January 20, 2013 - 4 Night Bahamian Cruise

[DisDreamers]

Well we are all checked in and have our spa appointments made as well as dining at Palo and Remy set. I am very excited! Now we just have to sit back and wait.

I do have a question that maybe some of your more experienced cruisers can help with. We usually book our resort transfers thru a car service. With the cruise we have the option of using Disney's transportation, renting a car, or using the same car service to take us to and from our Disney resort and PC. We are staying at the BCV before the cruise and BWV after the cruise. What would be the advantage of using Disney transportation over a car service other than price? I always hate the multiple stops the Disney bus has to make before you get on your way. I would like to get on the Dream as soon as possible to enjoy as much of it as we can. Our check in time is 11:30 a.m. at the Port. My thinking is that if we use a car service, we can get there quicker, check in and get aboard faster. But this being our first cruise I am not sure if it makes a difference. There is no need in spending the extra money it would cost unless it would mean getting there sooner.

Your thoughts and experiences are appreciated.

Amber

 

[Baysailers]

I am thinking to bringing a picture frame mat for the characters to sign and wanted to purchase one of the disney photographers pics of our whole family to put in it. We have very few pics of the 3 of us! Does anyone know if you can choose the size picture or if there is a standard size?

thanks!!
Wendy

 

[myacammom]

I am thinking to bringing a picture frame mat for the characters to sign and wanted to purchase one of the disney photographers pics of our whole family to put in it. We have very few pics of the 3 of us! Does anyone know if you can choose the size picture or if there is a standard size?

thanks!!
Wendy

Found this, hope it helps
http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/services/photography/

 

[Pumba's Dad]

I do have a question that maybe some of your more experienced cruisers can help with. We usually book our resort transfers thru a car service. With the cruise we have the option of using Disney's transportation, renting a car, or using the same car service to take us to and from our Disney resort and PC. We are staying at the BCV before the cruise and BWV after the cruise. What would be the advantage of using Disney transportation over a car service other than price? I always hate the multiple stops the Disney bus has to make before you get on your way. I would like to get on the Dream as soon as possible to enjoy as much of it as we can. Our check in time is 11:30 a.m. at the Port. My thinking is that if we use a car service, we can get there quicker, check in and get aboard faster. But this being our first cruise I am not sure if it makes a difference. There is no need in spending the extra money it would cost unless it would mean getting there sooner.

Your thoughts and experiences are appreciated.

Amber

I believe the Resort to Port and back to Resort or Airport via Disney is about $70.00 a person (I think that's what I paid) and that includes them collecting your luggage the night before and transferring it to the ship. I guess with a private limo service, you have to take your luggage with you. I see that as an advantage for me in having the resort deal with DW and DD's 50 bags of shoes rather than me having to collect the bags and pay a porter to take care of the bags on and off the ship to get into the limo and tipping the limo driver too.

This will be our 5th cruise and getting there early is OK to tour the ship, but the staterooms do not open up until after 1pm. So if you get there early, you can go eat at the buffet service and then walk around the ship. The pool is open too, so take a carry on with stuff you want as your luggage will not be in the room until around 4 ish or later..

And unless you get there real early, the crowds are about the same. Just make sure to do all your paperwork before hand so you can check in quickly and make sure you carry a the proper identification. I carry our passports, driver's licenses and birth certificate with raised seals. Might be overkill but with the changing rules you never know.

 

[Baysailers]

Found this, hope it helps
http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/services/photography/

Thanks! Just what I was looking for.

 

[DisDreamers]

I believe the Resort to Port and back to Resort or Airport via Disney is about $70.00 a person (I think that's what I paid) and that includes them collecting your luggage the night before and transferring it to the ship. I guess with a private limo service, you have to take your luggage with you. I see that as an advantage for me in having the resort deal with DW and DD's 50 bags of shoes rather than me having to collect the bags and pay a porter to take care of the bags on and off the ship to get into the limo and tipping the limo driver too.

This will be our 5th cruise and getting there early is OK to tour the ship, but the staterooms do not open up until after 1pm. So if you get there early, you can go eat at the buffet service and then walk around the ship. The pool is open too, so take a carry on with stuff you want as your luggage will not be in the room until around 4 ish or later..

And unless you get there real early, the crowds are about the same. Just make sure to do all your paperwork before hand so you can check in quickly and make sure you carry a the proper identification. I carry our passports, driver's licenses and birth certificate with raised seals. Might be overkill but with the changing rules you never know.

So I am not the only one who carries cases of shoes on a vacation?????
I am sure it will be a pleasure meeting your family. We already have something in common.
Thanks for the tips. I am certainly in uncharted waters with our first Disney Cruise. I have ordered and read several books so far. I really like to know the ins and outs of things so I can avoid making rookie mistakes. I know it's inevitable but at least I can try.

Amber

 

[georgiasmom]

DISboard username: georgiasmom
- Cabin #: 7588
- Family Last Name: Branger-Klein
- First names of those participating: Amy (mom 46) Andrew (dad 47) Georgia (G10)
- Favorite Disney character: Georgia loves Tinkerbell and ikes Merida. Mom lives Mickey and Minnie
- Any special cruise celebrations: Georgia's 10 birthday
- Any food allergies, etc: Amy allergic to dairy and gluten

In adjoining cabin #7590 Janet (aunt 55) and Lisa (friend)
No allergies
Janet likes Tinkerbell and Lisa likes Minnies

 

[Pumba's Dad]

Fish Extender Info has been updated:
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=46027212&postcount=28

Reminder.....

