January 20, 2008

[K8T]

Hi there

Just booked last week. Myself, DH and 3 year old daughter will be on our first Disney Cruise. We have cruised a lot before, so will be very interesting to see the differences and can't wait!

Never been to Disney before and staying 6 nights at Disneys Beach Club prior to cruise. Thought the four day would be a good taster before booking something longer.

Not sure what to expect!

Kate

 

[SeattleGirl]

Only a little more than a month 'til we leave! Anyone else getting excited?

I'm surprised there are not more people/activity on this thread, being that it's a holiday weekend. Appears to be pretty booked from the website.

 

[mmps108]

I think I would be more excited if Christmas wasn't so close. One thing at a time!
But, I am REALLY excited about this cruise. I went in 2000 so I was able to book the rest of my family at 90 days with my Castaway Club #. We have brunch booked but I couldn't decide which dinner to give up for Palo dinner. I really wish we knew our dinner rotation...any suggestions?

What is everyone doing on the day at Nassau? I've heard mixed reviews about the shore excursions...

 

[NancyIL]

Only a little more than a month 'til we leave! Anyone else getting excited?

I'm surprised there are not more people/activity on this thread, being that it's a holiday weekend. Appears to be pretty booked from the website.

Yes, the ship sails 6.5 weeks from today. I wonder how many pounds I can lose by then? BTW - ours is the only 4-day cruise in January that doesn't have a FL resident rate! (I booked the cruise in my mom's name, because she is the FL resident.)

What is everyone doing on the day at Nassau? I've heard mixed reviews about the shore excursions.

I booked the 2-hour historic city tour that leaves in the morning. I wanted to get an overview of the area before I ventured out on my own.

 

[bettydau]

We're going to Atlantis for Nassau day, via the Comfort Suites. We have five families going, and have early dinner seating. Yes, Christmas is looming large, but once that's over, watch out! We will be thinking of Land/Sea all the way!

 

[mmps108]

We're (my DH & Parents) are going on the morning 2 hour historic city tour TOO!! We thought we might head back to the ship in the afternoon.
Where in IL are you from? We live in Ottawa and my parents live in Johnsburg.


I booked the 2-hour historic city tour that leaves in the morning. I wanted to get an overview of the area before I ventured out on my own.[/QUOTE]

 

[NancyIL]

We're (my DH & Parents) are going on the morning 2 hour historic city tour TOO!! We thought we might head back to the ship in the afternoon.
Where in IL are you from? We live in Ottawa and my parents live in Johnsburg.

Then I'll see you on the bus, if I haven't figured out who you are before then! I don't know what I'll do after the tour ends...maybe go back to the ship for lunch and then venture out again.

I live in Champaign.

 

[mmps108]

I'm a UofI grad and my best friend (my disney travel buddy) and her DH live in Champaign, we're there about once a month!

I'm sure we'll see each other on the ship before the tour. My dad wears Illini stuff EVERY day!!!

Almost down to one month!!!!

 

[NancyIL]

I'm a UofI grad and my best friend (my disney travel buddy) and her DH live in Champaign, we're there about once a month!

I'm sure we'll see each other on the ship before the tour. My dad wears Illini stuff EVERY day!!!

Almost down to one month!!!!

I will be sure to stop anyone wearing Illini clothing on the ship! Maybe I should bring MY Illini sweatshirt...instead of the Eeyore one!

 

[NancyIL]

Woohoo! Are you all arriving a day or more before we sail? I'm flying in on the 18th. I figured if flights got cancelled, I could still drive there in 2 days!

 

[mmps108]

LOL! I'm praying for good weather because we're flying in Saturday and renting a car.
We're staying overnight at the Marriott Residence at the Port. I was able to get a 2 bedroom suite for all four of us for cheaper than 2 rooms would have cost.

How hard will it be to get the coveted #1 or #2 boarding pass? What time are you arriving at the port?

