February 28, 2009 Bushwacker Banditos Magical Cruise

[Johnna_Story]

First time cruiser: no FE's was the consensus; the only thing we have formally planned is the meet on Saturday at 3:00 in the Promenade Lounge. I'll have some small activity for the kids - coloring, word search, etc. (just reminded myself to do that!) and we'll be able to put faces to names.

Dave wants to meet us at the sailaway party - DAVE: any place in particular? Which deck, which side of the boat? We are usually on the side that overlooks the terminal on the upper deck (not the lower level where the stage is) - do you want to go there????? Let me know if you'd rather be somewhere else... doesn't really matter to me.

Gretel: Capris - try the websites: Old Navy, Ann Taylor Loft, Gap, Banana Republic, etc. May be easier than checking the stores in MN in February! Do it now so they get here in time with out paying CRAZY overnight shipping!

If you need the contact list, let me know.... Johnna

We leave in 8 days for FLA... cannot WAIT!

 

[ejkjmom]

I was wondering if anyone had planned to swim with the dolphins in Tortuga? I was looking into going on my own because the excursion is so expensive. Has anyone ever done this activity?

Is this on our cruise???
I did some research of St Thomas and St Croix to see if there was any place to swim with the dolphins but didn't see anything????
Is Tortuga a Island close to one of our ports, that you can water taxi to????

Let me know, we (or should I say Ron and the girls) would Love to swim with the Dolphins)
We did this in Hawaii a few years ago and Kaylee Loved it!!!

And while we are on the subject of excursions...has anyone heard anymore about Carambola Beach Resort, that sounds the most fun for our family, but with 4 of us, the cost seems rather steep

OMGosh all of you Bandito's can you believe it!!!!!
Less then 2 weeks away till we are sailing the ocean blue!!!!!!
Can't wait!!!!

And oh...Johnna I had another dream last night, Seriously!!!! Not even joking!!!! It wasn't a bad dream...I just dreamt that I forgot to put our Disney Luggage tags on our suitcases, but not to fear because Ron remembered!!!! Now I KNOW that it was a dream!!! LOL!!!!!
If it wasn't for me, Ron wouldn't even remember to pack his underwear
Ron I know that you will be reading this so....

Have a great day all!!!!

Marla, Dave and Micheal, have a great time!!!!
And do try to check in on us a time or two, to let us know how your week is going!!!!!
We will be waiting to hear from you

 

[ejkjmom]

If it wasn't for me, Ron wouldn't even remember to pack his underwear


This is Ron here, I feel I should defend myself against this terrible lie. My underwear and socks are the first thing I pack, however I might forget my wife.

Today it is snowing, pretty heavy right now. Can't wait to be lounging pool side with bushwacker in hand and my trophy wife rubbing my feet. Oh that's right, she won't be there cause I left her in Nebraska.

I'm hoping the Space Shuttle gets delayed a day, That is something I would love to see, but we won't be there until Friday afternoon. But as much as they delay those launches, It probably won't be until we are long gone.

We are anxious to get on the Magic and meet everyone. Look's like we have a fun group. I see there are quite a few Canadians in this group. I used to have Harvesters from Saskatoon and every year after they would leave, I would be saying "Eh" after every sentence for about a week. I don't know if that's a regional thing or what but I love that.

Well I gotta go pack my underwear. See you all in about 10 Days!

 

[Johnna_Story]

Do we really have to keep talking about underwear?

 

[TOYS4U2PLAY]

Is this on our cruise???
I did some research of St Thomas and St Croix to see if there was any place to swim with the dolphins but didn't see anything????
Is Tortuga a Island close to one of our ports, that you can water taxi to????

Let me know, we (or should I say Ron and the girls) would Love to swim with the Dolphins)
We did this in Hawaii a few years ago and Kaylee Loved it!!!

And while we are on the subject of excursions...has anyone heard anymore about Carambola Beach Resort, that sounds the most fun for our family, but with 4 of us, the cost seems rather steep

OMGosh all of you Bandito's can you believe it!!!!!
Less then 2 weeks away till we are sailing the ocean blue!!!!!!
Can't wait!!!!

And oh...Johnna I had another dream last night, Seriously!!!! Not even joking!!!! It wasn't a bad dream...I just dreamt that I forgot to put our Disney Luggage tags on our suitcases, but not to fear because Ron remembered!!!! Now I KNOW that it was a dream!!! LOL!!!!!
If it wasn't for me, Ron wouldn't even remember to pack his underwear
Ron I know that you will be reading this so....

Have a great day all!!!!

