It's a WONDERful Surprise! Our 1st Cruise EVAH!

[karajeboo]

Well, this should be interesting.......

I just booked a 4 night cruise on the Wonder, 2/28-3/4, and although our 8 year old knows I booked the cruise, she has no idea when and I think we're gonna keep it that way and make it a SURPRISE!!!!

I'm not gonna kid ya - I'm nervous. I have never cruised before, and since moving to FL just 2 years ago, we have toyed with the idea of taking on the the El Cheapo cruises for 3 nights just to see if we like it.

But I couldn't get DH to get his passport, so all the good deals have come and gone.

Or so I thought.

Until I found out the DCL was offering Kids Sail Free. Now who doesn't like FREE????

And if you've read any of my other TRs, you know that we love FREE, and we love Disney, so what's not to love about this offer??? Right?

Now when we go to WDW, we've got it down. We are trying to stay at ALL the resorts, and eat at ALL the TS restaurants. So we know our way around pretty well.

You need to use the restroom? I know where they are.

You want a burger? I can give you some ideas.

You want my opinion on resorts? I've stayed at 9, soon to be 10 so I've got some ideas.

But what in the world will I do on a CRUISE????? I need your help! I'm a relentless planner so here goes......

Join me as I plan our first cruise EVAH, on the best cruise line EVAH (or so I can only imagine!), with the coolest family EVAH (MINE, of course!!!)!

To quote the boy in green tights, "And away we gooooooo!"

Up next, photos of the coolest family EVAH, so you know who you're dealing with!

 

[Stitchnut]

CONGRATS I'm so happy for you and I mean that. We took our first Disney Cruise in July on the Wonder and had the best time ever! The DCL website does a good job helping through the planning and making reservations after the trip is paid in full. There is so much to do on board. You can register your child for the oceaneer lab on-line and pick up her wristband and pager in the terminal before you board. One resorce that I found helpful was PassPorter's DCL and Its Ports of Call by the Marx. Have fun planning. Once on board you will be given a daily copy of the Personal Navigator that gives times and schedules of all activities, etc. If you like to collect things, save all the copies for scrapbooking later. Something my family did was to decorate the door of our stateroom with our names, pirate hats and a bon voyage banner. It was fun and helped us locate our door easier or you can buy decorations on board but they are expensive.

 

[OurOhana]

Congratulations on your cruise - and we're all happy to answer any questions you have. But I think I have to go read your other trip reports now to learn secrets/tips when we visit WDW next time. I can't wait to learn about free things at WDW.

 

[karajeboo]

The planning - and obsessing - has begun.....

I've been on ebay checking out fish extenders, and joined a DISmeet to exchange gifts on our cruise! My DH is going to KILL me for this, but I don't care!!!! I've met so many wonderful DISers and even spent 4 days with 3 gals I met on here - shameless plug for our DISmoms Gone Wild TR in my siggie.....

OK, check out these FE's and let me know what you think!!!

I'm all about personalization, so I know I'll get our names embroidered on here. And t-shirts? Of course I'll make t-shirts for us! Something else to make Jeff go It's what he does a lot when I plan a big Disney trip.....

And finally, the moment we've all been waiting for...... the coolest family EVAH!!!!

Me, Kara, 43 year old Disney Diva. DH, Jeff, 39 year old eye roller at everything Disney..... until he gets there, then he's just as bad as the rest of us!!! DD, Ally, 8 going on 18 - oy vey!!! She loves Disney almost as much as her mama, and we've been lucky enough to have a couple of Girls Only Weekends, including a trip for just the two of us next weekend!!!!

Yes, we're pin trading geeks (well, Ally mostly, but we all join in the fun!) - so is there pin trading on DCL???? I will need to order more traders on ebay and get our lanyards ready without Ally knowing about it.

My little pin trader....

What am I saying? There is absolutely no way I'll be able to keep this secret from her! I just booked CRT for the first time, for our weekend at WDW in December, and the first thing I did was tell Ally! She is my little buddy, my BFF! I can't keep anything from her - especially anything Disney. But I swear I'm going to try......

