"Dream Weavers" September 1, 2011

[pjstevens]

My partner, Bruce and I will be on this cruise and doing b2b on Sept 4th as well! Looking forward to meeting you all! Darren

Welcome Darren (and Bruce). I have to say I'm jealous of all you b2b-ers!!!!

 

[realfam]

Morning cruisers, just thought I'd bump this thread. Its been pretty quiet... were only a few weeks from departure. We leave a week wednesday for vacation and have started the packing process.
Whats everyone else upto?

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Morning cruisers, just thought I'd bump this thread. Its been pretty quiet... were only a few weeks from departure. We leave a week wednesday for vacation and have started the packing process.
Whats everyone else upto?

Still haven't started packing or really doing anything yet. I have so much to do!

Has anyone taken a taxi or whatever form of transportation they have on Nassau? Is it really as crazy driving as they say? Still trying to figure out what's the safest and best thing to do on Nassau with young children. We're not looking for paid excursions, just free sightseeing stuff and can't decide if we should tool around the port or take a ride to Atlantis. Are the market and shopping areas too overwhelming or scary for children (like being bombarded by sellers)? I assume no one takes their passports off the ship?

 

[jenifred]

Good Morning Everyone!

12 days and counting for us!

I am gearing up today. Grocery and alcohol runs today. I am going to pack the kids this week. I have to finish our Disney Trivia game for the car ride and the FE gifts. Let's hope the time flies will all the work that has to get done!

Are the market and shopping areas too overwhelming or scary for children (like being bombarded by sellers)?

I was wondering the same thing. I have been told that the straw market is only a 10 minute walk form the dock. But DH does not want to get off the Dream in Nassau, especially if he going to get hasseled. I just want to go for an hour or so to find something small for the kids from the Bahamas. Is it worth it?

 

[realfam]

Weve got off the ship on past cruises for just a stroll around the downtown. The straw market is right at the port. Not even ten minutes.
The locals are not overlly pushy, they ask you to buy the odd thing but are not persistant.
Its nice to get off for an hour or so. I'd recommend it.

Good Morning Everyone!

12 days and counting for us!

I am gearing up today. Grocery and alcohol runs today. I am going to pack the kids this week. I have to finish our Disney Trivia game for the car ride and the FE gifts. Let's hope the time flies will all the work that has to get done!



I was wondering the same thing. I have been told that the straw market is only a 10 minute walk form the dock. But DH does not want to get off the Dream in Nassau, especially if he going to get hasseled. I just want to go for an hour or so to find something small for the kids from the Bahamas. Is it worth it?

 

[pjstevens]

Wow, it's finally getting here. We booked this trip 17 months in advance and at that time, thought it would never get here and yet it's now just over two weeks for us! In the meantime, my college classes start up Monday so at least I'll get a full week and a class before going away. Hoping our grandson makes his appearance before we leave also (since dil has had contractions on and off for a few weeks now). I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out what we'll be doing at Disney after the cruise. Only a few days there an try to cram it all in. Hoping that the cruise will be the relaxing break I so desperately need.

Cannot wait to meet all of you!

 

[happygo]

Are the market and shopping areas too overwhelming or scary for children (like being bombarded by sellers)? I assume no one takes their passports off the ship?

I've read on the boards that you can get your passport stamped so I am taking ours. We will just be getting off for a few hours. Mostly to get the stamp, stop by the Bacardi store and show our son a bit of the Bahamas.

If you have never been to the straw market, I think it's worth taking an hour to just check it out. It's busy but not scary.

I'm so excited I can't see straight! The FE gifts are a little stressful for me. We are doing a cabin gift but also something for every kid up to 21 y/o since I don't think they will appreciate the cabin gift as much. I'm not crafty but thankfully have a friend who is, so she is helping me with it!

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

I've read on the boards that you can get your passport stamped so I am taking ours. We will just be getting off for a few hours. Mostly to get the stamp, stop by the Bacardi store and show our son a bit of the Bahamas.

I was really interested in doing this for Nassau, as well as Castaway Cay. But my DH wasn't sure it was worth the effort. I was also wondering if it has to be a passport, or if they will stamp any piece of paper as a souvenir.

I think so many of our activities will be game-time decisions we make when we're finally on the cruise! It's hard to envision exactly how much time we'll have, what each member of our party will want to do each day, etc. etc. We'll just have to get there and play it by ear!

 

[pjstevens]

I'm so excited I can't see straight! The FE gifts are a little stressful for me. We are doing a cabin gift but also something for every kid up to 21 y/o since I don't think they will appreciate the cabin gift as much. I'm not crafty but thankfully have a friend who is, so she is helping me with it!

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

I have to say I've been a bit stressed on our FE gifts this time too. I am working on our cabin gift (an idea I took from some of the wonderful ideas on that very long thread) in addition to 'kids' gifts. I've got the younger kids gifts, but not the preteen and teen gifts. So still need to work on that, but I hope to get them something they like. My 'craft' time has been much more limited since I'm in school (and working) where I was only working several years ago on our cruise.

We printed out the entire walking tour for Nassau and are considering doing that since it really is only a few blocks in each direction.

