January 26 2008 - Western

[jenkh]

Hey All,

I waited hoping a more experienced cruise DIS'r would start a group but it seems this date has been left out in the cold.

So I'll start one

Me and my family are going on our first ever cruise. By time the cruise starts it will be
My Dad (46)
My Mom (46)
and Me (23)


Who else is with us?

 

[AmberMarie]

We will be joining you, just signed up yesterday.

Dad & Mom 53-52
Husband & Me 21-21

My parents have been on a couple other cruises my husband and I have never been on 1 and None of us have been on the disney cruises. We are hoping they will be fun for us adults....

 

[jenkh]

Glad to have someone else This is our first cruise as well, and we've realy researched it and it seems it's a great cruise for us adults too.

We are actually excited as just earlier this week we managed to snap up one of the cat6 for cat 7 price cabins.

Now we are just waiting to plan our day before in Disney.

 

[GuardMusic]

Glad to see someone has initiated this thread.

Wow - looks like I might be the senior crusier here! (Before you picture the gray hair, I'm in my early 30s!)

This will be my 4th cruise (3rd w/ DCL). The first was a college graduation cruise with Carnival. It was so horrible we never speak of it. It's like "The-Cruise-That-Must-Not-Be-Named!

First Disney one was land/sea (Jan. 2006) to celebrate mine & best friend's doctorate degrees. We were upgraded from Cat 9/Deck 2 to Cat 6/Deck 6 for free! (This is where I say we've been snookered by Disney AGAIN - introducing us to a more fab experience, so we'll want to spend the money on it next time!) Wanna know how our land/sea went? Check out the link to my Trip Report below!!!

The 2nd DCL hasn't happened yet! This cruise is the 4 night on Sept. 2; it will make up for a HORRIBLE trip to Hawaii in Jan. 2007.(Ask if you want details.) I'm taking my mom (her first cruise ever). I just surprised her with it last weekend for her birthday!

So for Jan. 2008, it will be Best Friend and I again. We booked this one during the land/sea, but pushed it back for Hawaii (NIGHTMARE!) Alas, we've booked the Cat 6. Come on, it's 7 nights; we NEED a verandah! Right?

We've both been to WDW a lot (me a lot more)! But DCL is a different kind of vacation. It doesn't require miles & miles of walking, no pre-planning meal locations, quick time back to room, etc. I was literally addicted 3 minutes into the Sail Away Party!

Hope to hear more from everyone over the next few months.
Gayle

 

[Frankiesmom]

Thanks Jen for pointing me in the right direction! Nice to see you all here! We are slao joining your sailing-Me (angel) 36, and my DH (donald) 48, and our 2 sons-Frankie 6 and Dominic 3. Can't wait! this will be our 4th Disney cruise;1st time on the Magic. Talk to you all soon! Angel

 

[Frankiesmom]

I can't believe that we are the only ones from these boards that are sailing on this ship! Well it looks like we'll have the ship pretty much to ourselves! LOL Angel

 

[Billybob7]

My DW and I will be joining you. This is our second disney Cruise and we can't wait!!

 

[jenkh]

Let's get the ball rolling here. What excursions is everyone considering?

For Key West we've decided just to explore on foot ourselves.

In Grand Cayman we are looking at the Shipwreck & Reef Snorkeling

Cozumel - Fury Catamaran Sail, Snorkel & Beach Party

And in Castaway Cay I've made a promise to myself to do Parasailing. I'm scared of heights but love the thrill and I know I'll just love it.

What's everyone else doing/considering?

 

[Gabbypick]

I will be going on my 2nd Disney cruise on this cruise. I Can't wait. It is the best!!!

 

[purplepeg]

Hi everyone,

We will be joining all of you as well. We just booked last week. This is our first DCL but not our first cruise. We haven't cruised in 7 yrs. Last time I was expecting our first Dd(7). Our cast is me(44) Dh(39) Dd(7) Dd(3). Our children have never cruised so we are looking forward to exploring the ship with them. We thought we might just hang out on board instead of doing shore excursions. The alternate is just exploring at the pier. I am so excited about this cruise

 

[Frankiesmom]

Hi to all! We are planning on exploring on our own in Key west;maybe staying on the ship in Grand Cayman and in Cozumel we would like to take the youngest to Playa Mia? I think that's it? We were there with our 6 year old 4 years ago on RCCL Enchantment-and we had a blast as a family-a wonderful relaxing beach day. We would do this on our own;as obtaining a taxi and getting there would be way less than using DCL. I really think an extra sea day and extra time exploring the ship would be great-that's why I plan on skipping GC. Now to start packing for my Mariner cruise in 2 weeks;leaving DH with the kids and sailing with my BFF! No kids and no husbands!! LOL Take care everyone and nice to see this thread getting some movement. Angel

 

[dzorn]

Hey everyone. We will also be joining you on this cruise

DM
DSis

Dh & Me

DD ages 6 & 8.

