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

[KayR]

We're on deck 6 as well

If we manage to get our renewal sorted, you are welcome to crash! It will be a quiet renewal just ourselves and our 2 young uns.

--Kay

 

[Gixer]

Does anyone know where along the way we can stop for soda/wine from Sarasota Springs to the port?? We usually drive and bringing bottles isn't a issue, but due to school, we are flying in. We like to bring a few bottles to drink before dinner with our friends. Is there a Sam's along the way?

I think there must be a liquor store and a supermarket along the way Beth, we have booked happy limo's to take us from the villa in Orlando to the port and they asked if I wanted to stop just before the port to get any grocery's, they will factor in a 20min stop if you need it.

Do all bottles have to be packed in carry on luggage or could I pack a bottle of rum in the checked bags?

Che - am not sure yet what day or time our renewal is set for, I hope its the Thu at sea day, the slot just before yours would be perfect! I would really like the renewal to take place out on deck 7 but Im a bit worried about the weather so may just opt for the lounge instead, plus with the lounge you get the guy playing all the Disney favourites on the piano - guess the wont put a baby grand on the secret verandah just for us!

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Sounds like deck 6 is the place to be. We are also on Deck 6. I get the port/starboard thing confused (I can't even swear that is what the names are) but I know that we are aft (I don't have a problem with aft and forward!) and if you are facing the front of the ship, we are on the left. Hehehe. We usually get a category 7 since there are only three of us but on our last trip in 2005 we got a 6 so that we could have connecting rooms with our friends. Even though they are not going this time we decided to go with the 6 so that our wee one could see easily around her. Now I just hope we don't have one of those metal balconies! I checked the room reviews on the DIS board and it didn't mention that it was.

So are we the only people NOT renewing our vows on this ship? We have only been married seven years and our anniversary is in April so no celebration here. Before he got into computers, my husband was a Tax accountant. When we got married, I made it really easy on him. We got married in 2000 and so our anniversary is always easy to figure out because it is the last two digits of whatever year it is. We also got married on April 15th and believe me, my husband never forgets Tax Day. Hehehe. None of that was actually planned on purpose, but I joke that it was.

Anyway, we *DO* plan to book our 10 year anniversary cruise while we are on the ship if they are out to June 2010 by then. Not sure that they will be, though.

The separate thaw cruise is a good idea for the older kids, but since my kiddo can barely read it would be hard for her. I suppose I could read to her and type what she says, but I don't think that would work out as well for her.

 

[chepic]

Che - am not sure yet what day or time our renewal is set for, I hope its the Thu at sea day, the slot just before yours would be perfect! I would really like the renewal to take place out on deck 7 but Im a bit worried about the weather so may just opt for the lounge instead, plus with the lounge you get the guy playing all the Disney favourites on the piano - guess the wont put a baby grand on the secret verandah just for us!

There are enough of us....we could roll it out for him. I thought the day at sea would be great too, and it is the day after our actual anniversary. We are in room 6758...I was looking on the passporter's guide to disney cruise line (got it at the library, rather than pay for it) and it seems we have a glass verandah....wouldn't it be funny if we were all next to one another, that way we could just party, party, party. Greatwhite is on the same deck, just 5 rooms down on the inside. So maybe deck 6 will be the place to be.

che

 

[Gixer]

Deck 6 definately sounds like the place to be, the whole place seems to be full of partying Dis'ers!

We are on Deck 8 in a family room, but I wish we were 2 decks down now! maybe I will be able to see you if I look down off the verandah and give ya'll a wave (with whichever hand isnt holding a beer at the time )

I forgot to ask - are you all vet cruisers? the only boat I'v ever been on is the Jungle cruise and its a small world at WDW

Did anyone manage to get early sitting for dinner? we got late but dont mind so much, we eat late at home, and I guess the kids can always get something from room service and go to the kids club instead of having to eat late with us.

