February '09 Wonder Cruise meet!

[D&Asailtoday]

Good morning to all,
HAppy VALENTINES DAY!!!!!!! Almost ready that's what I am saying for today anyway have a great day all!!!!!!! Dawn

 

[Alice_on_WONDERland]

I can tell from all these SHOPPING comments we're all going to get along just fine!


(...maybe I should change my user name to LUVS2SHOP!)


Should I arrange a SHOPPING meet on the cruise?!

 

[disneydarling07]

add me to the shopping group! I'm off in a little while to look for more stuff for me.

Let's see....souvenirs, Shutters for photos, scrapbooking stuff, ....yep! Looks like we just might need an onboard shopping excursion for the women in this group!

I finished up our FE gifts, printed out yet another door magnet, and printed out the iron ons for our t-shirts.

Gotta get taxes done today, more shopping, then packing.

Gotta get moving!!!!

 

[SCQ86]

Alice....sign me up to the shopping meet! I think that is going to be my weakness on this trip! Looking forward seeing if I can sneak some shopping in Nassau! Plus I want to try out the food in Nassau....I swear I'm going to gain 10lbs on this cruise!!!

 

[KerriMomof2NH]

My husband and I honeymooned in the Bahamas back in 1999 and we had Conch chowder and Conch fritters -- a MUST try if you like seafood. Hopefully I'll be able to go to the shopping meet too. It's like pulling teeth to get my husband to go shopping. Whoo hoo! Can't wait to board!

 

[Alice_on_WONDERland]

You guys! I was just kidding about the shopping meet!

But...we could... except my family is headed to Ardastra Gardens in the afternoon on Nassau day.

If you really want me to set this up, I can! I just won't be able to come along for the fun.

Ladies could meet somewhere public, say the Promenade Lounge after breakfast, head out into Nassau, and be back on the ship for lunch...

Just an idea - let me know what you're all thinking.

You're all just a bunch of Princesses!

 

[KerriMomof2NH]

Can you tell I'm so excited for the cruise I'm saying "YES" to anything? Actually you just reminded me that we have an excursion booked when in Nassau too. LOL! Looks like my shopping might be restricted to the ship! HAHA. Oh and we got some cute 'surf board' towels at Castaway Cay last year. Pricey, but souveniers and nice quality so they were a 'functional' treat for the kids.

 

[disneydarling07]

What time is your Ardastra Gardens tour?? That's what we signed up for too!

I think ours starts at 12:45?

I just got back from the store and I don't know if I will have anything left to shop with!

Kerri...
Conch fritters sounds yummy! I (WONDER... ) if they will be available on the ship?
What Nassau excursion did you book?

 

[KerriMomof2NH]

When we went last May we didn't do a Nassau excursion. My parents (who had been on a few DCL voyages prior to our May 2008 trip) stayed on the ship. My husband, kids and I got off and walked around the "downtown" area. The kids got bored pretty quickly as they are still young and shopping for jewelry or clothing isn't really up their alley. We hit a Pirate Museum (which my son enjoyed) but they seriously would've been just as content staying on the ship in the kids program (where we SERIOUSLY had to drag them out of each night). We returned them to the ship and then my husband and I hit up a few stores (he was shopping for a new watch at the time, which he was able to find on the island).

Did I mention that the kids missed two of the three stage shows, the Pirate Party/fireworks and Family Karaoke (the ONE thing I REALLY wanted to bring my son to)? HA HA. All because they LOVED the kids program on the ship so much (they asked to go to the one on Castaway Cay too).

Anyway, I'm getting off topic. So we were having a hard time trying to decide what to do in Nassau but the family we're traveling with mentioned that they were booking the Atlantis Aquaventure because friends of theirs had done it and had a blast. Of course right after we booked... I found some sites suggesting that you rent a room at the Comfort Suites, near the Atlantis and save about $400 or so/family on the entrance fee to Aquaventure. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20, right? So long story short, we're doing Aquaventure from 10-3 I believe. I LOVE Senor Frogs, would LOVE to hit it up for a drink before the ship pulls out... but alas... I'm not sure there will be enough time, so I'll just have to hit up some of the ship 'hot spots'.

