Cruising The Canal May 1, 2015 (Roll Call in Post 1)

[jdlong37]

We are meeting with our school's principal today to run this cruise by him. We live in a small rural area, and in the past, our school has been very accommodating when our kids have missed a few days for vacations. We are hopeful that they will feel the same way about 10 missed days! I don't think they can *refuse* to let us pull the kids, but I really don't want to have to battle them about it! Wish us luck!

Good luck!!!! I'm pulling my three kids out of school for the cruise!!!

 

[KathleenlovesMickey]

I have six kids all grown now but we would pull them from school sometimes just for purple spotted day we would all go and do a fun thing they remember those days more that what they learned in school for a week. This cruise especially is so educational they could never learn what they will see from a book. They will remember the trip forever this will be a real education!

 

[WildEyed]

We are so excited to be booked on this cruise! (I am a little embarrassed at myself for being so excited for something that's happening over a year from now....)

We're a family of 5: 2 parents, 3 kids DD-10, DS-7, DD-4. Happy to see that other kids of similar ages will be on this trip!

I promised I would stop thinking about DCL once I got this cruise booked...yet here I still am..... DH was teasing me about it but now that it's booked I've caught him looking up the Panama Canal - he admitted he's a tiny bit excited too!

This is our second DCL cruise - first one was 7-day Fantasy this past January - it went way too fast and that's why we're going on a 14 day cruise!

 

[wilma-bride]

We are so excited to be booked on this cruise! (I am a little embarrassed at myself for being so excited for something that's happening over a year from now....)

We're a family of 5: 2 parents, 3 kids DD-10, DS-7, DD-4. Happy to see that other kids of similar ages will be on this trip!

I promised I would stop thinking about DCL once I got this cruise booked...yet here I still am..... DH was teasing me about it but now that it's booked I've caught him looking up the Panama Canal - he admitted he's a tiny bit excited too!

This is our second DCL cruise - first one was 7-day Fantasy this past January - it went way too fast and that's why we're going on a 14 day cruise!

Don't be embarrassed, I think many of us are the same. I am already shortlisting excursions and considering how we are going to get to the port I agree, 7 days doesn't seem like long enough. I am hoping a 14-day cruise will give us plenty of time to relax and enjoy the ship.

to the group

 

[goofprincess]

Hi Sandy and Tony, welcome Any tips you could give to the newbie PC cruisers would be most welcome

Thank you for the warm welcome. Happy to give our perspective on the canal. So many great vantage points for viewing.

 

[pag1164]

We're booked, too. This will be our second cruise and we're very excited. It will be my husband, daughter (18 at time of cruise), and me.


Paulette

 

[KathleenlovesMickey]

We are so excited to be booked on this cruise! (I am a little embarrassed at myself for being so excited for something that's happening over a year from now....)

We're a family of 5: 2 parents, 3 kids DD-10, DS-7, DD-4. Happy to see that other kids of similar ages will be on this trip!

I promised I would stop thinking about DCL once I got this cruise booked...yet here I still am..... DH was teasing me about it but now that it's booked I've caught him looking up the Panama Canal - he admitted he's a tiny bit excited too!

This is our second DCL cruise - first one was 7-day Fantasy this past January - it went way too fast and that's why we're going on a 14 day cruise!

Don't be embarrassed we all are excited! Now if you post that you are starting to pack well we might have to have an intervention. Packing can start around 6 months
Both of us are so excited we have never been on such a long cruise and to go thru the canal and see places we never have seen before it is going to be a long 13 months!

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi everyone

DH and I are booked on this cruise. We're in a 5B category cabin on Deck 6.

14 nights on a DCL cruise...

Our 3 previous DCL cruises have all been on the Magic; 10-night hurricane cruise August 2004; 7-night Double Dip Western August 2006; and the first NYC-Bahamas 9-night cruise May 2012.

Unless our adult children decide to join us, it will be just DH and I this time.

I'm looking forward to planning and researching all new ports (except for Cozumel, we haven't been to any of the other ports on this cruise). And looking forward to getting to know all of you.

 

[Kirbo]

Hello, DH and I signed up for this cruise and are beyond excited! We were originally signed up to go on this year's EBTA as well. Due to DH's job we had to cancel and we are going to WDW for a week instead. DH can't travel the last two weeks in May, so this cruise was the next best option. However, DH is more excited about this one than he was about the EBTA. This is our first Panama Canal cruise and our 6th cruise on the Wonder. I'm hoping nothing gets in the way of this trip!

