December 12 - 19, 2009 Western Magic

[bevtoy]

I found a fun graphic on the link - 3rd page under Disney Christmas - Tinkerbell with the ship (sorry I don't know how to adjust and bring in). It would be great for a "Magical Christmas Cruise to Neverland" - or either of the above ones (they almost have more of a ring to them when combined). I am guessing that most of us going on the cruise are using all or a portion of it as our Christmas gifts for the year - a theme that goes along with the reason we are traveling would be fun for the scrapbooks afterwords. Anyone know how to change the graphic and put the date and theme across it so we can post it for the poll?

Ok I will combine them to read :

"Magical Christmas Cruise To Neverland"
and then:
"Penny Pinchers In Paradise" P-3

pi = 3.14159265 but I cant think of a clever way to work that in. LOL

 

[Juney]

Not to be a party pooper...but I believe that Priceline rooms are non-transferable. You do have to show ID when you check in. Not sure what they'd do if the ID didn't match the name on the ressie.

Just FYI .. I have book many, MANY rooms through priceline. I always book them in my husband's name. Frequently we will send one of our employees to the engagement. We have never had any trouble with someone else checking in to the room. However, 2 things .. the hotel can refuse the guest and we always send the booking credit card with the employee even though they have never had to use it.

 

[Juney]

I have a really silly question for experienced cruisers .. what do the rooms smell like? Dumb .. huh?? My daughter is allergic to artificial coloring, flavoring and scents. So the linens and the cleaning agents need to be "free and clear". I added this information to our medical form. I know last year at AKL Mousekeeping just marked our room and our linens were all specially tagged and were F&C and bleach only. I'm hoping there won't be any Lysol "Fresh" scent or Orange Energy Pine-Sol going on!!

 

[HallsofVA]

Bevtoy - I really like the graphic you posted with tinkerbell in the life ring with the snowflakes, but I think the backgroun has too much white to look good when printed. Is there anyway to add a background that's a shot of castaway cay or something tropical while keeping the snowflakes and everything else? And then put the name and dates around the life ring?? I'd really like that one if it's possible to do.

 

[HallsofVA]

I have a really silly question for experienced cruisers .. what do the rooms smell like? Dumb .. huh?? My daughter is allergic to artificial coloring, flavoring and scents. So the linens and the cleaning agents need to be "free and clear". I added this information to our medical form. I know last year at AKL Mousekeeping just marked our room and our linens were all specially tagged and were F&C and bleach only. I'm hoping there won't be any Lysol "Fresh" scent or Orange Energy Pine-Sol going on!!

That's a great question. But knowing Disney, I'm sure they'll be able to accommodate you. The biggest scent that I remember from our cruise last year (and one that I still smell almost every day since then) is the smell of the shampoo, conditioner and body wash they give you (well, at least the suites got body wash!) It's the H20 SPA brand of products and they have very strong scents. Hopefully with the form they will leave those out for you because we thought they were very strong (though in a pleasant way for us.) We liked it so much we've continued to buy those products from the H20 website so we can keep using them!

 

[Juney]

That's a great question. But knowing Disney, I'm sure they'll be able to accommodate you. The biggest scent that I remember from our cruise last year (and one that I still smell almost every day since then) is the smell of the shampoo, conditioner and body wash they give you (well, at least the suites got body wash!) It's the H20 SPA brand of products and they have very strong scents. Hopefully with the form they will leave those out for you because we thought they were very strong (though in a pleasant way for us.) We liked it so much we've continued to buy those products from the H20 website so we can keep using them!

Oh my gosh .. LOVE THOSE. We had all of those in our AKL room along with the H20 lotion. My husband has the same allergies as my daughter only he is able to better manage them. But they use free and clear shampoos, conditioners, body washes and lotions. So the H20 stuff was hoarded and saved for me. *insert evil laugh*

 

[bevtoy]

Bevtoy - I really like the graphic you posted with tinkerbell in the life ring with the snowflakes, but I think the backgroun has too much white to look good when printed. Is there anyway to add a background that's a shot of castaway cay or something tropical while keeping the snowflakes and everything else? And then put the name and dates around the life ring?? I'd really like that one if it's possible to do.