We are only doing cat 10 to save points on the DVC we just bought for next years Christmas Vac. My mom has cruised before years ago but is my sisters and my family's first cruise. Just booked this morning cannot wait.


Denise in MI

 

[dzorn]

Still have not decided on shore excursions. It does look not to many Diser's are going with us.

Denise in MI

 

[GuardMusic]

Hey all!

Just booked air this week. We were planning to book air later, but this week we could grab for only $140 round trip!

Best Friend (DBFF) and I will plan our excursions the weekend of Oct. 12, while we celebrate her b-day. We've never been to any of these places and feel the DIsney site is completely lacking. We'll be pouring over the latest PassPorter edition very soon.

BFF wants to informally browse Key West. Any advice?

I want to stay on the ship during at least one port day, as I love having the ship empty. I thought BFF would want to do the dolphin experience, but she seems to be shying away from that. The speedboat trip to the beach looks cool, but would like some true-life experiences. BFF also originally considered the Ruins, but that seems to be off the table as well.

ANY AND ALL excursion advice/recommendations are welcomed!

We're flying in the day before at 11:30am. The last time I rented a car to go over to the WDW hotels & Downtown Disney, stayed out at the airport, and took the Disney bus to the port. (I thought my mom would enjoy the video and it saved me another drive/gave me a chance to nap.)

BFF and I are trying to decide if we should do that or stay at WDW and still transfer to the port. (We did that for land/sea.) The big thing is deciding if we want to ge to the port early or not....

OK - enough for now! Look forward to hearing from you all over the coming months.

Gayle

 

[dzorn]

We are flying in a day early also and probably renting a car and dropping it off near port. DH wants to stay near port but I have not decided yet on hotel. Still looking at flights. Southwest is cheapest but the thought of no assigned seats does not sit well with DH or Me. Oldest daughter is high functing autistic and will do better with her family around her. Printed out a lot of excersion stuff for DH and Mom to look at. In key west we were thinking of doing the old town trolley tour (not necessarity through DCL) that way we could get on and off around Key West. We like it when we did it in St. Augustine one year.

Denise in MI

 

[jenkh]

Well I got a nice surprise in the mail yesterday. Our cruise planner from DCL. Giving us all the details on excursions, gifts, formalwear and some tips for the cruise.

We're starting to get closer

 

[dzorn]

Jen

Just noticed you have DVC at Animal Kingdom. We just purchased ours on our trip to the world in August. Using our developer points for the cruise. Still have not deciede when to go back to WDW.

I'm still trying to deciede on air fare. SW is cheaper but NWA can do the luggage transfers on the way back.

DH hoped buying DVC would give me a little more rest from planning. NO Way!

Love to plan the vacation, but I better get off her and get some house work done.

Denise in MI

Denise in MI

 

[jenkh]

Hey!

Yep we just bought a few weeks ago. I'm already planning about the first 4 vacations were going to do haha. But we are waiting until Jan 2009 for the first trip home.

I actually just got our flights home a few days ago. We're doing southwest down there as it offers a nice early morning non-stop fkight, and coming home we are going with Jetblue. They just opened up non stop service between BUF/MCO and Rochester/MCO.

Now I'm just waiting until Nov 12 to book those excursions

 

[dzorn]

Southwest is still the cheapest for us, but still have not booked.

We have not deciede when to take our first trip back home. Considering rebooking on board and trying an eastern in Jan 09. though DH wants to go WDW Dec of 08 to see the decorations.

After an 11 day trip this past August I an so looking forward to sitting on a deck chair and reading a book. I hope the kids like the clubs so Dh and I can get an evening in Palo if not DMom and DSis will watch them.

Got our cruise planning Kit and cannot deciede what to do.

Denise

 

[GuardMusic]

Check it out gang!!!

http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/miniSi...sePage&hbx.hrf=http://desktop.disneylinks.com

Gayle