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

[mug318ca]

It seems like most everyone is getting the 11-11:30 check in times. Does that mean the cruise really isn't that booked? Or that only Dis-ers are actually checking in right at their first opportunity.

Lina- Yes I am in California, but will be driving to work at 9pm. I can only imagine walking into work, signing in then telling my coworkers I can't actually start to work for a bit while I take care of something more important- getting things done for my cruise! But I am alone 2hrs later and have all night to do it.

I live in California too, actually near LAX, but Disney thinks I'm staying in a hotel through them so I could not get a boarding time. The response from the system was that I was a "Pre cruise" passenger and I would be contacted by a Disney CM for boarding. I called and they said just to "Come On Down!"

 

[Chinook]

In Cabo it will be a bucket of beer, chips, and salsa at an establishment in the harbor area.

Is there a particular establishment you would recommend?

 

[dededisney]

Last night, I booked the Canopy Adventure in PV (zipline), and it was available.

Yeah, fellow DISers on this adventure. Can't wait for it...I have always wanted to do a zipline, but on past cruises, our DS didn't weigh enough! Being w/o kids this cruise, makes it a lot easier!

 

[LindaBabe]

Finished adding our port adventures. In Cabo it will be a bucket of beer, chips, and salsa at an establishment in the harbor area. In PV it will be the Mexican Cooking adventure. In Cartagena, it will be the Old Town walking/bus tour, and in Costa Maya it will be the Chacchoben ruins. We have planned to do a Palo brunch on the first Sunday of the cruise.

As far as money is concerned, I know that in Cabo and PV, the dollar is just fine as well as credit cards (not always AMEX though). But what about in Costa Maya or Cartagena?

The guide I've contracted for in Cartegena says dollars will be fine. I expect that is also true in Costa Maya.

Is there a particular establishment you would recommend?

Just walk along until you see one that looks good Seriously! And, you don't have to go far.

 

[RoxyHive]

Finished adding our port adventures. In Cabo it will be a bucket of beer, chips, and salsa at an establishment in the harbor area.

Add on some guacamole and sign me up for this excursion!

 

[Gdes1]

OK, did the check in today, 9/10 at 8:30pm MST and got an 11:30 port arrival time. I entered our flight info, which is that we are flying in the day before. So that must have something to do with it, if others who checked in earlier today got later times. The first timeslot of 11am was blacked out, but everything else was there.

So, I had no problem getting nursery hours during dinner, no problem getting Palo brunch even on the canal day, and it appears most port arrival times are available as is Palo for dinner on every single evening.

I have heard of all of this stuff booking up on other cruises before the Silver folks window even opens! I am starting to think that maybe we (those on this thread) are the only folks going on this cruise?

 

[pharmjenn]

I hope the 11:30 window is still open at the end of the month. I will take that. My SIL is driving us from Irvine and she is not an early bird on weekends so I doubt I could get there much earlier anyway.

Sounds like the Canopy Adventure is full. Darn, that is the one excursion I wanted to book through Disney since we are leaving our son on board. I have read that those who book privately are walked out and board the same boat as the Disney excursion, but not sure I am willing to risk it. If it is booked, then we will have to just keep checking as it gets closer for cancellations.
We have ziplined once before, but this one sounded so fun.
Dede- if you like it, I recommend the zipline up at Kirkwood.

 

[chrissyt27]

Just made our brunch reservations for Palo for the first Sea day. Hope to get in again sometime the 2nd week. Kind of sucks they raised the price plus the tip, but I love it so much so hopefully we get in again. lots of sea days!

 

[JessicasMom]

Just made our brunch reservations for Palo for the first Sea day. Hope to get in again sometime the 2nd week. Kind of sucks they raised the price plus the tip, but I love it so much so hopefully we get in again. lots of sea days!

