Christmas/Holiday 2011 on the Wonder: 8 night Mexican Riviera 12/18/2011

[SanDeeKath]

Tinkerbelll, congrats!!! I am pretty much ready to board today! I printed out all my docs already, made my ressies, etc etc.

Brooklyn, you are so lucky your girls like to dress up. My little one loves dresses (turning 7) but my preteen is a bit more picky and self-conscious now (sniffffff) so she has the whole tomboy look going now (double snifffffff).

They do both love formal night because of their special "makeup" courtesy of mommy. But the rest of the nights -- forget it!

Katherine

 

[Brooklyn]

Tinkerbelll, congrats!!! I am pretty much ready to board today! I printed out all my docs already, made my ressies, etc etc.

Brooklyn, you are so lucky your girls like to dress up. My little one loves dresses (turning 7) but my preteen is a bit more picky and self-conscious now (sniffffff) so she has the whole tomboy look going now (double snifffffff).

They do both love formal night because of their special "makeup" courtesy of mommy. But the rest of the nights -- forget it!

Katherine

Everyone keeps telling me that the day will come with my now 10 yo DD that she will stop wearing dresses. For now though she is holding strong. Neither girl leaves the house with a bow in their hair. Yesterday I had to take them down to Chula Vista to an AMAZING dress store bc she wanted a larger petticoat to go under her dresses bc the one she has is not poofy enough!

 

[Tinkerbellll]

My husband and I have been researching excursions, and we are not wowed (at all) by what DCL offers in Manzanillo.

Here's what we have decided to do, but since we are inexperienced, we are open to your opinions, thoughts, suggestions, advice. (o: We would like to wait until November to book these excursions...do any of you think that we should book these sooner than that?



Manzanillo: http://www.cruiseshiptrips.info/surflessons/index.htm


Puerto Vallarta: http://www.canopytours-vallarta.com/


Day 1 Cabo: http://www.cabosanlucastours.net/ATV-Tours.htm

Day 2 Cabo: Probably stay on the ship ... relax...


My children are adventurous as is their father, me not so much. But, I am willing to step out of my comfort zone. When I found out our 7 year old would be able to join us on the Los Veranos canopy tour (and Double Trouble gave it two thumbs up), it made me begin to look elsewhere for other excursions as well.

Each company offers 100% money back guarantee if port days are changed or if Disney decides not stop there.

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

We plan to cab it or take a shuttle to Miramar Beach in Manzanillo as well. Just plan to hang out, perhaps rent boogie boards or even parasail. The learn to surf package you have there looks great! The price is very reasonable too!

In Cabo just be sure that Johan and Sandra can REALLY book that ATV tour privately. We had issues with them on our last MR cruise, it turns out after all that they could not book our Las Caletas privately after being told they COULD. That was in PV but it was still a pain. So we ended up booking it through the ship and having to pay more. Fooey. We took a mini jeep tour through DCL in Cabo and had a BLAST! So if the one you are looking at is the same or similar I am sure your family will love it.

Christine

 

[Tinkerbellll]

Online check-in means I'm one day closer to boarding the Wonder! I hope I'll be able to access it at 9:00 or at least close to 9:00. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

I am totally enjoying shopping for FE items. Who knew that I needed more to do?!?!

Happy Monday everyone!

 

[Dchachos]

Online check-in means I'm one day closer to boarding the Wonder! I hope I'll be able to access it at 9:00 or at least close to 9:00. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

I am totally enjoying shopping for FE items. Who knew that I needed more to do?!?!

Happy Monday everyone!

Tick tock tick tock. I am watching and hoping that at 9:00 I can start making plans. I am having a good time thinking about what would be good for FE gifts and Secret Mickey. Buying new clothes for all of us. I have 2 other trips (not cruises) in November so I am trip obsessed. It's good because it gives me something that has nothing to do with my illness to focus on. It is a very welcome and needed diversion. I told my oncologist that my treatments need to work around my cruise. I am usually a very compliant patient, she laughed and agreed that the cruise is the priority right now. OK back to shopping and watching the clock tick tock tick tock

 

[Brooklyn]

Oh my! Trying to check in for clients online...the site is being overloaded!!! Not used to so many people being online at once for check in...I guess our "west coast" secret is not a secret anymore!

