January 21, 2010 - Wonder

[CC197823]

This is going to be my first cruise. I have a question, I got the idea of how this works from the thread just curious. Do we bring items to give out or is something assigned?

Boy age 10
Boy age 8
Girl age 2

 

[hawky7]

63 days from today.

Last January 2009 was our third cruise, and we had our first verandah room. On Nassau day, the weather was so nice and perfect, we pretty much just stayed on the beautiful verandah all day and watched the hustle/bustle of the port. It was a great day, and we knew we had the next day at Castaway Cay to enjoy the beach - right?

Wrong.. the next day a "nor'easter" hit.. the temps dropped 20 degrees and the winds were 30-35mph. The Wonder tried twice to dock at Castaway Cay, but the winds were too strong... and even if the Wonder HAD docked, Castaway Cay would've been miserable. We ended up spending a frigid day-at-sea. The temp was in the 50's, and with the windchill it was probably in the 30's. It was an awful day to be outside. To make matters "worse", we hadn't even left our room the day before, and got a little stir crazy being "stuck" on the boat.

That's a long-winded way of saying -- the lesson we learned was (for cruising in January), if the weather is nice, GO TO THE BEACH... because you're not guaranteed a nice day at Castaway Cay. So, on this cruise we will be going to Cabbage Beach on Nassau day, weather permitting.... "just in case".

Were you on the Wonder on 1/29/09? Thats what one we were on, I'm assuming it was the same one. The one where you could tell it was bad as soon as the captain came on. I almost started crying. We have learned our lesson too! Take advantage of Nassau if you can!

 

[KSandbergFL]

Were you on the Wonder on 1/29/09? Thats what one we were on, I'm assuming it was the same one. The one where you could tell it was bad as soon as the captain came on. I almost started crying. We have learned our lesson too! Take advantage of Nassau if you can!

Yes I believe that's right... my wife's birthday is 1/28, so we cruise in Jan as her birthday present. Nassau day was marvelous, then the next day was brutally cold. Even if the Wonder had been able to dock at Castaway Cay, the wind would've made the beach unbearable.

 

[KSandbergFL]

This is going to be my first cruise. I have a question, I got the idea of how this works from the thread just curious. Do we bring items to give out or is something assigned?

Boy age 10
Boy age 8
Girl age 2

You just bring little "stocking stuffer" type items... you don't have to do much, little bags of candy work fine. Search the forums for "FE" or "fish extender" and you'll see tons of different things that others have done.

The list is currently:

KSandbergFL....: 1 boy (8)
MickeyMick1967: 1 boy (7), 1 girl (11)
MayoTwins.......: 2 boys (11,11), 1 girl (6)
Noahade..........: 2 boys (18,7), 1 girl (15)
Fivepin............: 3 boys (10,8,5)
LuvTheEars......: 1 boy (9), 1 girl (6)
SMSNorthUp.....: 1 boy (2), 1 girl (8)
TheFyshes.......: 1 boy (4), 1 girl (6)
CC197823........: 2 boys (10,8), 1 girl (2)

14 boys and 7 girls

 

[noahade]

Hello Everyone!!! I hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving! I am sooo excited I can hardly wait!!!! Has anyone counted the days lately? Please post if you have!!! I can tell you one thing, I have spent way less on Christmas this year!!! About the FE List....are we doing adults and children or children only??? I noticed the post for the adult FE and started wondering. I just assumed we were doing adults too. So it would be fine for them to FE with us! Anyway, i'm sure our wonderful leader will let us know. Thanks everyone!!!

 

[KSandbergFL]

About the FE List....are we doing adults and children or children only??? I noticed the post for the adult FE and started wondering. I just assumed we were doing adults too. So it would be fine for them to FE with us! Anyway, i'm sure our wonderful leader will let us know. Thanks everyone!!!

51 days and counting! I noticed on the DCL site today, that Disney has opened up more Cat 12 (cheapie) rooms for ALL of the Jan 2010 cruises, both 3-nt and 4-nt, with the Kids Sail Free rate. A 4-nt cruise, for 2 adults and 1-2 kids would be only $800 base rate (not incl taxes, transportation, etc). That's a super deal! My wife and I are tossing around the idea of maybe switching to a 4-nt cruise instead.

As far as the FE list... we, ourselves, are planning on just buying items for the kids. The list, so far, has been advertised as a "kids only" list.

