Cruise to Sanity ~ PTR

[Amunet]

to my
Cruise to Sanity PTR
This is a PTR for my CRUISE portion of our upcoming vacation.
If you'd like to check out my WDW PTR you may do so by clicking this: http://www.disboards.com/threads/going-home-ptr.3382874/


Hello and thanks for stopping by!

I'm very exciting for our upcoming cruise, so I figured I should start the documentation process ^_^

This will be our second Disney cruise but our first ever cruise with a balcony! Also our first cruise on the Fantasy
We have a GTY cabin for cat. 7A. No matter what, we're getting a balcony and we're super excited!
The Basics
Who

Jon (DH) Student in Pre-Med (Oriental Medicine) at NUHS
Kris (me) Student in Graduate Studies (Liberal Arts) at UofC
Photo taken last cruise ^_^
Where
Eastern Caribbean on the Fantasy
(St. Maarten, San Juan, Castaway Cay)
Cabin 8034

When
April 24th = Flight
April 25th - May 2nd = Cruising
May 2nd - May 5th = Post Cruise WDW ~New!

Why
For our mental health! Haha really though, it is for our mental health as I've been battling some nasty health issues and we really think this cruise will help me Also, this cruise is for my Gramma and Jon's Mother, who will be traveling with us in spirit


So that's the basic overview, I'll include more specifics later and as they come along ^_^

I hope some people will stop by!
​

 

[Amunet]

There are a few things that we've been able to take care of already

At this point, we have already PIF and taken care of our airfare

Cruise Plans

Dining
Palo Brunch ~ We have never done Palo Brunch, so we're hoping we can sign up for day 3 (4/27) and try this for this cruise

Main Dining ~ Second Dining and need to request a table for just DH and I. We also need to request dining rotation: ERAERAE

Excursions
St. Maarten ~ Under Two Flags DCL tour ^_^ Afterwards, we plan to go to The Yoda Guy's store ^_^ Mostly to browse!

San Juan ~ Walking around on our own. Wanting to go to a chocolate bar and the cemetary. Other than that, general souvineer shopping.

Castaway Cay ~ CC5K! Other than that, just hanging out in the shade on serenity beach ... perhaps going to the slides in the family area



Transportation
Flight ~ We will be flying in on the 24th with a very early flight. We will be on Southwest Airlines and should be in Orlando by 10:30am

Port ~ We want to take the Disney transportation to/from the airport. We have not reserved this yet as we're still figuring out hotel plans. But I must take Disney Transportation because DH promised we would one day when I saw the buses on our Honeymoon (at WDW)

Hotel
Currently we have a reservation with Holiday Inn Express & Suites Orlando International Airport. Depending on budget, we may be able to stay at a WDW resort ...


Pre Departure
As you read, we're flying in rather early the day before the cruise. My original plan was to take a bus to the International Drive Character Outlet Store so we can stock up ^_^ But depending on finances, we may be able to make it to a park. We'll see!

Post Cruise - New!
3 Nights at WDW! Have been missing our 'home' and really wanted to go back to try the new Snow White ride ^_^
May 2nd - 5th

Hotel ~ Port Orleans Riverside (Royal Room!)

Dining ~ ADR plans for Crystal Palace (Breakfast), Be Our Guest (Lunch), 'Ohanas (Dinner) Akershus (pre-opening Breakfast) & Tokyo Dining (Dinner, Illuminations time).


So that's kind of our plans right now but as you know, plans can change. I hope they'll change for the better though!

 

[Amunet]

Just a side note about the determination for me going on the 5K ...

In 2013 I was starting to train for The Princess Marathon 10k for 2014. About 2 weeks into my training, I ended up having a major surgery that made me unable to have children.
Due to the healing involved and then subsuquent health issues in 2014, I have not had a chance to resume training.

I've never been active in my older life and I wanted to change that. Disney is a special place for my husband as I due to our Honeymoon at WDW, I found that the Disney Run marathons would be perfect motivation for that.
Now, I'm just too stubborn to do any organized run that isn't Disney for my first try. So, here I am! 2 years later .. finally going to make that happen!

