February 17, 2007

[christinou]

I am so glad to hear Courtney seems OK. Your excursion in Grand Cayman sounds great, we went to Stingray city 2 years ago, and I thought it was just amazing.

Sue we also kept seeing the young couple, and they really did not seem happy, for people who had only been married 3 days you would think they would be all over each other, I don't think I ever saw them touch each other.

 

[CJLKIM]

Our vow renewal is Thursday.

Lisa

Lisa,
Who is your onboard coordinator? We had Mark for our wedding in November and he was fantastic. Are you having yours on Deck 7 or in Sessions?

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

If anyone else is planning on Feb vacation week in 2009, I started a thread. (A huge moment of weakness!)
Here's the link if you are also planning that week!
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1373159

 

[cdnstitchfan]

Slowing catching up on things at home.

If you have any good pictures of the boys with the sand boat, could you please forward me a copy? I took 1, but it isn't that great. Maybe we could send 1 to DCL--talk about a great picture for a brochure!! Mikey keeps talking about how much fun he had building it with Jason and Bob(?), as well as how much fun he had with Jason in general.

I have quite a few pics, I will try and send you some over the weekend.

Hi Lisa, glad Courtney is doing better. Good luck tomorrow with the vow renewals. Wish we could be there.

Pam

 

[dgaston]

So glad to see everyone settling back in. Now as for me, I'm looking at Voyager class ships and a Western on RCCL for next Feb.

 

[christinou]

So glad to see everyone settling back in. Now as for me, I'm looking at Voyager class ships and a Western on RCCL for next Feb.

Which one are you looking at, we are tempted to look at a different ship...

 

[dgaston]

I'm looking at the Voyager of the Seas out of Galveston for a Western next February. We may change to 2009, not sure at this point. We've done one big cruise every year since 2005. A part of me wants to take the older kids along, but that would be a summer cruise to Bermuda on NCL's Majesty (no balcony's) If I cruise RCCL, it'll be on a Voyager class ship until Disney comes out with the new builds.

Hope that helps.

 

[PhotoLisa]

I've never cried when I left the Magic before so today was a first for me. We're back home and boy am I missing the ship.

The last two weeks of vacation were the best that I've ever experienced. I wouldn't hesitate to do another back-to-back cruise in the future.

You get lots of special attention when you do the b2b -- preferred reservations for the spa and palo are just two. Having a second week with pubmaster Paul and the rest of the cruise staff was great as well. Natalie would go out of her way to talk to Ed and I during week 2. It was hard to say goodbye to the staff last night at Rockin Bar D after the Diversions finale.

Once the laundry is done and Ed is at work on Monday, I'll post lots of details of week 2 and the vow renewal.

We truly had a magical two weeks and I'd like to thank all of you for getting it started in a positive way! I feel richer for having met all of you and hope that in the future, perhaps we'll be on another cruise together.

Oh -- I did book our 2/2/08 cruise yesterday. It'll just be Courtney and I and an unnamed (undecided) third person. My oldest daughter, son-in-law and grandbabies will be aboard too.

Lisa

 

[cdnstitchfan]

I cann't imagine how hard it would be to leave the ship after two weeks, I had a hard enough time after only 1 week. Can hardly wait to hear about week 2.

We had a great time as well. Can hardly wait until we can do it again 2009.

 

[PhotoLisa]

The laundry continues . . . only a few more loads to go. Finally have all the suitcases completely unpacked.

If I ever win the lottery, I'm retiring on a cruiseship!!!

 

[dgaston]

Just had to post and check in on what folks were up to.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

Hi All!
I am killing time on the net--SNOWING like crazy here. I should have known it would be bad weather today. My mother is sitting at Logan Airport in Boston waiting to see if her international flight is going to get out. She's going to Greece (very jealous, I am) for a few days, then on a cruise to the Greek Isles. The airport is cycling between open and closed. I think Mother Nature has a grudge against my family traveling! Now I know how she felt the day we were flying in bad weather. Not fun.
I just organized my cruise pictures today for my scrapbook. It seems like it was so long ago already. I can't wait to go again in 2009. I really hope it's a western, or we may bump the date again and take an RCCL western in 09.
Anyone else thinking about their next vacation? I am getting very bored with no planning to do. We are going camping in August, but there's no planning involved because we go to the same place every year, and I have a camping folder with all the stuff I need.
I miss all the fun planning the DCL trip. I guess I should enjoy being bored though. Next school year, I am off the school payroll. A friend of mine (also a teacher) is having a baby in a few weeks, and I get to babysit. Perfect for me! School hours, and only on school days. I can't wait!!
What's everyone been up to?

