Feb.13th(lucky for some) 2010 Eastern Valentines Cruise - The Love Boat Sails Again !

[Wachsdds]

Hi There~
Were you guys at the Disney meet? It was a great cruise!!!! Near perfect.(except for that one rocky night )

Purtypat1
Sorry for such a delay in responding. It was a great cruise. We didn't make the meet last February. Our group was a bit large with the kids, my parents and my Father-in-law. Just to many moving pieces. Hopefully this time. We did reunite with some cruisers that we met the year before on the President's week Magic and also made some new friends also. As for the one rocky night, it is just a way of checking our sea legs. Actually, I find the nights to be the best night of sleep!!


We just booked the New Bay Lake Towers @ the Contemporary from Wednesday for a couple a days in the park. Next airfare which we have to wait a little for Jet Blue!

 

[jblrn2b]

Hi all!!! I have been working a lot (to pay for this cruise - LOL) and not posting or viewing.

Karen, you going to the Boston DVC "party" - next wk? I was going to try to go on Fri even though I have to drive to Philly for a lacrosse tournament that afternoon.

I am getting homesick for Disney!

Judith

 

[MassDisLovers]

Karen, you going to the Boston DVC "party" - next wk? I was going to try to go on Fri even though I have to drive to Philly for a lacrosse tournament that afternoon.

I am getting homesick for Disney!

Judith

I gave some thought to the DVC party, but we are pretty much in "summer mode" which means going to Maine on the weekends. Both girls have already returned to their summer jobs there, so we are pretty much obligated to go. We are getting out of school so late, that they really had to get up there and work on the weekends or risk not getting hired back. So, sadly I will most likely not go, although I agree with you that I would like a little Disney "fix". And, I am intrigued by the whole thing and would like to see what it's all about.

 

[jblrn2b]

I gave some thought to the DVC party, but we are pretty much in "summer mode" which means going to Maine on the weekends. Both girls have already returned to their summer jobs there, so we are pretty much obligated to go. We are getting out of school so late, that they really had to get up there and work on the weekends or risk not getting hired back. So, sadly I will most likely not go, although I agree with you that I would like a little Disney "fix". And, I am intrigued by the whole thing and would like to see what it's all about.

If I go, I'll let you know how it is. I had a pretty easy night at work and have been reading about the excursions!!! So can't wait.

 

[jdybnsn]

Just passing by and thought I'd say a quick hello.

The time is passing quite quickly now....another few weeks the kids will be off school for Summer.
We have plans to go to Edinburgh for a week, to see an old friend from University, but that's about it as far as getting away for a while goes.

I'm still working hard on my savings plan to see if we have enough money to squeeze in a little holiday somewhere warm in October ...but given the cost of the cruise, and everything else we are doing in and around Orlando next year, I am TRYING to be sensible and save more instead.

 

[jblrn2b]

Hi all. Jdybnsn so with you about money! I have DVC booked for November and if I didn't have a free flight for my youngest and I and APs already paid for in Feb. I would not be going. We always go two weeks in the summer to Cape Cod - for 25 yrs (ok that sounds like I'm older than 21which we know I'm not - LOL). Other than that I am WORKING ALL SUMMER!!! to pay for the Magic.

Can't wait to be on the ship. Hope everyones well and enjoying the summer.

 

[Wachsdds]

I just bought the plane tickets for the cruise. Got a good rate with Delta. Typically, we like to fly with Jetblue but I could not justify spending $200 more in airfare. At least now all the travel plans are done.

 

[jdybnsn]

I just bought the plane tickets for the cruise. Got a good rate with Delta. Typically, we like to fly with Jetblue but I could not justify spending $200 more in airfare. At least now all the travel plans are done.

That's great news....I love a bargain too


Well, we are off to Edinburgh this Sunday .....cheap flights from Manchester, it certainly wasn't worth the long car journey...let alone the cost of gas over here !!!!!
I'm embarrassed to say this is the first holiday we have done actually in the UK with the kids....terrible really, when there is so much to see and do here .....but I blame our fickle weather(its raining now !) ...plus the fact that unless I have boarded a plane, I don't feel like I have actually been on holiday at all LOL !