Deadline to sign up for the Fish Extender Exchange is November 20th. This give you 2 months to plan on exchange items.

Once the FE list is finalized, I will send you a copy of the list on a spreadsheet.

Time is approaching quickly...

 

[georgiasmom]

Finally bought our plane tickets today!!!

The countdown is on

Amy

 

[melran114]

DISboard melran114
-- Cabin # (if you know it already)6598
-- Family Last Name (helps with personalizing family gifts) Jastremski
-- First names of those participating, ages of kids in cabin and whether boys (B) or girls (G) Melissa (mom) , Skip (dad), COlin (5), Morgan (4)
-- Favorite Disney character for each of the people in your cabin, if any (this helps if people make gifts specific to the people in the room) Ariel, Mickey, Belle
No -- Any special cruise celebrations
No-- Any food allergies, etc

 

[Pumba's Dad]

Welcome to the group melran114.

I've added you to the FE group. Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Maybe we should plan a quick meet and greet on the ship. We've done this in the past. Met somewhere like the ice cream shop top deck around 2pm. We can sell hello and maybe take a group photo.

We can plan this out.

If I don't get the chance to say it later. Wishing everyone a Happy Turkey Day.

 

[SonicGuy]

Welcome to the group melran114.

I've added you to the FE group. Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Maybe we should plan a quick meet and greet on the ship. We've done this in the past. Met somewhere like the ice cream shop top deck around 2pm. We can sell hello and maybe take a group photo.

We can plan this out.

If I don't get the chance to say it later. Wishing everyone a Happy Turkey Day.

Sounds great to us - and ditto on the Happy Turkey Day!

 

[jeanneg4of4]

Ok, so I guess we will be joining in on the meet and or FE. Booked the cruise for the grandkids birthbay. My daughter and I will have connnecing rooms. The FE info is as follows:

DISboard username- jeanneg4of4

-- Cabin- # 7679
-- Family Last Name -Gonzales
-- First names & ages of those participating- Jeanne-me (g-41), Gabriel (b-14)
-- Favorite Disney character – Me-Mickey, Gabriel- Peter Pan
-- Any special cruise celebrations- No
-- Any food allergies- No

My daughter and grandkids will be in the connecting room.

-- Cabin- # 7677
-- Family Last Name -Brewer
-- First names & ages of those participating- Chrystal (g-26), Aydan (b-7), Danica (g-5), Trystan (b-2)
-- Favorite Disney character – Chrystal- Tinker Bell, Aydan-Lightning McQueen, Danica- Minnie, Trystan- Mickey
-- Any special cruise celebrations- Aydan’s Birthday 1/21 & Danica’s Birthday 1/22

-- Any food allergies- Trystan- milk & dairy

This is our third cruise but the first time to the Bahamas. Should be interesting with just the kids.

Jeanne

 

[Pumba's Dad]

Welcome to the group Jeanneg4of4.

I have updated the Fish Extender List
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=46027212&postcount=28

I will have a spreadsheet out shortly with cabins listed by floor and some additional information. I will also include a map of the ship with the cabins highlighted.

I am still waiting on RollTide2000 to give us a cabin update, but we are now closed with 16 cabins participating.

We are down to 60 days.

Happy Turkey day to everyone. And remember, save room for the food on the ship..

 

[Baysailers]

Hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving. Now that it is really getting close, I am having some trouble figuring out the tipping. I would like to pay ahead of time, but don't understand some of the posts I have read about getting a voucher for an envelope to give out. I understand that you can always add more during the trip if you get extra great service, but do you get something that indicates that you pre-paid the tip? Any advice from the veteran cruisers would be great.

 

[kristieseem1]

Hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving. Now that it is really getting close, I am having some trouble figuring out the tipping. I would like to pay ahead of time, but don't understand some of the posts I have read about getting a voucher for an envelope to give out. I understand that you can always add more during the trip if you get extra great service, but do you get something that indicates that you pre-paid the tip? Any advice from the veteran cruisers would be great.

What we do us have our TA call and have it charged to our bank account before we go. We also have onboard credit charged so that we don't have to worry about having to come up with a lot of money at the last minute. Either way, your onboard account will be charged tips (recommended amount of $12 per person per night) and excursions right off the bat. If yoi prepaid, it will show that on your onboard account as well. You can see all this on your TV. You'll then get printed vouchers on the last night to give to everyone with the amount you gave them. You can leave it as is, or add some cash (that's what we do) depending in service. Hope that helps!!

Kristie

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[georgiasmom]

Welcome to the group Jeanneg4of4.

I have updated the Fish Extender List
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=46027212&postcount=28

I will have a spreadsheet out shortly with cabins listed by floor and some additional information. I will also include a map of the ship with the cabins highlighted.

I am still waiting on RollTide2000 to give us a cabin update, but we are now closed with 16 cabins participating.

We are down to 60 days.

Happy Turkey day to everyone. And remember, save room for the food on the ship..

Thanks for organizing this! Will the spreadsheet be posted here or emailed?

Amy

 

[Pumba's Dad]

I will posting a link to my web server with the spreadsheet. I've also included a map with everyone's room highlighted. I am missing one room number for RollTide2000.

I believe we're down to 45 days.

 

[georgiasmom]

Found out yesterday that my wait list for our post cruise stay at Bay Lake Tower has come through!

 

[SonicGuy]

found out yesterday that my wait list for our post cruise stay at bay lake tower has come through!

awesome!