December 4,2004 !!!

[4cruisin]

Hi Fellow Cruisers,

I just checked my pm's and Ann graciously had invited me to join this thread. I was not aware that there were so many of us booked for this cruise. I have been frantically trying to plan for my next cruise on March 4 on the Carnival Legend and not paying a ton of attention to the Dis board... sorry . Btw, the Carnival cruise was a gift from my boss...I'm not straying from DCL on my own!

Can't wait to be able to read this entire thread. We have not done any of the ports on the western so I may need to pick Ann's brain about excurison ideas for dh and myself. Both dh and I are early (very early 40's...no kids. Looking forward to joining our dis friends on the cruise.

Thanks,
Nancy

 

[rae519]

I've got his work number. I think it might be worth a call to make sure he is okay. Now you know why ThreeCircles calls me "Momma Rae" - I'm the Mother of all Worriers!!!

Rae

 

[rae519]

Wonder how Ann is doing on her tan?!

Bet she's rested and relaxed and just waiting to come back to see what the snowplowman has done to her driveway!!!

Looks like 20's here today - heat wave!!!!!

Got my excursions booked for the April 17 cruise - Pinel Island, Trunk Bay and Glass Bottom Boat at CC - just a nice relaxing time planned for us. I do want to go up the tram on St. Thomas though - don't like the "coming down" though - did it in Switzerland off Mt Pilatus and screamed the entire way. (Maybe I should wear a warning sign on the way up!)

Rae

 

[rae519]

Nancy, I'm pricing the Carnival Sensation for my friend's wedding in September (Cozumel and Grand Cayman). They have all inside staterooms, but I'm spoiled by DCL and want that verandah - so it's a waiting game now. I have friends who have gone Holland and Norwegian, and swear by Carnival - but they haven't gone Disney yet....looking at the 2005 time frame for the birthday celebration seriously though!!!!

Go WEST Disney!

Rae

 

[4cruisin]

Rae,

I am leery about Carnival as I have heard both good and bad. We are not "partyers" per se but I think that Carnival has calmed down a little over the years. We have a private balcony stateroom on the Empress deck which I think is comparable to DCL, no split bath though. As my dh said "If it's free, it's for me." Everything is paid for except our excursions so regardless of how it compares to DCL, I'm sure we will make the best of it. The rates on future CCL cruises are much lower than DCL, but I will decide after we return from our March cruise if I will cruise CCL again.

I love DCL, but have to admit the rates are really getting rather crazy.

Nancy

 

[lbgraves]

Welcome, Nancy. I have made a website for our group. The information is buried in the posts but if you send the following information to graves@ncfreedom.net along with a picture of those cruising with you, I will add it and send you the link and password.


Family Information:
Location:
Last Disney Cruise:
Special Occasion:
Deck / Stateroom:
Dinner Seating:
Email:
DIS User ID:

 

[LAMPSKIES]

HEY GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rae, I got you call today and yes.......I am still alive!!! LOL Sorry I didn't return the call.....Things have been NUTS!! It looks like I haven't posted since 2/3/2004.....?!?!?!?!?!? I can't believe it!!! I'm at home and it's 10:24 p.m. and I'm paying bills on-line YUK! It looks like I have about 6 pages of posts to read so I'll do that tomorrow and get caught up. Buisness just exploded and DW (Kim) told me last Monday......"You need a break" so I think ????? Castaway Cay??.....No, we went to a place called Chrystal Mountain in Northern Michigan.........Ann you think you got snow????? DW (Kim) and youngest DD (Alli) skied and DD (Jessica 13) and I sat in the lodge Sunday and watched the race (Daytona)...She LOVES Dale Jr. 280 miles one way to spend a Sunday away.......Dw left Friday and I was to leave work early Saturday.....didn't happen. But it was a good day away. I'm thinkin' a 4 nighter is in order.............I HATE COLD WEATHER!!!!! I'll post tomorrow....I promise........ I gotta get something to eat.....I went in to work this morning at 8:30 and had no time......