 

[Dchachos]

Oh my! Trying to check in for clients online...the site is being overloaded!!! Not used to so many people being online at once for check in...I guess our "west coast" secret is not a secret anymore!

I know it is taking forever to do anything it took 10 minutes to reserve Palo. I am not sure I am going to keep it but I heard they go quickly. I am having High Tea on day 2 at 3:00. I am not sure about eating alone but on the other hand it is supposed to be amazing, so for that I can eat alone. Okay time to try for something else. Good luck to all my other 9:00ers

 

[Tinkerbellll]

Is this where you find out what time you get to arrive at the port? There doesn't seem to be any link on mine...I was able to do Palo reservations and a spa reservation, but I was hoping to find out about port arrival time....or am I confusing this with something else?

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

That's the online checkin part. You have to complete a series of pages such as credit cards, kids club, passport numbers etc. At the very end you pick your port arrival time.

 

[SanDeeKath]

Just continuing the countdown:

75 days!

 

[Tinkerbellll]

All checked-in, reservations for Palo and Spa made, port arrival time determined....ahhhhhhhh. I can relax a little now. Next up is getting everything ready for my kids' passports (I know I don't need them for this trip, but I will next year so may as well get it done now!), and then I need to make reservations for the non DCL excursions we have planned.

Other than that, FE pre-shopping (for ideas) is an absolute blast!

 

[Dchachos]

All checked-in, reservations for Palo and Spa made, port arrival time determined....ahhhhhhhh. I can relax a little now. Next up is getting everything ready for my kids' passports (I know I don't need them for this trip, but I will next year so may as well get it done now!), and then I need to make reservations for the non DCL excursions we have planned.

Other than that, FE pre-shopping (for ideas) is an absolute blast!

I went on October 1st to get our passports. We only need them if we for some reason have to fly back into the US. I doubt it will happen but I am one of those people that unusual things happen to. I was counting down the days to on-line check in and now that it was over I didn't have anything to obsess over what would I do . Then I decided to make my own fish extender and I am also making my FE gifts. Yeah a new obsession!

Did everyone get the excursions, spa and Palo that they wanted. I got a Palo brunch at first I was going to do high tea and then I read that the food is mostly sweets, and as much as I love sweets I should not eat them so I changed to brunch.

I got the spa package that I want however all that was open was 8 am and I can't leave the kids alone, or 4:30-6:30 which is during dinner. I am hoping once we get on board I can change it. The package that I really want can only be reserved on-board so maybe I will luck out.

Excursions was a tough one because of my limited mobility and my kids ages. The things we really wanted like the whale watching cruise they aren't old enough for. Or thing they wanted like horseback riding there is no way I could do. What we got in 2 ports was the all inclusive beach party, Has anyone done one of these? In Cabo I did sign the boys up for kids dolphin excursion.

Wow this is going to be a long 2 months. What is everyone looking forward to the most? I think for me I am looking forward to the spa day the most. For my kids they can't wait to go to the kids club.

 

[Brooklyn]

I went on October 1st to get our passports. We only need them if we for some reason have to fly back into the US. I doubt it will happen but I am one of those people that unusual things happen to. I was counting down the days to on-line check in and now that it was over I didn't have anything to obsess over what would I do . Then I decided to make my own fish extender and I am also making my FE gifts. Yeah a new obsession!

Did everyone get the excursions, spa and Palo that they wanted. I got a Palo brunch at first I was going to do high tea and then I read that the food is mostly sweets, and as much as I love sweets I should not eat them so I changed to brunch.

I got the spa package that I want however all that was open was 8 am and I can't leave the kids alone, or 4:30-6:30 which is during dinner. I am hoping once we get on board I can change it. The package that I really want can only be reserved on-board so maybe I will luck out.

Excursions was a tough one because of my limited mobility and my kids ages. The things we really wanted like the whale watching cruise they aren't old enough for. Or thing they wanted like horseback riding there is no way I could do. What we got in 2 ports was the all inclusive beach party, Has anyone done one of these? In Cabo I did sign the boys up for kids dolphin excursion.