 

[NancyIL]

We stayed in a 2-bedroom suite at the Residence Inn on Thanksgiving when my whole family was down, and it's very nice. I'm staying with my mom, who lives in Cocoa - 15 minutes from Port Canaveral. I will have an Avis rental car that needs to be returned, but my mom can't get on the shuttle bus to go back to the port (she doesn't do steps). I want to drop-off her and the luggage at the port and then return the rental car. However, she will be picking up her electric wheelchair when she gets to the port, and she doesn't want to be left there while I return the car. It could be a LONG 4 days!

 

[SeattleGirl]

My DBF thinks that returning the car at the port is going to be too much of a hassle (despite my attempts to convince him otherwise), so we're paying to park it for the 4 days. I guess it's kind of offset by the cheap rate we got for the week (we're at WDW for 4 days before the cruise), but I think it's kind of silly.

That said, if your mom doesn't want to deal with returning the car, you could always leave it there!

 

[mmps108]

I hope returning and picking up the car isn't toooo much trouble!
We decided to go this route because we weren't going to WDW before the cruise because didn't want to go west to have to go east. None of us has ever been to Port Canavral and so we thought we would do some exploring on Saturday and then the boys (my dad and DH) can return the car while us girls (mom and me) rush to the terminal with the luggage.
The cost for both one-way trips is $80 for a big car! I thought it was a good deal!

 

[NancyIL]

My mom and I cruised from PC in 2004 (HAL), and I had an Avis rental car then. I drove to Avis's rental car location in Cape Canaveral, and an Avis employee drove us in our rental car to the port. That worked fine, but I'd prefer to not have to inconvenience someone like that again. I think my mom will survive waiting at the terminal by herself for 30-45 minutes while I return the car and shuttle back. But if that's still a problem, she can inconvenience my brother (who lives down the street from her) to follow me to Avis, then drop-off both of us at Port Canaveral!

I really don't want to pay $12(?) per day to park the car at the port, in addition to 4 more days of car rental fees. I'm going to WDW after the cruise, and taking the DCL bus there.

 

[NancyIL]

None of us has ever been to Port Canavral and so we thought we would do some exploring on Saturday and then the boys (my dad and DH) can return the car while us girls (mom and me) rush to the terminal with the luggage.

Be sure to stop at Ron Jon's Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach!

 

[SeattleGirl]

Eep, repeat, deleted.

 

[mmps108]

Be sure to stop at Ron Jon's Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach!

thanks! my neighbor wants us to pick up t-shirts for their girls, how hard is it to find Ron Jon's?

 

[NancyIL]

thanks! my neighbor wants us to pick up t-shirts for their girls, how hard is it to find Ron Jon's?

You can't miss it! As you drive south on A1A, it's on the left side of the street at a stoplight.

 

[dustermom02]

My entire family thinks I'm nuts, but I've got everyone's suitcases out and clothes spread everywhere. We live in Maryland so its not like anyone is going to miss their shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops if I pack them now right?? Its going to be a crazy 3 weeks at work before we go so I figure now is the time.

We're taking the auto train down from Lorton VA on Friday, staying at my sister's house on Merritt Island (right near the port) Saturday night and we'll be parking at the port during the cruise. After the cruise we're heading to the western coast of FL to visit my in-laws for 3 days before we head back home.

I've booked at Palo's already, we're doing the Discover Atlantis tour and we're doing the everything package at Castaway Cay that includes snorkling, meeting the sting rays and biking. We'll be wiped out and in bed by 6 but it should be fun. My children insisted on seeing the sting rays because we saw the disney cruise show on tv and they had to do that.

My only worry is that we have the late dinner and my kids can't make it that long so we're planning to feed them early at one of the walk places or room service and then send them to the kids clubs. Does anyone know if my 10 yr old would be allowed to go with the younger kids instead of staying with her age group? Her brother and cousin are 7 & 6 and I know she's rather hang with them-she can be very shy in strange places. Otherwise we won't be having our adults only quiet dinners that I've been dreaming of for weeks...