 

[lbgraves]

Glad to hear that everything is OK with you. Sounds like a nice chance to get away...even if it was for the day. You definantly need to plan something where you HAVE to leave at a certain point or you will end up working more...just like my DH.

 

[rae519]

Lampie - yes, darling cruiser, we were all concerned!!!! And we do so understand that work can be hectic!!! Just glad you are okay and business is good!!!

Mom had her foot surgery today and we just got home, so I need to go back into my "RN Mode" and take care of her!

Not much else going on.

Rae

 

[AnnMorin]

WE just got back (literally) from Ft. Lauderdale and I figured I would try cocoa beach one more time before dinner, plugged in three stars 12/3 check out 12/4. $39.00 Got the Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront,, REALLY cool pool and on the beach... I just completed the transaction so if you move fast you can too !

 

[LAMPSKIES]

Glad all is wel here.....Ann glad you had a wonderful trip.....Rae good to see you can sit now. LOL......I just got off DCL web site thinking I could book a 4 nighter April 4 during the kids spring break. After the two days in Northern Michigan with 3 1/2 ft of snow I'm ready for some CC time!! Looks like they are sold out.........Just as good, DW wants to head to southern Indiana with our RV for the week. But I'm sure she'd give it up for a little pampering...........I still am yet to read the back posts but I hired another gal to help out (the two that already work for me). Ya know when this "work thing" starts getting in the way of vacation planning something must be done!!!! LOL

 

[AnnMorin]

well I am off to bed.. remind me to post the "horror" story or almost could have been on our trip home .. oh heck here it goes,, some of you know after 9-11 I HATE to fly,, have to get my "get ont he plane pills" anyhow ft. aluderdale was heaven we have decided to retire there, and yes rae I have a DEVINE tan.. anyhow, we headed off to the airport, this is a four hour flight unlike orlando and left about 8am, there were TONS of cop cars, stae police sherriff's etc, our cabbie couldn't figure out a way into the aiport./. I notice no planes landing or taking off and decide to take another pill (hense why I am SO tired) we finally get to the airport and it is big time searches (apparently this ariport is just real thourough) I finally get up my courage and ask what the heck is going on.. apparently someone committed suicide and jumped off thr bridge onto the causeway where you goto board. I felt guilty but all I could say was "thank God" yes now I feel more guilty but...at leat we re safe, then we come home and the cops are at our houe, a window was open, must not have been locke all they way (second floor) and with the warm snap we had it raised up.. well I am soooo tired talk to ya later.. hey go to priceline and book 39.00 for three stars and meet me at the beach!

 

[rae519]

A big welcome home to you Ann!

And yes, Lampie, I can sit!!!!!!!! But nothing hard and not for long....ohhh, those church pews are HARD!!!!

Love to all,
Rae

 

[AnnMorin]

thanks rae... Although it sucks to be home...here is a link to our photos from the trip.http://community.webshots.com/album/119723167djFFrK

isn't anyone going to book at the holiday inn oceanside with me? I just spoke to them and they are finishing up a major renovation on all the rooms, the pool is too cool with a pirate ship and water cannons..............

 

[lbgraves]

Ann, are you able to get a nonsmoking room with Priceline? I thought that I heard that you couldn't do that, so that is why we haven't tried it. Not worth it with 2 kids with allergies & me very allergic to the smell of smoke.

 

[flexsmom]

Hi there - I just can't seem to get my mom and friend as engaged in the necessity for planning NOW, instead of 3 or 4 months from now! Imagine that! I'm in the midst of "kindergarten interviews" for my daughter - yes, they actually do standardized tests here for 4-year olds to assess them for getting into kindergartens, plus "play dates" that are basically interviews. Scary stuff, and hard to keep it "all about fun" for the little one without any stress. Ridiculous. At least it has broken 50 degrees the past two days. I want to go on vacation now! Help?!