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

Hi All!
I am killing time on the net--SNOWING like crazy here. I should have known it would be bad weather today. My mother is sitting at Logan Airport in Boston waiting to see if her international flight is going to get out. She's going to Greece (very jealous, I am) for a few days, then on a cruise to the Greek Isles. The airport is cycling between open and closed. I think Mother Nature has a grudge against my family traveling! Now I know how she felt the day we were flying in bad weather. Not fun.
I just organized my cruise pictures today for my scrapbook. It seems like it was so long ago already. I can't wait to go again in 2009. I really hope it's a western, or we may bump the date again and take an RCCL western in 09.
Anyone else thinking about their next vacation? I am getting very bored with no planning to do. We are going camping in August, but there's no planning involved because we go to the same place every year, and I have a camping folder with all the stuff I need.
I miss all the fun planning the DCL trip. I guess I should enjoy being bored though. Next school year, I am off the school payroll. A friend of mine (also a teacher) is having a baby in a few weeks, and I get to babysit. Perfect for me! School hours, and only on school days. I can't wait!!
What's everyone been up to?

I feel so bad--my mother is living my nightmare. They were on the plane, told to get off, and left to wander the airport until 1 AM before the airline told them they weren't going anywhere. They were treated so badly! Last night Swiss Air reps. gave me false information and said the flight had left Boston--even after the flight had been officially cancelled, then when I called this morning, said it was cancelled, but would not
elaborate on what they told the passengers to do. After I finally reached my mom, she was in a hotel in Boston (that she had to pay to get to) and is coming home. She is so angry about the way Swiss Air handled them. They were rude, and gave them no information on what to do. She has to take a bus back to the airport and check out with the airline, then her friend's husband is picking them up. So much for a dream vacation. Just a reminder about winter travel in NewEngland, and how some airlines really do not seem to give a hoot about their passengers.

 

[christinou]

Sue, I feel so bad for your Mom, what a nightmare, will she able to make the cruise? or is the trip completely off. I felt so bad yesterday for all of the people leaving on cruises this week-end, they cancelled so many flights yesterday. This coming week is our Spring break at the University and we have lots of students who could not get out, they had to open the dining rooms for them, as they are stuck.....

We are going camping this summer but to Disney World so I am planning that trip, we love Fort Wilderness, I re-booked on board but we really are not sure when we will go, and am starting to look at other cruise line for a different experience, we'll see.

My sister have been baby sitting for kids of teachers for 5 years now and loves it, she gets her baby fill and is off when her kids are off, it is a perfect arrangement.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

Sue, I feel so bad for your Mom, what a nightmare, will she able to make the cruise? or is the trip completely off. I felt so bad yesterday for all of the people leaving on cruises this week-end, they cancelled so many flights yesterday. This coming week is our Spring break at the University and we have lots of students who could not get out, they had to open the dining rooms for them, as they are stuck.....

We are going camping this summer but to Disney World so I am planning that trip, we love Fort Wilderness, I re-booked on board but we really are not sure when we will go, and am starting to look at other cruise line for a different experience, we'll see.

My sister have been baby sitting for kids of teachers for 5 years now and loves it, she gets her baby fill and is off when her kids are off, it is a perfect arrangement.

Whole trip is cancelled. So many people were stranded at Logan yesterday, but many were accommodated onto other flights. The thing that makes it even more sad is the fact that it's spring break for many colleges, and also, who thinks there will be such a huge storm in the middle of March.