Marla, Dave and Micheal, have a great time!!!!
And do try to check in on us a time or two, to let us know how your week is going!!!!!
We will be waiting to hear from you

The Dolphin trip is in St Thomas. They take you on a ferry to Tortuga where Dolphin Discovery is. I was tring to figure out how to book it on my own but I am a little nervous. Is the swim worth the cost??

 

[RookieMouse]

Toys and Brenda,

We also looked into the Tortola Dolphin Encounter, but wrote it off for three reasons. First was the cost, it is expensive any way you slice it, especially for a family of four. Second, DD is susceptible to motion sickness and everything I had read about the encounter suggested that the one hour boat ride to and from would NOT be fun for her. Third, if you read the description carefully, it says that this is "not a swim with the dolphins excursion". I gather that you spend about a half hour in waist deep water and have dolphins come up to you so you can touch them. For my money ($700 US if I'm adding correctly), this half hour is not worth the potential 2 hours of misery for my daughter, not to mention that the whole excursion is 8 to 8.5 hours in total. That's a lot of wasted time (and money) IMO, time that could be spent shopping, or on board.

Just sayin'...

John

 

[RookieMouse]

We are anxious to get on the Magic and meet everyone. Look's like we have a fun group. I see there are quite a few Canadians in this group. I used to have Harvesters from Saskatoon and every year after they would leave, I would be saying "Eh" after every sentence for about a week. I don't know if that's a regional thing or what but I love that.

Actually, Ron, it is sort of a national thing, although it is more of a cliche than reality. Sort of like saying all southerners say "Y'all" all the time.

That said, if you want me to dust off my Canadianese and say "Eh", I will...

John

 

[DMMarla07860]

Is this on our cruise???
I did some research of St Thomas and St Croix to see if there was any place to swim with the dolphins but didn't see anything????
Is Tortuga a Island close to one of our ports, that you can water taxi to????

Let me know, we (or should I say Ron and the girls) would Love to swim with the Dolphins)
We did this in Hawaii a few years ago and Kaylee Loved it!!!

And while we are on the subject of excursions...has anyone heard anymore about Carambola Beach Resort, that sounds the most fun for our family, but with 4 of us, the cost seems rather steep

OMGosh all of you Bandito's can you believe it!!!!!
Less then 2 weeks away till we are sailing the ocean blue!!!!!!
Can't wait!!!!

And oh...Johnna I had another dream last night, Seriously!!!! Not even joking!!!! It wasn't a bad dream...I just dreamt that I forgot to put our Disney Luggage tags on our suitcases, but not to fear because Ron remembered!!!! Now I KNOW that it was a dream!!! LOL!!!!!
If it wasn't for me, Ron wouldn't even remember to pack his underwear
Ron I know that you will be reading this so....

Have a great day all!!!!

Marla, Dave and Micheal, have a great time!!!!
And do try to check in on us a time or two, to let us know how your week is going!!!!!
We will be waiting to hear from you

I'll try to check in a time or two during the first week. On vacation right now(ok not really gone yet but no work till March 9th for me

 

[ejkjmom]

. On vacation right now(ok not really gone yet but no work till March 9th for me

WhooHoo

Have FUN and SAFE travels!!!!!!
See you in 10 days!!!!!!

 

[3Charbys]

Hey Dave Michael and Marla!!
Your cruise is sooo close!! Have fun this weekend on the ship! Touch base with us if you can and let us know the fun we are missing!!

:Welcome: to all the new families that are joining us!! it looks like we are going to have such a great crew!

We are down to the single digits for our departure for Florida next week, we are flying down on Thurs!

Anyone else staying at the Radisson on Friday night? WE are hoping for the NASA launch and are going to ask for a room facing Cape Canaveral so we can watch it from our room hopefully and take some shots of the take off! (If it happens that is, we understand that they are constantly changing the dates.. but fingers crossed it would be so awesome to see!)

 

[3Charbys]

If anyone is taking a laptop on this adventure of ours??
I am wondering or : hoping ...asking ... that if I brought a CD if I could at some rendevous and download and back up pictures from our digital camera??
I have asked on the main board a few months ago about the possibility of doing this with the onboard computers and no one thought that they allowed that capability...probably beacuse it takes away business from Shutters...

So anyone??

TIA

Wanda

 

[donmil723]

Just wanted to chime in and wish Marla, Dave and Michael BON VOYAGE! I hope you have a wonderful time on your first week of cruising! We know you are going to have a great time the second week cuz we are all going to join you!!!!

Wanda...We arrive late Friday afternoon and are staying at Doubletree Guest Suites at Downtown Disney! I hope you get to see the shuttle launch but like Ron said it will probably be postponed again and we'll be far out to sea!

I think I'll go pack my underwear too!!!!

