December 24, 2011 Celebrating a Magical 6-Night Caribbean Christmas Cruise

[charliez]

Great tip!! Wish that applied to those of us using DVC points...

Charlie

 

[HFC1969]

Hi all!!
Be sure to check the DCL website today. I called DCL and got the new low price. Hope this helps you too.

Thx for trying...

After a long conversation with Olga from DCL.. no matter how we tried to price it.. our CAT went up $1300....

Oh well.. getting closer every day!

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Just got back from WDW besides the heat and the massive amount of tour groups my mom and I had a great time now I am ready for this cruise. Haven't bought airfare yet waiting until Sept to do that a friend that is a travel agent said the price is supposed to go down then.

We would be interested in doing a fe did it on our last cruise and loved it.

 

[HFC1969]

Sitting ar Gasparilla at Gflo having a snack while I contemplate airfare prices. Bleh! We have tickets for our Sept trip purchased but do not have Nov or Dec bought. Ugh!!!! Hope the prices do come down! Anyone need anything from WDW ? I will officially be the FE name keeper. Just message me your names and ages of those participating.

 

[KaryCam]

Glad everyone seems to be having a good summer.
We applied for our passports last week - that felt good and made the cruise seem closer.
My BIL and family is on their DCL cruise to Alaska this week - so jealous.

Sign us up for the FE - me, DH, & DS (12)

After state competition last spring, DS decided to do his next science fair project on seasickness. No, DS still doesn't know about our cruise but he did know about his cousins' trip who suffer from seasickness. A few months back we started a thread to collect data about children and seasickness. If you would like, find that thread and add your information. Thanks.

 

[jitsb]

I caved and bought SWA tickets; that was brutal! I really wanted to wait to see if prices would come down, but they were already losing flights, including most of the non-stop ones. Our TA friend said there was no guarantee about price drop, or added flight and after some very bad connection experiences at Christmas time last year, we so weren't willing to risk it again.

So, we coughed up a ridiculous amount of money for refundable tickets... good thing we haven't had any other vacations this year!

 

[HFC1969]

I caved and bought SWA tickets; that was brutal!

STL to MCO is like $2200 for the 4 of us... W T F... SWA our loyalty is quickly going out the window..

AA doesn't even fly direct anymore.. all MCO flights go thru MDW... we all know you can get stuck there for days..

We are waiting it out.. We just bought our Sept tickets.. they did finally go down.. The November trip could be on the chopping block though if Dec doesn't go down.

I told Amy its almost time to fly ourselves... She didn't say no, so who knows...

 

[HFC1969]

the offical FE list has begun..

Please include your cabin #, how many are participating in each cabin and their names and ages...

 

[KaryCam]

Please include your cabin #, how many are participating in each cabin and their names and ages...

Cabin #
DH - Greg (44)
Me - Karynne eek
DS - Cameron (12) who just got braces

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Cabin# 8582
Me: Melissa 33
DM: Nancy 63
DB: Matthew 31



We are now paid in full now all we have to do is book airfare and transportation. So excited for this cruise!

 

[HFC1969]

Added everyone to the list..

Karynne... tell your son.. that our son Justin is on the second round of braces.. Also... if your son is interested in emailing or txting Justin, just let me know.. Justin loves to make friends before the cruise..

143 days til

 

[Elfinjojo]

Yay glad to see that an FE has started for this group, count me in!

#2134 (I believe!)
Me: Jojo 39
DH: Rob 40
DD: Holly 10
DS: Evan 7

I am frantically trying to complete the FE for our Alaskan cruise in 2 weeks - this was my first time at doing an FE and just hope that I have come up with the goods - so to speak!

However since doing the research for the FE I have come across just the thing I can do for a christmas one - so I am so excited to be able to share them with you guys!

So I am really looking forward to the trip! I love Christmas, and this is the first time we have ever spent Christmas away from home! Took me a while to get my head round the idea but now I think about it, I am really looking forward to it.

What will you be doing to make the Christmas cruise extra special? I am planning on bringing my mini christmas tree with me to put in the cabin - mini as in around 6inches high with tiny(battery powered) led lights on it - well you have to have a tree for Santa to find! and then there will be christmas stockings with just small gifts for the kids and DH(I hope they remember that I need a stocking full of gifts too!)

As we are flying in from the UK, weight will be an issue so the kids will be getting gifts like books, DS games, and other little bits and bobs to make their christmas special - as if going on a disney cruise isn't special enough. they don't know about the cruise yet - they only know about the NY cruise the week after so I think this will be christmas present enough!

So once I am back from the B2B Alaskan cruise I will start to get the FE gifts ready for this cruise - I can't wait!!

 

[HFC1969]

Yay glad to see that an FE has started for this group, count me in!

#2134 (I believe!)
Me: Jojo 39
DH: Rob 40
DD: Holly 10
DS: Evan 7

I am frantically trying to complete the FE for our Alaskan cruise in 2 weeks - this was my first time at doing an FE and just hope that I have come up with the goods - so to speak!