......Oh, and I didn't do very well on resisting the October holiday

...I have since booked (cheap) flights to Dubrovnik in Croatia, from Liverpool (thank you EasyJet !).... we will be renting an apartment outside of Dubrovnik, right on the shores of the Med. ......the kids will love it, and hopefully it will still be pretty warm over there at that time of year.

I would so love to be going back to Disney instead though, like you Jblrn2b........but for just a week , it would not be practical from here...besides the cost LOL.
Am I right in thinking Maine is on the coast MassDisLovers ??

Anyone got more holiday plans they'd care to share ????

 

[PURTYPAT1]

That's great news....I love a bargain too

Anyone got more holiday plans they'd care to share ????

Yes, in one month from today, my whole clan is packing the car, & heading for the Jersey shore for one week of paradise. It will seem strange to pack the car with no worries on the weight of our bags or the contents.

I just bought the plane tickets for the cruise. Got a good rate with Delta. Typically, we like to fly with Jetblue but I could not justify spending $200 more in airfare. At least now all the travel plans are done.

Did you get $200.00 round trip? Are you leaving 2/21 or 2/22?

 

[jblrn2b]

Hi to all. I have again been working a ton. I may not be able to stop except for vacations - LOL.

I am still debating about flight - we love Jetblue also but you're right Delta is cheaper - go figure. RT was about $1200 for the 4 of us. Should I wait for jetblue to come down? I don't think they will but I am worried about paying for Cape vaca and the cruise and flights all at the same time.

Patricia have a great time on the shore- We've always wanted to go to the Jersey Shore you'll have to tell us where to go.

jdybnsn - Maine is partially on the coast yes - also mountainous.
Your vacations seem so exotic! Have a great time!

Have great summer vacations.
Judith

 

[PURTYPAT1]

I am still debating about flight - we love Jetblue also but you're right Delta is cheaper - go figure. RT was about $1200 for the 4 of us. Should I wait for jetblue to come down? I don't think they will but I am worried about paying for Cape vaca and the cruise and flights all at the same time.


Judith

I vote to book now, & not wait!!! $1200 RT for a family of 4 Presidents week is a great price. JMO

I paid in full this week

 

[jblrn2b]

You're right. I know but we are going to Cape Cod for two wks in Aug. and then November to AKV - okay so nobody is going to feel bad for me that I am working these crazy hours - so I don't want to spend a ton right now. I am biting my nails over this!!!! I probably will book tonight.

 

[jdybnsn]

Just wondering if we have any new cruisers ......

 

[ferastu]

Just wondering if we have any new cruisers ......

Well new to the thread, but I booked the cruise on the day it opened back in Oct '08. Had done a rebooking 'placeholder' on board way back in Oct '07.

We chose President's week because it is a school vacation week here in Rhode Island. Didn't realize that Valentine's Day fell in there, as well as Mardi Gras. Do they do special onboard events for those?

Will be cruising with my wife and 13 yo son. We have cabin 6528, the front most Cat 6 on the starboard side.

 

[jdybnsn]

We chose President's week because it is a school vacation week here in Rhode Island. Didn't realize that Valentine's Day fell in there, as well as Mardi Gras. Do they do special onboard events for those?

.

Hi there......and welcome aboard !


We chose President's Week because we love Florida in February, and we did not want to negotiate the big crowds in the Parks that week !...it is also a UK vacation period too in this year.

At least with a cruise the numbers are always limited, and roughly the same...though I suspect perhaps there will be slightly more kids on this cruise than the last.

We did the Valentine cruise in 2008 (we got married during the cruise on Grand Cayman) - the only special thing different I remember about Valentine's Day, was that they gave out a single red rose to the ladies at Palo that night - don't know if they did this in the main dining rooms too though ???...happily we could take the rose off the ship with us when we left, as they were put on board in the US.

Will be cruising with my wife and 13 yo son. We have cabin 6528, the front most Cat 6 on the starboard side.

Cool my DS (Joe) will almost 13 yrs too .......we will be in a cat 6 starboard too, but at the back.

 

[ferastu]

We chose President's Week because we love Florida in February, and we did not want to negotiate the big crowds in the Parks that week !...it is also a UK vacation period too in this year.

That's my reasoning too. Ships are probably always 95%+ full, so the only difference during vacation week may be the percentage of kids. Can always hide from them in Palo or the adult pool anyway!

