Jan 22, 2005 Eastern Cruise MAGIC Anyone?

[Greysword]

Welcome CoachMinnie!!

So, you are old hat at the Eastern route just like Piper, huh? Must be a Great Lakes thing

What cabins are you in? Any fav things you are looking forward to on the Eastern??

Oh, how does your DH surive with all of those women around him????

 

[PiperG]

Originally posted by Greysword

Oh, how does your DH surive with all of those women around him????

I was thinking the same thing!

We are going to have such a blast on this cruise. We celebrated being below 250. I figure our next celebration needs to be when our countdown clock hits 199. And then, of course, we will really be celebrating when we hit double digits.

I called Happy Limo yesterday to update our reservation with our pick-up location (Hilton Garden Inn) and time (9:15). We are stopping at a grocery store on the way to pick up some diet coke and bottled water. If the timing is right, we will be at the port about 10:30. We are hoping to be fairly close to the front of the line so that we can get on that beautiful ship and get our vacatoin started!

We are planning to do a Palo brunch rather than dinner. We typically fall in love with our servers and hate to miss a meal with them. We heard the brunch was fabulous (and we did Palo for dinner last time).

What plans do all of you have for on-board activities?

 

[CoachMinnie]

HA-HA!! My DH often jokes that he is going to build himself an outhouse beside the garage and that him and the dog will be just fine!! That would be ok with me too - it would free up the bathroom a little!! The way I see it, he couldn't have it any better!!!! He's just lucky that his girls love sports, especially basketball!!

On our last cruise we started our countdown at 191 days out, I know it goes quickly but 242 seems so far away!! I have yet to book our flights or transfers. I'm debating whether we should tack on a couple days at Disney World on the end of the cruise!! I hate for the girls to miss so much school, but when will our exchange student make it back to Disney World? On our last cruise we flew down on Saturday morning very early and by our late dinner rotation, my DD, who was 5 at the time fell asleep. We were all exhausted, so this time we are coming down on Friday!! Just can't enjoy it if you can't stay awake!!

CoachMinnie

 

[Greysword]

We have main dinner seating, and I requested that because of the shows. The shows are what I am most looking forward to, shipwise, Piper.

I personally love the Caribbean. As a history buff, I love thinking abotu the trade, explaoration and pirates that roamed the sea. The water itself can be very beautiful and peaceful. I wonder if we can see the stars very well with a lit up cruise ship around us

As for getting excited when we hit double digits for the cruise, I will probably be wigging out then That will mean Laurie and I have less than three months till our wedding!!!!

 

[adckam]

Hi,

I'm not sure if I'm responding correctly. Am I responding correctly? I don't see my message popping up, but people are responding? Can anyone give me some directions on what I need to do?

Thanks,

Kim

 

[adckam]

Hi,

I think I figured it out!

We are very excited about our trip! My kids can hardly wait! We are thinking of visiting the kennedy Space Center. Can anyone tell me what it's like - is it worth it? Also, has anyone had the couple's massage? Is that worth it?

I'm soooo glad I found this site!!!!

Kim

 

[mickey minder]

Kennedy Space Center is wonderful. They have a very informative, but slightly user unfriendly website. The center does a great job of bringing the past, present and future of the space program together. The last tour leaves at 2:30, although sometimes they do run later. It's a 2 hour trip out to the launch pads and a mock control room that goes through all the steps of a countdown. Even if you don't make that tour, there are many things to do. You can go inside a replica of a shuttle. Be sure to visit the astronaut memorial. We would like to go there on Friday before the cruise, but not sure if transportation, flights, etc, will work out. :space:


Looks like our group is growing.

 

[Greysword]

The Kennedy Space Center website is at:

http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/

One of the best things about visiting is the time required. You can see the whole thing in a full day, but you can also get a lot out of it in only a few hours! Thus, you don't have to rush to have a good time there. Parking is easy and plentiful, there are not as heavy of a crowd (unless there are launches).

I would recommend it, especially if you want something to do the Friday before the cruise (arrival day).

If this is your plan, I would recommend renting a car at MCO and driving to the east coast. That way you will have transportation the whole day to get to KSC and the Astronaut Memorial (which are at seperate locations). You can then stay near the port, drop the family off at the peir, and return the car while the rest of the family starts check-in.

Just a thought!

 

[adckam]

Thanks for the information. I will check out the website. I think we will probably rent a car, so we have our own transportation. Do you know what it runs per day for car rental? When our cruise ends, can we rent a car at the port to take us back to the airport? Or do you recommend a shuttle? What does the shuttle run in price? So many things to think about!!

We are so excited, we can't wait!

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding too!!

Summer is going to fly by! I'm heading to New Mexico next week and then I'll be in Florida and Boston in August, and I think I have a trip planned in July too!

Have a fun and safe Memorial Day Week-end!

Kim

 

[Greysword]

DCL transfers run about $25 per person per way ($50/person round trip) to MCO. In pricing rental cars, they run about $35/day to pick-up at the airport and drop off at Port Canaveral area. Recommendations are for Budget, since they have good service and a shuttle to the port terminal.