I was sorry to drop this year's EBTA (we loved last year's) as it was an amazing deal. But it just wasn't in the cards for us. Our girls are really bummed that we are doing the WBPC instead as they were dying to see the re-Imagined Magic. But I'm more excited to do the PC. I think they'll end up loving it and forget about the fact that they aren't on the Magic. (And we just spent 21 days on the Magic last year and they loved it. I told them they'll enjoy the Wonder just as much.)

Well since it does not look like the other thread is going to be merged I thought I would check in here. Deposit paid for this. If we go this will be our 6th WBPC with DCL. DCL does not offer transfers from Ft. Lauderdale. I work for SWA so this is where I will be flying into. For this cruise we are doing the same thing we did for last years. We are staying at a Hyatt House on a great rate. 109 for a one bedroom villa and then the next day drive to Miami. We are renting from Alamo. We have a one way car rental for 24 hr for 28 with tax from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami for a full size using the discount code provided on the WDW Passholder page . Then we will use Alamo's free shuttle to the port.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using DISBoards

I hope you post this again closer to the date! This is excellent travel advice.

Thanks for the tip, however we don't have a balcony so will have to go up on deck somewhere to watch. Glad to hear that there will be no need to join the throng on Deck 10 at 5am though I have heard it is good to see it from different places on the ship so you get a different perspective so I think we will go up on Deck 10 at some point, just to see it from there.

Ditto for us. On all counts.

We are meeting with our school's principal today to run this cruise by him. We live in a small rural area, and in the past, our school has been very accommodating when our kids have missed a few days for vacations. We are hopeful that they will feel the same way about 10 missed days! I don't think they can *refuse* to let us pull the kids, but I really don't want to have to battle them about it!

Wish us luck!

Good luck!

I have six kids all grown now but we would pull them from school sometimes just for purple spotted day we would all go and do a fun thing they remember those days more that what they learned in school for a week. This cruise especially is so educational they could never learn what they will see from a book. They will remember the trip forever this will be a real education!

Hi All I just created a Facebook page for our cruise its
Cruising the Canal May 1, 2015
please ask to join as it is a closed group.
I have been on two FB groups ,for my last cruise and one I am taking in October its fun to have both places to look at. Both of the ones I have been on had more activity on FB.

I couldn't find the page. Could you post a link to it?

We are so excited to be booked on this cruise! (I am a little embarrassed at myself for being so excited for something that's happening over a year from now....)

We're a family of 5: 2 parents, 3 kids DD-10, DS-7, DD-4. Happy to see that other kids of similar ages will be on this trip!

I promised I would stop thinking about DCL once I got this cruise booked...yet here I still am..... DH was teasing me about it but now that it's booked I've caught him looking up the Panama Canal - he admitted he's a tiny bit excited too!

This is our second DCL cruise - first one was 7-day Fantasy this past January - it went way too fast and that's why we're going on a 14 day cruise!

I completely understand your excitement!

Don't be embarrassed we all are excited! Now if you post that you are starting to pack well we might have to have an intervention. Packing can start around 6 months
Both of us are so excited we have never been on such a long cruise and to go thru the canal and see places we never have seen before it is going to be a long 13 months!

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm not on this cruise, but my wife and I did it last year. I know you all will enjoy it!!!

Just wanted to suggest that anybody who is interested in Palo brunch consider doing it on Canal day. We did that and its spectacular to be sitting in Palo having a nice, leisurely meal while watching the scenery go by.

The timing is such that you are through the first set of locks very early in the day and spend most of the mid-day cruising through Gatun Lake to get to the Pacific set of locks. If you book Palo brunch for 11 or so (perhaps earlier) you'll be in good shape to watch the locking procedure before hand.

 

[Nielsen4]

Hi Everyone! I'm super new to this DIS board posting stuff BUT I am SO excited about our Disney Cruise that I just had to join in! This will be our first Disney Cruise - DH, DD -8 and DD- 4. We are going with our good friends jdlong37. I just joined the FB group too! We are very excited to experience our first Disney cruise! I love reading all of the tips on here. We are located in Northern CA. Is there anyone on here that has thought about starting a FE group yet...or is it too early lol. Look forward to meeting new people and enjoying this cruise altogether!!

