February 16, 2013 WONDERful 5-Night Western Caribbean ~ out of Port of Miami

[nchristeutah]

We are putting together a Fish Extender exchange. We will decide how many cabins will be in a group (if we have more than that number who want to participate we will split into multiple groups). To participate you bring something to give to the other members of your group. It will probably be your choice whether you give something individually to each person or come up with a gift per cabin. You will be given a map with the cabin numbers of the other people in your group. You will probably be able to deliver your gifts at the time of your choice during the cruise. And, like magic, gifts will appear in your fish extender at random times as well.

You can look up Fish Extender on etsy or ebay to see what many of them look like. You can buy an extender or make it yourself but the concept is that it provides a pocket for receiving gifts and hangs on a hook like thing on the wall outside your cabin door which on the Wonder should be a fish. (I sailed on the dream last year and ours was a seahorse, I think).

Does that help at all = or have you heard all of that already and had other questions?

By the way, there are links earlier in this thread to a google doc to add your name for the fish extender group if you haven't done that already.

 

[nchristeutah]

Here is a new posting of the link for the fish extender group. Please add your information if you are interested!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ak9XN1FzBHZwdFFDdzQwZnhZNS03MG5Pb1NqelJObnc#gid=0

Natalie

 

[mom3girls2000]

Here is a new posting of the link for the fish extender group. Please add your information if you are interested!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ak9XN1FzBHZwdFFDdzQwZnhZNS03MG5Pb1NqelJObnc#gid=0

Natalie

Thanks for bumping this up, Natalie . Who's "vegemitegirl14"?

Just to rebump, we're also on a Closed Group on Facebook. Try this https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tn...676724/265854950190207/?notif_t=group_comment or go to Fb, and after you're logged in, search for February 16, 2013 Disney Wonder 5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise and ask to join, it's easy peasy .

 

[mom3girls2000]

Hi all. I was just wondering if barefootmom and ihearemma are also on facebook with us? If not, you can get more information there and the conversation tends to move a little faster . Ask to join the following group:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/2476...d=266072833501752&notif_t=group_comment_reply

(or look it up by February 16, 2013 Disney Wonder 5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise

Hope to see you there soon.


Natalie

Well Iheerema is Lois but I don't see barefootmom on the Google doc so I can't tell if they're on Fb yet.

BTW, even if you opt out of the FE exchange, you might add your name to the google doc anyway, so we know who's who ... we'd also like to have a meet-up of some sort onboard, maybe more than 1.

 

[mom3girls2000]

Hi all, I have never been on a Disney cruise but this is the one I believe we are about to book. I have no idea what FEs are...can someone tell me? Also,can anyone tell me the options of where to stay or transfers or what makes the most sense if we fly into Ft Lauderdale the day before? Do they have transfers to the port from anywhere? Do we just get a rental car? Sorry I am so clueless...if it is too much work to fill me in then I understand!!

Hi, barefootMom, sorry I missed your post until now. I hope you do book this cruise, but even if you don't you should still know what the FE is all about so that it entices you to still sail with Mr. Mouse !

The Fish Extender is ... basically, it's a fabric wall pocket or tote bag. Outside every DCL stateroom is a fish-shaped plaque with a hook on it (I think on the newest ships the Dream and Fantasy, they're seahorses). It's actually used for the crew to leave messages or other paperwork for you. DISboard members have created the extender, thereby extending the use of said hook. The extender is, like I said before, fabric pockets or tote bag(s). DISboard members meet their cruise-mates on forums like this one, and whoever wants to participate signs up for it. Usually gifts exchanged are small and inexpensive.

The cruise-group decides on certain things together, such as the cut-off date for new members to join, how many cabins might be too many, and then if there are a lot, the FE group might be split ... we don't want people using all their free time worrying about distributing gifts ... the group decides together on how to split the group if necessary. We can also decide on a catchy name for our group.

For example, in my Feb 2012 cruise, we had 99 people (incl kids and adults) in 33 cabins. We decided to split it into cabins with families with kids 8 and younger, and the other group was families with kids 8 and up and families with no kids. It was almost even and was more manageable that way. We also had 2 meet-ups onboard, which were lots of fun. We came up with the name "Cupids in the Caribbean" because Valentine's Day was during the week of our cruise.

The giver of the gift decides on whether they want to give a family gift (one per cabin) or one-per-person, or separate gifts for each child, etc. Also you decide for yourself what to give, whether you want to make something yourself or buy it in a store (or order online) is also up to each individual giver. When to give is also up to the giver.

We ask for information on the Google doc in case people want to personalize the gifts.

Go to Google and search for FE's - in images and a general search. Search around on the DISboards too. Lots of info out there. You can order custom-made FE's on Etsy and Ebay too, do search there as well.