OMG! you should see the snow thats just started coming down its like the snow queen just came by - one moment everything was green and 5 mins later everywhere is white -just checked, its 2" deep already! Wind is picking up too, looks like were in for some serious blizzards today

 

[chepic]

SNOW!!!!!!!

Where do you live again? Summer has hit RI, as it always does....no spring, just winter, 1 week of mild 70 degree weather than BAM heat and humidity.

We are veteran cruisers...just not iwth Disney. We sailed on the Explorer of the Seas 2 years ago and did the western carib. Had a fantastic time. Max was 4 at the time, and as I stated before, didn't do too well at the kids club. We didn't sail with anyone we knew. This time there are so many of us, I really do hope with age and friends he will be more apt to go to the clubs.

Our group all are at the early seating. Thought it would work better with the kids.

cheryl

 

[chepic]

Oh, year...just look for the trail of buckets....you will find my husband with the beer!!!

che

 

[owensjro]

Methinks someone lives at the North Pole.

It's in the 90's here. A bit warm, but better than snow.

We did our first cruise this past April. A 4-night Wonder cruise. We rebooked while on that cruise for another 4-night in June/08. Then we were lamenting the fact that it was so far away and none of us could wait. So we used our DVC points to book the January cruise (contrary to popular believe using points to book a cruise can be worthwhile).

I think we are thoroughly addicted to cruising now. Even our daughter keeps asking when our next cruise is.

Jim

 

[plenam]

Methinks someone lives at the North Pole.

I think Gixer lives a little closer to the South Pole.....hmmm, snow in July, that has got to be strange, especially to us north of the equator

Brett

 

[Gixer]

Methinks someone lives at the North Pole.

Wrong Pole! We are not to far from the SOUTH pole only 400 miles from the antarctic circle - its winter down here in the Southern Hemisphere, so we are in for snow and freezing temps for the next few months.

Get to the bottom of South America and keep going, bear to the right a little and there you will find us, surrounded by sheep, horses, penguins and seals in the Falkland Islands

(someones got to live here I guess - but why did it have to be us??? )


Beth - I noticed on your sig that your DD is heading up to live near the north pole! wow Alaska, they are going to have an awesome time, and just think, if I peep over the edge of the world I just may be able to see her With your DD at the top of the world and me at the Bottom, at least we balance each other out!

Che - Im glad you DH will be as easy to find as mine - just follow the buckets of beer trail

 

[shmoogrrrl]

I forgot to ask - are you all vet cruisers? the only boat I'v ever been on is the Jungle cruise and its a small world at WDW

OMG! you should see the snow thats just started coming down its like the snow queen just came by - one moment everything was green and 5 mins later everywhere is white -just checked, its 2" deep already! Wind is picking up too, looks like were in for some serious blizzards today

Jeff and I have been on five Disney cruises, all on the Magic. We did a three day on our honeymoon, then 4 of the seven days. Katie has been on two. Once when she was 10 months old and again when she was three. Rough life, huh?

SNOW? Where in the world are you? It is like 90 degrees here near the Nation's Capital.

 

[chepic]

Samantha, why are you on the Island? Are you transplants from the UK? Very cool, I must say. Also, you can meet up with Trish and I as we try the flight of the Martini's, the boys can stay with the beers

Jim....DH and I have been toying with buying more points just so we can cruise, and trade off for other vacations, but still have enough to visit OKW at least every other year.

cheryl

 

[owensjro]

Samantha, why are you on the Island? Are you transplants from the UK? Very cool, I must say. Also, you can meet up with Trish and I as we try the flight of the Martini's, the boys can stay with the beers

Jim....DH and I have been toying with buying more points just so we can cruise, and trade off for other vacations, but still have enough to visit OKW at least every other year.

cheryl

Well, I kept hearing about how horrible using points for cruising was. But, in this case for the first two adults it was only 266 points. We paid for Hannah on cash and actually got her at a discounted rate over the typical 3rd occupant rate. I figured it came out to about $9 per point. There was no way we could have afforded to do two cruises in the same year without using the points.

