January 19,2008 / Eastern Magic / "The January Thaw Cruise"

[itutorfortravel]

hi there, my family is currently booked on a may '09 cruise on the magic. we had originally booked for jan '09, around the same date as the cruise you were on, also eastern caribbean. it was a perfect week b/c dd has off 2 days of school so we'd only have to take her out 3 days. but then i got cold feet b/c i was worried about rough seas, bad weather, and whether or not we'd even be able to swim. so i changed it.

fast forward a couple months...

my dstepdaughter graduates next june, 500+ miles away. so now i am torn on whether to switch what we have b/c now dd will be missing 5 days of school for the cruise + at least 3 for the graduation...just found out that the graduation is typically the day before school dismisses, so it is midweek! i think that is the craziest thing i have heard! most graduations around us are on the weekend, mid-week sure eliminates a lot of people who may have liked to have come but can't take off that much time from work. well anyhow, i started looking at alternative dates and actually zeroed in on the first week of july. no conflicts there, but the cost is staggering! so now i am thinking either going back to our original plan of january '09 or moving it to november '09.

so, i was hoping for feedback on how you all liked cruising in january. our dd will be almost 7 so swimming is an absolute must. are the seas rough? really cold weather? any help you all are willing to provide would be great...feel free to pm me if you want. thanks!

 

[KayR]

For us the weather was fine, warm, but not too warm. We had great days on the ship and in St Maarten and St Thomas. CC day was cool to start with, but warmed up in the afternoon (but we still had a great time). Swimming at CC was cool, but doable. Swimming on the ship was fine.

We took a sweater each in case it was cool and for evenings or in the theaters.

Seas were moderate. You could feel the motion, but not too excessive. It was nice being rocked to sleep

We are doing our second cruise August 2009 - it should be an interesting comparison. BTW - we found a great price for that cruise (8/15/09) which was not as expensive as the rest of the 2009 summer cruises. That may be another alternative for you.

-Kay

 

[chepic]

Wow...nice to see this thread pop back up. We went with a large group and all found the weather to be great all week, with the last stop at CC a little overcast, but still a nice way to end the week. The only day we found to be a little hard to take at sea was the night we pulled out...I think everyone just needed to adjust to being at sea. My TR is linked below my pictures so you can see some of the pictures from the week.

Hi Kay....have fun on trip 2....we are saving for an overseas adventure.

cheryl

 

[KayR]

Hi Kay....have fun on trip 2....we are saving for an overseas adventure.

cheryl

Thanks, I am sure we will have a great time (especially as its hurricane season!!!). But we will roll with whatever happens!

I see you popping up on other threads now and then! Where are you planning to go? For us, the US is an overseas adventure - there is so much of it for us to explore. We have done Europe enough for a while (we are from there)! I'd like to do Australia/NZ or the Far East. One place I would love to go is the Galapagos. Better enter that lottery, so I at least stand a chance of winning LOL!

-Kay

 

[chepic]

Thanks, I am sure we will have a great time (especially as its hurricane season!!!). But we will roll with whatever happens!

I see you popping up on other threads now and then! Where are you planning to go? For us, the US is an overseas adventure - there is so much of it for us to explore. We have done Europe enough for a while (we are from there)! I'd like to do Australia/NZ or the Far East. One place I would love to go is the Galapagos. Better enter that lottery, so I at least stand a chance of winning LOL!

-Kay

Well, I told my husband for my 50th birthday, I would like to do the Mediteranian....on Disney of course, and I am certain by then the new ships will be up and running with no problems...we have 8 years to save!! And we just spent gobbs of money going to Russia 3 times to bring home Alex, so we are broke.....I think I need to win the lottery too.

cheryl

 

[Bethipooh4]

We have Alaska next summer to see DD and DSinlaw, and after that, we are hoping to get in a quick cruise the summer of 2010 (maybe on RCL..gasp), then save to go on one of the new ships.

DS(college bound in the fall) is going to culinary school, and is seriously hoping to get hired on by Disney in some form, but mainly on one of the ships.
To him, that is his dream job. He was extremely impressed by the galley tour, and met one on one twice with one of the head chefs.

 

[KayR]

We have Alaska next summer to see DD and DSinlaw, and after that, we are hoping to get in a quick cruise the summer of 2010 (maybe on RCL..gasp), then save to go on one of the new ships.

DS(college bound in the fall) is going to culinary school, and is seriously hoping to get hired on by Disney in some form, but mainly on one of the ships.
To him, that is his dream job. He was extremely impressed by the galley tour, and met one on one twice with one of the head chefs.

That sounds awesome. You will have to tell us what Alaska is like - I hear it is beautiful!

I wish your DS all the best - its great that he has a goal like that - I know I didn't really know what I wanted to do at that age.

 

[chepic]

I know what I want to do at my age now....be the popcorn girl at the end of Main Street so I can see the parade everyday and watch the fireworks over the castle each night....now that is a dream!!!!!!!

I have a friend who lives in Alaska, and she loves it there. I am certain your daughter is going to do the same thing....they say there is something magical up there in the air.

cheryl

 

[Bethipooh4]

Ever since my first visit to WDW I have wanted to work there...the joke in my family is to mean to work there..lol

I think DD is finally adjusting to Alaska, of course she arrived there in the middle of Feb, in the middle of a 4 day blizzard, and the first time driving had a fender bender( nothing serious, she slid into a stop sign ) She said it was shocking to still have snow into late April.