Lets see if I can go over to the graphics board and I will post it as soon as I can get some help doing that. Its a good idea.

 

[bevtoy]

HallsofVA here are three examples that Milliepie from the graphics board reworked for us:

 

[Scooby3x1y]

Just FYI .. I have book many, MANY rooms through priceline. I always book them in my husband's name. Frequently we will send one of our employees to the engagement. We have never had any trouble with someone else checking in to the room. However, 2 things .. the hotel can refuse the guest and we always send the booking credit card with the employee even though they have never had to use it.

I've never detected a scent. And, I have a pretty sensitive nose. I'm sure that if there was a stain or spill, they may have to use something that could cause a problem.

My nephew had an allergic reaction to the soap they used on the sheets, he has very very sensitive skin. The reaction wasn't bad. I'm sure for that many people they probably use what will affect the least people.

If it is a major concern, I would note it on your reservation. I'm sure they can take extra precaution to not use anything. I'm positive you wouldn't be the first one to request it.

 

[kcashner]

I have a really silly question for experienced cruisers .. what do the rooms smell like? Dumb .. huh?? My daughter is allergic to artificial coloring, flavoring and scents. So the linens and the cleaning agents need to be "free and clear". I added this information to our medical form. I know last year at AKL Mousekeeping just marked our room and our linens were all specially tagged and were F&C and bleach only. I'm hoping there won't be any Lysol "Fresh" scent or Orange Energy Pine-Sol going on!!

I don't know specifically what they do, but I know they have an "allergy free" cleaning procedure. Sorry that I can't be more specific. Since it was noted on your medical form, your room host/hostess should be aware already...but DO check with them as soon as you have room access. They usually introduce themselves on the first afternoon. You also might want to mention it when you check in at the terminal--they can always make a call to the hotel manager on the ship to be sure it's done.

They also have a "deep cleaning" procedure. We had a funky smell in our room one night. They sent someone up who agreed that there was a smell, it wasn't coming from the bathroom, etc. They said they never found what it was, but they brought in some spray stuff that got rid of it almost instantly, and the next day our hostess said she'd gotten a message to "deep clean" the room. They also brought up an "air purifier" and told us we could keep it for the rest of the cruise or they would remove it if we wished.

 

[HallsofVA]

HallsofVA here are three examples that Milliepie from the graphics board reworked for us:

Ooh. These are getting good! My question about the first two examples was actually looking to add some background behind the snowflakes, since it's the white snowflakes on the white background that I was thinking could use some color. But you'd probably have to recreate that entire layer to do it unless the snowflakes are all saved as a separate layer already.

The last one sure is pretty. I like the colored snowflakes (especially the DISgreen one!) Personally, I struggle a bit (okay, alot!) with calling this a Christmas cruise, and the Merry Christmas part, only because this is actually the week before christmas. But I would have no idea how to work in something like "An Early Christmas in the Western Caribbean" or "Christmas came early this year", so I just may have to get over it. And do we have any of our fellow cruisers that don't celebrate Christmas that we'd need to consider??

 

[Shelebeen]

I don't have a problem with calling it a Christmas Cruise, it is in the Christmas season and ends only a few days before Christmas. We are calling it a Pre-Christmas cruise in our house .

Not sure I understand the Neverland connection though.. I get the tink and disney connection with Neverland, but... I don't know.. which is fine too!

I will rework the P3 graphics on the weekend.. have been working on some stuff for girl guides and school, so this got pushed until the weekend..

 

[HallsofVA]

I don't have a problem with calling it a Christmas Cruise, it is in the Christmas season and ends only a few days before Christmas. We are calling it a Pre-Christmas cruise in our house .

Not sure I understand the Neverland connection though.. I get the tink and disney connection with Neverland, but... I don't know.. which is fine too!

I will rework the P3 graphics on the weekend.. have been working on some stuff for girl guides and school, so this got pushed until the weekend..