It's definitely not comparing apples to apples when you look at using points for a cruise or for staying at Disney when you consider all of the things included in the cruise (food, entertainment, relaxation, islands, etc).

Jim

 

[chepic]

Jim....what category/deck are you in/on? I was wondering whether or not to use our points, or try to sell some. I already sold 80 points on the other board through dis for $12 per point...and thought to sell somemore for this use year. It doesn't look like we would be able to use them/or go anywhere until at least the fall of 2008, and our use year is Sept. at OKW.

che

 

[owensjro]

We are doing a cat 11 on deck 6. We don't spend much time in the room and our last cruise felt a cat 11 was more than enough.

Never tried renting our points. We are usually trying to stretch our points as we tend to go to Disney a lot...and we've been using our points to take the larger family (15 all total) on trips to Hilton Head or Disney.

Jim

 

[Bethipooh4]

Yes, a little more then a month after DD's wedding, and they get all settled into base housing here, they get orders to Alaska... I am not sure how I feel, but now I know how my mom felt when we moved to Japan. They had also put in for Italy( i was rooting for that one) but we have always wanted to see Alaska too....

Martini Flight????Sounds yummy, can I tag along? I will drop off Dh with the beer bucket brigade boys...

We have considered the DVC and had actually requested some info, but it never got sent to us. I am hoping to talk DH into at least going to the meeting onboard to get some info. It seems we go to WDW every year. We alternate between on site, and Shades of Green, depending on the finances that year. LOL So I don't know if it would be worth joining the DVC. I know we are hoping to stay at Sarasota Springs before the cruise with our friends who are coming from Guam.

 

[Gixer]

Awww thats so cute that katie is a vet cruiser and she's so young! My Katie is excited that there is another Katie on the cruise!

Love the sound of the Martini flights, Beth make sure you mark it up your navigator too!

Jim, thanks for the info on tipping at the spa in the main forum! Sorry it took me awhile to ''get it''

Che - your right, we are transplanted from the UK, we are ex RAF and did some time down here when DH was stationed here a few years ago, and we fell in love with the Island, its an amazing place to live, so when DH left the RAF and we had the chance to move down here we jumped at the chance! The wildlife alone just has me almost in tears some days with how lucky we are. The bay infront of our house has dolphins and seals, penguins on the beach 5 mins away, and during Jan thru Apr we are visited by pods of Orcas, what an amazing sight it is to see them in the wild.

Its a very small community and very isolated, so perfectly safe for the kids to play out (great for us as our kids were used to the safe enviroment of a military base). Life really revolves around the farming communities, and the kids are so lucky that they even have their own horses. I guess it wouldnt be for everyone, but we are really enjoying it and it feels like home

On the bad side - No shopping mall, no cinema, only 1 tv channel that starts at 9am and finishes at 11pm, 1 radio station, no fast food or take away restraunts, no tarmac or proper roads, no ATM, no bowling alley.

But on the good side - only 7 kids in my daughters class in school, no crime at all, no drugs, no need to ever lock your house or landrover, no poverty, no unemployment, no pollution, plenty of fresh air, big wide open spaces, freedom for the kids to play out, beautiful beaches, amazing wildlife, horse riding, fishing, shooting, its a very ''outdoors'' kinda lifestyle.

Anyhoo - sorry for waffling on! I will try and post some photos of the penguis and stuff if you like?

 

[imlazar]

Just checking in, we're taking this cruise (#3 for us).

DS's will be 7 and 5 at time of travel (actually DS#2 turns 5 on the cruise)

 

[Gixer]

Just checking in, we're taking this cruise (#3 for us).

DS's will be 7 and 5 at time of travel (actually DS#2 turns 5 on the cruise)

Welcome to the January Thaw crew! How exciting for your DS to celebrate his birthday during the cruise!

 

[Gixer]

Heres a couple of pics -

Eldest daughter Beth seeing to one of the horses -

A group of King penguins hanging out at the beach -

My favourite, some Gentoo Penguin chicks (4 months old) these guys are so funny and very curious, they love to come over and say hello and have their necks scratched -