I plan to follow a 6 week program (Couch to 5K) starting in February

My plan is to wear my Orange Bird mickey ears hat while on the 5K, since I won the hat on an ebay auction 30 minutes after I woke up from my surgery! Orange bird and that hat represents a lot for me, so I'm excited to wear it.
I really hope that I can stay motivated to do this! So far I've been doing lots of leg stretches and walking to get ready for the jogging.

So that's my story!

 

[sillecruisers]

Congrats on embarking on the CC5K! I plan to run it too on our first cruise, which is not until Sept. I wanted to do the Princess 1/2 last year but got lazy and just didn't train. Once again, I have the registration date on my calendar for the 2015 Princess, and plan to do the CC5K in Sept. I just started C25K and plan to train for a 10K after I complete the 5K training (and do a local race).

Anyway, I look forward to reading more about your cruise plans!

 

[Amunet]

Congrats on embarking on the CC5K! I plan to run it too on our first cruise, which is not until Sept. I wanted to do the Princess 1/2 last year but got lazy and just didn't train. Once again, I have the registration date on my calendar for the 2015 Princess, and plan to do the CC5K in Sept. I just started C25K and plan to train for a 10K after I complete the 5K training (and do a local race).

Anyway, I look forward to reading more about your cruise plans!

Thank you! I hope it works out for both of us!
Awe lol Have you run a 1/2 before? If I did the princess marathon I think I'd stick with the 10k
When is the registration for 2015?

Thank you so much for reading I didn't think anyone would read lol

 

[Amunet]

Today I remembered to call Disney

I've put in our dining rotation request for ERAERAE and private dining (just me and DH at the table). We're on 2nd Dining so we'd have a better chance of having our requests met

We chose ERAERAE because we liked how the themes matched up with the dining rooms and we like the concept of Enchanted Garden the most, so we wanted to spend the majority of our dining expeirences there.

To Do List:
Palo Brunch Rezzi (3rd Day)
St. Maarten ~ Two Flags Ex.
DCL Transport (airport RT)
Prepaid Gratuities
FE Items
Room Assignment

Complete:
Request Dining Rotation
Request 2 person dining seating
PIF
Flights
Pre-cruise Hotel

 

[Amunet]

Whooh! Just was able to book activities! I feel so excited
I've been worried about if we could get the Palo Brunch. Thankfully we were! 11:30am Palo Brunch on Day 3 ^_^
Was also able to get the Under Two Flags - Adult Departure at 9:30am (the only time available) on Day 4 (St. Maarten Day).
AND to top all that off, I was able to get us a 10:30am PAT!

Feeling very accomplished

I sent out for a new passport the other day, so I'll need to update that info, as well as if we end up staying at the Disney Resort after the cruise.

I've decided to keep with current plans for arrival day. Just going to the Outlet Store and then just taking it easy with a simple dinner. Since we'll be waking up very early for our flight as well as making it in time for the first bus on cruise day! Relax would be good.

To Do List:
DCL Transport (airport RT)
Prepaid Gratuities
FE Items
Room Assignment

Complete:
Palo Brunch Rezzi (3rd Day)
St. Maarten ~ Two Flags Ex.
Request Dining Rotation
Request 2 person dining seating
PIF
Flights
Pre-cruise Hotel

 

[Amunet]

In non-cruise news, I have been approved and bought flights for my research project in Tibet!

 

[Amunet]

Seriously considering post cruise WDW trip ....

 

[Amunet]

Oh goodness. Just found out they have special printed Magic Bands now!

Elsa for me and Stitch for Jon!

*grabby hands*

 

[Amunet]

Found my avatar again! It was hiding o.o

 

[Amunet]

We have officially changed our plans to include a stay at WDW post cruise! We will be staying 3 nights at Coronado Springs Resort ^_^

 

[LennyMachine]

I know I can follow threads without posting, but I wanted to say "hi" because we're also going on our first Fantasy cruise -- though for us, it's our first cruise period, and we're going to the Western Caribbean, not the Eastern. We're also fellow Chicagoans. In fact, I'm a fellow UC Maroon! I'm AB'98, but moved back to Hyde Park after I finished law school elsewhere.

 

[Amunet]

I know I can follow threads without posting, but I wanted to say "hi" because we're also going on our first Fantasy cruise -- though for us, it's our first cruise period, and we're going to the Western Caribbean, not the Eastern. We're also fellow Chicagoans. In fact, I'm a fellow UC Maroon! I'm AB'98, but moved back to Hyde Park after I finished law school elsewhere.