 

[djoch]

Hi everyone!

Cannot wait for this cruise. It will just be me and my DH, Charles, for our 20th anniversary. PC trip is a dream and bucket list item for him.



Diana

 

[wilma-bride]

We're booked, too. This will be our second cruise and we're very excited. It will be my husband, daughter (18 at time of cruise), and me.


Paulette

to the group. There appears to be a lot of excitement

Hi everyone

DH and I are booked on this cruise. We're in a 5B category cabin on Deck 6.

14 nights on a DCL cruise...

Our 3 previous DCL cruises have all been on the Magic; 10-night hurricane cruise August 2004; 7-night Double Dip Western August 2006; and the first NYC-Bahamas 9-night cruise May 2012.

Unless our adult children decide to join us, it will be just DH and I this time.

I'm looking forward to planning and researching all new ports (except for Cozumel, we haven't been to any of the other ports on this cruise). And looking forward to getting to know all of you.

We're the same. Have been to Cozumel but none of the other ports. We are thinking of trying the secret river excursion in Cozumel, if anybody has any feedback on that?

I'm not on this cruise, but my wife and I did it last year. I know you all will enjoy it!!!

Just wanted to suggest that anybody who is interested in Palo brunch consider doing it on Canal day. We did that and its spectacular to be sitting in Palo having a nice, leisurely meal while watching the scenery go by.

The timing is such that you are through the first set of locks very early in the day and spend most of the mid-day cruising through Gatun Lake to get to the Pacific set of locks. If you book Palo brunch for 11 or so (perhaps earlier) you'll be in good shape to watch the locking procedure before hand.

Thank you for the tip. That's a great idea

Hi Everyone! I'm super new to this DIS board posting stuff BUT I am SO excited about our Disney Cruise that I just had to join in! This will be our first Disney Cruise - DH, DD -8 and DD- 4. We are going with our good friends jdlong37. I just joined the FB group too! We are very excited to experience our first Disney cruise! I love reading all of the tips on here. We are located in Northern CA. Is there anyone on here that has thought about starting a FE group yet...or is it too early lol. Look forward to meeting new people and enjoying this cruise altogether!!

to the DIS and to the group. I will be starting a roll call on the first page soon, since we have quite a few posters. If anybody wants to volunteer to organise the FE group, please feel free.

Hi everyone!

Cannot wait for this cruise. It will just be me and my DH, Charles, for our 20th anniversary. PC trip is a dream and bucket list item for him.



Diana

Great way to celebrate your anniversary. PC is on our bucket list too. Looking forward to crossing it off

 

[mimmi]

I'm amazaed how much traffic there is in this thread?
Hi to all who've just joined!

We haven't told our daughter yet, in case her teachers are uncooperative or I have a ton of exams scheduled for those two weeks and it's so hard to stay quiet, I'm already about to explode .

Has anybody else not told their kids yet? Are you planning a big reveal?

 

[AuntLesa]

Hello everyone! I am booked on this cruise, and very excited about it.

This will be my second canal crossing, my second Disney cruise (previous was last Dec. on the Wonder) and my 15th cruise overall. I will be sailing solo.

I did a similar itinerary in Oct. 2012 on Celebrity. I was solo on the cruise also and met some wonderful people onboard. One gentleman on my trivia team was on his 6th canal crossing. I asked whether Eastbound or Westbound was better. He replied that Westbound was better because it was 3 hours longer because of changing time zones!

For the person who said they could not find The Path Between the Seas on Kindle, I have it on mine, so you might want to check again. If you get through the first half of the book, it gets much more interesting as it focuses more on the people and physical difficulties building the canal and less on the politics. I enjoyed it.

Looking forward to getting to know all of you here and on Facebook as the time goes by.

Lesa

 

[pjstevens]

We aren't booked yet but HOPING to book on our Alaskan cruise in two months. I'm a nursing student so a LOT depends on when I finish school, take my boards and get a 'real' job that pays if we'll be able to do this but the price it such that we are seriously considering it. This would be our first cruise as Gold CC members!