Us, too! See ya' there

 

[Gdes1]

I just checked our flights and seat assignments after reading about others having issues with United. B@stards had kicked us out of Economy Plus even though we paid for it, never contacted us about it or refunded the money, and on one flight they seated my three year old separately from us. On the other, they had us in different rows.

Fortunately DH has Premier status and called that phone number and got it all straightened out. We lost our precious bulkhead seats on the flight to LA, because the new aircraft has exit rows there and children can't sit there. At least that's a good reason. We are now all back together in Economy Plus and all in the same row on both flights.

So please go check your flights and seats and make sure you have not been screwed!

 

[socababy]

I just checked our flights and seat assignments after reading about others having issues with United. B@stards had kicked us out of Economy Plus even though we paid for it, never contacted us about it or refunded the money, and on one flight they seated my three year old separately from us. On the other, they had us in different rows.

Fortunately DH has Premier status and called that phone number and got it all straightened out. We lost our precious bulkhead seats on the flight to LA, because the new aircraft has exit rows there and children can't sit there. At least that's a good reason. We are now all back together in Economy Plus and all in the same row on both flights.

So please go check your flights and seats and make sure you have not been screwed!

Thanks for mentioning this! I just called today to reconfirm my flight and everything has remained the same but I forgot to ask about what seats we were in. I need to make sure the kids and I are together!

 

[pharmjenn]

I got the email today from United. They changed our flights around, but didn't affect us too much. Departs 30min earlier (but leaving on Monday, so not a timing issue), connecting through Dulles instead of Cleveland, and we land in SF at the same time. We used miles/paid to upgrade to first, so they can't screw with our seats too bad.
With Dulles being a bigger airport than Cleveland, that may be either a blessing or not. Less chance of weather delays? Harder to get between connecting flights? Will have to wait and see!

 

[LindaBabe]

Good Morning, Happy Cruisers!

Definitely a tinge of fall in the air in the great north east this morning - temps in the 40's.

With Dulles being a bigger airport than Cleveland, that may be either a blessing or not. Less chance of weather delays? Harder to get between connecting flights? Will have to wait and see!

For all of us flying just a couple days before Christmas, I think we're going to need patience and courage! The good thing Is - I'm betting anyone who's traveling for the holiday who can is going to try to make a long weekend of it, so maybe (hopefully) the traffic will have cleared a bit by the time we go.

Happy Day, all!

 

[WVURunner]

Sounds like the Canopy Adventure is full. Darn, that is the one excursion I wanted to book through Disney since we are leaving our son on board. I have read that those who book privately are walked out and board the same boat as the Disney excursion, but not sure I am willing to risk it. If it is booked, then we will have to just keep checking as it gets closer for cancellations.

Four of us are booked for it currently with the youngest staying in the kids club. If DH and I set-up a private SCUBA excursion, we will be cancelling two of the 4 reservations. If we do end up cancelling, I will wait till until you can book excursions and let you know when we cancel so that you can grab our spots.

Just made our brunch reservations for Palo for the first Sea day. Hope to get in again sometime the 2nd week. Kind of sucks they raised the price plus the tip, but I love it so much so hopefully we get in again. lots of sea days!

Us too. I think we are at 10:30. DH wanted it early so he could appericate the food before he got sick of food. What is the price for brunch now? In April on the Fantasy, it was $15

Us, too! See ya' there

See you there also!

 

[pharmjenn]

Four of us are booked for it currently with the youngest staying in the kids club. If DH and I set-up a private SCUBA excursion, we will be cancelling two of the 4 reservations. If we do end up cancelling, I will wait till until you can book excursions and let you know when we cancel so that you can grab our spots.

Thank you! That would be awesome. SCUBA sounds like fun also. I never got certified by my DH is, and hasn't had an opportunity to dive in nice warm, clear waters.
If we can't get in, I am sure we can find something to do in town, or another adventure we can do.

 

[4everluvDisney]

We also have Palo brunch booked for our first sea day as that is our anniversary. Love brunch much more that dinner. The price now is $20 p.p.

