!!!! Early Roll Call for January 21 2006 Eastern Magic Cruise !!!!

[jollytammy]

this is the one that came out this year....there won't be a new one until 2006, after our cruise. I just hadn't bought it yet. I'm going to get my highlighter out and my sticky notes and go to town

I'm a little compulsive about planning

Hope everyone has a great weekend

 

[soccrmom65]

But something else to keep an eye out for are the new Disney Cruise Line brochures....my rep was in the other day and said they are revamping them to be more like a planner..with pockets and all...it sounded like they were going to be really useful and a great planning tool. I am not sure when they will be released....I hope before we cruise because I would love to have it for this trip....if not maybe I will just have to take another cruise.

 

[jollytammy]

Booked our rooms for the night before (we drive down the day before.) What a surprise, the Radisson went up $50!!!($89 to $139) from 2004! We ended up booking at the Quality Suites for $109, but it comes with a continnental breakfast. Since we drive, we needed a hotel that would let us park and provide a shuttle service. The Radisson worked so well, but I've heard the Quality Suites is a sister hotel and uses the same shuttle and you still park at the Radisson, so we'll see.

Each day is one day closer......

 

[sandym]

Just booked our rooms today too. Two nights at Pop Century. Even got our flights on Southwest for a great rate! Next on the list is pirate garb

 

[jollytammy]

I would love to dress up for the pirate night, but not sure my family would go for it. If everyone on the whole boat dressed up, maybe. Our first cruise I brought bubbles and everything, and only I was having fun blowing bubbles, neither of my children were interested. In fact I have pictures of them from the sail away party...they were mad cause I made them go, they wanted to stay in the arcade.

Maybe I'll still dress up, and then they'll be embarrassed to be seen with me It's so much fun to embarrass teens!!

 

[sandym]

My 13yo DD has already picked out her pirate costume. I was really suprised that she was so willing. My DS age 6, insisted on being Captain Hook. We got his costume yesterday on sale at the Disney Store. Now DH and myself have to get our act together

We got our plane tickets and hotel rooms on Tuesday! It's getting closer......

 

[PiperG]

DH paid off the cruise yesterday! Now we are just counting down until the time when we can make Palo ressies on line

We applied for passports about 7 weeks ago. They have not come in the mail yet, and our birth certificates are with them. Although I don't have to be worried for a while, I sure wish they would come in! I dread the thought of not having our birth certificates or our passports in-house as we get into double digits.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Oh Piper, how exciting!! I have a ways to go, but IT WILL BE PAID OFF before we board. I am already planning a trip to WDW with my adult kids and my 7 mo. granddaughter. That one will be paid off too before Thanksgiving next year. For that reason, I am working tomorrow with my great overtime. I think I ahve decided to book at the Hampton Inn in Cocoa Beach. We have AAA now and that helps alot. Oh, our turn will be coming up!!!!

 

[soccrmom65]

I think this is giong to be the longest 3 months of my life...I am glad we have a couple holidays in there to take up some of the time....I seem to have cruising on the brain....it is bad enough that I sell them but I am obsessed with my own also..hahah.....I need to start attending CAA..Cruise Addicts Annomyous.....I am pretty sure what we are doing on Castaway Cay and St. Thomas but still trying to decide on St. Maartin...FYI...my spelling stinks..so you all know where I stand with that..haha.

What is everyone doing to pass the time..I just did a little shopping on disneydirect to get a quick fix...

 

[the4nitz's]

We paid the balance on our cruise also. Our family is planning on the Atlantis sub tour and Paradise Point Tram (both on our own)in St. Thomas. We have done the tram 2 years ago and it was fun. We ate lunch at the top overlooking the harbor. St. Martin we are not sure what we will do. We did the Butterfly farm and Island tour through DCL and that was good. At Castaway Cay we will just do the beach and relax.