So, to get more to a cruise issue, anyone been to the Cozumel beaches? Which ones did you like? I think Grandma and Grandpa will head to the Ruins and we'll be packing up the little ones to a beach day. Obviously this won't be our wine tasting day! Any nominations on a good day to do that?!?

 

[rae519]

http://stores.ebay.com/silk4youcom

Mom and I just received our dresses from this ebayer. I can not tell you how beautiful they are - the quality is EXCEPTIONAL! And the material is heavy, not cheap - even a chubby like me can look good in them!!! I just had to share this with you.



Okay, this is the bad news, we may not be able to cruise in December. Long story, but suffice it to say....we have not cancelled it yet and will not til the last minute. IF we do go at all, it would be for the cruise and not the week's stay at SoG though.
I'll keep you all posted, but until then I am optimistic!

Ann, IF I am not able to vacation in December, I'll come "bug" you sometime in the fall!

Rae

 

[lbgraves]

Oh Rae!!!!! Please don't!!! I do hope that everything is ok there and will hope that you are able to join us.

Flexsmom, it would probably work out best on a sea day so that would depend on what day we get booked for brunch/high tea. We haven't done the Western yet so I can't help you with your other question. We probably wont do beach days until CC. Just too much work with the kids & all they want to do when we do get off the ship to look around is go back to Mickey's boat & swim.

 

[AnnMorin]

for some reason I did not get updates, glad I checked the thread...
Yes you can get non smoking, after you make your bid/ressie just call the hotel they are very willing to make you happy from my experience, I just let them know my son is allergic and my husband a lawyer...
I just put some DCL , DVC stuff up on ebay but now I am thinking I should have waited. Mike had his stuffed animals that I had to pack right away when we found out he was allergic to dust,, and the lanyards I maybe should have kept in case our friend with two daughters can join us. But I just HAVE to clear out the clutter.. Jay's parents had us come get all of his stuff from their basement so now mine is fulll...........
Rae, you know how much I care for you, you are like a sister to me, if it is meant to be it will, if not.. we will hook up my dear please do not stress over this!

 

[rae519]

WE have had two nonpaying bidders so far in our sales - of course, we report them to e-bay on their "special form" but otherwise things are going okay. One bid was for over $50.00 - she knew it was PayPal only, won the bid, then asked to send a money order, after days, we realized she was a deadbeat - never replied to e-mails. Go figure.

I have had one bad experience with a seller - regarding the Tux, SC express - tworedrabbits is the e-mail user name. Had to use PayPay Protection to get my money back. Now I am getting e-mails from him/her. Will be reporting it to e-bay shortly. In my opinion, it's bordering on harassment. I put a BLOCK on it this AM.

RE: No updates - seems like that's been a problem recently for us also. Hope we haven't missed out on anything!!!

RE: Cruise - doesn't look like we will be on it - but I'll keep posting just in case. Priorities as we all know, and cruising is actually not

Heard the boating accident stranded cruisers in Lousianna Saturday morning both at Port and in the Gulf. Ohhhh, not that I would ever want a tragedy/accident, but I could take being stranded on the Magic for hours, days, weeks...

Michael learned how to hang on when a horse kicks up his heels yesterday. All the horses were FRISKY! Got Red into the round pen to exercise, Tytefit bolted when we hit the barn door and took off running, kicking and just playing like a colt!! Then Scooter, who we were told doesn't like to trot, cantor or run - did the same thing!!! They were just everywhere at breakneck speed. Fun to watch, but with the lead ropes trailing behind...well, that was a bit scary for me since they could catch on their feet or trees and cause a fatal accident.

Anyway, got Scooter back, he was still full of himself when Michael rode, but Michael, my trooper, held on and had a nice time. Since I can't ride, I let Red out to romp with the herd.
Got back to the main barn to chat with others and got the report that Red and Tytefit kicked down one of the round pen gates to release another horse and the three of them were running around!

In the end, the gate wasn't really broken - the escapee was caught and my boys decided when they saw me with Scooter that they wanted to get back to their stalls.

What a day!!!

Rae