Now that its July she is liking it alot better and said its beautiful. They are going white water rafting the end of this month, and are going to Hawaii in Sept.

Lucky girl.....

 

[chepic]

Ever since my first visit to WDW I have wanted to work there...the joke in my family is to mean to work there..lol

I think DD is finally adjusting to Alaska, of course she arrived there in the middle of Feb, in the middle of a 4 day blizzard, and the first time driving had a fender bender( nothing serious, she slid into a stop sign ) She said it was shocking to still have snow into late April.

Now that its July she is liking it alot better and said its beautiful. They are going white water rafting the end of this month, and are going to Hawaii in Sept.

Lucky girl.....

You cold always be Cruella or Malicifent....they are some really cruel women....although you are too nice to be them. Remember, you are the one who made the green mickey head!!! Maybe you could be the fairy Godmother!!

cheryl

 

[Bethipooh4]

Cheryl,
Thanks!!!! I needed some kind words, having a bit of a blue day, missing DD terribly. I miss DS too, but he has been on his own and in college since 18, so him only coming home occasionally is normal.

But DD, lived here, then in town, lunch with her during the week, and dinner and monopoly every Sunday. Sigh...

Thanks for letting me get that out.

So how is the new little man in the house? I bet he is a joy. How are the boys getting along? Good luck, I am a mom of 3 boys...lol I feel your pain.
When you get a chance you need to post a picture of them both!

 

[chepic]

This is Alex with my niece and her girl friends!!! He loved this.

He is doing well, and the two of have really begun to get along. Max loved Alex for the first 4 days, but then he tired of the attention not on him, and said to me...."I want to send him back, I don't like him anymore!!" Then we were in the pool a few weeks ago, and I asked Max what he thought of Alex now. "I like him" So I asked him if he was certain, because we were still in the 30 trial time, and we could send him back if we wanted to... You should have seen his face...tell your kids that I am the evil one!!!

It must be hard not to have her near you, but that's what photos are for, and e-mail, and the telephone, and plane tickets to go there....I am rambling.

Cheryl

 

[Bethipooh4]

Cheryl,

Oh my goodness, he is adorable!!!

What would you have done if Max wanted to send him back, the comment you made made me snort my cup of coffee...LOL

I am over my blues, all it took was cranky Lindsay to call this morning, and the blues left in an instant...I forgot how bad she was when she was tired and grumpy. Her Dh has been away for a few weeks, and she is missing him terribly.

 

[KayR]

Cheryl,

What a little heartbreaker you have there! Enjoy.

Bethipooh,

Glad you have got over your blues. I am sure your DD feels the same way about missing you and her life there. We moved 4500+ miles across the Atlantic to another country, so been there, done that! But just think, you get to explore another great part of this country with your DD when you meet up.

-Kay

 

[chepic]

I shouldn't do this to myself, but I have been torturing my co-corkers all week....it has been an entire year since the cruise... this time last year I was floating in the middle of the Carribean, sipping rum drinks and thinking about 70's night!!!

Hope everyone is well.

Cheryl

 

[missyoh8]

Don't think the rest of us haven't noticed the year anniversary!

 

[Bethipooh4]

Hi Guys!!!
What a difference a year makes...
Stephen is enjoying culinary school with the goal of being a chef on one of the new cruise ships, Michael is surviving middle school.

We are about to celebrate our 20th anniversary on Monday. We took a WDW trip in Dec and have another planned for next Dec.

Our Alaska trip has been put off until 2010...why you ask???

WE ARE GOING TO BE GRANDPARENTS!!!!

DD came home from Hawaii with her own souvenier. They will be coming home to visit with new baby in September. She is due in June. I will be going to see her after she has the baby to help her out for a little while.

I hope everyone is doing well!!

Beth

 

[chepic]

Hi Guys!!!
What a difference a year makes...
Stephen is enjoying culinary school with the goal of being a chef on one of the new cruise ships, Michael is surviving middle school.

We are about to celebrate our 20th anniversary on Monday. We took a WDW trip in Dec and have another planned for next Dec.

Our Alaska trip has been put off until 2010...why you ask???

WE ARE GOING TO BE GRANDPARENTS!!!!

DD came home from Hawaii with her own souvenier. They will be coming home to visit with new baby in September. She is due in June. I will be going to see her after she has the baby to help her out for a little while.

I hope everyone is doing well!!

Beth

whoo hoooo!!! Just another little bundle to take to Disney!!!! We are taking Alex for the first time at the end of March...For their birthdays. Max will be 8 on the Friday that we are there, so he is psyched. Alex will have just turned 4, 2 weeks before that...so lots of fun there!!

tomorrow will be 1 year from vow renewal day, and eating Palo's souffle...

 

[chepic]

Don't think the rest of us haven't noticed the year anniversary!

Well at least you are going on another one soon! I hope you were able to take advantage of all the specials they have running. Have a great time.

che

 

[owensjro]

Well, we just got back from doing the same 7N Eastern as last year. Weather was even better this year as Castaway Cay was a gorgeous day. We even saw a few people we remembered from last year on board!

Now to book the next cruise. Hmmm.....

Jim