 

[SCQ86]

You guys! I was just kidding about the shopping meet!

But...we could... except my family is headed to Ardastra Gardens in the afternoon on Nassau day.

If you really want me to set this up, I can! I just won't be able to come along for the fun.

Ladies could meet somewhere public, say the Promenade Lounge after breakfast, head out into Nassau, and be back on the ship for lunch...

Just an idea - let me know what you're all thinking.

You're all just a bunch of Princesses!

WOW! Great minds think alike!!! That was going to be my plan....lets do it!

 

[SCQ86]

I LOVE Senor Frogs, would LOVE to hit it up for a drink before the ship pulls out... but alas... I'm not sure there will be enough time, so I'll just have to hit up some of the ship 'hot spots'.

Yep....you'd probably find me hitting Senor Frogs too Especially cause I'm traveling with a 19yo.

 

[Alice_on_WONDERland]

We're doing Ardastra Gardens & City Tour excursion through DCL too. Yep, we leave at 12:45.

I know we could have saved some money doing this on our own, but my main reason for booking this through DCL is that I will pay to not have to deal with all the "street hawkers." I've been to Nassau before (on a Carnival cruise) and didn't mind dealing with them then - but I was 18, didn't have a care in the world and definately didn't have a child to worry about. I don't want him to get frightened by the locals. So I'll pay a few extra dollars to not have to deal with that.

 

[disneydarling07]

COOL! We have tour buddies too!

I just tried on everything I bought and I am ready to start packing my stuff!

So, why am I sitting here??!!!

 

[SCQ86]

COOL! We have tour buddies too!

I just tried on everything I bought and I am ready to start packing my stuff!

So, why am I sitting here??!!!

Hey.....Miss Wendy.....GET PACKING!!! We only have 5 more days!!!!

Trying to get myself all worked up for vacation......so I entered with my two kids the local Home Depot....yes....stealth mode.....then moseyed over to the paint department and thieved the mickey paint chips.....don't ask how many I took.....it was a good bunch. Before I got home....my kids already had seperated the backs to the mickey head!

Getting ready to make Valentines dinner for me and the kids in a few.....will check in later....

Have a Happy Valentine's Day

 

[Alice_on_WONDERland]

I'm working on my "DIS ID's" right now too! I'm making luggage tags out of the lime green paint samples from Home Depot. I'm going to attach one to each suitcase, one to my backpack, and one to DS's. I figure if I use them as luggage tags it will help me identify my luggage at the airport.

 

[SCQ86]

I'm working on my "DIS ID's" right now too! I'm making luggage tags out of the lime green paint samples from Home Depot. I'm going to attach one to each suitcase, one to my backpack, and one to DS's. I figure if I use them as luggage tags it will help me identify my luggage at the airport.

That's my next project.....this is the first weekend that I have absolutely not a single meeting or thing to do....well besides cook for the kids.

Hopefully I will be able to do more magnets and clean house.

 

[disneydarling07]

OKay....I'm getting worried!
I tried to pack my suitcase and everything won't fit! I cannot believe how much stuff I'm supposed to put in there and how much of it is still on my bed.
Luckily, most of it won't be coming back home with me, but this is nuts!
I"m going to have to "borrow" suitcase space from my kids...LOL

But as of this point, I have everything laid out, so I know what to bring, I just have to make it all fit....wish me luck!

 

[SCQ86]

OKay....I'm getting worried!
I tried to pack my suitcase and everything won't fit! I cannot believe how much stuff I'm supposed to put in there and how much of it is still on my bed.
Luckily, most of it won't be coming back home with me, but this is nuts!
I"m going to have to "borrow" suitcase space from my kids...LOL

But as of this point, I have everything laid out, so I know what to bring, I just have to make it all fit....wish me luck!

And you were laughing at me!!

Now I'm trimming my purse....taking the things out of my purse that I really don't need to take with me.

Later I will do laundry .....when the kids are asleep.

 

[disneydarling07]

For those that believe they have nothing to do but sit in front of the computer...

