EBPC December 9, 2012!!! PART 2

[pharmjenn]

Thanks for the update on the FE! By the way, can anyone direct me to where the different groups on the lsit are explained. There are so many subgroups that I'm not following how it's all divided up. I orignally thoguht we were dividning up into 2 or 3 groups and some people would be gifting to all. Perhaps it will be obvious once someone explains and I'll feel really dumb....

Don't feel dumb, it looks much more complicated than it is. Jeff has a description/instructions on his website. http://12-09-12-ebpccruisers.weebly.com/fe-list.html
You are the Cinderella group, so if you click that tab, you will see just the cabins you are giving to (#44) I think there were so many people who chose to give to everyone, that it made the groups larger than Tammy had planned.

 

[abbyar]

There are only 2 of us DISers up on the 8th floor! How sad!

From all the talk of upgrades, I'm sure they'll be a lot more by the M & G. Although reading the upgrades thread makes me think it may be expensive - probably $2500-$2700? If its that much there's no way dh will let me - he's hoping to do a cruise from Galveston with the step kids for that much!!

 

[abbyar]

We're also catching a very early flight out of Philly (Thursday). Since it's a 2 hr. drive, we're spending Wed. night near the airport and leaving the car at the hotel. We booked through BuyReservations.com, which offers a variety of "Park, Stay, and Fly" pkgs. The prices are decent (much less than $250!!!). I know there are similar pkgs. for Newark, since we did the same thing when we flew out of EWR for the past two TA cruises. Just another option . Of course, we didn't/don't have fabulous friends who will cart us to the airport in the middle of the night!

Yes, we looked into all these - a stay & fly of 19 days ended up around $225 with taxes. Parking at the airport long term is $30+ a day and offsite is $18+ a day. For the ~ $25 in savings it just wasn't worth it - I'd rather have my car safe at home. Originally when I priced it out it was about the same - the car service to EWR from home is $125 and the return taxi with tip is ~$100, but there's a $25 supplemental for a pickup before 6 am. Thankfully I received a corporate rate on the car service, otherwise it would've been close to $200!

 

[LindaBabe]

GOOD Morning, Happy Cruisers!

Anyone still needing name tags? I've got 7 empty slots on a sheet of photo paper that I hate to waste...If you don't remember if you've asked or not, check out the list on the "Meets" tab on the web site.

Could still use some more stateroom crawl gifts. Thanks to those that have already contacted me.

Could you print blank ones with no name? That way if anyone shows up who doesn't have one but would like one, we could put the name on with sharpie.

Saturday, YEAH! And, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas -- we had about 1/2 inch of snow last night.

Today, I'm going to drive across the Hudson to a church bazaar in a tiny country town near where I grew up. It's tradition. I already dipped my gluten free "oreo" truffles for tonight's party.

Is there anyway to "refresh" fresh basil? I bought it at the Farmers Market on Sunday to use for caprese bites and it's looking a little limp, although I had it in water all week. help?

Also need to in preparation for packing . . . Anything to keep from fretting over food for the flight and TSA.


Happy Day, all!

 

[Jeff Spencer]

Yes we are planning to go to Tropicante in Costa Maya. With a bunch of us heading to the same place, I suggested that we head out as a group, meeting in front of Triton's at 945. I wasn't keeping track of who's showing up though. I figured we'd wait 10 minutes and whoever show up, we'd head out together. Maybe some of us can share a taxi and definitely be seated close together when we get there. Very low key, no organization involved!

Susan and I will be there.

 

[Jeff Spencer]

If you've already printed out your list please note the update to lesroi cabin number (highlighted in yellow) on the FE list.

 

[FLPrincessMom]

We can come see you too. BTW, how are you doing after your surgery? Getting around OK?

I'm doing OK, just not as well as I had hoped. I think my expectations were set a little too high. I may still have to wear my brace at times but no crutches! And in the end - I'm on a cruise!!

 

[Started With a Mouse]

Okay, I think 14 nights would be our limit for a small cabin, but if you want that feeling on land...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...look-piece-American-dream-housing-crisis.html

 

[JessicasMom]

Yes, we looked into all these - a stay & fly of 19 days ended up around $225 with taxes. Parking at the airport long term is $30+ a day and offsite is $18+ a day. For the ~ $25 in savings it just wasn't worth it - I'd rather have my car safe at home. Originally when I priced it out it was about the same - the car service to EWR from home is $125 and the return taxi with tip is ~$100, but there's a $25 supplemental for a pickup before 6 am. Thankfully I received a corporate rate on the car service, otherwise it would've been close to $200!

Sounds like a plan! EWR is our preferred airport, but a flight from PHL was more reasonable this time; I never had to research hotels in the Newark area for this trip. Our Phila. overnight will be $124, tax incl., with free parking for two weeks, then just $5/nt (an extra $20), at the Wyndham Garden. It's cheaper than paying long-term parking elsewhere, so I feel like it's a good deal. I know what you mean about leaving your car...we've left it at hotels in both EWR and PHL areas, and I always breathe a huge sigh of relief when it's still in one piece and present when we return!

I'm doing OK, just not as well as I had hoped. I think my expectations were set a little too high. I may still have to wear my brace at times but no crutches! And in the end - I'm on a cruise!!

Exactly!!!!

