Castaway Cay and this one is not.

How old are your two daughters? Our little one will be 6 y.o. on the cruise

Shannon

 

[leevil]

Thanks Shannon!

Alice will be turning 12 on December 24th (!!) and Mia will be 5. They're both so excited about the cruise. I'm trying to find the time to do some research on it, but it's hard to squeeze it in. Luckily, we have a few months to figure things out.

We've been to Disney several times over the past few years (this year we went to the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot) and have been thinking about a cruise for a while. Steve went and surprised us with it for Christmas.

We're really looking forward to Castaway Cay. Alice is starting to save all of her allowances for the cruise!!

Talk soon,

Lee