Since moving to FL in November, 2007, I have spent a total of 24 days at Disney, and Ally and I have another 3 days planned in a week. We have been so fortunate to be able to go for weekends, long weekends, or even day trips, over the past two years, and I really think the cruise will be the icing on the cake! We've done me and Ally, me and Jeff, and me and my DISbuds, as well as numerous family trips during this time.

Up next, do we or don't we upgrade our cabin? Do we or don't we spend 3 nights at WDW when we return from the cruise? Do we or don't we add the REAS to our package?

 

[askelton]

I have cruised several times but never on a Disney ship and I LOVE it! You'll have a great time.

 

[soontobewed07]

Kara can't wait to read this trip report. We are thinking a cruise for our 5 year anniversary so reading this will help me plan!

 

[deanfrankandsammy]

congrats. They are addicting careful!

 

[karajeboo]

CONGRATS I'm so happy for you and I mean that. We took our first Disney Cruise in July on the Wonder and had the best time ever! The DCL website does a good job helping through the planning and making reservations after the trip is paid in full. There is so much to do on board. You can register your child for the oceaneer lab on-line and pick up her wristband and pager in the terminal before you board. One resorce that I found helpful was PassPorter's DCL and Its Ports of Call by the Marx. Have fun planning. Once on board you will be given a daily copy of the Personal Navigator that gives times and schedules of all activities, etc. If you like to collect things, save all the copies for scrapbooking later. Something my family did was to decorate the door of our stateroom with our names, pirate hats and a bon voyage banner. It was fun and helped us locate our door easier or you can buy decorations on board but they are expensive.

I've already got tons of stuff personalized and printed out on magnetic paper for our door. If Jeff knew, I'd get the for sure! I just love all the designers on the DIS! I use them all the time, and even just had shirts made for my trip tomorrow with Ally! I made us matching shirts with this....

So, I'm planning on the FE exchange - should be fun! Again, Jeff has no idea. Cause well, you know, I don't want this.... And I won't put him through a bunch of DIS meets this time. But I do think someone in the FE exchange is like 2 doors down from us.

Congratulations on your cruise - and we're all happy to answer any questions you have. But I think I have to go read your other trip reports now to learn secrets/tips when we visit WDW next time. I can't wait to learn about free things at WDW.

Now who said "free?" I have ways to save money, but I'm not sure Disney knows the meaning of "free!"

I have cruised several times but never on a Disney ship and I LOVE it! You'll have a great time.

Kara can't wait to read this trip report. We are thinking a cruise for our 5 year anniversary so reading this will help me plan!

congrats. They are addicting careful!

See, here's the deal. We talked about a cruise about 3 years ago so Ally and I got our passports. Of course Jeff drug his feet and never got his. So technically, he's about 3 years LATE to get his!!! We wanted to take a cheap Carnival or Royal Caribbean cruise just to see if we even like the whole idea. But again, Jeff, passport, didn't happen. So we missed out on some killer deals, living so close to the ports! We could have cruised for $119/person for a 4 night Bahama cruise - yes, as in less than $500 for our family!!!! That was a RCCL deal I just saw. But since he STILL doesn't have his passport......

And I've alredy told him that if he doesn't get it done, Ally and I WILL go on DCL without him!!!!

So, we're off to WDW tomorrow, staying at the Dolphin for the first time ever. I'll start a TR when I get back so stay tuned!!!!

 

[askelton]

So, we're off to WDW tomorrow, staying at the Dolphin for the first time ever. I'll start a TR when I get back so stay tuned!!!!

Have fun! We'll be at MNSSHP tomorrow.

 

[Palmfam]

The planning - and obsessing - has begun.....

LOVE the FE..its my brother, sister in law and nephew's!!!

She does great work!!! You will not be disappointed.

 

[Lovin Life]

Never been on a cruise. DD16 has! We were thinking of doing one for our 20th wedding anniv in May 2010, but have decided not to. Maybe 25th.....

So, I have some questions -- What is REAS, and what is FE? Fish extender???!!!

You are like the best trip report writer EVAH! Seriously.

Have you given in and told Ally when yet?

Update, please...

 

[karajeboo]

Have fun! We'll be at MNSSHP tomorrow.