For soccrmom65

We have cruised the past 2 Januarys and the next 3 months go by very quick. Good luck with your CAA meetings

Craig

 

[sandym]

We will have our balance paid soon. DD13 & I are planning the Anguilla Dolphin and Stingray Encounter in St Martin. DH and DS6 are planning a relaxing day on the ship. I'm getting so excited, I spent 2 hours looking at DCL pictures on the DIS last night. Gotta get my daily Disney fix

 

[gydell]

We're getting closer and being our 1st DCL cruise questions are coming up, so here goes! In the shows are the seats raised or will we need a booster seat? When it is our date to make ressies for tours and Palos do we make them through our travel agent or through DCL? We have early seating for dinner but now that we have gone to staggered seating how do we request which of these we would like? Thanks

 

[crazy4M]

We paid the balance on our cruise also. Our family is planning on the Atlantis sub tour and Paradise Point Tram (both on our own)in St. Thomas. We have done the tram 2 years ago and it was fun. We ate lunch at the top overlooking the harbor.

Craig, I was wondering if you could provide a bit more detail on the tram excursion - what was it like, where/when did you book, cost etc. Our situation is that it is myself and my DD10. We are limited in the excursions that we can choose as I have a heart condition (no strenuous activities). No snorkling for me. We both really enjoy sightseeing. We had read something about the tram and it sounded interesting. I was going to look into it further but maybe you can advise.

We really appreciate any info you can provide.

 

[jollytammy]

Yes, please info on the tram! Sounds like fun! We're doing the Lord Sheffield Pirates of St. Maarten Day trip in Saint Maarten.

 

[gydell]

Craig- On the submarine tour could you please tell me the advantages to booking on your own. In my research I found the price to be the same. All the other excursions that we are doing we are doing on our own so we can go at our time and save some money but would love to know about this one. Thanks

 

[soccrmom65]

Are you certain they have put the staggered dining into effect. I have not had any information come across my desk on that yet.

http://paradisepointtramway.com/

I think the only advantage of doing it on your own would be time. You could stay at the top as long as you like. Price wise it is just about the same.

 

[gydell]

DCL said it was here to stay. It probably works better or why would they change? I guess that I just like what I know. It seems like if you get 6:15 seating then you will have a hard time getting your child to the club for the 7:00 activity. Guess I'll have to wait and find out!

 

[Stephmicksara]

Hi,

I'm going with my DD10 and DD7

See you there.

 

[the4nitz's]

Welcome aboard Stephmicksara. As you can see we have a good sized group of DIS's aboard this cruise. Is this your 1st cruise?

crazy4M We did the tram in Jan 04 and loved it. We did it on our own after a morning excursion to St. John. It is about a 10-15 minute walk from the dock to the tram where you buy your tickets. You can just walk up and buy your tickets and wait for the next tram. Your tickets are good for the day with one trip up and down. It takes about 5 minutes to get to the top and once there you have a wonderful view of the harbor and all the cruise ships and St. Thomas. There are a couple of shops to buy stuff at and a bar and restraunt where you can eat outside overlooking the harbor. We ate lunch there and enjoyed it. When you are ready you get on a tram and take it back to the bottom. If you do it on your own you can spend as much time at the top as you want. I'm not sure how much time you get with DCL. If you did not want to walk there, you could get a taxi at the dock.

gydell I see that through DCL the sub tour would cost our family 292.00. I went to http://atlantisadventures.com/destinations.php?site=13 and got a price of 226.80 plus you get a free gift of a hat and t-shirt. They are having a 20th aniversary special I guess. Plus our DD will be about 2 weeks shy of being 4 and through DCL you have to be 4. Through Atlantis tours you only need to be 36" tall. We will have to do this on our own.

For 1st time CL cruisers you can make reservation at the 75 day point. For repeat cruisers we can make them at the 90 day point. You book these directly through DCL. The seats for the shows are like theater seats. I don't think you would need a booster seat. As far as the staggered dinning times, I do not know anything about them. I guess you could make a request through DCL for a time if needed.

Does anyone know where the sub tour departs from? I think I leaves from the harbor where we dock, but am not positive.

Craig

 

[Stephmicksara]

Hi,

This is my first Disney Cruise. My last cruise was for our honeymoon. This time my husband isn't going on the trip. He has to go on a school trip to Italy for 15 days with our DD16. Do you have to sign up for the kids activities before we leave?