 

[dstevens]

To try to answer several questions and concerns in one post i would like to add the following 1/2 cent opinion. Opinions used to be worth 2 cents but with the way the economy is nowadays they also have dropped in value. Any how, when we visited Nassau several years ago you were hassled briefly outside customs by the locals offering rides, to braid your hair (even if you didn't have any) or even to sing a song (?). Do they know any Pink Floyd ? They drive like maniacs with what seems to be no rules of the road . At least with in a few blocks of the port area. Just a side note;if you've never ridden a motorcycle or scooter, please don't try it in Nassau till i get back on the ship. Back to the regularly scheduled opinion, i think the Straw Market would be a good idea if you are prepared to be asked to buy at every stall. Also i understand you don't pay the asking price. Haggle. Concerning passports, i believe it would be wise to carry it in case something happens to you while you are off the ship and you don't make it back before departure. With out it i am not sure what could happen concerning trying to get back home. Now about a walking tour, Patty has printed out a short local walking tour guide which i think we are going to follow. They say there is safety, and confidence, in numbers. So maybe if anybody else would like to do the walking tour or part of it we could meet up.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

To try to answer several questions and concerns in one post i would like to add the following 1/2 cent opinion. Opinions used to be worth 2 cents but with the way the economy is nowadays they also have dropped in value. Any how, when we visited Nassau several years ago you were hassled briefly outside customs by the locals offering rides, to braid your hair (even if you didn't have any) or even to sing a song (?). Do they know any Pink Floyd ? They drive like maniacs with what seems to be no rules of the road . At least with in a few blocks of the port area. Just a side note;if you've never ridden a motorcycle or scooter, please don't try it in Nassau till i get back on the ship. Back to the regularly scheduled opinion, i think the Straw Market would be a good idea if you are prepared to be asked to buy at every stall. Also i understand you don't pay the asking price. Haggle. Concerning passports, i believe it would be wise to carry it in case something happens to you while you are off the ship and you don't make it back before departure. With out it i am not sure what could happen concerning trying to get back home. Now about a walking tour, Patty has printed out a short local walking tour guide which i think we are going to follow. They say there is safety, and confidence, in numbers. So maybe if anybody else would like to do the walking tour or part of it we could meet up.

Thanks! We had the same thought about the passports. Although we would be concerned about carrying them with us, they don't do much good stored on the ship if we really needed them! We'll probably just consult all the members of our party that morning and see what the consensus is on touring Nassau. I expect my immediate family will at least get off the ship, even if it's just to peek around and get back on!

 

[dstevens]

Another tip , getting off the ship is not too bad but, getting back on is like selling common sense to our politicians It's next to impossible

 

[happygo]

Concerning passports, i believe it would be wise to carry it in case something happens to you while you are off the ship and you don't make it back before departure. With out it i am not sure what could happen concerning trying to get back home.

Normally when we travel internationally, I carry my DL and a copy of our passports and birth certificates. That way, God forbid, anything happen, we have proof to show the American Embassy. I generally feel safer with my PP locked up somewhere but I think there is probably good reasons on both sides.

 

[happygo]

I was really interested in doing this for Nassau, as well as Castaway Cay. But my DH wasn't sure it was worth the effort. I was also wondering if it has to be a passport, or if they will stamp any piece of paper as a souvenir.

I heard it was really quite easy. Here is the link to the thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2558274&highlight=passport+stamp+in+bahamas

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Normally when we travel internationally, I carry my DL and a copy of our passports and birth certificates. That way, God forbid, anything happen, we have proof to show the American Embassy. I generally feel safer with my PP locked up somewhere but I think there is probably good reasons on both sides.

Thanks! That's an interesting idea....

I heard it was really quite easy. Here is the link to the thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2558274&highlight=passport+stamp+in+bahamas

Thanks again! I had read another thread where going into the appropriate building was a little weird because it was pretty deserted. There was no one at the office at the time, so the cruisers ended up stamping their own passport and getting out of there quickly before someone came back! My DH didn't think it was worth the excursion, but we might try it.

 

[jenifred]

Weve got off the ship on past cruises for just a stroll around the downtown. The straw market is right at the port. Not even ten minutes.
The locals are not overlly pushy, they ask you to buy the odd thing but are not persistant.
Its nice to get off for an hour or so. I'd recommend it.

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to do it, even if I have to drag DH away from the buffet and Aquaduck!

 

[dstevens]

Using my experience as a Meteorologist i have been able to determine that the projected weather forecast for our cruise will be "Dreamy" :
Of course i have no experience as a Meteorologist heck, i can't even spell it without spell check. But, i'm just weaving a dream

 

[jenifred]

Using my experience as a Meteorologist i have been able to determine that the projected weather forecast for our cruise will be "Dreamy"

BAWAHHHAAHHHAHHAAAA

 

[dstevens]

OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH YEAHHHHH!!! 14 days till cruise time
Let me whip out my "Things to do Before Vacation" list and cross off the first item. 1) Get a hair cut. DONE. Don't want the hair too short for the cruise but don't want to be rockin the 70's Mall Hair either. Next up are two chores on Monday. We have a big family cook out planned for Saturday and a motorcycle run on Sunday, so no chores this weekend.

 

[Liz Arjay]

My partner, Bruce and I will be on this cruise and doing b2b on Sept 4th as well! Looking forward to meeting you all! Darren

Welcome Bruce and Darren!

Liz