 

[jsails]

Uh, what is the Tropicante? With everything going on I missed this. I googled and it shows it a restaurant owned by an American. Is there more?

 

[Chinook]

So last night we got an alert on one of our credit cards. That prompted us to call the credit card company of the credit card we are taking to give them a "travel alert". She gladly took the date and places we would be traveling to and said it would lessen the likelihood of them canceling the card. Just putting it out there.

Julie

 

[LindaBabe]

Uh, what is the Tropicante? With everything going on I missed this. I googled and it shows it a restaurant owned by an American. Is there more?

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2977913

 

[adnil530]

It has been a very long, very stressful week and I am really going to need this vacation.

There were a few bugs going around the ship last week. While were lucky enough to avoid the stomach bug, dd11 got the horrible cold/cough which has now been passed on to the rest of us, including myself. This triggered dd16's asthma which required a long emergency room visit Thursday night. Dh took an extra 6-8 hour job on Thursday and ended up working 32 straight hours. When he returned home late yesterday, our wonderful Border Collie Bernie could finally stand no longer. After almost 16 years, we assisted him in his journey and we laid him to rest late yesterday. I don't mean to complain when so many people up here have suffered losses and tragedies much greater than mine but with everything compounding, I just can't wait to get away.

Linda

 

[Jeff Spencer]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2977913

Here is the website. It's very highly rated on TripAdvisor too.

http://www.sandalsandskis.com/Tropicante.html

As I understand it, you do need to email Steve to reserve a beach chair/umbrella.

 

[Jeff Spencer]

Sorry to hear about Bernie. I've had to take two to be put to sleep after their quality of life got to the point where I could see they were ready to go. It was traumatic for our family.

It has been a very long, very stressful week and I am really going to need this vacation.

There were a few bugs going around the ship last week. While were lucky enough to avoid the stomach bug, dd11 got the horrible cold/cough which has now been passed on to the rest of us, including myself. This triggered dd16's asthma which required a long emergency room visit Thursday night. Dh took an extra 6-8 hour job on Thursday and ended up working 32 straight hours. When he returned home late yesterday, our wonderful Border Collie Bernie could finally stand no longer. After almost 16 years, we assisted him in his journey and we laid him to rest late yesterday. I don't mean to complain when so many people up here have suffered losses and tragedies much greater than mine but with everything compounding, I just can't wait to get away.

Linda

 

[Moby]

I'm jotting down dates for various "meets". Is the Day 1 Meet & Greet at 2:30 or 3:00? Jeff's website says 3:00, but thought I saw it had been moved to an earlier time. I need to start packing!

 

[Land Park Tudor]

Don't feel dumb, it looks much more complicated than it is. Jeff has a description/instructions on his website. http://12-09-12-ebpccruisers.weebly.com/fe-list.html
You are the Cinderella group, so if you click that tab, you will see just the cabins you are giving to (#44) I think there were so many people who chose to give to everyone, that it made the groups larger than Tammy had planned.

Thanks. I read that, but it just didn't compute for me why there's only a few people assigned to Cinderella on the main tab, but so many in the group when your click on the Cinderlla tab.

 

[jsails]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2977913

Here is the website. It's very highly rated on TripAdvisor too.

http://www.sandalsandskis.com/Tropicante.html

As I understand it, you do need to email Steve to reserve a beach chair/umbrella.

Thanks, y'all, It sounds like fun. Still haven't decided what we're doing anywhere. Probably stay onboard at Cabo unless I feel the need for internet. At PV the couple that is traveling with us has their boat docked at Paradise Village Resort. We may take the local bus and go to the Village with them or stay onboard. We have friends on a catamaran docked at Cartagena and they have offered to take us on an off the track tour but the rest of the group wants to do the Chiva Bus. Has anyone done it. Are the seats hard. I just don't know if I could sit that long on hard seats. Then Costa Maya....well we haven't even talked about it. It's hard when we are so spread out. DH in Mexico, our friends in Auburn, CA and me here, AZ. Oh well, it doesn't really matter...we'll have fun whatever we do.
Sorry for rambling, time to work on the budget and see how many Ocean's of Coffee I can have during Bingo. I have the receipe with me cause about a year or so ago they stopped making that and now it's something-Toledo and it's not as yummy.
Oh, and NO laundry doing for me. That's one of my treats - sending it off and having it delivered. No No No

 

[Jeff Spencer]

I'm jotting down dates for various "meets". Is the Day 1 Meet & Greet at 2:30 or 3:00? Jeff's website says 3:00, but thought I saw it had been moved to an earlier time. I need to start packing!

Sorry Marla, yes it is 2:30 pm and the web site has been updated.

 

[Jeff Spencer]

Thanks. I read that, but it just didn't compute for me why there's only a few people assigned to Cinderella on the main tab, but so many in the group when your click on the Cinderlla tab.

Because all the 40 or so cabins that wanted to give to everyone (Wonder) are also on the Cinderella tab, the Snow White tab, the Mickey tab, etc. Of those that wanted a smaller group (35-ish cabins), Tammy took 3-5 of them and paired them with the Wonder group to make about 43-45 cabins per smaller group versus 75+. Of course the White Rabbit group are the late-comers plus those that volunteered to add them to their list (whatever list they are on). Make sense?