 

[mypixiedust]

Hi my name is Jen.
We just booked this cruise!
I am so excited. It will be our first!
My husband, me, and 3 kids (13,11,8-all girls)!
2 days ago we had booked the EBTA, but after seeing video of rough weather, I decided we needed to head to warmer climates! I couldn't be happier! Plus, I will save a ton on airfare!

 

[tlynk]

I was sorry to drop this year's EBTA (we loved last year's) as it was an amazing deal. But it just wasn't in the cards for us. Our girls are really bummed that we are doing the WBPC instead as they were dying to see the re-Imagined Magic. But I'm more excited to do the PC. I think they'll end up loving it and forget about the fact that they aren't on the Magic. (And we just spent 21 days on the Magic last year and they loved it. I told them they'll enjoy the Wonder just as much.)
I hope you post this again closer to the date! This is excellent travel advice.

We get to spend time at WDW with my aunt and uncle only to watch them leave for Port Canaveral to take the DCL EBTA cruise this coming May. That is going to be hard! However, I always wanted to take a Panama Canal cruise. I'm with your daughters I wish the cruise was going to be on the Magic, but I love the Wonder and know no difference! . All the itineraries we like or can afford have been on the Wonder.

 

[*pixie*]

We are meeting with our school's principal today to run this cruise by him. We live in a small rural area, and in the past, our school has been very accommodating when our kids have missed a few days for vacations. We are hopeful that they will feel the same way about 10 missed days! I don't think they can *refuse* to let us pull the kids, but I really don't want to have to battle them about it!

Wish us luck!

We are booked

Our principal was great! He just asked that the kids speak to their teachers beforehand and get all of their assignments. He also felt the educational experience of the trip would far exceed any time lost in the classroom.

So excited!

 

[wilma-bride]

I'm amazaed how much traffic there is in this thread?
Hi to all who've just joined!

We haven't told our daughter yet, in case her teachers are uncooperative or I have a ton of exams scheduled for those two weeks and it's so hard to stay quiet, I'm already about to explode .

Has anybody else not told their kids yet? Are you planning a big reveal?

I know, it is a busy thread already. Wow, are you going to keep it a surprise until the end or just until the school have agreed? We have told our kids but that's mainly because they don't get to come with us

Hello everyone! I am booked on this cruise, and very excited about it.

This will be my second canal crossing, my second Disney cruise (previous was last Dec. on the Wonder) and my 15th cruise overall. I will be sailing solo.

I did a similar itinerary in Oct. 2012 on Celebrity. I was solo on the cruise also and met some wonderful people onboard. One gentleman on my trivia team was on his 6th canal crossing. I asked whether Eastbound or Westbound was better. He replied that Westbound was better because it was 3 hours longer because of changing time zones!

For the person who said they could not find The Path Between the Seas on Kindle, I have it on mine, so you might want to check again. If you get through the first half of the book, it gets much more interesting as it focuses more on the people and physical difficulties building the canal and less on the politics. I enjoyed it.

Looking forward to getting to know all of you here and on Facebook as the time goes by.

Lesa

Hi and It was me that said Path Between The Seas is not available on Kindle. That, in fact, was part lie. It appears that it is only available to download from Amazon US and, unfortunately, I am in the UK so can't get it

We aren't booked yet but HOPING to book on our Alaskan cruise in two months. I'm a nursing student so a LOT depends on when I finish school, take my boards and get a 'real' job that pays if we'll be able to do this but the price it such that we are seriously considering it. This would be our first cruise as Gold CC members!

Fingers crossed that you can get it booked

Hi my name is Jen.
We just booked this cruise!
I am so excited. It will be our first!
My husband, me, and 3 kids (13,11,8-all girls)!
2 days ago we had booked the EBTA, but after seeing video of rough weather, I decided we needed to head to warmer climates! I couldn't be happier! Plus, I will save a ton on airfare!

Hi Jen and to the group. Wow, 3 girls and 2 (almost) teens. My girls are very close in age and were a nightmare at that age - it was always one or the other driving me to distraction

We get to spend time at WDW with my aunt and uncle only to watch them leave for Port Canaveral to take the DCL EBTA cruise this coming May. That is going to be hard! However, I always wanted to take a Panama Canal cruise. I'm with your daughters I wish the cruise was going to be on the Magic, but I love the Wonder and know no difference! . All the itineraries we like or can afford have been on the Wonder.

We have sailed on the Wonder, Magic and Fantasy and the Wonder remains our first love