I don't really get the Neverland connection to this cruise either, though it made more sense once I saw the Tink graphic. But that word was forever ruined for me by MJ's neverland ranch!

 

[bevtoy]

OK I am trying to get these changed to read "Magical Holiday Cruise"
that should solve two issues.

If anyone wants to submit another logo or slogan for the vote you would be welcome.
I will try to get it up at the offsite group tomorrow.

 

[kcashner]

Don't know if you noticed...but someone from our cruise posted on the main boards that they were phoned and offered an upgrade from a cat 9 to a cat 6 for $300. This is about the same price as an upgrade at the port would cost. It is a very fair offer if the person is interested. The "what you don't know" part is that some people have reported turning down paid upgrades and then getting the same upgrade as pixie dust; there's just no way to predict who will get the pixie dust if no one pays for the upgrade.

What I interpret from this--there are lots of cabins left on our sailing and DCL is trying to get some more money from guests on our sailing. I find it interesting that inventory control is working on us at this point.

 

[HallsofVA]

Don't know if you noticed...but someone from our cruise posted on the main boards that they were phoned and offered an upgrade from a cat 9 to a cat 6 for $300. This is about the same price as an upgrade at the port would cost. It is a very fair offer if the person is interested. The "what you don't know" part is that some people have reported turning down paid upgrades and then getting the same upgrade as pixie dust; there's just no way to predict who will get the pixie dust if no one pays for the upgrade.

What I interpret from this--there are lots of cabins left on our sailing and DCL is trying to get some more money from guests on our sailing. I find it interesting that inventory control is working on us at this point.

I know there have been some other threads about Cat 12 people being offered a Cat 9 for $99, and perhaps even more folks getting assigned Cat 9's for no additional cost. With so many folks here booked in Cat 12, I was wondering what some of you would do if you get one of those calls.

One benefit I see is the potential to select or at least know what room would be assigned so you could turn it down if it's a cruddy room, or jump on it if it's a good room just to avoid getting assigned a cruddy room.

A negative of course is paying extra for something that they might have given you for free.

 

[HallsofVA]

I participated in the online cruise fair last night that AAA sponsored. I got a copy of the coupon book from the fair, and I've posted the file in the Files section of the Yahoo group site since I don't know how to post attachments here. There are two coupons for Disney Cruise Lines - a discount at Treasure Ketch, and a discount off of float rentals on Castaway Cay. Not huge, but every little bit helps.

Enjoy!

 

[kcashner]

I know there have been some other threads about Cat 12 people being offered a Cat 9 for $99, and perhaps even more folks getting assigned Cat 9's for no additional cost. With so many folks here booked in Cat 12, I was wondering what some of you would do if you get one of those calls.

One benefit I see is the potential to select or at least know what room would be assigned so you could turn it down if it's a cruddy room, or jump on it if it's a good room just to avoid getting assigned a cruddy room.

A negative of course is paying extra for something that they might have given you for free.

If I was offered a 9 (from a 12) for $99, I'd take it--as you said, I might have some influence in which room I got (is it an assigned 9 or a 9 gty) and I have a DD who is convinced that she needs "at least a window." As you pointed out, I might get it without paying, but this way I'd KNOW that DD would be reasonably happy. If I was offered a 9 for $300, I'd have to seriously think about it. At this level, I'm tempted to wait and see where the pixie dust falls. Of course, as DD points out, it has been MANY years since it has fallen on me unless you count a 12 to a 10 or 11 (which I don't count).

I've been lucky with paid upgrades, but no recent pixie dust. I was secretly hoping that there might be some "unofficial" action on upgrades for platinums, but posts from the first cruise on the new system look like that's not happening--at least one platinum went from a 12 to an 11. Oh well.....

 

[bevtoy]

Well I asked my friend Milliepie over at the graphics thread to redo the Holiday Tinkerbell and she out did herself she made 4 of them. I hardly know which one is best. She is such a sweet person! I am favoring the full tropical background.

 

[bevtoy]

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