 

[aan1701]

I'll try to check in a time or two during the first week. On vacation right now(ok not really gone yet but no work till March 9th for me

I fly home march 9th from WDW. No work for me until the 10th. I still have not packed a thing and I leave a week from today. Knowing myself I will pack Tuesday night when I get home from work. I always pack at the very last min. I am bring my computer, but not sure of your request. If you are useing your camera to take your own pictures, they can not stop you from burning them onto a CD/DVD.

 

[Dave and Micha]

OMG - a strike!?!?! You should call them and let them know that they will feel the FULL WRATH OF DAVE should there be a strike before Thursday at 2:00.

I know that would scare me.

So... I gave the union a ring, explained exactly what would happen to their gonads should anyone utter the word strike before my plane takes off at 2pm tomorrow. As they value their potential breeding capacity they announced the strike for Monday. Germans can be smart sometimes.


Wanda... I will have my laptop and external hard drive... so happy to be of assistance!


John... I have a SUPER deal for you... instead of $700 for a 30 minute swim with dolphins, I will gladly only charge you $300 for 45 minutes swim with a whale. Your DD just can't pet me.

Johnna.. we will do our best to make the earlier meet/greet... but for sail-a-way we usually go on the deck that overlooks the pool and the action (to blow bubbles down on the dancers) on the starboard side so we can wave to all the people in the dockside bars. Since we will be spending the day with about 20 of our friends at Rusty's Oyster bar, I have a feeling some of them will hang out to watch us sail by. As I will have whistles for all the kids and hopefully for some of the bigger kids... it would be fun to make loads of noise as we go past.

For the bad news... I might be on the ship alone. Why? BECAUSE I AM ABOUT TO KILL THE GDH CUZ HE'S DRIVING ME FREAKIN CRAZY: Do I look fat in these pants? Does this shirt go? Can I take 50 different outfits?

Did he not get the memo that I'M THE HIGH MAINTENANCE ONE?????!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dave and Micha]

PS... thanks for the bon voyage wishes everyone...! We are SOOO ready! My mom just called to warn us that there is a cold front coming through on Friday and they expect the temperature to drop down to the 60's as the daytime high. I laughed cuz that sounds like sauna weather to me at the moment!

 

[DMMarla07860]

I fly home march 9th from WDW. No work for me until the 10th. I still have not packed a thing and I leave a week from today. Knowing myself I will pack Tuesday night when I get home from work. I always pack at the very last min. I am bring my computer, but not sure of your request. If you are useing your camera to take your own pictures, they can not stop you from burning them onto a CD/DVD.

I fly home March 7th and asked for the day off on the 8th, then work the 9th and 10th and then 11th off for my 21st brithday so starting friday a good couple of weeks with only two days of work.

 

[DMMarla07860]

PS... thanks for the bon voyage wishes everyone...! We are SOOO ready! My mom just called to warn us that there is a cold front coming through on Friday and they expect the temperature to drop down to the 60's as the daytime high. I laughed cuz that sounds like sauna weather to me at the moment!

60's sound like great weather to me, are you going to the meet of the first cruise? just wondering, if you are great if not well then just look for a Nets Jersey in Rockin' Bar D the first night and that will be me

 

[3Charbys]

Dave thanks so much for the offer, I do appreciate it so much!! I am my daughter's paparazzi!! I take a TON of photos... I think it stems from the fear of almost having lost her once... but now we are over the whole Cancer thing... and of course we want to be able to share Lauren's expericiences with the charity that is sponsoring the major portion of this vacation!!

I am not sure if John's daughter will be as thrilled with a "whale swim" as a dolphin swim...but who knows... maybe they will have to cut the budget somewheres! LOL

Oh, and give Michael a drink, tell him to relax and remember this is supposed to be fun.. not to stress... whatever gets packed will work!! I don't think there are any "textile optional" areas... so as long as he is covered he is good to go!

Looking forward to the sailaway ...


Wanda

 

[vanessa3198]

Bon Voyage Dave and Marla!!!
See ya on the 28th!! WOOO!

 

[DisneyPinDiva]

Good Evening Fellow Cruisers!
Can't believe the time has flown so fast and we are almost there! I know I haven't posted much but I've been following along as best I can.
This Friday night it's supposed to be a low of 35º Dave I'm sure that's still shorts weather for you.. but for us warm blooded Floridians... we'll break out the flannel pjs and parkas!! It will make us appreciate the warm Caribbean even more!
I guess I should start doing laundry and thinking about what to take. I always overpack, but this time I'm traveling light.. no formalwear, piratewear etc, just the basics and bathing suits. This cruise I intend to vegetate on the verandah!!