We were thinking about using DCL transfers, but we are flying in at 2:25pm the day before, and probably will want to explore some. We are also leaving on Sunday, Jan 30th as well, so we will have that day to play at WDW, too. Unfortunately, it may be better for Laurie and I to rent a car and drive to Canaveral, since we will end up renting one anyway, probably.

Add to that my parents live in Tampa, which means we will need to visit (or make them coem to the Mouse ), also....decisions, decisions!!

 

[adckam]

This site is very useful:

http://www.dcltribute.com/

Thanks for passing it on! I found a lot of helpful information.

 

[firsttimemom]

We just got off the 5/23 4 nite and rebooked onboard for this 7 night cruise. We had a fantastic time but 4 nights really weren't enough to do it all. I'll probably say that about the 7 night, too, though.

Our DS will have just turned 5 and our DD will have just turned 7. Both loved the kids club!

My sister and her family will be onboard as well- not sure if she's posted yet. Her DDs will be 6 and 10.

Let the countdown begin!!!

Liz

 

[mickey minder]

Welcome firsttimemom. Sounds like you had a WONDERful time and are ready for another MAGICal adventure. DD will be 12, I'm glad to see all the other kids that are around her age. We are looking sooo forward to this cruise. I want to go now.

 

[PiperG]

Originally posted by firsttimemom
We had a fantastic time but 4 nights really weren't enough to do it all. I'll probably say that about the 7 night, too, though.

Liz

Hi Liz,

We felt the same way about the 3-day cruises. We have done two Land and Sea trips, but we really enjoy the cruise portion most and always left unsatisfied. The 7-day cruise gives you so much more time to enjoy the ship and the wonderful staff.

We really enjoy the sea days, which is why we are doing the Eastern again. We never felt the ship was crowded. Except for the pools perhaps, but we just enjoy them on port days!

 

[mickey minder]

I've been thinking of getting a stretch limo to take us from the airport to a hotel at the port (not sure which one yet) when we arrive the day before the cruise. My DD would love the surprise. I did some price checking. The one way price is:

Beasley's Limo 125.00
Southren Elegance 160.00
Classic Carriage 150.00
Hollywood Limo 175.00
Happy Limo 160.00
Best Way Transp. 125.00
FL Tours 150.00
Payless Limo 125.00
Cartier 135.00


Some of these companies offer on line discounts/coupons.
Just FYI.
Just keep planning, just keep planning.


Edited to add other vendors.

 

[CoachMinnie]

We suprised our girls with a stretch limo on our cruise a couple of years ago! They were so suprised!! It was totally fabulous!!

The driver met us at baggage claim, he knew in advance that it was a suprise, he told us that he would go get the "van". As we waited outside, lots of green vans drove by, and our girls thought that we would be in one of those, but when the white limo pulled up and the driver got out, the girls put two and two together. It was awesome pulling up to the port in a limo! It was also nice not having to worry about driving to the port!!

We are planning on doing the limo again in January, but this time it won't be so much of a suprise for our girls as it will be for our foreign exchange student!!

I can't think right off hand of the company we used, but I will dig for the info and the pricing!!

CoachMinnie

 

[mickey minder]

Great idea to let the driver in on the surprise. I would not have thought of that. Thanks for the tip.

 

[PiperG]

Mickey Minder,

We are also doing a limo (Happy Limo). If you are checking rates, take a look at them as well. A lot of dissers use them.

Both the trip and the limo are a suprise for DS7. We are going to pick him up after lunch on Friday, telling him he has an MD appt or something like that. I am sure he will ask what is going on when we head to the airport. At that point, I am thinking of handing him a postcard we kept from our last cruise (Mickey and Minnie on the bow) and telling him they invited us to join them on a 7-night cruise. Something along those lines anyway. . ..

We will keep the limo as a suprise also. We are staying at our usual spot (the Hilton Garden Inn). We normally shuttle back to the airport and do DCL transfers. I can't wait to see his face when the limo comes for us.

The Magic should be in St. Thomas today, and I think its tendering which should give us a good look. Here is the link (they don't always update the pic, but if they do its a beautiful shot. I have the picutre from March 10th as my laptop wallpaper).

http://www.caribline.com/islands/vi/forum/cam.shtml

 

[Greysword]

We are probably going to rent a car and drive from orlando to the port Sat morning. We wanted to use the DCL bus to get the "full effect", but since we arrive about 2:30pm on Friday, we are going to want to drive around the World some

We also don't leave until Sunday morning about 8am ish, so another car would be in order. I would love to do the bus, but not sure I can justify turning the car in early just to ride it.

 

[1princessesmom]

Originally posted by momemouse
We're going, too! Myself, DH, DD6,DD4, as well as DMIL,DFIL,&DSIL. Any other families with younger girls?

Hi momemouse,
We are cruising on the Jan. 22 cruise with our DD who will be 4 on Jan. 9. Another family is joining us who have a DD who will be 4 on Jan. 4. Hope to see you!