 

[dededisney]

I hope the 11:30 window is still open at the end of the month. I will take that. My SIL is driving us from Irvine and she is not an early bird on weekends so I doubt I could get there much earlier anyway.

Sounds like the Canopy Adventure is full. Darn, that is the one excursion I wanted to book through Disney since we are leaving our son on board. I have read that those who book privately are walked out and board the same boat as the Disney excursion, but not sure I am willing to risk it. If it is booked, then we will have to just keep checking as it gets closer for cancellations.
We have ziplined once before, but this one sounded so fun.
Dede- if you like it, I recommend the zipline up at Kirkwood.

Thanks for the info at Kirkwood...we will have to look into that. I know the boys would love doing it. Hopefully you'll be able to get some spots for Canopy Adventure...we would love to see you there too!

 

[FLPrincessMom]

OK - I have a question about booking brunch at Palo on the Canal Day...

Don't you think that the entire railing will be lined with people the whole time and the only thing you will see are people's backsides? That was one reason that I didn't book brunch for that day but now I'm wondering if my reasoning is wrong...

 

[chrissyt27]

Us, too! See ya' there

we did 10:30. I wish I was there now

Last time we did in it was $10. But it's now $20.

 

[chrissyt27]

I just booked us a few chairs at the Tropicante. Here is the email I got from Steve if you want to look into this. I saw it on the disboards. You just have to eat there and you can use his chairs and I heard the massages were awesome.

We plan to head that way around 10am. He has free wi-fi. Hoping to take our tablet with us that day. you can also use his phone for free!

I emailed last night and he got back today.



As for how to find us, you can catch a taxi from outside or inside the port facility and we recommend you take the outside taxis. Shuttles and taxi vans from inside charge $3 (they can be talked down the $2 if you say you are going outside) but the real problem is they drop you at specific spots in town and all the aggressive vendors and restaurant hustlers hang out at these locations. Getting out of the taxi/shuttle is like jumping into a pool of sharks! If you leave the port, that means you walk out of the building area, across a courtyard and out a chain link gate, you can then walk just a couple hundred yards to a real taxi stand in front of the Hard Rock Cafe. These guys charge $2 per person and do specific point drop offs, so just ask the driver to take you to the Tropicante. Takes 3-4 minutes. They will drop you at Calle Cherna, next to the football field and you walk toward the ocean 50 yards to the Malecon. Turn left and we are the second place. Very easy and most drivers will point you the right way too. When you are ready to leave, the taxis will be lined up next to my place to get you right back to the port just as fast.
If by some chance they drop you someplace else, and they might still drop you at their cousin’s place, hey it’s Mexico, it is not really a big deal. The downtown beach is only about 6 blocks long so you'll find us. My sign is large and easy to see. If you have to find us, many will tell you we no longer exist or even worse, that their restaurant used to be the Tropicante, a new trick many are using. Laugh it off, we do, and don't worry, you'll find us. The locals can be a little tricky like this but they are seldom unfriendly and you should have absolutely no safety concerns while you are in Costa Maya. We are a very small and friendly town, everyone knows everyone, so you can move about without concern. Mahahual, the name of our town, means Mayberry in Mayan!
If you have not seen my site yet, be sure to check it out http://www.sandalsandskis.com/Tropicante.html
for photos, menu and general info. Also lots of links for activities like snorkel, massage, fishing and so forth, that are right on our beach. If you need help with any activities, your waiter will get those set up for you the day you arrive. No need to reserve the massage. I have 3 tables so you seldom have to wait and never more than the time it takes to finish your drink. If you want to see what we really look like, check out this You Tube 1 minute video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RVNMeaij4s

Come hungry, we really do have the best food in town, and get ready for the best beach day of your trip! Let me know if you have other questions and I’ll look forward to meeting you guys December 21st. Cheers!
Steve Uhl 719-387-8115 (US call that rings here in Mahahual)