DO NOT search youtube for videos of the Til We Meet Again party!!! I sat here watching it with tears in my eyes....and DH LAUGHING hysterically at me!

Youtube is a BAD thing! The Sail Away party had me and Sue crying...though she probably won't admit it...

I'm getting REALLY excited and had so many dreams last night, I don't think I got much sleep at all. So now I have a headache I have to beat so I can get the rest of my stuff done today.

I managed to get everything inside my suitcase, but I think I might be over the weight limit!

And it's a good thing I packed first....oldest DD raided my closet last night!

Okay, I gotta get moving....later gators!

 

[Garbo621]

First of all, for the New Hampshire contingency-
In our happy little group, in one room,we have Debbie, Jennifer(13) and Daniel(9) from Londonderry.
In another room, we have Amy and Jordan(14) from Nashua.
With all these New Englanders we may not hear a lot of "R"s spoken on this cruise when they go down to the "Bah" for a "Beah" or when we go to eat 'Dinna"

Though we are new to the Disboard. We have been on the Wonder and have friends who have worked on it so here a few helpful tips that were given to us:

1) Do not pack anything in your suitcase that you do not want buried under 40 other suitcases. To get everyones luggage on the ship quickly, These guys make the airport luggage handlers look like ballerinas. They toss and throw luggage into big bins so don't pack breakables in your luggage.

2) If you can, bring a case of water with you (In a wheeled carry-on if possible). It is easy to get dehydrated on board and even though they have the free soda/tea station, water bottles are not cheap on board. We were thankful to be able to grab a bottle out of the cool (Not Cold) box that are in the cabins and take it to the pools.

3) You will not see your luggage or be able to get into your room until maybe 2 or 3pm. Pack a small day bag with swimsuit, suntan lotion and anything else that you will absolutely need until you see your suitcases again.

4) In Nassau- If you are not taking a tour and you have children (and even if you don't) There is not that much to that is kid friendly and/or not shopping based in the area of the dock. We took our daughter to the Del Sol store (Cool products that turn colors in the sun) and after that she just wanted to go back to the kids club which was a smart desicion. After spending the day in Nassau, we said we probably would not get off the boat next time and Sabrina isn't.

Atlantis is about a $4-5 a person shared cab ride. Beautiful to walk around and has the casino but you are limited to where you can go unless you pay extra.

5) If you are interested in shopping- Go to the "personal shopper's" talk on board. First you could definitely win some freebies if you are animated and show interest (don't be shy). Secondly, they sell a book for $25.00(?) that will get you all kinds of freebies in Nassau. Nothing big but it made it fun as we were exploring the stores that made it worth the price of the book. Also there are raffles throught the day in some of the stores with the personal shopper. We won a 2 carat Saphire. You also got an extra bingo game on board if you had the card that comes in the book.
FYI: The "Personal Shopper" does not work for Disney but the company that puts out the book. That is not necessarily a bad thing. She was extremely nice, knowledgeable and fun to hang out with. At the different stores she was able to get a few of the manager's to go lower than we were able to when negotiating on jewelry.

Finally- If you plan on Jewelry shopping:
-Never buy in the first store you go into. You may find something you like better somewhere else or something similiar cheaper. We saw a lot of the same stuff in multiple stores and final prices varied greatly.
-Don't be afraid to say no thank you, sometimes two or 3 times, and/or say you want to walk around some more when they give you their "final" price, . Remember who you spoke to and get their card with their" final" price when you leave the store.
Sabrina's first necklace that she liked was a $10,000 necklace that they would sell to me for $6000. I started sweating and had to go outside and sit down. when I came back in it was $5500 then $4900 then $4200 and finally after leaving, coming back to compare with something we saw in another store, the final price ended up being $4000. We did not buy it because we ended buying something in another store that we liked better and was less expensive but it gives you an idea how much room there is to play.

Sorry for the long windedness...I hope that this info is helpful to some. See everyone in a week. The weather here in Orlando is mid 70's and we should have great cruise weather


Gary and Sabrina and Aliyah
Orlando