EBPC December 9, 2012!!! Who's in????

[hedgerow]

I am a bit concerned about the time change since we are coming from the East Coast, but we figured we'll adjust as we go along

Tammy

I hadn't even thought about the time change. Guess we are just going to have to roll with the punches. May make an early morning at DL interesting though.

 

[Gilland18]

Just got and paid my Paypal invoice for the Canal Certificate. We're getting closer!

 

[dthogue]

This will be our first time with early dining. My husband says he just can't face 14 nights of finishing dinner at 10 pm! Regardless of what time zone we're in.

MaryLou - got your pm with your cabin number - I assume that is for the FE excahnge? If so, I will also need the names of the adults in your cabin and the names, sex and ages of any children and your email address. I did reply to your PM as well.

Thanks,
tammy

 

[dthogue]

Just got and paid my Paypal invoice for the Canal Certificate. We're getting closer!

I just counted, I only have to work 53 more days til its time to cruise

 

[adnil530]

We have been assigned early dining, but are wondering whether it might be more fun for the kids (DD 8 and DS 6) to do the late seating. This will be our 6th cruise with the kids, but the first time we've really considered dining later. (Based on experience I'm confident we could switch to the late seating if we wanted to -- early is always more sought after). I'd welcome any input others have about going with a later time.

I think you are correct, it's easy to change from early to late.

This will be our first time with early dining. My husband says he just can't face 14 nights of finishing dinner at 10 pm! Regardless of what time zone we're in.

We are having early dining for the first time next week.

We really enjoy late dining - the day seems less rushed for us, especially on port days. We enjoy sitting on the decks between 4 -6pm, everyone else is getting ready for dinner and they are really uncrowded - this is a great time to swim or use the hot tub - I like watching the movie on the big screen. This is when we usually have a pre-dinner snack

We also like going to the show before dinner (I seem to fall asleep on a full stomach in a dark theater), after the show we then go and get dressed for dinner.

We have found that the servers seem less rushed during the later seating - they aren't in hurry to tunrover the table for the next seating. We usually fininsh dinner by 9:30 and then head to a game show or lounge to relax for a bit, then turn in around 11:00pm.

I am a bit concerned about the time change since we are coming from the East Coast, but we figured we'll adjust as we go along

Tammy

We've always had late dining. Our last few experiences have been not finishing dinner until almost 10 p.m. and on the Alaska, it was 10 before they were even taking the dessert order! I kept thinking that they were waiters in another dining room as well as ours. It was so bad we asked them if we could finish earlier and then we were getting out around 10. The kids complain because most of their friends are dining early and they want to be with their friends. They take off as soon as they possibly can. They do not like late dining at all. I personally like late dining but as we are early risers, we don't stay up too much past dinner.

So should I start a kid friendly early dining list?

pharmjenn, dh & ds5
MaryLoue, dh & ds9
adnil530 & dd11

We had a group of 19 linked together on our last trip. All the adults sat at one table and the kids sat next to us at another table. The kids had a great time and the adults got some adult interaction. Worked out well.

 

[DVCinderella]

We have been assigned early dining, but are wondering whether it might be more fun for the kids (DD 8 and DS 6) to do the late seating. This will be our 6th cruise with the kids, but the first time we've really considered dining later. (Based on experience I'm confident we could switch to the late seating if we wanted to -- early is always more sought after). I'd welcome any input others have about going with a later time.

We really enjoy late dining - the day seems less rushed for us, especially on port days. We enjoy sitting on the decks between 4 -6pm, everyone else is getting ready for dinner and they are really uncrowded - this is a great time to swim or use the hot tub - I like watching the movie on the big screen. This is when we usually have a pre-dinner snack

We also like going to the show before dinner (I seem to fall asleep on a full stomach in a dark theater), after the show we then go and get dressed for dinner.

We have found that the servers seem less rushed during the later seating - they aren't in hurry to tunrover the table for the next seating. We usually fininsh dinner by 9:30 and then head to a game show or lounge to relax for a bit, then turn in around 11:00pm.

I am a bit concerned about the time change since we are coming from the East Coast, but we figured we'll adjust as we go along

Tammy

We've done both with young kids, and personally we like late seating better for many of the reasons Tammy gave above. The biggest one is the "not rushed" factor...not being rushed to get back on the ship & get ready for dinner, and not feeling rushed through the meal (because the servers don't have to move you along).

August 2011, we did late dining on the Dream (me, DH, DS6 & DD6) and loved it. Our server brought the kids' meals out first, and then when the Kids' Club counselors arrived (around 9p?), if the kids wanted to go with them, they did, and DH and I got to enjoy a relaxed end of the meal & dessert.

My Dad travels with us a lot (he's widowed) and we can't do late dining when he's with us...he'd be mighty grumpy by 8:30p! Plus, he wouldn't want to eat his main meal that close to bedtime. So whenever he's with us (this trip included), we book early seating.

If you have early dining now, I would hold onto it if you are unsure. It's easier to switch to late than the reverse.