Ya'll can make up your minds if you want to include adults in your gift-giving, using this list.... OR, if you want to start a separate "adults only" list.

I guess I could add an "adult option" to the list too, if that makes it easier... names with adults listed would want to exchange adult gifts too... names without, are "kids only".

How does this look?

KSandbergFL....: 1 boy (8)
MickeyMick1967: 1 boy (7), 1 girl (11)
MayoTwins.......: 2 boys (11,11), 1 girl (6)
Noahade..........: 2 boys (18,7), 1 girl (15)
Fivepin............: 3 boys (10,8,5)
LuvTheEars......: 1 boy (9), 1 girl (6)
SMSNorthUp.....: 1 boy (2), 1 girl (8)
TheFyshes.......: 1 boy (4), 1 girl (6)
CC197823........: 2 boys (10,8), 1 girl (2)
Hawky7...........: 0 boys, 0 girls; ***adults 1 DH, 1 DW


14 boys and 7 girls; 2 adults

 

[hawky7]

I know the new prices are crazy!!! Thats why we booked the 3 night! Such a steal!!! I wish we could do the 4 night, but its easier to just take a long weekend off for us...

I'd love to do an adults only FE gift exchange for anyone who is interested. Not having kids, or anything I'm not sure what kids are into these days. I've got plenty of nieces and nephews, but to be honest they are quite selfish! LOL!!! Ahahah.... But if no one wants to do adults, as in everyone on our thread has kids, its no biggie...I'll still decorate the door and do the meet and greet if we decide to have one. Its alot to ask that everyone who's already doing kids gifts add adults too. So if anyone is interested in doing adults only. Let me know, and I can be in charge of that list if you guys want... Can't wait till the cruise! It'll be here before we know it!

 

[KSandbergFL]

I know the new prices are crazy!!! Thats why we booked the 3 night! Such a steal!!! I wish we could do the 4 night, but its easier to just take a long weekend off for us...

When the 2010 Kids Sail Free rates first were announced, there were only certain weekends in Jan 2010 when the Cat 12 rooms/rates were available... that's how we ended up with Jan 21st cruise. Today, I checked and I see Cat 12 rates available for ALL dates in Jan 2010... Disney must have quite a few rooms available (ie, the cruises still aren't sold out).... I've never seen so many Cat 12 offerings.

 

[Fivepin]

I know the new prices are crazy!!! Thats why we booked the 3 night! Such a steal!!! I wish we could do the 4 night, but its easier to just take a long weekend off for us...

I'd love to do an adults only FE gift exchange for anyone who is interested. Not having kids, or anything I'm not sure what kids are into these days. I've got plenty of nieces and nephews, but to be honest they are quite selfish! LOL!!! Ahahah.... But if no one wants to do adults, as in everyone on our thread has kids, its no biggie...I'll still decorate the door and do the meet and greet if we decide to have one. Its alot to ask that everyone who's already doing kids gifts add adults too. So if anyone is interested in doing adults only. Let me know, and I can be in charge of that list if you guys want... Can't wait till the cruise! It'll be here before we know it!

I have kids, but I also have stuff for adults. I would be willing to participate. This is a much smaller group then the cruise we just got off of. For that one, I did family gifts (44 families participated)

 

[Fivepin]

When the 2010 Kids Sail Free rates first were announced, there were only certain weekends in Jan 2010 when the Cat 12 rooms/rates were available... that's how we ended up with Jan 21st cruise. Today, I checked and I see Cat 12 rates available for ALL dates in Jan 2010... Disney must have quite a few rooms available (ie, the cruises still aren't sold out).... I've never seen so many Cat 12 offerings.

That's why we booked. I would love to do the 4 nite, but this works out better with school. The kids are already off that Friday, so would only miss one day. They have Fl residents rate as well for this cruise. I believe cat 11 or 12 was $249 for 1st and 2nd person. It's still works out better for us to stay in the GTY cat 4, because we would have 2 get 2 cabins. We got FL residence rates for our cruise in October right before final payment was due, but I had already paid so I could book online stuff. We got $2K refunded back on the credit card, which now pays for this cruise

 

[taliategan]

Its our first cruise in about 13 years - actually booked this back in Nov. 08', after we returned from WDW trip. Glad to KIDS SAIL FOR FREE was announced - dropped our price about $ 500.00. We are staying with relatives from Saturday thru Tuesday in Marco Island, driving to Orlando on Tuesday and going to either Universal or SeaWorld on Wednesday.