 

[mom3girls2000]

Max

Will you tell her about Fish Exchange = I am a newbie about it too - although my granddaughter has me all hyped up about it!

Lois

Ok, I told her , I only hope I didn't overwhelm her lol.

It's ok to be a newbie, I was only a newbie a few short months ago, myself. But it's even BETTER to get all hyped up about it

(Do I seem at all hyped up about it? I'm having FUN.)

 

[nchristeutah]

So vegemitegirl14 is me - nchristeutah here in the disboards and Natalie Christensen in facebook. My mom is from Australia and I love vegemite . (A very acquired taste for anyone who wasn't raised on it from what I understand!)

 

[gigi1313]

Hi all! I posted some weeks ago and we are still on the fence about this cruise, but we keep getting closer to yes, so I asked to join the FB group

 

[mom3girls2000]

Hi all! I posted some weeks ago and we are still on the fence about this cruise, but we keep getting closer to yes, so I asked to join the FB group

Closer to yes, YAY

 

[mom3girls2000]

So vegemitegirl14 is me - nchristeutah here in the disboards and Natalie Christensen in facebook. My mom is from Australia and I love vegemite . (A very acquired taste for anyone who wasn't raised on it from what I understand!)

Cute . I think the SuperWalmart in Kissimmee sells Vegemite, they have a small international section in the grocery dept.

 

[Mjasp]

Hi all! I posted some weeks ago and we are still on the fence about this cruise, but we keep getting closer to yes, so I asked to join the FB group

Oh Gigi, just book! You'll feel right at home with all us Long Islanders

 

[mom3girls2000]

Hi all! I posted some weeks ago and we are still on the fence about this cruise, but we keep getting closer to yes, so I asked to join the FB group

Well now that you're part of the FB group, you're gonna have too much fun there and you'll just HAVE to book THIS cruise !

 

[gigi1313]

I realllllly hope so!

 

[MowgliFan]

We are tentatively scheduled for this cruise. We sailed on the Dream earlier this year and booked while on board. Hopefully all will go as planned. My kids are teen pre-teen and we won't be doing the FE.

 

[Mjasp]

We are tentatively scheduled for this cruise. We sailed on the Dream earlier this year and booked while on board. Hopefully all will go as planned. My kids are teen pre-teen and we won't be doing the FE.

Welcome Mowgli!!! Where are you from?

 

[ptmmg]

welcome!

 

[mom3girls2000]

We are tentatively scheduled for this cruise. We sailed on the Dream earlier this year and booked while on board. Hopefully all will go as planned. My kids are teen pre-teen and we won't be doing the FE.

Hi, there, MowgliFan, I just <3 your DISname !

Was the Dream really dreamy? I guess it was 'cause you rebooked onboard! I hope all goes well for you and you can keep booked on this cruise, 'cause WE ARE GONNA ROCK THE WONDER!

Just wondering, why aren't you going to do the FE? It's so much fun, it's like trick-or-treating for grown-ups and whole families ...

Well no matter what you decide, you probably already know how much fun a Disney cruise is ). Welcome to our group.

 

[lheerema]

We are tentatively scheduled for this cruise. We sailed on the Dream earlier this year and booked while on board. Hopefully all will go as planned. My kids are teen pre-teen and we won't be doing the FE.

Welcome! We are looking forward to this cruise with several kiddies from 3 through 10. I am trying to talk my 16 year old granddaughter into joining us - she thinks she is too old )). We took her on a Disney cruise when she was 5, and I don't think she remembers much about that - she just thinks she is too old! - so what can I tell her to convince her to join us???
Lois

 

[mama22]

Hi everyone! I booked this cruise while on the Fantasy last month We were still on the fence about it since the airfare was ridiculous- but tonight I checked and what had been $600+ airfare was $250 per person so I booked it and we are now officially going, yeah! We are from northern NJ (flying out of NYC) and my husband and I will be travelling with our kids DD12, DS10, and DS5. Please sign us up for the FE if someone is organizing please

 

[lheerema]

Hi everyone! I booked this cruise while on the Fantasy last month We were still on the fence about it since the airfare was ridiculous- but tonight I checked and what had been $600+ airfare was $250 per person so I booked it and we are now officially going, yeah! We are from northern NJ (flying out of NYC) and my husband and I will be travelling with our kids DD12, DS10, and DS5. Please sign us up for the FE if someone is organizing please

YAY! Welcome to our group! We have a signup sheet here and on FB for the FE - so excited to add more to our group! I am traveling with husband and our entourage of assorted kids (grownup), grandkids and great-grandkids! We have Girls - 1 ea 16, 10, 9, 6, 5, 4 and one 3 year old Boy! The signup sheet is a page or 2 back, and I know that Max (our leader) will send you an invite to our FB group shortly!

Lois