Wow this is going to be a long 2 months. What is everyone looking forward to the most? I think for me I am looking forward to the spa day the most. For my kids they can't wait to go to the kids club.

We did one of those "beach party" days in Cabo and did not like it at all. Now I know there have been people who have enjoyed those days. I felt like it was very over priced for what we got. The food was "ok". The pool was packed with excursion guests and regular hotel guests. You could not swim in the beach bc the water was too rough. No one was even allowed in the water. It was the time of year in Cabo but made for a very disappointing day. We could see the Magic from the beach and wished so bad we could get back on board but we had to wait till the bus left before we could go back. :/

 

[betsy918]

Hey everyone...Went online on the 4th to book our activities, only to find out the shore excursion I really wanted in Cabo, whale watching, was already full, and the only spa times available for my "alone time" was during dinner or at 8:00 am, neither of which appeal to me.

I found a company in cabo that does whale watching for less than the disney price. Has anyone ever booked their own shore excursion this way? Is there a reason why I shouldn't? Also, what are the chances that a better spa time will open up as we get closer to the cruise, or once on the ship?
thanks!

 

[chernabogfamily]

Hey everyone...Went online on the 4th to book our activities, only to find out the shore excursion I really wanted in Cabo, whale watching, was already full, and the only spa times available for my "alone time" was during dinner or at 8:00 am, neither of which appeal to me.

I found a company in cabo that does whale watching for less than the disney price. Has anyone ever booked their own shore excursion this way? Is there a reason why I shouldn't? Also, what are the chances that a better spa time will open up as we get closer to the cruise, or once on the ship?
thanks!

Your best bet for booking a spa service is to go there after boarding the ship. They will have bookings available then and they will have special spa packages available (and discounted) that you can only get when onboard. On our Alaskan cruise, there was nothing available that I wanted online. So I went to the spa once we got onboard and there were numerous times available for the treatment I wanted. But, they had a couple of unadvertised treatments and I ended up booking one of them too.

Also, they offered a princess package for little girls. She got a mani/pedi one day (and loved it). You just had to ask for it at the spa once onboard.

 

[Woodrow]

has anyone booked a GTY cabin recieved assignment yet.
we are travelling with a family of 5 (mom,dad, grandma(6&8) it was cheaper (by about 40%) to book 2 inside cabins than the only 5 person ones (veranda) but it is nerve racking waiting for the cabin assignment.
besides since the kids are staying in grandma's room we are hoping it is close (well mabye not that close)

 

[mdlove2cruise]

I'm getting so excited since all check-ins are now complete. I have the 1130 Palo brunch booked for my mom and dad and myself, however i just read the 1130 is not good since they rush you and do not replenish food. Did anyone ever have that seating, is it worth it or should i try to change it?

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

I wouldn't worry about it since there is so much food! I have never had seconds of anything at brunch because there was so much to try. If you are concerned about it, you can see about changing times once onboard. When you board, there will be directions for where to go if you want a dining change (IIRC it's usually in Wavebands?). They do hold back more reservations for onboard as well. I'm debating my day- I chose Christmas because I thought it would be cool, but I wonder what other activities there might be and I don't want to miss out!

 

[Brooklyn]

has anyone booked a GTY cabin recieved assignment yet.
we are travelling with a family of 5 (mom,dad, grandma(6&8) it was cheaper (by about 40%) to book 2 inside cabins than the only 5 person ones (veranda) but it is nerve racking waiting for the cabin assignment.
besides since the kids are staying in grandma's room we are hoping it is close (well mabye not that close)

Our family is set up the same way. We are me, my husband, 2 dd's and grandma. They girls always stay with grandma. This cruise grandma's room is assisgned but my husband and I's is not. DCL has not been assigning rooms until around the week of the 45 day mark. I think we have some time before we will see the rooms assigned.

I'm getting so excited since all check-ins are now complete. I have the 1130 Palo brunch booked for my mom and dad and myself, however i just read the 1130 is not good since they rush you and do not replenish food. Did anyone ever have that seating, is it worth it or should i try to change it?

We have never had a problem like this with Palo and we have eaten at the brunch at least 10 times. We tend to go there earlier but have been there at that time and never had an issue like that.