 

[DVCinderella]

Just a repost of the information that went out last week, in case anyone missed it...

The following link will take you to an order form for the PC Certificates:

Panama Canal Certificates Order Form

Once you submit your form, I will send you a PayPal invoice. The deadline to order is October 9th.

I will give the certificates in bulk to Guest Services so they can arrange for the Captain to sign them at his leisure (scheduled Captain is Thord Haugen, but that can change).

I am working with DCL on a time/place to distribute the signed certificates, either sea Day 11 (12/19) or Day 12 (12/20) and most likely late morning or early afternoon. Distribution meet & greet to be announced.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask .

Liz

 

[hedgerow]

So should I start a kid friendly early dining list?

pharmjenn, dh & ds5
MaryLoue, dh & ds9
adnil530 & dd11
hedgerow,dh, &dd9 you can add us to the list!

 

[CaptainandTennille]

I would suggest Long Beach - it is SO much more tourist friendly than San Pedro. The aquarium, fun restaurants, shopping, Queen Mary and the lovely views. The city of Long Beach has dumped a ton of $$ making the area a tourist destination. However, San Pedro, quaint as it may be, is part of the City of Los Angeles, and relies on them for $, and hasn't had the TLC to make it a destination. Los Angeles spends the $ they have elsewhere. You may not be down the road from the ship from Long Beach, but it's just over a couple bridges, and through some shipyards, and you're there.

I would have to agree! I live about 10 minutes from the port, and San Pedro wouldn't be my 1st choice of the cities around. Long Beach literally is a couple of bridges over and has a lot more to offer and you can walk to a lot of it if you don't rent a car. Downside is the hotels are probably more expensive.

 

[Jeff Spencer]

This will be our first time with early dining. My husband says he just can't face 14 nights of finishing dinner at 10 pm! Regardless of what time zone we're in.

This too is our first time with early seating and for the same reason. On our 4 previous DCL cruises we'd typically not walk out of the dining room until 10:15 pm or later. Also, with 8 to 8:15 pm seating time we'd be more tempted to get a snack between lunch and dinner.

 

[DindelsPA]

pharmjenn, dh & ds5
MaryLoue, dh & ds9
adnil530 & dd11
hedgerow,dh, &dd9 you can add us to the list!

Us too!
Myself (Karen), DH (ED) and DD (Patricia-13)

 

[Jeff Spencer]

pharmjenn, dh & ds5
MaryLoue, dh & ds9
adnil530 & dd11
hedgerow,dh, &dd9 you can add us to the list!

Good deal! So is adnil530 linking these together or do you want me to link you to the larger group but request families with kids be seated together?

 

[mug318ca]

We like 2nd seating since the only thing I can think of doing after a big meal is a walk around the deck and bed... or maybe some FunnelVision.

Isn't Pirate Night dinner during second seating?

 

[chrissyt27]

Hi ArGa,

Please PM or email me your reservation number(s). I already have included Liz and John.

I am getting a table together for the late seating
Chrissyt27 and DH
haileyboo and her DH

so we have room for 2 or 4 more, may have 2 from the FB page.

Can you add this to the website? Thanks!

 

[Jeff Spencer]

I am getting a table together for the late seating
Chrissyt27 and DH
haileyboo and her DH

so we have room for 2 or 4 more, may have 2 from the FB page.

Can you add this to the website? Thanks!

Done!

 

[chrissyt27]

I assumed the meet would be in the park itself. Makes the most sense to me.

we will be arriving Wednesday and doing DL Thursday adn Friday. I think we plan to rent a car and drive into LA maybe on Saturday.
we could meet up at some point.

Also if someone wants to ride around with us Saturday, no plans of where yet. I kind of wanted to see the Regan library or LA and China town, Hollywood, we don't know yet.

 

[WVURunner]

Definitely suffering from this disorder! Is anyone else?

 

[Gilland18]

Definitely suffering from this disorder! Is anyone else?

I totally am.

 

[adnil530]

Good deal! So is adnil530 linking these together or do you want me to link you to the larger group but request families with kids be seated together?

Us too!
Myself (Karen), DH (ED) and DD (Patricia-13)

pharmjenn, dh & ds5
MaryLoue, dh & ds9
adnil530 & dd11
hedgerow,dh, &dd9
dindeslPA, dh & dd13

Awesome!

Whatever works best for you Jeff will work for me Glad we are getting this going. Looks like we will have a real good group here. Might be a good idea to list these dinner reservation requests on the website and make the request closer to sailing?

I'm excited

 

[chrissyt27]

Does anyone know the hours for DL Thursday-Saturday? I saw someone say Sat they were open till midnight, but just looked online and the times only go through first week of Nov.

we had planned to go Thursday and Friday and rent a car to drive into LA Saturday. Then we will have the car to maybe get us to the port Sunday. we booked the Fairfield Wed night through Sunday morning.

I also thought I saw the Candel Light Vigil is happening around then. We were there 6 years ago and since I was a cast member couldn't go into the Magic Kingodm. So wondering how this will effect the crowds.