However since doing the research for the FE I have come across just the thing I can do for a christmas one - so I am so excited to be able to share them with you guys!

So I am really looking forward to the trip! I love Christmas, and this is the first time we have ever spent Christmas away from home! Took me a while to get my head round the idea but now I think about it, I am really looking forward to it.:

We started this as our family tradition about 8 years ago.. Have not looked back.. Peeved the other relatives off a bit at first. Now they are used to it. The kids love it.. We don't miss the snow... We get to relax and enjoy each other at the most magical time of the year in a special place..

What will you be doing to make the Christmas cruise extra special? I am planning on bringing my mini christmas tree with me to put in the cabin - mini as in around 6inches high with tiny(battery powered) led lights on it - well you have to have a tree for Santa to find! and then there will be christmas stockings with just small gifts for the kids and DH(I hope they remember that I need a stocking full of gifts too!):

We bring a crappy 3 foot tree every year.. It has survivied many a baggage rides from STL to MCO via SWA.. Decorate the doors, mirrors, you name it. We buy the DCL decorations also.. Go all out.

As we are flying in from the UK, weight will be an issue so the kids will be getting gifts like books, DS games, and other little bits and bobs to make their christmas special - as if going on a disney cruise isn't special enough. they don't know about the cruise yet - they only know about the NY cruise the week after so I think this will be christmas present enough!

Amy last year took pics of the biggers stuff for our son and wrapped those. He understands so it makes it easier. Our who is 5 now... she loves Disney princess outfits.. so they are light and packable.

So once I am back from the B2B Alaskan cruise I will start to get the FE gifts ready for this cruise - I can't wait!!

Have fun! Your on the FE list..

 

[KaryCam]

Karynne... tell your son.. that our son Justin is on the second round of braces.. Also... if your son is interested in emailing or txting Justin, just let me know.. Justin loves to make friends before the cruise..

I know Cameron will enjoy meeting Justin, thanks.
We have not told him yet about the cruise. As we plan right now, we will tell him at Thanksgiving. I am thinking a treasure hunt to reveal it. Who knows, will have to think of something fun.
My BIL and family just got back from their DCL trip to Alaska so I know he wishes he could go but isn't voicing it. Plus, we are doing that seasickness science project. Little does he know that the practical application will be done by himself on his own cruise.

Can't wait for summer to be over and all this hot, hot weather.

Crossing fingers that DH enjoys the cruise. Had to talk him into this.
Hopefully it will be our first among many, not first and only.

 

[KaryCam]

the offical FE list has begun..

Please include your cabin #, how many are participating in each cabin and their names and ages...

Just had a thought - should we also start a list to find out what dinner seating we are all at?

Our family is at the 1st seating.

 

[HFC1969]

Crossing fingers that DH enjoys the cruise. Had to talk him into this.
Hopefully it will be our first among many, not first and only.

Tell him... that the 41 (soon to be 42) guy on disboards, would pick a Disney cruise with his family over anything..

should we also start a list to find out what dinner seating we are all at?

I can just add it to the spread sheet.. I think we are first also.. Last year was our first year of being first... took A LOT of getting used to. Lets just say we were late to alot of dinners..

101 in STL today.. Justin is at golf camp.

142 days til

 

[KaryCam]

101 in STL today.. Justin is at golf camp.

WOW!! I hope Justin stays hydrated and has plenty of sunscreen.
I keep hearing about the heat waves up north and how bad they are.
It's only suppose to get up to 92 here in SW FL but with the heat index it will feel over 100. We'll see what Tropical Storm Emily brings FL at the end of the week though.

 

[TimmyTown]

the offical FE list has begun..

Please include your cabin #, how many are participating in each cabin and their names and ages...

Please sign us up for the FE list:

Cabin #6640 - Tim (49), DW Amanda (38), DS Nate (12)

We look forward to our first Christmas cruise with everyone. We're second seating dining by the way.

See you aboard the Magic!!

Tim

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Yay!!!! Everything but excursions is booked and paid for including airfare and ground transportation now I'm just waiting until the 26th so we can book Palo for Christmas day and a Cabana. According to my phone I have 136 days until we leave which means it is a 140 days until this cruise lets hope time flies. We are also first dining I'm a type 1 diabetic so we try to keep meal times the same even on vacation even though we would rather have the second dining rotation.
Melissa

 

[HFC1969]

Please sign us up for the FE list:

Cabin #6640 - Tim (49), DW Amanda (38), DS Nate (12)

Tim

You guys are on the list..

ything but excursions is booked and paid for including airfare and ground transportation now I'm just waiting until the 26th so we can book Palo for Christmas day and a Cabana. According to my phone I have 136 days until we leave which means it is a 140 days until this cruise lets hope time flies. We are also first dining I'm a type 1 diabetic so we try to keep meal times the same even on vacation even though we would rather have the second dining rotation.
Melissa

Wow.. you guys are so organized...

We so suk at that... To this day we have not booked anything before we walk on the ship. We just kinda go with the flow.