We did the Valentine cruise in 2008 (we got married during the cruise on Grand Cayman)

Congratulations! That sounds like an awesome wedding! Is it safe to assume that your 2-year anniversary is during the cruise or are the dates slightly different?

Cool my DS (Joe) will almost 13 yrs too .......we will be in a cat 6 starboard too, but at the back.

I did notice your room assignment from the first page of this thread. If we hit any rough seas we'll be going up while you're coming down and vice versa. Part of me wanted a cabin in that area to make it easier to stagger back from Diversions. But I want to see if a verandah at the front of the boat may have less of a smokey smell than our last one.

 

[jdybnsn]

Our 2nd wedding anniversary is the 12th Feb...so we will still be in Orlando then - actually I'm grateful you reminded me, as I haven't given any thought as to how to celebrate it as yet !

This year, on our first anniversary, we were actually flying over the Atlantic that day - so not the most romantic way to celebrate !

Our first cruise we were right the way forward - I really didn't feel any motion there at all, most of the trip, and it was lovely & quiet - we only had one really rough night (the first night, which I believe is fairly common as you cross the Gulf Stream)..and the ship was rocking so much it would have made no difference where you were located, believe me !!


Last cruise , we were in a cat6 at the back of the ship, and were not bothered by smoke at all - infact we spent alot of time on the verandah and hardly saw anyone / any evidence of smokers the whole 7 days. Guest it is pot luck.......I certainly hope we are as lucky again.

 

[jblrn2b]

Well new to the thread, but I booked the cruise on the day it opened back in Oct '08. Had done a rebooking 'placeholder' on board way back in Oct '07.

We chose President's week because it is a school vacation week here in Rhode Island. Didn't realize that Valentine's Day fell in there, as well as Mardi Gras. Do they do special onboard events for those?

Will be cruising with my wife and 13 yo son. We have cabin 6528, the front most Cat 6 on the starboard side.

Welcome fellow New Englander! We chose Pres. wk d/t not being able to travel during April vaca anymore - booo hiss!!! Can't wait to see if they will have a Valentines Day celebration. I didn't even think about it when I booked.

Hello all, everyone home from vaca? Cape Cod was beautiful and too short back to the grind of work and paying for this cruise - LOL.

As for my flight dillemma - booked two free one way tickets and two paid tickets one way to Orlando on jet blue d/t having free tickets and not being able to book r/t - doesn't make sense to me but oh well. We can get to the ship but may get stuck in Orlando - - guess there are worse places to get stuck. I also had to book another DVC night before the cruise to accommodate the new flight which luckily they had.

I will book return when southwest comes out with the rates and maybe it will get cheaper. Its so expensive during Feb. April is much cheaper.

 

[ferastu]

I also had to book another DVC night before the cruise to accommodate the new flight which luckily they had.

I will book return when southwest comes out with the rates and maybe it will get cheaper. Its so expensive during Feb. April is much cheaper.

Which resort will you be staying in? I haven't decided where we'll stay the night before. Most likely somewhere near the port as my sister lives in Satellite Beach (maybe 20 minutes from the port, south of Cocoa Beach). Although trying to get a night at BLT (highly unlikely I know) is tempting.

Not encouraging to hear that Feb flights are expensive. Our flights down in April this year were not 'cheap'. Although it was Easter/school vacation week.

I just checked Southwest to do a comparison for their early Jan prices. Flights are available through Mar now. Checking...

 

[ferastu]

Got my flights
Fri Feb 12 0092 Depart PROVIDENCE RI (PVD) at 11:10 AM
Arrive in ORLANDO INTL (MCO) at 2:25 PM
Sat Feb 20 1184 Depart ORLANDO INTL (MCO) at 10:50 AM
Arrive in PROVIDENCE RI (PVD) at 1:30 PM

9% more expensive than this April, but I did chose the 'business class' this time. So I'm paying $120 extra dollars for the privilege of 'A' boarding tickets.

Paid about what I was expecting to pay. Since my criteria are limited to 1) flying nonstop and 2) flying nonstop out of Providence; I'm at Southwest's mercy.

I did check some of the other sites for flights out of both Providence and Boston. I didn't see any that were cheap enough to warrant an 8-hour flight with 1 stop over.

Good luck to everyone else!