Really!? Hello When is your cruise? First cruise ever?! Oh my gosh, you must be so excited Is there a special occasion?

I appreciate you posting, I really don't think people read PTRs lol but I have it for my sanity Nice to know someone reads though!

Le gasp! Really? THAT IS AWESOME!! Did you do Undergrad work here? I'm waiting to hear back if I got into the MAPSS program, right now I'm just doing the Graham School MLA, but the dean is very supportive of me trying to move to MAPSS ^_^ Lol there's a huge story but I won't get into that lol. It's so different, the quality of education is amazing, but I feel like I'm just fumbling
Do you still come on campus if you're in the Hyde Park area? I drive down for class (I live more in the burbs), but am entertaining the idea of renting a room so I can be more active and have access to things easier (expecially if I get accepted into the Social Sciences department). So if you know of any around you, let me know!

 

[LennyMachine]

We're setting sail August 22, but spending a day at MK the day beforehand. No special occasion, although one reason my mother-in-law is getting to come along (besides the free child care, ha ha) is because we didn't get a chance to do something special for her 60th birthday last August.

I have a PTR, too, just to have someplace to commemorate/justify the fact that I spend way too much time thinking about all this stuff, ha ha! First cruise ever, first PTR ever:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/da...nel-our-very-first-disney-cruise-ptr.3378111/

Yes, I was a UC undergrad way back when, majoring in General Studies in the Humanities (now the more marketably titled "Interdisciplinary Studies"). I don't get to come on campus as often as I'd like, but I am there every once in a while to bring my kids to be a subject in one of the social sciences or psychology lab studies, or go to one of the bookstores.

Moving from Graham School to MAPSS, that's amazing! I'm very curious about what your research project in Tibet. My parents are Buddhists, and their primary teacher was a Tibetan monk, so I have some exposure to that aspect of the culture. I also saw your husband is studying Oriental medicine, which is cool, too. My dad was a general practitioner and was also an acupuncturist, and my mom is thinking about pursuing her studies in acupuncture as well.

Where in the 'burbs are you? My husband hails from the northwest suburbs (Echo Lake, Elgin, Rolling Meadows).

 

[Amunet]

Started training for 5k today x.x EUGH! So sweaty!! I'm doing Couch to 5k ^_^

 

[Amunet]

We're setting sail August 22

I'll go say hi on your PTR too ^_^ Are you planning on writing a trip report afterwards?

Oh, that sounds fun! Did they implament the dorm rule (1st years must stay on campus)? Where were you at if they did?
Since I'm attending the Graham School (ugly step-child of UofC ) I completely missed all the undergrad stuff. Ah, I don't know if I'm moving into MAPSS, but I did apply! I really hope I get accepted though ^_^

Oh wow, really? That's awesome! Yeah, DH has a lot of studies in acupuncture as well. For the school he's at, it's jsut a bit more classes to do an OM ^_^ Though, he's seriously considering the D.O. path after his OM ^_^

Oh! I know Elgin ^_^ We are north of Aurora/Naperville, west of O'hare ^_^ Lots of little towns/cities around us actually

 

[LennyMachine]

I love to read trip reports, and I know I would be ALL OVER doing one . . . but it would also probably consume my life, and I do have a toddler to watch during the day, ha ha ha ha . . . Also, I make photo books of all of our trips, and that usually consumes the vast majority of the month after we return from a Disney holiday. Now that I'm finally on these message boards, I'd seriously think about doing a trip report.

I don't specifically remember if UC had a first-years-must-live-on-campus rule at the time I was there (it wouldn't surprise me if it did). I was in the 11th floor of the Shoreland for all four years. For my third and fourth years, I had a large, two bedroom, two bathroom dorm room with living room, dining room, and a small kitchen. Greatest dorm room ever.

 

[LennyMachine]

Whoops. I was having problems with my Internet connection, and I must have hit the "back" button and landed back on your PTR. Sorry!!!

 

[Amunet]

That's okay! Nice bump lol

I've been a little obsessed with planning this. I'm also doing a super secret planning for our anniversary (a gaming convention, DH is a huge fan) and there's so much to learn! I'm actually using my Disney planning skills for this convention lol.
So yeah, between that and school, pretty distracted!

Though, I may have an update soon ^_^