We did!!! I started a TR on it, too!

LOVE the FE..its my brother, sister in law and nephew's!!!

She does great work!!! You will not be disappointed.

Sooo excited!!!

Never been on a cruise. DD16 has! We were thinking of doing one for our 20th wedding anniv in May 2010, but have decided not to. Maybe 25th.....

So, I have some questions -- What is REAS, and what is FE? Fish extender???!!!

You are like the best trip report writer EVAH! Seriously.

Have you given in and told Ally when yet?

Update, please...

REAS is the Romantic Escape at Sea package, but I just found out it's ending in 2009 so won't be ordering that!

The FE is the fish extender and I need to get that ordered soon!

Ally shocked us and brought up the cruise the other day! So we just played it off like we didn't know when we were going but we were looking into it. But she even remembered February!!!!! So now we just have to lie lie lie!!!!

 

[PoohJen]

Hi Kara! I'm sailing with you too! Loving the energy of your pre-trippie - just what I needed!

We just got off the Magic and I immediately (1) booked this Wonder jaunt (even though we have Dummies for the Magic...holding out for Dreams in 2011!) and (2) ordered me some more pins!

Truth be told though, pin trading is much more limited on the ships - obviously just not as many outlets. Still, there are pin trading nights with the officers, pin trading with the CMs in the shops, and some pin trading by the Mickey Pool (a little pin-selling stand, but the CM was trading and also had a small pin board out that you could trade on). I've got a lanyard full of traders...counting the days!

 

[Lovin Life]

And what might a fish extender be used for?

I need to check out eBay for trader pins! Good idea! We haven't done much trading in the past because I buy pins I like and don't want to trade them. I need to get a few I wouldn't mind giving up...

I have a lime green Mickey head pin! I came across it last trip and it's still on the card! I need to transfer pins from my old back pack to the new one I'll be carrying this trip (I wear mine on my backpack, not a lanyard), and I came across my DIS pin!

 

[karajeboo]

Hi Kara! I'm sailing with you too! Loving the energy of your pre-trippie - just what I needed!

We just got off the Magic and I immediately (1) booked this Wonder jaunt (even though we have Dummies for the Magic...holding out for Dreams in 2011!) and (2) ordered me some more pins!

Truth be told though, pin trading is much more limited on the ships - obviously just not as many outlets. Still, there are pin trading nights with the officers, pin trading with the CMs in the shops, and some pin trading by the Mickey Pool (a little pin-selling stand, but the CM was trading and also had a small pin board out that you could trade on). I've got a lanyard full of traders...counting the days!

The only problem with pin trading in the shops is, well, they are shops. Shops have merchandise. Kara loves to shop!!! And shopping for anything Disney is just more than I can handle. I CAN NOT SAY NO!!!!! Jeff will therefore HATE pin trading on the ship!

Again, that is if he EVER gets his passport!

And what might a fish extender be used for?

I need to check out eBay for trader pins! Good idea! We haven't done much trading in the past because I buy pins I like and don't want to trade them. I need to get a few I wouldn't mind giving up...

I have a lime green Mickey head pin! I came across it last trip and it's still on the card! I need to transfer pins from my old back pack to the new one I'll be carrying this trip (I wear mine on my backpack, not a lanyard), and I came across my DIS pin!

The fish extender hangs from the fish ouside the cabin door and is used to hide goodies in when we exchange with other DISers on the ship! Jeff has no idea I signed up for the FE exchange! Oh, well....... he will learn soon enough! And since I am the one who packs, he'll never know what I sneak in there!

I order my pins on ebay. There are a couple of different sellers I've used, but I usually get them for around $1.70/pin and they ship same day or next day. So even if I forget until the week before, I can still get them in time. And they are all CM pins or hidden Mickeys. A lot of time we'll get pins that are part of a new hidden Mickey collection, and instead of using them for traders, we'll keep them and search for the ones that go with that collection!

It's a vicious circle!

 

[Lovin Life]

I got some, I got some!!!

Trader pins, that is. The little things just get me so excited.

You have fish outside of your cabin door? I am very confused.

I need to investigate....