 

[noahade]

Morning Everyone! Any suggestions for a nice hotel for the wed night before cruise? Thanks~

 

[KSandbergFL]

Morning Everyone! Any suggestions for a nice hotel for the wed night before cruise? Thanks~

you can go to maps.yahoo.com, type in "port canaveral, FL" and in the "Find a business on the map" box type "Hotel". There are at least 10 hotels within 3 miles of the port, on highway A1A. I've never stayed at any of these, but there is a nice selection of "name brands" versus local places.

If you were thinking of staying in Orlando, you can do the same. We have stayed, twice, at the Amerisuites West by the Orlando airport, and like it a lot.



http://maps.yahoo.com/#***=m&lat=28...tt=hotel&tp=1&ioride=us&q1=port canaveral, fl

 

[IrishCowboy]

sub

 

[hawky7]

So we called today, and the Walter E Disney Suite is available for this cruise. NOW if I only had an EXTRA $4884 to pay for it... Maybe we could all chip in and just take turns admiring it!!! HAHA

Why can't we get a free upgrade to THIS suite????

 

[KSandbergFL]

So we called today, and the Walter E Disney Suite is available for this cruise. NOW if I only had an EXTRA $4884 to pay for it... Maybe we could all chip in and just take turns admiring it!!! HAHA

Why can't we get a free upgrade to THIS suite????

you sure like to dream big.

you can walk by during cleaning times and look in the doorway.... doesn't cost a dime. That's the closest we'll ever come to staying in that suite.

PS: You could search around these threads, there must be someone who has upgraded to the Walt Suite, at the port... I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be $4884 to upgrade at the port, probably about half that (if it's still available on cruise day).

 

[hawky7]

LOL yes I do like to dream big~! Ohhhh how I would love to stay in that suite. BUT DANG!!! That is ALOT of money!! I was actually quite surprised it was available, I doubt it will be on day of. I asked last year, and the guy laughed at me and was like you are hilarious. Of course our ship was at total occupancy (-4 people) ...so maybe thats why.

I'll have to walk by it, and ask the room attendants if I could just sit in there for one minute if the occupants aren't there! HAHA!

 

[LuvtheEars]

I just checked and we have our room assignments posted online! Our cruise docs should be coming soon too! We did get an upgrade for this cruise and the 4 day before, but no windows. I have to say that we are not in our rooms enough to justify paying for an upgrade.

Has anyone else received their room assignments from a GTY? Did anyone get a great upgrade?

 

[KSandbergFL]

I just checked and we have our room assignments posted online! Our cruise docs should be coming soon too! We did get an upgrade for this cruise and the 4 day before, but no windows. I have to say that we are not in our rooms enough to justify paying for an upgrade.

Has anyone else received their room assignments from a GTY? Did anyone get a great upgrade?

i'm on the DCL site now, and have my reservation up... According to what I'm reading, it looks like we got an "upgrade" to a Cat 11. We had booked a Cat 12 on the web site.

However - based on past experience, I believe that the rooms can still change between "now" and when you get your luggage tags in the mail. One year, we booked a specific room, and when the luggage tags came, they had a different number.... we had gotten a last-minute pixie-dust upgrade from a Cat 9 to a Cat 6.

I've also read that -- even if you do get an upgrade, the room # on DCL's website doesn't change.

In other words, there is a chance that the luggage tags you get in the mail could be different than what the website says.

 

[hawky7]

I just checked and we have our room assignments posted online! Our cruise docs should be coming soon too! We did get an upgrade for this cruise and the 4 day before, but no windows. I have to say that we are not in our rooms enough to justify paying for an upgrade.

Has anyone else received their room assignments from a GTY? Did anyone get a great upgrade?

We booked a cat 12 and got a sideways inside stateroom, so I think thats an 11 or 12, no upgrade for us. I was really hoping for one since there are so many open rooms... Oh well, like you said, we'll hardly be in the room, so no loss.

On another note.... is everyone decorating their doors??? I AM!!! Only I have to make ALL new door decorations because I dated all my last years ones so they wouldn't get taken, and now I can't really reuse them. Oh well, new designs are out by all the talented people here, so it'll look great! I hope everyone else does, its one of my favorite things to go look at on the ship!!