 

[PhotoLisa]

Sue:

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's travel woes. I guess living where the humidity is often 100% isn't so bad. We don't have the problems that you guys run into when you're trying to leave on vacation.

We've been having awesome weather since I got home at the beginning of the month. Its been cool and low humidity. We're all waiting patiently for the warmer temps so we can begin our watersports. The nights have been too cool to allow the water to heat up.

I keep looking online to see if there is anyway that I could swing another vacation before our 2/2/08 DCL vacation but I'm coming up empty so far. I've check WDW rates for 4/6 - 4/13 (our Easter break) but I think Ed would divorce me if I spend that kind of money again for a mother/daughter trip (since Courtney and I went at the beginning of August right before school opened).

I can't wait to get back to the ship! I miss it so much. I looked into a Disney photographer job but it is a second-party that provides the photographers to ships, unfortunately. I was strongly considering a one-time 6 month contract for as soon as Courtney graduates high school. All I can hope for is that once the ship goes to dry dock in 9/2008 that Disney will take over the photography services and implement Photo Pass with their own employees. If so, I may be the person on the backside of that camera photographing you! If you have to dream, dream big, huh?

I have no idea why I can't get this excited over our 8-day Grand Canyon rafting trip in August. I guess the lack of Palo, Diversions, Rockin Bar D, martinis is the problem. Forget that there will be no electricity, showers, and "facilities"!

If any of you ever come my direction . . . anywhere on the Gulf Coast or south Louisiana, please contact me. I'd love to meet up with all you guys again.

Lisa

 

[christinou]

Wow, you grand Canyon rafting trip sounds great, of course the comfort level will be slightly different, I also keep dreaming about cruising again. I do miss it terribly.
You would be a great photographer on the ship, what a terrific job that could be for you, would Ed divorce you if you are gone 6 months??

 

[PhotoLisa]

Ed is gone at work for approx 55% of the year so I'm dealing with the same thing but . . . I'll never know unless it happens. I'll keep dreaming until then.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

I'd love to go rafting. We are actually looking at it for this summer or next. Are you going on a tour? We are hoping to do the Grand Canyon area but have no idea on how to do it. I don't want to do a bus tour-not my idea of fun.
Anyone have any idea if the 2009 Feb vacation cruise will be a western? If I counted correctly, it will be another eastern. We are looking at the RCCL ship Jewel of the Seas too. We cruised on that ship before and it has an itinerary going to Key West, Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Belize. I'd love to go to Belize and to the treetop tour with the underground river rafting tour. I hope they carry that itinerary to 2009 in case DCL does an eastern.
Lisa-what a dream job that would be for you!
I actually have a question for you. I am looking at upgrading my camera. My old one is only 3.2 pixels, and I want to get about a 7. Any suggestions? I am looking at the Olympus ones because I love my old Olympus. Any suggestions what to look for? Thanks! (I want an advanced digital, but not ready for SLR.)

 

[PhotoLisa]

Sue:

We're going through Grand Canyon Expeditions for our canyon trip. I think the web address is http://gcex.com.

For digital camera research, http://dpreview.com is the best resource for information. This is a tidbit from the PMA 2007 update on their site:

"Moving to fixed lens it is obvious that most of the major manufacturers no longer consider there is a need, or demand, for high-end compact cameras, thanks to the advent of the truly affordable (and increasingly compact) digital SLR. The only exception is the still-healthy ‘super zoom’ segment, boosted at PMA by the arrival of the Olympus SP-550UZ (as well as new models from Sony and Kodak). In a sea of me-too compacts we were also pleased to see that Sigma’s large sensor DP1 has developed considerably since the prototypes shown at Photokina."

One of my cruisemates from the second week had an Olympus similiar to the one mentioned above and her pics were great. Of course, I always notice the shutter lag but that is because I'm used to the lack of lag on my DSLR. I used her camera to take pics of them in the MYM game. Shutter lag was one of the biggest cons that forced me into the DSLR arena.

At dpreview.com, there is a forum for Olympus users/buyers. The best source of info on a particular brand is directly from the users. They also review most of the newly introduced cameras telling you the pros and cons of each.